Ch 1 Why World So Cruel To Me

The year is 2027, and three tumultuous years have passed since the first mysterious gate appeared, endowing humans with incredible powers. Dubbed a new era of potential, where humanity could reach unprecedented heights, it initially seemed like a golden age for our species. Yet, beneath the surface, a dark and treacherous undercurrent had begun to flow.

In the wake of newfound abilities, the world's elite swiftly formed clandestine factions, vying for control of the gate and its enigmatic treasures. The resources within the gate were but one part of their allure. There was an even more ominous motive driving their ambition: the imminent threat of the gate's guardians, poised to surge through if not conquered within a single, fateful month.

Then, in the ninth month since the gate's arrival, the first terrifying breaches occurred. It was a chilling revelation that shattered humanity's optimistic façade, revealing the nightmarish reality that awaited them.

Two harrowing years later, most of the world's nations had crumbled, replaced by enigmatic, non-human civilizations. Goblins, Dragonlings, grotesque Monsters, ethereal Elves, seductive Vampires, menacing Demons, and more emerged as dominant forces, plunging the Earth into chaos and warfare. Humanity, with its fledgling powers, had been reduced to a desperate remnant, huddled within the last fortified stronghold: Ankara, Turkey.

As humanity clung to a mere 5% of the Earth's land, only 15% of its population endured. The government and the Faction of survivors had devised a plan in the early days of the crisis: three bastions of hope to preserve humanity—China, the United States, and Turkey. These nations were strategically chosen for their unique positions of power.

But hope was dwindling. China and the United States had fallen to the enemy's grasp, leaving Turkey as the last beacon of light for Asia, Europe, and Africa.

Daniel Hansen is one of the survivors who arrived in Ankara. He is a cripple who couldn't walk even before the apocalypse. The only reason he can stay alive is that he has the skill to detect danger, and his sister has the talent to control fire, while his mother skill super strength. Because of this, they were able to survive for three years during the apocalypse.

When the first gate appeared on Earth, all humans gained skills randomly. However, talent was a different matter, only bestowed upon a selected few. Talent remained a rare and elusive quality. It was as if the universe itself had chosen a select few to be its champions, bestowing upon them abilities far beyond the ordinary. These talented individuals were the ones who would rise above the rest, Daniel's sister is one of them.

But this time, there was no sister and mother beside him—only six men standing beside him, and one person pushing his wheelchair from behind. These seven people killed and did unforgivable things to his mother and sister. Six months ago, when they were on their way to Ankara, she and her family saw the seven people struggling against hordes of goblins and orcs. Seeing this, his mother, who had a kind heart, could not just watch humans in distress and wanted to help them.

"Dan, Lisa, we have to help them, or they will die," she insisted.

"Wait a moment, Mom. Let me use my skills to probe the situation first," Daniel said firmly. His eyes glowed with light as he prepared to tap into his skill.

However, before he could proceed, Daniel's instincts kicked in, sending a shiver down his spine. He knew this sensation well; it was a warning from the depths of his abilities. Whenever a headache like this struck, danger was close at hand. He couldn't ignore it.

"Mom, please," Daniel urgently cautioned, raising a hand to prevent her from advancing any further. "Don't go any closer. My senses are screaming that it's dangerous." He knew that he couldn't afford to let his mother get involved in whatever peril lay ahead.

"No problem, it's just goblins and orcs; we can handle them," Daniel reassured the group.

As they faced a horde of goblins and orcs, Daniel's unease grew despite their bravado. His gut feeling rarely led him astray, and today was no exception. "Something is off here," he thought.

"But, Mom..." Before he could voice his concerns, his mother and sister had already rushed to confront humanity's most dreaded foes. Goblins topped the list of reviled races, not due to their strength, but because of the horrors they inflicted on captives. Death was a merciful escape compared to the terrors these creatures wrought. Men weren't just killed; they were kept as playthings, and their screams were relished. As for what they did to female captives, it was too sinister to describe.

Soon, Emma and Lisa returned to him. "See, there's nothing dangerous about fighting goblins and orcs if you're careful," said Emma with pride.

"Maybe you're right, Mom," Daniel chuckled awkwardly as he noticed his mother's smug expression. However, an ominous feeling continued to gnaw at him.

"Brother, too bad you didn't see how Mom knocked out an orc with just one punch. She looked like that bald guy from the anime we watched a while ago, hihihi..."

"What?! So you're saying I'm bald?"

Upon hearing his mother raise her voice, Lisa leaped onto Daniel's lap, hugging him tightly. "No, Mom, I mean you're strong like him. How could someone as beautiful as you be bald?"

Despite being 21, Lisa had retained her mischievous spirit from childhood.

