Pilot Part 1

About a hundred years ago, the world witnessed a terrifying event that changed everything. They called it the 'Convergence'.

Portals to dungeons began opening up all over the world, altering everything that was in its vicinity as monsters and beasts wreaked havoc, and in a single day, the peaceful way of life ceased to exist.

It was a period of despair. Many lost their lives and loved ones, while many of those who survived lost their will to live. However, it didn't mean that humanity was going to give up.

The portals had brought about creatures that only existed in nightmares, but it also changed the entire ecosystem of the earth. Plants, animals and even some insects began showing signs of mutations, ranging from changes to their body structure to those that were invisible to the naked eye.

Soon enough, it was found out that the mutations had spread to humans as well, and all of a sudden, there existed a large group of people who had been essentially transformed into superhumans.

Governments from all over the world tried to control the spread of the mutation causing virus, but as it's rate of infection was exponentially high - turning out to be too difficult to control - they instead came to the decision to develop a vaccine that reduces the transformation features on the human body, in an attempt to stop deformation.

Although the mutants - the people who were transformed into superhumans by the mutation causing virus - were ostracized at first, the speed at which the virus spread caused the number of mutants to grow more and more until the mutants became the majority.

Furthermore, the ones who were mutated by the alien virus found it easier to defend against the monsters that exited the portals. The mutants were thus officially classified as 'Superhumans', the best of whom were drafted into various Guilds under the title, 'Hunter'.

The war between the humans and the beasts of the 'Otherworld' continued for fifty long years, but in the end, the humans were victorious in conquering the Otherworld. The monsters and beasts who had once reigned terror all over the world were now under the control of humans, domesticated and trained to serve those who were once their prey.

The portals on the other hand were a different problem. No matter how hard the experts racked their brains, they couldn't come up with a good explanation as to where they came from, nor why they appeared on earth. The Otherworld - the world inside the portal - is a completely different planet that exists in a different galaxy, and for some reason, it is connected to earth by these portals.

The mystery behind the existence of the portals aside, the people, although not completely at peace, were a lot more calmer and hopeful.

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Regalia University.

One of the most prestigious universities in all of United Korea. It was the university that most Superhumans wished to apply to, as they produced top ranked hunters every single year.

"Good morning, Issac!" With a cheerful tone in her voice, Melina Koerner, the 18 year old freshman with chestnut hair and emerald green eyes waved at a young man who was walking down the hallway of the university with an open book in his hand, her eyes twinkling with anticipation. With a hopeful smile, she approached him.

Issac glanced in her direction and closed his book as a polite smile formed on his face. "Hello, Melina. How's your day going?"

"Fantastic, as always!" Melina replied, subtly twirling a strand of her chestnut hair. "I was just thinking, have you ever been to that new café in town? I've heard people say their coffee is as strong as the best hunters."

Curiosity flickered in Issac's eyes as he closed the book he had been reading. "No, I haven't had the chance yet. Why do you ask?"

Melina's smile widened, her heart pounding with hope and nervousness in her gaze. "Oh, nothing.. It's just that I was planning to go there in the evening and, well, I thought it would be great if we could go together. Oh, but I totally understand if you're busy."

Issac's expression shifted slightly, a touch of regret clouding his eyes. "Oh, I'd love to join you, Melina, but unfortunately, I have to refuse your invite." He spoke with a soft smile and an apologetic expression on his face. "Mr. Bhryne said that I'm going to be busy this entire week, so…"

Melina's smile faltered momentarily, but she quickly masked her disappointment. "Oh, well, um, that's a shame. I hope everything goes well with, uh, Mr. Bhryne, and, um, maybe another time then."

Issac nodded, a faint unease flickering across his features. "Yes, definitely. Another time for sure."

As Melina turned to walk away, she couldn't help but feel a tinge of confusion about Issac's constant preoccupations. She knew there was something more to him than met the eye, something that piqued her curiosity.

Issac watched Melina walk away, contemplating the conflicting emotions that churned within him. "Ugh, it sure does suck to be popular…" With a heavy sigh, he continued walking forward, nodding his head towards every student who greeted him.

"Hi, Issac.."

"Hiya, Issac!"

"Issac! My man! How's it going?"

"What's up, Ice? Got time for a game of football, bruv?"

Issac greeted and nodded his head to almost everyone who passed by him, and by the time he got to the Alchemy Lab, he felt tired and out of breath.

