《Raise of Hollow king》 The Masacre Of Svyatoslav The screams had stopped. The only sounds left were the crackling of fire, the distant roar of something inhuman, and the ragged, uneven breaths of a little boy hiding among the corpses. Luka pressed his hands against his ears. It didn¡¯t help. The thick scent of blood and burning flesh filled his lungs. The street¡ªonce filled with merchants, laughter, and the warmth of everyday life¡ªwas now a graveyard. Bodies lay sprawled across the cobblestone. Homes smoldered in ruin. And in the distance, shadowy figures stalked the wreckage like specters of death. The Onix had come. Luka didn¡¯t know why. They weren¡¯t supposed to be here. The island was safe. Protected. Hidden from the chaos of the world. So why had these monsters¡ªthe creatures from the old war stories¡ªdescended upon them like a curse? He didn¡¯t understand. Why did they tear people apart like they were nothing? Why was everything burning? Why had his mother told him to run? But he had run. And now, he was alone. Something warm dripped onto his cheek. He looked up. Sasha. His sister crouched over him, her pale face streaked with sweat and soot, her hands gripping his shoulders so tightly her nails dug into his skin. Her lips moved¡ªwords spilling out frantically¡ªbut Luka couldn¡¯t hear her. The world felt distant. Muffled. Like he wasn¡¯t really there. Then her voice punched through the haze. ¡°Luka! We have to move.¡± His thoughts dragged, heavy and slow. Move? Go where? There was nowhere left. The village was gone. Their house was gone. Mama and Papa were¡ª A deafening screech tore through the air. Sasha flinched¡ªand Luka felt it before he saw it. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. A presence. Cold. Predatory. Something emerged from the smoke. Tall. Slender. Unnatural. A creature wrapped in obsidian-black sinew, its limbs impossibly long, fingers twitching as if savoring the hunt. Its white mask, smooth and expressionless, turned toward them¡ªtwo empty holes where eyes should be. An Onix. Luka¡¯s chest locked. The monster didn¡¯t move. It just stood there, watching. But somehow, Luka knew¡ªit could reach them in seconds. His breath hitched. Sasha¡¯s grip tightened. Then she grabbed his wrist. ¡°Run¡ªRUN!¡± She didn¡¯t wait for him to react. She dragged him, feet pounding against the shattered streets, lungs burning as they weaved through ruins, tripping over fallen beams and bodies. Behind them¡ª The Onix let out a guttural shriek. And dropped onto all fours. It charged. Luka couldn¡¯t breathe. Couldn¡¯t think. Couldn¡¯t¡ª A shockwave of air and dust erupted behind them. Luka stumbled forward, hitting the ground hard as the street cracked apart. Then a shadow passed over him. Chains. Glowing silver chains lashed through the smoke, striking the Onix and sending it skidding backward. A figure stood between them and the monster. Tall. Fierce. Familiar. ¡°Mom¡ª¡± Agata. Her silver chains coiled around her like living serpents, their metallic glow flickering against the firelit ruins. She stood unwavering, despite the blood trailing down her temple. Her eyes flicked to her children¡ªsharp, assessing, relieved. Then she turned back to the Onix. Her voice was calm. Cold. ¡°You picked the wrong children.¡± The Onix screeched. And lunged. Agata moved like a storm. The chains struck first. They coiled around the creature¡¯s limbs, tightening like steel vices. The Onix thrashed, its unnatural body twisting and convulsing, but Agata¡¯s grip didn¡¯t falter. She clenched her fist. The chains crushed inward. A sickening crack echoed through the ruins. The Onix shouldn¡¯t have been here. Sasha¡¯s breath came in ragged gasps. She stood in front of Luka, legs shaking, hands trembling at her sides. But she didn¡¯t move. The creature was twice her size. Its blackened limbs twitched, its hollow white eyes fixed on Luka. Sasha clenched her fists. ¡°Stay behind me,¡± she whispered. Luka didn¡¯t respond. He just stared¡ªsilent, blank-faced, unmoving. The Onix lunged. Sasha shoved Luka aside¡ªand then it happened. A burning, twisting heat erupted inside her. Something ignited. J¨­ki. It flooded through her veins, an explosion of raw, untamed power. The world around her turned blue. The Onix froze. For the first time in her life¡ª Sasha could see it. Feel it. Her body moved on instinct. One second¡ªshe was standing. The next¡ªshe was tearing through the Onix. She slammed her fists into its mask¡ª**once, twice, a third time¡ª**until cracks splintered through the bone-white surface. The creature shrieked. She didn¡¯t stop. Her hands dug into its flesh. A surge of power rippled through her arms. Then¡ª She crushed its skull. The Onix collapsed, its body twitching once before going still. Sasha stood over it, panting, her hands dripping in black blood. She had won. She had killed it. But she wasn¡¯t happy. Something was wrong. The power inside her didn¡¯t settle. It wanted more. It wanted to keep going. Then¡ª ¡°Sasha.¡± Luka¡¯s voice. She turned. Luka was still on the ground, staring at her. Not in awe. Not in fear. Just¡­ staring. His face was blank. Like he didn¡¯t understand. Like he felt nothing. Sasha clenched her fists. ¡°Luka¡­ I¡ª¡± Then¡ª A shift in the air. A pressure so heavy it stole her breath. Her stomach dropped. She snapped her head toward the village. And her heart stopped. ¡°Mama.¡± They ran. Through the fire. Through the ruins. Through the death. The village was burning. And in the center of it all¡ª Agata. Her silver chains coiled around four Onix at once. Sparks of J¨­ki crackled in the air, her body a blur of motion. Sasha had never seen her like this. Mama had always been strong. But this¡ª This was different. She was fighting like she was ready to die. Luka didn¡¯t understand it. Why was she smiling? She should be angry. She should be scared. But instead¡ª She looked relieved. Like she had been waiting for this. Then she saw them. ¡°Sasha! Luka!¡± Her eyes widened. For just a second¡ª Her focus slipped. An Onix broke free. It lunged. Fast. Too fast. Agata barely turned before its claws ripped through her chest. ¡°NOOOO!¡± Sasha screamed. Luka didn¡¯t. He just watched. Agata¡¯s body jerked. Her J¨­ki flickered. Her silver chains snapped like thread. Blood dripped from her lips. And still¡ª She smiled. ¡°Run.¡± Then¡ª Her body broke apart. Not like a normal person. Not like someone dying. Her entire form¡ª turned to glowing ash. And scattered into the wind. The survivors The air smelled like smoke and blood. Luka stood still. The ground was covered in ash and charred debris. Buildings that had once been filled with voices and life were now silent, blackened skeletons. Bodies lay motionless. Some crushed beneath collapsed beams. Others slumped over shattered market stalls where his mother used to take them to buy bread. The sea breeze carried the stench of burning flesh. Luka didn¡¯t react. He wasn¡¯t sure how to. His mother was gone. His father was gone. Everything that had once been his home had been reduced to nothing. He should feel something. Anger? Sadness? Despair? But he just¡­ stood there. Sasha, on the other hand¡ª She was breathing too fast. Her chest rose and fell in frantic, uneven movements. Her hands trembled so badly she could barely hold the bloodied knife she had stolen from one of the fallen soldiers. She still hadn¡¯t let go. Luka tilted his head slightly, watching. What did it feel like? That suffocating, twisting pain that made Sasha¡¯s eyes red, that made her grip things too tightly, that made her voice tremble when she spoke¡ª Why couldn¡¯t he understand it? Then¡ª BOOM. The ground shook. A flash of blue energy. Luka turned in time to see a figure emerging through the smoke¡ª A massive Onix head exploded. Its body collapsed, twitching violently before going still. His ears rang. What¡­? Then¡ªa voice. ¡°Found them!¡± Soldiers. They moved in formation, weapons raised, their boots crunching over the debris. Blue energy flickered along their rifles¡ªthe same light that had killed the Onix. One of them, a tall man in a dark uniform, stepped forward. His long coat swayed as he surveyed the ruined village, face shadowed beneath his helmet. He turned his head slightly¡ªlistening to something over his earpiece. Then his eyes landed on them. Sasha stepped in front of Luka instantly. The movement was so fast that Luka barely registered it. The man studied them. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. His gaze flickered to the knife in Sasha¡¯s shaking hands. Then to the Onix corpses. Then¡ªto Luka. His expression shifted. ¡°You¡¯re the one who awakened,¡± he said. Sasha¡¯s grip tightened. ¡°How do you¡ª?¡± ¡°We saw it from the sky.¡± His tone was neutral. ¡°J¨­ki eruptions like that don¡¯t go unnoticed.¡± Sasha blinked. ¡°Sky?¡± Luka turned his head slightly¡ª And saw it. A ship. It hovered just beyond the smoke clouds, its metallic surface reflecting the firelight below. Massive. Sleek. Blue lights flashing along its hull. A military airship. The man took a step closer, tilting his head. ¡°Are you the only survivors?¡± Sasha hesitated. Luka looked around again. The realization settled in his stomach like a rock. It was just them. Then¡ª Rustling. A faint sound from the debris. Luka turned. A small figure stumbled out from behind a collapsed house. A girl. Younger than Sasha. Her face was covered in soot and dried tears, her small hands clutching a piece of her ruined dress. She was shaking. Behind her¡ªmore movement. Two. Three. Four. More children. They stepped out hesitantly, wide-eyed, silent. Not a single adult. The soldiers stiffened. Luka blinked. There were more? He wasn¡¯t sure why that surprised him. Of course there were. The Onix hadn¡¯t spared the strong. They had left behind the weak. The ones who couldn¡¯t fight back. The blue glow on the soldiers¡¯ rifles flickered again. Luka had seen that energy before. J¨­ki. ****** A power that wasn¡¯t supposed to belong to humans. It had existed for centuries, an energy fueled by emotion itself. Some wielded it like an extension of their will, shaping the air, bending fire, strengthening their bodies beyond human limits. But not everyone had it. Only 40% of the world¡¯s population could use J¨­ki. The rest¡ªpeople like Luka¡ªcould only see it. Feel it in the air, but never touch it. Until now. Because today Sasha had awakened. ****** Sasha let out a sharp breath. She looked like she was about to collapse. Luka simply watched. The tall soldier turned away from them, pressing a hand to his earpiece. ¡°We have survivors. Mostly children.¡± A short pause. ¡°No. No adults.¡± Luka didn¡¯t know what was being said on the other end, but whatever it was, the soldier¡¯s expression darkened slightly. Then, without another word, he turned back. ¡°Round them up.¡± His men moved immediately. Two soldiers reached for the closest child¡ªa small boy, barely six years old. The kid flinched at the touch, his breath hitching, his tiny hands gripping the torn fabric of his clothes. The soldier crouched down, voice calm but empty. ¡°It¡¯s alright. We¡¯re taking you somewhere safe.¡± The boy didn¡¯t respond. None of them did. They let themselves be led away without a word. Not crying. Not resisting. Just walking. Luka and Sasha weren¡¯t approached. The tall man simply gestured for them to follow. Sasha let out a slow, shaky breath. Then¡ªshe dropped the knife. It hit the ground with a soft clink. And they walked. Past the burning ruins of their home. Past the shattered streets. Past bodies they recognized. Luka stepped over the corpse of the market vendor who used to sneak him extra bread when their mother wasn¡¯t looking. His body was half-buried under rubble. His hand was still outstretched. As if he¡¯d been reaching for something. Luka tilted his head. Sasha grabbed his wrist. ¡°Don¡¯t look.¡± Luka turned away. The military ship loomed ahead, its ramp descending as soldiers herded the children inside. Luka took one last glance at what was left of the island. It was already unrecognizable. ***** The military ship was colder than Luka expected. The moment they stepped inside, the noise of the outside world disappeared. The walls were smooth and metallic, lined with glowing blue panels that pulsed faintly. The air smelled sterile¡ªlike metal and something faintly artificial. The other children were led to a separate section. Sasha, however¡ªwas pulled aside. Luka didn¡¯t like that. His fingers twitched. Sasha looked back at him, her face tight with exhaustion. She didn¡¯t resist. But her eyes held a silent plea. ¡°Don¡¯t let them take me alone.¡± Luka didn¡¯t move. He just stared at the soldier gripping her arm. The tall officer noticed. He glanced between them before giving the soldier a short nod. ¡°Let the boy go with her.¡± The soldier hesitated¡ªthen released Sasha¡¯s arm. She immediately grabbed Luka¡¯s wrist. Her hand was clammy. Damp with sweat. Luka didn¡¯t pull away. The officer led them down a narrow corridor, his coat swaying with every step. He barely looked back as he spoke. ¡°You¡¯ll be taken in for processing.¡± Sasha swallowed. ¡°Processing?¡± ¡°Tests. Identification. Basic scans.¡± Her grip tightened. ¡°Tests for what?¡± The man didn¡¯t stop walking. ¡°J¨­ki potential.¡± Sasha stiffened. Luka remained silent. He already knew. He had none. At the end of the corridor, a door slid open. The room inside was too bright. Too white. It smelled even stronger of metal and chemicals. Machines lined the walls¡ªsome humming softly, their screens filled with data Luka didn¡¯t understand. A group of scientists stood waiting. One of them¡ªa woman with sharp eyes and tied-back hair¡ªheld a clipboard. She barely acknowledged Sasha. Instead, she turned to the officer. ¡°This is the girl?¡± ¡°She awakened on the battlefield,¡± the officer confirmed. The woman¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. She turned to Sasha. ¡°Sit.¡± Sasha hesitated. The woman pointed to a metal chair in the center of the room. Thick wires curled around its base, attached to a large machine. Luka didn¡¯t like it. Something about this place felt wrong. Sasha slowly sat. The moment she did¡ªmetal restraints snapped around her wrists and ankles. She flinched. Luka stepped forward. A hand landed on his shoulder. He turned. The officer shook his head slightly. A silent warning. Luka looked back at Sasha. She was breathing too fast. The woman pressed something on a panel. The machine hummed to life. Thin, glowing wires extended, attaching to Sasha¡¯s skin. They pulsed¡ª Once. Twice. A sharp beep filled the air. Numbers flashed across the screen. The scientists leaned in. Luka couldn¡¯t read the data¡ªbut he didn¡¯t have to. The way their eyes widened. The way their heads nodded in approval. The way their murmurs filled the room. It was clear. Sasha had strong J¨­ki. But then¡ª The machine glitched. A loud crack echoed through the air. Sparks flickered from the wires, the screen distorting. The scientist¡¯s expressions shifted. The woman at the panel frowned, pressing buttons rapidly. ¡°That¡¯s not¡ª¡± Then the screen flashed red. And suddenly¡ª The restraints tightened. Sasha gasped. Her body jerked. Something was wrong. The scientists stepped back. Luka didn¡¯t blink. Sasha¡¯s breath hitched. Her J¨­ki flared. The machine exploded. The last Goodbye One of them, a man with silver-rimmed glasses, smiled. ¡°Exceptional.¡± Sasha blinked. ¡°What does it say?¡± The woman ignored her, flipping through her clipboard. ¡°We¡¯ll need to move her to the main facility for further analysis,¡± she said. ¡°There¡¯s potential here.¡± Sasha tensed. ¡°What does that mean?¡± she asked, louder this time. The woman barely looked up. ¡°It means you¡¯ll be given an opportunity.¡± Sasha glanced at Luka. Her grip tightened on the chair¡¯s armrests. She was afraid. Luka could tell. Even if he didn¡¯t understand emotions, he understood that. ¡°Release her,¡± the tall soldier ordered. The restraints unlocked with a soft hiss. Sasha immediately stood up, rubbing her wrists. But the woman was already looking at Luka. ¡°And the boy?¡± ¡°He¡¯s untested,¡± the soldier replied. The woman nodded to one of the assistants. ¡°Put him in.¡± Sasha moved first. She stepped in front of Luka, shaking her head. ¡°Wait¡ª¡± Too late. Luka sat motionless. A cold metal examination table beneath him. Doctors and scientists bustled around him, attaching electrodes to his skin, wires trailing from his arms like black veins. Luka didn¡¯t flinch. He didn¡¯t feel fear. He didn¡¯t feel anything. His test results had confused them. ¡°0.0?¡± One scientist murmured, staring at the holographic display. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ impossible. Even non-awakened individuals have at least a 0.5 J¨­ki presence. But this kid¡ªnothing. It¡¯s like he¡¯s a void.¡± A man in a military uniform, his chest lined with medals, crossed his arms. ¡°Run it again.¡± The machine hummed. Another scan passed over Luka¡¯s body. Silence. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Then¡ª ¡°Still zero.¡± Murmurs spread through the room. Luka sat in the center of it all. Unbothered. Detached. A different doctor frowned. ¡°If he has no J¨­ki at all, then how is he even alive?¡± ¡°Forget that¡ªlook at this.¡± One of the assistants tapped furiously at the screen. ¡°His cells are regenerating at an inhuman speed. We tried to draw blood twice, and each time, his body closed the wound before we could extract a proper sample. His body¡­ it¡¯s adapting.¡± The general exhaled sharply. He stepped forward, his voice carrying a firm authority. ¡°Enough. Stop the tests.¡± The scientists hesitated. ¡°But, sir, we still don¡¯t understand¡ª¡± ¡°I said stop.¡± The murmurs grew louder, but the general turned away. His gaze shifted past the glass window overlooking the rest of the survivors. The orphans of the island. His eyes settled on Sasha. She sat amongst them, her small hands gripping the sleeves of her borrowed jacket, her face pale from exhaustion and grief. ¡°Check the others,¡± he ordered. ¡°See if there are any other potential J¨­ki users.