As they faced off, Ryo crouched down and picked up a rough stone, holding it gently in his palm. His voice was calm, almost thoughtful.
"Everything in this world has a final form… a shape it's meant to become."
He looked at the stone as if seeing something hidden within.
"This isn’t just a rock. Inside it sleeps its true self. All it needs is someone to guide it… awaken it… and speak its true name."
His eyes sharpened as he channeled energy through his fingers.
"And once it answers—" he smiled faintly, "—that’s when the world changes."
Ryo placed his palm firmly on the stone, his voice calm but commanding.
"Roar... Garthul."
In an instant, the stone began to shift and crack, glowing with a bright light that surged from within. The rock twisted and reshaped, becoming a massive greatsword, its jagged edges sharp like the mountains themselves. The weapon hummed with power, and the earth seemed to respond to its awakening.
Ryo lifted the newly forged sword effortlessly, its weight feeling light in his hands.
"See?" he said with a grin. "Just had to awaken it and say its true name."
The system chimed in, its tone dripping with sarcasm.
[System Notification: You have awakened “Roar-Garthul, the Earthrend Howlblade.” A name as heavy as the weapon itself.]
Ryo couldn't help but chuckle at the system's comment. "You’re just mad you don’t have a sword like this."
"Well then, shall we dance again?" Ryo asked, his voice carrying a calm confidence as he slashed upward with Garthul. Immediately, sharp rock needles shot out, piercing Shikavas over and over again in an instant.
Ryo leapt into the air, driving the Garthul into Shikavas' stomach with precision. He landed a short distance away, taking his time, letting Shikavas twitch and struggle in a desperate attempt to escape.
Ryo raised his hand and clenched his fist. With a calm voice, he said, "Galth."
A notification from the system popped up: [System Notification: "Galth" means "Burst."]
In the blink of an eye, Garthul exploded, transforming into a massive stone spike, tearing Shikavas' limbs apart in violent bursts of stone and force. The once-mighty creature was ripped to shreds.
Ryo, still composed, took a slow step back, glancing at the carnage. "Guess your regeneration can't keep up, huh?" he added with a smirk.
The system then commented, [System: "Bro, you really went all out on him, huh?"]
Shikavas let out a slow, guttural screech as his body struggled to reconnect, his limbs twitching in a futile attempt to regenerate. Ryo smirked, watching the desperate movements with a cold expression.
"You missed something," Ryo said to the struggling Lizardman, his voice filled with an unsettling calm.
With a simple motion, Ryo opened his clenched fist. The stone fragments around Shikavas began to crumble and shift, reforming into a circular prison that trapped the Lizardman inside. The rock solidified, creating an unbreakable cage, with Shikavas trapped at its center, unable to escape.
Ryo's lips curled into a small, almost cruel smile as he whispered the word, "Galth?n."
In an instant, the rocks surrounding Shikavas detonated with a deafening roar. The force of the explosion sent shockwaves through the air, the stone shattering into jagged spikes that tore into Shikavas with unstoppable force. The eruption was so intense that the very ground trembled beneath them.
Shikavas’ screams were drowned by the blast as his body was obliterated in a violent display of raw power. The smoke cleared, revealing nothing but the remnants of the explosion.
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The system's notification appeared on the screen:
[System Notification: Shikavas, the Elder Dracorex, has been defeated.]
Seraphine stood frozen, eyes wide with awe as the shockwaves of the explosion faded. The air still shimmered with heat and dust, yet all she could do was stare at the figure ahead—Ryo, calmly standing amidst the chaos he’d created.
He slowly turned his head toward her, meeting her gaze. Without saying a word, he raised one finger to his lips.
A silent shhh.
Then, in one smooth motion, he slid that same finger across his throat—a warning. Not to her, but a message: Stay quiet. Stay safe. Don’t draw attention.
Seraphine’s cheeks flushed crimson. Her heart skipped—not from fear, but from something else. A mixture of flustered admiration and curiosity twisted inside her.
She got the message.
Before she could respond, Ryo was gone. Vanished like smoke in the wind.
As Ryo soared through the sky, his coat flaring behind him like a banner of defiance, the wind howling past his ears—
the system chimed in with its usual sass:
[System Notification: Dang, Ryo. That was cold.
Silent threat + vanishing act? Who raised you, a final boss?]
[Also… someone’s got a fan down there. You sure that wasn’t a flirt?]
[Warning: Seraphine’s blush levels are reaching critical. Deploy antidote: ‘basic decency.’ Just kidding. Keep flying, drama king.]
Ryo, as always, ignored it.
He just adjusted his flight midair with a slight grin. The sky was quiet, but the ground behind him?
A storm had just passed—and his name was Ryo.
Then, after soaring through skies and ending the chaos with a literal bang, Ryo finally returned home.
He bathed, letting the steam wash away the scorch and dust of battle, then threw himself onto the couch. Within seconds, he was asleep—his body finally relaxing for the first time all day.
When he woke up, it was already night. The air was cool, the sky clear, and his stomach growling louder than the system’s sarcasm. So, he headed to the kitchen.
He cooked something simple—rice, grilled meat, and some stir-fried veggies with miso sauce. As he ate, the TV blared in the background, catching his attention.
> “Breaking news! Academy prodigy Seraphine has reportedly defeated an S-Rank monster single-handedly! Witnesses say she—”
Ryo paused, a smirk forming as he chewed slowly.
“Heh… single-handedly, huh?”
He let it go. It was better this way.
After cleaning up, he tossed on a hoodie and headed out to the nearby store. The night lights of the city cast a soft glow on the streets as he bought some fresh ingredients: eggs, tofu, garlic, ginger, and a little pack of snacks he pretended not to care about but always bought.
The system buzzed again.
[System Notification: Grocery run after turning a dragon into paste? Balanced lifestyle. We love a domestic war god.]
Ryo rolled his eyes, stuffing the receipt into his pocket.
In the quiet alleyway, Ryo stepped out of the store with a plastic bag in one hand, the scent of fresh ingredients still clinging to him.
“Yoh.”
A mature, familiar voice rang out behind him.
He didn’t turn, didn’t pause—just said flatly, “Elira.”
From the shadows, she stepped into view. Elira, the manager of Brightport Guild Hall. Her long, wavy brown hair caught the faint streetlight, tied back in a loose ponytail. Dressed sharply, as always—half guild leader, half menace.
She stopped a few steps away, eyes calm, but sincere.
“I’m not here for guild business,” she said quietly. “Just… thanks. For what you did for Seraphine.”
Ryo still didn’t look at her. “She’d have died if I didn’t.”
“I know,” she nodded. “That’s why I’m thanking you.”
A pause.
Then the system chimed in, ruining the moment:
[System Notification: +1 Reputation: Hot Guild Lady Appreciates You. Try not to mess it up.]
Ryo exhaled slowly. “...Tch. Damn system.”
tugging at her lips. “You’re not as cold as you pretend to be, Ryo.”
He said nothing—just shifted the grocery bag in his hand.
With a small sigh and a casual wave, she turned and walked back toward the street.
Then, over her shoulder, her voice floated back through the alley with a playful lilt:
“Invite me on a date sometime.”
And just like that, she vanished into the night, leaving behind the scent of perfume and mischief.
The system, of course, couldn’t help itself:
[System Notification: Quest Received: Ask Elira Out (Optional) – Warning: High Risk, High Reward.]
Ryo blinked, then muttered under his breath, “...High risk, huh?”
He walked off toward home, the night just beginning to stir again.
