The world forgotten by Heaven

"Sixty years ago, we were imprisoned in hell by your Pride. Two supernatural forces emerged in Detroit, sweeping the Earth with their overwhelming force. Thus began the era we live in today: The Age of the Great Tribulation."

Inspector Aligierri's voice echoed through the corridor, as he walked with his arms crossed behind his back and led a class of more than fifty students down the marble corridor. A huge painting on the wall illustrated his explanation.

[Aligierri of Avarice]

[36 years old | Born in the domain of Avarice]

"When the Prime King initiated the Great Tribulation, our planet was attacked from all six continents… Energy towers expanded until they bordered the territory. Soon, daemons appeared on the surface, causing mass destruction and committing every sin you can imagine."

"The domes have sprung up covering countries… Entire continents. They have driven us, humanity, from our homes… They have destroyed the dignity of our children and decimated our honor… Even if some of our weapons were effective, it was not enough… Not to kill them all."

"However, at the time when darkness seemed to survive… The sun shone brightly. The Seven Great Archangels descended from the sky… After three and a half years of intense war, in which around thirty percent of the population at that time was decimated, the Archangels realized that it was too long a fight for a young people with no time left to live. They sacrificed their essences to create what we now call The Great Walls."

Aligierri stood in front of an illustration; a huge wall, separating Eastern Europe from France, Spain and Portugal, sealed off demonic forces.

"There are five walls around the world, each separating the human world from the domains of the daemons."

Aligierri's eyes darkened, the shine fading as memories of his career behind these walls returned.

"Teacher, what's it like in there?" asked a student in front of the inspector.

[Azbell Gian]

[18 years old / commoner]

"Hell…" Aligierri said, craning his neck to see his student's name. "A dome governs the laws of the domains. The sky is stained with blood. The waters are contaminated by sin and the agony of those who have already died. The ground is acidic to those who walk without protection. The air is polluted and radioactive to those who are not Sefiras…"

"And strength, that's all that matters!" exclaimed a red-haired student among the others, trying hard to look like a star in the night sky.

With a body posture worthy of a warrior, but attitudes worthy of an uneducated brat. Pushing the other students with his shoulders, he appeared before Inspector Aligierri.

[Sterk Van Behemoth]

[18 years old | Behemoth Family]

"Isn't that right, Captain Aligierri?" he asked, looking the inspector in the eye. "Only the strong can live in there…"

"And strong people without intelligence are the first to die… Sterk, return to your position…" ordered the inspector, but was interrupted by the young man.

"My position is here, at the front of the line. As the future Arbiter of the Behemoth family, my place is here, in front of all of you!" Sterk exclaimed, turning to the students.

He opened his arms and shouted:

"You who will be taking part in the exam and are children of families with Ace cards, introduce yourselves to me, the leader! Together, we will win the final round…"

Sterk's speech quickly turned into nonsense for those who actually wanted to pass the exam. The commoners, who belonged to families below Rank B, became interested and wanted to participate and be protected by the son of the Behemoth house.

"Hey, Izumi… Look at this guy!" A young man with spiky white hair whispered mockingly.

[Takashi Katayo]

[18 years old | Michizane Clan]

"Dramatic, stubborn…" Izumi replied, scratching her head, feeling a pang just hearing Sterk's voice. "It makes me want to die just hearing that annoying voice."

[Izumi Kairen]

[18 years old | Michizane Clan]

"Return to your position…" Aligierri ordered, in a cold and objective tone.

Staring deeply into Sterk's eyes, the inspector completed his order with a loud exclamation:

"Now!"

"My position is at the front of the line." Sterk countered, his gaze wide and intense. "I am the son of the Rank A family, the Behemoths! Holders of an Ace card!"

"Your family is Rank A, you're just a brat who doesn't even have the nickname of owning the system. What will you do with that pride if you awaken as a Rank F?"

Sterk shrugged, eyes wide, and clicked his tongue.

"Get back in line. Now!"

The inspector's fervent gaze seeped into Sterk's mind.

His body intuitively moved backwards.

"Let's see… I'll awaken as a Rank B and come back to regain my pride…"

"Wow. Feel free, I'm shaking with fear…" Aligierri grumbled.

After a deep, thoughtful sigh, he summoned the courage to say:

"Assuming that, as my trained students, you are already aware of everything about our world, I will begin the final exam for evaluation and approval as Sefiras. When this door behind me opens, you will hear the voice of one of the Archangels inviting you to the plane of Atziluth, where the trials will take place."

He pointed with his thumb to a metal door behind him.

Quickly, noticing that his students were aware of everything, he adopted a respectable posture.

