One day

There is no doubt that there was once a period when wars partially subsided, and at least in certain regions, peace prevailed for a long time. Although humanity achieved great things during this time of peace, it failed to realize its own inability to function as a true society. Unfortunately, some fundamental and seemingly unshakable dynamics continued to conceal how flawed the known social order truly was.

As the 21st century began, very few people realized that humanity was on the brink of a golden age. This period, right before the dark age, was seen by some as an inevitable transition.

Although the early years of the century were relatively peaceful, this tranquility did not last long. In the second quarter of the 21st century, the first large-scale wars erupted. Conflicts, particularly those that began in Asia, reached an unprecedented level of brutality.

The second quarter of the 21st century became the defining years of humanity's fate. The world was dragged into a firestorm like never before.

The great powers abandoned their long-standing diplomatic maneuvers and fully embraced open warfare. Surprisingly, however, Europe was not at the center of this global upheaval.

The continent was struggling with crises that had become impossible to resolve internally. Political collapses, economic disasters, and rising ethnic conflicts had stripped Europe of its status as a major military force. The heirs of once-world-shaping empires were now fighting for mere survival in their own lands.

Thus, the main stage of war became Asia. What initially seemed like regional disputes quickly escalated into a firestorm that engulfed the continent. Nations attacked each other with a level of destructiveness rarely seen in history. Cities turned into massive ruins. The unceasing glow of explosions illuminated the sky. War became the fundamental reality shaping human nature.

Before the great wars, the world experienced an age of revolutions. However, these revolutions were far from being mass movements united by a common ideal. Its own geography, culture, and history shaped each. Some nations overthrew their tyrants, while others submitted to new despots.

In some countries, revolutions began with the rise of the people. Millions, tired of corruption and oppression, flooded the streets. Old regimes either collapsed or were violently suppressed. However, the hope brought by these revolutions was often short-lived. Regions that failed to establish stability plunged into chaos, and internal conflicts shook newly formed governments.

On the other hand, revolutions in some countries took a different form. Governments that embraced technological advancement tightened their grip without losing public support. Digital surveillance, biometric identity systems, and AI-powered security networks were used to control society. Propaganda machines had advanced to the point where they could predict and suppress revolutions before they even began. Thus, rather than being dragged into collapse, some states became even stronger.

Yet these revolutions altered not only the internal affairs of states but also the very nature of warfare. Traditional armies modernized rapidly, and battlefields became filled with unmanned vehicles and AI-assisted war machines. In Asia, in particular, countries that adopted these technologies early on gained overwhelming superiority over their rivals.

And so, a new face of war emerged: Drone swarms and AI-driven combat systems replaced human soldiers. Entire cities were wiped out without a single footstep on the battlefield. Power was no longer measured by the size of an army but by the level of technology possessed.

In the early years of the war, the great powers still clung to the illusion of the old world order. However, the destruction wrought by the war soon shattered this delusion. While traditional armies were expected to engage in massive conflicts, the dominance of unmanned warfare and tactical nuclear strikes changed the very nature of battle. Maps were constantly redrawn, and alliances formed one day only to collapse the next.

Yet this new war order was more ruthless toward human life than ever before. When highly populated nations realized they could no longer protect their massive cities, it was already too late. Nearly every country had resources left only to defend strategically vital areas. Wasting resources to protect civilian-only zones was deemed sheer foolishness.

Cities turned into ruins under the relentless bombardment of drones. High population densities transformed these areas into death traps. Epidemics, food crises, and uncontrolled waves of migration claimed more lives than the war itself.

As states struggled with limited resources, they could only afford to defend their most critical regions. Former capitals were abandoned, and major metropolises became uncontrollable zones of chaos. In the new world order, power no longer depended on controlling vast lands but on being able to defend a few strategically vital locations.

Before long, intercity roads were deserted, and rural areas became lawless lands. With the military no longer able to protect entire nations, survivors had to ensure their own security. Some regions became de facto independent statelets, ruled by warlords or private corporations as governments lost all influence.

Billions of people could not cope with the wounds inflicted by the war. As states withdrew inward, focusing only on protecting those who remained, the global order was irreversibly altered.

As the ashes of war still smoldered, the vast lands of Asia sought a new order. Governments had collapsed, and people were struggling to survive in despair. The old powers had concentrated on defending their strategic regions, leaving the rest of the land to its fate. It was in this chaotic era that a new conqueror began to rise from the depths of Asia.

To some, he was merely a cunning warrior seizing opportunities. To others, he was the inevitable ruler bestowed upon Asia by fate. But in reality, he was a product of the system—a leader who emerged to fill the void left by war and sought to create order from chaos. At first, he gathered local militias and warlords under his command. Then, one by one, he subdued the warring micro-states. Masterfully utilizing technology and strategy, he crushed his enemies with unmanned war machines. He assimilated the strong into his army and annihilated the weak.

