Chapter I: The new order governing the world

The Dungeons—an event that in 2022 caused a planetary shock—brought people face to face with beings once thought to belong only to fantasy: dragons, demons, goblins, giant insects, and more, all thanks to gateways leading to different and highly dangerous worlds.

After the catastrophic virus that ravaged the world two years earlier, and a series of environmental disasters that destroyed countless landscapes, numerous portals began to appear—and alongside them, humans underwent a radical evolution.

The generation born after the appearance of these portals acquired fantasy-like abilities, physical control, elemental powers, and much more.

Over time, nations agreed on rules and created the World Adventurers Association, imposing regulations to prevent corruption, organize activities, and ensure that the strongest Adventurers were not used for military purposes.

It’s now 2040, and the world has adapted so well to Adventurers that it has become a profession in its own right. The strongest in each country have become celebrities and enjoy more lenient laws thanks to their contributions to their homelands.

All countries benefit from the rewards obtained by their best Adventurers and the rare resources found in dungeons… all except for the very southern part of South America, where Argentina—despite its efforts to recruit strong Adventurers—can barely reach a B+ rank.

Due to food crises and genetic issues, Argentinian Adventurers barely hit that rank, putting the country alongside Cuba, Somalia, Latvia, and Bhutan as one of the weakest in terms of Adventurer rankings.

PART II: The Boy and the Portal

A six-year-old boy named Martín Felucci, lively and energetic, watches as a portal opens in the city of Tandil, in the province of Buenos Aires—one of the weakest regions in terms of modern dungeon activity.

Beside him, his mother holds his hand, trying not to show her nerves, because his father is preparing to go to work. Tristán Felucci, a 32-year-old E+ rank Adventurer, is getting ready along with five teammates of varying ranks (C, F, B, B+).

Tristán kneels before his wife, 27-year-old Carla Manon, kisses her and hugs her tightly—a ritual he performs every time before entering a dungeon to maintain his focus and remember her. Then he lifts little Martín in his arms to say goodbye. Though being one of the highest-paid jobs, his low rank doesn’t earn much—but it's enough to support his family and pay for a good education for his son.

Putting Martín down with a smile, he waves goodbye as he and his team enter the dungeon.

Forty minutes later, deep in a low-rank dungeon arguably only accessible to Argentinians, Carla squats beside Martín, who is mesmerized by the portal, and asks:

— “So, sweetie, did you give him the amulet you made at school?”

— “Oh… I forgot, Mom.” bursts the boy into innocent tears, fearing his father won’t have the amulet to protect him inside the portal.

— “I’m sure he felt your good energy. Don’t worry, you can give it to him when he comes out—next time,” she reassures with maternal wisdom.

Moments later, Martín breaks free from his mother’s arm and dashes toward the portal, evading police barriers and media cordons meant to keep only family members inside. The security is tight, given the emotional atmosphere. Carla tries to chase him but is stopped by police. As the terrified crowd watches, Martín enters the portal—triggering his mother’s anguished screams and curses, even at the police.

PART III: Death and Inheritance

Inside the dungeon—considered very weak by international standards—Martín looks around before taking a cautious step. At first, he sees nothing, but his eyes adjust to the darkness, revealing rocky tunnels draped with banners and skewers.

A mysterious feeling leads him timidly toward a faint glow several meters away. After nearly an hour, he arrives at the heart of the dungeon: a large cavern filled with tents, bones adorning the ceiling, and skulls and columns forming barricades as warnings.

On the verge of tears, he turns to leave—but hears voices and laughter echoing from a distant tunnel.

Certain his father is there, Martín takes a deep breath and runs toward the sound.

Instead, he spots the dismembered bodies of low-rank goblins—creatures once valuable but now so devalued their bones fetch less than a piece of meat. In the early 2020s, first-generation Adventurers risked their lives fighting them for massive profits, but now goblin bones are nearly worthless, although more treasures lie deeper.

At the end of the tunnel, Martín discovers a gruesome scene: dead Adventurers strewn across a much larger rocky chamber. His father lies there, chest pierced by a sword. Shock freezes his face.

