For a long time, Ryu Arc lived as a man without power—his foundation broken, his energy vanished, his life now dedicated to raising Caline and living peacefully with Reina and Mina.
But deep down, something had begun to stir.
He often meditated under the starlight.
He watched the sky.
He listened to the world.
And one day… something clicked.
A spark—so small, so pure—ignited within him.
Not internal energy.
Not external force.
Not mob essence.
> Something beyond structure. Beyond form.
It was Raw Strength—not amplified by techniques, not guided by internal flows, but born out of sheer, awakened will.
---
The Enlightenment
There were no known records in any Empire or race of someone recovering power after their mob foundation had been destroyed.
And yet—Ryu stood.
No techniques.
No flashy energy surges.
No awakened aura.
Just overwhelming, natural might.
It started with his body. Then his senses. Then his awareness of time and motion.
To him, everything became slower.
When he trained, it felt like the world danced in slow motion.
---
The Challenge
Exactly one year after his enlightenment, Ryu stood before Reina.
He smiled faintly.
"Let's fight again. Just like old times."
Reina was hesitant. She hadn't sensed anything powerful from him lately. But something about his posture, his presence—it felt sharper. Too sharp.
She nodded.
Their spar began.
In ten minutes, she was down.
No energy tricks. No internal force.
Just pure, clean blows. Every strike landed, every movement predicted. Ryu's speed and power were unimaginable.
Reina, the undefeated Queen of Combat for nearly a decade, lay breathless.
> "This… this wasn't strength from any stage," she said in disbelief.
---
The Council Responds
Ryu's victory couldn't be hidden.
The Council of Seven heard of it.
One by one, the 7th Stage masters challenged Ryu—not out of suspicion, but to verify what they had heard.
Ryu fought them.
Not with power techniques.
Not with skill-enhancing energy.
Only fists, speed, intuition, and awareness.
He beat three of them.
Then four more joined. All seven.
Ryu lost—but barely. He had fought all of them at once.
Even they were shaken.
> "That strength… it rivaled the 'God' we fought."
Yet no energy distortion came from Ryu.
No darkness. No trace of corruption.
He was clean. Pure.
---
A New Path Is Born
They called it the "Raw Path"—a style of strength that abandoned the need for foundations and energy manipulation.
Some said Ryu had become a being who walked outside the system, like a natural law given form.
He was no longer bound by techniques.
He was the technique.
---
Caline's Eyes
Meanwhile, Caline Arc watched from afar.
She was growing fast—too fast.
And inside her, something pulsed.
Something… familiar.
Something that whispered:
> "He walks the Raw Path… but you, Caline Arc… you are its evolution."
---
To be continued..