Riko Kisaragi was walking through the streets of Seoul.
"Since I was born into this world, I have seen many nightmares."
He paused for a moment, then continued calmly:
"My name is Riko Kisaragi."
His childhood immediately came back to him.
"When I was born, and only ten years later, my father died in a car accident at the age of thirty-five."
School was no easier. His classmates constantly bullied him because of his weakness.
"You're so weak, Riko!"
"If I were you, I would kill myself."
Riko raised his gaze toward the sky and thought:
"Yes, that's right. This world contains magical energy called mana. Twenty years ago, there was no mana in the world, and suddenly, gates appeared."
"And from those gates came monsters."
"Then people known as the Awakened appeared."
"As time passed, organizations formed that included the Awakened, in order to cleanse the gates."
"As for the Awakened who join organizations, they are called monster hunters."
Riko sighed and continued walking with steady steps.
"My dream is to become an Awakened, but my family's genes are weak, and that is impossible."
"After my father's death, I became responsible for my mother, my brother, and my sister."
"Yes, my dream is to become the strongest, but I know this dream is impossible."
He raised his gaze again, his eyes shining with seriousness and determination.
"I will do my absolute best to become the strongest and discover the secret behind these nightmares."
On one morning in Seoul, inside a simple room, Riko Kisaragi was sleeping. Suddenly, the alarm rang. He stopped it with difficulty and woke up.
"What's the point of magical schools? I'm not even Awakened."
He jumped out of bed and went to the bathroom. He looked at himself in the mirror.
"I'm actually handsome… how can this beauty not possess magical energy? This world is truly unfair."
He quickly began washing his face while thinking:
'I have to go to school… I'm really late.'
He ran toward the door, grabbed his bag, and left.
Fifteen minutes later, he arrived at Serolin School. He hurried up the stairs and entered the classroom, only to find the teacher already explaining while the rest of the students were seated.
"Riko, you are always late. Can you change this habit?"
"I'm sorry, teacher… the alarm got lost."
"But you can buy another one."
"I always forget…" Riko said, trying not to show his tension.
The teacher sighed. "Sit down, but try to change this habit."
"Yes, sir."
Riko sat down, his thoughts scattering.
'I always lie to the teacher, but I know he knows I'm lying.'
The class ended, and the break bell rang. The students burst with joy and rushed toward the cafeteria.
Riko went out with them, but he walked slowly, separated from the laughter and noise.
In a luxurious villa far from the city's bustle, inside a guest reception hall, a man sat on a sofa. In front of him sat a girl the same age as Riko.
"Hana, my daughter… why do you want to end your engagement with Riko?"
"He's just poor. He's not on our level."
"But my daughter, you must marry him. He is the son of my dear brother who passed away."
"Father… he's weak and poor. Why do you like him so much?"
"My brother helped me greatly to become rich… everything in this villa exists because of him."
"But father… I don't love him."
"You do not have to marry him."
At Serolin School, in the cafeteria, Riko sat eating alone.
Suddenly, a group of bullies appeared behind him and grabbed his shoulders.
"Welcome, weakling!"
Riko slowly raised his gaze.
'They haven't changed… just like every day.'
"Still eating alone?"
"Or do you still have no friends like usual?"
Riko did not turn.
'They're early today.'
One of them pulled a chair roughly and sat in front of him.
"I heard you were late again today."
"Do you know why? Because you fail at everything."
Riko clenched his fist beneath the table.
'Ignore them… like always.'
"Not answering?"
"Oh right, I forgot… weak people don't talk."
They all laughed.
Riko slowly stood up. He picked up his tray and tried to pass between them.
A hand blocked his path.
"Where are you going?"
"Sit."
"Or are you scared?"
'I don't want trouble… not today.'
Riko took another step. One of them pushed him. The tray fell to the ground.
Silence for a moment.
"Look."
"Even his food doesn't like him."
They laughed again.
Riko bent down to pick up his bag.
'No strength… no money… not even dignity.'
Suddenly, a sound echoed throughout the school.
A short alarm.
Then a large screen in the cafeteria turned on automatically.
"Emergency announcement."
"An unstable gate has been detected two kilometers away from the school."
The students stopped laughing.
"A gate? Here?"
"But that's impossible…"
One of the bullies stepped back.
Riko slowly lifted his head.
'A gate… very close.'
Another voice came from the screen:
"All students are requested to remain inside the buildings until further notice."
Noise. Fear. Whispers.
Riko looked at his hand.
'Why… is my heart beating this fast?'
For the first time in years, he felt something strange.
Something he had never felt before.
Riko's classroom was completely sealed.
Desks and tables were stacked in front of the door.
The lights were off.
The windows were tightly shut.
The students sat on the floor, close together, making no sound.
The teacher stood beside the door, his hand pressed against it, watching outside.
Riko sat in the back, quietly looking at the teacher.
' I feel like the oxygen is decreasing because the classroom is closed.'
' I heard from the school alarm that a gate appeared near the school.'
' A C-rank gate, according to the announcement.'
' And monsters came out of the gate searching for anyone to devour.'
' This is truly frightening… but I am not afraid like the other students.'
His memory returned to the past.
' When I was born, I didn't cry.'
' I was never afraid of anything.'
' Even when my father died in the accident… I didn't cry for him.'
' I feel like I am different from other humans.'
' What does fear or sadness even feel like?'
Suddenly, screams were heard from the neighboring classroom.
Sharp screams.
Then the sound of tearing.
Silence filled the classroom.
The students began trembling.
Some covered their mouths.
Others shut their eyes.
Riko remained seated.
He did not move.
His expression did not change.
The tearing sounds continued.
The screaming suddenly stopped.
The teacher lowered his voice to the lowest possible level.
"Do not make any sound… if they hear us, it will be over."
Riko looked at the teacher's back.
' Yes… the teacher was a former E-rank monster hunter.'
' Monster hunters have ranks.'
' Rank E is the weakest.'
' Then D.'
' Then C.'
' Then B.'
' Then A.'
' And the final and strongest rank… S.'
' But the gate beside our school is not E-rank.'
' It is C-rank.'
' A powerful rank.'
' Monster hunters will arrive soon… if they arrive.'
Suddenly, heavy footsteps echoed in the hallway.
One step.
Then another.
With every step, the students' fear increased.
Broken breathing.
Visible trembling.
Riko slightly raised his head.
' It's clear they…'
' will reach our classroom soon.'
The footsteps stopped in front of the door.
End of Chapter (1)