Chapter 1: The World for the Strongest and Wealthiest
The universe had changed, but the oldest rules of humanity had only grown sharper. This was a place ruled by power and wealth, where success was no longer measured by effort or kindness, but by the numbers that floated beside a person's name.
The Awakening
The great shift began with the Status Window.
One day, for almost every living citizen, a faint, translucent panel shimmered into view. It was a digital decree, a public record of a person's abilities. For the vast majority, this was proof that they had Awakened and become stronger than the normal average human being. The Window displayed their Strength, Vitality, Skill Level, and Magic Power a personal ledger of capability that became the only currency that truly mattered.
This Awakening carved a canyon between people. Those with high, spiraling numbers were elevated to the top of the social mountain, securing the best resources, the safest cities, and the ultimate comfort.
But there was a profound exception.
There were a few, a tiny minority, who remained untouched. No matter their job, their dedication, or their dreams, their screens remained blank. They were the ones the universe seemed to pass by, either through some strange, supernatural intervention or some unknown flaw in their making. They were unable to join the empowered world, left completely defenseless in an era defined by raw might.
Beyond Humanity
The world was already volatile, and the Awakening only made it more so. Beyond the struggling, fortified cities lived a universe populated by incredible, often terrifying, beings. Monsters of raw, unthinking hunger roamed the wild zones. There were also creatures of reason and ancient societies: the tough, grounded Dwarves; the graceful, long-lived Elves; and the dark, scheming Demons.
Some of these beings were rational and could be reasoned with or negotiated with. Others were purely driven by instinct or malice, making the landscape a constant battlefield.
The Defenders and The Gates
To meet these immense universal threats, powerful organizations were created, built entirely around the capabilities displayed in the Status Windows. Groups like the Hunters, the versatile Mercenaries, the strategic Special Forces, and the controlling Elites all rose to power.
Their mission was crucial: to fight back against invaders who spilled in from other universes, seeking to conquer or destroy the planet. These threats entered through two primary ways:
Dungeons and Ruins: Ancient, sprawling underground complexes or crumbling surface ruins that became breeding grounds for creatures and contained immense, locked-away power.
The Gate: A sudden, shimmering rift in space that connected the current world to a foreign planet or a mysterious piece of unclaimed land, often filled with unknown creatures and mysteries. These Gates were the frontline of the war for survival.
The Apocalypse Era
The result of this constant war and immense power imbalance was a society that had devolved into a survivalist, apocalyptic era.
The powerful had successfully hoarded their strength, their wealth, and their resources, creating islands of safety and luxury. They controlled the flow of information, the best equipment, and the protection offered by the organizations they funded. This structure cemented the rule of the strongest and wealthiest.
Meanwhile, the weak those whose Status Windows held meager numbers, and especially those who had not Awakened at all were left to their own fate. They existed on the fringes, desperate for scraps, watching the shining towers of the powerful from the polluted, broken landscape of the outside world.
In this universe, the Status Window was not just a tool; it was a sentence. It decided who lived in comfort and who simply struggled to survive the day. The road to power was ruthless, and it was paved only for those who could step upon the faces of the powerless.