2025-11-07 20:53:23The black smoke pouring out of the Rift was growing denser. The village soil lifted into the air, rooftops trembled, and the empowered creature’s red eyes burned brighter, as though its body was completely under someone else’s control.
Kael gripped his sword tightly and stood beside Ryu.
“This thing… it’s no longer a normal monster. You need to take this seriously.”
Ryu smirked faintly, his face still relaxed.
“I do take things seriously… but only when it’s fun.”
Kael glared at him. “Your jokes are going to get you killed.”
Ryu gave him a small smile. “And your anger is going to ruin your focus.”
The masked man—the one who had come from the Rift—extended his hand toward the creature. His voice echoed with a terrifying calmness.
“And you two… are just pieces of the game. Let’s see how long you can last.”
The creature roared and lunged forward, attacking Kael in a single jump. Its swing was so powerful it cut through the air. Kael blocked with his sword; sparks and the sound of crackling energy filled the air, but his weapon quivered under the impact. The creature’s strength was far beyond normal.
Ryu conjured a golden magic circle and threw it beneath the creature’s feet. Golden spikes rose from the ground and pierced its body. The creature halted with a growl but immediately spread its smoke, shattering the spikes apart.
Kael shouted, “Ryu! Distract it, I’ll strike its core!”
Ryu smirked. “Feels like a boss fight… fine, I’ll play the tank.”
He stepped directly in front of the creature and spun his hand, forming another magic circle. This time, small golden shards spun through the air like a rain of tiny blades. The creature attacked furiously, but Ryu avoided every blow with half-step movements.
Kael took the opening, leaping high into the air and plunging his sword into the creature’s chest. A deafening roar shook the ground, and the red glow in its eyes flickered for a moment.
Then the masked man’s voice thundered, “You think you’re winning? You’re just wandering in a maze… RYUJIN.”
Ryu froze. For the first time, his expression changed. His smirk vanished, and confusion flickered in his eyes.
“…What did you just call me?”
The masked man laughed quietly. “Ryujin… your true name. Your old self… don’t you remember?”
Ryu looked at him, his face serious. For a brief moment, an image flashed in his mind—an old memory, a woman crying, and someone calling out:
“Ryujin… don’t go back…”
A sharp pain struck his head, but he quickly regained control. His smirk returned as he looked back at the masked man.
“Interesting… you know more about me than I do. But here’s my rule—whoever calls me by my past name doesn’t live long.”
Kael stared at him in shock. “Ryujin? Your name… isn’t Ryu?”
Ryu looked at him and smirked. “Call me Ryu. The rest of the names are for the past.”
The creature roared again, its body growing more unstable. The masked man raised a hand and shouted, “Destroy them!”
The creature unleashed a violent blast. Kael and Ryu were thrown backward, the ground cracked, and houses collapsed.
Kael struggled to his feet and looked at Ryu. “We can’t hold it much longer… got another plan?”
Ryu took a slow breath and smiled. “Yeah… just trust me for once.”
Kael glared in frustration. “I don’t trust you.”
Ryu chuckled. “Then pretend. You’re better at acting than you are at talking.”
Kael exhaled sharply and nodded. “Fine… tell me what to do.”
Ryu formed a massive golden magic circle that spread across the ground. His expression turned serious as he said, “When I tell you, hit its core with your strongest attack. I’ll hold it down.”
Kael tightened his grip on his sword and nodded.
Ryu’s eyes gleamed as he looked at the masked man and said softly, “You can call me Ryujin or Ryu… but today, I’m just a gamer using cheat codes.”
He snapped his fingers, and golden chains burst from the ground, wrapping around the creature. It roared, thrashing wildly, but the chains held it down. Kael leapt into the air, his sword glowing like lightning, and struck the creature’s core.
A massive explosion echoed through the sky. Light burst in all directions, and the creature disintegrated with a thunderous roar, its black smoke scattering into the wind.
The masked man stood silent for a moment, then laughed quietly. “So… you really are still the same. Fine then… the game isn’t over yet, Ryujin.”
He vanished into the smoke, and the Rift slowly began to close.
Kael fell to the ground, glaring at Ryu. “You… you really are something else.”