He rushes forward, clutches the cold body, tears streaming down:

— “Daddy… daddy… get up… please… don’t do this… daddy?” he sobs, offering a small drawing-stone amulet—

— “Here… I brought this… it can heal you… daddy… please.”

But when he touches his father’s hand, nothing changes. Until he notices a small shattered orb in his hand: when he touches it, it glows fiercely like breaking an egg, releasing vibrant energy that drifts through the air above Tristan’s body.

Terrified and grief-stricken, Martín backs away—but then unsettling sounds echo through the dungeon.

A B+ ranked Adventurer, Argentina’s strongest, Fabio López, storms in, kicking Tristan’s body in rage:

— “Damn you, traitor! You said this treasure was yours, but you only led me to more goblins!”

He kicks again, wiping his blood-stained boot across the body. Spotting the cracked orb in Tristan’s hand, Fabio growls:

— “You bastard traitor! Were you keeping it for yourself to support your family? You worthless failure!”

Fabio brutally kicks Tristan. Martín, hidden nearby, quietly whimpers—his bladder gives way under terror and grief.

Fabio hears movement, summons fire in his hand, preparing to incinerate the hiding Martín—but more coughing soon reveals someone else: Sebastian, an old friend of Tristan, bloodied on the cavern floor.

— “Sir Sebastián,” Martín whispers with tearful recognition.

— “Stay still… make no noise… wait until I leave,” Sebastian whispers weakly, trying to calm the child.

Fabio approaches Sebastian with a merciless grin, draws his sword:

— “I can’t do this well, but don’t worry… it won’t hurt,” Fabio mocks before decapitating Sebastian.

With no more distractions, Fabio turns toward Martín’s hiding place…but the boy is gone.

Meanwhile, Martín flees through a long, torch-lit tunnel, terrified of encountering renegade goblins. Repeatedly glancing behind out of fear, he stumbles and collapses in exhaustion and panic, covering his ears, sobbing silently—and accidentally wets himself again. Darkness surrounds him.

Then, from the broken orb’s warm, colorful light, a calm radiance appears, enveloping him as a voice echoes inside his mind:

“You are the embodiment of will… the one who watches over humanity and confronts those who abandon it… you are the chosen recipient of the ultimate power… under my guidance, you shall rise as the Emperor… under the Emperor’s power… your word and will… are the Law in this monster jungle… your power will ascend beyond… you will become the supreme master of the monster world… Martin Felucci, prepare to become… the strongest Hunter of all.”

PART IV: Twelve years later

Twelve years later.

Eighteen-year-old Estela, a young woman with silver hair, average height, strangely yellow yet gentle eyes, and milk-white skin that draws attention, approaches Martin in a large park in Buenos Aires. Martín sits on a wooden bench, hooded and withdrawn, a handsome yet somber figure with pronounced dark circles.

— “Hello… hello… helloooo? Martín?” she calls, lightly shaking his shoulder.

— “Oh, sorry Estela, I was… just deep in thought. So, are we ready?” Martín replies, snapping out of his trance.

— “Yes, but it’s dangerous. I don’t think it’s right for an F+ rank to enter a C-rank dungeon,” Estela worries.

— “Don’t worry—I promise not to get in anyone’s way,” he reassures her.

— “Okay, everyone knows the formation: the two C‑rank Tanks Matías and Marcos up front; healers Florencia (D‑rank) and Alejandro (C‑rank) in the middle; spellcasters Marcelo and Augusto (both D‑rank) in the rear; warriors—me and Leo—on the frontlines. And you… Martín… umm—” Claudio, with the rest of the group, eyes Martín suspiciously, “just try not to get yourself killed—we don’t know what kind of Adventurer you are.”

— “I promise not to be a burden,” Martín says, scratching his head and smiling.

The group enters the freshly opened dungeon. Martín’s expression turns serious as a dark shadow emerges from his left eye, and they all move forward into what promises to be a very dangerous dungeon.