Hanzo's eyes widened as he stared at his phone, his face pale. "Guys, we have a problem."
Kenshi and Ryu turned to him, concern etched on their faces. "What is it?" Kenshi asked. Hanzo's voice trembled. "Reports of a villain attacking the city square. Witnesses describe him as a scientist... with fire abilities." Ryu's eyes narrowed. "That sounds like—No, it can't be," Ryu said, shaking his head. "Hikari's dead. We were in the explosion together" Hanzo's expression was grim. "I'm telling you, Ryu, the description matches. And there's something else... the witnesses say he's calling out for you." Ryu's face set in determination. "I'll go stop him." Kenshi nodded. "We'll follow close behind. Be careful, Ryu!" Ryu sprinted out of the headquarters, racing toward the city square on his motorcycle. As he arrived, he saw chaos: people running, buildings damaged, and a figure shrouded in flames. Ryu leapt off his motorcycle, his eyes scanning the destruction. And then, he saw him. Hikari. Ryu's jaw dropped, his mind reeling in shock. "Hikari... you're... you're alive!" Hikari's eyes locked onto Ryu, a twisted grin spreading across his face. "Ryu... my old friend. I've been waiting for you." Ryu stumbled back, his mind struggling to comprehend. Hikari was dead. He had seen him die. And yet... here he was, alive and wielding fire abilities. "What... how is this possible?" Ryu stammered. Hikari chuckled, his flames dancing with malevolent intent. "You'll soon find out, Ryu. But first... let's catch up. I've missed you." "You're... you're supposed to be dead," Ryu repeated, trying to process. Hikari shrugged. "Death is just a minor setback, Ryu. I've transcended it." But Ryu's eyes remained fixed on Hikari. "You're not taking anyone else today, Hikari." Hikari's grin grew wider. "We'll see about that, Ryu. Let's end this."Ryu charged at Hikari, his ninja blade flashing in the light. But Hikari was ready, unleashing a wave of flames that engulfed Ryu. Ryu stumbled back, his eyes widening in shock. He tried to defend himself, but the flames seemed to sear his skin, weakening him. Hikari took advantage of Ryu's momentary weakness, striking him with a flurry of punches and kicks. Ryu tried to block, but Hikari's attacks were too fast, too precise. Ryu crashed to the ground, his body battered and bruised. Hikari stood over him, his eyes blazing with triumph. Ryu tried to get up, but his body felt heavy, his movements slow. Hikari's flames had drained his strength, leaving him vulnerable. But Hikari's attack was relentless, his flames scorching Ryu's skin. Ryu's vision began to blur, his consciousness fading. Ryu's eyes flickered open, his body burning with pain. He saw Hikari standing over him, a triumphant smile on his face. With a fierce cry, Ryu summoned his last ounce of strength, focusing his energy into a powerful technique - the Shadow End. A dark, shadowy aura erupted from Ryu's body, hurtling towards Hikari with deadly precision. But Hikari, anticipating this move, sneered and raised his hands. The shadowy aura was met with a blast of flames, which Hikari expertly mirrored back at Ryu. The flames engulfed Ryu's body, intensifying the burning sensation. Ryu's eyes widened in shock as he realized Hikari had countered his Shadow End with a Flame Mirror technique. "No... impossible!" Ryu gasped, his body writhing in agony. Hikari's smile grew wider. "You should have stayed down, Ryu. Now, you'll burn forever!" The flames consumed Ryu's body, his screams echoing through the city square while people rushed to safety with no thought to the person granting it to them. Then yet again Ryu took another attack, he had been warned of the effects of the shadow merge but what if this was the only choice? " The entity ( shadow bond)" he yelled and it that brief moment materialized his shadow and merged with it into the entity. The shadowy aura enveloped Ryu, The entity unleashed a flurry of shadowy attacks, striking Hikari with swift and deadly precision. Hikari, however, was not easily defeated. He countered with waves of flames, scorching the entity's shadowy form. The entity stumbled back, its strength wavering. The entity struggled to get back to its feet, its shadowy form flickering with weakness. Hikari pressed its advantage, striking The entity with a series of powerful flame-infused punches. Hikari crashed the entity through a building with a précisé fireball, The entity had took the brunt of the attack with his shadow imbued sword which broke from the strain The entity tried to defend itself, but Hikari's attacks were too strong. The entity stumbled back, its shadowy form beginning to dissipate. Hikari's voice rose in triumph. "You should have stayed down, Ryu! Now, you'll burn forever!" With a final, mighty blow, Hikari struck The entity, sending it crashing to the ground. The entity's shadowy form dissipated, leaving Ryu's battered and bruised body behind. Hikari stood over Ryu, his eyes blazing with victory. "It's over," he whispered, his voice dripping with malice. "I've won." Ryu's eyes flickered open, his gaze meeting Hikari's. He tried to speak, but his voice was barely a whisper. "Why... Hikari... why?" Hikari's smile grew wider. "Because, I was helpless while you stopped my plan to generate a superior species of superhumans, but now, Ryu i've transcended death. And now, Reborn as Enjin, I'll make you watch me bend reality to my will... before killing you." As an afterthought Hikari whispered something in Ryu's ear before his conciousness faded...At the KoKuryūkai base, Ryu was sedated in intensive care at their medical department oblivious to the conversation going on about him. " Apparently one of his list of unknown loop holes in his powers is Fire" Hayato started, shaking his head in pity and rage." Fire?" Kenshi frowned. " Light based attacks" Hanzo elaborated with a terse shrug. " He is susceptible to mental fatigue and light based attacks to which fire belongs... Hikari exploited both well"Kenshi glanced over to Ryu's unconscious form." How long will it take for him to wake?". " According to our medic, it will take a couple days in a normal person, but for him... It's hard to say -he could wake up anytime now" Kasumi replied shaking her head in anger." If I get ahold of Hikari, he'll regret he ever got Reborn!" Hayato fumed, his anger was shared by all of them but Kenshi knew it would be unwise to seek him out in his current form. " Hayato, place a lid on that anger" he commanded and walked stiffly out of the room.
