The Scavenger Group

The wind gently blew through the fields of wildflowers, carrying with it a fresh scent of renewal. Ryan stood beside Luna, his gaze fixed on the horizon. Their world seemed perfect, as if nothing could ever tear them apart. They were inseparable, two souls who had found each other in this vast universe. Their laughter blended with the sweetness of the landscape, and everything seemed possible, everything seemed beautiful.

"You know, Ryan," Luna said with a smile, "you're my rock. I don't know what I'd do without you." She placed a hand on his arm, her eyes shining with affection. Ryan turned to look at her, his heart pounding in his chest. They were young, full of hope and ambition. Together, they dreamed of a future where nothing could stop them.

But that dream was about to shatter in an instant.

The Day of Awakening.

Ryan remembered the first time he had seen Luna standing before the Council of the Awakened. She radiated, her power vibrating around her like pure light, ready to bloom. She had been called, like so many others, to realize her potential. She passed the trial with an ease that Ryan had never known. When the results were announced, he saw her smile, her eyes full of pride.

Rank A.

Ryan stood aside, his heart pounding. He knew what that meant. He knew he, too, would have to take the trial. His mind raced. When his turn came, he stood before the Council, his hands trembling, his eyes filled with hope. But the moment the results were revealed, he felt his world collapse.

Rank F.

The emptiness overtook him. He felt the weight of the others' gazes on him, heavy and mocking. He slowly turned toward Luna. She was staring at him, her eyes cold, as if he were nothing more than a stranger in her eyes. He didn't have time to react before she broke the silence with a cold and distant voice.

"I can't be with someone like you anymore," she said, each word hitting Ryan like a punch. "You're a failure. I don't want to be associated with someone so weak."

The world around him blurred. His legs wavered under the weight of Luna's words. She was no longer the same. He was nothing in her eyes. His dreams, his love, everything crumbled in a whirlwind of pain and humiliation.

"Y-You're abandoning me?" Ryan managed to whisper, his voice shattered.

Luna turned her back, not a trace of regret. "You're not even worthy of calling me that. Go away." She walked away with firm steps, not looking back even once.

Ryan was left alone, surrounded by the bustling crowd, unaware of his pain. It was one of the worst moments of his life, and that memory would be etched into his soul like an open wound, a scar he could never forget.

"Ah, why this damn memory?" he thought as he opened his eyes.

The murmurs and exclamations faded slowly as Ryan moved away from the stage. The Saint, the one he had loved, was still standing there, glowing, surrounded by admiration. But to Ryan, she was nothing more than a shadow from the past, a living pain. He needed to get away, to escape from this whirlwind of memories and pride.

He made his way down a deserted street, his footsteps echoing in the heavy silence of the city. The passing faces didn't seem to notice him, and he didn't care. His thoughts spiraled, still clinging to that day when everything had changed. The wind picked up, sweeping through the empty streets as if to erase the traces of his passage.

And then, suddenly, the rain began to fall.

The first drops were light, but quickly they grew stronger, hitting the ground with an intensity that seemed to match the storm raging in his heart. He looked up at the sky, the drops sliding down his face. His hands clenched into fists, but an invisible tear, unnoticed by the eye, mingled with the rain that pelted his face.

A gust of wind accompanied the appearance of an umbrella. He didn't need to turn around to know who it was. Veilhot, true to form, appeared with his calm smile, his umbrella wide open, offering protection from the rain.

"Ah, Ryan, my friend," he said in a poetic tone, as if declaring a universal truth, "Are you crying? The rain is a faithful friend, but it can't erase what lies deep within the soul."

Ryan, still looking at the sky, tried to swallow the lump in his throat. He slowly turned his head toward Veilhot, offering a smile that was nothing more than a pale imitation of happiness.

"No," he replied, his voice tinged with a sadness he couldn't hide, "It's the rain." His smile cracked slightly, and for a moment, the façade of indifference faltered.

Veilhot didn't seem disturbed. On the contrary, his smile widened gently, almost with a form of silent understanding. He moved the umbrella a little closer to Ryan, as if offering him protection from more than just the rain.

"Sometimes, my friend," he said in a soft yet wise voice, "we let the rain wash away our sorrows, but we must remember that what remains are the scars it leaves behind." He looked at Ryan with a quiet intensity. "Don't let the rain make you forget the sun. It will always return."

Ryan turned his gaze from the sky to the ground. He knew Veilhot was right, but for now, all he felt was the intense pain, the gaping void in his heart.

"The sun," he murmured, almost to himself, "I don't even know what it is anymore."

