This threat nearly drove humans to extinction, wiping out the weak without distinction between men and women. However, the few who survived — the strongest — began developing basic combat techniques that, over time, became increasingly advanced.

Back then, the term “hunter” did not exist as we know it today. Even so, the most crucial step was the decision of men and women to train relentlessly, reproduce, and expand their territories, pushing monsters farther and farther from the lands they controlled.

Humanity then began to rise again. Empires led by kings and queens emerged, and small villages spread across the world. Adventurers began passing down their knowledge to the next generations, teaching combat techniques and sharing stories of their journeys.

As time went on, the need for specialized academies around the globe became clear — institutions meant to train adventurers and defenders of villages. Since humanity was the only species evolving consistently, monsters became increasingly rare, retreating into distant and inaccessible regions.

Today, around forty percent of Earth is controlled by humans, while the remaining sixty percent is composed of dense forests inhabited by wild animals and monsters that have adapted to live in hiding. Little is known about these creatures — how they live, what they eat, or whether they can reproduce. No adventurer has ever returned to reveal what truly lies in the depths of those forests.

As attacks on villages became nearly nonexistent, academies grew exclusive to nobles and influential people, restricting knowledge about monsters from commoners. Still, for safety reasons, each village is required to have at least two highly trained warriors, ready to protect the population — not only from monsters, but also from adventurers with questionable intentions, who are sometimes more dangerous than the creatures of the shadows themselves.

★

Elven Village – Scolli

— So? Still haven’t found the problem? — asked an elder, stroking his long white beard that reached his navel. He wore a green robe embroidered with darker tones at the edges.

— W-we’re doing our best, sir — replied one of the elves, holding a map and scanning it for clues.

— Do you know how many months we've been without river water? And the risk we face every day of running into those hairless monkeys? — his voice was filled with indignation.

— How can we be sure this isn’t the humans’ doing? — asked a young elf with short, indigenous-style hair, three freckles on each cheek, slightly prominent incisors, and glasses.

— Adolf, what would the humans gain from that? — another young elf questioned.

— I don’t know. You tell me — why do you think they wouldn’t do it? — Adolf shot back.

— Watch your mouth, kid! Do you know who you're talking to? — scolded one of the older elves, giving him a light smack on the head.

— Don’t worry, Osley. He’s just a stubborn little boy — another elf said, trying to ease the tension.

— We’ll resolve the water issue soon, sir — assured the elf holding the map.

— I hope so — the elder replied, patting the young man’s shoulder twice before leaving the small room, which was part of a massive tree.

The elven village was a secret and isolated place within the forest, inaccessible to ordinary humans. Considered one of the most beautiful regions in the Suspensyst territory, its homes were built among the trees with a touch of modern design, surrounded by a lush and sunlit environment. At the center of the village, a once-clear stream now lay dry.

The elder who had argued with the young elf was Hambar, the community’s mediator and leader. He had taken part in great territorial battles and was known for fighting alongside the legendary kings Steven and Alexa.

— Daddy, have you seen Adolf? — came a young female voice from another room.

— That know-it-all brat was just arguing with me — he replied, scanning for the voice’s source.

— I was wondering if maybe I could... — the girl began, hesitating. But Hambar already knew what she meant and met her at the doorway.

— No — he said firmly, locking eyes with her.

— But, Dad! — she protested, pouting.

— You’re not a child anymore, Clara. You know full well the dangers of leaving the elven lands. You know how repulsive and dangerous humans are, especially those so-called “adventurers” and “explorers.” Was it Adolf who put this idea in your head?

— No, he didn’t put anything in my head — she snapped back, avoiding eye contact.

— Why are you so eager to leave this place, my daughter? — he asked, taking a deep breath.

— You always say humans are the worst race, even worse than monsters. But I’m sure you’re hiding something. Why?

— You still think like a child, even though you’re already twelve. You know elven girls mature faster than human boys, don’t you?

— Dad, don’t try to dodge the question with that talk. You always say it’s for my protection, for our people’s safety. But how long do you think you can stop us from having contact with humans?