Hikari's flames engulfed the team, forcing them to stumble backward. Hayato charged forward, sword flashing in the dim light. "Take this, Hikari!" he shouted, but Hikari was unfazed. "Foolish KoKuryūkai," Hikari sneered, his eyes gleaming with contempt. "You think a little sword like that can hurt me?" With a swift gesture, Hikari sent a wave of flames crashing down on Hayato. He leapt aside, avoiding the inferno, but Hikari was relentless. He summoned blast after blast of fire, driving the team back. "Kasumi, get behind me!" Hayato yelled, but Kasumi stood her ground. "I won't let him win!" she shouted, her eyes blazing with determination. Hikari's smile grew wider. "Brave words, Kasumi. But bravery won't save you today." He summoned a vortex of flames, lifting Kasumi off the ground. She struggled and kicked, but Hikari's hold was unyielding. "Let her go, Hikari!" Hayato shouted, charging forward, but Hikari was too powerful. With a swift kick, he sent Hayato crashi
Kenshi stood by the door leading to KoKuryūkai gym center to get an unobtrusive view of the trainer, although his eyes were struggling to keep up with Ryu's movement, he noted his precise thrusts with a deep feeling of satisfaction.After Ryu's sudden awakening, he had gone straight to training. Hanzo was still working on getting Hikari, but if anything happens to Kasumi, He will never be able to forgive himself.Suddenly as soon as Ryu training had concluded, and he was reviewing his techniques when Hanzo burst into the room."Hanzo, what's wrong?" Kenshi asked, sensing urgency."I've pinpointed Hikari's location," Hanzo said, his voice tight. "He's at the abandoned skyscraper on 5th and Main."Kenshi's expression turned grave. "Ryu, be cautious. Hikari's powers are growing stronger."Ryu's resolve hardened. "I'll stop him."Kenshi placed a hand on Ryu's shoulder. "Remember, Ryu, your safety is paramount. Don't underestimate Hikari." Ryu nodded, his determination clear.At the skyscra
Ryu's eyes fluttered open, greeted by the faint glow of dawn seeping through the nearly closed windows. He lay still, his slender frame pressed against the cold ground, as the familiar ache in his chest stirred.He had just had a nightmare which acted as a constant reminder of his childhood past, ten years ago as a child he had been a victim of maltreatment and on that particular day he was hiding furtively in their closet. His father's wrath still lingered, a constant companion in the darkness.His father had arrived at their rambling cottage ten years ago, drunk as usual and called for Ryu who was so immersed in his own little realm and didn't hear. " Ayy donkey head! I, your father, called for you and you dared to ignore me! " His father fumed when he spotted him standing in the confines of their open cupboard. " No... I..." Ryu stuttered in sudden immense fear and his father promptly pounced on him, battering him with fists and kicks in a seemingly random manner until he bled fr
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
Kenshi's eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing through Ryu's defenses. "What more are you hiding from me?" he repeated, his voice low and menacing.Ryu hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. But something about Kenshi's expression told him that he had no choice. "I...I don't know what happened," he stammered. "I just woke up, and...and things were different."Kenshi's eyes flashed with anger. "Different?" he spat. "You're telling me you survived an explosion that should have killed you, and now you're...changed? What did they do to you, Ryu?"Ryu shook his head, feeling a wave of fear wash over him. "I don't know, Kenshi. I swear, I don't remember anything."Kenshi's expression twisted in disgust. "You're lying to me, Ryu. I can see it in your eyes. You're hiding something." Ryu had forgotten that there was still one person who could read him like a book.Suddenly, Hanzo appeared at Kenshi's side, his eyes calm and soothing. "Master, perhaps we should give Ryu some time to recover. He's bee
Thirty minutes later five guards stood over Ryu's exhausted form and aimed their guns at him ready to pull the trigger when his shadow materialized and fed on their shadow, thereby nature tried to make up for a breach in the law and promptly disintegrated them out of existence...The Apparition faced Ryu as he stood " who are you?" Ryu asked and took a step forward followed simultaneously by the shadow, he took another and extended a hand, again the shadow did the same and when their hands touched Ryu felt a strange pull towards it. " Hanzo are you seeing this?". " What are you doing Ryu? The others have been captured" Hanzo replied. Ryu frowned." I have an idea". " Don't let your feet run ahead of your legs Ryu!" Kenshi's familiar voice boomed over the line but too late. Ryu merged with the shadow and let the darkness flow into him, moving like liquid fire in his veins until he screamed in pain, the shadow coated his physical features as he slowly morphed into a different being
" No! Ryu Don't kill him" Kasumi pleaded and the entity paused long enough to give a glance in her direction before slamming a surprisingly solid fist to the side of Black Fox neck and watched him collapse like a felled tree." Ryu! Are you still there?" Hayato said holding up his sword in a defensive stance. The entity took a few shaky steps towards them and soon collapsed, the darkness receded and left behind it's unconscious vessel.Ryu's eyes slowly opened, his vision blurry. He was met with the sight of Hanzo's concerned face, his eyes scanning Ryu's body."Ryu, can you hear me?" Hanzo asked, his voice firm but laced with worry. Ryu tried to speak, but his voice was hoarse. He nodded instead.Hanzo nodded back. "Good. We need to assess your condition. You've undergone a significant transformation."Ryu's gaze drifted down to his hands, He flexed his fingers, and they seemed to shift like smoke.Hanzo began to list off Ryu's new abilities to the others in the room. "Enhanced stre