The fire from the torches crackled eagerly, dancing between fear and tension. The third full moon, white and absolute, reigned from the not-yet-night sky with an ancestral gaze, as if nature itself understood that this night would be unlike any other.
Josuke Hachimizu, seated on a rock with his legs crossed, observed his surroundings with a mixture of apathy and anticipation. The glow of the flames cast shifting shadows on his battle-worn face.
In front of him, the Jungle Goblins murmured fearfully, crouched beside their huts, their eyes wide as if waiting for death to descend from the sky at any moment.
Beside him, the old goblin clutched his vine staff tightly. His wrinkles didn't hide his wisdom, but tonight, time weighed differently on his back.
—Raikon—said the old man softly— is not a common monster. It surpasses AAA++ rank by far. It's an S+ Rank creature, one that has evolved and survived over five hundred years… in constant battle. The jungle, the volcano, the skies… it considers all of it its domain. We… are merely its prey.
Josuke narrowed his eyes. He had heard part of that story before, but now the old man's words were a heavier weight on the atmosphere. The White Trige, a feline larger than a house, cloaked in lightning, with an ego as sharp as its fangs.
—It loves strength. Power—added the elder—. It respects strength… but only if it's greater than its own. If not… it devours. Tears. Destroys.
Josuke rested his cheek on his closed fist and scoffed indifferently.
—I gotta say, having it on my summoning list doesn't sound so bad… That is, if I beat it. And even better… it uses pure lightning magic. To be honest, my demon eel is a disappointment.
He opened his system and navigated through crimson floating menus until he found what he was looking for:
...
[Skill Tree – Elemental Magics]
[Electric Magic]: – Acquired from the Demon Eel (Limited by distance)
...
Josuke snorted.
—And the worst part is… I don't even have real mana. I don't actually use magic, just powers borrowed from what I hunt. A fake… a trap. Just superpowers in disguise.
He let himself fall back, staring at the clouds barely visible through the jungle mist. Silence embraced him for a few seconds.
—Without those abilities…—he murmured— I'm nothing. Just another human.
A soft and familiar voice echoed in his head.
—Oh, don't feel that way, Josuke Hachimizu… With or without magic, you're special to me—said the Blood System, in a comforting tone.
Josuke rolled his eyes.
—I liked you better when you sounded like a soulless robot. I don't need comfort.
—Rude!—huffed the system before going silent with theatrical offense.
Josuke sighed. The day had passed quickly. Too quickly. As if fate were laughing at him. Everything seemed to move without pause, without time to process.
He opened his system again, now checking his favorite skill: Summoning. The menu unfolded like an altar of power:
...
[Monster Summoning List]
[Water Slime]: +900 blood points
[Magma Slime]: +900 blood points
[Demonic Wolves]: +1,000 blood points
[Hound Bat]: +6,000 blood points
[Demon Eel]: +4,000 blood points
[Trigloid Bird]: +2,000 blood points
[Arboloids]: +4,000 blood points
[Underground Ants]: +900 blood points
[Diamond Bat]: +1,000 blood points
[Spider Queen]: +8,000 blood points
[Scarlet Serpent]: +10,000 blood points
[King of Shadows]: +199,000 blood points
...
—Let's see how this goes—muttered Josuke, investing 1800 points. Immediately, two slimes emerged beside him: one bright blue and the other blazing orange.
The goblin children who had come close during the day stared wide-eyed. One tried to touch the Water Slime, which curled up like a watery puppy. The Magma Slime let out a hissing puff.
—Not bad—commented Josuke.
Then, a new notification flashed before him:
[Notification: Congratulations. Due to your summoning skill, you are offered to change class to: Necromancer]
Josuke raised an eyebrow and opened the details menu:
[Information: Summoning and resurrection of fallen souls]
[Penalties]:
—Unbelievable…—he murmured—. But the drawbacks are horrible. Pass.
He tapped the red X. Notification closed.
