Chapter One: The Stillborn Calamity

The year 2026 marked the beginning of humanity's greatest crisis.

At first, the reports were dismissed as mere anomalies, an unusually high number of failed pregnancies across multiple countries.

But as weeks turned into months, the reality became undeniable: not a single child had been born anywhere in the world.

Panic spread like wildfire. Religious leaders called it divine retribution, the beginning of the end times.

Scientists scrambled to find an explanation, proposing every possible theory, from environmental factors to genetic mutations.

Governments, desperate to avoid mass hysteria, pushed policies encouraging polygamy and invested heavily in artificial insemination research.

Advances were made some even called it a golden age for reproductive science, but despite all efforts, the outcome remained unchanged. No new life entered the world.

For five years, humanity fought against this unseen force, and for five years, they failed. The phenomenon was dubbed the Stillborn Calamity.

Then, just as the world began to accept its fate, another miracle or perhaps a curse occurred.

People stricken with chronic illnesses found themselves cured overnight.

Comatose patients awoke as if roused from a deep sleep.

The crippled regained the use of their limbs, the blind could see, and the deaf could hear.

Scarcity disappeared. Hunger became a distant memory. Global warming, pollution, and all other environmental crises simply ceased to be issues.

At first, humanity rejoiced.

With lifespans increasing and suffering vanishing, people quickly forgot the Stillborn Calamity.

Nations flourished under newfound prosperity, and for the first time in history, true peace was achieved.

But not everyone believed in this utopia. There were those who saw the change for what it truly was: a calm before the storm.

Among them was Oliver.

*******

Oliver entered his small apartment, tossing his bag onto the couch as he let out an exhausted sigh.

His studio space was modest, with plain walls, a small kitchen, a single bed pushed against the far wall, and a desk cluttered with books and old notes.

It wasn't much, but it was home.

He rubbed his eyes as he walked toward the kitchen, rolling his shoulders to ease the tension from the day's lectures.

He wasn't particularly passionate about his studies, but in this new world where peace and prosperity were guaranteed, securing a future through education seemed like the logical thing to do.

Reaching for a cup of instant noodles, he filled it with hot water and waited. As the steam rose, he leaned against the counter, lost in thought.

After finishing his meal, he cleaned up and made his way to bed.

Lying down, he pulled out his phone and began scrolling through social media. TikTok, memes, random videos, it was all just background noise to distract him from the lingering emptiness he always felt.

Then, he stumbled upon a video of a little girl celebrating her birthday, surrounded by her family. Laughter, joy, warmth, all things he once had.

His breath hitched.

Today was supposed to be his sister's birthday.

The memory hit him like a truck.

His family had been taken from him years ago, caught in the crossfire of a gang shootout.

He was only ten when it happened. One moment, they were walking home from dinner, and the next, he was covered in their blood, staring at their lifeless bodies.

After that, he had no one. No relatives, no home.

The orphanage took him in, but he never truly belonged.

The rage in his heart never faded, leading him into countless street fights with gangsters and delinquents.

He won most of them. The ones he lost only fueled his drive to become stronger.

Yet, as the years passed and global peace became a reality, his anger dulled.

He focused on surviving, on building a future. But deep down, the hunger for power still lingered, not for revenge but to ensure he'd never be powerless again.

Just as he was lost in thought, a voice cold, emotionless, and absolute rang in his head.

[System-Wide Announcement]

"People of Earth, your time of respite has ended."

Oliver's eyes widened. He sat up in bed, heart pounding. What the hell was that?

"For five years, you have lived in a world free of affliction, untouched by hunger, disease, or death itself. You believed it a miracle, a reprieve from the inevitable. But your grace period was never an act of mercy it was a preparation."

The voice was neither male nor female, neither human nor artificial. It was absolute.

"The Trial of Ascension now begins."

Oliver gripped his bedsheets as an unsettling feeling crept up his spine. Trial? What trial?

"You are no longer sheltered within the confines of your fragile world. The veil has lifted, and your fate is no longer your own. You will be summoned to the Main World, where only the worthy shall carve their place among the strong."

His breathing grew erratic. Summoned? Main World?

"Know this: There is no return, no refuge, no second chances. Strength is the only law, and survival is the only truth. Those who falter shall be consumed. Those who rise shall ascend beyond mortality itself."

"The weak will be culled. The strong will thrive. The worthy will reign."

"Prepare yourselves, for the Trials await."

Silence.

Oliver remained frozen, his mind racing to process what he just heard. A hallucination? Was he going crazy?

Then, his phone vibrated violently in his hand.

[Emergency Alert – Global Broadcast]

"This is an official announcement from the United Nations and world governments. Remain calm and follow emergency protocols. We are aware of the sudden phenomenon affecting all individuals worldwide. Authorities are working to assess the situation. Do not panic."

"Stay indoors, remain with your families, and await further instructions. Communication lines will remain open. Trust in the system, and we will get through this together."

"Stand by for updates."

The message bore the official UN seal. This was real.

A cold sweat dripped down Oliver's back as he gripped his phone tighter. The government was acknowledging it. This wasn't some prank.

Suddenly, a bright light pierced through his apartment window.

He jumped to his feet and rushed toward it, eyes widening in horror.

A massive pillar of light stretched from the ground into the sky, its end nowhere in sight.

The city was bathed in its eerie glow, and Oliver could see more of them appearing in the distance, growing larger by the second.

His breath quickened. His instincts screamed at him to run, but there was nowhere to go.

The light expanded rapidly, and before he could even curse, it engulfed him entirely.

The world vanished.

End of Chapter One.