Essence Reborn

Chapter 4

It all explained the agonizing incidents of ten years back when every male was forced to fight against these terrifying monsters. By then, Kenji was only eleven.

At a peaceful family dinner of four; his Mom, Dad, Sister, and Kenji—they were just enjoying what a normal and loving family would. But the sudden moment only lasted like a dream, illuminated later by panic, terror, and bloodshed when government agencies knocked through every door of the district, including Kenji's.

"To correspond with the government order and rules without getting hurt, please, I will make sure you comply with us. Both the man and the male child should follow. This is the government order; I'm sure you are aware of the situation currently," a man said, holding a large booklet in his hand for recording every house they had come to so far.

Kenji's father, slightly huge and tall, with dark hair and gleaming eyes, stood up from his seat as if knowing this was his final moment with his family. But little did he know it would take a turn opposite to what he had expected.

"Please, I'll go with you. Just leave my only male child out of this. He's my only successor that will carry my name. Please, take me with you and leave him out of this. I comply with you."

Kenji's mom was already pale and filled with tension. She knew from the news alarming everyone for days that they honestly couldn't do anything or go against the government agencies. Her eyes gleamed with tears, murmuring to her husband for his final decision and last moment.

But on the other hand, a young figure in a black hooded cloak, covering their face from the darkness, stepped forward. A colossal ring was embedded in five of his fingers... dark and ornate with red symbols, pointing at the boy, Kenji.

"He is coming with us."

His father went into shock, pleading with the agencies that he was the only male child he had, the other was a girl who would eventually not carry his legacy or name. He would do anything, even if it meant going to the forefront of the battle, but to spare his only son was all he demanded.

But the hooded figure, calm and unwavering, raised his hand, signaling the rest of the agents to forcefully take Kenji along with them.

Suddenly, his mother, in tears and panicked, rushed out, spreading both arms as if to protect Kenji. "Please leave him out of this! He's still a child!"

Meanwhile, upon all the pleading and forced movement, Kenji's mom saw they had no choice any longer. She roared at Kenji, who was standing behind her, gripped with fear, "Kenji, run! Don't come back! Follow through the back door! Run!" She screamed in agony and pain.

Kenji hesitated for a moment, staring at the whole scene. His eyes trailed back to his father, his mother, and his elder sister already crying beside them.

But the moment one of the agents tried to pass her, Kenji's Mom pushed him back and met him with a sharp, resounding slap.

Kenji had already reached the back door as he watched his mother react with desperate defiance to protect him.

Immediately, with calm and dark composure, the hooded figure standing among them stepped forward, pairing two fingers out in a low, deadly voice that made even the rest of the agency members standing beside him flinch.

"One...."

A crushing pressure forced her directly forward. She was caught in a deadly, tight grip on his left arm.

"Two...."

The last words sounded slowly in a dark tone as his two raised fingers gleamed dark and red, emitting from the colossal rings in his hand. They pointed directly at her before her eyes could catch up to the strangling grip of his left hand.

The immense aura and dark energy spread out through her body from her head down to her toe, making her scream through the wavering room. Her once soft flesh was gradually turning brittle, her body shrinking rapidly within the tight clothes that had clung to her curves.

But even then, as she was draining like a mummy figure with extinguishing sounds and bones cracking tightly and reforming, she managed to speak out through her scream, calling Kenji's name in a dying moment to run. Her last words were barely spoken before she slowly faded away in the tight grip of his hand.

Her body collapsed onto the floor like shattered bones placed weakly on a stand that crushed with a sickening sound.

Kenji watched the whole scene unfold before his eyes, unable to make any sound, as he ran just as his mom had instructed.

Meanwhile, both his dad and his sister were taken away. Eventually, hearing the later news, his father was killed in the battle, but his sister was nowhere to be found.

From that moment until this present, Kenji managed to survive, enduring hustles, mockery, fear, and pain, living with a terrified trauma. He had no choice but to face it head-on without shame anymore. This was why he joined the association, even without an ability, to make a living and had tried everything he could to make sure his party members recognized him.

'Helpless, weak, pathetic! Loser!'

He screamed through the tension unfolding before him, not minding the monstrous appendage. His body went slack, already accepting defeat.

His eyes glanced towards the commander's half-split body that was sprawled against the end wall. He wasn't sure if it was his greed that had caused their deaths or perhaps everything that revolves around him, just as the pathetic loser he was.

It was all too sudden and overwhelming to process in one moment, forcing his head to snap downward helplessly.

The grinding sneer from the monstrous appendage grew louder, glaring deadly at Kenji, who already lay sprawled helplessly. With a sudden rattling sound, its claws, which twisted like a coiled snake, scraped the air directly above where Kenji sat.

Kenji was sent flying, smashing down onto a left corner of the chamber floor with a deafening sound, as the impact from the twisted claws whipped through him.