Chapter 1 : Prologue

That day is the day when people understand the meaning of destruction.

The world is devastated by disasters that occur everywhere, epidemics and death are rampant and the collapse of governments adds to human misery.

However, one day when mankind had given up hope and gave everything to God, a young blonde-haired man with jet black coat and blood-red lips appeared.

On the day of his arrival, all kinds of disasters stopped and the plague disappeared as if the young man's arrival was a sign of the end of the series of bad events that had hit the face of the earth.

All the people of all races of the world gathered to take a closer look at the handsome young man, to thank him who they thought had come as a savior. Like moths swarming around an incandescent lamp, all the remaining mankind flocked to him and bow before him.

"Tch!"

However, the youth showed disgusted expression.

Seeing the millions of humans bowing to him, the youth was irritated and raised the black spear he was holding.

The sky turns red at that moment, the thunderbolts came back to strike, the wind was blowing hard fiercer than the storm, the ground shaking so violently more than the biggest earthquake that has ever occurred on the face of the earth. As the land broke open, the red sea overflowed to the surface of the earth devouring everything in its path.

That day humans are like rats in the middle of a burning field fleeing from the chasing fire.

The hope that had formed in the despair, was shattered again by the action of the blonde-haired young man. Not a single human being in the field managed to survive, all of them died in the red waves or scorched by the rage from the sky.

The blonde-haired youth grinned seeing that humanity was on the verge of extinction. His smile showed such a cruel cynical expression. There was not a shred of compassion from the young man, like a demon seeking destruction.

Then, the young man raised his black spear once again. He pointed it towards the face of the earth, and without hesitation, he hurled the spear over the surface of the lake of fire below.

The ground once again cracked up, this time black mud and mercury of sparkling white water came out.

A rainbow of death rose into the sky, making the sky much darker even than outer space and calling out a black door there.

Time stopped, the blonde-haired young man laughed loudly.

When his laughter was over, time was running again and a roar was heard all over the world. The wind blows hard across the surface of the earth, killing every human it hits. Many odd-shaped buildings appeared at the same time, and the world was never the same as before.

***

Neo Batavia.

A young man slept on the bartender's table since last night, he spent a few bottles of beer alone without friends after arriving battered before.

His right eye was bruised, traces of blood draining around his mouth. Plus his tired face, whoever saw the young man would have thought he was going to die soon. Not except for the bartender who served the young man since yesterday, she did not expect the young man to be still in the bar until this morning.

"Are you still alive?" asked the black-haired girl with the white stripe running down the left side of her hair.

Hearing the girl's call, the youth raised his head and turned his head.

"Oh, Hannah. Good morning ...."

The bartender girl chuckled before speaking, "You always getting drunk up until the morning, are you? What is it with your face, you got beaten again?"

"Didn't I tell you yesterday? If I got beaten up?"

"You're too messed up and drunk to say that," Hannah replied curtly. "Here, Gun. Have a drink first."

She offers a glass of water to Gunawan - the name of the pathetic man. The young man was an old friend of Hannah, who worked as a daily pickpocket with a modest income.

He's always going around town looking for prey, sometimes fighting like a dog on an arena with thugs just for money. Yesterday he was just beaten because he was caught pickpocketing, fortunately, Gunawan is still alive.

"Thank you, Hannah. You're always nice to me even though you know I'm just a jerk pickpocket." Gunawan returned the glass he was holding.

"You're welcome," replied Hannah. "Are you going to keep on like this? Look at your body. You've been hospitalized 6 times and jailed twice. Sooner or later you'll die and rot in the gutter. What about Rachel if that happens? She's 6 months pregnant. If her only foolish brother died, what would happen to her? "

Hannah spoke frankly, not wanting to make small talk because she was fed up with Gunawan. As long as they were acquainted, the young man always brought unpleasant news to Hannah.

"Ishh, how can you say that? I did this lowly job for her too. Besides, the reward that grandpa gave me was quite a lot. Well, it could be for Rachel's pregnancy check-up next month."

Hannah's eyes narrowed. "That weird old man? The old man who sells the wreckage on Lashvilla Mortem Street who likes to give a 'Quest'? Just for the sake of a few dollars, you let yourself to be played by him?"

"Look, money is everything. I'll do anything for money!"

Hannah was stunned, Gunawan's words silenced her.

"I am not a rich man, and my family is not harmonic. If it is not money, what else can bring me happiness? Even those bastard Exodians know the meaning of money."

Gunawan's view is a little different from people's. When people see that happiness is not only obtained from the material side, Gunawan is the opposite. For him, getting rich was the top priority besides looking after his younger sister and her baby.

