The height of human civilization has risen and fallen, leaving nothing but ruins behind. Society and science are now struggling to rebuild, piecing together fragments of knowledge from powerful ancient artifacts that defy understanding. These relics of the "Old World" can bring fortune to those who find them—if ancient security systems and rogue bioweapons don't kill the relic hunters first. Akira, a young street orphan, sets out to become one such hunter to escape his brutal life in the slums. Untrained, malnourished, and poorly armed, Akira would be lucky to survive a trip to the ruins—until an encounter with Alpha, a mysterious, ghostly woman, changes his fate forever. Alpha needs a hunter, and she is willing to train Akira to get one. Will her support be enough to help a penniless kid from the slums climb to the top of a crushing and merciless world?