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

Lightning shattered the clouds above, illuminating the battlefield in flashes of ghostly blue as the rain continued its relentless descent. Blood mixed with mud in the cracked streets below. The fight between the four S-Rank warriors and Gekido had reached a fever pitch—essence clashing, spirits roaring, barriers crumbling, and the air vibrating with force.

Gekido stood tall, his massive frame steaming under the downpour, cracks lining his chest where Zenji's soundwaves had hit hardest. His muscles flexed, essence pulsing visibly beneath his skin.

"You're still standing?" he muttered with faint amusement. "Then it's time I make you fall."

Without warning, he vanished, a blur of brute force and momentum. He appeared behind Zenji Takamura, who had just finished unleashing a sonic blast.

A massive fist plunged into Zenji's back—piercing through with brutal force. Zenji's eyes widened, blood spilling from his mouth as he gasped. The soundwave essence around his body flickered and collapsed.

Mikio screamed, "ZENJI!" and lunged, but he was too far.

Zenji turned his head slowly, blood trickling down his lip, and smiled faintly through the agony.

"Guess… this is my last solo…"

Gekido yanked his arm free and kicked Zenji's body aside like broken metal. The sound wielder's form hit the ground hard, unmoving, his echoes silenced forever.

For a moment, everything stopped.

Then the three remaining warriors erupted in fury.

Mikio roared, something uncharacteristic for the calm medic, as golden shields burst into existence all around him. They spun like buzzsaws and launched toward Gekido, striking him in waves to slow his movements.

Kuro Emi slid in from the side, her body half-liquid, weaving through strikes and slashing with sharpened water tendrils that carved deep into Gekido's arms and shoulders. She moved with elegant savagery—graceful and merciless.

Arata Nojima, tears in his eyes, summoned his strongest beast—a massive dragon-lion hybrid, bathed in silver flames. The spirit roared, charging Gekido with Arata riding atop it, hurling barrage after barrage of essence spikes.

Gekido was no longer smiling.

He grunted as barriers struck him. Growled as Kuro's water blades nicked his ribs. He roared as Arata's beast smashed into him, cracking the ground beneath.

For a moment—it seemed like they might actually be pushing him back.

But Gekido was not breaking.

He spun, arms wide, slamming the beast aside with a monstrous hammerfist. He grabbed Kuro mid-phase, holding her mid-liquid transformation and slammed her down, cracking the street. She barely had time to reform before Mikio threw up a desperate barrier to shield her.

"We keep going!" Arata shouted through clenched teeth. "For Zenji!"

Rain fell harder, thunder roared louder—and Gekido, standing in the center of it all, was finally taking this seriously.

But the other three burned brighter than ever.

Chapter 143: One Falls, Three Rise