Ryu simply smiled faintly and walked back toward the bench. “Yeah… but you should still call me Ryu. The rest of the story… later.”
The Rift gradually sealed shut. The black light faded from the air, and after the creature’s destruction, silence once again fell over the village. People began to emerge from their homes—some stared at Ryu and Kael in fear, others with gratitude, and a few still with suspicion.
Ryu sat back on the bench as if nothing had happened. His face was calm, though a faint weariness lingered in his eyes. Kael stood beside him, his face serious and slightly confused.
“You really are different.”
Ryu smiled lightly, picking up his drink.
“Is that a compliment or a warning?”
Kael sighed. “I still don’t trust you… but without you, we’d all be dead.”
Ryu swirled his drink and replied with a smile,
“Don’t trust me. I don’t like people depending on me.”
Kael looked at him and said quietly,
“Even so… fighting beside you—it was strange, but not wrong.”
Ryu gave him a faint smile. “First step of friendship? Just don’t touch me, and we’ll be fine.”
Kael rolled his eyes. “You’re irritating.”
Ryu chuckled. “I know.”
Elira approached them slowly. Her expression carried a gentle smile, but her eyes showed concern. She stood before Ryu and asked softly,
“Are you… all right? You’re not hurt, are you?”
Ryu looked at her, his face softening slightly.
“Hurt? No… just a bit bored.”
Elira laughed quietly and sat down beside him.
“You’re feeling bored even after such a big fight?”
Ryu looked up at the sky and smiled faintly.
“It’s boring until something breaks me.”
Elira looked at him, her expression a little sad.
“Sometimes, it feels like… even when you smile, you look terribly lonely inside.”
Ryu looked at her for a moment, then smirked lightly.
“You’re a herbalist, but your observation skills beat most doctors.”
Elira simply gazed at him quietly and said softly,
“Still… I don’t think you’re as bad as people believe.”
Ryu gave her a small, genuine smile—perhaps the first real one anyone had seen.
Kael looked at them both and said quietly, “I’m leaving tomorrow morning. You can come along if you want.”
Ryu looked at him and shrugged.
“We’ll see… maybe your boring journey will get a little interesting.”
Kael nodded silently and walked away.
Elira stayed behind, watching Ryu.
“How long will you stay here?” she asked softly.
Ryu glanced at her and smiled faintly.
“As long as the game stays interesting.”
Elira looked at him quietly, then stood up slowly. As she walked away, she turned back once—Ryu was sitting on the bench, eyes on the sky, his face calm, but in his eyes lay a hidden depth only a few could see.
---
The masked man stood in a dark chamber. In front of him was another figure—his face unseen, but glowing with ancient symbols across his body.
The masked man spoke quietly,
“He hasn’t remembered his true name… but he fights just like before.”
The other man replied in a low voice,
“Good… Ryujin must not remember. Not yet. When he does… the game wi
ll end.”
The masked man chuckled softly.
“Until then… we’ll make him remember.”
The darkness deepened, swallowing the room in an ominous silence.
