RYUJIN STOOD ALONE IN THE UNDERGROUND TRAINING FACILITY.
THE AIR WAS THICK WITH SILENCE, BROKEN ONLY BY HIS BREATHING.
HE CLOSED HIS EYES AND WHISPERED:
"VOID STEP."
WHOOSH!
HIS BODY DISSOLVED INTO SHADOWS AND REAPPEARED BEHIND A TRAINING DUMMY INSTANTLY.
HIS KATANA SLICED THROUGH THE AIR—
THE DUMMY SPLIT IN HALF WITHOUT RESISTANCE.
PUSHING LIMITS
RYUJIN GRITTED HIS TEETH.
"FASTER… I NEED TO BE FASTER."
AGAIN AND AGAIN, HE VANISHED INTO SHADOWS, EACH MOVE MORE PRECISE THAN THE LAST.
SWEAT DRIPPED DOWN HIS FACE, HIS MUSCLES BURNED, BUT HE DIDN'T STOP.
"ABYSSAL EDGE."
HIS KATANA WAS ENVELOPED IN BLACK VOID ENERGY.
HE SLASHED A STEEL TRAINING BLOCK—
IT SPLIT CLEANLY, LIKE CUTTING THROUGH PAPER.
A DARK VOICE ECHOED IN HIS HEAD:
"NO, RYUJIN. YOU'RE NOT USING ME… I'M USING YOU."
HE SHOOK IT OFF, CLENCHING HIS KATANA.
ARIANA ARRIVES
"YOU'RE GOING TO COLLAPSE IF YOU KEEP THIS UP."
RYUJIN TURNED. ARIANA STOOD AT THE DOORWAY, ARMS CROSSED, WEARING CASUAL CLOTHES.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" HE ASKED.
"KEEPING AN EYE ON YOU," SHE SAID WITH A SOFT SMILE.
"YOU'RE STRONGER THAN BEFORE… BUT YOU'RE STILL HUMAN. REMEMBER THAT."
FOR A MOMENT, RYUJIN SAID NOTHING. THEN HE SIMPLY NODDED.
SOMETHING ABOUT HER PRESENCE… CALMED HIM.
EMERGENCY CALL
SUDDENLY, THEIR COMMUNICATORS BUZZED VIOLENTLY.
"ALL AVAILABLE HUNTERS, REPORT TO HEADQUARTERS IMMEDIATELY. ABYSS ACTIVITY DETECTED."
ARIANA'S FACE FELL.
"NOT AGAIN…"
RYUJIN GRABBED HIS KATANA, HIS EYES HARDENING.
"THIS TIME… I'LL BE READY."