THREE YEARS HAD PASSED.
RYUJIN NOW STOOD TALLER, HIS SHOULDERS BROADER, HIS EYES COLDER THAN EVER BEFORE. THE WORLD HADN'T BEEN KIND TO HIM.
THE NIGHT HIS PARENTS DIED WAS ETCHED INTO HIS BONES, AND EVERY SINGLE DAY SINCE THEN WAS ABOUT ONE THING: SURVIVAL.
HE TOOK ANY JOB HE COULD FIND—WASHING DISHES IN CHEAP DINERS, HAULING CRATES IN DUSTY WAREHOUSES, SLEEPING IN ROOMS THAT FELT MORE LIKE CAGES.
EVERY DOLLAR EARNED WENT INTO STAYING ALIVE.
BUT STAYING ALIVE WASN'T ENOUGH.POWER.
HE NEEDED IT,TO TEAR APART EVERY SINGLE MONSTER THAT HAD EVER EXISTED.
HE KNOW ITS ABOUT TIME FOR HIS AWAKENING TEST,HIS LIFE DEPEND ON IT,HE KNOW IF HE DIDN'T AWAKEN THEN HE CAN'T TAKE REVENGE.
HUNTER ASSOCIATION – A DIFFERENT KIND OF TEST
RYUJIN STOOD SILENTLY AMONG THE ROW OF CANDIDATES, STARING AT THE OBJECT FLOATING IN FRONT OF THEM.
A PERFECTLY ROUND, GLOWING SPHERE HOVERED IN THE AIR. IT WAS BEAUTIFUL AND TERRIFYING AT THE SAME TIME, ITS LIGHT PULSING LIKE A BEATING HEART.
THE DOCTOR IN THE WHITE COAT STEPPED FORWARD. HIS VOICE WAS COLD AND FINAL.
"THIS IS YOUR AWAKENING TEST," HE SAID.
"TOUCH THE ORB. IF YOUR SOUL SURVIVES THE DUNGEON YOU ENTER, YOU PASS. IF NOT…" HE PAUSED, HIS EYES SWEEPING ACROSS THE CANDIDATES, "…YOU NEVER RETURN."
HE LOOKED STRAIGHT AT RYUJIN.
"YOUR DESTINY IS IN YOUR HANDS."
THE TEST BEGINS
ONE BY ONE, THE CANDIDATES STEPPED FORWARD.
THE MOMENT THEIR FINGERS TOUCHED THE ORB, THEIR BODIES FELL TO THE GROUND, LIFELESS—BUT BREATHING, AS IF ASLEEP.
SOME RETURNED MINUTES LATER, GASPING FOR AIR, SHAKEN BUT ALIVE.
SOME NEVER RETURNED AT ALL.
"DAMN IT!" ONE OFFICIAL CURSED AS ANOTHER BODY REMAINED MOTIONLESS.
RYUJIN WATCHED IT ALL WITHOUT FLINCHING.
RYUJIN'S TURN
"STEP FORWARD," THE DOCTOR SAID.
RYUJIN MOVED, HIS FOOTSTEPS ECHOING IN THE SILENT HALL. HE STOPPED BEFORE THE FLOATING ORB. ITS LIGHT PULSED FASTER, AS IF IT RECOGNIZED HIM.
HIS HAND ROSE SLOWLY.
"I'VE ALREADY LOST EVERYTHING," HE THOUGHT.
"NO MATTER WHAT'S WAITING FOR ME… I WILL SURVIVE."
HIS FINGERS TOUCHED THE SURFACE.
THE PULL
A VIOLENT FORCE YANKED AT HIS SOUL, RIPPING HIM OUT OF HIS BODY. THE ROOM AROUND HIM VANISHED IN A FLASH OF LIGHT.
RYUJIN FELT HIS FEET HIT SOLID GROUND AGAIN.
HE OPENED HIS EYES—
AND FOUND HIMSELF SOMEWHERE ELSE ENTIRELY.