Thirty years ago, the world ended.
A rain of meteorites descended upon Earth, bringing with it fire, chaos, and death. Cities were reduced to ashes, and billions perished in the first few days. But the true nightmare began after the impact.
From the shattered fragments of the meteorites, monsters were born—creatures of twisted flesh and alien energy that tore through the survivors. The very air became tainted; animals mutated, plants turned carnivorous, and the once-familiar world became a living hell.
And yet… humanity did not vanish.
As if some divine balance still existed, a mysterious phenomenon appeared—a blue screen, glowing faintly in the air before select individuals. It granted power, abilities, and status. Those blessed by it were called Awakeners—humanity's last hope against extinction.
Through blood and sacrifice, humans fought back.
Thirty long years passed, and safe zones were established—fortified cities protected by Awakeners, now known simply as Raiders.
Year 2070
A teenage boy named Lucas trudged down a dirt path, the setting sun casting a dull red glow over the forest behind him. His axe hung loosely in his hand, his shirt drenched in sweat.
He had been chopping wood for nearly twelve hours straight.
"Finally done…" he muttered, dropping the last bundle of logs onto his cart. His stomach growled in protest. "Tomorrow's my birthday. I'll buy some meat this time… real meat."
It had been over a year since he'd last tasted it. In this era, even a small piece of meat cost 100 coins—a luxury for most people.
Lucas wiped his brow and started the walk home. He'd only started this job a month ago, after his mother passed away. She'd worked tirelessly to pay off the 50,000-coin debt for their small house before she died.
He still remembered her words clearly:
"Money is power, Lucas. Never forget that.
You'll need both—money and strength—to survive in this world."
Now, at sixteen, Lucas was just a day away from awakening. At midnight—12:00 sharp—his System would activate. And when that happened, he could finally become a Raider.
He smiled faintly. "Just a few more hours…"
But fate, as always, had other plans.
As Lucas entered the narrow street that led toward his home, a shadow moved. Then another. Five figures emerged from the alleyway, their grins illuminated by the faint glow of a flickering streetlamp.
"Hey, where are you going?" sneered a tall boy at the front. His name was Alex—a local thug and self-proclaimed boss of the district. "You've been working hard lately, huh? How about you share some of that money?"
Lucas stopped walking. "No," he said flatly.
Alex's smirk disappeared. "I wasn't asking."
He stepped closer, cracking his knuckles. "Hand it over. Now. Or you're gonna regret it."
Lucas's jaw tightened. "Let's see who regrets it."
Before Alex could react, Lucas's fist shot forward, connecting squarely with his face. The taller boy stumbled back with a curse, and Lucas didn't wait—he turned and ran.
"Ahh! Kill him!" Alex screamed, clutching his bleeding nose.
Lucas sprinted through the maze of streets, heart pounding. Damn it! They're not going to let me go alive!
He turned corner after corner, but the alleys all looked the same. When he finally glanced back, the group was still chasing him. Panic surged in his chest.
"I need to hide somewhere…" he muttered, lungs burning. "If they catch me, I'm dead!"
After several minutes of running, he slowed down—realizing something strange.
The noise behind him was gone.
The streets had ended.
He looked around. The flickering lamps and stone walls of the Safe Zone were nowhere to be seen. Instead, the world around him was dark, silent, and filled with the thick scent of damp earth and moss.
"…This isn't the Safe Zone anymore."
He'd run past the barrier—straight into the forest.
Somewhere behind him, Alex and his gang stopped at the treeline. Alex chuckled, wiping blood from his lip.
"Forget it. We don't need to kill him anymore," he said. "The forest will do that for us."
Lucas stumbled deeper into the trees, gasping for breath. His legs felt like lead.
"I shouldn't have run this far…" he muttered, collapsing behind a massive tree trunk. "If something finds me here, I'm dead before I even awaken."
He pressed his back against the bark and tried to steady his breathing.
But then—
Rustle.
The hairs on his neck stood on end. Something was moving in the bushes ahead.
Lucas slowly turned his head toward the sound.
A small, two-foot-tall creature emerged from the darkness—its body thick and muscular, four short legs digging into the dirt. Two jagged horns jutted from its head, glowing faintly red under the moonlight.
A mutated boar.
Its eyes locked onto Lucas.
Time: 11:45 PM.
Fifteen minutes until awakening.
Lucas clenched his fists, his entire body trembling.
He had no weapon. No System. No strength.
Only one thought echoed in his mind:
"I have to survive… until midnight."