In accordance with the peace treaty signed by the Four Goddesses after the Great Abyss War, most of Makai was to be demilitarized and governed by specially appointed civil authorities. A neutral administration was established to maintain and improve the Earth-Makai portal network. Private companies were allowed to operate inside Makai under strict rules, but nations of the Earth remained banned.
The post-war Makai had its problems. Military experimenting had given birth to all kinds of dangerous magical creatures, and the excessive use of soul-binding magic had brought its own unforeseen problems. During the long years of war, abandoned military facilities had become infested with bandit gangs, and organized crime organizations had extended their tentacles all over Makai. Even the newly authorized private companies were eagerly testing how far the hand of the law reaches.
A number of paramilitary organizations, collectively known as the Hunters, were created to enforce the new laws and deal with the various threats in the aftermath of the war. Some of the Hunter organizations were formed by mutual effort, whereas others were associated with only one goddess.
The first-generation Hunters were truly a double-edged sword. Many of them were battle-hardened warriors who wouldn’t back away even from life-threatening missions. On the other hand, having former enemies in the same line of work created tensions between the Hunters. Although overall peace was maintained, it was not unheard of that a volatile situation would end violently.
Originally intended to be but a temporary solution, the Hunters performed so well, all things considered, that they were never disbanded. The largest organizations eventually evolved into something that resembled a regular police force, with the exception that all field agents were still required to be talented and highly trained in martial magic. Some of the smaller Hunter organizations specializing in highly unconventional threats became increasingly secretive, to the point that even historians would doubt if they really ever existed.