"Huh, at least you know I'm pretty. Ah, me too, I want a hug," their mother exclaimed, jumping onto Daniel. They playfully frolicked for a moment.

"Enough, you two. Lisa, you better be careful. If you keep teasing Mom, one day she might give you a piece of her mind. If that happens, don't come crying to me later," Daniel warned Lisa.

"You're not going to do that, right, Mom?" Lisa looked at her mother, who was still hugging her from behind.

"Hehe..."

"Right?"

"Hehe..."

"Ah, help me, Brother!" Lisa clung to him even tighter.

"Okay, stop joking. So, what happened with those people, Mom?" If he don't change the topic, these two will tease each other endlessly.

"Oh, I almost forgot. They asked if it's okay to travel together to Ankara. What do you think, Daniel?"

"I don't know mom, it's up to you."

After Daniel said that, his mother pondered for a moment and decided, "I think with more people, our chances of reaching Ankara will increase, right? They also don't seem like bad people to me."

"Okay, then. Let's meet up with them. Sorry, Mom, can you help me push the wheelchair again? If it weren't for me burdening you two, I think you would have reached Ankara long ago."

Hearing that, his mother looked at her son helplessly and shook her head. "How many times do I need to tell you, Dan? Never, ever call yourself a burden. If not for you telling us where the danger is, I doubt Lisa and I would have made it here alive, right, Lisa?"

Lisa, still on her brother's lap, once again hugged Daniel. "Of course, Mom. You're never a burden to us, Brother. You're one of the reasons I still want to live in this hellhole. So stop telling yourself you're a burden, Brother." Lisa tried her best not to cry, but her voice quivered.

Hearing that, Daniel couldn't help but hug Lisa back and tried his best not to cry. "I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry."

"Mom, Lisa, we'd better not keep our new friends waiting too long." But Lisa still didn't want to break the hug from Daniel. Seeing this, Emma could only shake her head, pick up the supplies from the ground, put them on her back, and push Daniel's wheelchair with Lisa still on it.

Unbeknownst to them, this choice would plunge them into an even darker abyss. For three years, Daniel and his family had never integrated with a survivor group; they had usually lived nearby but avoided direct cooperation. As a result, they had no inkling of how ruthless humans could become.

Before long, they met the seven survivors. After a brief introduction, the group of ten continued their journey toward Ankara. As the sun set, they arrived at a small, abandoned village and decided to rest there for the night.

"Ma'am, let the seven of us cook for you. You saved us from the monster's clutches this morning. Allow us to show our gratitude by preparing a meal for the three of you," one of the seven survivors said to Emma.

"Alright, if you insist, please keep it simple."

They began to eat without any suspicion. But as Daniel took a bite...

*Bam! He looked to his left and saw Lisa had collapsed to the floor. "Lisa, what happened to you?"

*Bam! "Mom, are you okay?"

"HAHAHAHA... I can't believe it was this easy. You three must have had an easy life these past three years. Rule No. 6 to survive in the apocalypse is: don't accept food from strangers. HAHAHAH..."

Daniel finally grasped the meaning of the warning he had received earlier. His skill hadn't warned him about the goblins and orcs but had alerted him to the treachery of these seven individuals.

"Please, have mercy. Don't hurt my mother and sister, please..." As he pleaded for his family, the drugs in his system began to take effect, slowly causing his consciousness to fade. Powerless to intervene, he watched as the seven people closed in on his mother and sister. The suspense hung heavy in the air, and the night grew darker, with ominous secrets lurking around every corner.

*Back to the present

Daniel, now a shattered husk of a man, gazed emptily into the abyss. His eyes no longer held the spark of life. He had contemplated ending his own existence countless times in the past, but cruelly, fate had intervened each time. Among the heartless villains who had torn his family from him, one possessed a horrifying ability—a sinister control over low-level living beings. At first, they had sought to dominate his mother and sister, but their strength proved too formidable to bend to their will. Then, the villains had decided to use Daniel as a pawn, a hostage to manipulate his mother and sister. Yet, they hesitated to take any risks; if by some miracle the two girls managed to save him, all seven of them would face a gruesome demise. Their only option was to exert their control over Daniel. His unique skill, too, proved indispensable to them, allowing them to navigate the dangers of their new world. Under the puppeteer's sinister influence, Daniel could do nothing but dance to their macabre tune.

Six long, harrowing months had passed since Daniel's mother and sister had met their tragic end. Five months had slipped by since they arrived in Ankara, and for half a year, Daniel had been imprisoned in his wheelchair. He had endured torture and unimaginable horrors—sometimes they tormented him, other times they subjected him to unspeakable violations. They only provided enough sustenance to keep him alive, even though he had lost his appetite entirely. The puppeteer's skill compelled him to eat and drink, as the seven individuals depended on his strength to navigate the perils that lurked around every corner.

