The darkness moved first.
It did not rush like a human.
It flowed.
Like spilt ink given life.
The second shadow behind Riya rose from the ground in a twisting column of black mist, its shape stretching into something tall and unnatural.
Long arms.
Hooked fingers.
A face without features except two burning crimson eyes.
My heart slammed against my ribs.
"Riya—down!"
She dropped instantly.
The creature's claw sliced through the air where her head had been a heartbeat earlier.
A sharp hiss split the night.
The claw struck the iron bench behind her.
Metal tore apart like paper.
Cold terror ran through me.
That attack would have killed her.
Rage exploded inside my chest.
I lunged.
The golden rings in my eyes flashed.
For a moment, the entire courtyard slowed.
Raindrops falling from tree leaves hung in the air like crystal beads.
The creature's shoulder muscles tightened.
Its weight shifted to the right.
The left side of its neck opened.
A weak point.
My fist shot forward.
The strike landed with a heavy crack.
The shadow creature staggered back.
Dark smoke burst from its neck wound.
It let out a shriek that sounded more like tearing metal than any living thing.
The first demon beneath the tree laughed.
"Interesting."
His crimson eyes narrowed.
"The Origin Eyes have already reached combat synchronisation."
I didn't answer.
I stepped backwards until I stood directly in front of Riya.
Every muscle in my body was tense.
I had never been in a fight like this.
I had fought people before.
Street thugs.
Drunks during delivery work.
Men who thought a poor engineer was easy prey.
But this—
This was something else entirely.
The demon in front of me straightened, wiping the dark blood from his mouth.
"Let me introduce myself."
His smile was thin and cruel.
"I am Mo Ying, a scout of the Shadow Veil Clan."
The name meant nothing to me.
But the hatred in his voice did.
"You cursed my family."
He tilted his head.
"No."
A pause.
"We merely carried out orders."
My fists clenched harder.
"Whose orders?"
His smile widened.
"You are not strong enough to hear that name."
The words hit harder than they should have.
Because deep down, I knew he was right.
Right now, I was barely standing against two shadow creatures.
Whatever stood above them had to be far worse.
The creature I had struck lunged again.
This time it came low.
Fast.
Its claws aimed straight for my stomach.
The golden rings spun.
Lines of movement appeared before my eyes.
Paths.
Predictions.
Like glowing trajectories in the air.
I moved before it attacked.
My body twisted left.
The claw missed by inches.
I grabbed its wrist.
Pain shot through my fingers as cold darkness crawled against my skin.
Ignoring it, I drove my knee into its chest.
The creature stumbled.
My right fist slammed into the glowing weak point beneath its collarbone.
A burst of black smoke exploded from the impact.
It screamed.
Then dissolved.
The shadow body collapsed into mist and vanished.
I stared.
Gone.
The first demon's smile disappeared.
For the first time, genuine surprise flashed across his face.
"You destroyed a shade?"
His voice turned colder.
"So the eyes truly are active."
He raised one hand.
Darkness gathered around his palm.
The shadows of the courtyard stretched unnaturally.
Even the trees seemed to bend toward him.
Riya's voice trembled behind me.
"Bhaiya…"
I didn't turn.
"Stay behind me."
The pendant against my chest pulsed.
Warm.
Steady.
Then a voice whispered inside my mind.
Observe. Analyse. Counter.
I inhaled sharply.
The eyes.
They were guiding me.
Mo Ying moved.
This time, faster than before.
A streak of black rushed toward me.
His claw aimed for my throat.
The golden rings flashed.
The world slowed.
I could see it.
Every movement.
The tightening of his shoulder.
The angle of his elbow.
The opening on his left rib.
The same weak point.
But he was too fast.
My body couldn't fully keep up.
The claw grazed my neck.
Pain burnt across my skin.
Warm blood trickled down my collar.
Riya gasped.
Mo Ying smiled.
"Too slow."
His second strike came immediately.
I ducked.
The claw shattered the hospital wall behind me.
Concrete cracked.
Dust filled the air.
I drove my fist upward.
The impact hit his ribs.
He staggered back again.
Dark blood splattered across the wet ground.
His expression changed.
The arrogance vanished.
What remained was fury.
"You insignificant heir!"
Black mist exploded around him.
The shadows in the courtyard rose like living serpents.
Dozens of tendrils shot toward me.
The golden rings spun wildly.
Too many.
I couldn't dodge all of them.
Then—
heat.
A sudden wave of warmth erupted behind me.
I turned.
Riya stood there.
Her eyes were wide.
A faint crimson-gold glow pulsed beneath her school uniform, right over her chest.
The phoenix seal.
The shadows recoiled.
Every tendril that neared her instantly hissed and dissolved.
Mo Ying froze.
His crimson eyes widened.
"The seal…"
For the first time—
fear.
Actual fear.
My heart pounded.
So Grandfather had been right.
Riya's bloodline was something even demons feared.
Mo Ying's face twisted.
"We must eliminate her before awakening."
He lunged.
Straight toward Riya.
No.
Something inside me snapped.
Not fear.
Not panic.
Rage.
Pure, burning rage.
The golden rings in my eyes ignited.
Light burst outward.
The entire courtyard glowed gold.
For a split second, I saw everything.
Every particle of shadow energy.
Every flaw in Mo Ying's body.
Every path his attack could take.
A line of golden light appeared across his chest.
Weak point.
Final strike.
I moved.
Faster than I ever had in my life.
My fist drove straight into the line.
The impact exploded like thunder.
Mo Ying's body froze.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
Golden cracks spread across his chest.
Then across his entire body.
"No… impossible…"
The cracks burst.
His form shattered into fragments of black glass-like shards that dissolved into the night air.
Silence.
The courtyard lights flickered back on.
The cold vanished.
I stood there breathing heavily.
Blood dripped from my neck.
My knuckles trembled.
Riya ran to me.
"Bhaiya!"
She grabbed my arm.
"Are you hurt?"
I looked at her.
The faint crimson glow beneath her chest was already fading.
So she hadn't even noticed it.
Good.
Not yet.
Before I could answer, the pendant pulsed again.
The whisper returned.
First combat synchronisation complete.
Skill unlocked: Weak Point Vision
My breath caught.
So the eyes were evolving.
But before relief could settle in—
A voice echoed from the darkness beyond the hospital gate.
Slow.
Mocking.
Amused.
"So the heir survives."
I turned sharply.
A figure stood on the rooftop across the street.
Tall.
Wrapped in crimson-black robes.
Its eyes glowed like twin blood moons.
A stronger presence.
Far stronger than Mo Ying.
The figure smiled.
"This was only the beginning."
Then it vanished.
A chill ran down my spine.
Tonight had not been an attack.
It had been a test.
And somewhere in the shadows—
Something far worse had started watching us.