Three years had passed.
Tokyo had changed a lot since that stormy night in Riku's room. The skies were still filled with thick, grey clouds and the city's towering buildings cast long shadows over the streets. But for Riku, the world felt much heavier now.
At fifteen, he had barely scraped by. His classmates, who had once shared his doubts and fears, had blossomed into fully ranked Essence Warriors. They had trained, unlocked their powers, and taken their places in the world.
And Riku?
He was still stuck at the bottom. Still a D Rank, barely qualifying as an Essence Warrior. No power, no status. His ranking was the lowest possible, a constant reminder of everything he was lacking.
The market was harder now, the jobs more tedious. He spent his days doing low-end errands, fetching supplies for the high-ranking warriors, or cleaning up after missions. The few coins he earned barely covered his living expenses, but he couldn't stop. He needed the money. He needed something.
Today was another long day. He had just finished delivering another set of orders when he crossed paths with Toru again. Toru, now an S Rank warrior, stood proudly at the front of his elite guild—his once cocky attitude now sharper, more confident.
Toru looked over at Riku with a smirk, the arrogance he had carried for years now practically oozing from his posture.
"Hey, Riku!" Toru called out, stepping forward. His eyes gleamed with superiority. "Still stuck as a D Rank? That's... cute."
Riku clenched his fists at his sides but said nothing, keeping his eyes on the ground. Toru and his friends had always teased him, ever since they first started awakening their powers. Now that Toru was an S Rank, the teasing had become a daily occurrence.
Behind Toru, members of other clans and guilds whispered to each other, their words floating over to Riku like daggers.
"Isn't he the one with no Essence?" one of the clan members muttered, their voice full of disbelief.
"Yeah, I heard he's got a knife and some basic combat skills. Barely makes enough to survive," another one chimed in, laughing.
"Poor guy. A normal kid could probably beat him up at this point. The only D Rank with no Essence," someone else added, their tone mocking.
Riku bit his lip. The voices stung. The harsh words were nothing new, but they still cut deeper each time. He looked around at the bustling streets filled with warriors, each one flashing their new powers, their glowing abilities—everything he would never have. And here he was, still struggling to even make ends meet.
"Why don't you just give it up, Riku?" Toru laughed. "You know, you could always find a real job. Maybe join a guild as a... well, cleaner or something."
Riku didn't reply. He couldn't. If he said something now, Toru would only mock him further.
As Toru and his group walked away, Riku felt the weight of their laughter echoing in his chest. He hated this feeling. Hated being so insignificant.
But he had no choice but to endure.
Riku watched them disappear into the crowd, their confident steps a reminder of how far ahead they were.
And here he was, with nothing.
Just a knife. Just basic combat skills.
Riku turned away, forcing the emotions down. He had to keep moving, keep pushing forward.
There was no other choice.