The sound of children laughing and playing echoed through the building, pulling Ryojin from his sleep. Their excited chatter seeped through the thin walls, filling the room with life. He blinked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as the morning light slipped through the cracks in the wooden boards.
"Oh my... it's already morning," he muttered, his voice hollow as he sat up on the worn-out mattress. His muscles ached slightly from yesterday's events. Stretching his arms, he let out a slow exhale. "Guess I overslept."
His mind, however, refused to rest. His enemies, the gods, would not sit idly by. They would come for him. He knew that much. He preferred being the hunter rather than the hunted, yet he had no choice. He had no clue where the godly realm was, let alone how to reach it. And even if he did, it wasn't guaranteed that he could take them all on.
Darius had unknowingly saved him from walking straight into his own death.
Still, that didn't mean he could just sit around and wait.
"I need to train," he thought aloud, tapping his chin. "Every time I fight, I awaken new abilities—ones I don't even know I have. If I learn to control them before battle, I won't have to rely on instinct alone."
Abilities awakened through exposure to abyssal energy were unpredictable. Unlike those gained through spirit pacts, abyssal abilities were unique, far more powerful, and varied from person to person. If he could master his, he would stand a better chance against the gods.
A faint knock at the door snapped him from his thoughts.
"Rio, it's breakfast time!" A cheerful voice called from the other side. "Everyone's waiting for you."
Ryojin hesitated before standing up. He hadn't expected them to care whether he ate or not. He figured he would have to fend for himself, yet here they were, including him in their routine. It was... strange.
When he opened the door, Trina stood there with a bright smile.
"Morning, Rio!" she greeted him, eyes scanning his frame. "Wow, you're really muscular!"
"Morning, Trina," he replied softly, slightly caught off guard. "You said they're waiting for me?"
"Yep!" She grabbed his hand without hesitation. "Come on!"
She led him to the living room, where the other children sat around a wooden table, preparing to eat. Mister Kenny and Kina were already seated. As soon as Ryojin entered, all eyes turned to him.
A fifteen-year-old boy in a wheelchair gasped. "Whoa! Rio is so muscular!"
"Yeah! Look at those arms!" another boy added.
"Not just muscular, but handsome too!"
"His violet eyes make him look even cooler!"
Ryojin sat stiffly as their words echoed in his head. Compliments like these... he wasn't used to them.
"Come on, kids," Mister Kenny chuckled. "Let the young man eat in peace. Have a seat, Rio."
"Thank you, sir," Ryojin said, taking a seat beside Trina. Across from him, Kina remained silent, her lips curled into a small, unreadable smile.
"Since everyone's here," Mister Kenny said, "let's give thanks to the Lord."
The children reached for each other's hands in preparation to pray. Ryojin hesitated, then reluctantly joined in.
"Kina, it's time to pray," a boy next to her nudged her gently. But Kina didn't react. She was still staring at Ryojin, lost in thought.
A girl on her other side giggled. "Hey Rio, mind sitting somewhere else? Kina can't seem to focus when you're in front of her."
"Ah! No—no!" Kina stammered, her face flushing red. "I was just... just recalling something!"
The other kids burst into laughter.
"Alright, children, let's pray," Mister Kenny said with a warm smile. The room fell silent as everyone bowed their heads and closed their eyes.
Everyone except Ryojin. He only lowered his head to prevent drawing unnecessary attention. Praying to the very beings he despised was absurd. The gods had the power to change humanity for the better, yet they chose to rule over them, dictating their fate. Why should he pray to them?
Then, suddenly, his body tensed.
A strange presence approached the building. The air grew heavier. It wasn't the energy of the gods, but something different.
His gaze shot toward the door as it creaked open slowly.
"What is this energy...?" he thought, eyes narrowing.
"Amen," the children said in unison, signaling the end of the prayer.
But Ryojin's eyes remained locked on the doorway.
A group of seven kids entered, chatting amongst themselves.
Ryojin exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "It was just them...?" He thought. "But what is this energy I feel... it is suffocating."
"Ryojin, are you okay?" Trina asked, her voice laced with concern. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
"No, I'm fine," he replied, his voice lower than usual.
"Are you sure?" Kina asked, studying him closely.
"Yeah," he muttered, stealing another glance at the children as they walked past him into the corridor.
"They also stay here," Mister Kenny explained as he turned to the kids. "Have you all eaten?"
"Yes, Mister Kenny!" one of the kids responded with a big smile. "It was delicious. Thanks, Kina!"
"Glad you liked it!" Kina beamed, waving at them.
Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, the strange energy vanished.
Ryojin clenched his fists under the table. "What the hell was that...?"
He let the thought slip away for now and focused on eating. But deep down, he knew something was off.