The atmosphere outside the Rift zone was tense as Riku, Renji, and Takumi emerged from the dangerous zone, the stench of the battle still lingering in the air. The grey skies above reflected their mood, and the once-stirring pulse of adrenaline had settled into a heavy silence. Their footsteps were slow and deliberate as they approached the official station, where several higher-ranking Essence warriors were waiting.
They couldn't ignore the grim reality that Kaito, their companion and fellow C-rank warrior, was dead. The sight of his lifeless body still weighed heavily on their minds.
As they stepped up to the station, an official—a tall, stern-faced woman—greeted them. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she took in their appearance: dirty, bruised, but with no immediate signs of fatal injuries. Her gaze flickered to the bandages on Renji and Takumi, and then finally settled on Riku.
"What happened in there?" she asked, her voice cold and professional.
Renji was the first to speak, his tone filled with disbelief. "It… it was an A-rank beast. We thought it was a C-rank at first, but when it hit Kaito, we realized we were wrong. He—he didn't make it."
Takumi's voice trembled. "The beast was just too strong. It killed him before we could even react."
The woman nodded grimly before her sharp eyes swept over the group again. "If it was an A-rank beast, then how did two C-rank warriors and a D-rank manage to survive?"
Riku, feeling the weight of her scrutiny, stepped forward, his face neutral. He didn't feel like elaborating, but the way the officials were staring at them demanded a response.
"Well," Riku said, his voice calm, "It wasn't that difficult. A little work with my Essence, and we were able to hold our ground."
There was a brief silence as the officials exchanged looks, their eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"A D-rank warrior like you was able to take down an A-rank beast?" the official woman asked, her voice laced with doubt. "Do you expect us to believe that?"
Riku didn't waver. "I'm not asking you to believe anything. I just did what was necessary to survive."
Takumi and Renji looked at each other, then back at the officials, unsure how to respond. It was clear that the higher-ups didn't fully trust Riku's words, but they had no choice but to let it go for now. They had no evidence to contradict him.
The official woman eyed Riku for a moment longer before nodding slowly. "We'll pay you for the mission. As for the beast… it'll be dealt with. We'll get a cleanup crew in there to finish the job."
She paused, then handed them a small, sealed envelope containing their payment. "Don't expect to be assigned to any higher-level missions soon, though. Keep a low profile. If what you say is true, you've got a lot more power than any D-rank should have."
Riku nodded curtly and took the envelope, not bothering to open it. Takumi and Renji both did the same, though they were still shaken by the events. They said nothing as they turned to leave, not wanting to provoke the officials further.
As they walked away from the station, Riku felt the weight of the situation settle on his shoulders. It had been a brutal mission—one that had ended in the loss of a teammate and left him with more questions than answers. But for now, the mission was over. And though they had survived, there was a lingering sense of foreboding that stuck with them all.
"Are we really supposed to believe that's all it took?" Renji asked, his voice low. He glanced at Riku, the doubt still evident on his face.
"I don't know," Takumi replied, shaking his head. "But there's no denying it… Riku's Essence is something else. What he did in there…" He trailed off, the words unsaid but understood.
Riku kept walking, not looking back at them. "It's not about what I can do. It's about getting the job done."
The three of them fell into a quiet rhythm as they made their way back to their quarters. Riku knew the official's words would follow him, but there was little he could do about it. For now, he had to focus on the next step: training, learning, and unlocking more of his hidden potential.
The Rift was dangerous, and even more powerful threats were looming on the horizon. But he wouldn't back down. Not after everything he'd been through.