PREFACE- THE NEW WORLD

The world, since the beginning, has always been a playground for the strong. Since the start of the dawn, humans have competed with each other to exceed their own limits and surpass others. The ones who pass through the hurdles and come at the top of this vicious cycle are the ones termed as vital.

Some philosophers often like to coin the terms "Survival of the fittest", "Only the strong can make the rules", or "Winner takes it all". If you were weak, the flow of time would inevitably consume you, plunging your very being into the sea of a forgotten dark abyss.

Since time immemorial, people have desired to control their fate, be independent, and follow their minds. But society as a whole couldn't function like that, or rather, the strong didn't want the world to continue in its chaotic flow.

Rules were set up, some beneficial and some detrimental, all to appease the ideals of those who stand at the top. Society was finally being formed, and those docile weaklings had no choice but to follow up with it. Those who became its leaders were revered as gods, having inestimable power and wealth.

But even the tallest trees fall to the might of the wind. As time flew, this very power corrupted these beings. They forgot that the human nature they were trying to suppress was slowly consuming them from the inside until nothing but a hollow container remained.

The world went through countless riots and revolutions until the strong could finally lessen the scale of social mentality. The world as we know it now was once always on the verge of war, this strong keeping it at bay from its destruction. A formulated social structure was slowly being formed.

Humans thrived under these so-called rules, and a hierarchical society was finally established. A system, although having blurred boundaries, was finally set in stone. "We are in the golden age of humanity. A destructive world, yet trying to be sustainable within itself." However, the question remains: How long can this balance be maintained?

.......

Imagine what would happen if an incident could shock the whole world to its fragile core. Sometimes, it came in the form of a terrorist attack, and sometimes, in the form of more primitive human malice, scavenging on society's dark past and reforming it again and again. These incidents pointed in a single direction, indicating that a new dawn was coming.

As it technically means, Dawn is the hallmark of the beginning of a new day (A new reformation of everything). People try to ignore it by plunging it into the back of their minds, trying to forget, yet they know it is true in the core of their very beings.

The balance that was keeping the world at bay was so fragile that it could break at any point in time. The barriers that kept the forces in the dark at bay would finally see a crack, and the world would be flooded with its end.

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ABD News-

"We are among the world's leading economists and social researchers, Dr. Schewenstein. On the popular demand of the audience, we would like to chat with him regarding his beliefs of the current society and the blockbuster thesis regarding the fragile structure of the social order." The reporter turned to the man beside her, who was in his mid-forties.

"What do you expect to be the balance breaker of this world?" The reporter addressed a much more popular sentiment

"When people think about it logically, the only thing that comes to mind is war. A catastrophic showdown between the superpowers which could terraform the whole planetary surface."

" What if I say it's much simpler than that? What if I assure you that a minute event could trigger an extremely rapid chain of events that would inevitably plunge this world into darkness?"

"Although it sounds impossible at first, it did happen." When everything would be on a proper path, god did drop a stone that derailed the whole world into oblivion.

...............…

The early 2100s-

The first event finally took place. A gap suddenly opened in the middle of the Asia Pacific, soon followed by multiple spatial openings worldwide. People were alerted by the occurrences, but the inactivity soon let them put their guards down.

Prominent researchers from all over the world started experimenting in the near perimeter of these spatial gaps. An accurate reading of the situation wasn't possible due to the high amount of radiation present near the gap.

ABD News-

"What is the current scenario in these regions? Have the scientific research teams dispatched there managed to get their hands on some concrete results regarding the origin of the phenomena? Did a natural imbalance cause this, or is this quite literally an act of God?"

"Major radiation has been detected in nearby regions of the wormhole, which has resulted in our scientists being unable to test within the interiors of the affected perimeter. The level of toxicity is decreasing with time, and we will soon be able to enter the core region. Until then, we can term it as a natural phenomenon."

"Some major theories are coming up, some stating it to be a wormhole or extra-terrestrial invasion. Any comments on that?"

"People tend to surround the unknown with some well-posed and simple-minded theories every single time. This incident is no different. We still have not confirmed what caused the phenomenon."

"In the recent exploration carried out by our space scientists, there has never been any indication of a foreign species existing outside of Earth. No evidence within the scope of the area under investigation has come up. So, I would decide to ignore these types of theories. If there was an alien species, we would have found at least a trace beforehand."

"But is there a possibility of the theories being correct?"

"I can't accept or deny any claim as such, but if that were to be true, some real chaotic times are ahead of us."

..............

The first emission occurred a few months after the interview. The radiation level dropped, and scientists began exploring the core regions near the gap. The first citation of some foreign compounds being emitted was produced. It was the day on which it all began.

The scientists decided to concentrate on the foreign particles and the gaps themselves but ignored the surrounding organisms. Everything was not correct. Beasts and plants have undergone rapid mutations due to these foreign particles. There were multiple sightings of monstrous organisms, but no confirmed evidence was found until a large-scale catastrophe occurred one day.

The city was ruined by what could be called mutated species unknown to humans. Soon enough, more attacks came through. Some even termed it the end of the world.

But Humankind didn't lose hope. There were mutations on our side, too. People with superpowers soon came forward, and society slowly transitioned to its old chaotic form.

More and more humans began to appear out of nowhere, and the beasts were getting massacred. The cities lost in the previous attacks were captured back. Humans began to set up joint research to tackle these mutated species.

"Is this a new world now? The whole earth's topography is slowly changing. As it was known to us, biology is reforming into a much more complex form." People finally began to get acquainted with these new circumstances. The world began to get normal once more.

But when everyone thought the calamity had ended, another stone descended on earth. The first invasion came around. Monsters of unknown origin started to appear through these wormholes and attack human cities. People with power began to set up resistance.

It soon felt like someone was playing a game with the citizens of Earth. To create a balance, more superhumans began to appear. Humanity was making massive progress in the field of science and technology. These monsters themselves were a treasure trove of materials unknown to Earth.

............…..

Soon enough, human greed took over. Rather than waiting for monsters to appear, humans entered the wormholes. Significant groups of superhumans are tasked with exploring the insides. Defending turned into an offensive play. The superhuman was now referred to with a new term: "Hunters."

Hunter's parties began to hunt for monsters within the wormholes. Materials were plundered from these gaps, and governments soon undertook large-scale expeditions.

The expeditions were successful. The exploration turned into a game. Every wormhole was like a dungeon with minions and boss monsters. More hunters began to appear. New rules were being made. Assessments, military changes, and experiments on human enhancements began.

As the power of these superhumans grew, governments began to become mere puppets in their hands. Large conglomerates and associations of hunters were established. Hunting became the most sought-after profession. Although the number of gaps was small at first, after a few closed, more and more started to appear rapidly.

Soon enough, the power of hunters overtook the estimate of any military in the world. The number of hunters in it decided the country's power. Organizations to train new elites were soon set up. Humans began to research the "awakening" process. Hunters were divided into grades.

Society was once again established on these new grounds, but one question remained in the minds of everyone.

"Is this the end of all the new occurrences, or is the end just a new beginning of a much more chaotic scene."