The night deepened, and the rain gave way to a thick fog as Riku raced toward the next flare on his tracker. Buildings blurred past, and soon he landed silently atop a rooftop overlooking a shattered street. Below, a young Essence Wielder—barely older than fifteen—stood trembling, their Essence flickering erratically as they faced off against a figure in a red cloak.
The man's aura was suffocating, his crimson eyes glowing through the mist.
"Run," the man said to the youth, voice low and calm. "This has nothing to do with you."
But the Wielder stood frozen. That's when Riku appeared behind the rogue in a flash of light, hand resting on the man's shoulder.
"You must be the second one."
The rogue didn't flinch.
"Name's Shinrai Kasen," he said without turning. "I specialize in dismembering cocky heroes who think they're fast enough."
Suddenly, Shinrai spun and slashed with a blade of red light that materialized in his hand—Riku barely leaned back in time. The street exploded as Essence energy blasted outward. The youth was shielded by one of Riku's clones, who whisked them away from the center of the fight.
The two warriors clashed.
Riku's fists were a blur, weaving between strikes, but Shinrai's precision was surgical. His Essence flowed like blood and shadow, forming long-range slashes that curved unnaturally through the air. One nicked Riku's cheek—his first wound in weeks.
"Not bad," Riku admitted, wiping the blood away."But I've fought worse."
"And I've killed better," Shinrai replied with a smirk.
The ground split beneath them as both surged forward. A clone of Riku tried to intercept Shinrai, but the rogue blinked through it, his blade grazing the original Riku's side. Riku grabbed his wrist and flipped him over his shoulder—but Shinrai vanished mid-air and reappeared behind Riku, his blade aimed for the spine.
The strike was blocked—barely.
"You're not like the first rogue," Riku muttered, his eyes serious now."You're trained."
"Trained by the worst," Shinrai said, his voice now grim."And I'm just getting started."
Their fight continued in a whirlwind of speed, feints, and raw Essence power, tearing through buildings and rooftops as the city below trembled from their clash.