Long ago, the unending war between humanity and the Grimm brought widespread devastation. Cities crumbled, families were torn apart, and the world teetered on the edge of collapse. Yet from this darkness, humanity rose with unyielding resolve. They pushed back, fighting tooth and nail against the monstrous creatures until the Grimm were finally driven into the farthest corners of the world, away from civilization. A great cheer echoed across nations—a hard-won victory that marked a new age of hope.
But that hope was short-lived.
Without warning, unnatural rifts began to appear across the globe—shimmering, otherworldly portals that tore through space itself. From these fractures emerged beings unlike any the world had ever known: monsters of incomprehensible origin, their forms twisted, their power unmatched. Humanity fought back, desperate to reclaim their peace, but the weapons and Dust that once felled Grimm proved useless. Their pride shattered, and once more, the world was plunged into ruin.
Yet even in the face of overwhelming despair, a new light was kindled. Within the portals, strange crystals pulsing with magical energy were discovered. When fused with Dust through ancient forging methods, they gave birth to a new type of weapon—Sigils. These relics allowed select individuals to channel an extraordinary power. Slowly, humans began to awaken to this power, their souls igniting with strength beyond mortal comprehension.
One by one, warriors emerged—awakened hunters who could stand against the creatures from beyond. With every battle, they grew stronger. With every victory, humanity regained ground. Eventually, the tides turned once again, and peace was restored, fragile though it was.
The ones who continue to stand guard, who delve into the rifts and protect the world from the monsters beyond, came to be known as Hunters. The portals themselves were given a name: Dungeons.
Over time, the Grimm faded into legend, spoken of only in myth and forgotten tales. But the people found comfort in that silence, even as the monsters within the dungeons continued to grow in strength. Still, so too did the Hunters—rising, evolving, unrelenting in their duty to protect humanity from the ever-looming threat beyond the veil.
As the story came to a quiet end, Summer Rose rose gently from her chair, the warmth of the moment lingering in her eyes. She walked softly across the room, her steps silent beneath the soft glow of the moonlight spilling through the curtains. One by one, she leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to each of her daughters' foreheads—first Ruby, then Yang, followed by Lumi, and finally Amber. Each kiss lingered with silent affection, her touch as tender as a fading lullaby.
A soft smile touched her lips as she whispered, "I love you all, my sweet girls."
With that, she slowly stepped back, her eyes holding onto the sight of her sleeping daughters for just a moment longer before she turned away. Quietly, she closed the door behind her, the faint click echoing like a final note of a cherished melody.
Descending the stairs in the stillness of the night, she found Taiyang standing at the bottom, his gaze fixed out the window, lost in thought. The soft moonlight outlined his figure, casting long shadows across the floor as he stood silently, waiting.
"Too late for some dungeon raid, isn't it?" Taiyang said with a lighthearted tone, glancing at Summer with a playful smile. He gave a casual wave of his hand, signaling her to ignore the joke, though the concern behind his words lingered faintly in his eyes.
Summer let out a soft chuckle, the kind that eased tension without trying. She slowly stepped forward, closing the distance between them until her face gently rested against his chest. Without hesitation, Taiyang wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a warm embrace. The world seemed to slow in that moment, the weight in her heart momentarily soothed by the comfort of his touch.
"Do you really have to go?" he asked quietly, his voice edged with worry. "I get the feeling this isn't one of your usual dungeon missions."
Summer tilted her head up, meeting his gaze. Taiyang reached out, his fingers brushing through her hair, gently tucking a stray lock behind her ear. She smiled, soft but steady, and answered with quiet reassurance, "Don't worry… it's just like one of my typical missions."
"I can't stop you, can I?" Taiyang said softly, his eyes searching Summer's for an answer he already knew, yet still hoping for something different.
Summer met his gaze, her expression tender but resolute. She slowly shook her head, her voice quiet as she replied, "Sorry."
Taiyang closed his eyes for a brief moment, the weight of her words settling over him. When he opened them again, he gave her a faint, understanding nod.
"Just come back soon, okay? I can't handle these little gremlins on my own," he said with a tired but genuine smile, trying to mask the worry in his voice with a touch of humor.
Summer chuckled gently, reaching up to rest her right hand against his cheek. Her thumb brushed over his skin as she said, "Don't worry. I'll be back."
Without another word, the two leaned in, sharing a soft, loving kiss that spoke more than any promise could—a moment of calm before the unknown. Their hearts eased, if only for a moment, wrapped in each other's warmth.
Soon after, Summer stepped away. She gave him one last look, filled with love and quiet strength, before turning toward the door. Taiyang stood there, watching as she disappeared into the shadows of the forest, her silhouette fading into the night, leaving behind the quiet hum of the house and the gentle breaths of their sleeping children.
As Summer walked deeper into the forest, her figure slowly disappearing into the veil of trees and moonlit mist, two sets of eyes silently watched from the bedroom window—Amber and Lumi, their expressions tense with worry. The soft rustling of leaves outside was the only sound as the sisters waited, hearts heavy with unspoken fear.
Then, without warning, a translucent screen appeared before them—bright, digital, and alien against the quiet night.
[ Mission: Save Summer Rose ]
[ Objective: Prevent Summer Rose from receiving an instant death attack ]
[ Rewards: Unlocking Maple System, Unlocking LLENN System ]
[ Penalty for failure: Death ]
Amber and Lumi froze.
It wasn't the first time this screen had shown itself. Five days ago, it had appeared just the same—strange, sudden, impossible to explain. They'd tried to tell their parents, tried to warn them, but all they got in return were amused smiles and gentle reassurances. No one believed them. To everyone else, it was just kids playing pretend. But Amber and Lumi knew better.
They didn't care about the rewards. They didn't care about unlocking anything. All that mattered was one thing—saving their mom.
Then the screen changed again.
[ Would you like to teleport near the site where the mission will occur? ]
\[ Yes ] \[ No ]
The sisters exchanged a look. Their eyes locked with silent understanding, a spark of determination igniting between them. No hesitation. No fear. Just the will to act.
In perfect unison, they spoke:
"Yes."
A glyph bloomed beneath their feet, pulsing with a bluish hue and edged in faint white light. The glow intensified, wrapping around their bodies like a protective veil. Then, in a flash of shimmering light, Amber and Lumi vanished from the room.
The glyph flickered once… then faded
, leaving behind only silence.