Riku's body moved with a fluidity he didn't think was possible. He dodged, ducked, and weaved between the oncoming blows, his movements a blur as he fought back against the twenty A-Rank Beasts. The damage to his arm and hip was excruciating, but the pain only fueled his determination.
He couldn't afford to fail. Not again.
The first Beast swiped at him—its claws massive, nearly cutting through his ribs—but Riku rolled underneath the strike, pain flaring as his damaged arm hit the ground. He didn't stop.
Essence Surge.
A blast of energy erupted from Riku's core, propelling him back to his feet. His Essence skills were stronger now, more refined, the product of two years of relentless training under Arashi's guidance.
As the Beasts closed in, Riku summoned his Essence Convergence, a deadly combination of all five of his skills, intertwining them into a singular explosive force. His body surged with power—his blood, burning with energy. He raised his hands, channeling the energy into a singular beam of devastating force.
"Eclipse Judgment."
The air trembled as the massive blast of energy ripped through the Beast horde, tearing them apart in a flash. The Beasts screeched as they were obliterated one by one, their massive bodies crumbling in a whirlwind of destruction. Riku moved, his senses hyper-focused, controlling the flow of power with pinpoint precision. Five minutes. It was over.
The battlefield lay in ruins, the last of the Beasts disintegrating into ash as Riku stood in the center, his breath ragged. His body was covered in cuts, bruises, and burns from the fight, but he stood tall—victorious.
And then, the world faded.
Riku.
He awoke with a sharp gasp, his body aching in places he didn't think could ache. His hip, his arm—both hurt, exactly as they had in the dream. But something was different.
His muscles felt stiff. His heart beat slowly, yet his mind was racing. He knew this feeling.
The room around him was dark, save for the pale light of the moon coming through the window. He rubbed his eyes and winced as his hand met his bruised cheek. He touched his side. The pain was still there.
It was just a dream… wasn't it?
But then the miracle happened.
Slowly, his muscles began to relax. The pain in his arm and hip started to fade, and in a matter of hours, all the bruises, cuts, and fractures healed completely.
Riku's breathing steadied as the morning light began to break through the clouds.
It's healing... faster.
His head was still spinning from what he had experienced in the dream. A sense of power had coursed through him. He had felt invincible. But how? It couldn't have been just a dream if he was feeling the effects.
Riku staggered to his feet, looking at his hands. His fists clenched and unclenched.
There's something more... something I need to understand.