To be continued…
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
CHAPTER 40 - The King and the Pawn
In the darkness of the night, the city seemed completely quiet, but the air carried a strange sense of anxiety as if a massive storm was about to hit. Ryu stood on a high rooftop, observing the city lights below. His face was calm as usual, but his breaths were still heavy, and faint silver sparks cracked across the new metallic patches on his gloves.Lyra came beside him, her face both serious and soft."Ryu… your body needs more rest. You are still weak, and your power has not stabilized yet."Ryu looked at her without turning and replied calmly."The board does not rest until the game is over. Master is already setting the next move."Lyra looked at his face and said softly."One day… this stubborn king act of yours will destroy you."Ryu gave a faint smile, rare and slightly tired."A king is nothing without his pieces… and I cannot abandon the board for my pieces."At that moment, all the city’s digital screens flickered at once and Master’s distorted hologram activated everywher
CHAPTER 39 - The City Becomes the Board
The city was still trembling from the simultaneous attacks in the different zones. Smoke curled through the streets, alarms blared, and faint cries of civilians echoed from the distance. Ryu stood on the edge of a building, his gloves still faintly sparking, breaths heavy from the strain of his unstable power.Elira and Lyra flanked him, both tense but determined."Ryu… if we split up, we can cover more ground, but the risk…" Elira’s voice faltered, guilt and fear evident.Ryu’s calm face barely changed, but his eyes, usually so sharp and unshakable, held a weight of fatigue."Risk is inevitable. Protecting each piece comes first. The game has begun, and every move matters."Lyra’s expression hardened, her usual teasing edge replaced with seriousness."Even so… your body is already at the limit. Another fight like before, and you might not recover."Ryu glanced down at his gloves. Cracks from the earlier battles still ran across the metal, silver sparks flickering erratically. He clen
CHAPTER 38 - The King’s Breaking Point
It was morning, but the faces of the people in the city were still filled with tension. After the outpost blasts, civilians were being moved to Rakshak camps. Ryu stood on a rooftop, calmly observing everything below. New metallic patches had been added to his gloves, but faint silver sparks still emitted from them. His power was not fully stabilized.Elira stood near him, her face slightly pale and guilty."Ryu… you risked your life for me. I… I am not worthy to be part of your team."Ryu looked at her. His face was calm, but his voice was slightly soft."Pieces make mistakes… but removing them from the board is not the solution. You are part of the team, Elira. Your moves are yours."Relief and warmth appeared in Elira’s eyes. She was about to speak when Saren arrived from below.Saren walked up with his usual confident stride, but his face was unusually calm and blank."Ryu… you may need to take an urgent mission. Some of Master’s agents are hiding in a warehouse. This is the perfe
CHAPTER 37 - Surge of the King
The warehouse was thick with tension. Black smoke lingered in the corners, curling around flickering lights. Ryu’s gloves sparked with uncontrolled silver-black energy, small arcs crackling across the cracked metal floor. His breaths were ragged, each exhale carrying the strain of his unstable power. Despite this, his posture remained calm, though the faint tremor in his shoulders betrayed the true cost of holding back such immense energy.Saren lay at the center of the chaos, the dark blue glow in his eyes fluctuating as Master’s control fought to dominate him. The blade in his hand vibrated slightly, betraying the inner conflict tearing through him. Lyra hovered near Ryu’s side, tense and alert, every muscle prepared for the next move."Ryu! Your body cannot hold on much longer! Your gloves—they’re on the verge of breaking!" Lyra’s voice was sharp, laced with fear.Ryu did not answer immediately. His eyes were fixed on Saren, reading the faint flickers of hesitation beneath the pupp
CHAPTER 36 - The Broken Rule
The air in the middle of the plaza was still vibrating with black and silver energy. Cracks had appeared on Ryu’s gloves, and mixed silver and black energy was uncontrollably leaking from them. His breaths were heavy, and his calm face now appeared fully emotional and determined. Elira stood in front of him, her red glowing eyes showing that Master’s control had weakened but was still active. Her dagger continued to emit black sparks, but her hand was visibly trembling. Lyra stood to the side, watching both of them with tension. "Ryu! Your power is breaking you! If you push further—" Ryu looked without glancing at her and spoke in a heavy but calm tone. "Rules are written to win… but sometimes, to win, you have to break them." Master’s distorted hologram activated again in the air, his face wearing the usual mocking calm. "Good… Ryu. You have broken your own rules. Your mask is shattered. The more desperate you become to save Elira, the more predictable and weak you become. Yo
CHAPTER 35 - The King Still Stands
The plaza trembled with residual energy, silver-black arcs crackling violently in the air, reflecting the aftermath of Ryu’s Unstable Edge attack. Sparks flickered across the cracked tiles, leaving faint burn marks where the energy had struck. Ryu stood in the center, his gloves slightly cracked and leaking faint arcs of energy. Each breath he took was heavy, and his usual calm mask showed faint fissures, hints of the strain he was under.Elira floated a few meters away, her black dagger glowing faintly with sparks of energy. Master’s control lingered in her red eyes, a shadow of power that tried to push her forward, yet flickered weakly, disrupted by her own will fighting back. Her movements were uneven, and each swing of her blade was slightly off from the precision she had shown before.Lyra kept a close watch on both of them. Her body tensed as she tried to predict the flow of combat, aware that Ryu’s power was at a dangerous limit."Ryu… you can’t keep going like this! Your body—
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