Chapter 6: Eyes in the Shadows
Riku's steps slowed as he walked through the long hallway, the feeling of being watched pressing down on him like a heavy weight. His cursed energy instinctively swirled to life, faint tendrils of black and violet flickering around his hands.
"Who's there?" he called out, his voice echoing.
The faint sound of footsteps reached his ears—slow, deliberate, and calculated. Riku turned sharply, his eyes scanning the dimly lit corridor, but he saw nothing.
The system's voice rang out in his head.
[System Notification]
Warning: High-level presence detected.
Hostile intent: Unknown.
"Hostile?" Riku muttered, his muscles tensing. "Great."
A figure emerged from the shadows ahead. He was tall, dressed in dark clothing that seemed to blend with the dim light. His face was obscured by a hood, but his presence was undeniable. The cursed energy radiating from him was suffocating, though oddly restrained.
Riku took a defensive stance. "You've got five seconds to explain why you're creeping around."
The man didn't respond. Instead, he took a slow step forward, his head tilting slightly as though studying Riku.
"I don't like being ignored," Riku said, his cursed energy flaring.
The figure raised a hand, and Riku barely had time to react before an overwhelming surge of cursed energy shot toward him. He leaped back, narrowly avoiding the attack as the ground where he'd been standing cracked and shattered.
"Alright," Riku said, his voice steady despite the adrenaline pumping through him. "You want a fight? Fine."
He summoned his cursed energy, the markings on his arms glowing as a dense aura surrounded him. With a quick motion, he formed a blade of cursed energy in his hand and charged forward.
The figure countered effortlessly, blocking Riku's strike with a wave of energy so powerful it sent him skidding backward.
"You're strong," the man finally spoke, his voice low and cold. "But you're reckless."
Riku gritted his teeth. "I've been through worse than you."
The man smirked, his hood shifting slightly to reveal sharp, calculating eyes. "I doubt that."
With a flick of his wrist, the man unleashed another wave of cursed energy, but this time Riku was ready. He focused his own energy, forming a barrier to deflect the attack. The clash sent a shockwave through the corridor, the lights flickering from the intensity.
"You're not bad," the man said, his tone almost mocking. "But you're far from ready."
"Ready for what?" Riku demanded, his frustration boiling over.
The man didn't answer. Instead, he stepped back into the shadows, his presence fading as quickly as it had appeared.
[System Notification]
Threat neutralized.
Analyzing encounter…
Cursed energy signature logged.
Riku lowered his guard, his breathing heavy. "Who the hell was that?"
When Riku returned to the evaluation center's main area, he found Woo Jin-Chul and Sung Jin-Woo waiting for him. Jin-Woo's sharp gaze immediately locked onto him.
"You felt it too, didn't you?" Jin-Woo asked.
Riku nodded, still catching his breath. "Who was that guy?"
Jin-Woo's expression darkened. "We don't know. But whoever he was, he wasn't ordinary."
"He had cursed energy," Riku said, his tone bitter. "Strong cursed energy. And he knew exactly how to use it."
"That makes things more complicated," Woo Jin-Chul muttered.
"Complicated?" Riku asked, his voice rising. "You're saying you have no idea who just tried to kill me?"
"We've been tracking unusual activity lately," Jin-Woo said, his tone measured. "High-level individuals with cursed energy appearing out of nowhere. You're not the only anomaly, Riku."
Riku clenched his fists, the markings on his arms glowing faintly. "So, what? I'm just part of a bigger problem?"
Jin-Woo stepped closer, his presence commanding. "You're not just part of it. You might be the key to understanding it."
Riku glared at him. "I didn't ask to be anyone's key."
"You don't have a choice," Jin-Woo replied firmly. "Whatever's happening, it's bigger than you—and if you don't start preparing, you'll be the first one they come for."
Riku's anger flared, but he held his tongue. Deep down, he knew Jin-Woo was right. Whoever that man in the hallway was, he wasn't the last threat Riku would face.
"Fine," Riku said reluctantly. "But I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it for me."
Jin-Woo smirked. "That's good enough."
Woo Jin-Chul stepped forward, his expression serious. "If you're staying, we need to start training immediately. Your cursed energy is unstable, and if you can't control it, it'll destroy you before anyone else gets the chance."
Riku nodded, his resolve hardening. "Let's get started."
To Be Continued…