—I'm skipping this stupid class. I'd rather stay a Swordsman—said Josuke Hachimizu angrily.
And so, night fell.
The full moon floated like an unmoving eye. The stars seemed farther away, as if afraid to witness what was about to unfold.
Josuke stood surrounded by the Jungle Goblins of the tribe. The torches formed a crude circle. The elder stood beside him, eyes fixed on the green exit of foliage.
The air grew dense. Leaves began to stir, branches whispered ancient languages. The earth… trembled.
Josuke yawned.
—Well? Where's your electric trige?—said Josuke Hachimizu arrogantly.
—Get ready—said the elder—. This is all or nothing.
Suddenly, the sky was torn by a titanic lightning bolt that descended from the volcano's crater with a thunderous roar. The ground shook. Trees creaked as if they were made of glass. A throne of smoke and sparks rose in the distance, and from the heart of the radiance, a figure emerged.
A white tiger.
Gigantic.
Majestic.
The sky roared. Not with the voice of wind, nor with the sudden song of night rain. It roared with the living, sovereign presence of the storm itself. The entire sky seemed to bow before the monster emerging from the smoke, each cloud spinning in reverence, each thunderclap silenced, as if the world itself held its breath.
There he was.
Raikon, the White Trige of Lightning.
A colossal tiger, its white fur streaked with black lines that weren't static, but living slashes of electricity coursing through its body like divine veins. It had three tails, a symbol of its supreme evolution, each one crackling with golden sparks.
Its eyes were compressed storms; its breath, burning vapor. Its claws, black as obsidian, scraped the ground leaving behind smoldering craters.
And its voice...
It was the voice of the storm itself.
—I have descended from the great volcano Rakkurai—he thundered, shaking the air—And you already know why I've come. Where are my offerings?
The sound of his voice wasn't just heard. It was felt. As if the sky itself had decided to speak through him. The goblins of the tribe shrank back into their huts, trembling. Some fell to their knees. Others simply ran to hide beneath roots and leaves. He was the absolute predator, the executioner of the island.
But a figure stepped forward.
The great Jungle Goblin elder, with his vine staff and steady gaze, walked to the edge of the torch circle. Behind him, the fire crackled—not from wind, but from the tension between two worlds: the ancestral... and the absolute.
—You will receive nothing more—said the elder, his voice trembling but firm—Your reign of terror ends today. This island will no longer be your den of sacrifices.
A hot sigh escaped the tiger's jaws. Raikon took a step. The earth groaned.
—Well now—he growled deeply—. The old one dares to bark. Has senility finally stolen your reason? Or is there… another motive behind your audacity?
—I am Raikon—he thundered with a deep voice—I am Raikon, the most powerful beast on this island, and you, decrepit old man, think you can push me back with your pitiful words of temporary bravery—he paused for a moment—I, whom the thunders themselves fear, the tamer of storms.
His eyes shifted. There, among the trembling goblin crowd, stood a human. Young, with a torn scarf, tired but shining eyes. Calm. Analyzing.
Josuke Hachimizu.
Raikon narrowed his eyes.
—Ah… now I understand. Have you brought a champion? Is this weak human your hope?
Josuke, still silent, watched the system displayed before his eyes. The tiger's aura made the air crackle. But the system didn't lie:
...
[INFORMATION]
[Race]: Magical Beast – White Trige of the Heights
[Level]: 550
[Rank]: S
[Titles]: Thunderbreaker, Storm Tamer
[Emotional State]: Hostile Curiosity
...
Josuke smiled. His cheeks flushed red.
—He's so beautiful… so wild… so… perfect. I think I like him.
—What are you saying, human?!—shouted Tappy through clenched teeth, hiding in the leaves—Are you in love with the enemy?!
Josuke, completely unrestrained, looked up.
—I've decided. I'm going to hunt you. And drink your blood. You'll be the jewel of my collection.
Raikon narrowed his eyes.
