This world was created by The First One...
"People used to believe this world was shaped by beings called Gods. But those were just fairy tales, bedtime stories parents told to keep their children obedient—a sweet lie. However, all that changed. A great catastrophe struck this world, and from there, I began to search for answers about these beings they called Gods."
— Guild Master of Library of Athena Guild
Jakarta – Year 2020
On May 20, 2020, a global catastrophe engulfed the world, changing everything. Mysterious portals suddenly appeared from unknown origins, spewing out various monsters: Goblins, Demons, Minotaurs, and many more. These monsters quickly began to take over the human world.
Amidst the chaos, beings dubbed The Seekers emerged. They offered humans power and dominance, promising the ability to survive and fight back against the invasion. However, this power didn't come free. Every power granted to protect loved ones would demand a soul weeping in despair and emptiness. Every human who made a contract with The Seekers had to share a part of their soul.
Not all humans could forge contracts with The Seekers; only certain individuals possessed the potential. The Seekers themselves were divided into several classes based on their power level, and each Seeker had unique abilities. There were Seekers capable of strengthening the contractor's physique, enhancing their intelligence, and some could even control space and time. These last Seekers belonged to the Hydra class, which was the highest danger class—this class system was based on Greek mythological monsters, with Hydra being the highest, followed by Cerberus, and so on.
Realizing the potential for destruction looming, leaders from every nation immediately united. They had to prevent humans bound by contracts with The Seekers from falling into darkness and despair, all to protect human civilization. Not only that, some Seekers actually wished to coexist with humans to preserve humanity. Therefore, a new system was formed to regulate the relationship between humans and The Seekers, although some parties rejected or accepted these massive changes.
Jakarta – Year 2025
Five years had passed since the first disaster. In the late afternoon, I walked home from school, headphones on, blocking out the city noise. The streets were still bustling with afternoon activity: people shopping for food, walking dogs, and various other pursuits. I, myself, was engrossed in my reading, studying documentation about various Seekers and monsters that had appeared from portals worldwide.
Suddenly, chaos erupted. A portal appeared in the middle of the crowd, triggering mass panic. People started running, seeking shelter from the unseen threat. However, I didn't notice any of it, too absorbed in the book in my hands. Without warning, a monster shot out of the portal. I collided with it—a hard impact that sent me stumbling. Before the monster could attack back, a hand quickly pulled me away.
"Evacuate! Everyone, evacuate immediately!" a voice yelled. The person who pulled me was one of The Keepers—the moniker for humans who had made contracts with The Seekers. He urged everyone to save themselves, while his gaze remained focused on the monster ahead.
The Keepers immediately attacked the monster. It turned out to be an Oni wearing samurai armor and a terrifying Oni mask, wielding a large sword stained with fresh blood from civilians who failed to escape. The Keepers' attack wounded the Oni, but the injury wasn't fatal enough. The Oni immediately counter-attacked, landing a severe blow on the Keeper who had pulled me.
However, the Keeper's wound regenerated quickly. It turned out he had made a contract with Phoenix, a Seeker who gave him the power to control fire and super-fast regeneration. With his now-blazing sword, the Keeper attacked the Oni back. The swing of the fiery sword pierced the Oni's skin, and this time, the wound couldn't regenerate. The fire from the Phoenix's sword prevented it.
The Keeper then stabbed his sword directly into the Oni's chest. Instantly, the monster vanished, its life essence having been pierced.
The Keeper who had just fought stood still, surprised. Usually, portals always released many monsters, but this time there was only one. He realized something was amiss, something he had missed. His gaze shifted to the young man he had helped. Just then, another monster appeared and attacked the young man from behind.
However, before the attack could hit its target, the monster's head suddenly detached from its body, spewing blood. Behind the monster stood another Keeper. He had just saved the young man.
"Are you okay, young man? Are you hurt? Don't worry, other Keepers will be here shortly," he asked in a calming tone.
The young man, still in shock, replied, "I'm fine. I was saved by the Keeper over there," he said, pointing towards the Keeper who had just defeated the Oni.
The Keeper who defeated the monster behind me looked puzzled. He had never seen a monster like this before. Immediately, he contacted his superior to research the creature.
I, myself, continued walking home. Upon arriving home, I immediately changed clothes and prepared food for myself. While eating, I turned on the TV and saw news about the recent event. A reporter was seen asking the Keeper who had helped me when I was almost attacked by a monster about the condition of the people at the scene.
In an Underground Lab
Meanwhile, in an underground lab, a researcher examined a sample. "Hmmmm, I've never seen this creature before," he mumbled.
Without wasting time, he took a blood sample from the monster and put it into a scanner to match it with data on the server.
A flat AI voice replied, "Blood matches human DNA."
The researcher was stunned, astonished. "Human? Don't tell me this is a human transformed into a monster? AI, please check if this was done by a monster kidnapping humans or the result of an experiment?"
"I cannot answer as the data is still irrelevant," the AI replied.
The researcher pondered to himself. Even the AI couldn't answer? What was really going on? I'd better report this to my superior for further research.
Back at the Young Man's House
After cleaning up and tidying his cooking and eating utensils, the young man once again immersed himself in a book about the history and documentation of monsters and The Seekers. he mumbled, "When will I be able to be like them? I hope a Seeker will make a contract with me. I really want to be a Keeper, hehehehehe, but that's just a dream that will never come true. I'm just an ordinary human; there's nothing special about me."
He read a passage: "In ancient times, there was a legend that said there were other beings besides monsters and The Seekers. It was said that The Seekers were merely imitations of other beings called The Monarch, meaning the original beings mimicked by The Seekers—like the metaphor of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly as the true form or truth of the imitated being by The Seekers."
"From the history and information provided by ancient people, monsters have existed since long ago. However, all that changed after someone managed to drive those monsters away. Information about The Seekers themselves is very scarce. Some say The Seekers are entities from another dimension, while others say The Seekers are angels, or even devils associated with ancient human pacts that became witches. However, there is no certainty about where The Seekers come from; the information is still very limited."
"Perhaps these beings are the embodiment of human despair and despondency who surrendered to their civilization, and these beings appeared as humanity's last hope to preserve their civilization."
"Beings that fall into The Monarch category are Demon, Angel, Dragon, Necro, Giants."