The rain fell in slow, heavy drops against the cracked pavement, washing away the last warmth of the day. Neon lights from White Leaf Academy flickered above the gate, painting the puddles in shifting colors Muzan could no longer see.
They wouldn't let him see it.
Not anymore.
He stood alone, the laughter of students echoing from the courtyard behind him. Just hours ago, they had called his name, reaching out to touch the hem of his uniform, whispering about his looks, about how he was destined for greatness.
The Awakening Ceremony had ended that illusion.
"Unable to awaken an ability."
The words replayed, cold, sharp, final.
He had stood there, under the gaze of thousands, as the crystal glowed black, silent, refusing to acknowledge him. The cheers died first, then the whispers started, then the pity, and finally, the disgust.
Alice had been there, her eyes hidden behind trembling bangs, lips parting as if to speak, but she had said nothing. That was the worst part. She had only watched him as he walked out of the hall, empty.
He had lost everything in that single moment.
Now, under the rain, Muzan clenched his fists until blood dripped down his palm, mixing with the water around his shoes. He could not go back to that building. He could not stand another second of those eyes on him.
He turned and walked, the city lights cold, the mana streetlamps buzzing above. His footsteps echoed in empty alleys until he reached the small apartment that felt too silent now. He dropped his bag, collapsing into the single chair by the window, staring into the darkness.
What was the point?
No ability meant no cultivation, no advancement, no future. In this world ruled by power, a powerless person was already dead. He thought of his parents, of the vague memory of fire and screams, and the beasts tearing through their home.
"Is this how it ends for me?"
The thought repeated itself until the moon was high.
And then he moved.
In the early hours, he walked to the black market district, eyes dead, voice flat as he placed his savings on the counter.
"A magic rift key."
The vendor had looked at him strangely, but the credits were clean, and the transaction was done. The small, jagged crystal pulsed faintly in his hand as he left.
He walked to the outskirts, to the abandoned industrial zone where mana rifts were known to open, and inserted the key into the decaying arch.
A tear in reality split open.
Warm, humid air filled with the stench of beasts rolled out to meet him. He stepped forward, the rift swallowing him whole, sealing behind him with a whisper.
Inside, the world was dark, the sky a churning red, the ground littered with bones and blackened trees. He walked until the first beast found him, a snarling, wolf-like creature with blades for claws.
He stood still.
"Come on…" he whispered, closing his eyes, waiting for the pain, for the end, for the darkness to take him away.
The beast lunged.
At that moment, Muzan's eyes snapped open, and a thought struck him so violently that his breath caught.
"I don't want to die."
The world froze.
Time itself seemed to crack.
A blinding light exploded from his chest, and a voice, cold and mechanical, echoed inside his mind.
> [Sovereign System Detected.]
[Initializing Core Activation.]
[Warning: Host power exceeds measurable threshold. Entering Critical Stabilization.]
Flames erupted around him, red and hungry, swirling with crackling lightning that danced like serpents over his skin. The beast disintegrated in an instant, its roar cut short by the flash.
Dozens more came, but they were torn apart by the storm of fire and lightning that surrounded him, screaming into the red sky as the world shook.
And then, silence.
Muzan stood alone, breathing heavily, the rain of ash falling around him. His eyes reflected the flickering remnants of flames, cold silver irises glowing with the birth of something new.
> [Initialization Complete.]
[Welcome, Sovereign Host.]
And for the first time in his life, Muzan felt it.
Power.
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