THE SUNLIGHT FELT FOREIGN.
RYUJIN, ARIANA, AND KAI EMERGED FROM THE ABYSSAL GATE, COLLAPSING TO THE GROUND, EXHAUSTED AND BLOODIED.
ASSOCIATION AGENTS RUSHED FORWARD, BUT THEIR EYES LOCKED ON RYUJIN.
HIS AURA WAS… DIFFERENT.
"HIS LEVEL SPIKED MASSIVELY! IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE?"
"CHECK AGAIN, THAT CAN'T BE RIGHT—"
KAI SNAPPED,
"BACK OFF! HE JUST FOUGHT THROUGH HELL!"
RYUJIN GLANCED AT HIS OWN SCREEN, HEART THUNDERING.
LEVEL: 45
CLASS: KING OF ABYSS (???)
HE QUICKLY CLOSED THE SCREEN.
NO ONE COULD SEE IT—STATUS SCREENS WERE PRIVATE—BUT EVEN HE WAS STUNNED.
HIS POWER FELT UNREAL, A ROARING STORM UNDER HIS SKIN.
ASSOCIATION OFFICIALS ARRIVED, THEIR EXPRESSIONS ICY.
"RYUJIN. YOU NEED TO COME WITH US. FULL INVESTIGATION ON YOUR STATUS AND THE INCIDENT."
RYUJIN'S VOICE WAS COLD.
"No."
THE CROWD FELL SILENT.
"WHAT…?"
ARIANA STOOD IN FRONT OF HIM,
"HE JUST SURVIVED AN ABYSSAL GATE! YOU CAN'T TREAT HIM LIKE A CRIMINAL!"
BUT THEN A NEW VOICE CUT THROUGH THE TENSION—
ELARA, THE S-RANK GUILD LEADER, ARRIVED.
"If the Association pushes him, we'll claim him under our guild's banner."
YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" THE OFFICIALS SNAPPED.
"HE BELONGS TO THE ASSOCIATION UNTIL THE INVESTIGATION IS COMPLETE!"
ELARA'S SMILE WAS DEADLY.
"He's not your property.
And if you try to chain someone like him,
you'll start a war you can't win."
THE ASSOCIATION BACKED OFF… FOR NOW.
BUT RYUJIN KNEW THEY WOULDN'T STOP.
THAT NIGHT IN THE GUILD BASE, RYUJIN SAT ALONE IN HIS ROOM, STARING AT HIS HANDS TREMBLING WITH RAW POWER.
This power… it's too much. If I lose control again…
A SOFT KNOCK CAME.
ARIANA STEPPED INSIDE.
"You're still you, Ryujin… don't let this change you."
"What if I'm not?" he muttered.
"What if I hurt you or Kai next time?"
ARIANA PUT A HAND ON HIS SHOULDER.
"Then we'll bring you back. You're not alone anymore."
IN THE ASSOCIATION HQ, A SECRET MEETING WAS UNDERWAY.
"HE'S TOO STRONG TO LEAVE WITH THE GUILD," A DIRECTOR SNAPPED.
"IF WE CAN'T CONTROL HIM… WE MUST REMOVE HIM."
A SHADOWED FIGURE SPOKE CALMLY,
"The emissary is already on his trail."
RYUJIN STOOD ON THE BALCONY, FEELING A CHILL HE COULDN'T EXPLAIN.
Something is coming.