1 The Start? (1/2)

'More than 1000 years ago, scientists conducted experiments on manipulating genomes to forcefully ”evolve” and ”reconfigure” animals, re-creating extinct beings like mammoths and new breeds of animals such as double-uddered cows.'

*chop* *chop* *chop*

'200 years later, two scientists, ”Professor Tajiri” and ”Professor Sugimori”, successfully created the first animal imbued with an element by infusing various ground and rock essences into a rhinoceros's embryo while reconfiguring the genome to accommodate the change.'

'This resulted in a new arms race in developing what people would call ”monsters”, rapidly advancing the technology while severely affecting the advancement of other technologies.'

*sizzle* *pop*

'The situation went out of control when PETA extremists simultaneously blew up over 100 laboratories around the world demanding a stop to arms race of the participating nations. Development was immediately brought to a halt but the effect of blowing the laboratories had a worse effect as the various chemicals left abandoned within the labs seeped into the atmosphere and clouds enveloping the whole world and brought change to all living creatures including humans.'

*kling* *plop* *thud*

'Animals gave birth to monsters in just one generation immediately replacing them, and some of these monster are infused with elements according to their traits and/or environment. Also, some humans mutated, enabling them to have the ability to gain control to some of these monsters.'

*nom nom nom* *gulp* *gulp*

'This event sparked a 3rd world war, lasting for more than a hundred year, and as the war was resolved, the majority of human technology was lost, including all the technology and knowledge used to develop monsters.'

*burp*

'30 years ago, humanity managed to climb back to a state, where the technology is similar to the ancient time of 2019.'

*sigh*

Ji Liu shakes his head as he turned off the T.V. after eating dinner. The show was a rerun of the program played earlier in the morning. It was a documentary special celebrating the 30th year anniversary of Meiji, the leading tech company responsible for researching monsters.

'It has already been 30 years and we've barely scratched the surface' he thought to himself.

Tomorrow would start Ji Liu's day as a researcher assistant in the Yun City's Meiji branch. Although it sounds good, the branch is as good as dead since Yun City is near Wanqiang Metropolis which is where one of the Meiji leading branch is located.