The Weight of the Past
Ayang sat alone, staring at the flickering streetlight above him.
His heart was heavy.
Mri... Who are you becoming?
The way Mri tore through those assassins with nothing but his bare hands—no hesitation, no fear—it wasn't just skill.
It was something else.
And Ayang had seen that "something" before.
He closed his eyes, his mind drifting back to a time when they were just kids.
To the day he first saw the monster inside Mri.
Years Ago – The Beach Incident
Mri was 10.
Ayang was 10.
Moyuri was 7(sister of Mri)
The three of them played by the sea, laughing as the waves crashed against the shore.
Moyuri ran ahead, her tiny feet kicking up sand as she collected seashells.
Ayang chased after her, and Mri followed, his grin wide and carefree.
But then—
A group of older boys—twenty of them—blocked their path.
Their leader, a tall boy with a scar on his cheek, sneered.
"Oi, look at the little girl playing with her two boyfriends."
The others laughed.
Moyuri shrank back, gripping Ayang's hand tightly.
"Leave us alone," Ayang said, standing his ground.
But the boys weren't done.
One of them grabbed Moyuri's hair.
She screamed.
Ayang swung first—but they were outnumbered.
Fists rained down on them.
Mri and Ayang fought back, but the older boys were stronger.
They were knocked to the ground, their bodies aching.
A punch to the stomach.
A kick to the ribs.
Ayang gasped for air, his vision blurry.
And then—
Mri snapped.
The Berserk Awakening
A deep, guttural sound escaped Mri's throat.
Not a cry of pain.
Not a scream of fear.
But a growl.
His body trembled, his small fists clenching so tight that his nails dug into his own skin.
And then he moved.
Too fast.
Too violent.
Before anyone could react, he grabbed the boy who had touched Moyuri—and slammed him into the sand.
Bones cracked.
Another boy swung at him.
Mri dodged.
His tiny fist crashed into the attacker's face—teeth flew.
The others hesitated.
Mistake.
Mri ripped through them.
One.
Two.
Three.
In two minutes, all twenty boys were on the ground.
Some groaning. Some unconscious. Some too scared to move.
His breath was ragged, his eyes wild.
Ayang watched in horror.
Mri wasn't fighting.
He was hunting.
His small hands were covered in blood.
His entire body trembled.
Then, slowly, he turned to Moyuri.
She flinched.
And for the first time, Mri looked afraid of himself.
Back to the Present – A Realization
Ayang opened his eyes, his heart pounding.
He turned to Jasmine.
"Mri… is dangerous," he whispered.
She raised an eyebrow. "You're just realizing that now?"
Ayang shook his head.
"No, Jasmine. You don't understand."
He looked out into the city, where Mri was preparing for the next fight.
"The person we see now? That's not Mri evolving."
Jasmine frowned. "Then what is it?"
Ayang's voice was barely above a whisper.
"It's Mri waking up."