Times Square, New York City, United States of America
As lightning and thunder rained down, the clouds roared with electrifying anger, complementing the frightening storm that had developed in the area.
Despite the fact that Times Square was deserted, advertisements and videos were still being shown on the huge screens
A few figures stood making a complete circle, it was as if they were trying to surround the figure standing in the middle. All the men making the circle were facing the man in the middle of the circle
“It’s over, Specter, you are a dead man” A person from the crowd told the person standing in the middle
The man in the middle smiled. "It ain't over until I win," he said confidently, spinning the karambit knife in his hands, and taking a fighting stance.
A few blue sparks appeared around his left eye, and the eye itself began to radiate blue
The man then sprang upon his opponents…
(Author’s note : This event takes place way ahead in the story, and does not correlate with the current story)
***
An unspecified amount of time back…
Wellington High School, Tison, Veralia
A scrawny figure was walking through a corridor brightened up by the sunlight entering it through the windows. This person was wearing the usual uniform of this Wellington High, which included a white shirt, cyan pants, red tie, and a matching cyan blazer.
He was covered in bruises, and scratches, his dark blue hair were shabby, just like his clothes. This person was drenched in sweat, and a few drops of blood were also visible below his lips
Even though the light illuminated by the sun had become orange, he was still at school, walking in the corridor
After taking a few more steps, he stopped in front of the room labeled “Staff Room”, he then knocked on the door to the room before opening it, and entering the room
“Mr Zhen” The person said as soon as he entered the staff room
In the room, all cubicles were vacant, except one, which belonged to Mr Zhen
“Devin, you are here” Mr Zhen said as he turned towards Devin
“Sir, you called me” Devin asked
“I just wanted to talk to you about, you know, Barry”
“What’s there to talk about him, sir?” Devin said in a high tone, but calmed himself down
“I know that you are defenseless in front of someone who has been ignited with C2 rank talent, you can at least give in to him. You don’t always have to be rigid, Devin.” Mr Zhen said as he adjusted his glasses, “I know what it’s like being in your position, that’s why I recommend you to-”
“What? Give up on my dreams and die? You have no idea what it feels like to not be ignited at all, or form a core even after rigorous martial arts, you don’t know what it feels like to be the weakest human” Devin said interrupting Mr Zhen
“I never said that, I just wanted to tell you that, sometimes it's good to bow down, every dog has its day, your day will come too” Mr Zhen told Devin in a calm tone
Devin took a deep breath and sighed, “Is there anything else, Mr Zhen?” the boy asked
“Your results are in, and just like every time, you are second, behind her”
“I know, I will work harder”
“Well, I thought you didn’t know the fact that the results had been declared, as you were with the school doctor the entire day” Mr Zhen said as he got up from his seat and started packing up the stuff on his desk, “Well work harder next time”
“I definitely will”
***
After a few minutes, both the teacher and student were moving towards the exit of the school while discussing philosophy
The sun had sunk, and the corridor became illuminated with beautiful white moon light
“Do you think all lives are equal?” Devin asked
“In my opinion, each life is equal, but souls are not” Mr Zhen answered, “Karma adds up to the soul of a person, not to his life”
“What do you mean?”
“You can look at it as if, a person who has murdered hundreds, and a person who has treated hundreds, both when killed-” Mr Zhen said, but was interrupted by the sudden movement of the floor beneath him
The ground shook vigorously, and a huge roar was heard by both of them.
Both Devin and Mr Zhen rushed toward a beam pillar near them and hugged it tightly, in a few moments the earthquake stopped and one more loud roar was heard
The white moon light illuminating the hallway turned crimson
Noticing this, Mr Zhen quickly looked out of the window, only to see the sight he was afraid of seeing
A 50-meter tall tower like structure had erupted from the ground, and horde of skeletons was rushing out of the base of this tower, heading right towards the school building. The moon shone behind the tower, and its blood-red color, combined with the terror of the monsters that would soon get to Mr Zhen, made the sight even more frightening.
This structure, it was called a Monster Tower or just a Tower, these tall tower-like structures, started appearing all across the globe a few years ago, and around these towers, appeared monsters, like skeletons, and aathmas.
The towers were also thought to be the result of "The Incident" that took place at the beginning of the twentieth century, about a century and a half ago.
“Oh God No!” Mr Zhen said in denial as he slowly sat down with his back against the wall, his hands covered his face, “What should we do now?” He said while looking at the floor with hopelessness, expecting a response, but Devin did not say anything
Mr Zhen looked up towards Devin, “Devin?”
Devin stood blankly staring at the end of the corridor, mouth open and eyes wide open. He gulped before muttering, “What?”
Mr Zhen stood up and shook his shoulder, “Devin?”
Devin snapped out of that blank state and looked at Mr Zhen, “You got your dagger?” He asked
“You want me to fight?” Mr Zhen asked, he was sweating profusely
“Fight?” Devin looked at his teacher with his eyebrows knotted, “Sir, even though you are a 3-star warrior, you won’t be able to fight a horde of those skeletons” Devin said as he looked at the ground of his school through the window
“But, what other choice do we have?”
“Camp” Devin said as he moved towards the stairs, “We need to camp, and hold on until help arrives”
“Camping won’t do much” Mr Zhen said as he walked towards Devin, “There is a way, a single way to win”
“I know how to inscript arrays” He told Devin with seriousness all over his face, he wasn’t scared anymore instead confident, confident in winning
“That’s new” Devin said as he took off his glasses and kept them in his pocket, “So we are gonna setup traps?”