*Bam!

Suddenly, the front door burst open with a thunderous crash. "Guys, we need to get out of here, right now."

"Damn it, Peter, what's the rush? What happened?" one of them demanded, perplexed by the urgency.

"We have to leave immediately. There's no time to explain. Numerous other races are launching an attack, and one of them has abducted Paul."

"Fuk! Let's go, right now."

In the back room, Daniel overheard Peter's frantic proclamation. Paul was the one who wielded the puppeteer's skill over him. His eyes sparked with renewed purpose. But as he remembered the horrors inflicted upon his family by these seven malevolent individuals, he realized that this was his long-awaited chance for revenge.

"Wait, please take me with you. I don't want to die here. I can guide you to the safest escape route. Please," Daniel pleaded, adopting a pitiable demeanor to manipulate their emotions.

"Alright, we can take you with us. Show us the safest path out of the city, and be quick," said one of the men.

"Sir, first, allow me to see the street outside so I can determine the safest route."

"Daren, what's the delay? We don't have time for this," Luke protested impatiently.

"Shut it, Luke. We need his skill if we intend to escape this city unscathed," declared Daren, the group's leader and the strongest among them. None dared to question his decision. "Come on, kid, climb on. I'll take you to the street."

Daniel clung to Daren's back. His frail frame was as light as a feather. "Okay, sir, I'm ready."

Daren swiftly carried Daniel outside. "Now, which way is the safest escape route, kid?"

"Let me think for a moment, sir." Daniel feigned contemplation, even though he didn't know which route was genuinely safe. However, he was well aware of the most perilous path. "That way, sir. I sense minimal danger in that direction. Simply proceed straight along this road. We must hurry; time is not on our side."

"Alright, boys, you heard the kid. Let's head in that direction," Daren commanded, tossing Daniel to the ground without a second thought, and the group rushed towards the direction he had indicated.

"Wait, Sir Daren, please take me with you. I don't want to die here. This isn't what you promised," Daniel pleaded, striving to appear pitiable. Regrettably, Daren didn't even spare him a backward glance.

"Curses upon you all! You've already stolen my family from me, and now you seek to steal my life? You can't do this to me!" Daniel screamed with every ounce of strength left within him.

"HAHAHA... Blame your own weakness and foolishness, kid! HAHAHA... By the way, your mother and sister were quite entertaining in bed! HAHAHA... Farewell, kids!"

"Damn you! I curse you to meet a gruesome end!" Daniel continued to hurl curses at them until they vanished from sight. He then turned his gaze toward the sky. "The last time I beheld such a vast world... it's not a bad place to meet my demise, I suppose."

Before long, a colossal creature descended from the sky, landing squarely on top of Daniel. "Damn it, I hope I at least i can died in one piece... and now I'm about to be squashed by a dragon's rear end. Why is the world so cruel to me?"

*Boom!

Not far from the location of Daniel's final moments, six individuals were making their way towards the destination he had pinpointed. The road was stained with blood, yet strangely, this place was eerily silent.

"Wait, stop for a moment," Daren called out to the others, his voice tinged with fear.

"What's wrong, Daren? We need to get out of here right now," Kyle, running beside him, asked, puzzled by Daren's hesitation.

"Look around, you fools. There's blood everywhere, but there isn't a sound to be heard. The entire city is under attack, yet this place is unnervingly quiet," Daren explained to the other five bewildered individuals.

As Daren elucidated the situation to the others, a shadow emerged from the corner of a nearby building.

"Daren, look, it's just a goblin, Hahaha... Don't you remember what the kid said? He claimed that this route had few and weak monsters..." Lewis was unable to finish his sentence as the goblin suddenly launched an attack with unimaginable speed, slicing his leg in half.

"Food... Don't... talk," the goblin uttered strangely.

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!" Lewis screamed at the top of his lungs when he realized that his leg had been severed in half.

"Shut up! That's no goblin! That kid deceived us. That thing is a Night Goblin," Daren yelled, his voice trembling with fear. Night Goblins were a sinister sub-variant of goblins. They were nothing like the ordinary goblins; these creatures could blend into shadows and darkness, possessed incredible speed and power, and could annihilate an entire small town without ever being detected. The six foolish individuals were no match for them.

In less than ten seconds, all six of them lay on the ground, their legs severed, and they slipped into unconsciousness.

"Food... Don't... run," the Night Goblins chanted in eerie unison.

Not far from where this brutal scene had unfolded, more than ten goblins emerged, dragging the six hapless individuals to their encampment. Only the gods knew how long their torment would last before they met their gruesome fate, becoming sustenance for the goblins.