Ryo Santillan crouched on the rooftop, the city sprawled out beneath him like a living, breathing beast of neon lights and darkened alleyways. It was another restless night in Manila, and the air was thick with the scent of rain and the distant hum of traffic. Ryo adjusted the strap of his worn-out backpack, his eyes scanning the crowd below for any sign of the target. Tonight's hunt was supposed to be straightforward—a rogue monster that had been terrorizing the outskirts of the city—but Ryo knew better than to expect easy.

His heart pounded in his chest as he watched the flicker of movement near an old, crumbling building. There it was, slinking through the shadows like a predator. The creature was massive, a hulking figure with scales that glinted under the sparse moonlight. It moved with a predatory grace, eyes glowing a sickly green.

Ryo's fingers tightened around the handle of his knife. He didn't have the luxury of a hunter's license or the high-tech weapons that licensed hunters used. All he had was his wits, his blade, and the strange ability that had manifested only weeks ago—the power to copy. He wasn't sure how it worked, only that it did, and tonight, he'd have to rely on it once more.

Before the hunt, Ryo had spent hours in his makeshift hideout—a small, abandoned storage room in an old building on the city's outskirts. The dim light from a single bulb flickered as he pored over the crumpled notes spread across his makeshift desk, tracking recent monster sightings and patterns. Ryo had been practicing his shadow manipulation, the other strange power that had surfaced with his copying ability. His own shadow moved erratically, barely responding to his commands, twisting into awkward shapes before snapping back to normal. He sighed, frustration gnawing at him. This was supposed to be his advantage, but it was still so unreliable.

Earlier that day, Ryo had tailed a shady figure known to deal in the illegal monster trade. From the man's hushed conversation in a darkened alley, Ryo learned about a rogue monster that had escaped from captivity and was now terrorizing the area. Seeing an opportunity to test his abilities, Ryo decided to hunt the creature himself. Every encounter was a chance to refine his powers, to prepare for the unknown threats he felt were looming ever closer. The thought of what happened during his own awakening still haunted him.

It all started on an ordinary night a few weeks ago. Ryo had been cornered by a group of thugs tied to the black market monster trade. They had surrounded him in a dead-end alley, laughing as one of them, who had somehow acquired enhanced abilities, approached with a menacing grin. Ryo had felt fear like never before, realizing he was about to be severely beaten—or worse. But as the thug lunged at him, something clicked. He moved instinctively, mirroring the thug's speed and strength. The next thing he knew, the thug was on the ground, clutching his side in pain, and Ryo was standing over him, hands shaking from the adrenaline.

He had no idea how he did it—only that he had somehow copied the thug's abilities in the heat of the moment. In the days that followed, Ryo experimented cautiously, observing fighters and small monsters in underground rings. Each time he saw a skill in action, he felt the pull, the strange rush of energy that told him he could do it too. But with every use, he felt a creeping unease, a darkness that lurked just beyond his grasp.

Now, on the hunt, Ryo leapt from the rooftop, landing with a soft thud in the alley below. The creature turned, its eyes narrowing as it sensed his presence. Ryo grinned, adrenaline surging through him. "Alright, big guy," he muttered, slipping into a fighting stance. "Let's see what you've got."

The monster lunged, claws slashing through the air. Ryo dodged, his movements mirroring the fluidity of the creature's own attack. As he moved, he felt that familiar pull, a rush of energy that flowed from the monster to him. His eyes flashed momentarily with a green glow—the same sickly green as the creature's eyes. He could feel its strength, its speed, its raw, primal instinct. And just like that, it was his.

Ryo launched forward, his knife slicing through the creature's thick hide with ease. It roared, a sound that rattled the windows of the nearby buildings, but Ryo didn't flinch. He moved with the creature's own borrowed agility, dodging its attacks and landing blow after blow. Within moments, the battle was over. The creature lay still, its green eyes dimming as it succumbed to the injuries.

Panting, Ryo wiped the sweat from his brow. His heart was still racing, the adrenaline slowly ebbing away. He stared down at the creature, a mixture of pride and fear churning in his gut. This power—it was incredible, but it was also dangerous. Every time he used it, he could feel it pulling him closer to something dark and uncharted.

He sheathed his knife and turned to leave, but a voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Well, that was quite the show."

Ryo spun around, his eyes locking onto a figure leaning casually against the wall of the alley. She was tall, with dark hair pulled back in a tight ponytail and a smirk that could cut through steel. Ryo recognized her immediately—Kira Velasco, one of the top hunters in the city. She was infamous not just for her skills, but for her cold, calculating demeanor. And right now, her eyes were fixed squarely on him.

"What do you want?" Ryo asked, his grip tightening on his knife.

Kira pushed off the wall, stepping into the light. "Relax, I'm not here to fight," she said, her tone almost teasing. "I'm just curious. That thing you did back there—copying the monster's moves. That's not something you see every day."

Ryo didn't respond, his guard still up. He wasn't sure what Kira's angle was, but he knew better than to trust her. Hunters like her didn't get to the top by playing nice.

Kira raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by his silence. "Listen, kid. I don't know what your deal is, but that ability of yours—it's rare. And it's dangerous. There are people out there who would kill to get their hands on it. You should be careful who you show it to."

Ryo frowned, her words hitting closer to home than he'd like to admit. He had been careful, or at least he thought he had. But if Kira had seen him, who else might be watching?

"I know more than just your abilities, Ryo," Kira said, her voice taking on a more serious tone. "I know your name, your recent activities. You've caught the attention of some people in the wrong circles, including mine."

Ryo's mind raced. So she had been watching him, maybe even longer than he realized. Was she a threat? An ally? Or something else entirely?

She turned to leave, pausing only to throw a final glance over her shoulder. "You've got potential, Ryo. Don't waste it. And don't think you're off the radar. You're being watched more closely than you know." And with that, she was gone, disappearing into the night as if she had never been there.

Ryo stood alone in the alley, the weight of her words lingering. He knew she was right. This power—it was more than just a tool. It was a weapon, one that could either save him or destroy him. And as he stared down at the fallen creature, Ryo couldn't help but wonder which it would be.