The city never slept.
It just forgot to dream.
High above the broken alleyways, the neon skyline pulsed in sickly colors — bright promises hiding deeper decay.
Kai Arashi moved like a shadow between the ruins, his body still sore but stronger now, charged by the stolen healing Sigil thrumming beneath his skin.
Every breath he took burned.
Every step he made hurt.
And yet — for the first time — he felt alive.
[Quest Tracking: Active.]
[Target: Riku Kanzaki.]
A glowing blood-red marker floated at the edge of his vision, pulsing gently.
Leading him forward.
Leading him toward vengeance.
The Academy's private housing district loomed ahead — gated, armored, protected by security runes that shimmered across the marble walls.
And there, sitting on the courtyard steps, laughing with his followers under the false glow of luxury—
Riku Kanzaki.
Kai's fingers curled into fists.
He tasted copper on his tongue as the old rage boiled up from his stomach.
But this time…
this time, he had the Abyss on his side.
Kai closed his eyes.
[SYSTEM: Abyss Core Unsealed - Stage 1 Initiation Possible.]
[Would you like to Awaken Stage 1? Y/N]
The screen flickered glitchily — ancient rune patterns swirling in jagged bursts.
Kai didn't hesitate.
He whispered into the night:
"Yes."
[STAGE 1: SHADOW INFUSION UNLOCKED.]
Pain erupted through Kai's body.
Every nerve felt like it was being scorched and frozen at once.
His skin cracked — black tendrils of shadow slipping out from his pores, wrapping his limbs in shifting armor of darkness.
The world dulled.
Sounds slowed.
Colors faded to grey.
And in his mind — sharp and clear — one command blazed:
Hunt.
Kai stepped forward.
The guards never even saw him coming.
One blink —
two bodies hit the ground, throats slashed silently by claws of pure Abyssal energy.
Not even a whisper escaped their lips before death claimed them.
Riku looked up lazily at the noise.
Annoyed.
Unconcerned.
Spoiled.
Weak.
He rose to his feet, brushing imaginary dust from his designer jacket, a small glowing Sigil sparking to life on his forearm.
"Who dares—?"
He never finished the sentence.
A shadow exploded out of the darkness, slamming into him, dragging him screaming across the courtyard.
Riku summoned a barrier reflexively —
golden light flickering around him.
But Kai — no, the thing Kai had become — tore through the shield like it was paper.
Blood sprayed across the marble tiles.
Riku howled in rage and terror, swinging wildly — blasts of fire Sigil magic exploding around him.
Kai weaved through them, a blur of shadow and teeth.
He pinned Riku against the fountain.
Leaning close enough that Riku could see the glowing abyss reflected in Kai's dead eyes.
"You took everything from me," Kai whispered.
Riku whimpered.
Kai smiled.
And plunged his blackened hand through Riku's chest.
[SIGIL ABSORBED: Minor Flame Manipulation (Level 2).]
[Abyss Copy Successful.]
Riku's corpse hit the ground, eyes wide open in shock.
Empty.
Forgotten.
A fitting death for a parasite.
Kai stood over the body, breathing heavily, black mist swirling from his fingertips.
For the first time in his life…
he wasn't the prey anymore.
He was the predator.
Above him, the System flickered:
[Congratulations: You have taken your First Blood.]
[Abyss Core Level Increased.]
[New Title Unlocked: The Forsaken.]
Kai turned away from the corpse without a second glance.
The night wasn't over.
There were more insects to crush.
The abyss demanded it.
And so did he.