The world had shifted. One year after the Catastrophe, the scars of rifted skies and monstrous incursions remained fresh. Gates—crimson tears in reality—still loomed across the continent like watching eyes. Each one pulsed with the threat of creatures ranked from D to the feared S-class, and only hunters could face what lurked within.
But for now, inside the grand stone arch of **Philippine Hunter University**, the world felt... quieter.
Grim stood near the edge of the campus gate, his hands in his pockets, a breeze teasing his black hair. At 17, he looked older than most his age—tall, striking, and calm-eyed, as if the chaos of the world hadn't touched him. He was dressed in the PHU uniform: black slacks, a white shirt with silver lining, and a dark blazer etched with the golden insignia of a phoenix—PHU's crest.
He glanced around.
Everything about PHU screamed prestige. A colossal central tower overlooked modern training halls, ancient-inspired auditoriums, and outdoor fields enchanted with protective runes. Students bustled in, eyes sparkling with ambition, voices echoing excitement.
But Grim wasn't nervous. Not like the others. He was silent, his gaze steady, though his heart flickered with something he couldn't name.
"Woah, you're tall."
Grim turned. A cheerful guy with sun-burnt skin and fiery red hair grinned at him.
"I'm Marcus! First-year. Just got my blessing last month. Fire affinity—check this out!" He held up his hand, and a flame danced briefly across his palm before vanishing. "Not bad, right?"
Before Grim could respond, a girl with shoulder-length brown hair and bright eyes joined them. "Marcus, you're showing off again." She looked at Grim and smiled. "Hey, I'm Liya. Healing type. You?"
Grim gave a small nod. "Grim."
"That's it?" Marcus blinked. "You're not gonna tell us your blessing?"
Grim looked away. "Still figuring it out."
Liya tilted her head. "Mysterious much." Her cheeks tinted a little as she smiled. "You're kinda hard to read."
Before the conversation could go further, a loud chime rang across the campus. It was time.
The new students gathered at the central plaza, where a large marble platform stood. A student council emblem hung from banners, and professors stood lined at the sides in formal robes—each of them once A-rank hunters, now mentors to the next generation.
Grim spotted one woman among them—slender and poised, with long green-tinged hair tied back. That was **Professor Karina**, the head of Section A, their professor for combat and theory. Her blessing: **Nature Manipulation**.
"Eyes forward!" Marcus whispered.
A hush fell over the crowd as a single figure stepped up onto the platform. She wore the second-year uniform, with a student council pin shining at her collar. Her presence was serene but commanding. Long silver hair framed her face, and her violet eyes seemed to hold the stars themselves.
**Elyse.**
President of the student council. Gravity Manipulator. Idol of the campus.
Grim's breath caught—not because of her fame, or beauty, but something else. Something unexplainable. Like the moment you see a falling star and instinctively know it's meant to change you.
"Welcome," Elyse said, her voice calm yet resonant. "Each of you stands here not by chance, but by potential. You are the future of this nation. Trained right, guided with purpose—you may become the shield of the people… or their ruin."
Grim listened quietly, every word wrapping around him like a prophecy.
Elyse's eyes swept over the crowd.
And for a brief moment—just a heartbeat—they met Grim's.
She blinked, her smile pausing, as if puzzled. But then she looked away and continued. "The first year will be hard. Some of you will fail. Others will rise. That's the way of power. But remember this: your blessing is not your limit. It is your beginning."
The crowd erupted in applause.
Later that day, inside their classroom, Section A sat in rows of desks made from rune-carved obsidian. Professor Karina stood at the front, her expression stern.
"The world outside is merciless," she began. "Today's lecture is simple. **Understanding your blessing and your core.**"
She tapped a floating crystal, and a projection shimmered above them—an illustration of a human form with glowing orbs inside the chest and limbs.
"Each of you has a *core*. It reacts to mana. It feeds your blessing. If you can't sense it, focus. Meditation, combat, stress—these will unlock it. Some of you already have. Others..." Her gaze lingered on Grim. "Will soon."
Grim stared at the projection, barely blinking. Deep inside him, a strange warmth stirred—like whispers from something ancient. He clenched his fist. *What are you…?*
Karina continued, "Blessings are divine. The gods choose their vessels, and some walk among us to this day. Never forget, you were chosen. But that doesn't make you worthy—not yet."
As class ended, Grim walked alone toward the bus stop just outside the school gates. The sky above was a muted gold, dusk painting the streets in calm.
That's when he saw her.
An old lady stood at the crosswalk, wearing a tattered shawl and holding a crooked cane. Her eyes—silver, like polished glass—watched him. Not with curiosity. But recognition.
Grim slowed.
She smiled faintly.
"Grim," she whispered, though he hadn't told her his name.
His body froze.
"You walk the path unseen," she murmured. "But not unchosen."
The streetlight blinked. Cars passed.
When Grim looked again, the old woman was gone. Vanished like mist.
He stood there for a long moment, his heart pounding.
He had no idea that he'd just met a goddess.
And she had already marked him.