A ray of sunlight slipped through the curtains of a messy room. On the bed, a high school boy slept soundly, tangled in the sheets, until a familiar voice broke the calm.
"Ryu, wake up! You're going to be late for school!" his mother shouted from the other side of the door.
Ryu Tatzuki stirred under the covers, letting out a faint groan.
"I'm coming…" he murmured sleepily.
With effort, he got out of bed, hurriedly put on his uniform, and went down the stairs straight to the kitchen, where his mother awaited him with breakfast ready.
"Hey, Mom…" he said as he sat down. "Where's Dad?"
"He left early for work," Akane replied while stirring a pot on the stove.
"Will he be back soon?"
"I don't know," she sighed. "But hurry up now, it's already late."
"Alright…"
Ryu ate in silence, grabbed his backpack, and headed to the door.
"See you later, Mom."
"Take care, Ryu."
He left the house and began walking toward school. The sky was clear, and the morning breeze was fresh. After a few minutes, he arrived at his destination: Tochikawa High School.
At the school entrance, several students chatted cheerfully. In a corner, he spotted his usual group of friends: Haruto, Ren, Daiki, and Ryota.
Ryu approached with a smile.
"Hey!"
"Yo!" Ren greeted. "Everything okay, Ryu?"
"How have you been?" asked Ryota.
"I'm good, thanks for asking."
Ryu looked at Haruto and gave him a friendly wave.
"Hey, Ryu," Ren jumped in, "what are you planning to do after class?"
"Well… I was going to head home. Why?"
"My parents bought me a new console. We could go to my place and play!"
"I'm in!" Daiki exclaimed.
"Me too," added Ryota.
"Count me in!" Haruto said enthusiastically.
Ryu chuckled softly but shook his head.
"Sorry, guys. I can't today. I have some things to do in the city."
"He always says that," Haruto huffed.
"Busy again, as usual," added Daiki.
"You already said that," Ryota teased.
"Alright," Ren sighed. "Another day, then—when you're not busy."
"Yeah, another day. For now, let's go in. I don't want to be late."
"Then let's go," Haruto nodded. "The teacher must be waiting."
The boys walked together through the main hallway and headed to their classroom. Upon entering, they saw the teacher already seated at his desk.
"Just in time," Ryu commented as he sat down.
Class began. The students took their seats as the school day unfolded like any other… But Ryu didn't know that this seemingly ordinary day would mark the beginning of something that would change his life forever.
Everything was normal until the sharp ring of the lunch bell interrupted the calm of the classroom. Ryu and his friends stood up and headed to the cafeteria.
It was lunchtime, and the group was gathered in the school cafeteria, enjoying their trays between jokes and everyday chatter. Everything seemed normal… until, suddenly, everyone's phones started vibrating at the same time.
Emergency alert: An unknown creature has been detected in the city. Immediate evacuation is requested.
For a few moments, the entire school was plunged into an eerie silence. No laughter, no footsteps, no voices. Only the faint buzzing of still-lit phones.
Ryu swallowed hard. A strange mix of curiosity and fear began to grow in his chest, as if something unknown was about to happen.
He was the first to look at his screen, frowning.
"Did you guys see the news?" he asked, lifting his gaze to the others.
"Yeah…" Ren replied, visibly uneasy. "I wonder what kind of creature it is."
"It must be dangerous if they're asking to evacuate the whole city," said Daiki, putting his chopsticks down.
"What if we go investigate?" Haruto suggested, a spark of excitement in his eyes.
Ryota raised an eyebrow, clearly disagreeing.
"That's dangerous."
Haruto smiled confidently.
"Don't worry. Just a quick look, nothing more. See what kind of creature it is and come back."
"Alright, but if anything goes wrong… it's your fault," Ryota grumbled, crossing his arms.
"This is a bad idea," said Ren, looking at Ryu.
"I agree…" Ryu responded with a sigh. But deep down, a part of him was curious too.
"Okay, then let's go check it out," Daiki said nervously, standing up.
Without imagining what awaited them, the five friends headed into the unknown.
