That day, when Orion left this world… the sky split apart.
Rifts, jagged and ominous, tore through reality itself.
Out of these rifts came monsters—beings of unimaginable power, creatures that defied nature and the very laws of existence. With a single swipe of their claws, they could tear flesh from bone. A single step could rupture the ground, and their roars alone could shatter stone.
These rifts, these anomalies in space and time, became known as Realm Gates—gateways that led to worlds unknown. Some were nothing more than tiny floating islands lost in the void, while others were entire civilizations thriving in distant universes, standing on par with humanity's own world.
As humanity fought for survival, they discovered the truth: These gates would continue to open, pouring out monstrosities that threatened to consume their entire reality.
Faced with extinction, humanity had no choice but to evolve.
Through sheer will and determination, they took to the stars, advancing their technology beyond anything their ancestors could have dreamed of. They built great space-faring fleets, traveling to these realms before they could threaten their home.
Some realms were destroyed. Others were claimed. Colonized. And turned into new homes for those seeking refuge from a dying Earth.
At the forefront of this expansion was one of the largest factions known to man—The Blue Fang Faction.
Their flagship, a titanic cruise ship built for war and exploration, drifted through the vast darkness of space.
It was a behemoth, easily capable of housing an entire town within its reinforced steel walls.
On its front was a crest—a lion, its fur shimmering in ethereal blue, streaming down like cascading rivers. A symbol of dominance. A symbol of power.
Inside the ship, the rhythmic sound of boots echoed through the pristine metal corridors.
A young man strode forward, his expression sharp, his golden hair stained with dried blood.
His piercing blue eyes flickered under the cold artificial lighting. His features were carved with precision—a strong jaw, sharp brows, a pointed nose. He carried himself with an air of dominance, his every step exuding confidence and authority.
He wore a blue combat suit, reinforced with advanced alloy plating, nearly doubling his weight. Yet, he moved effortlessly, unburdened by the sheer heaviness of his gear.
As he passed, every crew member along the corridor gave him a small bow of respect.
But he barely acknowledged them.
His mind was elsewhere.
His face, partially smeared with the blood of his enemies, made him look even more intimidating.
He arrived at the main command center. The massive steel door slid open with a hiss, revealing the high-tech interior lined with glowing consoles and monitors displaying holographic data.
The moment he stepped in, a voice greeted him.
"Sir, that was a remarkable job out there. As expected."
A scoff.
"Tch. You praise me when my team was utterly useless?" His voice was sharp, cutting through the air like a blade. "How the hell are these new recruits so goddamn incompetent?"
Judy, one of his officers, smiled wryly.
"...Well..."
Jacob ignored her.
He stepped in front of a sleek, transparent chamber—a suit containment pod.
"Dispatch," he commanded.
A soft humming sound filled the room as the high-tech suit detached itself from his body, piece by piece, hovering in the air before neatly assembling inside the pod.
The glass door slid shut with a hiss.
"Nectar, clean it up."
{Affirmative, sir.}
A soft, feminine voice resonated from the ship's AI system.
Inside the containment pod, a white mist of condensed vapor enveloped the suit, sterilizing it.
Jacob rolled his shoulders, sighing.
"We need better recruits. Not the garbage they're sending us."
"Sir Jacob, you can't say that," a voice spoke up beside him.
Anita. His second-in-command.
"They did their best."
Jacob turned, raising an unimpressed brow.
"Their best?" He let out a low chuckle. "Their best was stabbing their own teammate during a fight?"
Anita hesitated.
"Well..."
"Forget it," Jacob muttered, rubbing his temples. "I have to report to HQ. We can't afford to keep feeding useless stomachs."
He moved toward the ship's reinforced observation window—a massive, curved plexiglass that displayed the endless expanse of space.
A mechanical seat rose from the floor, and he sank into it, exhaling deeply.
Anita stood beside him, watching in silence.
She knew how much pressure he was under.
Jacob wasn't just any captain.
He was the youngest captain in the Blue Fang Faction's history.
Through sheer determination and raw talent, he had climbed the ranks faster than anyone before him. His name was recognized even among the highest-ranking officers.
But that also meant he had enemies.
Many of the older captains resented his rapid rise, seeking every opportunity to see him fail.
And with the disastrous state of his squad, they were getting exactly what they wanted.
"Those old bastards must be the ones assigning these rejects to my team," Jacob muttered, running a hand through his blood-streaked hair. "They want me to fail."
Anita hesitated, before nodding.
"True," she admitted. "But don't let it get to you. You single-handedly handled a C-ranked realm today. That's still an achievement."
"It's not enough." Jacob's fists clenched. "If HQ had thrown an A-rank realm at us instead, we'd be screwed. And those old bastards would use it as an excuse to strip me of my command."
The armrest beneath his hand groaned under the pressure of his grip.
"....."
Anita hesitated.
She had been meaning to tell him something.
Something important.
She gathered her courage.
"Uhm... Captain."
Jacob didn't respond immediately. His expression remained tense, his thoughts elsewhere.
"Captain?" She tried again, her voice more hesitant.
"What is it?" His voice was low, edged with exhaustion.
She took a deep breath.
"The HQ just sent a message," she said quickly. "The academy has finished their awakening process for the new recruits."
Jacob's eyes narrowed.
The tension in the air shifted.
"...Say that again."
Anita swallowed.
"The school has completed the awakening process," she repeated. "And this time... the Head Commander has granted us first priority in selecting recruits."
For a moment, Jacob said nothing.
Then—
A slow grin spread across his face.
"This... is perfect." His eyes gleamed with newfound determination.
This was the break he needed.
If he could personally select the best recruits before the other captains got their hands on them…
He could finally turn this squad around.
Finally prove to HQ that he wasn't just some fluke.
"Good work, Anita," he said, rising from his seat. "Nectar, set course for home."
{Affirmative. Setting course for Realm 001...}
A low hum resonated through the ship as the engines roared to life.
Through the reinforced glass, the dark void of space was illuminated by the blinking lights of distant stars.
{Activating warp drive.}
Jacob's lips curled into a smirk.
"Anita," he said, turning toward her. "Let's go get our recruits."
A burst of white light enveloped the ship as it surged forward, tearing through the fabric of space itself—
'I have a feeling something good is coming'
Jacob couldn't contain his excitement, he just knew something good was coming his way.