"Goddamn it!" He cursed loudly as he swung open the door. "I should really consider buying that invisible cloak!"

"Well, if it isn't Mr. Frowny face!" The flamboyant figure of Ian Bhryne, the Head Alchemist, strutted over with a boisterous laugh. "What's the matter, huh? Can't escape your admirers?"

Issac sighed, trying to hide his frustration. "It's exhausting, Mr. Bhryne. I mean, I can't even walk through the hallways without being bombarded a thousand times."

"Hah! I can't believe it! A kid who hates attention! In college!" Ian snorted, slapping a hand on Issac's back. "Look, kid, you've stumbled upon a rare gift. Embrace it! I'll tell ya, you don't want to be my age and end up regretting the fact that I didn't enjoy college life."

Issac raised an eyebrow, his annoyance apparent in his gaze. "Really, dude? I mean, the last thing we want on our back is more attention! Wouldn't you agree?"

"Issac, listen… I mean, you just worry too much!" Ian exclaimed, his voice echoing through the lab as he walked up to his table and began meticulously measuring ingredients and preparing the apparatus. "You underestimate the power of perception. Nobody would suspect a popular, well-mannered young man like doing anything shady. It's the perfect cover, kid."

Issac watched as Ian carefully boiled a concoction that he made. "And besides, It's not like we're doing anything illegal. You know that, right?I've told you this."

"Hey, all I know is that you're doing this without anyone knowing, and you asked me to keep this a secret. So, I don't know, man. It sure as hell seems like you're doing something shady." Issac replied, shrugging his shoulders before continuing, "The only reason I don't ask questions is because you helped me before, and because you asked me not to tell anyone."

"Woah, what the hell's the matter with you, man? We've been doing this for half a year, right? Why fear now? Chill out." Ian let out a short chuckle and winked at Issac before stating. "Trust me kid, you don't have to worry about a thing."

He then turned to watch the concoction turn from blue to purple, before switching off the burner. Ian carefully sealed some of the concoction into a vial, and handed another small dose of it to Issac. "Care to do the honors?"

Issac sighed before grabbing the test tube filled with the final concoction. He took one look at it and then glanced back to Ian, who simply nodded his head. "Here goes nothing." Issac shut his eyes and poured the concoction right into his mouth, gulping it down in an instant.

"Urgh!" Instantly, his face contorted in distaste, and he hastily covered his mouth to stifle his reaction.

Ian's brows furrowed in concern. "Is there something wrong, Issac? What's the matter?"

Issac struggled to compose himself, his voice slightly muffled. "It tastes like... It tastes like crappy alcohol, man! Goddamnit, I really want to throw up!"

A wave of relief washed over Ian's face, and he let out a hearty laugh. "Oh, thank goodness! Don't scare me like that, kid." Ian patted him on the back, and Issac groaned and swatted his hand away. "So, vitals are normal?"

"I mean, I think so?" Issac wiped his mouth before looking at his smartwatch, and nodded his head. "Yup. I'm fine. No real side effects. I mean, other than the urge to throw up."

"Great, great.." Ian muttered under his breath as he stared at the vial filled with the concoction. "No side effects means it works."

"No side effects just means that there's no side effects." Issac replied with a groan and leaned back onto the wall. Ian clicked his tongue and waved his finger in response. "Kid, I made this potion, alright? If I say it works, then it works."

"Not your formula, though.." Issac whispered and Ian slapped him on the back of his head. "Enough talk. Let's test it out, shall we?"

The duo walked to the back of the lab, where a sturdy door was present, Issac pushed it open, revealing a spacious room that seemed like a training ground.

The room was filled with state-of-the-art equipment, a meticulously crafted environment designed to hone and harness the powers of extraordinary individuals. Targets lined the walls, waiting to be struck with precision, while obstacle courses and training dummies stood ready to challenge even the most skilled mutants.

"Alright! Let's check the power levels." Ian said as he pointed at the targets that lined the walls, taking a few steps back as Issac moved forward and pointed his finger at the wall, imitating a gun.

BOOM!

Suddenly, a burst of flames shot out with incredible force, flinging Issac back and causing him to land on his back. Ian's eyes widened with excitement and triumph.