¡± Then, without looking back¡ª ¡°As for the boy¡­ separate them.¡± Luka didn¡¯t react. But Sasha did. The moment the soldiers came for him, she knew. ¡°NO!¡± Her voice ripped through the sterile halls as she shoved past the officers. ¡°Luka! LUKA!¡± Luka turned. She was fighting them. Tears streaked her face, her hands trembling as she reached for him. ¡°You can¡¯t take him! You can¡¯t!¡± A soldier held her back. She thrashed wildly. ¡°Luka!¡± Luka only stood there. Staring. His mind processed the situation logically¡ª Sasha was upset. Sasha was in distress. But he still¡­ felt nothing. No sadness. No anger. Not even fear. The only thing he focused on was her hands reaching for him. She had always reached for him. She had always been there. And now¡ª A final, desperate cry tore from Sasha¡¯s throat. ¡°I WON¡¯T GO WITHOUT HIM!¡± Luka saw it before it happened. The panic in the soldiers¡¯ eyes. The sudden burst of blue energy. The air vibrated. Lights flickered. The force sent the soldiers stumbling backward as the very ground beneath them cracked. J¨­ki. It lashed out uncontrollably. Sasha¡¯s breath was ragged. Her body trembled violently from the overwhelming force surging through her. The soldiers reacted immediately. ¡°Get her under control!¡± A tranquilizer dart shot through the air. It struck her in the neck. She gasped. Luka watched as her body collapsed. The soldiers caught her before she hit the ground, her unconscious form limp in their arms. ¡°SASHA!¡± Luka¡¯s voice came out instinctively. But he didn¡¯t feel panic. He didn¡¯t feel grief. He just knew¡ª She was slipping away from him. A cold voice echoed through the hall. ¡°Get the girl on the second room. Now.¡± Luka¡¯s body dragged across the ground. His head lolled to the side, vision blurry, limbs too heavy to resist. He felt the rough grip of soldiers hauling him forward¡ªboots crunching over shattered glass, the low murmur of voices discussing his fate. Then¡ªhe saw it. The orphanage. A depressed, crumbling building standing against the foggy skyline, its once-white walls now stained with grime and neglect. Luka knew. They were about to throw him in there. A place for the forgotten. The unwanted. He tried to move. To turn his head. To call for Sasha. But the words wouldn¡¯t come. His mouth felt dry. His throat burned. His vision darkened. The last thing he heard was the distant, muffled hum of the military airship ascending into the sky¡ª Taking Sasha away. Then¡ª Everything went black. ******* Luka woke up gasping. His body jerked, his breath ragged and uneven. His head pounded, cold sweat clinging to his skin. The dream¡ªno, the memory¡ªwas already fading. Slipping through his mind like sand through fingers. He tried to sit up. Rough concrete beneath his palms. The air was damp, thick with the scent of oil, metal, and something burnt. The dim glow of neon lights flickered above him, casting eerie shadows along the walls. Luka exhaled slowly. This¡­ wasn¡¯t the orphanage. Right. He rubbed his eyes, trying to push away the grogginess. He had been adopted. By that strange man. Luka¡¯s fingers twitched as he pushed himself upright, his legs weak beneath him. He felt¡­ heavier. Like he had been asleep for days. Before he could process it, a voice broke the silence. ¡°Bad dreams?¡± Luka turned sharply. A man stood in the dim light, face obscured by a metallic mask. His new master. Sun. Luka didn¡¯t answer immediately. He just stared at the man¡ªthe one who had taken him from the orphanage. The one who somehow already knew his name. And Sasha¡¯s. Luka had tried asking him before, but Sun always dodged the question. His only answer? ¡°Because we¡¯re the same. I don¡¯t feel emotions either, and I don¡¯t have J¨­ki.¡± Luka had been confused. He still was. Sun tilted his head. ¡°Well? You gonna sit there all day?¡± Luka exhaled and stood. His body felt stiff. Unfamiliar. Like he wasn¡¯t used to it anymore. Sun gestured lazily toward a nearby doorway. ¡°Go wash up. Breakfast is ready.¡± Luka nodded and made his way toward the bathroom. As he brushed his teeth, he paused. His reflection stared back at him. Tired. Pale. He hadn¡¯t slept properly in a week. The incident still haunted him. And he needed answers. After washing up, Luka walked to the small, cramped dining area. A plate of fried eggs and bread sat in front of him. Luka stared at it. ¡°Eggs again?¡± ¡°Survival, kid,¡± Sun said simply. ¡°You don¡¯t get a say in it.¡± Luka sighed and started eating. For a while, neither of them spoke. Then¡ª ¡°Master Sun¡­ why did you adopt me?¡± Sun leaned back in his chair. ¡°I already told you. We¡¯re the same.¡± Luka frowned. ¡°That¡¯s all? What do you see in me? I don¡¯t have J¨­ki. I can¡¯t even perceive it.¡± Sun was quiet for a moment. Then, finally¡ªhe spoke. ¡°J¨­ki is powered by emotion.¡± He reached for his fork, tapping it lightly against the plate. ¡°But I erased that. I made it Null.¡± Luka¡¯s eyes widened. A new J¨­ki? Named Null? His heart thudded. For the first time in his life¡ª He felt like he was standing on the edge of something. Something unknown. And then¡ª Sun¡¯s voice broke the silence once more. ¡°Eat fast, kid. Training starts today.¡± The undermaze The Undermaze was a world of its own. Luka followed Master Sun through the winding alleys, his boots kicking up dust and scraps of metal as they moved. The streets were uneven, cracked pavement giving way to rusted grates and loose wires. The air was thick with the smell of burnt oil, damp concrete, and the occasional whiff of something rotten. It was nothing like his island home. The sky didn¡¯t exist here¡ªnot really. There were no clouds, no sun. Just the low-hanging ceiling of steel and crumbling stone above, dotted with blinking neon signs and tangled electrical cables that ran like veins through the district. People moved like ghosts in the flickering lights, their faces hidden beneath hoods or metal masks. Some had cybernetic limbs, their mechanical fingers twitching as they bartered at makeshift market stalls. Others had the faint glow of J¨­ki energy pulsing beneath their skin¡ªbut none of them looked like heroes. These weren¡¯t soldiers or trained fighters. These were the forgotten. The criminals. The outcasts. The ones Kislevia didn¡¯t want. And Luka was one of them now. Luka walked a little faster to keep up with Sun¡¯s pace. ¡°Where are we going?¡± he asked. Sun didn¡¯t look back. ¡°You need to understand this place first. Otherwise, you won¡¯t survive here.¡± Luka¡¯s gaze drifted to a group of children no older than him, sitting by a rusted-out car. Their clothes were ragged, and their eyes were hollow, watching the street with a hunger that had nothing to do with food. Luka frowned. ¡°Why don¡¯t the soldiers come here? Why doesn¡¯t Kislevia help?¡± Sun let out a low laugh, shaking his head. ¡°Kid, Kislevia doesn¡¯t even acknowledge this place exists.¡± Luka blinked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Sun stopped walking and pointed at the massive industrial pipes running along the ceiling, leaking steam into the air. ¡°You see those? They used to be part of Kislevia¡¯s old infrastructure. This place? It was supposed to be an expansion of the city. But then the war happened. Resources ran dry. The government abandoned the project, left it half-finished¡­ and people moved in anyway.¡± Luka looked around. He could see it now¡ªthe remnants of what could have been a real city, buried beneath rust and decay. ¡°So¡­ it¡¯s not part of Kislevia anymore?¡± Sun crossed his arms. ¡°Officially? No. Unofficially? They still use it. See, The Undermaze is useful. You¡¯ve got smuggling routes, black-market deals, even underground fight pits where rich people bet on rogue J¨­ki users.¡± Luka¡¯s fists clenched. ¡°So they know what¡¯s happening here, but they ignore it?¡± ¡°Not just ignore it,¡± Sun said. ¡°They let it happen. The gangs here? The corrupt businesses? They all exist because someone up there profits from it. Kislevia only gets involved when The Undermaze becomes a problem for them.¡± Stolen novel; please report. Luka felt a strange weight in his chest. His mother had always told him that the world wasn¡¯t fair. That people had to fight for their place in it. But this? This wasn¡¯t just unfair. It was designed to be like this. They reached a more crowded section of the Undermaze. Makeshift stalls were set up beneath glowing blue lanterns, their flickering light casting eerie shadows across the cracked pavement. Vendors shouted over each other, their voices rough and demanding. ¡°Fresh tech scraps! Only slightly used!¡± ¡°J¨­ki enhancers¡ªguaranteed to boost your abilities!¡± ¡°Stolen rations from the surface! Limited supply!¡± Luka¡¯s eyes darted from stall to stall. Some people sold weapons¡ªblades and firearms lined up in neat rows. Others had cybernetic implants on display, the metal limbs twitching unnaturally as if still alive. A man with half his face replaced by metal plating was arguing with a vendor over the price of a synthetic eye. Luka swallowed. This place was nothing like home. Sun walked past it all like he had seen it a thousand times before. ¡°Don¡¯t stare too much, kid. People here don¡¯t like being watched.¡± Luka forced himself to look away. They passed an alley where a group of men were gathered around a caged fighter, a young woman with glowing scars running along her arms. Luka heard the word ¡°J¨­ki duel¡± before they moved too far to listen. He glanced up at Sun. ¡°Is this why you brought me here? To see all this?¡± Sun was silent for a moment before he finally answered. ¡°No. I brought you here because you need to understand something.¡± He turned to Luka, his masked face unreadable. ¡°The world doesn¡¯t care about weak people.¡± Luka¡¯s stomach twisted at the words. Sun gestured to the streets around them. ¡°You see these people? They¡¯ve been abandoned. Forgotten. No one¡¯s coming to save them. And no one¡¯s coming to save you, either.¡± Luka clenched his fists. ¡°I don¡¯t need saving.¡± Sun chuckled. ¡°Good answer.¡± They walked for a while longer in silence. Then Sun finally stopped in front of a heavy metal door, built into the side of a crumbling building. ¡°This is our next stop,¡± he said. Luka frowned. ¡°What is this place?¡± Sun reached for the handle. ¡°The only person in this city we can trust.¡± He pushed the door open¡ª And they stepped inside. The metal door groaned as Sun pushed it open. The inside was dimly lit, the walls lined with flickering neon strips that buzzed softly. The air smelled of oil, rust, and something faintly metallic. A small workspace dominated the center of the room, cluttered with cybernetic parts, old weapon mods, and unfinished blueprints. And sitting cross-legged on the counter, smoking a thin, glowing cigarette, was a woman. She looked young¡ªmaybe early twenties¡ªbut something about her sharp silver eyes made her seem older. Her short black hair was messy, strands falling over her face as she exhaled a small cloud of blue-tinted smoke. She glanced up lazily at them. ¡°Well, well,¡± she drawled, tapping ash onto the floor. ¡°Look who finally decided to show his masked face.¡± Sun sighed. ¡°Mina, put the cigarette out.¡± Mina ¡°Ghost Fingers¡± Estel smirked. ¡°Or what? You gonna scold me like last time?¡± She twirled the cigarette between her metallic fingers¡ªsleek, silver cybernetic replacements that gleamed under the neon light. Luka¡¯s eyes locked onto them. Her hands weren¡¯t human. They moved too smoothly, the joints bending like liquid metal as she flicked the cigarette away and hopped off the counter. Her gaze finally settled on Luka. ¡°Who¡¯s the kid?¡± she asked. ¡°Luka,¡± Sun answered. ¡°He¡¯s with me now.¡± Mina raised an eyebrow. ¡°Huh. You adopting strays now?¡± Sun didn¡¯t answer. Mina stared at Luka a moment longer, then scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re small.¡± Luka blinked. ¡°I¡¯m ten.¡± ¡°Yeah? You look like you¡¯d lose a fight against a strong gust of wind.¡± Luka frowned. ¡°¡­I wouldn¡¯t.¡± Mina chuckled, turning back to her workbench. ¡°Sure, kid. Whatever helps you sleep at night.¡± Luka didn¡¯t understand why, but something about her reminded him of Eros. The same casual arrogance. The same way they smirked like they knew something he didn¡¯t. Sun walked past her, leaning against the counter. ¡°We need weapons.¡± Mina didn¡¯t even look up. ¡°And I need more money than whatever scrap you¡¯re about to offer me.¡± Sun tossed a small silver chip onto the table. Mina caught it midair, rolling it between her fingers before slotting it into a holo-tablet. The screen blinked to life, numbers scrolling fast. Her smirk widened. ¡°Alright,¡± she said, tapping the screen. ¡°Now we¡¯re talking.¡± She turned, pulling open a metal crate behind her. The sound of shifting weapons filled the room as she rummaged through it. ¡°You need standard mods, ammo, or something a little more fun?¡± she asked. ¡°Something heavy,¡± Sun said. ¡°And something quiet.¡± Mina whistled. ¡°Ohhh, going for the clean kills. I like it.¡± Luka listened carefully, watching how they spoke. Mina wasn¡¯t just selling weapons¡ªshe knew exactly what kind of jobs Sun did. ¡°Here we go,¡± she finally said, pulling out a sleek black rifle with an extended barrel. She ran a hand along it. ¡°This bad boy? Custom suppressor, modified recoil system. Packs a punch but won¡¯t wake the neighbors.¡± Sun nodded. ¡°Good.¡± Luka stared at the weapon. He had never actually seen a gun up close before. His father never used them. ¡°You ever hold one, kid?¡± Mina suddenly asked. Luka hesitated. ¡°No.¡± Mina smirked and shoved the rifle into his hands. It was heavier than he expected. The cold metal pressed against his skin, the weight sinking into his arms. Mina watched him struggle. ¡°Yeah, figures. No J¨­ki, no muscle. You¡¯d snap your own wrist if you fired that thing.¡± Luka frowned. Sun took the gun from him, placing it back on the counter. ¡°We¡¯re not here to play.¡± Mina sighed dramatically. ¡°Fine, fine. So, what¡¯s the job?¡± Sun¡¯s voice was calm. ¡°There¡¯s a weapons shipment arriving in The Undermaze tomorrow night. Illegal stock, high-value. We¡¯re going to destroy it.¡± Mina¡¯s eyebrows rose. ¡°Oh? So you¡¯re not stealing it?¡± ¡°No. Just erasing it.¡± Luka glanced up at him. He had heard Sun talk about ¡®erasing things¡¯ before. Mina leaned back against the counter, arms crossed. ¡°You got a plan?¡± Sun nodded. ¡°We use Luka as bait.¡± Luka blinked. ¡°Wait, what?¡± Mina burst out laughing. ¡°Oh, this just got interesting.¡± The bait in the dark Luka sat on the edge of the rusted crate, kicking his feet as he stared at the neon-lit alleyway ahead. The air was thick with the usual Undermaze stench¡ªoil, smoke, and something rotten he didn¡¯t want to think about. Above him, old pipes dripped water onto the cracked pavement. The Undermaze never felt still. Even in the dead of night, there was always something moving. But right now, it was too quiet. Luka adjusted the oversized jacket Sun had given him. It was meant to make him look even smaller, more pitiful. The role of an abandoned street kid was easy to play¡ªbecause he already was one. From his spot, he could see the street that led into the drop zone. The arms dealers were coming through that tunnel. The plan was simple. Luka was bait. Sun was the blade in the dark. And Mina? Well¡­ she was waiting somewhere nearby, watching with that annoying smirk of hers. Luka exhaled slowly. ¡°So¡­ what do I do?¡± Sun crouched next to him, adjusting the straps on his mask. ¡°You sit there, looking pathetic.¡± Luka frowned. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Sun glanced toward the darkened tunnel ahead. ¡°That¡¯s it. When they stop to check on you, I¡¯ll handle the rest.¡± Luka was quiet for a moment. ¡°What if they don¡¯t stop?¡± Sun tilted his head. ¡°Then I¡¯ll kill them anyway.¡± Luka blinked. ¡°¡­Oh.¡± Sun patted his head. ¡°Relax, kid. They¡¯ll stop. People love pretending to care when it benefits them.¡± Luka looked down at his hands, gripping the fabric of his sleeves. People pretend to care. Like the soldiers when they sent him away. Like the people who looked at him and called him broken. Luka tightened his grip. ¡°Alright,¡± he muttered. Sun stood, checking the hidden detonation charge in his sleeve. ¡°You remember what to do if something goes wrong?¡± Luka nodded. ¡°Run.¡± Sun smirked behind his mask. ¡°Good.¡± Then, just like that¡ªhe was gone. One second he was there, the next, he melted into the shadows, completely erasing his presence. Luka was alone. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. His pulse thumped against his ribs. He didn¡¯t like being alone. The minutes stretched, the silence pressing against his ears. Then¡ª A low rumble echoed through the tunnel. Headlights flickered in the distance, two vehicles moving slowly, their dark frames blending into the shadows. They were here. Luka swallowed hard and slumped against the crate, curling up like a helpless kid left on the streets. He let his body tremble just slightly¡ªenough to make himself look small. The first vehicle stopped a few feet away. The second followed. Engines idled. A door creaked open. Boots hit the pavement. Then, voices. ¡°Shit, what¡¯s a kid doing out here this late?¡± ¡°Who cares? Keep moving.¡± ¡°Wait. If someone sees a dead kid in our path, we¡¯ll get heat. Just check.¡± Footsteps. Luka forced himself to shiver, pressing his face into his arms. A figure loomed over him. He smelled sweat, gunpowder, and something sickly sweet¡ªlike rotting fruit. ¡°Hey, kid,¡± the man¡¯s voice was rough, edged with suspicion. ¡°You lost?