—You're going to hunt me? What nonsense. First of all, what sane human comes this deep into the dungeon? They can't even handle the first levels.
—You've got guts, human. But soon you'll learn what it means to challenge a god of thunder.
Josuke stepped forward, the ground cracked.
The goblins watched in silence.
And Josuke raised his voice:
—I am Josuke Hachimizu… and I won't let you sink a single fang into this tribe.
Raikon tilted his head. His whiskers sparked.
—You? A simple human? With that surname and all?
He turned to the elder.
—So this gave you courage… a mere talking rat.
But Josuke kept walking forward, slowly. His system constantly warned him of the abysmal difference. But he didn't care.
—You talk too much for a beast. I always thought the powerful acted, not gave speeches. Aren't you tired of hearing yourself meow?
And that was it.
The roar that came after wasn't a sound. It was a catastrophe.
Raikon lunged. There was no warning, no attack animation. Just a flash of white light and a devastating swipe. Josuke managed to react by activating the Scarlet Serpent's Hardening ability, covering his body in scarlet scales.
But it wasn't enough.
The impact was so violent the ground split. A straight line of destruction stretched for kilometers through the jungle. Uprooted trees. Pulverized rocks. Electric clashes sculpting the land like a line of thunder.
Josuke was sent flying like a weightless doll.
His body smashed through branches, debris, and ruins. He ended up embedded in a mound of palms and corpses of lesser monsters that had hidden from the beast. Silence surrounded him.
The tribe's torches flickered.
Tappy's eyes were wide open.
The elder didn't move.
And Raikon, without even ruffling his fur, spat on the ground.
—That was for speaking his surname with arrogance… the surname of my master—Raikon approached through the thick smoke.
Far away, among smoke and blood, Josuke crawled out of the wreckage.
The system opened:
...
[CRITICAL WARNING:
"Catastrophic damage detected.
Retreat from battle recommended. Host cannot withstand another hit of this magnitude"]
...
Josuke coughed blood. His ears bled. So did his nose. His eyes burned. But he smiled.
—It can't be…—he whispered—. I covered myself with the scale ability… and still…
He staggered.
Collapsed to his knees.
—What's happening…? My balance…
Streams of blood poured from his ears, eyes, nose, mouth. The world spun. Lights blurred. His own body trembled from exhaustion, from helplessness. From reality.
He wasn't the protagonist of this battle.
Not this time.
Pain still surged through every muscle in Josuke Hachimizu's body. Blood ran from his forehead, his nose, and his slightly parted mouth, while the involuntary trembling of his legs barely allowed him to remain standing. The air burned his lungs.
The ground beneath him, scarred by a trench of destruction stretching hundreds of meters, reminded him that his body hadn't blocked the attack by will… it was pure instinct. It was death brushing his neck that triggered the automatic defense mechanism within. He hadn't fought. His body had.
And yet, there he was, standing amidst the smoke, among charred leaves, surrounded by the echo of thunder and the lingering roar of the one who called himself the king of the storm. Raikon.
Josuke clenched his teeth. His breathing slowed, controlled, until from the depths of his throat, a command emerged with the echo of hatred:
—Activate… Crimson Oni Mask.
A visceral crack echoed from his jaw. The air around him trembled. The crimson metal emerged from the sides of his face like a living parasite, fusing to his skin, his flesh, his soul.
The system responded immediately, its voice deeper now, as if the mask affected even its tone:
[Blood System: Crimson Oni Mask bonded to host. 5% limiter deactivated.]
Josuke's pupils turned red, glowing like living embers amid the floating ash. His veins pulsed with crimson energy as his hair lifted upward, blown by the pressure of the aura he released. Each heartbeat echoed like a war drum in the jungle.
Raikon stepped forward, his three tails moving like whips. The sky seemed to darken around him, clouds slowly swirling as if obeying him. From his maw, lightning escaped with every breath. His eyes, electric and proud, locked onto Josuke with a mix of rage and awe.
