Nato7

The Awakening: Around 150 years ago, a mysterious event known as "The Rift" caused a dramatic shift in the world. This event opened portals from another dimension, bringing Essences—mysterious and powerful entities—into the world. These Essences granted some individuals extraordinary abilities and set in motion a global conflict.

Essence Warriors: These are people who possess the power of an Essence, which can take various forms depending on the individual’s soul and affinity. Some are born with their Essence powers from birth, while others awaken them later in life. These warriors are ranked according to their power level, and the rankings play a significant role in their status, training, and missions.

Essence Reborn

The storm inside the dream raged on, but it was nothing compared to the torment Riku endured. Blow after blow, the shadow's fists slammed into his body—his ribs cracked, his lips bled, and his eyes swelled shut. The pain was unbearable. Yet the shadow never stopped. It laughed while striking, enjoying the suffering, feeding off of it.

"You're weak," the shadow growled, its voice a cruel echo. "A fraud. A scared little boy pretending to be a warrior."

The punches grew faster, harder—each one thudding against Riku's broken form like war drums. Over and over and over. The ground beneath him was soaked in his blood, his essence flickering like a dying light.

Then—something shifted.

As his vision blurred and darkness crept into the edges of his mind, Riku's eyes suddenly shot open, glowing with a brilliant blue light. Time slowed.

The shadow froze mid-punch, its eyes wide with realization.

"You've finally… achieved it," the shadow whispered, stepping back, almost reverent. "So you really are the one... You've awakened Divine Avatar—the form even Arashi feared might surface."

Riku rose, weightless. His grey hair floated, strands rising as though caught in a wind that wasn't there. A celestial blue aura surrounded his body, roaring like a divine flame. His wounds vanished, his energy surged—limitless, radiant, overwhelming.

The air trembled as the energy radiating from him cracked the ground. In just one minute, Riku dashed forward, a blur even the shadow couldn't track. The punches that had once battered him were now returned tenfold. The shadow, once so dominant, was thrown back with every strike—screaming, crumbling, fading into light.

A single final blow, glowing with divine might, struck the shadow in the chest.

Riku sat up in his bed, gasping. The storm outside had passed. The room was silent, yet he could hear his own essence humming, vibrating through his body. He stumbled toward the mirror.

Blue eyes.Floating grey hair.A soft, radiant blue aura curled off his skin like smoke.

He wasn't just imagining it. This was real.

But then… a memory hit him like a wave.

Daigo. Shun. Miki.His old bullies.

They were… bleeding. Lying broken. Afraid.

He stood over them—his Divine Avatar form towering like a god. He saw himself unleash a merciless flurry of attacks. Blood. Screams. Silence.

Then—a massive beast behind them. Riku turned and obliterated it with a single divine strike. And then… he collapsed.

Back in the present, Riku clutched the sink, trembling.

Chapter 30: The Awakening