"Good. To the descendants of noble families, cultivate the doctrine and teachings of your lineage from now on, continue with your goals in mind to become the true heroes of a forgotten future. You are, after all, about to become the webtoon characters that the media usually creates to fantasize reality."

With a heavy heart, holding his arms close to his body and bracing his throat, Inspector Aligierri shouted, just like an army colonel:

"For the commoners, cultivate the teachings of your father, uncle or whoever was your guardian! Remember every moment you went hungry, in the suburbs that humanity ignores, remember that you are just sewer rats! Remember the reason you are here, the thirst for victory that you inherited from your parents, the will to win! Remember the people who risked yesterday's bread so that you could get here today, keep in mind the sacrifice of these people!"

With another shout, spitting saliva into the air, he added:

"What do I want to hear?!"

The touched hearts of the fifty cadets filled with flames. Each one with their own reasons, but still clearly convinced of the reason for each one's existence.

It was the only possible reality.

The only heroes… Although I didn't want that title.

"Victory in the name of life; be eternal, O humanity; contrary to death and sin, the virtue that names me; Thy will be done!"

The voices of fifty cadets filled the hallway. A roar reverberated along with the excited and instigated shouts of the teenagers, yelling in celebration as if it were a football stadium.

Slightly, a metal door creaked behind Inspector Aligierri, turning its gears and revealing a huge, white, illuminated hall.

Aligierri crossed his arms behind his back and returned to an upright posture.

"As soon as I call, advance inside! Azbell Gian!"

The young commoner walked past the inspector; his body exuded confidence, although his face was lost and regretful.

"Butler Van Mor! Ceztriel! Calarel Van Mor! Kian Itrid!"

Aligierri called all the cadets without even looking at a clipboard. He had already memorized all the names he was responsible for that day.

But, among these names, only one stood out…

"Izumi Kairen!"

Stepping onto the step before the door, Izumi felt, for the last time, the light breeze of the atmosphere that humans could sense. A weightless oxygen, particles without high charges… Mana did not exist to her ignorant eyes.

However, just like each of the fifty cadets who entered that hall, he stopped feeling those sensations…

Izumi walked through the white lobby, looking at the spotlights on the ceiling and some frosted glass walls at the top.

'It's like we're rats in a lab…' He pondered, having the hunch that some Sefiras were monitoring him from the other side.

The cadets quickly walked through the lobby, seeking distance from each other, while some formed groups. Izumi stood alone at the entrance, waiting for his cousin Takashi.

It wasn't long before Takashi was called and accompanied Izumi. However, unlike the others, the two cousins stayed near the entrance to listen to the inspector's final orders.

But, Aligierri had nothing more to say…

When the last name was called and he didn't turn around, the cadets quickly scattered.

However, Izumi remained there, facing Aligierri.

When the inspector sighed to take a step, without even saying goodbye to his students, Takashi caught his attention:

"Hey, you bastard. Aren't you even going to look at our faces?"

Turning his body around, Aligierri saw his two students standing and staring at him.

"Izumi, Takashi? What do you want? Are you planning to give up?"

However, without uttering a single word, Izumi moved her arms and stretched out her leg briefly, only to slap it back. Raising her hand to her forehead in a military salute, the young Kairen inquired:

"For humanity, right?"

Inspector Aligierri stepped back in surprise. When he processed his pupil's attitude, he returned the gesture with the same movement and retorted:

"For humanity!"

Descending a few steps, enough for his eyes to see the students for the last time, Aligierri activated the lever to close the metal door. The students who respected him remained staring at their mentor's face until the last moment, when the metal door closed completely.

"Okay… Where are we going to stay, Izumi? It's the two of us against forty-eight," Takashi said, stretching.

"Let's stay close to the walls… I heard we'll be sitting in this world…"

Before they could talk about it, they were interrupted.

[Greetings, Sefira in formation!]

A male voice came from a red screen floating in the air.

[I am Archangel Sariel, the messenger of justice. It will be an honor to guide you through your final ordeal as a private citizen!]

Izumi, with a tense but comfortable expression, walked beside Takashi to the wall.

"So, which one spoke to you?" Takashi asked anxiously.

"Sariel… and you?"

"Really? With me it was Uriel."

"Hmm…"

Both cousins sat with their backs against the wall.

[Make sure you get into a comfortable position, this may take a while.]

Suddenly, all the students began to sit on the floor, some even lying down.

[Are you ready for your approval?]

He sighed heavily and analyzed the screen one last time. Afterwards, he looked at Takashi and asked:

"Are you ready?"

"Sure, brother!"

With clenched fists, they exchanged a greeting that snapped for a few meters.

"Yes," Izumi stated.

[Synchronizing to the world of Atziluth…]

[Synchronization complete.]

[Welcome to Atziluth, the world of emanations…]

[The assessment test has started.]