¡± Luka flinched on purpose, curling further into himself. ¡°Shit,¡± the man muttered. ¡°Hey, we should¡ª¡± CRACK. Something snapped. The man¡¯s words cut off. The sound of a body hitting the pavement echoed through the alley. Then¡ªgunfire. Luka didn¡¯t move. Because he didn¡¯t need to see to know what was happening. Sun had made his move. The night exploded into chaos. And Luka? Luka just stayed curled up, waiting. Because this was only the beginning. The air reeked of burning metal. Luka stayed curled up, his ears ringing as gunfire erupted around him. He didn¡¯t flinch, didn¡¯t move¡ªbecause Sun had told him to stay still. And Luka had learned to listen. A body slammed into the ground beside him. He heard the crunch of bone, the wet sound of something breaking. Then¡ªsilence. Luka cracked one eye open. The first thing he saw was blood pooling near his feet. The second was Sun. He stood among the wreckage, completely still. His masked face tilted slightly, as if admiring his own work. Around him, the bodies of the armed men lay motionless, their weapons scattered across the pavement. One man was still breathing, his body trembling as he tried to crawl away. Sun turned. The air shifted. Luka didn¡¯t know how to explain it¡ªbut something changed. The crawling man let out a choked gasp, his body tensing unnaturally. His limbs twitched, his breath hitched¡ª Then. Nothing. He stopped moving entirely. Luka swallowed. That wasn¡¯t normal. Sun exhaled through his mask. ¡°You can get up now, kid.¡± Luka slowly sat up, his body tense. His eyes flickered toward the frozen man. ¡°Is he¡­?¡± ¡°Dead? No. But he wants to be.¡± Sun crouched beside the man, tapping his head lightly. ¡°Your nervous system is¡­ interesting. It doesn¡¯t like what I did to it.¡± Luka had no idea what that meant. But he didn¡¯t ask. Instead, he stood and took in the scene. The trucks meant to transport the illegal weapons were still there. But their cargo? Gone. Or rather¡ªerased. Luka had seen explosions before. Fires. Destruction. This wasn¡¯t that. The crates had been full of weapons¡ªguns, energy-based tech, illegal mods. Now? There was nothing. Not broken parts. Not ashes. Just¡­ empty space. Like the cargo had never existed in the first place. Luka clenched his fists. He already knew the answer. But he asked anyway. ¡°You¡­ destroyed all of it?¡± Sun turned to him, his expression hidden behind that damn mask. ¡°No.¡± Luka frowned. Sun motioned to the empty space where the cargo had been. ¡°I didn¡¯t destroy it. I erased it.¡± Luka blinked. ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± Sun hummed, rising to his feet. ¡°Destruction leaves something behind¡ªashes, ruins, proof. Erasure?¡± He gestured at the empty truck. ¡°It leaves nothing. Like it never existed at all.¡± Luka stared at the space again. The way the world itself seemed to reject it. That was Sun¡¯s J¨­ki. Not fire. Not lightning. Not something people could see. It was nothingness itself. Luka¡¯s fingers twitched. ¡°I don¡¯t get it.¡± Sun chuckled. ¡°You will.¡± A groan interrupted them. The half-paralyzed man on the ground twitched, his breath coming out in short gasps. Sun crouched beside him again, resting an arm on his knee. ¡°Tell me something, friend,¡± he said, voice light. ¡°Where were the weapons supposed to go?¡± The man shook his head violently. Sun sighed. He reached out and placed a hand on the man¡¯s forehead. Luka felt it before he saw it. It wasn¡¯t like J¨­ki. J¨­ki users flared their power, lighting up like beacons of energy. Sun¡¯s power was the opposite. It was void. An absence of energy. Of presence. Of existence. The man¡¯s pupils dilated. His body went completely still, his breath hitching in a silent, strangled noise. Luka felt his stomach churn. Sun tilted his head. ¡°Tell me.¡± The man let out a sharp, painful sob. ¡°T¡ªthe black market¡ªbuyers in District 9¡ª¡± Sun smiled behind his mask. ¡°See? That wasn¡¯t so hard.¡± Then he lifted his hand¡ªand the man collapsed. Luka froze. ¡°Is he¡­?¡± Sun stood. ¡°Alive. Just empty.¡± Luka stared at the man¡¯s blank expression, the way he didn¡¯t even blink. Sun had done something to him. Luka exhaled, trying to steady himself. ¡°What now?¡± Sun dusted off his coat. ¡°Now, we follow the weapons.¡± Luka blinked. ¡°But¡­ you erased them.¡± Sun smirked. ¡°I erased the ones here. Not the ones in transit.¡± Luka frowned. ¡°You let some get away?¡± Sun¡¯s voice dropped, amusement fading. ¡°I don¡¯t ¡®let¡¯ things happen, kid.¡± He turned toward the neon-lit horizon, where the criminal heart of the Undermaze waited for them. ¡°I planned it.¡± The black market auction Luka had never seen so many dangerous people in one place before. The deeper they walked into District 9, the heavier the air felt. Thick with tension. The streets were narrower, the alleys lined with broken neon signs and flickering holo-displays. Unlike the chaotic Undermaze, this place had structure. Everything looked organized. Too clean. And that only made it worse. Luka shivered as he followed Sun deeper into the district. He could still feel the lingering coldness of the knife that had been pressed against his back earlier¡ªwhen Sun had used him as bait for the black-market dealers. They had taken the bait. And now, they were hunting them instead. Sun walked ahead of him, his footsteps eerily silent. It wasn¡¯t normal¡ªLuka had seen enough people move to know that no one could be that quiet. Sun was using his J¨­ki. Null Energy. The power that erased presence. Luka had never felt it before¡ªnot really. He couldn¡¯t see J¨­ki, so the idea of someone using energy that erased itself felt¡­ wrong. But he could feel it in a way he didn¡¯t understand. Like something was missing from the space around him. Like Sun was there¡ªbut also wasn¡¯t. ¡°Stay close,¡± Sun murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. Luka swallowed and nodded. They finally reached the entrance. It didn¡¯t look like much. Just an old train station, its rusted walls covered in graffiti and old posters from years ago. The heavy metal doors were guarded by two men, their bodies enhanced with cybernetic arms that pulsed faintly with modified J¨­ki. They were mercenaries. Not just any mercenaries¡ªBlack Veil. Luka had heard their name before. A powerful, ruthless faction in The Undermaze. Sun didn¡¯t stop. He walked straight toward the doors, his masked face unreadable. Luka hesitated but followed. The guards barely glanced at them. No scanning. No weapons check. Because Sun had already erased their presence. They walked inside without a sound. And that¡¯s when Luka saw it. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. The Black Market Auction. The room was massive, carved out of what looked like an abandoned industrial plant. The walls were lined with holographic displays, showcasing illegal weapons, modifications, and stolen J¨­ki tech. But that wasn¡¯t what made Luka¡¯s stomach turn. It was the center of the room. A massive metal cage. Inside it¡ª Luka¡¯s breath caught. Onix. Strapped down. Alive. The creature was massive, its dark, expressionless mask reflecting the overhead lights. Its limbs were restrained, thick steel clamps bolted into the floor, holding it in place. Wires ran from its body to the auction platform. They were extracting it. Selling its organs. Luka¡¯s fingers clenched into fists. The last time he saw an Onix, it had been tearing through his home. Now, it looked pathetic. Weak. ¡°Bidding starts at 500,000 K-Creds, for a live Onix Core¡ªfully intact!¡± The auctioneer¡¯s voice rang through the speakers. The crowd of wealthy buyers murmured in interest, their faces hidden behind masks of their own. ¡°Remember, ladies and gentlemen, Onix power is highly unstable¡ªbut extremely valuable. With the right modifications, its energy can be used to enhance soldiers, create artificial J¨­ki weapons, and even improve cybernetic implants!¡± Luka glanced at Sun. He still couldn¡¯t see his face, but he didn¡¯t need to. Sun was angry. Luka didn¡¯t know how he knew. Maybe it was the way his master¡¯s body had stiffened. Or maybe it was the way his fingers twitched slightly, like he was resisting the urge to move. Sun hated this. Luka didn¡¯t understand why. Not yet. But he would soon. Because this was just the beginning. And they weren¡¯t the only ones here to watch. The auction house was packed. Men in tailored suits sat comfortably, their hands wrapped around glasses of rare alcohol. Women in expensive dresses whispered among themselves, their eyes locked onto the extravagant illegal weapons displayed before them. But Sun wasn¡¯t paying attention to any of that. Instead, his gaze was locked onto a single man. A man with white hair, dressed in a fine black suit. Next to him sat a boy¡ªhis hair just as white, but his golden eyes sharp with curiosity. Sun tilted his head and let out a chuckle. ¡°Bringing your grandson to a place like this? Pretty careless of you.¡± The old man didn¡¯t even blink. Instead, he smirked. ¡°I could say the same about you. Bringing a kid here, knowing the kind of filth that gathers in these places.¡± Sun laughed. ¡°Tch. Looks like I¡¯ve been found out.¡± The old man stood. And in his hand¡ª A katana. Its blade shimmered with a black and purple glow, its presence alone making the air feel heavy. Luka felt it. The entire atmosphere shifted, as if something far greater than him was about to unfold. Sun cracked his neck. ¡°Luka. Stay here with the brat.¡± Luka blinked. ¡°Brat?¡± The white-haired boy scoffed. Sun smirked. ¡°I need to have a chat with Grandpa over there.¡± And then¡ª They were gone. A gust of wind followed, but they had already vanished, leaving Luka and the white-haired boy alone. Luka sat down, his back straight, his hands resting on his lap. The other boy sat across from him, arms crossed, watching him with sharp, curious eyes. After a moment, he spoke. ¡°How old are you?¡± Luka didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Ten.¡± ¡°Huh. Same as me.¡± A pause. Then¡ª ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Luka Viazemsky.¡± The boy smirked. ¡°Eros Siebert.¡± Luka simply nodded. Eros tilted his head. ¡°So¡­ is your master strong?¡± Luka thought about it. He had seen Sun fight before. Seen how effortlessly he moved, how casually he erased people like they were nothing. He nodded. ¡°Yes. He¡¯s strong.¡± Eros smirked. ¡°So is mine.¡± He flicked his gaze toward the rooftop, where their masters had disappeared. ¡°Master Rossi¡­ was once the strongest J¨­ki user in Kislevia.¡± Luka glanced at him. ¡°Was?¡± Eros¡¯ smirk faded slightly. ¡°He¡¯s old now. But in his prime? No one could beat him.¡± Luka hummed. He wasn¡¯t sure why, but he found himself watching the rooftop as well. A shockwave erupted from above, shaking the entire building. The guards froze, their eyes darting around in panic. ¡°What the hell was that?!¡± one of them shouted. Another explosion followed. More tremors. The ceiling cracked, dust and debris falling onto the guests below. Security forces rushed to assess the situation. Eros and Luka exchanged a glance. Then¡ª They ran. Dodging between stunned guests and guards, they bolted for the rooftop, their small bodies slipping through unnoticed. The closer they got, the heavier the air became. And when they finally reached the top¡ª They saw it. Sun and Rossi. Their swords clashed, sparks flying with every movement. Their speed was inhuman, their power unmatched. Eros¡¯ mouth parted slightly. ¡°Master Rossi¡­¡± Luka¡¯s eyes locked onto Sun. Even against someone as strong as Rossi, he wasn¡¯t struggling. He was smiling. Rossi, however, sighed. And then¡ª He stopped. Stepping back, he rested his sword against his shoulder. ¡°I won¡¯t fight anymore.¡± Sun tilted his head. ¡°Oh? Giving up?¡± Rossi smirked. ¡°I¡¯m old. If I were in my prime, you¡¯d already be dead.¡± Sun scoffed. ¡°Damn. Would¡¯ve loved to fight that version of you.¡± Eros and Luka finally approached, standing beside their respective masters. Rossi turned to Sun. ¡°So? What brings you here?¡± Sun cracked his neck. ¡°Same thing as you. That weapon.¡± Rossi raised an eyebrow. ¡°For your new apprentice?¡± Sun nodded. Rossi chuckled. ¡°Hah. Looks like we had the same idea.¡± Luka and Eros exchanged a glance. ¡°Wait¡ª¡± Luka started. ¡°So you both just came here¡­ to buy a weapon?¡± Sun grinned. ¡°No. I came here to destroy them.¡± Rossi laughed. ¡°I see. You¡¯re still as reckless as ever.¡± Sun¡¯s grin didn¡¯t fade. ¡°And you¡¯re still too soft.¡± Then¡ª A gunshot. The guards had arrived. Sun barely glanced at them. He lifted a hand¡ª And they vanished. Not killed. Not burned. Just¡­ erased. Rossi exhaled through his nose. ¡°That ability of yours is unsettling.¡± Sun ignored him and turned to Luka. He knelt, meeting Luka at eye level. ¡°Listen, kid. Time for your first training lesson.¡± Luka straightened. Sun grinned beneath his mask. ¡°What do you know about J¨­ki?¡± The Birth of void The gunfire was deafening. Security guards swarmed the auction house, their weapons trained on the two men standing at the center of it all. The air was thick with tension, the stench of blood and burning debris filling the room. Rossi let out a deep sigh, rolling his shoulders as he gripped the handle of his katana. ¡°A lesson? You¡¯re talking about teaching a kid right now?¡± He let out a dry chuckle. ¡°We¡¯re surrounded, and you think this is a good time?¡± Sun, ever the enigma, simply smirked behind his mask. ¡°Learning happens in the field.¡± Rossi frowned. ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± Sun didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he turned to Luka, kneeling to meet his eye level. ¡°Listen, kid. Let¡¯s talk about J¨­ki.¡± Luka blinked. ¡°Right now?¡± Sun ignored his confusion. ¡°J¨­ki is the power inside people,¡± he began. ¡°It¡¯s linked to emotions¡ªanger, joy, sadness, fear. The stronger the feeling, the stronger the J¨­ki.¡± Luka nodded slowly, trying to absorb the information. ¡°But you,¡± Sun continued, ¡°are different. You¡¯re not like normal J¨­ki users. You can¡¯t awaken through emotion.¡± Luka frowned. ¡°Then¡­ how do I do it?¡± Sun¡¯s grin widened. ¡°Erase everything.¡± Before Luka could ask what he meant, the first wave of guards attacked. Rossi moved first. His movements were fluid, his J¨­ki-infused katana slicing through the air like water. Every step was calm, precise. Luka watched in awe. But then¡ª Sun raised his hand. Dark shadowy tendrils emerged from the ground, twisting and curling like black ink spreading through water. ¡°Inkborn Manifestation.¡± The tendrils shot forward, devouring everything in their path. The guards didn¡¯t even have time to scream before they **vanished¡ª**erased from existence as if they had never been there. Rossi inhaled sharply. Even though he was blind, he could feel the void spreading. ¡°That ability of yours¡­¡± he muttered. ¡°It¡¯s unnatural.¡± Sun chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s the point.¡± Rossi didn¡¯t argue. He grabbed Eros by the shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re leaving.¡± This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Eros looked at Luka, unsure. ¡°Go,¡± Sun said. ¡°Me and the kid need a little¡­ experience.¡± Rossi didn¡¯t like the sound of that, but he knew better than to argue. With a swift motion, he disappeared into the shadows with Eros. Sun sprinted through the chaos, Luka close on his heels. The air was thick with smoke and the metallic tang of blood. Sun moved like a shadow, his presence a blur of destruction. Anyone in his path,innocent or guard,was erased without hesitation. To him, they were all the same: filthy people who thrived in a world of greed and cruelty. ¡°Stay close,¡± Sun barked, his voice cutting through the cacophony of screams and gunfire. Luka obeyed, his small legs struggling to keep up. He didn¡¯t dare look at the bodies Sun left in his wake. He didn¡¯t want to know if they were alive or dead. All he could focus on was the sound of his own heartbeat, pounding in his ears like a drum. The path ahead was littered with debris, the walls crumbling as Sun¡¯s **Inkborn Manifestation** tore through everything. Shadowy tendrils of Null Energy lashed out, erasing obstacles and enemies alike. The ground shook with each step, the building groaning as if it were alive and in pain. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Sun shouted, his voice sharp and commanding. ¡°To the auction hall!¡± Luka followed, his breath coming in ragged gasps. When they burst into the hall, the scene was one of pure pandemonium. People were scrambling to escape, their faces twisted in terror. Guards fired wildly at the Xeno-Onix, but their bullets barely slowed the creature down. Its black, grotesque body was hunched forward, its expressionless white mask eerily staring ahead. The creature let out a piercing shriek, its clawed hands ripping through the nearest guards. His mind flashed back¡ª The screams. His mother¡¯s chains. His father¡¯s bloodied face. Luka¡¯s entire body froze. Fear. He understood fear. His hands shook. His legs refused to move. The Onix turned toward him. The director of the auction, a portly man with a face slick with sweat, clutched a gleaming katana to his chest. He stumbled toward the exit, his eyes darting nervously between the Onix and the chaos around him. ¡°Damn it, they¡¯re all useless!¡± he spat. ¡°I need to get out of here with my goods!¡± Sun¡¯s voice cut through the noise, cold and mocking. ¡°Fufu. Not a chance, mister.¡± The director froze, his eyes widening as Sun appeared in front of him like a ghost. ¡°W-Who the hell are you? I¡¯ll give you money! Protect me!¡± Sun didn¡¯t respond. With a flick of his wrist, a tendril of Null Energy lashed out, erasing the man before he could scream. The katana clattered to the ground, forgotten. Luka stared, his stomach churning. He wanted to look away, but he couldn¡¯t. The Onix was still rampaging, its hollow eyes now locked on him. ¡°Master Sun!¡± Luka cried, his voice trembling. ¡°Help!¡± But Sun didn¡¯t move. He stood there, his masked face unreadable, a faint smile playing on his lips. Rossi and Eros watched from the shadows, their expressions a mix of curiosity and concern. The Onix lunged, its claws slicing through the air. Luka scrambled backward, tripping over a chair. ¡°Master Sun!