Chapter 4: The Dark Presence
The morning sun peeked through the curtains as Goro and Ryusei woke up, stretching and yawning. Ryusei, as usual, was acting goofy, messing around as they prepared for the day.
"It's Sunday!" Ryusei grinned. "You know what that means?"
"Yeah," Goro smirked. "More training."
With that, they headed outside, where their respective angels, Jophiel and Uriel, were waiting. Ryusei had already mastered his Asteroid Shower, and today, he began training for a new technique—Asteroid Blast. Meanwhile, Goro was intensely focused on perfecting his Lunar Shield. He could form it, but holding it up under pressure was still a struggle.
The sky suddenly turned dark, heavy clouds rolling in without warning. A cold wind blew as the first raindrops began to fall.
"It's raining?" Ryusei raised an eyebrow. "Weird, the forecast didn't say anything about rain today."
"Don't let it distract you," Jophiel said. "Focus."
Despite the sudden change in weather, Goro and Ryusei continued training. The sound of their footsteps splashing in the wet ground and their attacks cutting through the air blended with the rhythmic pattering of the rain. Hours passed before Jophiel finally called out,
"Enough for today."
Tired but satisfied, Goro and Ryusei returned home, enjoying a hot dinner while listening to the rain outside. The warmth of the meal and the soft glow of the lights made the evening feel peaceful.
But outside their home, something sinister was happening.
---
Somewhere in the city…
An old man sat alone in his dimly lit house, eating a quiet meal. The storm outside made the lights flicker, and then—
Everything went dark.
"Not again..." the old man grumbled as he got up to check the power. He grabbed a flashlight and carefully made his way downstairs. As he walked, a shadowy figure darted behind him—fast, too fast—but he didn't notice.
Then, a sudden noise came from upstairs.
The old man's breath hitched. Slowly, he climbed the stairs, his heart pounding. He reached for the door where the sound had come from. His hand trembled as he turned the knob.
Creak.
The door swung open.
Nothing.
Letting out a sigh of relief, he turned around.
And then—
A pair of glowing red eyes stared at him from above.
The shadowy figure lunged, and the old man didn't even have time to scream.
A wet, sickening sound echoed through the empty house. Blood splattered across the wooden floor.
The black figure slowly emerged from the darkness, stepping over the lifeless body. It moved toward Goro's street—silent, unseen.