Thank you for reading Vol 2 of Code Name: Ryu. Vol 3 will be released after a short (possibly long) break.
The universe is vast. Within its ever-expanding depths, there exist seven realms. Leagard, the realm of humans and magical beasts. Dwargo, the realm of dwarves. Gigante, the realm of giants, ogres, and the like. Aerlogard, the realm of elves and spirits. Netherworld, the realm of demons. Nirvana, the realm of the gods. And Ragnarok, the realm of dragons. For many millennia, these realms have lived in peace, until the demons led an attack on the humans. The humans, who were weaker than the demons, were slaughtered like pigs. The gods, who loved the humans, could not watch the one-sided slaughter for much longer, and only after allying with the Elves, did the gods fight back against the demons. Their leader, who felt the pressure of the alliance, partnered with the dwarves - who, with their expertly crafted weapons and armour, equalled the battlefield. The war between the five realms lasted many decades. That was when the gods pleaded with the dragons and the giants to assist them in the
“Blech!!” Grandpa’s foot digs into my stomach. My body flies into a nearby mountain. *Cough*, *cough*, *cough*—I cough blood into the dust filled air. “Get up,” says Grandpa, standing next to me. I jump up, but he kicks my legs, and before I hit the ground, he kicks me in the same spot, sending me flying through the forest. “Grandpa!!” I scream. Before his kick landed, I focussed my mana around my stomach. *Cough*,*cough*—my coughs persist. I wipe the blood teeming from the side of my mouth. “I thought I blocked that kick perfectly.” “You still have quite a long way to go before you can defend yourself from one of my kicks, Haruki.” “Grandpa!! How could you kick me down after telling me to get up!!” This hulk of a man in front of me is my Grandfather, Emygdius. He is one of the oldest dragons in Ragnarök – his exact age is unknown to me, but from what I’ve heard, he has existed for aeons. He looks down at me with his signature stern expression—one he’s worn since he received the s
He appeared before me—a ray of hope. Or rather, a being of chaos impersonating hope. But before his appearance, a story needs to be told. For that, the clock rewinds to yesterday. It was a day like any other. In the courtyard of the Royal Palace, I stood face-to-face with him—my father, Judge Borneheimer. He stood idle, with his gaze fixed on me, and the tip of his sword pointed diagonally to the concrete. He held the grip of the longsword in such a gentle manner that a woman would become jealous just watching. His mannequin stance left no weak spots to exploit—it was a perfect defence. On the other hand, I stood with a stance full of holes. My form was rough to look at, like a paraplegic attempting to climb onto a wheelchair. With the blade stretching past my head, and the grip, held with both hands, seated behind my ear, I pointed the tip of my sword to Father. A small gust of wind signalled the start of a fierce clash of metal on metal. In an instant, I leapt forward to close the
After blacking out, I jump up—my entire body writhing in pain. “What happened?” I ask myself. I look around. Next to me, the golden-haired boy is resting peacefully. He, like me, is covered in bandages from head to toe. “Were we nursed by someone while I was unconscious? If so, who would…” I feel the presence of someone powerful approaching. I leave the tent we lay in. A bright light flashes in my eyes and I squint. When my eyes adjust, I look around surprised. “A forest? Was I not in a building with columns?” “The building in question was my father’s secret basement.” I look to my side. A small girl, half my size to be exact, is staring at me with beautiful reddish-purple eyes – like the hue of an amethyst. I am awestruck at her beauty that all I can say is, “I… see…” I don’t ‘see’ anything. Who is your father? Where am I? Who are you? So many questions I could ask, but I said, ‘I see’. She giggles. I feel my chest tighten. My body heats up, and my throat becomes parched. What is
“So, where exactly are we going?” After departing from the forest, we started walking on a road for the past few days, only resting during the night. “Hmmm? What did you say, Darling?” “Look here,” I say, glancing at Louisa, who is resting on my back, “I’m not a ride, especially not in my human form.” Without looking at him, I can feel the icy glare from Niklaus. “But you are a ride though. You are a dragon.” “Being a dragon doesn’t automatically make me a ride.” “If you weren’t a ride, then why did you allow me to ride you?” “I…” I can’t say that I couldn’t fight back against it. She was so cute begging me to be her ride. “I… didn’t want to…” “What is it? You’re muttering to yourself.” “I… It’s nothing.” “Nothing, you say. Well, if you say so…” Her victory smile fails to hide its sadism. She knows exactly why I chose to give in to her demand. This girl is dangerous. “So,” interrupts Niklaus, “this organisation you are a part of…” “What of it?” “You say you were on a mis
Ten months of sitting in a cell makes you appreciate the little things in life, such as the dazzling sunlight in Mico Square. The glimmering water in the fountain makes me awestruck. I have not seen such beauty in ten months. The morning air that brushes against my skin is a refreshing bath, washing away the self of yesterday who’d been rotting away in cell 2509. It’s all so unbelievable that it brings a tear to the eye. “Why are you tearing up, Haruki?” asks Louisa. “Nothing,” I say, wiping the tears welling up in my eyes. Yes, I am a free man once again. Well, partially free. Because of this collar around my neck, I can only stray a town’s diameter away from Louisa, or any of the Five Crosses. “Don’t tell me you’re crying because you’re a free man?” she asks jokingly. “How did you know?” I reply, surprised. “Can you read my mind?” “You’re… joking, right?” She tilts her head and lets out a cute giggle. “You seriously cried because you’re free. That’s hilarious.” “Well, I apologi
“So, they were in the sewers after all.” I started my search after a Grand Order member informed me of the Soul Eaters. I found several running amok on the surface, but most are in the sewers. “What’s weird is that they are all flocking towards Haruki and Louisa. Should I help them out? Or do you want me to keep you company?” In the alleyway beside me, a presence appears. A man dressed in a dark cloak camouflaged well with the alley’s shadows. “Hello there, Callisto of Grand Order. I’m not surprised that you spotted me this—” “Get to the point. Who are you?” “Oh my, I never introduced myself. My apologies. You may call me Joker. I came here with members of my organisation to collect our pet.” “Your pet?” “Yes. You see, we lost our precious pet. He means the world to us, and we are so utterly devastated. Would you be so kind as to return him?” “Sorry, but I don’t know what you’re talking—” “Oh dear! I forgot to mention this. You see, Necromancer has a horrific personality. He kee
“Melody, what do you think about this attack?” “The Soul Eaters? I think it’s… strange. Why would a horde appear without our knowing of it?” “I had that exact thought. There must be a mastermind behind this attack if these creatures appeared without our knowing. Soul Eaters would not just ‘appear’ out of nowhere, no matter how intelligent they are.” “But what does the mastermind want?” That’s the question I’d like answered. “What if I told you, Raizo, leader of Grand Order?” A cloaked man appears like a ghost floating through the ground into the room. His emergence into this room takes Melody and me by surprise. And the aura he’s emitting is threateningly spread out. “Who are you?” “There’s no need for any tension to exist between us, Raizo. I come here in peace.” “So you say, but here you are, an uninvited guest, threatening my aid and me with your menacing aura. Are you the mastermind behind this attack?” “Maybe I am. Maybe I am not. Who can say?” I slam my hands on the de