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 city was still in chaos, smoke rising from shattered buildings, the air thick with the aftermath of destruction. Riku's heart raced as his feet hit the cracked pavement. His hands were already bloodied from the previous fights, but there was no time for rest. The fourth villain was somewhere ahead.

Riku had barely caught his breath when a deep, guttural laugh echoed in the distance.

The voice was rich with malice, and before Riku could react, the ground beneath him began to shake. From the shattered ruins of a nearby building, a massive, armored figure stepped into view. A dark red cape flowed behind him, and his eyes—piercing black—glowed menacingly.

The others had been strong, but this one exuded raw power that even Riku could feel reverberating in his chest.

"You think you're going to stop this?" the villain said, his voice booming. "I've been waiting for someone like you. I was hoping you'd be the last one standing."

Riku clenched his fists. "I'm not going down so easily."

The armored man cracked his neck, and with a sudden motion, threw a powerful blast of Essence that tore through the street, creating a massive crater. Riku barely dodged, his speed honed over years of training. He stepped forward, then vanished in a blur, only to reappear behind the man, aiming a strike at his back.

The villain twisted around, effortlessly blocking Riku's blow with his gauntlet. "You're fast… but not fast enough."

Riku gritted his teeth, stepping back. He had to think differently. The man's Essence wasn't just destructive; it was defensive too. He couldn't rely on raw speed alone. It was time to test something else.

"Let's see if your defense can keep up," Riku muttered.

Riku surged forward, his eyes flashing blue. Instead of striking in one motion, he split his Essence into multiple threads, aiming for the villain's joints and weak spots—his knees, elbows, and even his throat.

The man smirked, clearly impressed. "Clever, kid. But I've been through more battles than you can imagine."

But as the villain tried to block, he realized too late. Riku's Essence was like a web—each thread pulling at his joints, gradually weakening his defenses. The moment his guard slipped, Riku shot forward with a blinding burst of speed, delivering a decisive strike to the man's chest that sent him flying backward, crashing into a building.

Riku stood, chest heaving, sweat beading his brow. This fight wasn't over yet. He didn't feel satisfied. He needed to finish it—before the man could recover.

The villain slowly rose from the rubble, eyes burning with fury. "You—"

Before he could finish, Riku shot forward one last time. A quick jab, a swift spin, and then the air around them crackled with energy.

Riku focused all his Essence into his hand and slammed it into the villain's chest. The explosion of power that followed shattered the armor, sending the villain crumpling to the ground, unconscious and beaten.

Riku stood over the fallen enemy, his breath heavy. "Four down… one to go."

But as the villain groaned from beneath him, Riku could hear the faint sound of something far more troubling.

The final attack wasn't over. The true force of the rebellion was still coming.

Chapter 34: The Fourth Villain