"No—he's not dead!" the woman shouted, eyes wide with shock.
At that exact moment, Ricky's eyes snapped open.
But they weren't the same as before.
Now, they were pitch black, swirling with a seething, living darkness—pure, undiluted rage. The grudge energy inside him pulsed like fire, flickering violently, growing thicker by the second.
"Die!"
He snatched the short blade from the ground and lunged forward, driving it straight into a City Guard's chest.
He moved so fast, he left afterimages in his wake. The guard didn't even have time to react before the blade punched clean through his heart.
The sudden, brutal kill sent a wave of panic through the squad.
"Open fire!" the Captain barked.
The surrounding guards didn't hesitate—they all pulled their triggers at once.
Crystal core energy lit up the alley like a fireworks show, dozens of blasts screaming toward Ricky.