The five friends arrived at the city, which now looked like something out of a horror movie. The streets were nearly deserted, and the silence was unsettling. In the distance, faint sirens and helicopters could be heard flying overhead.
"Guys… this is insane," Daiki muttered, sticking close to the group.
Ryu stopped suddenly, narrowing his eyes.
"Did you hear that?"
A strange, guttural sound echoed down a nearby alley.
"What the hell was that?" Ryota asked, visibly tense.
Haruto advanced cautiously, followed by the others. As they turned the corner, they saw a figure in the shadows, moving erratically.
When it came into view, they were stunned.
The creature was humanoid but deformed, with black skin, glowing red eyes, and long, sharp claws. Its presence radiated something unnatural… and deadly.
"Holy shit…" whispered Ren. "What is that thing?"
The creature noticed them and let out a deafening roar before charging toward the group.
"Run!" Ryu shouted.
The boys turned and fled down the street, dodging cars and debris. The creature chased them with unnatural speed.
"This is crazy!" Haruto cried.
Suddenly, Ryu tripped and fell. The creature leaped toward him with open claws.
"Ryu!" the others shouted in unison.
In that moment—when death seemed inevitable—something awakened inside Ryu.
Time slowed.
The roar of the creature faded, replaced by a deep voice within him.
"Do you wish to survive?"
Ryu's eyes widened.
"What… what is this?"
"You are the heir… awaken."
An immense pain erupted in his chest, spreading through his entire body. His eyes glowed a deep red, and strange dark markings appeared on his skin.
When the creature reached him, Ryu instinctively raised his hand.
A shockwave burst out of him, sending the monster flying through the air and crashing against a wall with a grotesque screech.
His friends stopped in disbelief.
"Ryu… what was that?" whispered Haruto.
Ryu got up slowly. His breathing was heavy. His gaze… had changed.
"I don't know… but I feel… different."
The creature stood again, this time with fury in its eyes. It lunged toward Ryu again, but he didn't flinch.
Without thinking, Ryu extended his arm, and a dark energy surged from his palm, blasting the creature into oblivion.
Silence.
The boys stared at their friend, stunned.
"What… just happened?" Daiki asked.
Ryu collapsed to the ground, his body twitching slightly. His friends rushed to his side.
"Ryu! Are you okay?!" Haruto yelled, kneeling beside him.
Ryu's eyes fluttered, the red glow fading away. The strange markings on his skin slowly disappeared as if they were never there.
"He's burning up," Ren said, touching his forehead. "We need to get him out of here."
They looked around. The streets were still eerily quiet, but sirens wailed in the distance—closer now.
"We can't stay here," Daiki said. "If more of those things show up, we're screwed."
"Let's take him to my place," Haruto suggested. "It's closest."
Their hurried footsteps echoed through the narrow alleyways as the boys carried Ryu's unconscious body. His weight wasn't the issue—it was the urgency, the fear, the sense that time was running out. Every second felt like an eternity. Haruto led the group, sweat dripping from his forehead.
"We're almost there!" he shouted, trying to keep everyone focused.
But before they could turn the next corner, a guttural roar tore through the air. In the next instant, something massive and dark dropped from the sky.
"Not again!" Ren shouted—but it was too late.
The demon crashed into them with terrifying force, hurling everyone into nearby buildings. Like rag dolls, Haruto, Daiki, Ryota, and Ren slammed into concrete walls. The impact shattered stone and bone alike. A couple of pained grunts echoed in the chaos.
Ryu hit the ground with a heavy thud, barely conscious. His eyelids trembled, his breathing shallow… but the overwhelming presence of the monster forced his eyes open.
His vision was blurry, warped—like a dream on the edge of a nightmare.
"Wh… what…?" he mumbled, trying to move.
Too late.
The demon grabbed him by the torso, lifting him into the air like he weighed nothing. Its glowing eyes burned with savage hunger, and its twisted grin stretched unnaturally wide.
"L-Let me go…" Ryu gasped, struggling weakly.
The demon laughed—a deep, dark sound that echoed like thunder—and without warning, plunged its massive arm through Ryu's chest.
