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 golden evening sun cast a soft glow across Tokyo's skyline as Riku leaned against the balcony of their apartment, looking out over the city that had watched him grow into an S Rank Essence Warrior. For the first time in a long while, there was no fight to prepare for—just peace.

He walked inside where his mother, Sayuri, was folding laundry in the living room. "Hey, Mom," he said casually. "What do you think about moving to a bigger place?"

Sayuri blinked, looking up with surprise. "You mean... really moving? Like, a house?"

Riku nodded. "Yeah. We've earned it. You, me, and Yuki—we deserve more space."

Her eyes shimmered for a moment before she smiled. "Yes. Let's do it."

Within the next few days, Riku and his family toured several homes before settling on a beautiful, two-story house in a quiet neighborhood just outside central Tokyo. It had a large yard, enough rooms for each of them to have their own space, and a wide open view of the sky.

While the purchase went through, Riku's clones handled everything—packing, organizing, even coordinating with movers. He had Yuki's room designed exactly how she dreamed: soft lavender walls, twinkling ceiling lights like stars, and a shelf full of her favorite books and plushies. Her smile when she saw it made all the battles worth it.

Sayuri's room was elegant and peaceful, with a reading nook by the window. Riku even set up a quiet meditation area for himself, away from the noise.

He didn't stop there. The final touch was a new, sleek 4-seat car, black with silver trim—something reliable and stylish to get them around in comfort.

The day they picked up the car, Yuki clung to his arm, beaming with excitement. Sayuri shook her head, smiling in disbelief at her son's generosity.

But as they stepped into the parking lot, two familiar voices rang out.

Riku turned to see Renji and Takumi jogging up, both grinning wide.

"Yo!" Renji called. "You really made it, huh? S Rank, man—that's huge!"

Takumi nodded. "We saw the broadcast. You looked like a total beast out there."

Riku grinned, holding out his fist for them to bump. "Appreciate it. You two been training?"

"Of course," Renji said. "We're not slacking. Gotta keep up with the legend."

Takumi chuckled. "Yeah, right. We're just trying not to get left too far behind."

Riku laughed softly. "Wanna grab something to eat? My treat."

Their faces lit up. "Definitely!" they said in unison.

He looked back at his mom and Yuki. Sayuri nodded with a warm smile. "We'll go get settled in. You go have fun with your friends."

As Riku led the way toward the restaurant with Renji and Takumi at his sides, he felt something new—something steady and whole.

For once, he wasn't just fighting to prove himself.

And this… was just the beginning.

Chapter 41: New Beginnings