Gunawan is a cunning young man who will justify any means to earn money. He was beaten, scorned, and even nearly died because he was stabbed just for dollars which always ran out the next day because they were used for necessities and to pay off debts.

"What are you talking about? It's always this money ... that money ... you think money is everything? Aren't you grateful you can just live in the middle of this city?"

Gunawan wheezed, then laughed. Some visitors glanced at him and some shouted to shut up, but Gunawan ignored them.

"Look, Hannah ...." Gunawan paused for a moment. "I don't care."

Hannah made a frown on her forehead, astonished by Gunawan's way of thinking.

"I do all this dirty work for my family. I want to be rich .... no, I want us to be rich! I don't care what people say about happiness, or things after we die. I don't care. The important thing is my family is rich, that's what I want! "

There was nothing Hannah could do but let out a resigned sigh. "You are very narrow-minded."

Hannah went from back to behind the bartender's table. She did not expect her friend to change his mindset. The girl gave in.

Slam!

The door of the bar slammed against the wall as a man in dark-golden skin pushed it hard. The burly, three-eyed man made every visitor in the bar tremble in fear just by seeing his bouncer's appearance.

Gunawan, who also got struck by fear - even he felt he was in danger - tried to escape through the back door of the bar. However, the three-eyed man stopped him before he could escape and made him sit back on the chair.

Sweat poured down all over Gunawan's body, he was like he just walks in a rainstorm.

"The boss wants to meet you, Gunawan." The three-eyed man whispered into the man's ear, much to make him tremble even more.

***

In Neo Batavia, 75% of the population are creatures called Exodians - beings from nowhere who suddenly appeared in the world after the events that happened seven years ago, when humanity was faced with extinction.

Now, the remaining humans are trying to scavenge the rest of their glory under the rubble. To add their misery on that, mankind today is not the only inhabitant on earth. The tables have turned, humans are no longer the superior species in this world.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

Three punches from the humanoid crab made Gunawan fall from the chair where he was tied tightly. All hole in his face was bleeding, the man's gaze even reddened.

The humanoid crab — Gunawan's Boss — crouched down in front of him. The crab grabbed Gunawan and lifted him, then the crab hit Gunawan until he was knocked into the corner of the room.

"Guagh!"

A flood of blood splashed across the floor, turning it slippery and smelling rancid. The smell made the Crab a little sick.

"You said you were going to pay your debt yesterday, where's the money? Oh, no, but where were you yesterday?"

Gunawan weakly replied, "P – pickpocketing, boss."

"That's no excuse for not keeping your promise!"

The Crab kicked Gunawan again, the man once again vomited fresh blood and groaned in pain.

"You may have been working for me for a long time but that doesn't mean you can just walk around when you owe me 10,000 New World Dollar! Don't you tell me about your sad story again, boy! Who in the hell care? Debt is a debt! You must pay!"

The crab slashed Gunawan's right eye with his claw, Gunawan screamed in pain. The blood flowed more profusely, making half of his face completely red like he was just hit by a paintball.

"Let this be a retribution for what you owe to me!"

"I ... beg you, boss! I beg ... give me relief! My sister is pregnant and if you kill me here then no one will take care of her, i ... please give me a chance—"

"Shut up!" The Crab yelled and hit Gunawan's head. "Where is her husband?"

"H – He died three months ago!"

The Crab restrains himself from persecuting Gunawan again. The crab glanced at the three-eyed man — Alton — who was his trusted right hand. The two of them seemed to be talking to each other with their minds, then the Crab looked back at Gunawan, who was panting in pain.

"Okay, I'll give you a chance." The Crab sighed. "Though this only will annoy me, I mean Alton is ready to kill you. However, I will give you my last mercy for a disgusting human like you."

"Thank you, thank you Boss Borselino!"

Humans are no longer the creatures at the top of the food chain, it is the Exodians who have ruled them all. Even the criminal organization were dominated by the likes of Exodian gangs and humans like Gunawan had no other choice but to join.

The poor man hoped to get protection by joining Borselino, as well as a small amount of loan. However, that does not mean that the persecution of him or other humans stops there. But Gunawan had no other choice.

"If you want to live then you have to do something for me. Lucky for you, I need someone to do a job, but I need a brave person! And I will say it again if you want to do this job I will only postpone your execution. You still have to pay your debt," said Borselino long.

Gunawan frowned, knowing he would only be used. But there is no other way for him to get out of this situation. It's already a dead end since the beginning for the young man.

"Fine, I... I'll do anything!" said the youth.