¡± Sun stood off to the side, watching. Smiling. ¡°Remember the lesson, Luka. To awaken, you need to feel the void. Erase every emotion. Don¡¯t feel anything.¡± Luka¡¯s breath caught in his throat. Why¡­ why wasn¡¯t he helping? Why was Rossi just standing there? Eros? Was he going to die? The Onix lunged. Its claws sliced clean through Luka¡¯s arm. Pain¡ª White-hot pain shot through his body as blood sprayed across the floor. ¡°AAAH MY ARM !¡± His vision blurred. He clutched the stump where his arm had been, feeling his own warm blood pooling between his fingers. Sun¡¯s voice cut through the pain. ¡°Erase it.¡± Luka gasped. His body trembled. ¡°Erase everything,¡± Sun said again, voice steady. ¡°That¡¯s the key to your power.¡± Luka couldn¡¯t think. The pain was too much. His mind raced¡ªhis mother smiling before she turned to ashes. His father broken and bleeding. The island, burning, filled with corpses. Was his life really just meant to end like this? His body felt cold. Empty. Alone. And then¡ª A spark. It was quiet. Not a roar. Not an explosion. Just a silent void. Luka¡¯s dark eyes became darker. A suffocating energy spread from within him. Master Rossi tensed. ¡°This feeling¡­¡± Eros took a step back. ¡°What is that¡­?¡± Sun laughed. ¡°There it is.¡± Luka¡¯s Null Energy had finally awakened. A massive pulse of black, formless energy spread across the auction house. The Onix screeched and took a step back. For the first time¡ª It felt fear. Rossi reached for his katana and threw it. ¡°Kid! Catch!¡± Luka barely registered it, but his body moved. His fingers wrapped around the handle. The moment he touched it¡ª The blade disintegrated. Rossi¡¯s mouth parted in shock. ¡°What¡ª¡± Sun let out a sharp whistle. ¡°Oops.¡± Luka stepped forward, his mind eerily calm. The Onix let out a final screech and lunged¡ª Luka lifted his hand. The moment his fingers brushed against the creature¡¯s mask¡ª It vanished. No blood. No explosion. It was simply gone. Luka collapsed. The world faded around him. And the last thing he heard¡ª Was Sun¡¯s laughter. Then Luka collapsed, the energy draining him completely. Sun rushed forward, catching him before he hit the ground. Eros shivered, his face pale. Rossi stared in disbelief. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. The kid has that kind of power¡­ and regeneration?¡± Sun smiled, his voice filled with pride. ¡°Told you. He¡¯s special.¡± Understanding power Luka¡¯s eyes snapped open. His body jerked upright, his breathing heavy as he took in his surroundings. This wasn¡¯t the auction house. It wasn¡¯t Sun¡¯s house either. The walls were made of reinforced steel, covered in dents and scratches. The air smelled of gunpowder and oil, and the distant sound of metal clanging echoed from somewhere beyond the room. A mercenary base. Luka sat in a worn-out chair, feeling the weight of exhaustion still pulling at his limbs. The last thing he remembered was the Onix, the moment his power had surged through him, and then¡ªdarkness. ¡°You¡¯re finally awake, kid.¡± Luka turned toward the voice. Sun stood near the corner of the room, arms crossed, leaning against the wall like he belonged there. Sitting across from him was another man¡ªbroad-shouldered, wearing a half-open combat vest, his fiery red hair messy and unkempt. A scar ran down the bridge of his nose, and his sharp eyes flickered with amusement. Luka stared at him. Sun gestured lazily. ¡°This is Ryker Valen. Goes by Red Wolf. He runs this place.¡± Ryker smirked and tilted his chair back. ¡°So this is the kid you keep talking about? The little apprentice?¡± He leaned forward, giving Luka a once-over. ¡°Huh. He looks half dead.¡± Sun shrugged. ¡°He¡¯ll live.¡± Luka was still processing. His body felt¡­ different. The usual weight on his chest, the lingering nightmares that haunted him every night¡ª Gone. ¡°Side effect of awakening,¡± Sun said as if reading his thoughts. ¡°You purged a lot of your old trauma. No more nightmares.¡± Luka blinked. No more nightmares? He hesitated. For weeks, he had woken up to the sound of his mother¡¯s screams, to the sight of his father¡¯s lifeless eyes. The memory of the burning island had clawed at his mind every night. But now¡­ It was just quiet. Luka lowered his gaze, gripping his own wrist. He thought awakening J¨­ki would make him feel different. But he still felt¡­ empty. A quiet sigh left Sun as he ruffled Luka¡¯s hair. ¡°Come on, kid. Don¡¯t look so lost. You did good.¡± Luka¡¯s fingers clenched. He wanted to tell someone. His parents? No. His sister? His stomach twisted. Sasha wasn¡¯t here. She was somewhere in the military. Training. Fighting. She was probably getting stronger. Luka swallowed down the bitter feeling and looked up at Sun. ¡°So¡­ what now?¡± A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Sun grinned beneath his mask. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve awakened, we get to the real training.¡± Ryker let out a sharp laugh, standing up. He towered over Luka, his presence commanding. ¡°Mask guy, you¡¯re always full of surprises.¡± He placed a hand on Luka¡¯s head and ruffled his hair roughly. ¡°Not bad, kid. Not bad at all.¡± Luka frowned, fixing his messy hair. ¡°I¡¯m not a kid.¡± ¡°Yeah? You look like one,¡± Ryker teased, before turning to Sun. ¡°So, what¡¯s next? You gonna teach him how to kill a Xeno in one night?¡± Sun stretched, letting out a lazy sigh. ¡°Something like that.¡± Ryker raised a brow. ¡°Wait¡ªyou¡¯re serious?¡± Sun nodded. Ryker scoffed. ¡°You both talk like damn robots.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s get to business. You completed your mission, so I¡¯ll send the payment¡ª¡± Sun waved a hand. ¡°Keep it. Use it to register Luka.¡± Ryker froze. Luka blinked. Register? ¡°What,¡± Ryker said flatly. ¡°The hell did you just say?¡± ¡°I said,¡± Sun repeated, his tone bored, ¡°register him as a mercenary.¡± Ryker stared. Then laughed. ¡°No way. Absolutely not. He¡¯s a kid.¡± ¡°He awakened today,¡± Sun replied. ¡°He¡¯ll survive.¡± ¡°You¡¯re insane,¡± Ryker muttered, rubbing his temples. ¡°You really think throwing him into a battlefield is ¡®training¡¯?¡± ¡°It worked for me,¡± Sun said. Ryker clicked his tongue in frustration. ¡°You¡¯re out of your damn mind, mask guy.¡± Luka wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about this. But Sun had already decided. Ryker let out a deep sigh, muttering curses under his breath. ¡°Fine. But don¡¯t expect me to babysit him.¡± Sun chuckled. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t dream of it.¡± Ryker crouched in front of Luka, his sharp eyes narrowing. ¡°Listen, kid. Being a mercenary ain¡¯t a game. If you¡¯re serious about this, then you¡¯d better be ready.¡± Luka didn¡¯t hesitate. He nodded. ¡°I am.¡± Ryker studied him for a moment¡ªthen smirked. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s see if you can back that up.¡± Sun let out a long sigh as they left the mercenary base, stepping into the neon-lit streets of the Undermaze. The air was thick with the smell of burnt wiring and oil, and the distant sounds of shouting and machinery filled the streets. Ryker had stayed behind, still laughing as Sun walked off, Luka trailing behind him. ¡°I see,¡± Ryker had smirked before they left. ¡°So you really do care about him.¡± Sun had scoffed, waving him off. ¡°Whatever. Bye.¡± Luka, however, barely paid attention to their conversation. He was still staring at his own hands. His fingers twitched slightly as if expecting to feel something different. His **new J¨­ki¡ªNull Energy¡ª**was unlike anything he had ever known. Unlike anything anyone had ever known. Was this what strength felt like? His master must have noticed his silence, because after a while, Sun finally spoke. ¡°So?¡± Luka looked up. ¡°So what?¡± Sun tilted his head. ¡°Is having J¨­ki really making you happy?¡± Luka thought about it. Was he happy? Luka hesitated before answering, his brows slightly furrowed. He searched for the right words but came up empty. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know,¡± he admitted honestly. ¡°But I want to understand it more.¡± ¡°Curious kid.¡± He reached out, placing a hand on Luka¡¯s head like he always did when explaining something important. ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s start simple. Did you know there are eight types of J¨­ki?¡± Luka blinked. ¡°Eight?¡± Sun nodded. ¡°Yeah. Every J¨­ki user falls into one of these categories.¡± He began counting them off on his fingers. ¡°Enhancers¡± ¨C They have raw physical strength, making them natural warriors. Strong, fast, durable¡ªthe kind that wins in a direct fight. ¡°Manipulators¡± ¨C They control things¡ªobjects, elements, even people¡ªby bending their will to match their own. ¡°Emitters¡± ¨C Their J¨­ki doesn¡¯t stay inside them. It bursts out in powerful blasts, beams, or even explosions. ¡°Transmuters¡± ¨C These ones can change their energy¡¯s properties. Fire, ice, electricity¡ªwhatever they want, their J¨­ki can mimic. ¡°Conjurers¡± ¨C They create things out of thin air. Weapons, barriers, creatures¡ªall made from pure J¨­ki. ¡°Healers¡± ¨C Unlike most J¨­ki users who use their power to destroy, healers mend wounds, restore energy, and even regenerate lost limbs. ¡°Curse Users¡± ¨C The rarest among them. Their power is fueled by emotion but at a dangerous cost. Their J¨­ki lingers, festers, and sometimes¡­ takes on a life of its own. ¡°Specialists¡± ¨C The unpredictable ones. Their abilities don¡¯t follow any rules. They don¡¯t fit into a single category because they make their own. Luka frowned, absorbing the information. ¡°Then¡­ what are we?¡± Sun smirked beneath his mask. ¡°What do you think?¡± Luka hesitated. His mind went over the explanation, fitting pieces together. Slowly, he murmured, ¡°Specialists?¡± Sun let out a small, approving laugh. ¡°Bingo.¡± He ruffled Luka¡¯s hair, making the boy scowl. ¡°We¡¯re anomalies, kid. Our J¨­ki doesn¡¯t function like others. It doesn¡¯t rely on emotion, and it doesn¡¯t follow the natural laws of energy. It erases. That¡¯s why we¡¯re Specialists.¡± Luka was quiet. So he really was different. Not just because he had been unable to perceive J¨­ki before, but because what he had awakened wasn¡¯t like anything else. A power that devoured. A power that left nothing behind. That thought sat heavy in his chest. By the time they reached home, Luka was still lost in thought. Sun pushed open the rusted metal door to their small hideout, stepping inside and immediately pulling off his gloves. Luka followed, his mind still turning over everything he had learned. Sun stretched, rolling his shoulders. ¡°Alright, kid. Now that you¡¯ve awakened, it¡¯s time for actual training.¡± Luka¡¯s head snapped up. ¡°Training?¡± Sun nodded, pulling a folded piece of paper from his pocket and tossing it onto the small table in the corner of the room. ¡°Your next lessons will focus on three things.¡± He held up a finger. ¡°First¡ªMeditation & Sensory Training.¡± Since Luka couldn¡¯t see J¨­ki like others, he needed to learn to detect what was missing instead. Instead of feeling energy, he would sense the absence of it. He lifted a second finger. ¡°Second¡ªControl Exercises.¡± Luka¡¯s power didn¡¯t work like normal J¨­ki. Instead of unleashing energy, he erased it. If he couldn¡¯t control that, he could accidentally erase something¡ªor someone¡ªhe didn¡¯t mean to. Finally, he held up a third finger. ¡°Third¡ªHand-to-Hand Combat.¡± Unlike other J¨­ki users, Null Energy didn¡¯t enhance physical abilities. That meant Luka needed to rely on something else¡ªmartial arts. Luka nodded slowly, taking it all in. It made sense. His power was dangerous. If he couldn¡¯t control it, he could end up hurting people. Sun smirked. ¡°Well? You ready?¡± Luka clenched his fists. ¡°Yeah.¡± Because this was only the beginning. Strenght trough pain Luka woke up to a boot lightly kicking his side. ¡°Wake up, kid. Training starts now.¡± Luka groaned, barely opening his eyes. His entire body felt heavy, his limbs refusing to cooperate. Dark circles sat under his eyes, proof that he barely slept the night before. He was still processing everything that had happened in the last few days¡ªhis awakening, his power, the mission, and now¡­ training. He blinked up at his masked master, who was already fully dressed and standing over him. Luka frowned. ¡°Do you really sleep with that mask on?¡± Sun laughed, crossing his arms. ¡°Of course. It¡¯s comfortable.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it.¡± Luka sighed, sitting up. He wouldn¡¯t get used to it. But he also knew he wasn¡¯t getting any answers if Sun didn¡¯t want to give them. ¡°Come on,¡± Sun said, tossing a black hoodie at him. ¡°Put this on. We¡¯re going outside.¡± Luka quickly got dressed and followed him out into the cold Undermaze morning. The streets were already awake, filled with the usual flickering neon lights, the smell of metal and smoke, and the distant shouts of people trying to survive. Luka thought they¡¯d head straight into combat training. Instead, Sun led him into a quiet, abandoned tunnel near the outer district. It was a large, open space, dark and eerie, with faded graffiti covering the walls. Luka looked around. ¡°¡­What is this place?¡± Sun cracked his neck. ¡°Your new training ground.¡± Sun sat down on the ground and motioned for Luka to do the same. Luka hesitated but followed, crossing his legs. ¡°Before you learn to fight,¡± Sun started, ¡°you need to understand your own power. You didn¡¯t awaken J¨­ki like a normal person, so you won¡¯t use it like a normal person either. That¡¯s why your training starts here¡ªwith your senses.¡± Luka furrowed his brows. ¡°Senses?¡± ¡°Yeah. Normal J¨­ki users feel energy. They can see colors, heat, and even read emotions. But you? You erase. Your power is the absence of energy. So instead of learning how to see J¨­ki¡ª¡± Sun flicked Luka¡¯s forehead. ¡°¡ªyou¡¯ll learn how to sense when something is missing.¡± Luka rubbed his forehead, scowling. ¡°How?¡± ¡°Close your eyes.¡± Luka obeyed. ¡°Now,¡± Sun continued, his voice calm, ¡°breathe in. Feel the world around you.¡± Luka did. He listened to the distant hum of the city, the way the air moved around him, the faint dripping of water from somewhere deeper in the tunnel. ¡°Good,¡± Sun said. ¡°Now, I¡¯m going to move around you. Tell me where I am.¡± Luka¡¯s eyes snapped open. ¡°How am I supposed to do that?¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Sun smirked. ¡°Figure it out.¡± Then¡ªhe disappeared. Luka tensed. His master was silent. Completely silent. No footsteps. No breathing. No presence at all. It was like he had vanished into thin air. Luka¡¯s pulse quickened. He squeezed his eyes shut again, trying to focus. Nothing. No sound. No shift in the air. Then¡ª A sharp poke jabbed his shoulder. Luka flinched. ¡°Wrong.¡± Sun¡¯s voice came from somewhere behind him. Luka clenched his fists. Again. A poke to his back. Again. A flick to his ear. Luka gritted his teeth. He hated this. It wasn¡¯t training¡ªit was humiliating. But then¡­ he noticed something. There was a strange emptiness before each hit. Like something was missing in the air. Luka¡¯s fingers twitched. He waited. There¡ªthat feeling again. A blank space in the air, like something wasn¡¯t supposed to be there¡ª Luka ducked. A second later, Sun¡¯s finger swiped through the air where Luka¡¯s forehead had been. Sun chuckled. ¡°Huh. Not bad.¡± Luka smirked. He was starting to get it. Sun stood up, stretching. ¡°Alright, now that you have a little awareness, let¡¯s move to the next step.¡± Luka got up as well, feeling more awake. ¡°What is it?¡± Sun gestured in front of them. ¡°Try using your J¨­ki.¡± Luka froze. Just like that? ¡°How?¡± Luka asked. Sun sighed. ¡°Did you already forget? Your power is Null. It doesn¡¯t flow like normal J¨­ki. It devours.¡± Luka still didn¡¯t understand, but he lifted his hand, focusing. He remembered the feeling from before, when he erased the Onix. That moment where his fear turned into emptiness. He clenched his fists and reached for that same feeling. At first, nothing happened. Then¡ªa strange sensation. Like something inside him was shifting, pulling. A slow, consuming void. Luka exhaled sharply, watching as a faint distortion flickered around his fingertips. Sun¡¯s voice cut through the moment. ¡°Stop.¡± Luka blinked, startled. ¡°What? Why?¡± Sun crossed his arms. ¡°If you let it grow too fast, it¡¯ll consume everything. Even you.¡± Luka swallowed hard. So that¡¯s why Sun made him do sensory training first. ¡°So what do I do?¡± Luka asked. Sun smirked. ¡°You control it. Starting now, you¡¯ll train every day to suppress it¡ªto turn it off and on at will.¡± Luka nodded, determination setting in. He didn¡¯t just want to be strong. He wanted to understand. Sun suddenly lunged forward. Luka barely had time to react before Sun¡¯s palm stopped just inches from his chest. ¡°Lesson three,¡± Sun said, his voice calm. ¡°You can¡¯t rely on your J¨­ki alone. Because Null doesn¡¯t enhance your body.¡± Luka stared at him. ¡°So,¡± Sun continued, stepping back, ¡°we start hand-to-hand combat. Get ready, kid. You¡¯re gonna be covered in bruises.¡± Luka exhaled, rolling his shoulders. He could handle that. Sun smirked. ¡°Good. Then let¡¯s begin.¡± Luka barely had time to blink before Sun moved. A sharp kick slammed into Luka¡¯s stomach. Pain exploded through his ribs, and before he could even gasp, his small body was already airborne. He crashed onto the cold concrete, skidding back. The force knocked the breath out of him, his vision spinning as he clutched his stomach. What¡­? That was too fast. Luka tried to push himself up, but a boot pressed down on his chest, pinning him. ¡°Lesson one,¡± Sun said, voice completely calm. ¡°You¡¯re slow.