Chapter 1 – The Boy and the Gate
At the highest reaches of the floating continent of Suez, within the divine lands where gods once walked, a storm raged across the golden skies. Thunder cracked through sacred halls. A woman cried out in pain—Artemis, a goddess of will and light, shielding a fragile infant in her arms.
"You want to protect that child?" a voice growled. "He's nothing but a curse."
But she held on. And in that moment of rage, the heavens split. The child fell—cast down through clouds, winds, and fire—falling deeper through the realms.
The baby's cries faded as the world turned dark.
---
A teenage boy woke up with a jolt. Sweat dripped down his forehead, his eyes wide.
"Agh… what the hell was that dream?" he whispered.
His name was Dante Giordano. He rubbed his eyes and sat up on his old mattress. The walls around him were cracked. The light outside peeked through thin curtains.
He swung his legs off the bed and winced. "This shin splint again…"
Opening the door, Dante stepped into the hallway of his small house in Falias, a quiet town at the edge of the Human Realm.
His younger brother stood by the window, arms crossed.
"Tch. Look who finally woke up. Scaredy-cat."
Dante groaned. "Don't call me that."
"Oh? Did you just raise your tone at me?"
"I'm your older brother, show some respect—"
A fist met his face. Dante stumbled back, holding his cheek as his brother, Sol, walked away.
"Tch… jerk," Dante muttered, wiping his face and getting dressed.
---
Later that day, Dante wandered through the streets toward his friend Ronan's place. The sky was clear, birds circling overhead, when suddenly—
WEEOO! WEEOO!
A high-pitched alarm tore through the air. People screamed and scattered.
Dante froze. "What's happening?!"
Just outside the city border, a glowing vortex swirled open above the ground—massive, dark, and unstable. Armed figures in black armor—Realm Slayers, also called Enforcers—rushed into the breach.
A Realm Gate had appeared.
Dante's heart raced. He turned and sprinted down the hill to Ronan's cottage.
Ronan opened the door. "You good, man?"
"I—I saw it! What the hell is that gate thing?"
Ronan blinked. "Wait, you've never heard of a Realm Gate?"
Dante shook his head.
Ronan sighed. "They've been popping up randomly for the past few years. Nobody knows why. Some say they connect to other realms—Monster Realm, Demon Realm, even the lost Nephilim lands. But the government hides most of it."
Dante was still panting. "So what was that light? That portal?"
"Just a gate. It leads to gods-know-where. That's why the Realm Slayers exist—they go in and clear whatever's on the other side before it spills into the Human Realm."
Dante leaned against the wall, overwhelmed. "I… I had a weird dream. A baby falling from the sky… and gods fighting. It felt real."
"Maybe it's a vision," Ronan joked. "Or maybe you hit your head."
Dante smiled faintly. "I think I need to train. I'm tired of being scared."
Ronan's eyes lit up. "You serious?"
Dante nodded. "Teach me some of the stuff your grandpa taught you. Martial arts, anything."
Ronan grinned. "Let's start today."
---
In the heart of the capital, government officials gathered behind closed doors.
President Edward Augustus stood firm. "We must secure the borders. Don't let the public know the realms are real. We need to keep order. Raise taxes, expand military training. The Realm Slayers will handle the rest."
Outside, unnoticed by many, the world was shifting. The gates were growing in number. The realms—once myths—were merging again.
And somewhere in the chaos…
A scared boy named Dante Giordano had just taken his first step toward becoming a Realm Slayer.