The world had changed forever.
A hundred years ago, monsters began appearing all over the Earth — without warning, without reason. Cities fell. Nations collapsed. Humanity teetered on the edge of extinction.
But just as all hope seemed lost, humans began to awaken mysterious powers. Some called it evolution. Others called it fate. Those who awakened became known as the New Heroes of Humanity — warriors strong enough to fight back against the monsters.
In this world where strength meant survival, only the powerful could protect and shape the future.
In a quiet neighborhood tucked between decaying city blocks, a boy lay asleep in his room, dreaming of battles he had never fought.
"Ren Takami! Come down for dinner!" a voice shouted from downstairs.
Ren stirred, blinking sleepily. He sat up and rubbed his eyes, the echo of his mother's voice pulling him back to reality.
He was just a middle school student — nothing more, nothing less. No powers. No achievements. Just an ordinary boy in a world where ordinary meant powerless.
Ren went downstairs to find his family already seated at the table. His father, Daiki Takami, a thin man with calloused hands and tired eyes, gave him a nod. His older brother, Kaito, sat beside him in his wheelchair. And at the head of the table, as always, was his mother, Aki, gently smiling.
"Come, sit," she said warmly.
Dinner began — simple rice, miso soup, and grilled fish. Nothing fancy, but warm and filling. The room was quiet except for the clinking of chopsticks and the hum of the old refrigerator.
But then, Daiki reached into his coat pocket and placed a small, sealed vial on the table.
Ren stared.
A glowing, bluish liquid swirled inside a glass container — unmistakable.
"Evolution medicine…?" Ren's voice trembled in disbelief.
His father gave him a small, tired smile. "It's yours."
Ren's heart pounded. This medicine… even the lowest-grade version cost over 1 million yen. For a delivery man supporting a family, it should have been impossible to afford.
"How…?" Ren asked.
"You don't need to worry about that," Daiki said firmly. "Just focus on your entrance exam. That's all I ask."
In this world, when a student turns 18, they must take the Awakening Entrance Exam. Their physical and spiritual power is measured, and based on their results, they are placed into warrior academies — institutions where future monster hunters are trained.
Ren had never shown any talent for awakening. He trained harder than anyone, but it was never enough.
His brother, Kaito, looked down, his hands clenched in his lap.
"If I hadn't been injured… maybe we wouldn't be struggling like this," he said bitterly.
Three years ago, Kaito had been a rising warrior, destined for greatness — until a powerful student from an elite family crippled him in a training match. Since then, he had been confined to a wheelchair.
Ren shook his head. "Don't say that. I'm going to pass the exam… and one day, I'll heal your legs. I swear it."
For a moment, silence filled the room. Then, slowly, everyone smiled — small, fragile smiles filled with hope.
Later that night, Ren sat alone in his room, the vial of evolution medicine still unopened on his desk. He couldn't stop thinking about the entrance exam. Even with the medicine… was it enough?
His eyes drifted to a small pendant hanging on the wall — something he had found as a child in a ruined temple outside the city. A strange gem was embedded in the center, dull and cold.
He took it in his hand.
"What if this… meant something?" he whispered.
As he turned it over, the sharp edge of the pendant scratched his hand, and a drop of blood fell onto the gem.
Suddenly — light.
The pendant pulsed with a blinding glow, and Ren's body froze. His vision went dark.
When he opened his eyes, he was no longer in his room.
The sky was black. The buildings around him were ruined, crumbling like ancient relics. Not a single human soul in sight. It felt like Earth — but thousands of years into the future.
Then, something moved.
A humanoid monster emerged from the shadows — its skin gray, its eyes hollow, its body twisted with decay and rage. It didn't look strong… but Ren knew. One hit would kill him.
He ran. Hid. Heart pounding.
His hand brushed against something — an iron rod, rusted but solid. He picked it up and held it tight.
The monster drew closer.
Without thinking, without breathing, Ren swung.
The rod smashed into the creature's skull, and with a grunt of pain, he drove it through the monster's heart.
Silence.
Then, something strange happened.
A surge of energy — raw, powerful — flowed into his body. His muscles tensed. His senses sharpened.
Ren gasped and jolted awake in his bed, soaked in sweat.
But something was different.
His body… was stronger. His arms were more defined. He could feel it — like a fire burning quietly inside his chest.
He stood up and looked at his hands. "That… wasn't a dream."
A small smile crept onto his face.
"I don't need the medicine after all."
He glanced at the pendant, now lying silently on the desk.
"I have my own way to get stronger."