The Rift Zone was eerie and chaotic. Thick fog curled through the air, and the ground seemed to pulse with an ominous energy. Riku's heart raced as he followed Daigo, Shun, and Miki through the treacherous terrain, the weight of their words still lingering in his mind.
"You better stay back, Riku," Daigo had said when the mission had begun. "You're not ready for this. We'll handle it."
But Riku couldn't just stand by and watch. He couldn't let them think he was useless. He was more than just the boy with no Essence. This was his chance to show them, to show everyone, that he could fight, that he wasn't worthless.
"I'm coming with you," Riku had said, determination in his voice.
Daigo had turned on him immediately.
"Stay back, loser," he snapped, shoving Riku away with one hand. "This is too dangerous for you. You'll just get in the way."
Riku stumbled back, but his resolve only hardened. He was going to fight. He wasn't going to let them treat him like this anymore.
"Don't push me!" he shouted, but Daigo ignored him.
It wasn't until the scream cut through the air, echoing across the Rift Zone, that Riku's heart lurched.
A Beast.
The sound was unmistakable, the blood-curdling cry of something monstrous. Riku's instincts kicked in, and without hesitation, he darted forward, adrenaline surging through his veins.
But before he could catch up, Daigo, Shun, and Miki were already running in the opposite direction.
"Stay back, idiot!" Daigo shouted over his shoulder.
Riku gritted his teeth. He wasn't about to listen to them again. He needed to do something.
He pushed ahead, his legs burning with each stride as he forced himself to get closer. As the mist parted, he saw them: the Beast. Its form was monstrous—twisted and gnarled, covered in dark scales that seemed to shimmer with an unnatural energy.
The trio of warriors was already at a distance, preparing their attacks. Daigo's arrogant smirk was gone, replaced by the focused intensity of a true warrior, but Riku could still feel the coldness of their treatment.
He tried to push through the chaos of his emotions. He wasn't going to be left behind this time.
But just as he took another step toward the fray, Daigo's voice rang out. "I thought I told you to stay back, loser!"
Before Riku could react, Daigo pushed him again, hard, sending him crashing to the ground. Riku gasped, pain shooting up from his shoulder, but he didn't have time to recover.
"If we're gonna die," Daigo said, his tone icy, "this is what I would do with my last minutes… or seconds."
In an instant, Daigo's fist slammed into Riku's face, knocking the air out of him. Shun and Miki joined in, their laughter dark and cruel. Riku barely had time to brace himself before Miki's foot connected with his side, sending him sprawling across the jagged rocks beneath them.
"Worthless piece of trash," Shun sneered as he kicked Riku in the stomach, causing him to wheeze. The force was brutal, and Riku could taste blood in his mouth.
Riku tried to get up, but the blows kept coming. Daigo's fist connected with his ribs, cracking them. His body screamed in pain, but all he could hear was their mocking laughter.
"You don't belong here, Riku," Daigo spat, kicking him in the side. "You think you can be a hero? You're nothing."
Riku's vision blurred. He could feel his arm growing numb from where they'd twisted it, his fingers no longer responding to his commands. His blood stained the ground beneath him, and his body shook from the sheer force of the beating.
Through the haze of pain, Riku thought he saw the Beast's figure shift in the distance. But his body wouldn't respond. He could barely breathe, let alone stand.
"Please… stop..." he whispered, his voice barely audible.
But the pain didn't stop. It kept coming, a relentless storm. The trio was relentless, their attacks showing no mercy. Every hit felt like it could be his last.
And then, as everything seemed to fade, a loud, terrifying roar echoed through the Rift Zone. The Beast was closer now. Much closer. The ground shook, and the echoes of its rage drowned out the sound of Riku's heartbeat.
As the darkness crept in, Riku's vision went black. The last thing he heard was Daigo's voice, mocking him.
"You really think you belong here, Riku? You're nothing."