The city of Astravia was protected by walls taller than mountains. Beyond those walls lay the Dark Lands, where monsters ruled and humans feared to tread. Every year, thousands of young people dreamed of becoming Hunters—the warriors chosen to protect humanity from the creatures lurking outside.

For Kael Ardyn, that dream had existed since childhood.

His father had disappeared during an expedition into the Dark Lands when Kael was only six years old. His mother worked tirelessly to raise him, often reminding him that courage mattered more than talent.

“Strength can be earned,” she always said. “But a brave heart cannot be taught.”

Kael believed those words with all his heart.

At sixteen, he finally stood inside Astravia Hunter Academy, waiting for the Awakening Ceremony. Hundreds of students filled the enormous hall, their excited whispers echoing beneath the crystal ceiling.

A giant crystal floated in the center of the room.

One by one, students stepped forward to awaken their powers.

“Fire Mage!”

Cheers erupted.

“Ice Spear!”

Another round of applause.

“Wind Swordsman!”

Parents celebrated as teachers wrote down each result.

Kael watched quietly from the back of the line. Beside him stood Leon Voss, his childhood friend.

“You’ve trained harder than anyone,” Leon said with a confident smile. “You’ll probably awaken an A-Rank ability.”

Kael laughed nervously.

“I just hope I awaken something useful.”

The ceremony continued until only a handful of students remained.

Finally, the examiner called his name.

“Kael Ardyn.”

The entire hall became silent.

Kael walked toward the crystal, taking a deep breath before placing his hand upon its glowing surface.

For a brief moment, the crystal shone with brilliant silver light.

The crowd gasped.

But just as quickly, the light disappeared.

Dark smoke escaped from the crystal before fading into the air.

The examiner frowned as strange symbols appeared on his screen.

After several seconds, he spoke.

“Awakened Ability… Shadow Spark.”

Murmurs spread throughout the hall.

“What kind of ability is that?”

“I’ve never heard of it.”

The examiner sighed.

“Combat Rank… F.”

The whispers turned into laughter.

“An F-Rank?”

“Poor guy.”

“He’ll never become a real Hunter.”

Kael stared at the floor.

Years of training.

Years of hope.

Destroyed by two words.

F-Rank.

Leon stepped forward as if he wanted to comfort him, but several students pulled him away.

“Don’t waste your time,” one of them said. “You’ll only ruin your own reputation.”

Leon hesitated.

Then he walked away without saying another word.

Kael watched silently.

Sometimes losing a dream hurt less than losing a friend.

---

Life at the academy changed overnight.

Students who once respected Kael ignored him completely.

Teachers assigned him to support classes instead of combat training.

Even during practice battles, nobody wanted him on their team.

Weeks passed.

Kael refused to give up.

Every morning before sunrise, he trained alone with a wooden sword.

Every evening, after everyone had gone home, he practiced until his hands bled.

Most people laughed whenever they saw him.

One afternoon, an instructor approached him.

“Kael.”

“Yes, sir?”

“You’ve been selected for tomorrow’s field mission.”

Kael’s eyes brightened.

“A real mission?”

The instructor nodded.

“It should be simple. Your team will gather medicinal herbs from an abandoned cave. There shouldn’t be any dangerous monsters.”

Kael smiled for the first time in weeks.

Maybe this was his chance to prove everyone wrong.

---

The following morning, twenty students entered the Graystone Cave under the supervision of three instructors.

The cave was calm.

Sunlight reached the entrance, while glowing blue flowers illuminated the deeper tunnels.

Students spread out, collecting herbs and crystals.

Kael wandered farther than the others, searching carefully among the rocks.

Suddenly…

A cold wind swept through the cave.

Every glowing flower went dark.

Silence replaced the sound of dripping water.

Kael looked around.

Something felt wrong.

Then the ground shook violently.

A deafening roar echoed from beneath the earth.

Cracks raced across the cave floor.

One enormous fissure split the ground open.

Black mist poured from the darkness below.

The instructors immediately shouted.

“Everyone retreat!”

Students dropped their baskets and ran toward the exit.

Before anyone could escape, enormous wolves climbed from the crack.

Each creature stood taller than a horse, their black fur covered with glowing crimson marks.

Their eyes burned with hunger.

The first wolf attacked instantly.

A student screamed as its claws tore through his shield.

The instructors rushed forward, but more monsters emerged from the darkness.

Kael grabbed his sword.

His heart pounded.

Fear told him to run.

But he couldn’t leave the injured students behind.

He charged toward the nearest wolf.

The beast turned its head and snarled.

With incredible speed, it lunged.

Kael barely blocked the attack before being thrown across the cave.

His sword slipped from his hands.

The wolf slowly approached.

Its enormous shadow covered him.

Kael struggled to stand.

“So this… is the end?”

The wolf opened its jaws.

Just as it prepared to strike…

A tiny black crystal floated upward from the crack in the earth.

No one else seemed to notice it.

The crystal drifted through the air and stopped in front of Kael.

For a single heartbeat, everything became completely silent.

Then the crystal entered his chest.

An unbearable pain spread through his entire body.

The wolf froze.

The darkness surrounding the cave began to move.

Black mist circled around Kael like a living storm.

Far below the earth…

Something ancient slowly opened its eyes.

A deep voice echoed through the darkness.

“At last… the chosen one has awakened.”1