The rise of this new conqueror signaled the unification of Asia. His army recognized no traditional borders. In every region he entered, he established a new order, bringing the people under strict discipline. Cities were rebuilt, roads were reopened. But this order was enforced with an iron fist. Those who resisted were crushed, and chaos was replaced with absolute control.

Meanwhile, the world watched the rise of this new power with great caution. The United States, in particular, did everything possible to avoid direct intervention in the war. Europe, entangled in its own internal strife, was preoccupied with its own survival. Meanwhile, the American public lived under the shadow of a different fear—nuclear paranoia.

Even in the early twenty-first century, nuclear weapons were a constant source of fear. However, with the destruction brought by global war, this fear was etched into the consciousness of the people. They lived in terror, dreading the day when nuclear fire might suddenly erupt in their cities. Under the pressure of its citizens, the government adopted an isolationist policy. Like a lion watching its prey from a distance, America withdrew from the world stage and mobilized all its resources to ensure its security within its own borders.

Despite still being one of the most powerful nations in terms of economic strength and technology, America no longer openly supported its allies nor engaged in direct warfare. In Washington's official statements, the words echoed: "If the world chooses to destroy itself, that will be their decision. But when that day comes, we will still be here." However, behind the scenes, rumors circulated about secret projects being carried out.

As the world approached the most deadly phase of the war, two forces stood on opposite sides—one was a new power rising in Asia, determined to conquer, while the other was America, trapped within its own fears. The future was uncertain, but one thing was clear: history was once again turning into a saga written by the strong.

Asia's unification had been achieved through the harshest military discipline in history. The state built by the new conqueror had become the only force that ended the chaos of war. However, once the conquest was complete, the true purpose of this state was revealed—to surpass the limits of humanity itself.

Science and space became the pillars of the new empire. The corrupt and stagnant ideologies of the past were discarded. Humanity had to free itself from its biological constraints. Through genetic engineering and warrior training programs, the very definition of a human being changed.

The new humans were stronger, smarter, and more resilient than ever before. Their lifespans were extended, their physical limitations overcome. Most importantly, certain old racial markers were erased. Skin tones, facial features, and body structures were designed in a way that removed divisive elements of the past. Humanity now existed in a single form: the High Human.

These new beings slowly eliminated the remnants of the old world. Diplomacy and warfare went hand in hand. Some regions joined the civilization of the High Humans peacefully; others were forced to kneel on the battlefield. But the outcome was inevitable—the world was unified. All states, including the most powerful ones, bowed to the High Humans.

The old human race was completely eradicated. Now, only the new, superior form of humanity remained. Yet, like all great projects, this one was not flawless.

The High Human Project had an unexpected side effect: mutation. One in every ten thousand births resulted in unwanted genetic changes. Some were born with unnatural skin colors, while others had grotesque, deformed bodies. At first, these beings were seen as anomalies, and scientists sought ways to rehabilitate them. However, over time, it became clear that the mutant race could not be integrated into High Human society.

And one day, a decision was made.

The existence of mutants threatened the purity of the new human race. To avoid repeating the mistakes of the past, the High Humans decided to eliminate these "abnormalities." To them, this was not genocide—it was an unavoidable measure to keep humanity pure and strong. Millions of mutated infants were disposed of in laboratories. Adults were silently erased from society.

But the story did not end there.

In one of the Mars colonies, a mother hid her mutant child. Instead of surrendering him to a laboratory, she concealed him. While the extermination continued on Earth and other colonies, this child grew up in the underground tunnels of Mars, protected by his mother, far from the eyes of the High Humans.

Years passed. The child began to understand his destiny. He was alone, but he did not want to remain alone. He wanted to defy his fate. And so, he made a plan.

One day, the time came.

The child who had grown up in the underground tunnels of Mars was determined to fight his destiny. The silent genocide committed in the name of purity had to end. For years, he had hidden, trained, and waited. His mother's whispered words still echoed in his mind: "You are not their mistake. You are their fear."

A starship, secretly built, rose from the red surface of Mars. The sky bore witness to the awakening of an ancient prophecy. With five hundred mutant children aboard, they set off for the stars. By the time the High Humans realized it, it was too late.

But this was not just an escape.

To leave no trace behind, they destroyed one of the colony cities on Mars. Explosions lit up the desert night, and the towering structures of the High Humans crumbled one by one, brought down by the very beings they had sought to erase.

They were not fleeing. They were only leaving so they could return.

Years would pass, and in a forgotten corner of the galaxy, they would grow stronger. In the places where humanity had abandoned them, they would build a new order. The mutant children were no longer the ones who hid—they were the ones who waited.

And one day, they would return from among the stars.

And when that day came, the High Humans—who had never faced a true challenge—would finally meet their greatest reckoning.