—How dare you—he growled, his voice so deep it made dry branches vibrate—To speak the surname of my master, Hirata Hachimizu. Do you not understand the weight of those syllables, insignificant human?
Josuke didn't reply. He simply drew his crimson katana, its blade forged in the fires of the Seventh Underworld glowing with a deep light, as if a dormant hell burned within it. He charged toward Raikon, leaving a trail of torn leaves in his wake from the pressure.
The first clash was brutal. Raikon lunged and his claws met the crimson blade, a shockwave rippled through the forest, knocking down trees all around. Josuke spun and unleashed a barrage of slashes, each one accompanied by small explosions of shadow energy. Raikon dodged them with insulting ease, weaving through the attacks like an electric shadow.
Josuke summoned roots from the ground, using plant magic acquired from the Árboloids. The vines tried to bind the tiger's legs, but Raikon electrocuted them on contact. A single roar shattered them all.
—You are not worthy of the Hachimizu name—Raikon roared before launching himself with blinding speed.
Josuke activated the Serpiente Lunar's Quick Molt ability, his body becoming flexible, scaly, and twisting at the last moment to dodge the charge by mere centimeters. With a hand seal, he activated Pollen Burst, a green cloud exploding in front of Raikon's face, blinding him for just a moment. In that second, Josuke leapt back and spread his arms.
—Triple summon: Diamond Bat, Scarlet Serpent, Subterranean Ants.
Three crimson flashes erupted from the ground. Infernal creatures born of blood and shadow hurled themselves at Raikon all at once, trying to slow him, but the tiger, with a majestic spin of his body, unleashed an electric aura that vaporized the three creatures in seconds.
Josuke panted. His heart raced. He felt pressure in his chest like he was inhaling pure storm.
It was the same sensation he'd felt on the battlefield of his life, that feeling of death staring him in the eyes in its purest form. Josuke Hachimizu saw himself in his military campaign uniform, everything around him destroyed, buildings reduced to rubble, as he watched his wounded comrade clutching his uniform, eyes full of sorrow and desperation, saying, "Josuke, please, help me, I don't want to die".
Josuke snapped back to reality when a bolt of lightning nearly pierced him, reacting in desperation.
He leapt high, higher than ever before.
—Shadow Eagle, to me!
From the sky came a distorted scream, a screech that tore at the ears. A giant bird, with wings made of liquid shadows stained crimson red, descended from the sky, wrapped in a spiral of darkness. Josuke climbed onto its back and rose with it.
They soared through the skies.
Raikon's roar followed them.
The tiger leapt into the clouds as if he could fly. He didn't jump… he slid between lightning bolts, merging with them, appearing and vanishing in flashes of light.
His speed far surpassed that of thunder. Josuke, riding the Shadow Eagle, barely managed to react. A diagonal slash tore through his shoulder. Another flung him to the side. Blood splattered into the air.
—I can't—he shouted while regaining control—He's faster than the shadow itself.
At that moment, amid the dark sky and the swirling clouds, Josuke felt a tremor in his chest. It wasn't from the impact. It was a memory. A fleeting image crossed his mind. The hell of the Seventh Underworld. Screams. Blood. The face of a friend he failed to save. A broken promise. An unmourned death.
He trembled.
His hands were sweating. The air grew heavier. He didn't want to die.
Again, that thought. The one that haunted him since waking in this world. He didn't want to die.
—No!—he screamed in desperation—Not again!
Josuke closed his eyes for a split second. When he opened them, a red tear rolled down his cheek.
Not from sadness.
But from rage.
The system spoke with a voice more serious than ever:
[Blood System: Host's concentration level exceeded. Adrenaline released. Survival Instinct activated (excessive anxiety detected).]
Josuke roared. The crimson mask began to glow.
The eagle dove in a deadly dive.
Raikon was waiting.
And thus, sky and earth trembled at the clash of two monsters.
One born of thunder.
The other… born of pain.
And the battle had only just begun.