The world did not fall apart slowly.
It shattered.
At exactly 12:07 PM, the sky cracked.
Not metaphorically. Not symbolically.
It broke.
Across continents, above oceans, over cities both grand and forgotten — the heavens split open like fractured glass. Jagged rifts of violet and black tore through the blue sky, pulsing with an unnatural energy that made the air feel heavy… suffocating.
For a moment, there was silence.
Then came the screaming.
In Tokyo, pedestrians froze mid-step as shadows poured from the sky.
In London, the ground trembled beneath centuries-old streets.
In New York, alarms erupted before the first creature even touched the ground.
And then—
They came.
Demons fell like rain.
Not one. Not dozens.
Thousands.
Their bodies twisted and monstrous, crashing into buildings, streets, cars—tearing through everything in their path. Some landed with explosive force, shattering concrete. Others slithered through the air like living nightmares before descending upon the helpless.
Within seconds, the world descended into chaos.
GSSA Headquarters – Japan
Sirens blared violently, red emergency lights flashing across every corridor.
Hunters rushed in every direction—grabbing weapons, shouting orders, activating defensive systems.
Inside the command center, screens flickered rapidly, each displaying the same horrifying reality:
Portals. Everywhere.
A young operator, trembling, spoke into his headset:
"Multiple breaches confirmed across all regions! Threat levels exceeding recorded history—this isn't a localized event—this is global!"
Standing at the center of it all, calm amidst the storm, was President Akihiko Mori.
His sharp eyes studied the screens.
No panic.
No hesitation.
Just understanding.
He exhaled slowly.
"…So it begins."
Tokyo – City District 7
A demon crashed into the side of a building, its massive body tearing through steel and glass.
Before it could recover—
BOOM!
A burst of flames exploded across its body.
Lucan.
Ronan stood in the street, his hand still burning, embers dancing around his fingers. His eyes were sharp, focused—completely different from the broken boy he once was.
Beside him, Lyra moved gracefully, her blade glowing with energy as she cut down another incoming creature with precise, fluid motion.
They didn't speak at first.
They didn't need to.
Another wave came.
Lucan dashed forward, his flames igniting violently as he punched straight through a demon's chest. Lyra spun behind him, covering his blind spot, her strikes clean and deadly.
They moved like they'd done this a thousand times.
Because they had.
Finally, after the immediate wave fell—
Lucan glanced toward the skyline.
More portals were opening.
More were coming.
His expression darkened.
"We can't stay scattered," he said, voice firm. "We regroup with the others. Now."
Lyra nodded immediately.
No argument.
No hesitation.
They both knew—
This wasn't a mission anymore.
This was war.
Above Tokyo – Skyscraper Rooftop
Far above the chaos…
Someone watched.
Renji sat casually on the edge of a towering skyscraper, one leg dangling off the side as the city burned beneath him.
Explosions echoed.
People screamed.
Demons roared.
And yet—
He smiled.
Behind him stood two figures.
They looked human.
Perfectly human.
But the air around them said otherwise.
One was a tall man with a broad frame, his presence heavy, oppressive—like a walking fortress.
The other…
A woman.
Beautiful. Still. Emotionless.
Her eyes held nothing.
Not rage.
Not excitement.
Nothing.
Only emptiness.
Renji didn't turn as he spoke.
"…It's beautiful, isn't it?"
The man chuckled lowly.
"A world tearing itself apart… yeah. I like it."
Renji finally stood, stretching slightly as he looked over his shoulder.
"Varkor."
The man stepped forward.
Renji's smile widened.
"England."
A ripple of energy formed behind Varkor—a swirling portal opening with a low hum.
"There's someone there I want you to meet," Renji continued. "Silver hair. Royal blood. Strong."
His eyes gleamed.
"His name is Draven."
Varkor cracked his neck, grinning.
"…He better not disappoint."
And with that—
He stepped into the portal.
Gone.
Renji's gaze shifted to the woman.
"Seraphine."
She didn't move.
"Stay here," he said calmly. "Watch everything."
A pause.
Then—
"Kill Lyra."
Another pause.
"And Reika."
For the first time, she spoke.
Her voice was soft.
Empty.
"…And you?"
Renji turned back toward the burning city.
"I'll watch."
A small smile curved on his lips.
"…I want to enjoy this."
Seraphine said nothing.
And then—
She vanished.
Leaving Renji alone atop the world.
Watching it burn.
England – Royal Capital
The alarms began seconds after the first portal appeared.
Within minutes, the entire city was on lockdown.
Military forces flooded the streets.
GSSA units deployed across every sector.
Barriers activated.
Evacuation protocols initiated.
Inside the royal war chamber, tension filled the air.
President Cedric Langley stood at the center, issuing orders rapidly.
"Deploy all high-ranking hunters to the capital. Wardens on standby. No breaches inside the palace—under any circumstances."
A commander nodded sharply.
"Yes, sir!"
Nearby—
Draven Ashford stood in full GSSA uniform, his silver hair catching the dim light.
Calm.
Focused.
Unshaken.
Behind him, members of his squad prepared for combat.
Weapons ready.
Energy rising.
This was what they trained for.
This was what they were born for.
A soldier rushed into the room.
"Sir! A high-level entity has just appeared within city range!"
Cedric's expression hardened.
"…Rank?"
The soldier hesitated.
"…Unknown. But the pressure—it's not normal."
Draven stepped forward.
"I'll handle it."
Cedric looked at him.
For a moment—
Silence.
Then he nodded.
"…Don't die."
Draven smirked faintly.
"I won't."
The Arrival
Outside the city—
The air warped.
A portal tore open.
And from it—
Something stepped through.
Varkor.
He inhaled deeply, cracking his knuckles as he looked around.
"…So this is England."
His eyes narrowed.
Then—
He felt it.
A presence.
Strong.
Sharp.
Worthy.
His grin widened.
"Found you."
He bent his knees slightly—
Then launched into the air.
The ground beneath him shattered instantly.
In seconds—
He crossed the distance.
And then—
BOOM.
He landed.
Right in front of Draven.
The shockwave rippled outward, cracking the pavement beneath their feet.
Dust filled the air.
Silence followed.
Then—
Varkor stepped forward slowly, towering, his grin dark and excited.
"…So you're the kid."
Draven didn't move.
Didn't flinch.
His white aura began to rise slowly around him—pure, radiant, clashing violently against the oppressive force before him.
Their energies collided invisibly—
Splitting the space between them.
Varkor's smile widened.
"I hope…"
His voice dropped.
"…you'll be worth it."