The end of humanity started ever so slowly, with one particular portal opening in the sparse woods of an empty mountain in the middle of nowhere. Scientists would say it began with a simple spark in midair, appearing irregularly and slowly growing more erratic. Based on reports of similar events, it seemed like a mirage as the air shimmered and warped.

After many days, possibly weeks, the spark hovered permanently above the ground, circling the size of a coin. Then quickly, over several hours to days, it grew. A dark blue oval floating just above the ground, the outer rings were akin to electric blue sparks, and the inner rings were suspected to be yellow. 

The studies state it must have been yellow - from when the first blip of radiation appeared on the satellite graph to when the events unfolded - yellow was the only one to fit the timeframe for radioactive decay. If it had been orange or red, shit would have hit the fan faster, and the amount of damage incurred would have been catastrophic. Based on the findings after the event, they concluded that the portals formed at different speeds and danger levels. The coloured rings of the portals made it easy to discover the meaning behind each after the first several disasters. 

That portal remained on that lone chilly mountain for a couple more weeks as its colour slowly changed from blue to purple. As the outer ring completed a purple circuit, cracks appeared as if a glass window was breaking, and scientists later noted that the radiation spikes on their equipment soared to unprecedented levels. 

At first, nothing noticeable happened since no humans lived in the area. The closest village was several miles away from the base of the mountain. It happened in slow waves, almost unnoticeable. On the first noted day, the villages assumed a few hungry wolves had migrated into the area, as the damage during the night was nothing outstanding. But still, they called the closest parks and wildlife offices to report the issues. 

Things quickly took a turn for the worse once someone captured a photo of the said wolves and shared a night photo on social media, which many assumed was doctored. The apparent wolves were larger than the standard car, with glowing red eyes, fangs that were more like tusks, sharp spikes along their spines, drool raining down from their mouths, and fur and tails that sharpened and shot out needles akin to a porcupine. 

As time passed, more of them descended the mountain onto the village. Even before officials could respond for help, the town was wiped out in a matter of days. But the waves didn’t stop. The monster-like wolf population continued to grow to an ungodly number, spreading out along the mountain range and laying waste to all living creatures within their sights. Knives and bullets caused them no damage, and all heavy auxiliary did was spook the creatures until they got used to it enough to ignore it. 

They only seemed to be damaged by nature itself, with the creatures only getting harmed by the landslides caused by a bomb dropped near them. But destroying entire mountains to wipe out a few of the countless monsters was an impossible task. Even building barriers did not help slow these impossible and unbeatable things. Their agility helped them jump over any obstacle. 

It was the frustration and determination of a lone trooper who lost her brother and nieces that changed the course of humanity after several towns were already decimated. For weeks, she tracked, monitored, reported, and searched for the habits and weaknesses of the ravenous creatures from who knows where. Thanks to her constant reporting to authorities, who passed her findings to researchers, things were finally put in motion — and in return, they would drop off supplies via flyby. 

According to the report left by the trooper, a mechanic voice kept appearing in her head the closer she got to the origin of where the monsters spawned from. She noted that she first heard the voice during a windy day and assumed her radio broke when the voice said, ‘TRACKER SKILL ACQUIRED.’ However, the continuous recurrence of the voice mentioning different acquired skills and skill level increases made the trooper more determined and confident as she grew closer to her goal.

Though the goal wasn’t technically far when looking back at the map data, finding an unknown spawn point without information, on foot, solo, in winter, while avoiding death - it took several months for her to make it up the mountain as her only support waited on the other end of a dead radio and tracking her by the occasional flyby to guess when to airdrop supplies or information. 

With every step getting easier, her body felt lighter, and her fatigue disappeared with every voice announcing she levelled up - she knew inside that as soon as she made it to the place where these monsters come from, she’d be able to handle it without an issue. 

By the end of January, after five months of tracking, the trooper made it to a clearing where the portal spun above the ground like a fire dancer performing a hoop trick. She heard the helicopter fly ahead and waved as she walked into the void without hesitation. It was another month before the portal changed colours, and all the monsters outside the portal stumbled before collapsing, dead on the spot.

In report summaries of the event written by the trooper, she states that it was “a whole other world on the other side of the portal.” She said she could close her eyes, picture the area map, and know exactly where she had to go. With fewer places to hide, she started taking the monsters head-on. After several close encounters, she brought them down, one after another, and worked her way to where she was being guided. 

She states that with every kill, she would “level up,” and items of various qualities and quality levels would drop from the bodies. She used those items to survive and grow strong enough to take on “the boss monster” that she said “commanded and regenerated each of those wolf monsters.” After a fight she claimed lasted several days, she managed to bring it down. Monsters still spawned after she killed it, so she knew something else needed to be done. 

After finding the area where the boss monsters were, she discovered a large floating crystal. In her report, she continues that the voice within stated, “The boss monster, Folan, has been slain. Destroy the dungeon crystal to claim rewards.” After following the voice and destroying the crystal, it again said, “Dungeon of Foalan’s Dominion Completed.” 

Exiting the dungeon after healing took time, so the Purple and yellow gates turned green. The army had finally moved in on the location the moment the monsters disappeared and waited for her reappearance. When she stepped out, she gave a sheepish thumbs up to the awaiting crowd and asked for tacos and beer. And through the long, dark, meticulous hunt for these monsters, this trooper, who tracked and elongated them from the source, was coined “the first hunter.” 

The hospital records set the scientific community abuzz with her recounts of her self-healing ability, increased strength and speed, and a power never before seen. After many months in the hospital and trying test after test, the trooper stated she just wanted to resign and go home to her family on the other side of the country. 

After many protests from the army and scientists alike, more similar people with abilities appeared. All were the members who had been near the gate during airdrop supplies or checkups on cleared areas of the monsters. Repeated interaction with the gate and monsters showed that some people could awaken abilities. With this, the trooper was no longer the only subject and could leave the hospital. 

It took a month after the first dungeon cleared for the portal to disappear as if it never existed. But it wouldn’t be the last. It was later discovered there were more of these gates of low difficulty around the world - and they all started in unpopulated areas. It was only over time that they started appearing more often, closer to cities, with increasing difficulties. 

More people started to awaken their abilities with this increased number of monsters, and a new problem arose. There was a cap on how much power one of these individuals could use. The stronger they got, and the longer they used their powers without time to rest, these powered users started to go hysterical, losing control of their minds and powers and going into a frenzied state. Unable to calm them down or stop them until they self-destructed or were killed by a more powerful ability user. 

Eventually, one college boy stepped forward during a berserk moment as all the others evacuated. In the police report filed, he stated he felt a calling, and a voice within him said, “Hunter in the vicinity showing abnormal levels, berserk period eminent. A hunter requires gilding. Please proceed to the nearest hunter and guide them to average levels.” 

He told the officer that he instinctively knew where to go and what to do. Once he reached the hunter who had lost his mind, he knew he had to reach out to them and hold them. The officer who witnessed the event wrote in the report that he saw the college boy glow a golden colour as he made contact with the manic hunter and watched as that glow enveloped the hunter as well. Within moments, the storm of power started calming down before finally collapsing in the arms of the boy, unconscious. 

The reporters hailed him as the brave, empathic man who risked his life to soothe a hunter who lost control - and even referred to him as an angel descended to save the civilians who suffered at the hands of unchecked power users. That was the first reported guide.