The city's evening glow painted the streets in streaks of orange and violet, the hum of hovercars above blending with the distant murmurs of life. Biro Kael and Lyra walked side by side, their steps light yet deliberate. The events of the previous rift encounter had bonded them in an unspoken way, a rhythm that was now instinctual. Both could feel the fragment pulsing faintly within Biro, its hum a silent reminder that power was growing, waiting for the right moment to surface.
"You've improved," Lyra said, glancing at him with a hint of a smile. "The way you anticipated the A-rank beast… it was almost as if you could see the future."
Biro chuckled softly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Not quite. The fragment… it showed me patterns, gave me hints. I don't control it yet—it controls part of me. But we survived, and that's what matters."
They paused near an alley that shimmered faintly, residual energy from minor rifts earlier in the day. Biro's instincts flared immediately, a subtle vibration coursing up his spine. Something was off. Something stronger was nearby. His eyes narrowed as he focused, and the fragment responded, pulsing in quick, sharp beats.
"B-rank?" Lyra whispered, her hands resting on her daggers. She had learned to trust Biro's instincts—usually, they were never wrong.
Biro shook his head slightly. "No… stronger. Close to A-rank, maybe even double-A. We need to be careful."
The rift tore open with a sudden hiss of energy, its edges shimmering violently. From it emerged a pair of creatures, unlike anything either of them had faced before. One was a serpentine dragon with scales that refracted light like broken glass, tendrils of energy sparking along its body. The other was smaller but agile, with multiple limbs ending in clawed appendages that scraped the ground with deadly precision. The fragment thrummed urgently, almost shouting at Biro to react.
He crouched instinctively, analyzing the creatures' movements. "Lyra, flank the smaller one! I'll handle the dragon."
Lyra nodded, eyes sharp, and disappeared into the shadows with fluid grace. Biro's body moved on instinct, guided by the fragment. He released a controlled surge of energy, creating a faint barrier that deflected the dragon's initial strike. The creature roared, shaking the nearby buildings, energy crackling across its massive form.
The fragment whispered patterns to Biro: angles, timing, weaknesses. He dodged, countered, and struck with bursts of raw, unrefined energy. Each attack was measured, precise, yet chaotic in appearance. The dragon staggered under the combined onslaught of instinct and fragment guidance, while Lyra danced around the smaller creature, her daggers flashing, striking with deadly precision.
Minutes stretched like hours, tension thick in the air. Biro could feel the fragment growing stronger, feeding off the battle, teaching him subtle lessons in control and anticipation. He extended his hands, releasing a pulse that destabilized the dragon's energy flow, making its next strike slightly off balance. Lyra seized the moment, leaping with a twirl of her blades, slashing through the smaller creature before it could retreat.
The dragon lunged, its massive claws aimed at Biro. But the fragment guided him, a whisper in his mind: dodge, counter, redirect. He pivoted, releasing a surge that struck the beast's chest, cracking crystalline scales and forcing it back into the rift from which it had emerged. The portal collapsed with a deafening snap, leaving only the faint shimmer of residual energy.
Biro exhaled deeply, the adrenaline coursing through him slowly fading. Lyra appeared beside him, brushing dust from her shoulders, a faint smirk playing on her lips. "Not bad, Kael. You're starting to feel… unstoppable."
Biro shook his head, a small laugh escaping him. "Not yet. I still don't fully understand the fragment. And you—your instincts are amazing. Together, we're strong, but there's always more to learn."
Lyra's eyes softened, and for a moment, the tension of the hunt fell away. "We'll get there," she said quietly. "And maybe… we'll enjoy the journey too."
Biro felt warmth in his chest, a flicker of something deeper than adrenaline or survival. The bond between them had grown stronger through the trials, through danger and instinct. And the city around them—its rifts, its monsters, its hidden layers—seemed to pulse with anticipation, as if testing the two hunters, shaping them for challenges yet unseen.
As they walked back through the streets, Biro's fragment thrummed softly, almost approvingly. The battles would continue, the rifts would keep appearing, and monsters would grow stronger. But with Lyra by his side, and the fragment guiding his instincts, he felt ready. Ready to face the darkness, ready to hunt, ready to grow stronger than ever before.
The city waited. And Biro Kael—rising from the shadows, fragment alive, instincts sharp—was ready to answer its call.