Pain exploded through his body. Sharp. Blinding. Unbearable.
Ryu screamed, but the sound was caught in his throat. His pupils dilated. Time seemed to stop as the warmth drained from him.
An unnatural cold crept into his bones.
His mind flooded with broken thoughts, flickering memories… and fear. A paralyzing, all-consuming fear.
Am I really going to die… here? Is this how it ends? How… how did I end up like this?
And then, just when everything seemed to fade…
The marks returned.
First as glowing lines across his skin, then as dark flames erupting from deep within him. The darkness surged, violent and uncontrollable, wrapping around his entire body. His form began to shift.
Two horns burst from his head, curving back with a sinister glow.
His eyes snapped open. They were no longer human.
They glowed bright red, pupils sharp like blades.
The demon—still with its arm inside Ryu—staggered back. For the first time, it hesitated. For the first time… it felt fear.
Ryu looked up—and the world trembled.
A monstrous roar tore from Ryu's throat, echoing like the cry of a wild beast. His entire body pulsed with dark energy, his form now fully overtaken by the markings and demonic transformation. Without hesitation, he vanished in the blink of an eye, reappearing inches away from the towering demon.
BOOM!
His fist collided with the demon's face, followed by another, and another. The blows came rapidly—relentless, primal, and savage. Like an untamed beast, Ryu assaulted the creature with unyielding fury, pummeling it again and again without giving it a chance to recover.
The demon roared in frustration, trying to defend itself with its massive arms, but Ryu's strikes tore through its guard. Then, with one final punch to the stomach, the creature was launched into the ground, sending debris and dust into the air with a thunderous impact.
Before the dust could settle, a crimson bolt of energy shot down from the sky.
ZAAAP!
It struck the demon directly, rendering it unconscious in an instant. The explosion of light faded just enough to reveal a figure standing on the edge of a nearby rooftop.
A hooded figure, cloaked in black.
Without a word, they leapt from the building and descended toward Ryu. The moment they landed, they struck—fists and kicks aimed with precision and force. Ryu grunted under the assault, barely flinching as each blow landed. He held his ground and let out a deafening roar, unleashing a concentrated blast of red energy from his mouth.
The hooded figure nimbly dodged, flipping backwards and landing several meters away.
"You're strong," the stranger said, their voice calm, even amused. "But in this form… you're all instinct. You don't think. And that makes you easy to defeat."
With a quick motion, they extended a hand, launching several blasts of red energy straight at Ryu. He evaded them all with ease, dancing through the barrage like a shadow.
But then—
The figure changed tactics.
They turned and fired one final blast—not at Ryu, but at his friends, who were still recovering nearby.
Ryu's eyes widened.
Without thinking, he leapt in front of the attack.
The red blast struck him directly in the back.
CRACK!
His transformed body shuddered, and he let out a low growl… before collapsing to the ground, unconscious.
"Ryu!" Ren shouted, rushing forward.
The group gathered around their fallen friend, confused and on edge.
"Who the hell are you?" Ren demanded.
Ryota looked between the unconscious Ryu and the figure. "This… this is all so strange."
"We have to get him to a hospital," Daiki said quickly.
Haruto nodded. "Yeah. Let's move."
But then the figure removed their hood.
Long black hair flowed out, and glowing red eyes stared back at them.
It was a girl—young, yet terrifyingly composed.
"Don't touch him," she said coldly. "He's coming with me."
Ren stepped in front of her. "Like hell he is. He's our friend!"
Daiki's voice trembled. "What's going on? Who are you?"
Haruto clenched his fists. "If you want to take him, you'll have to go through me first."
The girl narrowed her eyes.
"If that's what you want…"
She moved like lightning. A single blow, swift and precise, knocked all four boys unconscious before they could react.
"…Then it's your fault."
She extended her hand again.
Both the demon and Ryu's body began to float in the air, surrounded by a red aura.
A portal opened behind her—a swirling vortex of shadows and crimson light.
Without looking back, she stepped through, taking Ryu and the defeated demon with her.
And just like that, they vanished from the city.