That night was eerily silent, unlike usual.
Ronan walked alone on the dimly lit street, his hands still slightly stained with blood. The streetlights cast long shadows across the sidewalk, flickering faintly due to the unstable energy in the air.
It had been half an hour since he left the abandoned building.
The city was still awake, but not in the peaceful way it used to be. Surveillance drones hovered in the sky, scanning for any anomaly. Patrol units in black, armor-clad uniforms guarded the streets, weapons in hand—always alert, always ready to act.
Ronan's footsteps came to a halt as two soldiers blocked his path.
Clad in military-grade gear, each held a pulse rifle casually, but their fingers hovered close to the triggers.
"Hey, where are you coming from?" one asked. "Didn't you hear the dimensional rift alert?"
Ronan lifted his gaze. Blank. Distant. "I'm sorry. I'll go home now."
The soldier looked him over. School uniform—ripped, bloodied. No shoes. His face was pale, expression empty, like he was already half a ghost.
He recognized the signs.
"…Bullied?" the man asked, voice softening slightly.
Ronan didn't respond.
"Let us escort you," the soldier offered.
"It's fine. I live nearby."
"You sure?"
Ronan gave a tired sigh. "I'm leaving now."
He walked past them without waiting for a reply.
The soldier stared after him for a moment, then shook his head. "Poor kid."
"Let's continue the patrol," his partner said.
And with that, they left.
Ronan kept walking.
This was the reality of the world.
A world where strength determined survival.
He passed by a holographic billboard displaying the latest ranking of awakeners. A handsome young man with golden eyes and a confident smile sat at the top. His name? Victor Edenfield.
[The Young Prodigy: Ranked #1 Among the Empire's Awakeners!]
Ronan scoffed but didn't stop walking.
This world was nothing like the one he used to know. Right now, he was in the England Empire, a nation that had stood strong for thousands of years.
But the world wasn't always like this.
Thousands of years ago, Earth was just an ordinary planet—until a meteor fell.
That meteor changed everything.
It wasn't just a rock from outer space—it carried Mana, a mysterious energy that seeped into the world and altered its foundation. Animals evolved into monstrous creatures capable of tearing through steel. Worse, the impact triggered Dimensional Rifts—portals to unknown realms where terrifying monsters with unimaginable powers emerged.
Humanity stood on the brink of extinction.
But then… they began to change too.
At the age of 18, every individual awakened superpowers—ranging from enhanced physical abilities to elemental manipulation.
But that wasn't the only path.
A second path emerged—Cultivation.
Those who pursued cultivation could strengthen their bodies and souls, surpassing the limits of humanity. Power was divided into seven realms, each with five stages:
Human Realm – The initial foundation, where one first steps into the supernatural.
Spirit Realm – Where energy starts to manifest tangibly.
Origin Realm – The gateway to true power, marking a significant transformation.
Sage Realm – When one reaches enlightenment and gains abilities beyond normal comprehension.
Emperor Realm – The peak of human strength, where reality can be bent to one's will.
Divine Realm – The birthplace of legends, where beings stand above all.
Every superpower was tied to one's cultivation base—the higher the cultivation, the stronger the superpower.
This world was a battlefield, where strength was the only law.
The weak were nothing but prey.
And Ronan knew that better than anyone.
---
He arrived at his home—a rundown apartment on the outskirts of Blackridge City. The building was old, its paint peeling off, and cracks ran along the walls. He entered through a rusted door, the dim light flickering as he stepped inside.
A narrow bed. A tiny kitchen. A broken TV.
That was his world.
He sat on the bed without washing up or cleaning his face. His heartbeat slowly calmed, the adrenaline finally fading. But his mind remained sharp, replaying everything that had happened.
He had killed them.
No… He had destroyed them.
And strangely, in his heart, he felt nothing. No regret, no fear—only a deep sense of satisfaction.
Slowly, drowsiness crept over him, and eventually, he drifted off to sleep.