"Holy shit, kid!" Ian exclaimed, clapping his hands together as he pointed to his smartphone. "The potion did work! Look at this, it says that the energy it produced exceeded what should've been your current limit by over 700%! Kid, your internal energy pool is a force to be reckoned with."

"You know… Ouch.. you could've at least tried to help me get up… ow, ow, ow!" Issac slowly rose to his feet, shaking off the impact with a mixture of annoyance and awe etched on his face.

"Come on! Shoot it once again, but this time, try to be careful with your footing, would you?" Ian spoke enthusiastically, his eyes shining with pride. "Remember, same energy, but a lot more control."

"It's not like I wanted to get flung back…" Taking a deep breath, Issac extended his finger once more, his gaze fixed on the wall. Concentrating, he willed the flames to appear again, and they emerged with the same intensity as before, shooting out continuously from his fingertip as Issac pressed his feet hard onto the floor.

BOOM!

The stream of flames were burning so intensely, as though it could melt even tungsten in a split second. As Issac demonstrated his control over the intense wave of flames, Ian's excitement grew.

His attention was drawn to the tip of Isaac's fingertips. His fingertips, the point of origin for the flames, was continuously regenerating, never allowing his finger to be completely burnt to a crisp.

In fact, the speed of regeneration was so quick that the process of burning and regenerating was not visible to the naked eye. It was an innate ability, a power that Issac had possessed since birth. One which brought the two of them together.

"Whoo! Holy shit, this is like a dragon's breath!" Issac exclaimed loudly as a smile appeared on his face.

"Remarkable, kid…" Ian mused, admiration swelling within his chest, witnessing the young man's joy and enthusiasm as he controlled the flames with finesse. And yet, underlying those sentiments, a pang of nostalgia and regret tugged at Ian's heart. For some reason, the scenes playing out in front of him reminded him of the day the two of them met for the first time.

'I guess this has been a long time coming…' Ian's mind was filled with complex emotions that swirled within his heart. He couldn't shake the regret that lingered like a shadow. Yet, even amid the tangle of emotions, Ian knew there was no turning back. The die had been cast, and the choices made had set them on a course where their fates were intertwined.

"You ready for the checkup, kid?"Ian asked as he held up a wire in his hand and Issac nodded, his gaze steady. "Yeah, let's get this done, Mr. Bhryne."

They strapped a wire to Issac's arm, connecting it to a machine. The minutes ticked by as Ian carefully collected the data, his eyes focused and calculating.

"Alright then. We got all the data, buddy," Ian said, his voice filled with satisfaction. "I'll send it over to our client. I'm pretty sure they'll be overjoyed." He patted Issac on the side. "You did good, kid."

Issac grinned, a mix of pride and uncertainty in his expression. "And the payment? When's that gonna hit my account?"

Ian let out a short chuckle before responding, "Don't get your panties in a bunch, kid. The payment is on its way. You've earned every penny of it."

As they tidied up the lab, sweeping away the evidence of their secret hustle, Issac couldn't help but ask about the next session.

"So, when's the next round, Mr. Bhryne?" he inquired, curiosity creeping into his voice.

Ian's face darkened for a second, a shadow of uncertainty crossing his features, but he hid it in an instant. "Gotta be straight with ya, kid. I'll be outta town for a while, handling some business. But don't worry. You'll see me soon."

With a nod of understanding, they shook hands. Issac turned around to leave as Ian locked the door to the lab. Ian tilted his head and watched Issac go, his conflicted gaze following him, the repercussions of his choice echoing in his soul.

"Sorry about this, kid." Ian whispered under his breath in a defeated tone, shaking his head as he pulled out his phone and unlocked it. "But this is for the best. For everyone."

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"He really didn't come, huh.." Issac said to himself as he stood in front of the Alchemy Lab the next day. It was closed, and he let out a sigh. He then pulled out his phone and nodded his head before walking away. "Well, at least he didn't forget the payment."

"Heyyo, Issac!" A young man with a goatee waved at him right when he entered the classroom, and Issac waved back before walking towards him. "What's up, Beaver?"

Riyad 'Beaver' Enrique had a big smile on his face as he responded, "Catch the Flash, that's what's up."

"Yo man, for real?" Issac slapped him on the arm as he asked excitedly. Beaver shrugged his shoulders and lightly punched him in the stomach. "For real bruv. It's your show, big man. Think you can get away this time?"

"All day any day, bro." Issac glanced at Beaver with a hint of a smirk on his lips.