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

Riku stretched lightly as he stood near the Rift gate, dressed in a sleek black Essence suit marked with a glowing silver insignia. Though he was an S Rank now, he had volunteered to accompany a C Rank Invasion Squad today—a training mission in a moderately dangerous Rift Zone. He wasn't required to be there. But he knew what it felt like to be underestimated and unprotected. He wouldn't let anyone else go through that.

The five young warriors standing beside him ranged in age from 15 to 21. They all looked a little nervous—some more than others.

- Akira Tsubaki (17) – A tall, quiet boy with a spear Essence. He was observant and always analyzing.- Reina Aozora (16) – A petite girl with short brown hair and a wind-based support Essence. Cheerful but shy.- Hiroto Kaname (19) – Muscular and bold, with a fire Essence. A little overconfident but dependable.- Mei Kurisaka (15) – A quiet, bookish girl with a sensory-type Essence. She had potential but little combat experience.- Daichi Morino (21) – The senior of the group, level-headed with a shield Essence. Protective of the younger ones.

As the group passed through the shimmering Rift gate, the sky inside was an eerie green with shifting black clouds. The zone was unstable—perfect for a team looking to push past its limits.

"Alright," Daichi said. "Let's stick to the formation. Riku—"

"I'll hang back unless things go wrong," Riku replied. "This is your mission. I'm just here to make sure no one dies."

They moved deeper into the Rift, the terrain growing darker and foggier. Tension hung heavy.

A high-speed bullet streaked straight toward Reina Aozora, who was walking just slightly out of formation.

She gasped, her eyes wide. In the moment it would've pierced her—

Riku appeared in front of her, holding the bullet between two fingers. The metal still sizzled in his hand.

Reina had squeezed her eyes shut in panic. When she realized she hadn't been hit, she opened them slowly… only to see Riku standing there calmly.

"You alright?" he asked, turning his head slightly.

"…Y-Yeah," she whispered, trembling.

Without thinking, she clung to his arm, tears threatening to fall. "T-Thank you…"

Riku's expression darkened. He turned his gaze toward the direction the shot had come from. In the distance, two figures emerged—a hulking beast with jagged crystal protrusions and a masked man holding a long-barreled rifle crackling with dark Essence.

Riku narrowed his eyes. "That… is a B Rank Villain. And that beast... at least B Rank too."

He looked back at the team—still processing what had happened.

"If I wasn't here…" he muttered under his breath, "you'd all be dead already."

He gently pulled his arm from Reina's grip and stepped forward.

His silver aura started to hum quietly, not flaring wildly—but controlled and powerful.

Chapter 42: Shadow Through the Rift