After sunset, an eerie silence hung over the village. Ryu sat back on the same old bench, swirling his drink as if nothing had happened. Elira was distributing herbal medicine to the villagers, and slowly, life was returning to normal. Yet, in their eyes, there was still a faint trace of fear—the fear of a man who could wipe out an entire gang with a single snap of his fingers.
Ryu looked up at the sky with a faint smirk. "Today's drama is over… or maybe not."
There was a small glint in his eyes, as if he could sense something. He placed his cup on the bench and slowly stood up.
The faint sound of a sword's cold ring echoed through the air. Ryu turned his head and saw—a tall, lean man standing at the village gate. His short silver hair gleamed slightly in the fading light, his face sharp and arrogant. A black sword hung across his shoulder, faint runes glowing on its blade.
The man began walking forward slowly.
"So you're the one… killing the Rift Beast and pretending to be a hero?"
Ryu looked at him and replied with a smile,
"Hero? No, just a tourist. And you? Here for an autograph or revenge?"
The man wiped his blade casually and said,
"My name is Kael. And I hunt those who disrupt the balance. Your name is Ryu, right?"
Ryu shrugged and said,
"You heard right. But 'disrupting balance'… nice line, though your delivery's a little weak."
A flicker of anger crossed Kael's face. He drew his sword and pointed it at Ryu.
"The creature you killed… it was human. And you ended it mercilessly. I can't trust someone like you."
Ryu exhaled slowly, looking at him with a faint smile.
"Human… yeah. But do you think I killed it because I wanted to? Your problem is that you don't see the truth—you're trapped in your hero complex."
Kael swung his sword sharply, a slicing sound echoing through the air.
"I'll test you. Let's see how much truth you really speak."
Ryu raised his hand, forming a small golden circle, his expression still calm and relaxed.
"All right. If your test is entertaining, maybe I'll pass."
Without wasting a moment, Kael dashed toward him. His black sword gleamed through the air, his movements far beyond those of a normal human. Ryu simply sidestepped, the blade cutting through the air just beside him.
"You're fast… but trying a bit too hard," Ryu said with a faint smirk, snapping his fingers.
A golden ring formed beneath Kael's feet, the ground cracking slightly. But Kael was quick—he flipped in midair, landing behind Ryu, his blade stopping just inches from Ryu's throat.
Ryu glanced at him and chuckled softly. "Nice, you're a little fun."
Kael glared. "Can't you stop joking for once?"
Ryu shrugged. "No, because watching you get angry makes it even better."
Kael was about to attack again when suddenly the sky turned pitch-black. Both of them stopped.
A massive black rift opened above, slowly growing larger and larger. From within, a dreadful light poured out, and an intense pressure filled the air.
Kael tightened his grip on his sword and looked at Ryu. "That's… a Rift! Another one is opening."
Ryu sighed softly. "Looks like we'll have to delay your test. Now we'll both have to pass one together."
Kael looked at him in surprise. "I don't trust you."
Ryu smirked. "And I don't want to trust you. But what choice do we have? Die alone or die together?"
Kael clenched his sword and muttered, "Fine… but don't think this makes us friends."
Ryu smiled lightly. "I'm not used to friends… just temporary partners."
The rift kept widening in the sky, a terrifying rumble echoing as the ground beneath them began to crack. Both men stared upward—their faces reflecting different emotions. Kael's was tense and furious, while Ryu wore his usual calm, amused smirk.
"All right then, let's begin… the game's getting more interesting."
The rift continued to expand, its dark light spilling across the entire village. The air grew heavy—so heavy that even breathing felt difficult.
Kael gripped his sword tightly and stood beside Ryu, his face a mixture of anger and tension.
"I've never seen a Rift this large before."
Ryu smiled faintly and looked up at the sky.
"Then today's your lucky day."
Kael glared at him. "Will you ever stop joking?"
Ryu shrugged. "No. You should keep your mood light before dying."
Just then, a loud roar erupted from the rift, and a monstrous creature descended from the sky. Its body was half human, half beast, made entirely of black smoke, with eyes glowing like burning red embers. Its feet touched the ground, yet it didn't walk—it floated.
Kael raised his sword. "I'll take the left. You go right. We need to break its focus."
Ryu looked at him and smirked. "Wow… giving me orders? Fine, let's play along for fun."
Both rushed toward the creature. Kael's sword crackled with black lightning, striking the creature's arm with a loud explosion. The creature roared furiously, swinging its massive hand and throwing Kael across the field.
Ryu formed a golden circle beneath the creature's feet, and the ground cracked open. For a moment, it was pinned down—but it quickly tore through its smoky form and freed itself.
Ryu took a deep breath. "Stronger than I thought… this is getting fun."
Kael got back on his feet, glaring angrily. "Fun? You're insane."
Ryu smiled. "Maybe… or maybe this is just my cure for boredom."
The creature roared again, its body emanating black lightning-like smoke. Ryu and Kael charged together—Kael's swift sword strikes and Ryu's golden magic circles colliding against the beast's dark form.
Then, a faint human voice echoed from the rift—someone else was coming through. Suddenly, another figure fell from the rift.
It was a man—draped in a long black cloak, his face half-covered by a mask, his hair completely white. He landed upright, unscathed. Slowly, he lifted his head toward Ryu, and his eyes glowed with a strange light.
He spoke softly,
"…So, it's you. You actually came."
Ryu froze, his face turning serious for the first time.
"You… know me?"
The masked man gave a faint chuckle beneath his mask. "How could I not? You were never supposed to come here… your very existence is shaking this world."
Kael looked between them, confused. "You two… know each other?"
Ryu didn't glance at Kael, his eyes fixed only on the masked man.
"Who are you?"
The man spoke quietly, "Me? I'm just a prophet… counting your sins."
He raised his hand, and the smoke around them began to shift violently. The creature they were fighting suddenly flared with intense light, its power increasing rapidly.
Ryu took a deep breath and smiled. "Ah… so you're not an audience member—you're the director. Let's see how long your show lasts."
Kael gritted his teeth, tightening his sword. "Ryu! That's no ordinary Rift monster… it's under someone's control!"
Ryu's eyes gleamed faintly. "I know… which makes it even more interesting."
The masked man bowed slightly. "Then let's begin… the game."
The creature's body glowed brighter, the air cracked like thunder, and the entire village echoed with a terrifying roar.
—To Be Continued