The sun set behind the imposing skyline of Ryuki City, coloring the sky in swashes of orange and violet. Neon lights crept to life over the urban landscape, as the heartbeat of the city pulsed with tradition and newness.
High above Ryuki Dojo, beyond the crowded training rooms and quiet meditation chambers, two men sat under a wooden awning scented with incense and the smell of old wood. A half-full bottle of sake sat between them, the steam from their cups drifting into the cool evening air.
Hoshin Maru, the dojo master, lifted his cup."Did you hear? Raka, Yuzen City's old big boss, died. Disease took him, they say."
Ryden Ryuki, wearing his guardian armor but with his hair loose and his eyes drawn in an abnormally tired look, nodded slowly."Yes. Rumors spread quickly in cities like ours. But that's not what's bothering me."
Hoshin raised his head, interested.
Ryden let out a sharp breath."What's concerning me is who is going to replace Raka. That vacuum of power in Yuzen City... It's unstable."
The dojo groaned faintly as a gust of air rushed through it, as though the walls themselves were listening."You're remembering the war," Hoshin whispered.
Ryden's expression darkened."Over twenty years ago, Yuzen's old boss was a madman who dragged our people into a senseless war. Thousands died—not just soldiers. Civilians. Children. Whole streets reduced to ash."
He gazed down into his cup, hoping the reflection would reveal something—anything—from those ethereal memories."I hope," Ryden went on, "that the new ruler is a wise one. Someone who knows balance... not blood."
Hoshin drank in silence, his eyes furrowed in thought."If they appoint someone quickly, I'll go to Yuzen myself. I want to welcome them personally. Form a positive relationship."
Ryden's cup hung suspended in mid-air."You don't have to do that," he said gently. "It's risky, Hoshin."
"Risky?" Hoshin smiled weakly. "What, are you worried something will happen to me?"
"Yes!" Ryden exclaimed. "You're too valuable to us. You're not just the master of our dojo. You're the foundation of peace in this city. If something happens to you, Ryuki City could descend into chaos. We both know there are people—even within our walls—waiting to seize power. If the pillar trembles, the wolves will run."
Hoshin let out a deep breath, setting his cup on the floor with care."True. I don't want to be the spark that ignites another civil war. But if something does happen to me, Ryden… I want you to take over as boss of Ryuki."
Ryden's eyes went wide."What?"
"You heard me. You're Ryuki's blood. You're faithful, powerful, wise—and the people look up to you. Who else can defend this city if I'm gone?"
Ryden set his drink aside, his hand shaking slightly—not because of the offer, but the weight behind it.
"No," he said softly. "That's not what Ryuki is named after."
Hoshin leaned back."What do you mean?"
"This city…" Ryden gazed out below, looking over the rooftops as if searching for someone."Ryuki City isn't named after a family. It's not about bloodlines or legacy. It was named after him—the legendary warrior Ryuki. The poor child who rose when the world turned its back. He wasn't powerful. He wasn't born noble. But he was a symbol."
Hoshin's expression softened, listening intently.
"Ryuki stood between the clans that fought and said, 'This land is sacred. I will not let it burn.' He brought peace when no one else could. We are just his descendants—keepers of his legacy. The name Ryuki belongs to everyone in this city who believes in peace."
The silence that followed was not empty—it was sacred.
After a moment, Hoshin chuckled."You've become a wiser man, Ryden. Perhaps too wise. But thank you for remembering the history. We'll never forget Ryuki. He created this system of peace... Anyway, you've become a good father. You've matured so much in the past 20 years."
A shadow passed over Ryden's face. He thought of his sons—Veon, powerful and talented in magic, already respected by high-order city mages. And then… Auren. The quiet one. The one who lacked power. The one he barely remembered was even there.
Hoshin caught the shift in his friend's expression."Is something troubling you?"
Ryden glanced away."Nothing that can't be managed. Let's just hope Yuzen's destiny doesn't drag us all into the shadows."
As the city thrummed beneath them and the stars pierced the canopy of night, the two men sipped in silence. But in the gusts that swept the rooftop, something stirred—something neither of them could halt.
High over the chaotic streets of Ryuki City, on a rust-covered watchtower overlooking the southern quarter, two men sat bathed in moonlight.
One was huge—a wall of muscle clad in loose robes, his skin covered with elaborate tattoos of a cat, monkey, and snake, each inked with intricate, living detail. They seemed to twitch and writhe with every breath. His long, silver hair blew in the wind, and a scar traced the left side of his jaw like a map left by fate.
He sipped from an antique gourd of sake—the liquor not quite potent enough for a man like him. He was known as Okabaru Vincent, whispered about in alleyways as a specter, a legend… or a living tool.
Beside him sat a smaller, much younger man with slicked-back hair and hilariously oversized goggles that kept slipping down his nose. In one hand, he held a notebook; in the other, a steaming cup of tea. Toji was no fool—Okabaru's disciple, technician, and friend.
Toji watched his master for a moment before speaking, his tone light but curious."Okabaru-sensei… why are you staring at the city like that? You look like you're trying to see something that isn't there."
Okabaru didn't respond right away. The wind ruffled his robe, revealing more of his tattoos—tales of war and wild beasts no textbook could explain.
At last, his voice came, deep and grizzled, soaked in smoke and fire."Because I was born here."
Toji blinked."Really? You never told me that."
Okabaru laughed—a low, rasping sound."There are a lot of things I've never told you, Toji. Just because we share a roof doesn't mean you know my history."
Toji chuckled and rubbed the back of his head."You're so enigmatic, Sensei. Sometimes I think you're a manga character."
"I'm worse," Okabaru grinned. "At least manga characters get a happy ending."
They sat in silence, watching neon signs flicker across the city like glass-bound spirits. Airbikes hummed through the air, and far-off laughter echoed from ramen stands and rooftops.
Toji sipped his tea thoughtfully."So… are you waiting for someone?"
Okabaru said nothing. He squinted toward the heart of the city—toward Ryuki Dojo.
"That boy," he said finally. "The second Ryuki son."
"Auren?" Toji asked, eyebrows raised.
"The one who has no magic?"
Okabaru nodded."I listened to the wind speak of him today. Beaten by children. Ignored by his father. Destined. Yet still not broken."
Toji frowned."But what do you have to do with him? He's just—"
Okabaru raised a finger. Toji stopped.
"No one is just anything," Okabaru said."You know what I see when I look at him?"
Toji shook his head.
"A spark," Okabaru said."The kind that ignites a forest fire.
*********
Nighttime.
Run, run for your life. Who is he??