Prologue: Destruction That Brings a New Beginning

The sky split in two, a vast rift tearing through the clouds like a wound ripping open the heavens. Blinding flashes of light illuminated the world, and the deafening roar of something immense echoed across the land.

Darkness swallowed the sky. From the abyss above, a colossal structure plummeted, piercing through the clouds at unimaginable speed. A violent storm followed in its wake, ravaging everything beneath it.

People screamed. Some ran for shelter, while others stood frozen in place, paralyzed by an overwhelming dread. They knew, deep within their hearts, that the world as they knew it was coming to an end—and there was nothing they could do to stop it.

At that moment, it was as if the gods themselves had passed judgment upon the world.

Mankind had defiled the land with its sins. In their pursuit of knowledge and progress, they had built wonders, yet many had twisted those same advancements into tools of greed, oppression, and war.

Conflicts raged across the globe. Famine consumed nations. Humanity had plunged into moral decay, reduced to nothing more than beasts driven by instinct and self-interest.

Then, the great structure struck the earth with an impact beyond comprehension. A blinding white light engulfed the heavens, followed by a cataclysmic quake. Tidal waves swallowed entire cities, splitting the land apart.

The world trembled. Life teetered on the brink of extinction.

But from the ruins of devastation, something miraculous occurred. A mysterious energy surged from within the fallen structure, spreading across the world like an unseen tide.

The land, shattered by disaster, began to heal. Strange flora emerged, growing at an unnatural pace. Polluted seas turned clear once more.

Yet the survivors were few—less than five percent of humanity remained.

The great cities of the old world had crumbled, buried beneath the earth. The scientific achievements of millennia had been wiped out in an instant, reduced to nothing more than forgotten relics.

To some, this was a divine blessing.

They called it The Purification—a long-awaited judgment upon a civilization that had lost its moral compass. To them, the gods had given the world a chance to be reborn, cleansed of its past sins.

To others, it was an unforgivable tragedy.

They grieved for the great cities, built with blood, sweat, and sacrifice. The knowledge of generations, now lost forever. For them, this was an end that should never have come to pass.

And then, there were those who simply struggled to survive.

Scavenging the ruins for food and water, they soon noticed something strange. Their wounds healed unnaturally fast. Some dismissed it as luck, others as a miracle. But miracles soon turned into something much more.

Some could shatter stone with their bare hands. Others could move objects with a mere thought.

The mysterious energy was given a name—Xenova.

It granted humanity powers beyond anything they had ever known. Some could strengthen their bodies far beyond human limits. Others could manipulate their surroundings with a touch. Some wielded elemental forces, while others created matter from pure Xenova. There were even those whose abilities defied all categorization.

The world had changed, and so had its people. Xenova gave them strength, but it also created a new kind of divide.

Once, society had been shaped by wealth, reputation, and politics. Now, Xenova determined the hierarchy of power. The more one mastered it, the higher their status.

In time, individuals became stronger than armies. Those with shared interests formed factions, and those factions grew into nations.

But amidst all the change, one truth remained—war was far from over.

For a time, humanity's focus shifted to something else.

Their eyes turned toward the ruins of the fallen structure—the very thing that had shattered the old world.

They called it The Dungeon.

Nations sent their finest warriors and scholars to explore it. Conflict erupted once more—some believed the Dungeon was a divine punishment and should never be touched. Others saw it as a gift from the gods, an opportunity for mankind to rise once more.

Amidst the chaos, a group of elite Xenova users formed a neutral organization dedicated to the exploration, research, and understanding of the Dungeon. Their goal was to harness its mysteries for the benefit of humanity.

They called themselves Arkaneum.

Arkaneum's neutrality sent shockwaves through the world. Nations, desperate to claim the secrets of the Dungeon, formed alliances with the organization, seeking their knowledge and guidance.

Two thousand years passed.

A great city had risen around the Dungeon, drawing countless adventurers eager to delve into its depths.

Deep within an ancient forest, where sunlight barely pierced through the thick canopy, the air was cold and damp. The scent of wet earth mixed with the distant hum of insects.

Amidst the grass-covered ground, a young man lay unconscious, his body covered in dust and fallen leaves.

The distant howl of a wolf echoed through the trees.

His eyes slowly opened, scanning his surroundings with quiet intensity.

"…Where am I?"