Ryu slowly opened his eyes. The warmth of his pillow and the softness of the sheets enveloped him like a warm sigh.
"I'm… home…" he murmured, with a relief he barely dared to feel. "Maybe it was all just a bad dream…"
But then, a strange buzzing sound broke the silence. In front of his bed, the air tore like paper. A crimson glow spiraled into existence, burning with a living intensity.
From the portal emerged a figure. A girl with long black hair and red eyes that glowed like embers in the shadows.
Ryu sat up, heart pounding.
What… what the hell is going on?
The stranger watched him with an unsettling calm. Her eyes weren't hostile, but they were immensely ancient.
"You're finally awake," she said softly, though her voice carried a latent power.
Ryu frowned.
"Who are you?"
She stepped forward, unafraid.
"My name is Yuki. And I'm the one who brought you back."
"Brought me back…?" he repeated, dazed. "I'm not home?"
Yuki gave a faint smile.
"Not exactly. This is just an echo of your world… a temporary illusion to ease your transition. I didn't want you waking up in the middle of chaos."
Ryu's stomach clenched.
"Transition… to what?"
"To what you truly are."
The memories hit him like a storm: fire, screams, a creature cloaked in shadows… and then, darkness.
"The demon… it attacked me," he said, as if saying it anchored him to reality. "But I… survived. How?"
"Because you're not just human. Something inside you awakened."
"And what are you?"
"A demon," she replied bluntly. "But not all of us are like the one who tried to kill you."
Ryu tensed.
"Then… are you going to attack me too?"
"No," Yuki said calmly. "If I wanted to kill you, you'd already be dead."
The coldness of her response chilled him. And yet, there was a strange… sincerity in her tone.
"Why did you save me?"
"Because you're valuable," she said without hesitation. "And because I'm interested in you."
"Interested… as in, an experiment?"
"Not exactly. I want you to work for me."
"Work for you? As what? Your slave?"
"Let's call it a 'subject.' Sounds better."
Ryu looked at her, unsure whether to laugh or scream.
"And if I refuse?"
"Then you'll die. And your potential will be lost."
The silence grew heavy like lead. Then, Ryu raised his gaze.
"Then I'll do what you ask. But on one condition."
"I'm listening," she said, narrowing her eyes.
"Teach me to control whatever it is that awakened in me."
Yuki smiled, for the first time showing genuine interest.
"Deal."
She extended her hand. Ryu stared at it for a moment… then shook it firmly.
A new crimson portal opened beside them.
"And now?"
"Now, Ryu… we begin."
They stepped through the threshold together. On the other side, an impossible world unfolded before their eyes: floating castles, dragons soaring through the skies, forests glowing with their own light, and two radiant suns.
Ryu was left breathless.
"This is…"
"Camelot," said Yuki, with a melancholic smile. "My home."
"Camelot… like in the legends. How can it exist?"
"Because in your world they're myths. In this one… they're history."
Ryu gazed at the sky, the dragons, the vastness. A jolt of vertigo and excitement rushed through him.
"Magic, demons, castles… This feels like a dream."
"It's not. And get ready," said Yuki, her eyes glowing with fierce intensity, "because here, dreams can devour you… or turn you into a legend."
Ryu stood, mouth slightly open, taking in the view. Despite his awe, something inside him couldn't fully relax. The portal, the revelation, Yuki… everything seemed too fast. Too unreal.
Suddenly, a pang of anxiety pierced his chest. He took a step back without realizing it.
"Something wrong?" Yuki asked, tilting her head slightly.
"It's just…" Ryu swallowed hard. "All of this is too much. Floating castles, dragons, two suns… How am I supposed to get used to this?"
Yuki looked at him with a serene expression, but there was a spark of amusement in her eyes.
"You'll get used to it. Faster than you think."
Ryu didn't answer. His hands trembled slightly. There was something about this new reality that scared him, even if he didn't want to admit it. He felt small, insignificant.
"You're afraid," said Yuki, without him needing to say it. "It's normal. But it's also necessary."
He glanced at her.
"Why?"
"Because fear will keep you alive. But if you master it… it will make you stronger."
He lowered his gaze, processing her words.
Then, Yuki turned on her heels, her long hair swaying in the wind.
"Enough sightseeing. Let's go train. There are mountains nearby that are perfect for it."
"Train?" Ryu blinked. "Right… the training."
"You can't unleash your power if you don't know how to control it. And trust me… you'd rather master it before it loses control."
Without waiting for a reply, Yuki began walking, light as a shadow, toward a path winding through green hills and crystalline forests.
Ryu followed her with uncertain, but determined steps. Each step took him further from the world he once knew… and closer to the one that awaited him.
The path led them toward the mountains, their peaks rising like stone fangs beneath the twin skies. There, among hidden valleys and solitary cliffs, his real journey would begin.
After a long walk through rocky paths and crisp mountain air, Yuki stopped in front of a massive gray boulder, the size of a car. She crossed her arms and looked at Ryu seriously.
"Before we start your real training, I need to see how strong you are," she said, pointing to the boulder. "So hit it."
Ryu blinked, confused.
"Hit… that rock?"
"Exactly," she confirmed, her tone unchanged.
Ryu tilted his head and let out a nervous laugh.
"Wouldn't hitting a pillow be a better idea? Sounds less suicidal."
"No," Yuki said sharply. "Hit the rock."
He sighed in resignation.
"Alright…" he muttered, though internally he couldn't stop complaining. "I can't believe I'm in another world with a demon girl… and I have to punch a damn giant rock."
He took a firm stance, clenched his fists, and threw his first punch.
Tsk!
Ryu staggered back, gritting his teeth.
"Damn it, that hurts…"
"Keep going," Yuki ordered coldly. "Or do you not want to learn how to control your power?"
Ryu bit his lip. She was right. He couldn't give up so soon. He took a deep breath, raised his fist again… and kept punching.
One after another, his blows echoed against the rock. The pain built up. His knuckles bled. Each impact tore the skin a bit more. The twin suns shone on his sweaty body, and his breathing grew heavier and heavier.
But he didn't stop.
"Haah…!"
With a final roar of effort, Ryu struck with everything he had left.
A small crack appeared on the rock's surface.
After Ryu stopped his last punch, Yuki watched him silently for a moment. Her face, usually impassive, now showed a faint expression of approval.
"Not bad for a human," she said, in a tone that seemed almost… amused. But her eyes held not satisfaction, but a calculating glint. "This is just the beginning."
Ryu, panting and with bloodied hands, looked at her with a mixture of exhaustion and determination. Despite the pain, something inside him had awakened with each strike. Each punch was a reminder that he was far from an ordinary human. There was something more in him. Something he didn't yet understand, but desperately wanted to control.
Seeing the look in Ryu's eyes, Yuki took a small step back. Her voice softened, though it remained firm.
"Rest," she ordered, her eyes fixed on his exhausted figure. "Because the real training is about to begin."