The sky over Administrative District 10 was blanketed by a dull gray chemical fog. Sunlight filtered through it only faintly—just like the lives of the people who lived there... never truly bright.
The school bell rang out, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps as students rushed into the central training building. At the very back row, in the corner seat, sat a boy who always claimed that spot — Kang Seung-woo.
He wore a faded school uniform, washed so many times the color had all but vanished. His expression was calm, yet his features were strangely captivating — sharp eyes, a tall nose, well-shaped lips. Some classmates would glance away in embarrassment when he turned his head, even though he rarely spoke. His build wasn't particularly large or muscular, just average, but his face looked like it had come straight out of an old advertisement. If he hadn't been born into poverty, he might have walked the red carpet instead of the path of a warrior.
No one in class knew that he'd scored 14 GEU units above the district average on his basic combat assessment... but no one paid attention to someone from the lower caste.
"Seung-woo~! I'm starving! Got anything to eat?"
A drawn-out whine came from a chubby boy who dropped into the seat beside him, making Seung-woo crack a faint smile.
"No food, Hyun-joo. Only poverty. Want some of that?"
"Boo~! Poverty doesn't fill my stomach! But if you had pork bone soup, that'd be perfect!"
The speaker was Hyun-joo, Seung-woo's close friend — a round, jackfruit-shaped student who could make anyone laugh. He was often teased, but never took offense. His round face always carried a smile, and his eyes sparkled with eternal optimism.
"If you turned all that food craving into training, you'd be Elite-Class by now."
"Can't be helped. I've set my sights on becoming a Hotpot-Class warrior!"
"And what class is that exactly?"
"The class where the food never runs out! Hahaha!"
Hyun-joo's laughter drew glances from other students. Seung-woo just smiled and shook his head. Though the two were complete opposites, they made an oddly perfect pair.
Today's class felt different. On the digital board, images of mutated creatures flickered — black claws, twisted faces, eyes glowing crimson.
"These beings are the threat we face every day." The voice of Instructor Han-min echoed. He was a former Bio-Gene warrior of Combat-Class, now a training teacher in the district.
"Remember this: Mutated creatures are classified by danger level from Tier 0 to Tier 5."
He clicked a remote, switching the screen to a chart:
Tier 0–1: Slight mutations. No sentience. Tier 2–3: Capable of learning. Hunt in packs. Tier 4: Beast Kings — They command their own territory. Tier 5: Mutant Archangels... A single one can destroy a city.
The students fell silent, as if the threat felt very real. The growls from the creature video still playing on screen made the atmosphere more stifling than usual.
Instructor Han-min turned slowly, his intense gaze sweeping across the class.
"And this... is what you'll face if you want to enter the Bio-Gene Warrior University six months from now."
He raised his arm and tapped his wristband. A holographic display appeared mid-air, showing the GEU (Gene Energy Unit) ranking chart.
"GEU is the biological energy embedded in your core. The higher it is, the closer your body becomes to something beyond human."
The chart displayed levels with descriptions:
GEU 0–99 → Normal humans (No mutation power) GEU 100–299 → Trainees (Initial energy contact) GEU 300–599 → Field warriors (Begin real combat) GEU 600–899 → Commanders (Elite-Class) GEU 900–1199 → Living Legends (Prime-Class) 1200+ → Universal Challengers (Infinity-Class)
He paused before adding:
"With just 80 GEU, you're weaker than the muscle fibers of a Tier 0 beast." "With 300, you can fight Tier 1–2 mutants, if equipped." "But to battle Tier 3 or higher... you'd need at least 500 GEU, and an instinct that doesn't die before the fight even begins."
Silence. Even Hyun-joo had nothing to say.
"Don't think passing the exam makes you a warrior. Out in the field... there's no reset button, no repair system, no simulation mode."
Instructor Han-min locked eyes with them and ended the lecture with a single line:
"Choose wisely — whether you train to live... or train to avoid dying."
After school, Kang Seung-woo walked home. His house, located in Subdistrict 10-D, was surrounded by decaying buildings. The power grid flickered constantly, but this house was always warm.
"I'm home," he called as he took off his shoes.
His mother, Eun-hye — a woman suffering from a chronic mutation-related illness since the outbreak ten years ago — greeted him with a faint smile. His father sat nearby, repairing an old air filter that had been running for over twelve years. Laughter echoed from his six-year-old sister Nara, who was drawing a Bio-Gene warrior on a scrap piece of paper.
"Big bro Seung-woo is way cooler than this drawing!" she chirped, holding up her artwork.
He smiled… but inside, questions churned. Would I ever grow strong enough… to protect them?
That evening, a siren blared from the northern part of the district, followed by a loud announcement:
"Combat-Class Bio-Gene warriors have engaged a Tier 3 mutant at Checkpoint 27. Citizens are instructed to remain indoors per World Federation orders."
Kang Seung-woo looked up at the sky… darkness setting in as his heart raced.
"Checkpoint 27… that's less than 2 kilometers from here."
He ran. Hyun-joo called after him, asking where he was going. But Seung-woo didn't reply.
Something was pulling him. Not curiosity — something deeper. He had to be there.
From atop a crumbling building, he watched.
Below, in a ruined street strewn with dust and debris, towered a Tier 3 mutant beast the size of a two-story building. A Mutant Basilisk — half-serpent, half-lizard, its body covered in shimmering red-black scales.
Hellish yellow eyes scanned the surroundings like a predator toying with prey.
Opposite it stood a man clad in Bio-Active Armor — blue and gleaming. In one hand he held a high-energy spear; in the other, he activated the control band on his wrist.
"GEU: 563 units | Mutation: None | Status: Combat-ready." A synthetic voice echoed through the field.
Suddenly, the beast roared!
Its massive claw, thick as a power pole, lunged with inhuman speed. A blue forcefield lit up instantly, blocking the blow. The ground shook — but the warrior didn't flinch.
"Activating skill: Graviton Lance Mode – Phase One."
The spear pulsed with energy, transforming into a gravity-charged weapon. As it struck the ground, a shockwave erupted beneath the beast.
BOOM.
The street caved in. The monster stumbled. The warrior dashed in an instant — spear piercing through its elbow. Scales shattered.
The monster howled. Its tail smashed nearby buildings as it launched another attack. The warrior leapt away, using boosted propulsion, then released a Bio-EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse).
The creature convulsed.
Seung-woo, still hidden in the shadows, whispered:
"This… this is a battle from another world..."
He had never seen anything like it — not even in simulations.
This was the power of a real warrior.
And he… would get there.
He saw it now — the truth of mutant threats.
He clenched his fist. Not out of fear — but desire.
Desire to one day stand where that warrior stood.
From that night on… his life would never be the same.
Seung-woo returned home quietly. He sat beside Nara and gently stroked her hair.
"I'll become a warrior..." "And I'll make sure they never come near us again."
His mother turned to him. His father slowly put down the wrench.
The dim light of an old lamp reflected in the eyes of a young man.
And in that light… a shadow of the hero in his heart began to take form.
[End of Chapter 1]