¡± Luka struggled beneath his master¡¯s weight. He hated this. His body screamed in pain, but he barely had time to think before Sun removed his foot¡ª And slammed his fist directly into Luka¡¯s face. His world went white. A sharp, cracking pain shot through his nose, and his head snapped back. Blood splattered across the ground. Luka gasped, stunned. For the first time in his life¡ªhe was in a real fight. ¡°Lesson two,¡± Sun¡¯s voice came from above him. ¡°Your body heals fast. But that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re invincible.¡± Luka gritted his teeth, his heartbeat pounding in his ears. He tried to focus through the pain. Then¡ªa strange sensation. His wounds stitched themselves together. His nose reset. The blood that had dripped onto the floor slowly dried. Luka inhaled sharply. His body had already healed itself. Sun smirked under his mask. ¡°See? You¡¯re good as new.¡± Luka staggered to his feet, still dazed. Sun waited. Not attacking. Not moving. He was giving Luka a chance. Luka lunged forward. He didn¡¯t know any techniques¡ªbut he swung his fist with everything he had. Sun dodged effortlessly. Luka¡¯s punch hit nothing but air. Then¡ªa palm strike to his ribs. Luka choked on air. Before he could recover, Sun¡¯s elbow smashed into his back, sending him face-first into the concrete again. His body convulsed from the shock of impact. Pain. Pain. Pain. Then¡ªit disappeared. His bones realigned. His skin knit back together. His breath came back. Sun crouched next to him. ¡°Are you starting to understand?¡± Luka coughed, spitting out blood. He forced himself to sit up. He was hurting. But¡­ He wasn¡¯t scared. He was angry. Not at Sun. At himself. He hated how weak he was. Sun suddenly grabbed his collar, lifting him up. Luka instinctively swung his leg¡ª but Sun caught it mid-air and slammed Luka down again. Another sharp crack. More blood. Luka gasped. Then¡ªhe healed. Faster this time. Sun stood over him. ¡°Lesson three¡ª¡± He kicked Luka in the ribs. ¡°¡ªYou can¡¯t rely on healing alone.¡± Luka gasped. He could barely think. His body felt like it was being shattered over and over again. But every time¡ªit put itself back together. His body was learning. Sun cracked his knuckles. ¡°We¡¯ll keep going until you start moving properly.¡± Luka panted. Then stood up again. His legs shook. His hands trembled. But his eyes burned with something new. Determination. Sun smirked. ¡°Good.¡± Then he attacked again. And again. And again. For hours¡ªLuka was beaten to the ground. And every time¡ªhe stood back up. The pain never stopped. But neither did Luka. He was going to survive. No matter what. The test of control A week had passed since his training began. And Luka still hadn¡¯t won. Not even once. His body ached from the constant beatings, his arms felt like lead, and his reflexes were nowhere near fast enough to land a single hit on Sun. Every day, he was thrown to the ground, knocked off balance, or overpowered before he could react. His master barely seemed to be trying¡ªjust dodging, countering, and smirking beneath that damn mask like he was enjoying himself. Luka panted, sweat dripping down his face. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. Why couldn¡¯t he land a hit? Sun, as usual, looked completely unbothered. ¡°Still standing, huh?¡± He tilted his head. ¡°Not bad, but you¡¯re going to have to do better than that.¡± Luka wiped his face with his sleeve and forced himself to stand straighter. Then, to his surprise, Sun suddenly walked over to a nearby weapon rack and picked up a sheathed katana. ¡°Here,¡± Sun said, tossing it toward Luka. Luka barely caught it, stumbling a bit under the unexpected weight. The scabbard was black, sleek, and polished like obsidian. The handle felt solid in his hands, heavier than he expected. His breath caught in his throat. A sword? For me? He looked up at Sun, disbelief written all over his face. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ giving me this?¡± Sun folded his arms, amused. ¡°From now on, this is your weapon.¡± Luka¡¯s fingers tightened around the hilt, his pulse quickening. He never expected his master to buy him a sword, let alone one this perfect. His hands trembled slightly as he clutched it, hugging the blade against his chest. Then, realization hit. ¡°But Master¡­¡± Luka hesitated, his excitement faltering. ¡°Won¡¯t I erase it?¡± Sun chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°No, you won¡¯t. That¡¯s what this next training is for.¡± He turned, grabbing a handful of small ceramic cups from a nearby shelf and placing them neatly on the table in front of Luka. Luka eyed them warily. ¡°What are we doing with cups?¡± Sun smirked. ¡°Your job is simple: touch these cups¡­ and don¡¯t make them disappear.¡± Luka stiffened. His throat felt dry. Control it? But how? ¡°You have one week,¡± Sun continued. ¡°If you fail, I¡¯m taking that katana back.¡± Luka¡¯s grip tightened instinctively around the sword. He liked this katana. He wanted to keep it. ¡°Understood?¡± Luka nodded, determination lighting up his dark eyes. Sun ruffled Luka¡¯s hair, pleased. ¡°Good. Then get started.¡± And just like that, Sun left the room, leaving Luka alone with the challenge in front of him. Luka sat down, staring at the rows of cups on the table. He flexed his fingers. Okay¡­ Just touch them. But don¡¯t erase them. He reached out carefully, his hand hovering over the first cup. Slowly, he lowered his fingers until they barely brushed the surface¡ª The cup vanished. Luka cursed under his breath. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. He tried again. Another cup disappeared. Again. Another one gone. Again. The entire row¡ªerased. Luka¡¯s frustration grew with every failure. He clenched his fists, staring at the empty space where the cups had been. How do I stop it? His J¨­ki worked differently from others. Instead of releasing power, he absorbed it¡ªerased it. That meant his energy was always active, always devouring. But he had to stop it. His fingers twitched. He had to. He tried again. And again. And again. Each time, the cup disappeared. ¡°Will I Ever Get It?¡± Luka exhaled sharply, frustration boiling inside him. ¡°Will I even be able to do this?¡± he muttered to himself. His arms ached from keeping them so stiff, his eyes burned from the intense focus. Still, he continued. He had to. His fingers hovered over the last remaining cup. His breathing slowed. His heart pounded. Slowly¡ªcarefully¡ªhe lowered his hand. It was almost touching¡ª Pong! A small rock almost hit him square in the forehead. He dodge. Luka yelped, recoiling. ¡°What the¡ª?!¡± He turned to see Sun standing at the doorway, tossing another rock up and down in his palm, his mask hiding any expression. ¡°Oh, Master,¡± Luka grumbled, rubbing his forehead. Sun grinned. ¡°Fufufu. I see the training¡¯s going well. You¡¯re so focused you dodged my first rock without even realizing it.¡± Luka blinked. He had? He didn¡¯t even remember moving. Before he could process it, Sun stepped closer, glancing at the table of erased cups. ¡°Not bad, kid. You¡¯re getting there.¡± Luka clenched his jaw. ¡°But I still can¡¯t control it.¡± Sun chuckled, patting his head. ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t get it today. That¡¯s what training is for.¡± Luka frowned. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to fail.¡± Sun hummed in thought before suddenly doubling the number of cups on the table. He stacked them higher, spreading them out across the surface. Luka¡¯s stomach dropped. ¡°Then keep going,¡± Sun said, walking toward his own bed. ¡°I expect to see some progress tomorrow.¡± With that, he left Luka alone. The hours dragged on. The dim light in the room flickered as Luka continued his training. His fingers trembled slightly as he hovered over another cup. He had to do it. He couldn¡¯t erase them all. He focused harder. Tried again. Failed. Tried again. Failed. The frustration burned inside him, but he didn¡¯t stop. He couldn¡¯t. And as the night stretched on, Luka sat there¡ªhis hands shaking, his mind racing¡ªdetermined to win against himself. ****** The next morning Luka jolted awake at the sudden tap! on his hand. His small fingers instinctively shot up, grabbing onto the wrist of whoever had touched him. A low chuckle followed. ¡°Good reflexes,¡± Sun mused. Luka blinked drowsily, rubbing his eyes with his free hand before realizing what had happened. He was still seated at the table, his head resting on his arm, surrounded by nothing but erased space where the cups had once been. He had failed. Again. Sun pulled his wrist free and tilted his head slightly, as if he could see Luka¡¯s thoughts forming. ¡°Not bad, kid. You¡¯re improving.¡± Luka scowled. ¡°I erased everything.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Sun said, ruffling Luka¡¯s already messy hair. ¡°You erased everything¡­ instead of just one at a time. That means your control still needs work, but hey, at least you¡¯re consistent.¡± Luka sighed. His fingers curled into fists, frustration gnawing at him. Sun clapped his hands together. ¡°Alright, enough sulking. Wash up. We¡¯ve got a mission.¡± Luka frowned. ¡°A mission?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°But¡­ Master, I¡¯m not ready yet. I still can¡¯t control my J¨­ki. What if I erase my katana?¡± Sun tilted his head, smirking beneath the mask. ¡°Then I¡¯ll buy you another one.¡± Luka¡¯s mouth opened, then closed. That wasn¡¯t the point. ¡°We don¡¯t have time, kid. We need to make money.¡± Sun stretched and leaned back against the wall. ¡°Now hurry up.¡± Luka sighed again but didn¡¯t argue. He trudged to the small bathroom, splashing cold water on his face to wake himself up. His body was still stiff from last night¡¯s training, but he pushed the exhaustion aside. A mission. This would be his first real test. ******* The Undermaze was always busy, no matter the time of day. Luka and Sun moved through the narrow streets, weaving through the chaotic mess of flickering neon lights, black-market traders, and shady figures lurking in the shadows. The air smelled like oil, metal, and something rotten. Luka saw a man with mechanical arms haggling over a shipment of stolen tech, a group of smugglers dealing weapons in a dark alley, and a woman selling counterfeit enhancers that promised to ¡°awaken¡± latent abilities. This place was alive, but in the worst way. As they walked, Luka glanced up at his master. ¡°What¡¯s the mission?¡± ¡°Simple,¡± Sun said, keeping his stride casual. ¡°We¡¯re going to kill Onix.¡± Luka froze. His blood turned cold. Sun kept walking, unfazed. Luka hurried to catch up, his hands gripping his new katana tightly. ¡°Kill them?¡± he asked, voice quieter. ¡°Yep,¡± Sun confirmed. ¡°It¡¯s time you get over that fear.¡± Luka swallowed hard. ¡°But¡ªwhat if I can¡¯t? What if I mess up?¡± Sun finally turned his head to glance at Luka. ¡°Then you erase them.¡± Luka didn¡¯t answer. His hands felt sweaty. His chest tightened. ¡°Besides,¡± Sun added, ¡°I¡¯m with you. Nothing¡¯s gonna happen.¡± Then, with a small smirk, he leaned down slightly. ¡°Unless¡­ you don¡¯t want to see Sasha again?¡± Luka stopped. His breath caught in his throat. His sister. He clenched his fists. No. He couldn¡¯t be weak. He nodded. ¡°Okay¡­ I understand.¡± Sun grinned. ¡°Good.¡± As they continued, Luka noticed the streets growing less crowded. The neon signs became fewer, the air colder. This part of The Undermaze wasn¡¯t as lively¡ªit was quiet. Too quiet. The black market district loomed ahead. Luka tensed. ¡°Are we going back to the black market?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Sun said. ¡°The mission is in District 4. It¡¯s a dead zone now¡ªOnix wiped out the entire area. The few people who lived there are gone, and the ones who tried to fight back got torn apart.¡± Luka hesitated. He had so many questions. Like¡ªWhere do Onix even come from? Before he could ask, Sun spoke again, voice colder than usual. ¡°Onix and the rest of the Xeno species aren¡¯t from this world. They¡¯re aliens¡ªinvaders. They came to this planet and decided humans were nothing more than livestock.¡± Luka¡¯s stomach churned. Sun¡¯s voice darkened. ¡°The Onix are nothing more than dogs¡ªmindless, multiplying, spreading like a disease. But other types?¡± He clenched his fists. ¡°Other Xeno are smarter. Stronger. They experiment on humans. They destroy my world.¡± Luka flinched. The way Sun said that¡­ the sheer hatred in his voice¡­ Sun¡¯s bloodlust felt suffocating. Luka gulped. ¡°M-Master¡­ when you said ¡®your world¡¯¡­ what did you mean?¡± Sun paused mid-step. For a second, he didn¡¯t answer. Then, his voice softened. ¡°Nothing,¡± he muttered. ¡°Forget it.¡± Luka wasn¡¯t sure if he believed that. Ahead, the streets opened into a wide, ruined field. Buildings lay in ruins, their walls collapsed. Rubble and broken glass littered the ground, and deep claw marks tore through the pavement. And in the center of the destruction¡ª Three Onix stalked the area, sniffing for their next meal. First mission Luka¡¯s entire body locked up. His fingers trembled against the hilt of his katana. Sun tilted his head. ¡°Alright, kid. We kill them, and the mission¡¯s done.¡± Luka barely heard him. His ears were ringing. His pulse pounded against his skull. They were here. Onix. His nightmares. The monsters that destroyed his home. The creatures that took his family. Luka¡¯s breath came in short, uneven bursts. ¡°There¡¯s only three of them,¡± he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. Sun laughed. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s just three. This mission is for you, after all.¡± Luka turned to his master in shock. ¡°Wait¡ªwhat?¡± Before he could react, Sun shoved him forward. Luka stumbled, nearly tripping over his own feet as he landed in the open field. ¡°Master?!¡± Luka spun around, panic rising in his voice. Sun just smiled. ¡°Go on. Erase them.¡± Luka¡¯s heart hammered against his ribs. He turned back¡ª The Onix had noticed him. Their heads snapped toward him, and a low, inhuman growl filled the air. Their movements were eerily smooth as they slowly circled him, their elongated limbs stretching as they prepared to pounce. Luka¡¯s grip on his katana tightened. His body screamed at him to run. His knees locked. His breath shuddered. Sun watched from a distance, arms crossed casually. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, kid?¡± Luka clenched his jaw. Everything is wrong. He wasn¡¯t ready. His legs were shaking. His hands trembled. And now¡ª It was him versus three Onix. He didn¡¯t know if he would survive this time. Luka¡¯s breath came out in short, shallow bursts. His fingers tightened around the katana¡¯s hilt, but his grip was unsteady, slick with sweat. His muscles tensed, locked in place, as the three Onix circled him like wolves sizing up their prey. Their grotesque, mask-like faces twisted in eerie, silent grins. Their long, gangly limbs bent unnaturally as they stalked forward, black claws dragging across the ground, carving deep scratches into the pavement. Luka¡¯s heart pounded in his ears. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°I can¡¯t do this. I can¡¯t¡ª¡± Then¡ª The first Onix lunged. Luka barely reacted in time. He twisted his body, throwing himself sideways as the creature¡¯s clawed hand whistled past his face, slicing through the air where his head had been moments ago. Fast. Too fast. Luka¡¯s feet barely found purchase on the cracked ground before the second Onix was already leaping at him. ¡°Move!¡± Luka ducked, rolling beneath the incoming strike. The moment his hands touched the ground, he pushed off, flipping backward just as the third Onix slammed down where he had just been, splintering the pavement beneath it. No time to think. No time to breathe. He barely had a second to steady himself before the first Onix recovered and came at him again. This time, Luka wasn¡¯t fast enough. A sharp pain tore through his arm as black claws ripped into his flesh, cutting deep. Blood splattered against the ground. Luka let out a strangled gasp. But then¡ª The wound was already closing. The torn flesh knitted itself back together in seconds, leaving nothing but the bloodstains behind. The Onix cocked its head, confused. Luka¡¯s chest rose and fell rapidly. His legs wobbled beneath him. He barely felt the pain, but the shock of it rattled his mind. ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m going to die.¡± From the sidelines, Sun watched, arms crossed casually. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, kid?¡± he called out, voice dripping with amusement. Luka¡¯s head snapped toward him, desperation flashing in his eyes. Sun¡¯s expression was unreadable beneath the mask, but his tone was sharp, cutting straight through Luka¡¯s panic. ¡°Control. Remember your training.¡± Luka¡¯s breath hitched. ¡°Control.¡± Luka squeezed his eyes shut for half a second, tuning out the pounding of his heart, the burning in his lungs. These creatures weren¡¯t J¨­ki users. They had no auras, no presence that he could sense. They were nothing. Luka squeezed his eyes shut for half a second, tuning out the pounding of his heart, the burning in his lungs. The Onix had J¨­ki. He knew that much. He couldn¡¯t see it, but he could feel the absence where its energy warped reality around it. A void in the air. A black hole in his senses. There¡ª He twisted just as another claw came for his ribs. Luka inhaled sharply. His hands still trembled around the katana, but this time¡ªhe focused. His power wasn¡¯t something wild, uncontrollable. It wasn¡¯t just a force of destruction. It was his. It was part of him. The Onix screeched and lunged again. Luka didn¡¯t run this time. He moved. The moment its claw came down, Luka shifted his body, dodging at the last second. Instead of retreating¡ªhe stepped in. He swung his katana. But instead of the weapon vanishing into nothingness¡ª It cut. The blade sliced clean through the Onix¡¯s arm, severing it. The creature shrieked, stumbling backward as its limb erased into black dust. Luka¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I did it.