Chapter 1 - Awakening
Our story takes place in a world not too different from yours, in Gaia, the planet of humans. Some 200 years ago, the gods granted us, mere humans, kami, the power of the gods. It came as a meteor, a challenge to overcome before the gift. Destroying this meteor was by no means an easy task, requiring all the world’s nuclear power. However, destroying this meteor bestowed mankind with an incredible gift, the godly gift of the kami cloud. This cloud covered the entire globe and anyone touched by its rain got a new cell in their bloodstream, the kami cell. This cell granted normal humans extraordinary abilities. After that, the gods sent a messenger, a demi-god that came to be known as Maximallie. Maximallie showed humans how to revere and please the gods, thereby forming the Trinity Church. The three super countries of the world all bowed to the Trinity Church. However, some of these blessed by the gods rebelled, using their newfound abilities for their own good. These became known as the Lancers. To defend the world from these lancers, the Civil Defense Rangers was formed. The Kami Regulation Committee was also formed to regulate and set rules regarding the use of kami abilities. They classified kami into four classes:
Emitters - This refers to people whose kami cells allow them to emit a substance.
Psyche - This refers to people whose kami cells allow them to control a certain natural substance.
Boosters - This refers to people whose kami cells allow them to increase their physical or mental powers.
Mutaters - This refers to people whose kami cells allow them to change their physical or biological make-up in one form or another.
The KRC also established a ranking system for kami
Beginner - Most regular people
Adept - Civil Defense trainees
Master - Most Civil Defense rangers
Grandmaster - Incredibly high-ranking Civil Defense rangers
Divine - Only eight people in the world known as ‘The Divines Rangers’
There is also the prestigious Iconian College of Defense, a college where people can train to become rangers. Here we meet the newly accepted student, Rion von Maxim. He is a sixteen-year-old Iturrean orphan. He and his sister, Penelope von Maxim, have gone through hell and back, living in the slums of Iturrea. His goal has always been to protect his sister and ensure they live a regular life. He reminisces all that he had to go through to be here.
“All new students proceed to the administration office” A voice seemingly from nowhere proclaims, jerking him out of his thoughts. He looks around seeing about 100 candidates moving in one direction in the massive building, so he follows them. On getting there, he joins the queue. After being in the queue for about 30 minutes, it is his turn. He enters the room to see a strange machine and a bored-looking purple-haired woman sitting at a desk.
“Name and serial number.” she says lazily without glancing at him.
“Rion von Maxim, 0354, ma!” he says enthusiastically. She looks up at him. “Put your hand on the scanner there,” she says. He puts his left palm on it quickly. “Right hand, dummy,” she says with contempt. He quickly replaces his left hand with his right. “Kids these days.”
After about 20 seconds, she says, “Pyrogenesis is your kami, under emitter class,” “Yes ma!” He responds quickly. “Proceed through the red door,” He looks to his right, noticing two doors, a green one and a red one. He walks through the red one. “Next!” He hears the bored administrator say. After entering the door, he stares with wonder at the incredibly massive building that he seemed not to see before. A dispensing robot flies towards him, beckoning him to place his hand on the scanner. As soon as the robot scans his hand, it dispenses for him the Iconian College’s uniform as well as his student ID card that has his name and information printed on it.
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Name - Rion von Maxim Age - 16 Kami - Pyrogenesis Hair colour - Brown Rank - Adept Height - 1.75 m Nationality - Iturrean Weight - 52 kg Class - Adept Eye colour - Black
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Rion is still checking out his new items when he is interrupted by someone shouting his name.
“Rion, uhm, Rion von Maxim!”
He looks in the direction of the voice and locks eyes with the person shouting his name, a blonde-haired man in his early thirties.
“Are you Rion?”
“Yes.. Do I know you?” He responds.
“Not yet, you don’t!” The man responds as he runs towards him, placing his arm on Rion’s shoulder. “I’m your designated mentor, Fred.” “O..kay.. I guess. Nice to meet you Mr. Fred” “Please call me Fred.” He says before laughing heartily. “Let’s go meet your fellow students,” He says.
Fred takes Rion to a classroom with about twenty desks. Two of those desks are already occupied, one by a blonde-haired girl chewing gum loudly and the other by a stern looking guy.
“Okay class! We’re complete now” Fred says with a bright smile. “Just three students?” The girl asks. “Yup!” Fred responds. “This is Rion von Maxim. He’s an emitter class with pyrogenesis. That means he can emit fire.” “Hey, I’m Hanne Jörđsøn. I am a psyche class, so basically I can control plants.” says the girl welcomingly. “My name is Kasuto, Kasuto Richarlison. I am a booster class. I can make myself smarter.’’ He said coldly. “So now that we all know each other, let me properly introduce myself.” Fred says, beaming. “I am the ranger in charge of you three, and as you all know, my name is Fred. I am a grandmaster class ranger and a slime mutater.” He pauses for a moment to make sure they all heard the ‘grandmaster class’ part and expecting a response, but seeing as he didn’t get any reaction, he continued, “As you should know, this college was founded by the great Leo Icone, the first ranger to reach divine rank some fifty years ago. He created the training regiment and organisational mechanics we use today. The way it works is that an accomplished ranger, like me, is put in charge of three trainees to train them to be rangers. These groups are known as squads. We are squad 2 this year. There will be times where you’ll associate with defence trainees from other squads in group events or competitions, but that’s a talk for later. For now settle into your dorms and rest for the night. See you later, bye!” He says quickly before leaving them alone. “Where are our dorms?” Rion asks, but Fred is already long gone. “Didn’t you read the instructions on the DisBot that gave you your ID card? Our dorms are just outside this class.” Kasuto replies him almost angrily. “Don’t slow me down through our time here.” He chimes in before leaving the class. “What’s his problem?” Rion asks Hanne. “Beats me. He’s been grumpy since I met him, 20 minutes ago.” Rion manages a chuckle.
“So, if you don’t mind me asking, why are you in ICD?” Hanne asks, walking to the large window at the left side of the class. “I don’t know. I guess I’m just trying to live a normal life and protect my sister, you?”He says walking up to meet her. “My brother was killed during a lancer attack. So I want to become the best ranger to protect everyone I can” She says, fighting back tears. “How about this, I help you with your goal, and you help me with mine?” He says, extending his hand to shake her. “You’ve got yourself a deal” She says, shaking his hand firmly.