— As long as I’m alive — he replied sternly — as long as I breathe in this world, you will never cross Scolli’s seals.

He left the room and locked the door, leaving Clara alone.

Clara was energetic and, in a way, clever. Though she didn’t accept elven traditions, she had been trained like everyone else: since childhood, she had learned to wield bows and arrows, set traps, survive in the wild, and even apply combat tactics.

She had blonde hair, blue eyes, and was always clean and well-dressed. She carried a small white weapon and was a year older than Adolf, her best friend since childhood.

— Hambar? The scout elves want to speak with you — his wife said, entering in a hurry.

— The scouts? — he repeated, surprised, as he wasn’t expecting such a visit.

In the main room, the scouts looked uneasy. His wife was preparing tea in the kitchen.

— What do you have to tell me? — Hambar asked, noticing the tension.

— It's hard to put into words, sir. It’s best if you see it with your own eyes — said one of the scouts.

— What do you mean?

— It’s a new creature, sir. We’ve never seen anything like it — said another, cutting in.

— You came to me about some new creature instead of watching for possible human invasions? — he exclaimed, furious.

— We understand your frustration, but we ask that you come with us. Please.

— Here’s the tea — announced his wife, entering with a tray.

— Darling, no. That won’t be necessary. This isn’t a good time — he said, leaving with the scouts without looking back.

— When we saw the creature, it was by the river — the one that flows from Oak Village, just a few meters from our territory.

— So that’s what’s been causing the water shortage?

— I don’t believe so, but it’s still concerning.

— What’s so concerning about a water creature?

— We never said it lives in the water.

Hambar frowned but chose to see it with his own eyes. They crossed part of the forest, avoiding any possible encounters with adventurers.

— So? Where is it? — he asked, impatiently.

— Here, sir — one of the elves pointed to the riverbank.

Hambar approached, skeptical, but his eyes widened when he saw what lay there.

— Get that thing out of the water — he ordered.

— That’s the problem, sir. This creature combusts upon contact with sunlight. We tried before coming to you—look at the burns.

Hambar knelt and examined the body.

— What a strange specimen...

The creature had wings about two and a half meters wide, dark blue skin — possibly due to the burns — an exposed spine, short legs, and a broad torso. A true abomination.

— Do you think it could be a new species? — one of the elves asked, visibly nervous.

— Anything’s possible... but I’ve never seen anything like this. — He opened the monster’s jaw, revealing small, sharp teeth. — Did you tell anyone else about this?

— No, sir.

— Good. Keep it that way for now. Take this thing inside the seals, but make sure it doesn’t burn more than it already has.

— Yes, sir...

Hambar stared into the creature’s greenish eyes, deep in thought.

— What the hell is this...? — he murmured to himself, still struggling to believe what he was seeing.

★

Oakwood Village

— So? How’s it going? — asked a young man with long blond hair, blue eyes, and elegant clothes, speaking to the teenager on the other side of the fence.

— Not well... I can’t evolve my force core! — replied the brown-haired boy, drenched in sweat and visibly frustrated, wearing torn clothes and holding a wooden sword.

— Seriously? You’re still in the black stage? Haven’t even made it past the first stage? — the blond asked in disbelief, jumping over the fence and approaching the kneeling boy.

— This is ridiculous! I’ve been at it for three weeks and still haven’t even reached the gray stage! And how will I even know if I evolve? — he asked, exhausted, barely able to stay on his feet.

— You’re still young, so maybe you don’t fully get it yet... But it’s a unique sensation. When your core evolves, your brain’s reward system kicks in — the older boy explained, helping him onto his back. — For a few seconds, you feel amazing. Your body starts adapting to the new stage, getting stronger. You might even awaken a rare ability.

— What’s your core again, Jonathan? — the boy asked, yawning.

— Solid red. Twelve stages above yours — he replied as he opened the small gate in the fence and headed down the forest path toward the village.

— How did you get to that stage? Can you give me any tips? Please! — the boy pleaded.

— Stop complaining. Relax, you’re only ten. Evolution usually ramps up during puberty, around twelve — he said, a bit impatiently.

