The Commencement of Cataclysm

In the tranquil hush of the afternoon, Damian found himself in the delightful company of Momo, his childhood sweetheart. Their banter, light-hearted and brimming with laughter, revolved around the mundane aspects of life, infusing the classroom with a vibrant energy. As the teacher made his entrance, the jovial chatter subsided, replaced by an air of solemnity.

"Next week marks your metamorphosis from students to adults," the teacher began. "Some of you harbor dreams of becoming warriors, while others yearn for the tranquility of city life. The choice is yours, and the city will honor it. But remember, this decision will sculpt your future. Reflect on it, for you have been groomed for this moment. Now, savor the rest of your day, and I'll see you after the weekend. Class dismissed."

Momo, her eyes sparkling with anticipation, turned to Damian. "I can barely contain my exhilaration about our graduation! Once I ascend to the throne of this city, you'll be one of my elite guards," she declared, her voice resonating with enthusiasm.

Damian chuckled, "Oh, innocent Momo! Do you not tremble at the thought of unleashing your modest powers onto this world? As the king, I'll pardon your unruly behavior and offer you a position as one of my maids."

Momo, slightly taken aback, playfully jabbed his shoulder, "I'll grant you one more chance to speak respectfully, or else..."

Damian, unfazed, responded, "Well, relegating you to the role of a maid would be a waste of your celestial beauty. You could be a splendid lady in my court. Until next week, my dear Momo."

With a hearty laugh, Damian exited the classroom, leaving a blushing Momo in his wake. On his way home, Damian kicked a pebble along the path, a smirk playing on his lips. "I can't wait to see Momo's reaction when I reveal my ability to step only on yellow street tiles. She'll be utterly astounded," he mused.

Upon reaching home, Damian immediately immersed himself in the latest news about cultivators. "The eldest son of the John's family has ascended to the second echelon. This monumental achievement will be celebrated this weekend at their mansion. Ever since the world awakened 20 years ago, he is the fifth person in our city to reach such heights. In other news, the second cultivator conference will be held next month, where experts will share their experiences with a god-level expert. This remains a mystery to us, as the most powerful expert in the world, the supreme sect leader of the Heaven's Sect, Venerable Xū Miè Zhìzūn, is at the fourth echelon according to our cultivation categorization."

At dinner, Damian's family discussed the effects of the energizer serum that Damian had taken the previous week. "Damian, how do you feel after taking the serum? It's supposed to help you awaken a better power. Have you noticed any changes in your body?" his father inquired.

"I'm not sure, Dad. I feel the same, just a bit more fatigued. Also, why was the serum blue? All my friends received a green one," Damian replied.

His father reassured him, "This is a new variant that we're researching. Don't fret about it too much. It's not on the market yet, so keep it under wraps. Now, retreat to your room and rest. Don't let me catch you playing computer games. The serum is taking effect, and you need to rest."

Later that night, Damian's mother expressed her concerns to his father. "Dear, it's been four days, and there's been no change. Are you sure the serum works? I know you've been conducting tests on our son in your lab, but it's a colossal risk if you get caught."

"Honey, don't worry. Although my cultivation is only at the first echelon, my awakened power enhances my cognitive abilities. I've been working on this for years. With my research, Damian will experience a surge in his abilities. Soon, the government will release their research on a systematic way of cultivation. They've been secretive about it, but the news about the supreme sect leader of Heaven's Sect reaching the fourth echelon has ignited a global conflict between countries. I believe war is on the horizon, and the royals will share some secrets with the rest of us. That's what the upcoming conference will be about. They no longer fear the power of the masses and need soldiers to combat the increasing number of beasts in the wild."

Oblivious to the impending doom, their home was now encircled by an elite unit, stealthily releasing a potent sleeping gas into the air. This unsuspecting exchange of words would tragically be their last, as they were about to be plunged into an eternal abyss of darkness from which they would never resurface.

From a concealed position on a nearby rooftop, a figure clad in the black uniform of a special operations officer spoke into his tactical communication device, "Alpha team, this is Blackbird. We have visual confirmation. The package is asleep. Assume your positions and prepare for extraction. Remember, the package is high-risk. Maintain sedation protocols and prevent any chance of escape."

A voice crackled back over the comms, a hint of confusion seeping through, "Blackbird, this is Bravo team. The package... he's just a kid, 16 years old. What makes him a high-risk target?"

The officer, his face hardened by countless operations, responded with a grim tone, "Bravo team, this is a direct order from command. The package has been designated S-rank. We're not the only unit tasked with this mission. Intel suggests that the organization is initiating a full wipe of his public records. Beta team and demolition squad, maintain standby status. Any deviation from protocol and you're on your own. Do I make myself clear?"

The soldier's voice returned, now with a note of understanding, "Copy that, Blackbird. Instructions received and understood."

After a tense period of silence, the officer's voice echoed once more through the comms, "All units, this is Blackbird. The package is secure. Execute retreat protocols. I repeat, the package is secure, execute retreat protocols."

As the operation concluded, the special officer sighed, his gaze sweeping over the cityscape from the van window, the towering buildings standing as silent witnesses to their deeds. He murmured to himself, "Abducting a child... is this what we've become?" His voice dropped to a whisper, "God save us all."

Inside a luxurious office, a butler presented a file to a man sitting in a hydrotherapy tub. "Lord, everything has been done according to your wishes. The subject has entered the lab."

The man opened the file to a portrait of Damian. He put on his robe and strolled to the glass partition, looking down onto the city. "The fool thought I didn't notice his extra research, but I must admit, funding him all this while didn't go to waste."

Holding a wine cup in his hand, he instructed, "Go and inform your young master to cease wasting time reveling outside and commence his medical testing and trials."

Inside a secret lab filled with machines and doctors, a blue-eyed black-haired boy was sedated on the operation table. The chief doctor started the nth time experiment, injecting a solution into the boy and extracting bone marrow from him. He had an excited look on his face, "What a marvel, this data that we are getting is world-changing. It opens up a way for establishing a robust foundation. This will help all second-echelon experts and shorten the time in this realm."

By putting the body under immense pressure and stimulating the nervous system, we can extract hormones that were never discovered before in a body. Alongside his essence, it will be a supreme serum, especially for this experimental subject. His properties help strengthen the thinking process and open up a sea in oneself. I will call it the Sea of Clarity. We could not determine the exact location of this sea yet. I see no problem with the beginning of extraction, but due to this boy's young age and lack of cultivation, the amount we can make from him is not much with 4 years between each extraction to not end this subject.

The head doctor entered another room, "First young master, the serum-making is finished. If you follow me, we can start enhancing your body and mind."

The 20-year-old young man nodded his head in approval, "You did well. An opening in the new cultivator university will be given to your son. He can be one of my followers. What do you think of it?"

"It will be his greatest honor to be one of your followers, young master," the head doctor said with a big grin on his face. How could he not be happy when his son could have a connection with the first family of the Fire City? After all, the city was named after the ability that the young lord's father had awakened. He is the only third-echelon cultivator in the city.

In a world shrouded in intrigue and power struggles, within a seemingly insignificant city, an event of monumental proportions unfolded. This event would echo through the annals of history as the genesis of the First Disaster, a cataclysm that would forever alter the course of the world. It was a harbinger of chaos, a herald of the end of life as they knew it, and it would be remembered as the second most significant event in the history of mankind.