¡± But there was no time to celebrate. The other two were already closing in. Luka¡¯s feet moved instinctively. He ducked under the second Onix¡¯s wild swipe and used the momentum to pivot, slamming his katana into its chest. The blade struck true¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t the metal that finished it. The moment his J¨­ki-infused weapon connected¡ª The Onix erased from the inside out. The creature convulsed violently before its entire form crumbled into nothingness. Gone. Luka¡¯s breathing was heavy. Sweat dripped down his forehead. His pulse thundered in his ears. But he wasn¡¯t scared anymore. He turned to the last Onix. It hesitated now. Luka took a step forward. The Onix snarled, slamming its claws into the ground, sending cracks splitting through the pavement. Luka¡¯s grip on his katana tightened. He exhaled slowly. Then¡ªhe charged. The Onix swung its arm¡ª Luka slid under it, twisting his body at the last second. He pivoted, slashing upward. The blade sang through the air. The Onix¡¯s mask cracked. For the first time¡ªLuka saw something behind it. A glimpse of shifting darkness. Of something wrong. But he didn¡¯t stop. His J¨­ki flared¡ªvoid-like, formless. And then¡ª The Onix disintegrated. Gone. The air was silent. Luka stood there, panting. His hands ached. His body burned. But for the first time since his awakening¡ª He had won. Sun clapped slowly, amusement lacing his voice. ¡°Well, damn. Took you long enough.¡± Luka barely heard him. His fingers curled tighter around his katana. He could finally control his J¨­ki. And he had killed Onix. The fear that had haunted him for so long¡ª It wasn¡¯t gone. But it was no longer in control. Luka¡¯s hands ached. His fingers felt raw, his arms trembling from exhaustion. His body could heal, but the pain was still fresh. He clenched his katana tightly, staring at the ground where the Onix had once stood. The weight of his first real battle lingered on him. Sun leaned against a broken wall, watching him. ¡°Well, you¡¯re alive. That¡¯s a good start.¡± Luka exhaled, his shoulders slumping. ¡°Master¡­¡± He hesitated. ¡°Will I ever be¡­ fast like you?¡± Sun tilted his head. ¡°Fast?¡± Luka nodded, gripping his sword. ¡°You always move like you¡¯re weightless. No hesitation, no wasted movement. I want to be like that. But¡­ I can¡¯t even swing this sword properly without feeling slow.¡± Sun hummed, considering Luka¡¯s words. ¡°Technically, we can¡¯t enhance our bodies like normal J¨­ki users,¡± Sun admitted. ¡°Our power erases, not amplifies. It doesn¡¯t boost strength or speed like the Enhancers do.¡± Luka¡¯s grip tightened. ¡°Then how do I catch up to you?¡± Sun smirked beneath his mask. ¡°Who said we have to follow the rules?¡± Luka blinked. ¡°Our J¨­ki may not enhance us¡­ but that doesn¡¯t mean there aren¡¯t loopholes.¡± Sun raised a hand, flexing his fingers. A strange ripple of energy surrounded his arm for a brief second before disappearing. ¡°What was that?¡± Luka asked. ¡°Null Energy is supposed to erase,¡± Sun explained. ¡°But I found a way to borrow from it instead. Think of it like¡­¡± He tapped his head. ¡°Imagine a math equation. If normal J¨­ki users multiply their strength by 2x, we take a negative equation and force it into a positive. For a short time, we can bypass our natural limits.¡± Luka frowned. ¡°So¡­ we can enhance ourselves?¡± ¡°Temporarily,¡± Sun admitted. ¡°It drains us way faster than regular J¨­ki enhancement, though. If you push too hard, you¡¯ll burn out before the fight¡¯s even over. But¡ª¡± Sun smirked. ¡°If you master it, you¡¯ll be untouchable.¡± Luka felt something stir in his chest. Excitement. A real path forward. Sun suddenly clapped his hands together. ¡°Alright, kid. Since you¡¯re all fired up, let¡¯s start your next training: breaking our own limits.¡± Luka nodded eagerly. Sun¡¯s smirk widened. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re excited now,¡± Sun said, stepping forward. ¡°But let¡¯s see if you can still stand after this.¡± Luka felt a chill run down his spine. There it was again. That sadistic side of his master. This training was going to hurt. Breaking The Law Of Power Luka stood in the middle of an abandoned lot, the cracked pavement beneath him littered with rusted debris. Sun paced in front of him, hands casually tucked into his coat pockets. The air smelled of damp metal and oil, the remnants of an old industrial zone long forgotten by the city above. ¡°You want to move faster?¡± Sun said, tilting his head. ¡°Then we¡¯re going to start with understanding movement itself.¡± Luka frowned. ¡°Movement?¡± Sun sighed and knelt, picking up a small rock from the ground. He tossed it in his palm before flicking it into the air. ¡°What makes something move?¡± Sun asked. Luka blinked. ¡°Force?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Sun said, catching the rock mid-air. ¡°Normal J¨­ki users enhance their muscles, making them stronger and faster. But we? We erase. Our power doesn¡¯t push forward¡ªit pulls in.¡± Luka¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Then how do we use that to move faster?¡± Sun smirked. ¡°By making ourselves lighter.¡± Luka tilted his head, confused. Sun flicked his wrist, and a tendril of dark energy wrapped around the rock in his palm. The rock vanished in an instant. ¡°Our power erases weight,¡± Sun continued. ¡°For a brief moment, we can erase our own mass. That means less resistance. Less drag. Faster movement.¡± Luka¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°So¡­ if I erase my own weight, I can move faster?¡± ¡°Bingo.¡± Sun pointed at him. ¡°But if you erase too much, your body won¡¯t have enough mass to stay anchored. You¡¯ll move like you¡¯re floating¡ªuncontrolled and reckless.¡± Luka gulped. ¡°So how do I control it?¡± Sun¡¯s smirk widened. ¡°Simple. You practice.¡± He gestured toward a set of six-foot-tall metal barrels lined up in the lot. ¡°Your goal,¡± Sun said, ¡°is to erase just enough weight to get over those barrels.¡± Luka¡¯s eyes darted toward them. They were taller than him by at least two feet. ¡°Jump?¡± Luka asked hesitantly. ¡°Jump,¡± Sun confirmed. ¡°If you do it right, you¡¯ll clear them. If you do it wrong¡ª¡± He knocked on the metal barrel with his knuckles. ¡°Well, let¡¯s just say it¡¯ll hurt.¡± Luka took a deep breath, stepping back. Erase weight¡­ but not too much. He focused, feeling the strange void-like energy inside him. He pushed it toward his legs, imagining himself becoming lighter. Then¡ªhe jumped. For a split second, he felt weightless. The ground seemed to disappear beneath him. He soared¡ª The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡ªtoo high. ¡°Whoa¡ª!¡± Luka flailed mid-air, arms swinging wildly. He overshot the jump, his body weight completely gone. Instead of landing smoothly¡ª CRASH. He slammed into the ground face-first. Sun whistled. ¡°Oof. That looked painful.¡± Luka groaned, pushing himself up. His body already started healing, but the impact still hurt. He gritted his teeth. ¡°Again.¡± Sun chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s the spirit.¡± Luka took another breath, trying to adjust the amount of weight he erased. This time, he jumped lower¡ªbut still overshot, landing off-balance and tumbling into the barrels. CLANG! He gritted his teeth as pain shot through his side. Sun clapped his hands. ¡°Two fails. Want to go for three?¡± Luka scowled but nodded. He wiped the dirt off his cheek and got back into position. Again. And again. And again. Each time, he miscalculated. Too much, and he lost control. Too little, and he barely lifted off the ground. Sun sat on a nearby crate, watching him struggle. ¡°The key is balance,¡± he said. ¡°You need to erase just enough¡ªnot too much, not too little. Find the middle ground.¡± Luka panted, his legs aching. ¡°That¡¯s easy for you to say.¡± Sun laughed. ¡°Oh, trust me. I ate concrete more times than I can count when I first learned this.¡± Luka blinked. ¡°Wait, you failed too?¡± Sun leaned back, arms behind his head. ¡°Of course. You think I just woke up one day and mastered it?¡± Luka frowned, staring at the barrels again. If Sun had struggled too¡­ then that meant Luka just had to keep going. He took a deep breath. Focused. And jumped. This time¡ª He landed perfectly on the other side. Luka gasped. Sun clapped. ¡°Not bad, kid. Took you twenty tries, but hey¡ªwho¡¯s counting?¡± Luka stood in the empty lot, his breath still uneven from the repeated jumps. His body ached, but there was something thrilling about it. For the first time, he felt like he was making progress. Sun, still lounging on the crate, stretched his arms. ¡°Alright, kid. Now that you get the basics of lightening yourself, it¡¯s time for the next step.¡± Luka wiped sweat from his forehead. ¡°There¡¯s more?¡± Sun chuckled. ¡°Of course. If you want to be fast, jumping over barrels isn¡¯t enough. You need to learn momentum.¡± Luka tilted his head. ¡°Momentum?¡± Sun pointed to the far end of the lot, where a wall of stacked wooden crates stood. ¡°See those? Your next goal is to break them.¡± Luka blinked. ¡°Break them? But I don¡¯t have strength enhancement like other J¨­ki users.¡± Sun smirked beneath his mask. ¡°Exactly. You don¡¯t have strength, but you have speed. And speed, my dear apprentice, equals power.¡± He tapped his foot against the ground. ¡°A normal punch won¡¯t break through solid wood, right?¡± Luka nodded. ¡°But¡­¡± Sun continued, ¡°if you take that same punch and add momentum¡ª¡± BOOM. Before Luka could blink, Sun had vanished. A split second later, the crates exploded into splinters, Sun standing on the other side with his fist buried in the remains. Luka¡¯s mouth fell open. Sun turned, dusting off his knuckles. ¡°See? Speed multiplies force. You don¡¯t need brute strength when you can move faster than your enemy can react.¡± Luka clenched his fists. ¡°I want to do that.¡± Sun laughed. ¡°Oh, you will. But first, you need to learn how to stop falling on your face.¡± Luka huffed. ¡°I barely fell that much.¡± Sun tilted his head. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just eat dirt, like, ten times?¡± Luka scowled. Sun smirked. ¡°Relax, kid. You¡¯re ten. You think speed is just about running fast, but it¡¯s more than that. It¡¯s about control. If you can¡¯t control your acceleration, you¡¯ll crash into walls like a headless chicken.¡± Luka frowned. ¡°So how do I learn control?¡± Sun tapped his chin in thought. Then, he snapped his fingers. ¡°I got it. We¡¯ll use that.¡± Luka followed his gaze to an old, rusted bridge nearby. The surface was uneven, some parts broken, leaving only narrow beams to step on. His stomach dropped. ¡°You want me to run on that?¡± Sun nodded. ¡°If you fall, you¡¯ll land in the sewer.¡± Luka grimaced. ¡°Great.¡± Sun crossed his arms. ¡°If you can sprint across without tripping or losing balance, then I¡¯ll show you how to break things like I did. Deal?¡± Luka exhaled. ¡°Deal.¡± Luka stood at the edge of the bridge, his heart pounding. He erased his weight, just enough to feel lighter. Then, he ran. The first few steps were easy. But then¡ª His foot hit a loose plank. CRACK. Luka¡¯s balance wobbled. His arms flailed. SPLASH. He fell straight into the sewer water. Sun burst out laughing. ¡°Hah! That was even faster than I expected!¡± Luka surfaced, soaked and furious. ¡°You knew that plank was loose, didn¡¯t you?!¡± Sun wiped a fake tear from his eye. ¡°Oh, absolutely.¡± Luka grumbled and climbed back up. Second Attempt. He focused harder this time. Erase weight. Run light. He dashed forward, his speed increasing¡ª But he overcompensated. His body felt too light, like running on air. His foot missed the next beam¡ª THUD. Luka faceplanted into the bridge. Sun winced. ¡°Oof. That looked painful.¡± Luka groaned, pushing himself up. ¡°Again.¡± Third Attempt. This time, he tried to feel everything¡ªthe uneven surface, the shifts in weight. He ran. He almost made it¡ª But at the very end, he tripped on his own feet. CRASH. Luka skidded across the ground, dirt scraping against his arms. Sun whistled. ¡°You¡¯re improving. That time you only ate half the ground.¡± Luka lay there, breathing hard. Sun crouched next to him. ¡°Listen, kid. Speed is not just moving fast. It¡¯s about timing and rhythm. You have to match your acceleration to your control.¡± Luka exhaled. ¡°How do I do that?¡± Sun stood up and cracked his knuckles. ¡°Simple. Feel the motion, don¡¯t force it. Now get up. You¡¯re doing it again.¡± Luka groaned but pushed himself back to his feet. And so¡ªhe ran. Again. And again. And again. Each time, he adjusted. Each time, he improved. By the twentieth attempt, he finally sprinted across the bridge without falling. Luka gasped, his chest rising and falling. He turned to Sun, eyes wide. ¡°I did it!¡± Sun smirked. ¡°Good. Now¡­¡± He pointed to another set of crates. ¡°Break those.¡± Luka gulped. Here we go again. The law of speed and straight Luka stood before the wooden crates, his heartbeat still racing from his last sprint across the bridge. He had finally gotten used to controlling his speed, but breaking something? That was different. Sun clapped his hands together. ¡°Alright, kid. Since you¡¯re terrible at understanding normal explanations, let¡¯s make this simple. Think of it like math.¡± Luka blinked. ¡°Math?¡± Sun nodded. ¡°Yeah. You know how force works, right?¡± Luka hesitated. ¡°¡­No.¡± Sun sighed dramatically. ¡°Of course you don¡¯t. Alright, listen up.¡± He grabbed a small rock from the ground and tossed it lightly at Luka¡¯s chest. It barely tapped him. ¡°That didn¡¯t hurt, right?¡± Luka shook his head. ¡°Now watch.¡± Sun picked up another rock, but this time, he pulled his arm back fast and threw it. THWACK. The rock smacked Luka in the shoulder. He yelped, rubbing the sore spot. ¡°Ow!¡± Sun grinned. ¡°See the difference?¡± Luka frowned. ¡°Because you threw it harder?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Sun said. ¡°But here¡¯s the important part¡ªthe weight of the rock never changed.¡± Luka¡¯s eyes widened slightly. Sun pointed at the crates. ¡°The same thing applies to your body. A normal punch from you won¡¯t do much. But if you add speed, your weight increases at the moment of impact. Momentum turns speed into power.¡± He tapped his mask. ¡°Think of it like a math equation: Speed ¡Á Mass = Force The faster you go, the harder you hit. That¡¯s why people can¡¯t run full speed into a wall without breaking something.¡± Luka stared at the crates. ¡°So if I go fast enough¡­ I can break those?¡± Sun smirked. ¡°If you do it right.¡± Luka clenched his fists. He took a deep breath, lowering his stance. ¡°Alright,¡± Sun said, stepping back. ¡°Let¡¯s see it, kid.¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Luka erased his weight, just enough to move fast. He took off, sprinting forward, the wind rushing past his ears. He could feel his body moving faster than ever before. The crate was right in front of him¡ª He swung his fist. CRACK¡ª! The impact stopped him instantly. Pain shot through Luka¡¯s arm. His knuckles throbbed. The crate didn¡¯t break. Instead, Luka was the one who bounced back, landing hard on his rear. Sun burst out laughing. Luka winced, cradling his hand. ¡°That hurt!¡± Sun wiped a fake tear from his eye. ¡°Of course it did, you idiot! You forgot the second part!¡± Luka groaned. ¡°What second part?¡± Sun crouched next to him. ¡°You ran fast, yeah. But the moment you hit the crate, you stopped. All that speed died the second you punched.¡± Luka frowned. ¡°Then¡­ what did I do wrong?¡± ¡°You hesitated,¡± Sun said. ¡°Instead of following through, you held back at the last second. If you don¡¯t commit, all that built-up power vanishes.¡± Luka stared at his bruised knuckles. ¡°So I have to¡­ keep going?¡± ¡°Bingo,¡± Sun said, standing up. ¡°Speed doesn¡¯t just stop when you hit something. You have to let your whole body flow through the motion. Otherwise, you¡¯re just slapping the crate with a fancy sprint.¡± Luka clenched his fists. Again. This time, he focused harder. He ran. Faster. His breath was steady, his body light. The crate was closer¡ª He swung. BOOM! Luka missed. His fist barely grazed the side of the crate before his momentum carried him forward¡ª CRASH. Luka tripped over his own feet and skidded across the dirt. Sun clicked his tongue. ¡°Better. But still bad.¡± Luka groaned into the ground. Sun walked over, tapping his boot against Luka¡¯s head. ¡°What was the mistake this time?¡± Luka pushed himself up, spitting out dust. ¡°I didn¡¯t aim?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Sun said. ¡°Speed means nothing if you don¡¯t have control. You¡¯re moving, but you¡¯re not guiding that movement. Right now, you¡¯re just running blindly and hoping it works.¡± Luka exhaled sharply. ¡°Then how do I aim?¡± Sun smirked. ¡°With your whole body.¡± He turned, facing the crate himself. Luka watched carefully. Sun took a step back¡ª Then vanished. A dark blur streaked forward. BOOM. The crate shattered instantly, wood splinters flying everywhere. Sun didn¡¯t stop moving. His fist followed through the motion, his body turning with the impact. He skidded to a slow stop, hands in his pockets. Luka¡¯s jaw dropped. Sun turned back. ¡°See? I didn¡¯t just punch¡ªI let my entire body carry the force. You have to move through the attack.¡± Luka clenched his fists. ¡°Again.¡± Sun grinned. ¡°That¡¯s the spirit.¡± Luka ran. This time, he didn¡¯t hesitate. He focused¡ªnot just on speed, but on his body. His arms. His feet. His breathing. He let it flow. BOOM! A loud crack echoed. Luka stumbled backward, his fist stinging¡ª But this time, the crate had a dent. His heart raced. He did it. He cracked it. Sun clapped. ¡°Now we¡¯re getting somewhere.¡± Luka shook out his sore hand, grinning despite the pain. He barely had time to catch his breath from breaking the crate when Sun suddenly knelt down in front of him, pulling something out of his coat. It was a set of metal rings¡ªthick, polished, and strangely futuristic. Luka frowned. