Three hundred years ago, Earth was invaded by monsters. At least, that's what we call them. Were they aliens? Demons? No one knew. But one thing was certain—they wanted humanity extinct and the world destroyed. These monsters had ranks: foot soldiers, death captains, beast kings, beast lords, monarchs… and a godlike being called Devastation.
When they attacked, humanity was unprepared. More than half the population was wiped out. But from despair came hope. Earth was bathed in an otherworldly energy, and from that came superhumans. They fought back, determined to survive.
Humans were ranked to fight them: F to D foot soldiers, C to B death captains, A-rank beast kings, S-rank beast lords, SS-rank monarchs, and beyond that… Devastation. Few humans ever reached the top ranks. At the height of the war, only ten SS-rank hunters existed. During the final battle with Devastation, nearly all the A-SS ranks were wiped out.
Then came the legendary hunter, an ancestor of my family line. No one knew his true identity. He looked human—golden hair, perfect features—and fought Devastation alone. He overwhelmed them all until Devastation opened a portal and disappeared. A fraction of his power scattered, creating dungeons. Those who survived retreated into these dungeons to recover, planning for the return of their god. Three hundred years later, humanity has rebuilt, technology has advanced, and society thrives.
I suppose I should introduce myself, though my life seems boring in comparison. I'm James Di Raizel, seventeen, a citizen of Xetral—one of the eight continents formed after humanity gained this strange energy. I have two younger siblings in middle school and a mother in her mid-forties, a civil servant. My father is a mid-rank hunter working at the Celestial Guild, a powerful organization founded by the Celestial Lord before he vanished.
Unlike most of my family, I have not awakened. Eleven years past the age of six, when powers normally manifest, I remain… ordinary. Or so society thinks. My mother never doubted my strength but worried why I never manifested mana. She took me to specialists repeatedly, fearing an illness. Every awakening examination confirmed the same: no mana, no energy, no rank. The examiners noted my physical abilities were exceptional, enough to rival S-rank hunters if I ever awakened. But to them, lack of mana limited my potential.
I didn't mind. I had learned to live without powers. Martial arts came easily—I could master anything before even trying. Every fight I entered ended with my opponent hospitalized. Machines and medical tests failed to explain my body, my strength. Even syringes couldn't pierce my skin. The hunter association observed me for years, at one point sponsoring my education and resources. But five years ago, they stopped. My siblings? Both A-rank hunters. Father? C-rank. Mother? B-rank. Me? Non-rank.
Still, I'm not weak. Not by any standard. I am clever, capable, and able to walk into this world without needing mana. Sometimes, when I train, I feel a faint resonance inside me, subtle and almost imperceptible—a hint of something greater, inherited from that legendary ancestor. Star Energy, perhaps, waiting for the right moment to awaken.
I am James Di Raizel. And this is my story.