Two days later, Ryan found himself in a dark alley, the rain having long since ceased. He held his phone tightly, his gaze fixed on the bright screen. His fingers moved quickly across the keyboard as he desperately searched for an opportunity. Each moment spent searching seemed to take him further from his dreams of greatness, but this time, he had a chance, a small glimmer of hope.

After hours of searching, he finally managed to sign up for a raid. A raid in a portal. His eyes fixed on the announcement, almost in disbelief. He didn't have many resources, but he knew this could be his chance.

He recalled the cataclysm that had devastated the planet a century ago. An event that had changed the course of human history. Portals, like gaping wounds in reality, had appeared all over the world, releasing monstrous creatures, abominations that no human had ever imagined. Chaos reigned. The United States, France, Russia, Korea, Japan, and other countries were annihilated, their populations decimated in a matter of months. Human civilization seemed doomed to disappear.

But amid the destruction, a strange phenomenon occurred. Some humans, driven by the pressure of this new world, developed supernatural powers. These Awakened, as they were now called, fought back the monsters. Thanks to them, humanity survived, but at a great cost. The world as it was known no longer existed.

In just one year, the old countries had fallen, and 13 new nations had emerged. Bastions of resistance, built around the most powerful Awakened, but also the most determined to rebuild some semblance of civilization. These nations allowed humanity to regroup, to survive, but the threat of the monsters had not disappeared. The portals were still there, offering new challenges and new creatures to eliminate.

Ryan stared at the screen of his phone, his heart racing. This raid could be his first real chance to prove his worth, to do something great, something truly useful. He would not just be a spectator in this ravaged world.

His gaze hardened. "It's now or never."

He pressed the confirmation button, preparing to participate in this raid in a portal, a place where Awakened would gather to face what lurked in the shadows of these dimensions.

Ryan ran, his footsteps echoing through the empty alleyways of the city. He had barely had time to catch his breath after leaving the building where the registration session had been held. Just a few meters ahead, the raid site finally came into view. Two massive portals, glowing with a strange light, stood side by side. They vibrated like living entities, pulsing to the rhythm of unknown forces.

The wind blew strongly, carrying away the rain that had stopped a few hours earlier. Ryan came to a sudden stop as he saw the scene. A group of people stood before the portals, some already ready to enter, others busy checking their equipment.

A middle-aged man, clad in light armor, turned toward Ryan upon noticing him. His gaze pierced the young man in an instant, and a grimace formed on his face. "You're late, kid."

Ryan quickly apologized, his gaze lowering in embarrassment. He wasn't used to this kind of pressure, but there was no time to get lost in his thoughts.

The group had already been divided into several sections. A very muscular young man approached Ryan, extending his hand.

"I'm Daniel Brown, a non-Awakened," he said, introducing himself. His muscles bulged beneath his clothes, and his posture exuded unwavering confidence.

Ryan introduced himself in turn, a bit taken aback by Daniel's size and imposing appearance. "Ryan. And... a non-Awakened? Can't you enter a portal? I thought it was forbidden for non-Awakened people."

Daniel shrugged, a mysterious smile on his lips. "That's true. The law forbids access to the portals for people like us. But that law applies to normal people. We're called 'Secondary Awakened.' We don't have powers, but it's not like that stops us from acting in a raid."

Ryan was puzzled, searching for answers. "But then why are you here? You say you're not an Awakened, so..."

Before he could ask further, a booming voice interrupted their conversation.

"Everyone, prepare to enter the portal!" shouted a Protector. He was tall, clad in steel armor, with a massive sword at his belt. His deep, authoritative voice immediately imposed silence.

Ryan, his heart racing in his chest, turned toward the portal. The air around him seemed to vibrate with a strange energy, and he felt an invisible pressure tightening around him, an anticipation spreading through his veins.

The Protector raised his hand, and the first volunteers stepped forward, moving toward the portals. But Ryan hesitated, nervously observing the strange light emanating from the two portals.

A shiver ran down his spine.

Something didn't seem quite right. He focused on one of the portals, his heart accelerating. There were crackles of energy, almost inaudible whispers, rising from within. And deep down, he knew that this moment would mark a turning point in his life.

The light from the portals intensified. The wind blew harder.

Ryan took a step forward.

Suddenly, a scream pierced the air. A high-pitched scream, that of a monster.

The first warriors rushed inside.

The Protector turned one last time toward the group. "May fortune be with you."

The darkness of the portal swallowed the first wave of adventurers.

Ryan clenched his fists, determined. There was no turning back.

He threw himself forward as well.

A deafening noise. A flash of light.

And as he crossed the threshold of the portal, a strange sensation overwhelmed him, as if reality itself were distorting around him…