Ryūga Cho
A cold shiver ran down Reiji's spine. Static crackled through his body, locking his muscles in place. His heart pounded like a war drum, fear gripping him in an unrelenting vise.
Before he could react, a strong hand yanked him backward.
Mr. Chan.
The supervisor dragged him beneath a row of Astrostone transport carts. Reiji hit the ground hard, the impact knocking the air from his lungs. The metallic taste of dust filled his mouth, mixing with the acrid scent of sweat and fear. Around them, the mine trembled with the force of distant explosions.
Screams.
The screech of metal being torn apart.
And then—silence.
A suffocating stillness settled over the tunnels, thick and heavy like a leaden sky before a storm. The miners, still gasping for breath, exchanged uneasy glances. Then, as if guided by some unspoken instinct, they bolted for the surface.
They needed to see it for themselves.
They needed to witness the power of an Awakened.
As they emerged, the sight before them made their stomachs churn.
Blood pooled across the rocky ground, mingling with the shimmering dust of crushed Astrostone. Scattered limbs—some severed cleanly, others mangled beyond recognition—painted a grotesque path leading to a group of four Awakened standing in a semicircle. The air reeked of burnt flesh, the nauseating stench of human bodies reduced to nothing more than smoldering remains.
Among the carnage, seven corpses lay still.
But there had been eight attackers.
Where was the last one?
At the center of the Awakened formation, a lone figure knelt, shaking violently. Sweat dripped from his face in thick beads, his breath ragged, his entire body trembling like a cornered animal.
- P-Please! - The man's voice cracked with desperation. - Please, don't kill me! I was forced into this—I didn't have a choice!
One of the Awakened stepped forward.
His voice was sharp, emotionless.
- Everyone has choices. - His amber eyes glowed, cold and unforgiving. "You just made the wrong one.
The criminal's throat bobbed as he swallowed hard.
- I… I don't know the name! - he stammered, panic lacing his every word. - He wore a skull mask—he never showed his face! He always sent a spokesperson!
The Awakened sighed. Low. Disappointed.
- You're useless.
Before the kneeling man could protest, the Awakened reached out—one hand gripping his neck, the other his shoulder. And then, with a single motion, he ripped the man apart.
Top to bottom.
The wet schlck of flesh being torn in half sent ice down Reiji's spine. The two halves of the corpse hit the ground with a dull thud, blood pooling at the Awakened's feet.
The miners froze.
No one dared to breathe.
The Awakened lifted his gaze, scanning the crowd with eyes that gleamed like embers in the dark.
For a moment, it looked like he might strike again.
Then, just as suddenly, his expression softened. The red glow in his eyes faded, shifting to a deep, stormy blue. His shoulders relaxed.
- My apologies for what you just witnessed, - he said, his voice smooth yet firm. Despite the words, there was no remorse in his tone. He brushed dust and blood from his cloak, standing tall. - We assumed there were no witnesses nearby.
His gaze swept over the crowd before he finally spoke again.
- I am Ryūga Ch—
The miners erupted.
The name spread like wildfire, igniting the crowd into a frenzy. Within seconds, they surged forward, surrounding him and the other Awakened.
Questions flooded the air.
How strong was he? What had the fight been like? Who were the Awakened beside him?
Their admiration was palpable.
They had just watched him butcher a man in cold blood—yet, to them, he was no monster. He was a hero.
And Reiji felt the same.
He clenched his fists. His weak body prevented him from fighting, but deep down, he dreamed. Dreamed of awakening. Dreamed of becoming someone capable of protecting others.
Someone like Ryūga.
And Ryūga Cho wasn't just any Awakened.
He was a legend. A founding member of the Aurora Awakened Association. The rumors of his power had never been exaggerated. Now, standing before them, he proved it.
His gray, unkempt hair framed a face of sharp angles and cold intensity. His deep-set eyes, like those of a beast that had seen countless battles, exuded an authority that could not be questioned. The dark cloak draped over his shoulders, stitched with Eastern patterns, only reinforced his image as an unrelenting warrior.
He was not a man who could be bought.
He was not a man who feared anything.
Farther back, Daiki and his thugs stood frozen, their eyes locked onto the Awakened.
Their plan for tonight was ruined.
If Ryūga was here, there was no way they could steal even a single Astrostone.
Sweat trickled down Daiki's forehead. His hands trembled. His bravado from earlier had vanished, crushed under the weight of the brutal reality before him.
He had once scoffed at the rumors that Awakened could sense fear.
But now… standing in Ryūga's presence…
He wasn't so sure anymore.
Even with the crowd pressing in, Ryūga and his team swiftly ended the interaction. They had no interest in basking in admiration. One by one, they left.
And then, with a single leap, Ryūga soared into the sky—his silhouette vanishing into the night like a specter born of the storm itself.
Silence lingered in his wake.
The miners stood, staring at the sky in awe.
This moment…
This encounter…
Would be talked about for months.
But for Reiji, reality came rushing back all too quickly.
A hand landed on his shoulder.
Mr. Chan.
- Time for the extra shift. - His voice was firm, unwavering.
Reiji nodded, his pulse quickening.
Tonight… was the perfect opportunity.
No one would notice his disappearance.
And no one would see what was about to unfold.