Eighty Years Ago...
The town was divided into two rival clans, consumed by hatred that had been passed down through countless generations. Their history was soaked in blood and conflict. But then came the invasion. When the conquerors set foot on their land, the clans had no choice but to unite. They buried their hatred and fought side by side—shoulder to shoulder—driving the invaders away.
And after victory…
Peace reigned—but only for a brief moment.
That peace was fragile.
As the years passed, the fire of hatred began to burn again, this time in secret.
The sacrifices of the past were forgotten.
Hatred grew. The divide between the clans deepened.
Until the day came when they turned on each other once more.
Then, a mysterious prophecy emerged.
A prophecy that spread like a plague:
"From the bloodline of the Kaji clan, a child shall be born, bearing a power so immense it could either destroy the world… or immortalize it."
The rival clan couldn't bear the thought of such words.
Terrified of the future, they began to plan an unforgivable crime.
And on a moonless night...
They attacked the Kaji clan in their sleep.
They left behind nothing but blood and ashes.
Men, women, even children—most were slaughtered.
Only six survivors remained: three women, and three men.
They fled far away,
Escaping to a secluded land, surrounded by towering mountains,
Dense forests and icy rivers stretched before them—
No oceans, no deserts, no cities.
It was as if they were trapped in a natural prison, with no way out.
The children of the Kaji clan grew up surrounded by fear.
From a young age, they were taught that danger didn't just exist outside the mountains,
But that the entire world was their enemy.
They were raised to be cautious and isolated.
They lived as if they were still trapped in a time long gone.
No technology, no cities, no freedom.
The decades passed.
While the outside world built towering cities
And invented miraculous machines,
The Kaji remained prisoners of the past.
But...
Among them, that child from the prophecy was born.
The child whose power would change everything.
And then something strange began happening in the world.
A mysterious energy started awakening in some humans,
A force no one could explain.
They later named it "Raikono."
A raw energy—completely invisible to the naked eye,
Yet its effects were undeniable...
Super speed. Inhuman strength.
Destructive, unnatural power.
At first, Raikono appeared very rarely.
Only one in every thousand people was born with it.
But over time, that number grew.
Soon, one in every hundred children was born with this power.
While the world scrambled to understand Raikono,
A great disaster struck...
When someone loses control of the Raikono within them—
When rage, hatred, or fear takes over—
Their energy transforms into a monster.
A creature without mercy,
A deformed body pulsing with hatred,
Driven by one purpose: destruction.
They named these creatures Ashin.
The Ashin appeared everywhere:
In cities, in forests, even among the innocent.
For reasons still unknown, they only emerged at night.
They became a nightmare that haunted people's sleep.
Nations built special academies,
Training those with Raikono to master their powers,
And teaching them how to fight the Ashin.
But the Kaji clan...
At first, some wanted to kill the child, fearing the threat he might pose to the cities and other clans. But over time, that fear faded.
They remained in isolation.
They knew nothing of the world's progress—
Nothing of the academies or the war against the Ashin.
They were relics of an ancient time…
Waiting silently for their fate.
Meanwhile, in the advanced cities...
Lights never faded. Skyscrapers pierced the clouds, and the streets pulsed with noise and movement. A city of steel and glass, full of life—but empty of soul.
On top of one of the tallest towers, a lone figure sat.
His long hair brushed his neck, his back resting against a metal pillar, his legs dangling freely over the edge, as if he didn't fear falling.
He wore a long black coat, and a crimson scarf danced in the wind. His face was veiled in shadow, his eyes watching the people below with cold detachment.
The world beneath him overflowed with life. Children laughing, men yelling, women running through crowds. But his eyes were hollow.
Suddenly, blurry images flashed through his mind. Screams. Blood. Faces twisted in agony.
Faded memories… yet so real.
Present Day — In the Age of Technology
Deep in the forests, where mountains met rivers, the Kaji clan still lived.
There was a boy named Evan Kaji, followed closely by his friend Leo Kaji, whose long blonde hair and deep bluish-green eyes made him stand out.
Evan, with his dark blue hair—neither long nor short—and shadowy green eyes, was in the middle of arguing with Leo when a group of bullies approached.
There were five of them.
One stepped forward and sneered,
"You're Evan, right? Yesterday you embarrassed me in front of your parents. Remember that? Alone, you're nothing but a scared little rat!"
The group burst into cruel laughter, mocking Evan.
He snapped.
Leo waited for Evan's signal—and the moment it came, fists started flying.
Evan punched the lead bully, and chaos erupted. The bullies ganged up on him, but Leo jumped in.
Punches flew.
Things looked bad for Evan and Leo—until she arrived.
A beautiful girl.
Her hair was long, silvery-purple. Her dark violet eyes shimmered with intensity.
She wasn't ordinary. She belonged to one of the strongest Akaji families known for martial arts mastery.
As she arrived, Leo shouted with a grin, "Awesome, Akari's here!"
Evan stood tall, his eyes locked on the fight with certainty.
With Akari on their side, the tide turned fast.
Leo struck hard, Evan fought fiercely, and Akari dominated with elegance and power.
The bullies didn't stand a chance.
Evan approached the ringleader, bloodied and bruised, and said coldly,
"You know what I hate most in the world?"
He paused.
"People who laugh for no reason."
The leader collapsed, unconscious.
Evan turned to his friends.
"Come on, let's go. I know a place."
They climbed a nearby mountain, where the clouds almost kissed the earth.
Leo and Akari were beaming with excitement.
Evan said, "Look!"
They gazed out at the view—mountains, rivers, forests stretching beyond the horizon.
He continued,
"I've always wanted to leave this village. To see the world beyond. We live here like caged birds. I want to see wild animals—real ones. There has to be so much more out there… I want to live free."
Leo laughed.
"I heard some of those animals have huge fangs and eat people for fun!"
Akari, quiet until then, whispered,
"I want to leave too… but..."
Her words trailed off.
They reassured her,
"One day, when you
're older, you'll leave this place for sure."
As the sun dipped below the horizon, they headed home.
Evan walked alone through the forest, his eyes wide, breath shaky.
Something had changed in his heart.
End of Chapter.