— But you said that if I started training early, I could evolve faster! — the boy protested.

— There’s never been a case like that. But training early prepares your body for puberty. You want to be a swordsman, right? Then you need to be strong and agile. Once you reach solid brown stage, I’ll teach you an advanced technique. But don’t tell any superior or anyone in the village, understood?

— Alright, thanks, Jonathan! — he replied, excited. — I can’t wait to evolve! — he added before closing his eyes and falling asleep.

[…]

Cores. The system used to measure physical, mental, and even magical strength.

They’re divided into 17 stages, from black to white, with three sub-levels: dark, solid, and light.

The order is: black, gray, brown, green, blue, purple, lilac, pink, red, orange, yellow, beige, and finally, white.

The force core enhances physical capabilities, and may even grant rare, though possible, unique abilities. The magic core boosts spell power, but it’s dangerous — mages who reached the white stage went insane with power. That’s why there’s a law in Suspensyst and across the continental territories that prohibits mages from going beyond solid blue — the punishment is death.

The perception core is aimed at archers and long-range fighters. It enhances accuracy, reflexes, and, with enough evolution, can allow glimpses a few seconds into the future.

The consciousness core is the rarest, requiring extremely high intelligence and mental fortitude. It grants strategic advantages and is more commonly found among elves.

[…]

— Was he training again? Why doesn’t he use that willpower to help out around the village? — asked a young girl with a long braid, arms crossed and a frustrated expression.

— Leave him be. When he grows up, he’ll give up that silly idea of becoming an explorer — said Jonathan, entering the village. — After all, only nobles and influential people get access to the academies.

— But you’re the one who put that idea in his head. You even said you could help him get in — she retorted, haughtily.

— And I can. But the academy only accepts kids like him with a solid blue core or higher at age twelve. He’s got two years to go, and he’s still stuck at black stage. A single evolution can take up to a year.

— You know he’s going to be disappointed in you, right?

— I know girls mature faster, but don’t you think you’re a bit young to be lecturing an adult? Especially one trained in combat?

— Hmph! — she replied, turning her back.

The girl’s name was Liz. Since she was little, she believed she knew more than everyone else. She had black hair and eyes, average height for her nine years, and was accompanied by three other girls, all following the boy on Jonathan’s back.

The sun was setting. Villagers lit torches on their crude wooden posts, since they couldn’t afford real ones. Since ancient times, it was believed that light repelled creatures of darkness, so everyone returned home before full nightfall.

— Philipe, is everyone back? — Jonathan asked the other guard, who was chatting with a few women.

— Of course they are, look at the time! — he replied curtly.

— Good. I’ll take the boy home — said Jonathan, revealing the sleeping child on his back.

— Alright — replied Philipe, stepping aside.

— I regret giving you hope, Beta... — Jonathan murmured, sighing.

Beta, the boy on the warrior’s back, was only ten years old and had just been introduced to harsh reality. Since the age of seven, he had listened in fascination to the stories told by his friend — a bit too old to be called a “childhood friend” — about dungeons, forests, and guilds.

The stories were amazing, but they concealed the tragedies: the deaths of comrades, brushes with death itself, the constant tension in hostile environments...

Everything changed when Beta discovered the existence of “cores” — and that anyone could develop them. He believed that once he evolved, he could become an adventurer overnight.

It was his very first dream: to explore the world, face monsters, and have stories of his own to tell. But reality is not kind to dreamers.

Despite his efforts, Beta couldn’t move past the initial stage. That wasn’t entirely unexpected — one needs to purify the body before evolving. But even in the beginning, any child usually feels at least a small change — a sign that the core is active.

Unfortunately, Beta had started too early. The recommended age to begin training is during puberty; otherwise, progress can be hindered. Jonathan knew that. Perhaps he had purposely left it out — a way to protect him.

He didn’t want Beta to know the dark side of the world: the cruelty of people, the ever-present threat of monsters, and, above all, the weight of losing someone you love. He wanted to keep the boy safe.

And so, another day came to an end. Everyone slept in their homes while the guards patrolled the village until dawn.

★