Rain pelted the streets of the old construction yard, soaking the rusted steel beams and broken concrete slabs. Thunder cracked above like a war drum as Riku stood alone in the center of the wide-open lot, breathing steadily.
His silver hair clung to his face, water sliding down his tall frame. His golden eyes, however, burned like twin suns — unmoved by the storm.
Before him loomed a grotesque Grade-1 curse, its bloated form resembling a mass of stitched human limbs and twisted animal parts. Its cursed energy oozed hatred, thick and suffocating like smoke from burning flesh.
It hissed in a thousand voices at once. "You… do not belong…"
Riku cracked his neck.
"No," he replied. "But I'm not leaving either."
He pressed his palms together.
Shadow gathered under his feet like a living pool, rippling with hungry anticipation. His cursed energy surged — not wild, but controlled. Each breath calibrated, each movement chosen.
His voice cut through the rain like a blade.
> "Ten Shadows Technique – Max Elephant!"
From the storm of cursed power, the ground cracked and split — then shuddered.
A deep rumble, like the heartbeat of a titan, echoed across the lot.
A giant tusk broke through the surface.
Then another.
And then, with a triumphant bellow that shook the skies, Max Elephant erupted from the shadow realm — towering, colossal, divine. Water swirled around its body like living armor, cursed inscriptions glowing on its skin. Its golden eyes mirrored Riku's own.
The curse screeched in alarm, staggering backward.
Riku lifted his arm and pointed forward. "Soak it."
With a thunderous trumpet, Max Elephant raised its trunk high — and unleashed a tsunami of cursed water.
The wave tore through steel girders, dumpsters, and brick walls like they were paper. The curse screamed as it was engulfed, its limbs dissolving into the tide. The ground flooded, washing away not just the monster — but the stench of its presence.
Riku didn't flinch.
Max Elephant stepped forward, rippling the water with each movement, and let out a softer cry. The battle was over in seconds.
Riku walked forward until the water reached his boots.
He stood beside the towering beast and placed a hand against its leg.
"You did good," he whispered.
Max Elephant gave a low grumble of satisfaction and slowly faded back into shadow, leaving only ripples where it stood.
Silence returned — except for the rain.
But then… clapping.
Slow. Purposeful.
Riku turned sharply, his eyes narrowing.
A figure stood near the entrance of the lot, half-hidden under an umbrella.
Aira Shiratori.
Cool expression. Calm eyes. A faint smile that wasn't entirely friendly.
"That," she said, "was one hell of a summon."
Riku didn't reply immediately. He studied her aura — layered, precise. She wasn't startled. She had been watching. Measuring him.
"You followed me," he said flatly.
Aira stepped closer, boots splashing through puddles. "I was curious. Momo mentioned you. I felt something too. You're not normal, are you?"
Riku's lips curved into a smirk. "You're not either."
That made her pause.
She studied him, head tilted. "You… you're not afraid of me."
"You haven't given me a reason to be."
Their gazes locked — gold against violet. For a moment, the rain around them seemed to fade into nothing but rhythm.
Then Aira looked away. "That technique… it wasn't just a cursed summon. It had personality. Intelligence."
"They all do," Riku said. "The Ten Shadows aren't mindless beasts. They're pieces of me."
Aira's eyes flicked back to him. "Then who are you, really?"
Riku's smirk faded slightly.
"A stranger," he said. "But I'm trying not to be."
She didn't respond. Instead, she stepped past him and looked at the battlefield — shattered beams, soaked steel, and steam still rising from the waterlogged ground.
"There's a war coming," she whispered. "I can feel it."
Riku's voice was firm. "Then we get ready."
She turned to him again, more serious this time. "You're strong. But you're not invincible."
"I don't need to be," he said. "I just need to be strong enough… to protect the ones who can't protect themselves."
Something flickered in her expression — recognition… or respect.
"Alright then, Golden Eyes," she said, stepping away. "Next time, don't summon a lake in the middle of town."
And with that, Aira vanished into the rain.
Riku stared at the spot where she'd stood. Despite everything he carried — the weight of cursed power, the whisper of Sukuna in his soul, the shadow of a violent future — her presence had not judged him.
She had seen him.
He closed his eyes.
Max Elephant had roared. And the world had listened.
Tonight was the first of many.