Chapter 5 : "Echoes of the Night"
Eight hours before the incident, after Ryoma dropped his sister off at school, he felt something strange urging him to visit his grandfather's house. It was as if something inside him was directing him there. When he arrived, his grandfather greeted him warmly, and they began a long conversation about his late father, a rare discussion between them.
The grandfather said in a mysterious tone, "Ryoma, your father was an extraordinary man... sometimes I feel like I never truly knew him. There were many mysterious things in his life, and you carry a part of those secrets as well."
These words piqued Ryoma's curiosity, and he decided to visit his father's old room. Among his father's belongings, untouched for years, his eyes landed on an old piece of paper hidden in one of the drawers. It was a strange drawing resembling an ancient map.
At first, he thought it was just a useless piece of paper, but then he realized that the markings on it matched a deserted forest on the outskirts of the city. A strange feeling urged him to leave and head there, as if something invisible was guiding him.
He followed the map until he reached an abandoned house deep within the forest, which seemed to have once belonged to someone. While exploring, he noticed a faint light emanating from one of the rooms. As he approached, he discovered a peculiar dagger gleaming in the darkness, almost as if it had been waiting for him.
When he reached out to grab it, he felt a mysterious force pulling him toward it. As soon as his fingers touched the dagger, his body began to glow with a white light before vanishing completely inside him, as if the dagger had sealed itself within him.
He fainted for a moment, and when he regained consciousness, he felt something strange inside him—something incomprehensible yet familiar. He left the house unaware of what had just happened, but he knew that night had changed his life forever.
At that moment, Saito was watching from afar, unaware that he was being observed.
After Ryoma acquired the dagger, he wandered through the streets of the city, heading toward his sister's school. Questions flooded his mind about what had happened hours earlier.
While crossing a busy street, a girl suddenly collided with him, causing him to take a step back. The girl looked flustered, raised her head, and gazed at him with her deep violet eyes.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to..." she said, then noticed his face seemed strangely familiar.
As she spoke, her hand instinctively reached up to his cheek, as if she sensed something unusual. The moment she touched him, both of them felt a strange shiver, as if a mild electric shock passed between them. The sensation was odd, like they had known each other for a long time, even though they had never met before.
Ryoma, who wasn't used to such feelings, quickly stepped back and said in a cold but hesitant tone, "I'm fine." He then turned and continued on his way, but something inside him had changed. He felt a sudden jolt in his chest.
Hours later, when he went to Saito's house to explain the dagger incident, he was surprised to see the same girl sitting on the couch as if she were accustomed to being there.
Before Ryoma could say anything, she smiled calmly and said in a quiet voice with a hint of sarcasm:
"I didn't expect us to meet again so quickly, Ryoma."
Still in shock from their encounter, Ryoma looked toward Saito and asked coldly, "Who is she?"
Saito smiled and replied with a mischievous tone: "Ah... I forgot to tell you. This is Akari, my student. And also... maybe your classmate soon."
Saito then walked over to Ryoma, placed a hand in his pocket, and whispered in his ear: "Come to me tomorrow around this time (midnight)."
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Ryoma arrived at the dark forest, where the place was engulfed in shadows, as if the light itself had completely vanished. The tall, twisted trees loomed in the air, and the sounds of the night echoed in the wild winds. He found Saito sitting on a large rock in the middle of the forest, his face devoid of exhaustion, as if he were a part of this dark scene. Ryoma looked at him in surprise, wondering why he was in such a desolate place.
Ryoma said in a hesitant voice, "What are we doing here?"
Saito replied in a calm, deep tone: "To train you, Ryoma. This is where you will learn the true endurance, and I want to see how you'll evolve."
Saito raised his hand and pointed to the ground before him, where there was a bag of food and quantities of water. Then he continued, "This training won't be easy. You'll rely on your physical strength, your ability to endure, and your speed in reacting to the circumstances. The forest will teach you more than you think."
He pointed toward the large rocks scattered around them. "The first thing you need to develop is your physical endurance. Your true strength will be useless if your body can't keep up with it."
Then he pointed to a long rocky path stretching through the forest. "Run to the end of this path... and return. Do this twenty times."
Ryoma didn't argue and started running immediately. But he quickly realized that the path wasn't easy, filled with uneven rocks and natural obstacles. Nevertheless, he kept going without complaint.
After hours of physical training, from running to lifting rocks and sparring with Saito, Ryoma's body was completely exhausted, but he refused to stop.
Saito stood in front of Ryoma, hands in his pockets, watching him coldly.
"One week has passed since Ryoma started his training, and he had improved noticeably. His body had grown stronger, his muscles more pronounced, as if the change had occurred overnight. Saito watched his progress with interest, thinking to himself: 'He's improved quickly.' Then he approached Ryoma and said, 'Come, it's time to show you something new.'"
He moved closer to Ryoma, and when he was near, Saito suddenly raised his right hand. His shadow on the ground began to stretch and move as if it were a living creature. A dark violet aura surrounded his hand as if the shadow had gained immense power. Suddenly, the shadow disappeared entirely, as if the light itself had swallowed it.
Saito spoke quietly: "What you just saw is the embodiment of a power known as 'Soul Shadow.' It's called 'Raikano,' but it's not like any ordinary energy. Unlike other powers that can be controlled by will, Raikano is a power that controls you if you're not strong enough."
"It grows stronger at night. Shadows only appear in daylight, but in the dark, the shadow becomes stronger than its owner. If you can't control this shadow, it will swallow you and turn you into a mindless monster known as 'The Forbidden Arrows.'"
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The scene suddenly shifted to a dark place, where a strange creature sat among the shadows. Its black body blended completely with the surroundings. Only its glowing red eyes were visible, shining in the dark. With its strong hands, it slowly cut the heart of a human, then took a bite from it ravenously, as if it were a normal ritual for it. Blood splattered around, but it showed an eerie calm. Its terrifying yet elegant appearance sent shivers down the spine, as if this creature belonged to another world, w
here fear and elegance merged in every movement.
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End of Chapter 5