On Christmas night in New York City, the bright lights of the city shone like diamonds in the dark sky.
The streets were alive with the sounds of carolers singing and the laughter of passersby. The shops or storefronts along the streets were adorned with festive decorations, adding to the cheerful atmosphere.
On the dozens of skyscrapers that lined Manhattan, one of them was a hospital with a luxurious building style. In a VIP room, a couple was rejoicing at the new member to their small family. The wife, Anna, had just given birth to a baby boy two days ago.
She lay in the bed, her heart swelled with overwhelming love and happiness. She cradled her newborn son in her arms, feeling the weight of his small body against her chest, the softness of his skin against her fingertips, and the sweetness of his breath on her cheek.
Her husband, Steve, looked on with awe and adoration in his eyes. His heart bursting with pride and excitement at the sight of the two people he loved most in the world. As he gazed down at his son, he felt a sudden wave of uncertainty wash over him.
The couple had yet to decide on a name for him. They both agreed that it should be something that would remind them of the wonderful time when their son had come into their lives.
"So, have you thought of any names for our baby boy?" asked Anna. She stroked the baby's forehead.
Hearing his wife's question, Steve frowned. "Yes, I have a few in mind. How about Samuel or Nathan?"
Anna pursed her lips. "Hmm, I don't know. Those sound a bit too common for me."
And so, after much contemplation and discussion, they finally settled the baby's name.
"Klaus."
They both felt that the name was both strong and unique, and also it was Christmas Eve.
As the hours passed, the new family basked in the warmth and wonder of their first few moments together.
However, Steve could not help but feel a strange and ominous presence creeping into the room, a sense of foreboding and unease that seemed to be emanating from outside.
He checked out the window, and then he witnessed a strange sight.
The sky had turned an ominous shade of pitch black, and a sudden snowfall fell over New York City, coating everything in an eerie, monochrome hue.
After looking for a while, Steve was sure that the snowfall was not white, but pitch black. All of a sudden, Steve got goosebumps.
"The world is getting weirder these days."
Naturally, he consoled himself by thinking this was a normal natural phenomenon.
Anna called out to him for standing in front of the window for too long, asking if he was alright. The man simply nodded, and then he closed the curtains and returned to his family.
...
Since Christmas Eve, black snow had fell for an entire year without a single day's break.
This strange phenomenon was not only happening in New York, but all over the world, even tropical regions and deserts. The entire face of the earth was covered in black snow.
The scientists could not explain why this phenomenon happened, but they did discover some things.
When the black snow touched an object, it would slowly deteriorate. Iron would rust, water would disappear, the ground became barren, and sturdy buildings decayed.
Even living things were not immune from the black snow. Animals became sick and plants rotted, then they died in less than three days.
As a result, machinery broke down, causing critical infrastructure to malfunction. Droughts swept across the world, and temperatures rose. Livestock deaths and crop failures led to world hunger.
Not to mention, the government made a policy to keep people at home during the black snow period, which resulted in the economy collapsing.
The world fell into various kinds of crises. Some countries went bankrupt. When people thought it was the worst disaster in history, it was actually the beginning of their nightmare.
One year after the cessation of the black snowfall, and no sooner had they recovered from the calamity, an even more terrible disaster befell them.
Suddenly, the sky shattered like glass and dozens of monsters came out of it. They ravaged the city, knocking down skyscrapers and turning the streets upside down. And hundreds of thousands of lives were lost in a matter of days.
Humans put up a fight, but heavy weaponry and firearms were not enough. As a result, many countries were overrun by monsters. Only countries with big military power such as the USA or Russia were able to survive the onslaught of monsters.
For the first week, the world was like hell. The sky was dark with smoke, cities were on fire, screams and gunshots were going off all the time. The entire human race united, helping and supporting each other, against the relentless rampage of the monsters.
Entering the 30th day, some countries began to mobilize partially, every eighteen-year-old male was required to go into battle. The battles grew longer, and the death toll skyrocketed.
With each passing day, the human side began to run out of resources. They began to despair of fighting, no matter how many monsters they killed, the number did not decrease at all. Not to mention, news circulated that monsters had taken over all of Europe, leaving only Russia as a safe haven.
Entering the 90th day of monster invasion, the Southeast Asia and Australia regions had fallen into the hands of monsters. Humans were getting desperate, their hopes fading along with their spirits.
When they hit rock bottom, a ray of hope unexpectedly appeared.
People with extraordinary abilities appeared. Like superheroes in the movies, they had powers beyond logic; flying through the air, destroying a car with a punch, and controlling objects with their minds.
They were known as "awakeners".
These individuals were able to defeat monsters effectively. They became the axis of humanity's power, fighting at the forefront of eliminating monsters.
Their presence was so influential; within six months, the tide of battle changed. Humans slowly rose up, defeating the monsters and driving them back to where they came from.
Exactly on the 270th day, all monsters were successfully eliminated across the face of the earth.
But the victory had come at a terrible cost. Millions of lives had been lost in the battles against the monsters, leaving a profound emptiness in the hearts of those who had survived. Families had been torn apart, homes had been destroyed, and entire cities had been left in ruins.
And the bad news was their victory did not guarantee peace. The monsters still occasionally pop up randomly and attack them, but the awakener stepped up to defend people.
Humanity was still trying to rebuild civilization. It was an arduous process, but slowly and surely, human civilization began to emerge from the ashes of its destruction.
New cities rose from the ruins, powered by renewable energy and connected by networks of high-speed transportation. Education and healthcare systems were rebuilt.
Destroyed countries could not be restored, and citizens fled to other countries. USA, China, Russia, and several other surviving countries assimilated the surrounding land that did not have the status quo.
As time passed, the number of awakeners grew exponentially, and they became an integral part of society.
These super-powered beings were not only capable of protecting humanity, but they also contributed to various aspects of life. They helped in rebuilding communities, providing essential services, and even creating new technologies.
The ordinary people and the awakeners worked together to build a better world and ensure that humanity would continue to thrive.
With the rise of the awakeners, a new era for mankind began.