“No, just a single trap”
“What?”
“I know it’s a little fu-, I mean, it's going to be hard, but it’s our only way out of this situation, you need to…”
***
In a room that looked like an office, an old man sat drinking tea, and in front of him sat a young girl with soft pink hair. Indifference filled the eyes of the man standing behind the old man, who held a folder in his hands
“Uncle, we, no, I need your help, please just give me the shares” The girl said, in a calm and sweet tone
“I am sorry Aanya, but I can’t give you the shares, those shares, they are my emergency funds, you know what I mean, don’t you?” The old man told her niece, Aanya
“Second Uncle, he-” Aanya said but was interrupted by a ringtone
It was the assistant who was standing behind the old man, “I am sorry, but, may I take this call?” he asked his boss
The old man nodded in agreement, and the man left the room
“You were saying something” The old man said as he took a sip of his tea
“I just wanted to say that, I or my dad won’t interfere with your shares, but if…” She took a pause before saying, “if, he comes, then please tell him the same thing as well”
“I will” the old man said
“Well then I should leave” Aanya said
Suddenly the door’s room abruptly opened, and the assistant came in, his face filled with worry, “Sir, a tower erected in front of Wellington High”
***
Back at Wellington High
Devin stood on the first floor, in front of the staircase joining the ground floor with the first floor
In his hands was a black dagger, about 11 inches in length, it had red markings all over the handle, it had a good curve with a clip point tip, making it lethal enough to tear through flesh like butter. The dagger was bladed on both sides, and emitted a dangerous aura. This dagger looked something straight out of a vampire story
Suddenly, some kind of faint clunky sound came from the ground floor, and the next second it became louder, this sound was the sound of a skeleton's footsteps, and they got louder and louder with each clunk
Two skeletons appeared on the staircase, they had a small knife in their hands. The skeletons, on spotting Devin, let out a scream, and rushed towards Devin with the knife ready to stab Devin.
On seeing the skeleton, Devin didn’t lose his composure. He quickly pounced on the skeletons. He jumped in such a way that his body fell on the skeleton that was a few steps behind the other skeleton. While still in air, he simultaneously sliced off the throat of the skeleton, which was a few steps ahead.
Devin then stabbed the throat of the other skeleton after he landed on land while on the skeleton’s chest. He then stood up, and looked at both the skeletons, he had killed in a single second.
“Huh, I knew for a fact, I had talent for this shit” He said with a smirk, “Quest Status”
As soon as he said those words, a blue holographic screen appeared in the boy’s vision
[Emergency Quest!]
[School’s Sudden Shock]
[About - A C-Rank tower has erected in the ground of Wellington High School, complete the following:
Kill Skeletons: 2/20
Survive: 0.16/6 Hours]
[Rewards: 1 Mystic Box, 50 exp]
[Penalty: Death]
“18 more to go” He said, “As for those other monsters, I will probably get his help”
***
About a fortnight ago
Devin, a 16-year-old youth, sat on the terrace of his school, in his hand was something like a smartphone, but it was transparent and very slim, just like glass, and it had a broad and visible base on both of it’s ends
On the transparent screen of this smartphone, Devin was watching the live broadcast of some new station
“The hunters have finally returned from the dead zone, what was once known as Melbourne” The news anchor said, “Hailey, can you please tell the viewers what exactly is the situation? How many hunters came back?”
The screen switched over to the blonde reporter named Hailey, “Yes Xenia, the news floating around currently is that, only 5 members have returned from the dead zone, and out of those only 2 have minor injuries”
“So, you are saying that, out of 15 S-ranked, and 25 A-ranked hunters, which were led by the Ricardo Velez, only 5 have returned?” Xenia the anchor said
“Exactly Xenia, and-” Hailey said, but before she could complete the sentence, Devin abruptly turned off the device, and stood up.
He looked at what the city looked like as the sun shone brightly in front of him. “The same news every day, this grayish tone, and this mute reality” he said softly, “If only the world was more”, he paused before completing his sentence, “More colorful?”
Suddenly, the door to the terrace opened up, and the bullies of the school entered the terrace. They were collectively lead by, Barry Melon, a 17-year-old boy with a bulky built and short black hair.
“So you were here? I have been looking for you” Barry said
“How can I help you?” Devin said, still looking at the city, “As far as I remember, I already gave you the protection fees”
“It’s not the protection fees, I have a proposal for you” Barry said with a smirk on his face
“Oh, really?” Devin said as he turned around, “What might that be?”
“The Ignition Exam will take place next week, and I want you to group up with me” Barry said
“And why is that?” Devin asked as he adjusted his glasses, “Also, what would I gain?”
“Well, you know, I will gain the spotlight if I group up with you, and you will not have to give protection fees till you graduate” Barry answered Devin
“Sure, but how do I know that you won’t go back on your word?”
“I put my honor on my Melon family”
“Well then, why not, I am with you” Devin said as his eyes gazed at the lowly bullies of this society, the apathy and darkness in his eyes was so immense that it could not be explained in mere words, and his shabby dark blue hair made him look even more lethargic.
But, with the sun rays coming from behind him, his handsome yet calm face, and the look in his dark brown eyes, he looked like some kind of God looking down on the pests beneath him