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Sun smirked beneath his mask. ¡°A little gift from Mina. It¡¯s called a gravity regulator.¡± Before Luka could ask, Sun grabbed his wrist and snapped one ring around it. Then another. Clank. Luka¡¯s legs buckled instantly. His knees slammed into the dirt, his arms yanking down as if someone had tied bricks to them. It was heavy. Luka gritted his teeth, his small fingers digging into the ground. ¡°Wh-what the hell¡ª?!¡± Sun chuckled, fastening the last two rings around Luka¡¯s ankles. ¡°They increase your personal gravity, kid. Your muscles are weak. You¡¯re too skinny. This¡¯ll fix that.¡± Luka tried to push himself up¡ªbut his arms shook violently. Every movement felt like he was being dragged down by an invisible force. He glared up at Sun. ¡°This¡­ sucks.¡± Sun patted Luka¡¯s head. ¡°Good. That means it¡¯s working.¡± Luka scowled. Sun stepped back, crossing his arms. ¡°Alright, here¡¯s the deal. You¡¯re not allowed to use your J¨­ki to enhance yourself. Not until something bad happens.¡± Luka blinked. ¡°What do you mean ¡®something bad happens¡¯?!¡± Sun shrugged. ¡°I mean if you¡¯re about to get crushed, stabbed, or eaten¡ªthen you can use it. Otherwise, no enhancement. Just pure training.¡± Luka¡¯s stomach sank. Sun clapped his hands together. ¡°Okay! First step¡ªstand up.¡± Luka clenched his jaw. His arms trembled as he tried to push off the ground, his muscles straining under the weight. He barely lifted himself an inch before his body collapsed again. Sun sighed. ¡°Damn, kid. You really are weak.¡± Luka shot him a glare. Sun crouched down in front of him. ¡°Listen, you wanna be fast, right? Wanna be strong?¡± Luka hesitated¡ªthen nodded. ¡°Then get up,¡± Sun said simply. Luka gritted his teeth and tried again. One inch. Two inches. His arms shook violently, sweat dripping down his forehead. Sun watched patiently. ¡°C¡¯mon. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re gonna cry.¡± Luka gritted his teeth. Push. His body felt like lead. His muscles screamed. Push. His shoulders burned. His breath came out in sharp pants. Push. Finally¡ª He stood. Luka wobbled, his legs trembling like a newborn deer, but he was standing. Sun grinned. ¡°Not bad.¡± Luka glared. ¡°This is hell.¡± Sun laughed, slapping Luka¡¯s back hard enough to make him stumble. ¡°Nah, kid. This is just the beginning.¡± A new era begins The Undermaze had changed over the past two years. Or maybe¡ªLuka had. He didn¡¯t feel like the same weak kid who once trembled at the sight of an Onix. His body moved differently now¡ªfaster, stronger. His muscles had hardened from relentless training, his mind sharpened by experience. But some things never changed. Like how Mina still barged into their home uninvited. The metal door slammed open, and in walked Mina ¡®Ghost Fingers¡¯ Estel, her usual smirk plastered on her face. Trailing behind her, hands in his pockets, was Eros. Luka barely had time to react before Mina dropped a heavy bag onto the table. ¡°Alright, Mask Freak. I brought the shipment.¡± Sun, still leaning back in his chair, didn¡¯t even look up. ¡°You¡¯re early.¡± ¡°You¡¯re late,¡± Mina shot back, flopping down on the couch. Luka wiped the sweat from his forehead, his breath steady. He had just finished another brutal training session with the gravity rings, but now his attention was on Eros. Eros stared back at him. Something was different. They had both changed. Eros looked taller, sharper, stronger. His golden eyes had a sharper gleam, his white hair slightly longer. His posture was looser but controlled, his movements precise. Luka smirked. ¡°You got stronger.¡± Eros grinned. ¡°You too.¡± Mina rolled her eyes. ¡°Ugh, you two are so weird. Haven¡¯t seen each other in two years and all you care about is strength?¡± Sun chuckled from his seat. ¡°That¡¯s just how fighters are, sweetheart.¡± Mina ignored him and turned to Luka. Her eyes flickered down to his arms, where the black metal gravity rings were still locked onto his wrists. She blinked. Then she stared. ¡°Wait a damn second¡ªyou¡¯re still wearing those?!¡± Luka raised an eyebrow. ¡°Yeah?¡± Mina whirled on Sun. ¡°HOW LONG HAS HE BEEN WEARING THEM?!¡± Sun casually sipped his tea. ¡°Two years.¡± Silence. Mina¡¯s jaw dropped. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Two. Years?! You had a kid walking around with that much weight for TWO YEARS?!¡± Sun shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s fine.¡± Luka tilted his head. ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything anymore.¡± Mina looked like she was about to pass out. Eros, on the other hand, was grinning. ¡°No wonder you look different.¡± Luka pulled up his shirt to wipe the sweat off his face¡ªrevealing toned muscles underneath. Mina choked. ¡°WHAT THE HELL¡ª?! Why does a 12-year-old have muscles like that?! That¡¯s illegal!¡± Eros burst out laughing. ¡°I dunno, Mina. Kinda impressive, don¡¯t you think?¡± Mina covered her face. ¡°No. No, it¡¯s weird. A kid shouldn¡¯t have abs! This is unnatural!¡± Sun sighed dramatically. ¡°Ah, puberty. It comes for us all.¡± Mina threw a wrench at him. Luka caught it. Without thinking. With two fingers. The entire room froze. Sun grinned. ¡°See? Training works.¡± Mina just groaned into her hands. ¡°I hate this place.¡± Eros smirked, crossing his arms. ¡°Alright, Luka. Since you¡¯re some freak of nature now¡ªwhat do you say to a little challenge?¡± Luka raised an eyebrow. ¡°What kind of challenge?¡± Eros¡¯s grin widened. ¡°A tournament.¡± Sun suddenly leaned forward, interested. ¡°Go on.¡± Eros¡¯ golden eyes gleamed. ¡°The Black Market Underground Tournament. No rules, no age limits, just pure fighting. Strongest wins.¡± Luka tilted his head. ¡°And what do we get if we win?¡± Eros smirked. ¡°Money. Fame. Connections. And best of all¡­¡± His voice dropped into a whisper. ¡°A chance to fight some of the strongest underground J¨­ki users.¡± Luka blinked. Then¡ªhe smiled. ¡°I¡¯m in.¡± Mina was not having it. She stood with her arms crossed, glaring at both Sun and Luka like they had lost their minds. ¡°No. Absolutely not. Do you two even realize what kind of people compete in that tournament? Killers. Mercenaries. Psychopaths.¡± She jabbed a finger at Luka. ¡°This kid will get eaten alive!¡± Luka, unfazed, simply blinked. ¡°I¡¯ve faced death before. This is nothing.¡± Eros, leaning against the wall with a smirk, chuckled. ¡°He¡¯s got a point, Mina. He literally fought an Onix at ten years old. I think he can handle a few meatheads swinging their fists around.¡± Mina whipped around and glared at him. ¡°That¡¯s not the same, and you know it!¡± Meanwhile, Sun was laughing his ass off. ¡°You¡¯re acting like this is some kind of death sentence,¡± he said, waving a hand dismissively. ¡°Relax. It¡¯s just part of his training.¡± ¡°JUST PART OF HIS TRAINING?!¡± Mina yelled. ¡°YOU WANT TO THROW A TWELVE-YEAR-OLD INTO A BLOODSPORT FOR TRAINING?!¡± Sun tilted his head. ¡°Yes.¡± Mina groaned, dragging a hand down her face. ¡°You¡¯re insane.¡± ¡°That¡¯s old news, sweetheart,¡± Sun said with a grin. Mina turned to Luka, hoping at least he would have some sense. ¡°Luka, listen, you¡¯re strong, sure, but this is different. These aren¡¯t brainless Onix. These are trained fighters who know how to kill. You don¡¯t even know how to fight other humans yet!¡± Luka stared at her. Then, calmly, he said, ¡°That¡¯s why I have to go.¡± For a moment, Mina was silent. Then she sighed, shaking her head. ¡°You two are impossible.¡± Sun patted Luka¡¯s head, pleased. ¡°Good answer, kid. You¡¯re learning.¡± Eros smirked. ¡°I like it. This¡¯ll be fun.¡± Mina groaned again, but then something Sun said finally clicked. ¡°Wait,¡± she narrowed her eyes. ¡°You planned this, didn¡¯t you?¡± Sun grinned behind his mask. ¡°Obviously.¡± Mina¡¯s stomach sank. That look on Sun¡¯s face always meant trouble. She crossed her arms. ¡°Alright, what¡¯s the real reason you want him in this tournament?¡± Sun leaned back against the counter, tapping his fingers idly. ¡°You remember the Xeno organ auction from two years ago?¡± Mina frowned. ¡°Yeah¡­ you killed the guy running it.¡± Sun shook his head. ¡°No. I killed a middleman. The real mastermind never showed his face.¡± His fingers drummed against the counter. ¡°But I¡¯ve seen him before.¡± Mina stilled. ¡°You¡¯re saying¡ª¡± ¡°He¡¯s connected to the tournament,¡± Sun finished. A heavy silence filled the room. Mina swallowed. ¡°And you think Luka competing will help draw him out?¡± Sun shrugged. ¡°Maybe. Maybe not. But it¡¯s a good start.¡± Eros let out a low whistle. ¡°Damn. So this is bigger than just a tournament.¡± Sun chuckled. ¡°Everything¡¯s bigger than it seems, kid.¡± Mina rubbed her temples. ¡°So let me get this straight. Not only are you throwing Luka into a brutal underground tournament, but you¡¯re also using him as bait to catch some underground crime boss?¡± Sun crossed his arms. ¡°See? Now you¡¯re getting it.¡± Mina wanted to punch him. Luka, meanwhile, was still thinking about one thing. He turned to Sun. ¡°Master.¡± Sun raised an eyebrow. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll win.¡± Sun grinned. ¡°That¡¯s my boy.¡± Eros, standing beside them, suddenly shouted. ¡°Wait¡ªWHAT?!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t seriously expect him to win this thing!¡± Eros said, looking between them like they were insane. ¡°These guys are stronger, more experienced, and Luka¡¯s only twelve! He¡¯s good, but he¡¯s not that good!¡± Sun chuckled. ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± ¡°¡­Then why¡ª¡± Sun grinned wider. ¡°Because he¡¯ll still kick some serious ass.¡± Eros opened his mouth¡ªthen closed it. He glanced at Luka, then sighed. ¡°I hate that you¡¯re probably right.¡± Luka didn¡¯t say anything. He just clenched his fists. He wanted this. He needed this. Sun ruffled his hair. ¡°Alright, my disciple. Go and make me proud.¡± ¡°No problem, Master,¡± Luka said seriously. Mina exhaled, defeated. ¡°Fine. Whatever. If you¡¯re really doing this, I¡¯ll at least get you some gear¡ª¡± ¡°No need,¡± Luka said. Mina blinked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll use my katana,¡± Luka said. ¡°My master got it for me. So I have to protect it like it¡¯s my own body.¡± Mina raised an eyebrow. ¡°That katana? The one from the auction?¡± Sun clapped his hands. ¡°Alright, Mina, stop ruining the sentimental moment. Let the kid believe I actually bought it.¡± Mina laughed. ¡°I swear, you two are a menace.¡± Sun grinned. ¡°And you love us for it.¡± She groaned. ¡°I really don¡¯t.¡± But deep down¡ª She couldn¡¯t deny it. And as she watched Sun and Luka bicker, something nagged at her. Their relationship¡ªthe way they talked, the way Luka trusted Sun completely, the way Sun knew exactly what Luka needed¡ª What the hell kind of training did these two go through? For two years, just the two of them. Mina had seen mentor-student relationships before. But this? This was different. And she had a feeling she¡¯d never understand. The path to the underground Mina let out a frustrated sigh, crossing her arms as she stared at the two boys. ¡°I guess next month is the tournament. Maybe you should enroll soon, Luka.¡± Before Luka could respond, Sun spoke up, ¡°No need to wait till next month. He¡¯s enrolling today.¡± Mina raised an eyebrow. ¡°Huh? But the announcement just came out. Why the rush?¡± Sun shrugged. ¡°Because today¡¯s the deadline.¡± Eros nodded. ¡°Yeah, the announcement was made two weeks ago.¡± Mina¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°WHAT?! And you¡¯re just telling us NOW?!¡± Eros flinched at the volume of her voice, rubbing his ears. ¡°Geez, calm down, lady.¡± Mina turned to Sun, still fuming. ¡°And how the hell did you know it was today?!¡± Sun scratched his head lazily. ¡°I just happened to guess.¡± Mina was about to explode, but Sun ignored her, tapping Luka¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Listen, kid. It¡¯s time for you to go there by yourself.¡± Luka nodded without hesitation. Mina¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Wait, wait, wait¡ªare you seriously letting two twelve-year-olds go into the Black Market alone?!¡± Sun waved a dismissive hand. ¡°They¡¯re Awakeners. They¡¯ll be fine.¡± Mina stomped her foot. ¡°No, no, no! I won¡¯t allow it!¡± Sun sighed, already bored of the argument, and subtly made a hand signal to Luka and Eros. Luka caught the cue immediately. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Eros smirked. ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me twice.¡± The two bolted for the door. ¡°HEY¡ª!!¡± Mina shouted, but it was too late. They were gone. As they ran through the Undermaze streets, dodging the occasional wandering drunk or street vendor, Eros let out a breathless chuckle. ¡°Damn, she¡¯s really annoying.¡± Luka glanced at him. ¡°Speaking of annoying, where¡¯s your master? Rossi?¡± Eros shrugged. ¡°Oh, he¡¯s fine. Just lazing around lately, eating and sleeping all day.¡± Luka frowned. ¡°Doesn¡¯t he work?¡± Eros snorted. ¡°Nope. He¡¯s retired.¡± Luka nodded, filing that information away for later. Then, Eros suddenly turned to him with a mischievous grin. ¡°Hey, Luka. Let¡¯s make a competition. First one to reach the Dark Market wins.¡± Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Luka blinked. ¡°But I don¡¯t even know where it is.¡± ¡°Then just follow me!¡± Eros activated his J¨­ki, his body instantly bursting forward as he leapt onto a nearby rooftop. Luka didn¡¯t hesitate. He tapped into his Null Energy, borrowing from the surrounding negative space and using it to propel himself forward. In an instant, he was leaping across rooftops, right on Eros¡¯s heels. Eros glanced back in surprise. ¡°Not bad. But I won¡¯t let you surpass me!¡± Luka smirked and pushed himself faster. The two of them dashed across the city, weaving through narrow alleys, jumping over broken pipes, and leaping across rooftops, the neon glow of the Undermaze flickering beneath them. Finally, after a few minutes of intense racing, they landed at their destination¡ªa massive cave entrance just outside the Undermaze. Eros, slightly out of breath, grinned. ¡°We¡¯re here. That tunnel leads straight to the Black Market Underground.¡± Luka exhaled, taking in the sight. The air felt different here. He could sense something unsettling just beyond the entrance. The entrance to the Black Market Underground was dimly lit, the flickering bulbs casting eerie shadows against the damp, stone walls. Luka and Eros stepped forward, but before they could go any further, a broad-shouldered man blocked their path. His eyes flicked down to them with an amused sneer. ¡°Well, well, what do we have here? A couple of kids lost on their way home?¡± Luka remained silent, but Eros didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°We¡¯re here for the tournament,¡± Eros said flatly. The man blinked, then threw his head back and laughed. ¡°The tournament? You two brats? That¡¯s rich.¡± Eros¡¯ golden eyes darkened. ¡°Laugh all you want. We¡¯ve stated our purpose. Now, let us pass.¡± The man¡¯s smirk widened. ¡°Oh? You¡¯ve got quite the mouth on you, little punk. I¡¯ll give you a fair warning¡ªeither you pay a fee or kneel and apologize for wasting my time.¡± Luka instinctively tensed, ready to step in, but Eros held up a hand, stopping him. The man cracked his knuckles, eyes glinting. ¡°What¡¯s it gonna be, brat? You paying or kneeling?¡± Eros sighed, tilting his head. ¡°Neither.¡± Before the man could react, a surge of heat radiated from Eros¡¯ palm¡ªa nearly invisible burst of energy. And then¡ªhe was gone. In an instant, Eros vanished and reappeared behind the man, his hand still glowing with J¨­ki. A faint, burning line traced across the man¡¯s neck. A second later¡ª The man¡¯s head slid clean off his shoulders. The body collapsed with a sickening thud, blood pooling across the ground. Eros casually stepped over the corpse like it was nothing. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Luka glanced at the body, then at Eros. He wasn¡¯t shaken¡ªhe had seen death before¡ªbut there was something about the way Eros acted so casually that made him pause. Still, leaving the body behind would only cause trouble. Luka placed a hand over the corpse and erased it completely. Eros raised an eyebrow. ¡°Huh. Why bother?¡± ¡°Leaving evidence will make matters troublesome,¡± Luka replied simply. Eros smirked. ¡°True.¡± And just like that, they kept walking. The deeper they went, the colder the air became. The tunnel stretched on endlessly, a long, spiraling descent into the heart of the underground. The stone steps were uneven, damp with moisture, and lined with flickering neon signs warning travelers of the dangers ahead. Luka stared down the seemingly endless staircase. ¡°Wow¡­ it¡¯s so long.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s run.¡± Without another word, they dashed forward, weaving between the people climbing up and those heading down. Some shouted in anger as Eros and Luka brushed past them at unnatural speeds, their steps barely making a sound. Luka felt the wind rush against his face as they descended deeper and deeper into the underworld. And then¡ª They finally reached it. The Underground Black Market was massive. The moment they stepped out of the tunnel, Luka felt like he had entered an entirely different world. The streets were packed with men and women, their faces hardened from years of survival in the filth of the underground. Neon signs flickered above, advertising illegal trades, mercenaries for hire, and illicit J¨­ki enhancements. The air smelled of blood, rust, and desperation. The people here weren¡¯t just criminals. They were survivors. Luka took a breath, keeping his head down. Eros whispered beside him, ¡°Make sure you don¡¯t stare at them for too long. They don¡¯t like it.