Date: May 16, 2018 (Wednesday)
Location: Wankhede Stadium (GDA Testing Center), Mumbai, India
Time: 11:00 AM
The May heat in Mumbai and the massive crowds outside Wankhede Stadium created a suffocating atmosphere. The stadium, once known for cricket, was now a high-security GDA induction center. E-Rank guards stood everywhere, their presence enough to keep the crowd in check.
A faint metallic sheen covered the skin of the guards—a clear sign of their E-Rank status. Fear gripped the people, but the greed to be ranked as a 'D-Rank' was even stronger. Being in the 'Dangers Division' meant better food and safety for their families.
Viraj, a twenty-two-year-old man, stood in line, trembling. For the last twenty-four hours, a burning sensation had surged through his body like acid in his veins. He hoped he was a chosen one. When his turn came, an officer placed a Mana Meter on his hand.
The screen flashed: [MP 16. Rank: D].
"Rank D! Congratulations, soldier. You are in the Dangers Division," the officer said coldly, handing him a new GDA badge.
A brief smile of victory crossed Viraj's face. He felt powerful, a true 'Danger.' However, that joy lasted only ten minutes.
Viraj was led to the stadium ground, where thousands of D-Rankers were being handed 'Proto-Magitech' weapons. These were not flashy lasers, but heavy rods and swords made of 'Cold Iron.'
On the stadium's giant screens, a pre-recorded video of Richard Vance was playing. He was explaining the technique of 'Mana Coating.'
"Pull the mana from your veins and spread it over the surface of the iron," Richard's voice echoed across the field.
Viraj pushed with all his might. He felt the heat in his body move from his palms into the iron rod. The rod began to glow with a faint blue light. He felt a strange power, but it lasted only twelve seconds.
On the twelfth second, Viraj's face turned pale. His lungs gasped for oxygen, and he collapsed onto the grass in total exhaustion. His mana reservoir was completely empty. He realized then that being Rank D was not a blessing. It was merely an expensive ticket to stand before death for twelve seconds.
All around him, thousands of others lay panting on the ground, broken by the effort.
On the other side of the world, a different scene was unfolding in a secret US facility. 'Subject Alpha,' a Rank B mutant, was melting steel walls with pure energy blasts from his hands. The scientists and the new 'High-Ranks' there mocked Richard's iron weapons. They believed their 'Pure Magic' would easily shatter Richard's primitive system.
In the Geneva command center, Richard watched the live data on his screens. Aris stood behind him, looking deeply concerned.
"Director, these D-Rankers are too weak. They can't even hold mana for fifteen seconds," Aris noted. "And the US and China are calling our 'Cold Iron' method primitive."
Richard watched the footage of Viraj falling. His face showed no mercy.
"They only need fifteen seconds, Aris," he replied calmly. "The creatures that will emerge from the Fracture absorb pure energy and magic. They cannot be killed by spells. Only physical impact and mana-coated 'Cold Iron' will work against them," Richard explained, standing up from his chair.
"Let the world play with their magic today. Let them fail in training now, so they can realize the truth later. In a Fracture, survival is measured in seconds, not spells."
His voice echoed with cold logic. The world was entirely unprepared for what was coming.