Shadow Reborn

shadow passed behind Kenshi's eyes when he heard the news but his voice remained calm. " Contact the police and bring me his body at all costs" " yes master " Hanzo said with a bow, although he and the rest of the team didn't exactly have a close knit relationship with Ryu but they emphasized with their master who was his uncle.

All of the staff felt the pain of his loss, he would have preferred solitude to their carousing but he had been their colleague...

Ryu's soul drifted through the void, torn from his body by the facility's self-destruct sequence. He found himself in a realm beyond mortal comprehension, a rift between heaven and hell and he a lone ember in an endless expanse. The supreme being's presence manifested as a shimmering aura, like the surface of a still pond reflecting the stars. "Wasted youth" it thought before an idea popped in his head.

A supreme being, shrouded in ethereal light, gazed upon Ryu's soul. "You have been chosen," the being declared, its voice like thunder.The being reached out with an energy tendril, touching Ryu's soul. Visions flooded Ryu's consciousness: his past, his mistakes, his unfulfilled potential.

The supreme being spoke, "Your soul shall be modified, reborn for a greater purpose." Ryu's consciousness felt the weight of the being's scrutiny, like a blacksmith's hammer shaping molten steel. His soul trembled, reshaped by the being's power.

Ryu's essence was reshaped, infused with dark energy from the rift. His soul was transformed, now bearing the mark of the supreme being.

"Return to the world, Ryu," the being commanded. "Unleash your newfound power, and reshape the destiny of humanity." "This is going to be very interesting".

Ryu's soul was hurled back into the mortal realm, landing with a burst of energy in a desolate, ruined landscape. His eyes snapped open, and he drew a ragged breath.

He rose, feeling the dark energy coursing through his veins. Ryu's gaze burned with an otherworldly intensity, his soul forever changed. His eyes, once a deep brown, now shimmered with a hint of shadowy silver. He scanned his surroundings all the while disoriented and dazed.

His head felt like a swarm of bees had taken refuge in his head and wreaked havoc along with the splitting headache crashing against his skull in tidal waves. Then memory came rushing back; the mission, Hikari knocked unconscious, The facility self-destruct..."How am I still alive?" He wondered.

Unfortunately that was where his brain pressed pause, he flexed his fingers and wriggled his toes, turned his head and seemed to be breathing easily, nothing was broken, NOTHING! At all could indicate what he had just been through..

Ryu took a step forward, his movements cautious. He discovered that he had found himself in front of a restaurant, if he felt self-conscious walking about awkwardly in a ninja suit with about thirty eyes boring into him, it didn't show as he had slipped on his habitual stoic expression.

As he walked, Ryu noticed changes within himself. His senses were heightened, his reflexes quicker. The dark energy coursed through his veins, a constant reminder of his newfound power.

He stumbled upon a shattered mirror, its fragments reflecting a stranger's face. Ryu's eyes widened as he took in his appearance. His eyes, once brown, now shimmered with a silver hue. His skin was pale, Ryu's gaze lingered on his reflection, a mix of fascination and unease. What in heavens name had happened to him?

Suddenly, a faint hum filled the air, growing louder with each passing moment. Ryu's head snapped up, his eyes scanning the horizon.

A convoy of vehicles emerged from the smoke, heading straight for Ryu. He stood his ground, unsure what to expect.As the vehicles approached, Ryu saw Hanzo's face through the windshield of the lead car. Kenshi's loyal hacker had found him, and for the first time in his life he was happy to have been found...

Hanzo's expression was a mix of relief and wariness as he stepped out of the car, his eyes scanning the streets he was beginning to generate unwanted attention.

He suddenly picked up distant hum of a lonely engine and the soft crunch of gravel beneath his feet. "Ryu, you're alive," he said, his voice cautious, as if afraid to break the fragile spell of Ryu's survival. Ryu nodded, still trying to process his surroundings and the changes within himself. The cool breeze carried the scent of smoke and ash, a constant reminder of the explosion that had ravaged the city.

Hanzo approached him, eyes scanning his face, searching for any sign of the boy he once knew. "You seem changed," "And unscathed" He stated, his tone neutral, but his eyes betraying a hint of concern. Ryu nodded again, unsure how much to reveal, his gaze drifting to the fortified compound in the distance. The high walls loomed above them, casting long shadows that stretched like skeletal fingers.

"The master will want to see you," Hanzo said, gesturing to the car, his voice firm but laced with a hint of trepidation. Ryu hesitated, unsure if he was ready to face Kenshi, but something about Hanzo's expression told him that this was more than just a simple summons. He got into the car, the leather seat creaking beneath him.

The convoy wound its way through the desolate streets, eventually stopping at the heavily fortified compound. Kenshi waited for him, his eyes narrowing as Ryu stepped out of the car. The air was thick with tension, the silence between them oppressive. "So, you're back," Kenshi said, his voice dripping with skepticism, his eyes boring into Ryu's soul.

Ryu nodded, his gaze locked on his uncle's, his heart pounding in his chest like a drum. Kenshi's eyes seemed to search for something, a glimmer of the boy he once knew, perhaps, or a hint of the secrets Ryu now kept. " You seem... Changed" Kenshi said echoing Hanzo's earlier words, " you have been through something, go to your room and rest". Ryu nodded gave a respectful bow and strode off.

The debate in the Kokuryūkai meeting room was heated, the air thick with tension. "Master, I know he said he doesn't remember anything, but he can't just survive a devastating explosion unscathed, besides I found him unscathed ten kilometers from the blast site" Hanzo pointed out, his brow furrowed in concern. " Do you think that's an intruder?" Kasumi prompted.

" I don't know, you tell me" Hanzo retorted.Kasumi leaned forward, her eyes locked on Kenshi. "So what do you propose?" she asked, her voice firm but laced with a hint of curiosity.

Hanzo focused on Kenshi, his eyes searching for a glimmer of agreement. "I think we have to test him," he said, his voice firm. Kenshi sat, turning over the idea in his mind, his eyes narrowing as he weighed the options. Finally, he stood with a huff and marched to Ryu's room, his footsteps echoing down the corridor.

The door was opened immediately, and Kenshi threw a shuriken at Ryu, his eyes flashing with anger. But what happened next was unexpected. Ryu's eyes flashed green, and his own shadow materialized from the wall into a dark, separate entity. It caught the flying projectile, its non-existent face twisted in a hostile glance targeted at Kenshi before it vanished.

Kenshi's eyes widened, his gray eyebrows slamming together in a frown. "What more are you hiding from me Ryu Tanaka?" he demanded, his voice low and menacing, his eyes boring into Ryu's soul.