¡± Luka nodded. At the center of it all stood a massive coliseum-like structure. It towered over the rest of the slums, built from scrap metal, reinforced concrete, and bloodstained stone. Luka could already hear the distant roars of an unseen crowd inside, the air thick with the scent of violence. ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± Eros grinned. ¡°The arena.¡± They pushed forward, weaving through the masses. The line at the reception desk was enormous, dozens of fighters standing in wait¡ªmercenaries, rogue J¨­ki users, and even ordinary people looking to make a name for themselves. Luka glanced around. ¡°There are so many¡­¡± Eros folded his arms. ¡°Well, yeah. A tournament like this? The payout¡¯s huge. Some of these guys have been training their whole lives for a shot at the prize.¡± Luka closed his eyes, trying to focus. He could feel it¡ªJ¨­ki, radiating all around him. Some were weak, but others¡­ ¡°Eros, what color are their J¨­ki?¡± Eros scanned the crowd. ¡°Mostly red and blue. A few green ones here and there. The stronger ones have a deep purple glow.¡± Luka nodded. He still couldn¡¯t see it, but he could feel the energy in the air. And then¡ª A chill ran down his spine. Something was wrong. He felt it at the same time Eros did. A man passed by them, wrapped in a dark coat. His J¨­ki was¡­ strange. Not strong. Not overwhelming. But wrong. It sent a deep, instinctual warning through Luka¡¯s entire body. The man walked slowly, his hood pulled low over his face. His movements were precise, controlled¡ªlike a predator who had no need to rush. Eros¡¯ expression darkened. ¡°You feel that too, right?¡± Luka nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°He¡¯s dangerous.¡± The man never looked at them, never acknowledged them. But Luka knew. Whoever he was¡ª He wasn¡¯t here to lose. The Blood Pact & the First Test Begins (Preliminaries Are Not What They Seem) The black market¡¯s Grand Hall stretched wide before them, filled with voices¡ªlow murmurs, loud boasts, and the clinking of weapons. The line to register for the tournament moved slowly, fighters of all backgrounds waiting for their turn. Luka scanned the room. Some J¨­ki auras felt overwhelming¡ªburning, crackling, oppressive. Others were weaker, faint like dying embers. But then¡ª That feeling again. The one that made his skin prickle, his breath tighten, his instincts scream. Luka¡¯s body tensed. Eros stiffened beside him, eyes narrowing. ¡°There.¡± That mysterious man walked past them again. Not hurried. Not aggressive. Just¡­ walking. He didn¡¯t look at them. Didn¡¯t acknowledge anyone. But something about him¡ªthe way he moved, the way the air seemed heavier in his presence¡ªmade Luka¡¯s pulse slow. His J¨­ki wasn¡¯t powerful. It didn¡¯t burn or crackle like the others in the room. The man kept walking and he didn¡¯t glance at them. Didn¡¯t slow his pace. And that made it worse. Like they didn¡¯t matter. Like they weren¡¯t even worth noticing. Luka exhaled slowly. Who the hell was that? The line moved forward. Eros rolled his shoulders, still watching where the hooded man had gone. ¡°Well. That guy was horrifying.¡± Luka stayed quiet. Then¡ª Eros¡¯ posture shifted. His casual grin returned, his tension disappearing as he nudged Luka¡¯s arm. ¡°Look over there.¡± Luka glanced up. A girl stood near the registration booth. Tall for her age, with short, unkempt black hair, sharp features, and piercing red eyes. She wore a plain sleeveless top and black combat pants, her arms wrapped in bandages. She looked like she had just come from a fight¡ªand won. But more than that¡­ Her J¨­ki. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Even though Luka couldn¡¯t see it, he felt the pressure she carried. Strong. Not overwhelming. Not suffocating. Just dangerous. But the way she stood, the way she watched the tournament officials with disinterest¡ªit was like she didn¡¯t care. Eros grinned. ¡°She¡¯s our age. I thought we were the only twelve-year-olds here.¡± Before Luka could stop him, Eros strode toward her. ¡°Hey!¡± The girl didn¡¯t react. Eros stopped beside her, hands in his pockets. ¡°Didn¡¯t think I¡¯d see another kid around here. What¡¯s your name?¡± She ignored him. Luka sighed. Eros tried again, smirking. ¡°You new to the tournament? Or have you already killed a few people?¡± The girl still didn¡¯t look at him. Then¡ª ¡°Move.¡± One word. Flat. Emotionless. Eros blinked. ¡°Huh?¡± She finally turned her head slightly, her red eyes locking onto him. ¡°I said move.¡± Luka saw it¡ªthe slight shift in Eros¡¯ posture. The flicker of something unfamiliar in his expression. Annoyance. Not many people dismissed Eros like that. Luka stepped forward, grabbing his friend¡¯s sleeve before he could push further. ¡°Let it go.¡± Eros huffed but stepped back, waving a hand. ¡°Fine. But we¡¯ll see you in the tournament.¡± The girl didn¡¯t respond. She turned back toward the registration booth. Eros scoffed. ¡°She¡¯ll warm up eventually.¡± Luka doubted that. ¡°Alright, alright, let¡¯s keep moving, people!¡± A voice cut through the crowd, casual but loud. Luka and Eros turned. A boy, about 15 years old, walked up behind them. He had messy green hair, fox-like golden eyes, and a lazy grin that didn¡¯t quite match the cautious way he moved. He stretched his arms. ¡°Man, I hate long lines. Makes me wish I had a J¨­ki ability to skip them.¡± Eros raised an eyebrow. ¡°And you are?¡± The boy smirked. ¡°Sugu. Just another contestant.¡± Luka watched him closely. Sugu didn¡¯t carry himself like a fighter. No real tension in his muscles. No sharpened reflexes. But his eyes¡­ They flicked over the crowd, scanning, calculating. He wasn¡¯t looking for threats. He was looking for people he could avoid. Eros clicked his tongue. ¡°You don¡¯t look like you belong here.¡± Sugu laughed. ¡°I get that a lot. I¡¯m not exactly the ¡®battle-hungry killer¡¯ type. But that¡¯s why I fight smart.¡± Luka finally spoke. ¡°You¡¯ve done this before.¡± Sugu shrugged. ¡°Three times.¡± Eros whistled. ¡°And you survived?¡± Sugu¡¯s grin widened. ¡°That¡¯s because I know how the tournament works.¡± Luka narrowed his eyes. ¡°Explain.¡± Sugu leaned against the railing, crossing his arms. ¡°This year¡¯s tournament is different. More rules. More blood.¡± Eros smirked. ¡°More blood sounds fun.¡± Sugu chuckled. ¡°Not if it¡¯s yours.¡± Luka tilted his head. ¡°What changed?¡± Sugu¡¯s golden eyes gleamed. ¡°This year, they raised the prize pool. And when that happens, more people want to kill you for it.¡± A pause. Then he grinned. ¡°This is going to be one hell of a tournament.¡± Sugu turned toward them, fox-like eyes scanning their faces with curiosity. ¡°And who are you guys?¡± Eros smirked, resting his hands behind his head. ¡°Eros Siebert, and this is my friend, Luka Viazemsky. We¡¯re twelve and ready to enroll.¡± Luka blinked. Friend. The word lingered in his mind, foreign, unfamiliar. He had never had one before. He murmured it under his breath, almost testing it. ¡°¡­Friend.¡± Sugu chuckled. ¡°Nice to meet you, I guess. But you sure you wanna do this? Some of these guys are killers. You¡¯ve sensed their J¨­ki, right? Especially¡­ that one.¡± Sugu¡¯s voice lowered as he tilted his chin toward the dark-coated man from before. Luka and Eros followed his gaze. The hooded man still stood motionless near the arena gates, his presence unnerving. He wasn¡¯t watching anyone. He wasn¡¯t flexing his power or intimidating his opponents like the others. He was just¡­ standing. Luka¡¯s stomach twisted. Eros gulped. ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t like him.¡± A loud voice cut through the air. ¡°Next!¡± They stepped forward. Behind the reception desk sat a tired-looking woman with deep bags under her eyes and a half-hearted scowl. Her hair was tied in a messy bun, and she barely glanced up as they approached. She shoved three forms toward them. ¡°Names. Then sign with your blood.¡± Eros raised an eyebrow. ¡°Blood? Why?¡± The woman sighed, clearly used to this reaction. ¡°In case you get cold feet and try to run. If you quit, you pay for it. And if you run, we¡¯ll use your blood to track you.¡± She smirked, glancing at Sugu. ¡°Right, Sugu Romero? The legendary coward?¡± Sugu forced a chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. ¡°I prefer the term ¡®tactical escape artist.¡¯¡± Eros snorted. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what all cowards say.¡± Luka ignored them. He pricked his finger and let a drop of blood fall onto the paper. It absorbed instantly, the ink flashing faintly before settling. Contract bound. ¡°We won¡¯t run away,¡± Luka said simply. The woman smirked. ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± She leaned back and gestured toward the board behind her. ¡°We¡¯ve got a lot of participants this year¡ª260 to be exact. But don¡¯t get too comfortable. The real test starts soon. Only those who pass will enter the official tournament next month.¡± Luka and Eros exchanged glances before nodding and stepping inside. ¡°I want to enroll¡± Suddenly, a voice caught their attention. ¡°State your name and sign with your blood.¡± Luka turned just in time to see a familiar girl step forward. Her expression was cold, unreadable. ¡°Renmei Lee.¡± She pricked her finger without hesitation, pressing it to the paper before turning away. As she walked past them, her gaze flickered toward Luka and Eros. ¡°Hmph¡± Then she scoffed and kept walking. Eros smirked. ¡°Renmei, huh?¡± Luka glanced at him. ¡°Do you find her interesting?¡± Eros chuckled. ¡°Yeah. I have a feeling we¡¯ll be good friends.¡± Luka said nothing. Instead, he stepped forward, entering the waiting grounds. The air inside was different. Heavier. Tense. It felt like walking into a battlefield before the first strike. All around them, fighters of all kinds stood waiting¡ªmercenaries, criminals, trained J¨­ki users, and desperate souls with nothing left to lose. Luka scanned the room. 260 participants. Only 32 would make it. Eros let out a low whistle. ¡°Well¡­ this is gonna be fun.¡± Luka remained silent. Because in that moment¡ª He felt it. That same, unnatural presence. A slow, crawling sensation, like something ancient and watching. He turned his head slightly¡ª The hooded man was already inside. Standing. Waiting. And Luka had the strange, sinking feeling¡ª That man wasn¡¯t here to compete. The first test begin The arena buzzed with tension. Fighters of all ages, shapes, and backgrounds stood in the massive underground hall, their voices a mix of nervous chatter and quiet confidence. The ceiling stretched high above them, lined with massive floodlights that cast an eerie glow over the participants. Luka stood among them, his katana strapped to his waist. He could feel it¡ªthe weight of the moment. All around him, J¨­ki pulsed in the air, thick with anticipation. Some fighters stretched, others cracked their knuckles. A few stood motionless, their eyes locked ahead as if already preparing for battle. Then¡ª A loud mechanical whirr echoed through the arena. Luka and Eros turned as a floating, spherical drone descended from the ceiling. Its smooth, metallic surface reflected the light, and a deep, robotic voice rang out across the hall. ¡°ALL PARTICIPANTS¡ªATTENTION.¡± The room fell silent. More drones appeared, hovering above the fighters. ¡°WELCOME TO THE FIRST TRIAL OF THE TOURNAMENT.¡± A massive screen flickered to life behind the stage, displaying a set of glowing red letters. ¡¶ FIRST TEST: SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST ¡· A few fighters tensed. Some smirked. Sugu, standing nearby, let out a nervous chuckle. ¡°That¡­ doesn¡¯t sound fun.¡± Eros grinned. ¡°Sounds fun to me.¡± Luka just listened. ¡°THE RULES ARE SIMPLE.¡± The drone¡¯s voice remained neutral, but the underlying weight of its words sent a chill through the crowd. ¡°RULE ONE: NO WEAPONS. ALL WEAPONS MUST BE SURRENDERED IMMEDIATELY.¡± The drones hummed, releasing a faint pulse of J¨­ki. Luka¡¯s katana jerked at his waist¡ªthen lifted from its sheath, floating toward the machine. He didn¡¯t resist. One by one, weapons detached from their owners, levitating into the air before disappearing into the storage drones. The fighters visibly tensed. Some hesitated, reluctant to part with their blades and firearms, but the machines didn¡¯t offer a choice. Eros scoffed. ¡°Great. Hand-to-hand it is.¡± Sugu groaned. ¡°I¡¯m going to die.¡± The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Luka simply clenched his fist. ¡°RULE TWO: J¨­KI USAGE IS LIMITED. ANY PARTICIPANT WHO OVEREXERTS THEMSELVES WILL BE ELIMINATED.¡± A murmur spread through the crowd. Sugu¡¯s face paled. ¡°Wait, what?¡± Luka frowned. ¡°So, we can¡¯t go all out.¡± Eros smirked. ¡°Guess they don¡¯t want the fights to be over too fast.¡± ¡°RULE THREE: THERE ARE NO TEAMS. EVERYONE HERE IS YOUR ENEMY.¡± The atmosphere immediately shifted. The easy camaraderie between some fighters vanished. People stepped away from their friends. J¨­ki flickered around them, as if testing the air. Luka caught a few eyes lingering on him. Measuring him. Calculating. Eros grinned. ¡°I like this rule.¡± ¡°RULE FOUR: ONLY 100 PARTICIPANTS WILL PASS. IF YOU CANNOT STAND OR FIGHT, YOU ARE ELIMINATED.¡± 100. Luka¡¯s eyes scanned the massive hall. Over 260 fighters stood here. That meant more than half would be gone by the end of this test. ¡°RULE FIVE: THE TEST WILL END WHEN TIME RUNS OUT OR WHEN ONLY 100 REMAIN.¡± Sugu let out a slow breath. ¡°Okay¡­ That¡¯s not so bad.¡± Then¡ª ¡°RULE SIX: A SPECIAL CONDITION WILL BE ANNOUNCED ONCE THE TEST BEGINS.¡± Silence. Eros¡¯s grin widened. ¡°Oh, this is gonna be fun.¡± Sugu, meanwhile, looked like he wanted to vomit. The drone hovered closer. A countdown appeared on the screen. [ 10 SECONDS UNTIL TEST BEGINS ] Luka rolled his shoulders. His body felt light, sharp. The adrenaline was already building. [ 5 SECONDS ] Across the hall, Renmei stretched her arms, looking completely unfazed. Sugu clenched his fists, muttering something under his breath. Eros cracked his knuckles. ¡°Luka. Let¡¯s see what you can do.¡± Luka didn¡¯t answer. [ 3 ] The lights above flickered. The drones buzzed. [ 2 ] Luka exhaled. [ 1 ] Then¡ª The ground¡ªvanished. For a split second, Luka felt nothing but weightlessness. Then¡ª A roar of wind filled his ears as he plunged downward. The air rushed past him, stealing his breath. He twisted instinctively, his limbs flailing for balance, but there was nothing to hold onto. Just an abyss, stretching endlessly below. People screamed. Curses, shouts, panic¡ªchaos erupted as the fighters plummeted into the unknown. Luka¡¯s mind raced. A pitfall trap? No. This is part of the test. Some participants tried to control their descent, using their J¨­ki to slow their fall. But the second they activated their energy¡ª BZZZT. A sharp shockwave pulsed through the air. Luka gritted his teeth as a burning jolt ran through his nerves, searing through his body like white-hot lightning. The J¨­ki users who had tried to break their fall screamed in pain. Their energy backfired on them, sending them spinning wildly. So that¡¯s the special condition. No J¨­ki during freefall. Luka clenched his fists. Eros, who had been falling nearby, laughed. ¡°Oh man, they¡¯re evil for this.¡± Sugu, on the other hand, was screaming. ¡°WHY?! WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?!¡± Luka turned his head midair. The pit was deeper than he expected. The walls surrounding them weren¡¯t just rock and dirt. As the shadows of the abyss peeled away, he saw massive steel panels embedded into the stone, lined with strange symbols and glowing circuitry. So this place isn¡¯t natural¡­ it was built. Which meant¡ª It had a purpose. The drones¡¯ voice echoed from above. ¡°WELCOME TO THE REAL BATTLEFIELD.¡± Luka¡¯s heart pounded. He braced himself. The ground was rushing up to meet them. BOOM! The impact sent a shockwave through the arena. Luka rolled the second his body hit the ground, absorbing the force through muscle memory. He landed in a crouch, dust kicking up around him. Others weren¡¯t so lucky. Some slammed into the floor hard, groaning in pain. A few managed to land on their feet, but stumbled from the sheer force. A few fighters weren¡¯t moving at all. Eros hit the ground with a sharp thud beside him, but instead of groaning, he sat up and grinned. ¡°That was insane.¡± He wiped a trickle of blood from his lip. ¡°Let¡¯s do that again.¡± Sugu collapsed nearby, gasping. ¡°No. Never again.¡± Luka barely heard them. He was already scanning the area. They had landed inside a massive underground chamber, almost like a ruined colosseum. Towering walls of steel and stone surrounded them, and dim, flickering lights lined the cavern¡¯s ceiling. The floor was cracked and uneven, littered with debris¡ªbones, shattered weapons, and rusted chains. A battlefield. A graveyard. And far above them, the hole they had fallen from had already sealed shut. No escape. The other fighters were recovering, their eyes darting around. Some were already forming small groups, keeping their distance from obvious threats. Then¡ª The drones spoke again. ¡°CONGRATULATIONS ON SURVIVING THE DROP.¡± Luka wiped dust off his clothes. Surviving? So some hadn¡¯t. He looked around again. He counted at least twenty people missing. Eros let out a low whistle. ¡°Damn. They didn¡¯t even make it to the real fight.¡± Sugu paled. ¡°People already died?¡± ¡°YOUR NEXT OBJECTIVE IS SIMPLE.¡± A loud mechanical hiss echoed through the chamber. Across the battlefield, thick steel doors began to open. A dark tunnel stretched beyond them¡ªone that led deeper into the underground. The screen above them flickered, revealing bold, glowing letters. ¡¶ FIRST TEST: SURVIVAL CONTINUES ¡· ¡°GET TO THE EXIT BEFORE TIME RUNS OUT.¡± The moment those words registered¡ª Something moved. Luka caught the shift instantly. A low growl. Dozens of glowing red eyes flickered in the darkness beyond the tunnel. Then¡ª The growling turned into a deafening, inhuman screech. From the shadows¡ª They came.