Chapter 12: The Awakening of Zhen Yu

Lyon let go of Zhen Yu immediately, taking a step back as if he had just touched fire. His hands trembled slightly, and his heart was beating hard in his chest. He didn't know what had led him to react like that, but the warmth of the moment still remained in his body.

Zhen Yu also moved away a little, avoiding eye contact. His face was lit, and although he tried to hide it, Selene's expression made it clear to him that he had not succeeded.

"L-let's go," Lyon said, scratching the back of his neck nervously.

Selene let out a sigh, but said nothing else. The situation was strange to her, but they had more important things to focus on. Now that Zhen Yu had awakened his power, the reason why they had left in the first place, it was time to return to the shelter.

The air felt different. Although the atmosphere was still full of tension due to the constant threat of monsters, Lyon noticed that his own body was more relaxed. Maybe it was because now Zhen Yu was not just someone defenseless in the midst of this chaos. Now I had a skill.

"How do you feel?" Lyon asked, watching him sideways as they walked.

Zhen Yu looked at his hands, remembering the feeling of energy running through his body at the moment of his awakening. It was strange. He felt lighter, stronger, but also... restless.

"I feel different," he said at the end, not knowing how to describe it exactly.

"It's normal after waking up," Selene intervened. You'll get used to it soon.

Lyon gave him an encouraging smile.

"And now that you have a skill, we can train better."

Hearing that, Zhen Yu looked down.

"Yes...

Lyon noticed the hesitation in his voice. Someone who had just received a power of attorney didn't seem as excited as he should be.

On the way back, Lyon couldn't help but watch Zhen Yu sideways. Since he woke up, something in him had changed, but not only physically. His look was different, as if he was processing something more than his new power.

Zhen Yu stood to think, he wanted to see what had changed in him, so he decided to open his state window once they were in the shelter.

The return trip was relatively quiet, with no unexpected encounters. Even though they had only been out for a few hours, the feeling of returning to the shelter was a relief.

When they finally crossed the entrance, some hunters welcomed them with relief. Others, noticing Zhen Yu, whispered among themselves, surprised to see him still alive.

"How did it go?" one of the hunters asked, approaching.

"Zhen Yu awakened his power," Lyon reported bluntly.

Selene saw her brother, she noticed the emotion of pride in his words and the relief when she said that Zhen Yu had woken up.

"Brother, you've started to like Zhen Yu"

He thought while remembering the past, his brother had declared to be homosexual, his mother although it had been difficult to accept Lyon, had already taken the first step to start getting to know him again, because both knew that for his mother, who was used to another upbringing it was a little more difficult for her.

While she was lost in her own thoughts, the crowd around let out some murmurs of amazement.

"So... now you have a skill?" Lyon asked, looking at Zhen Yu with interest.

Zhen Yu swallowed saliva. I knew this moment would come.

"Yes...

"And what skill is it?"

Zhen Yu hesitated for a moment.

He had seen his state window as soon as he woke up, and his ability had a clear name: Dimensional Domain. The mere fact of reading it made him shiver. I knew that name would raise suspicions.

I couldn't reveal it.

Before he could think too much, his mind played a card from the past: he remembered how he used to call his little "tricks" when he was a child.

"It's... "Dancing Shadows," he finally said.

Lyon raised an eyebrow.

"Dancing Shadows?" It sounds... interesting.

"And what exactly does he do?" Selene asked, crossing her arms.

Zhen Yu felt the weight of her eyes on him.

"I still don't know well..." he answered sincerely. I barely woke up.

Selene looked at him suspiciously, but she didn't insist anymore.

"I guess we'll find out soon," he said at the end.

Zhen Yu felt relieved. It was a name that sounded harmless, but his real ability... he preferred to keep it to himself.

The shelter was more active than before. Some hunters were organizing supplies, others reinforced the entrances and exits with what little they had. Although society had barely been in this chaos for a week, humans were quick to adapt.

Lyon approached a corner of the shelter where they had placed some makeshift mattresses.

"We should rest a little," he suggested.

Zhen Yu nodded and sat with him. Selene, for her part, stood up, watching the entrance with her arms crossed.

Silence settled between them for a moment, until Lyon decided to break it.

"Why "Dancing Shadows"?" he asked curiously.

Zhen Yu was slow to respond.

"I don't have the answer to that, the truth is that's the only way it came out in the state window.

Lyon smiled.

"Then we'll have to find out somehow how your skill is used."

Zhen Yu nodded, although inside he knew that he had only said it to hide the truth.

The truth was that "Dancing Shadows" was not a simple manipulation of shadows. His true power, Dimensional Domain, allowed him to alter reality itself. He could open and close portals, fold space, influence the flow of time within his domain and manipulate dimensional doors at will. But I couldn't let anyone know that.

If someone finds out the truth, what would they think of him? Would they see it as an ally or as a threat?

After a while, Selene turned to them.

—Tomorrow we will begin to explore more nearby areas. We can't stay here forever.

Lyon nodded.

"Who will go with me?"

"I haven't decided yet," Selene replied. But I think you should take Zhen Yu with you.

Zhen Yu raised his head in surprise.

"Me?"

"We can't leave anyone behind," Selene said. And you need to get used to fighting if you want to survive.

Zhen Yu pressed his lips.

Lyon watched him in silence, understanding his fear.

"Don't worry," he said with a slight smile. I'll be with you.

Zhen Yu looked at him for a moment before looking down again.

"It's okay...

The conversation ended there. Lyon knew it wouldn't be easy for Zhen Yu, but if they wanted to move forward, everyone had to learn to fight.

That night, while they were resting in the shelter, Lyon couldn't help but wonder how prepared Zhen Yu was for what was coming, like the worry of what was going to happen with her mother... She couldn't wake up and didn't want to throw her to the beasts for the forced awakening.

Zhen Yu, for his part, looked at his hands in the dim light.

"Dancing Shadows"...

A beautiful name to hide a terrifying power.