The gates stood open.
No one moved at first.
A line of trainees stood before the entrance, silent and still—each one staring into the dark stretch beyond.
Ryo stood among them, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his blade. The metal felt familiar now. Steady.
Behind him, faint whispers moved through the group.
"They say some don't come back…"
"It's just one kill, right?"
"Yeah… if you find it first."
Ryo didn't turn.
His eyes remained forward.
The land beyond the gate didn't look like a training ground.
It looked… empty.
Broken.
As if something had already passed through it—and nothing had returned the same.
A figure stepped forward near the gate.
No long speech.
No explanation.
Just a voice, calm and cold.
"One kill."
Silence.
"Return alive."
That was it.
No more.
The gates opened wider.
A deep metallic sound echoed as the path cleared.
One by one—
the trainees began to move.
Some rushed in.
Some walked slowly.
Some hesitated—
then stepped forward anyway.
Ryo moved.
Crossing the threshold.
The moment he stepped inside—
the world changed.
The noise disappeared.
No voices.
No footsteps.
Even the wind felt… distant.
He stopped.
Just for a second.
Listening.
Nothing.
Then he kept walking.
The ground beneath his feet was uneven. Cracked. Old. Pieces of broken stone lay scattered around, half-buried in dust.
Ruins.
Not fresh.
Not recent.
Something about them felt… abandoned.
Ryo's grip tightened slightly.
Stay focused.
In the distance, he could see other trainees spreading out.
Moving away from each other.
No teams.
No support.
Everyone alone.
The further he walked—
the fewer people he saw.
Until finally—
he saw no one at all.
Silence settled in fully now.
Heavy.
Pressing.
Ryo exhaled slowly.
His hand adjusted the gear at his side.
The straps were tight.
Familiar.
Not perfect—
but better than before.
A faint sound broke the stillness.
Ryo stopped.
It was small.
Barely there.
Like something dragging across the ground.
He turned his head slightly.
Nothing.
The wind passed.
But it didn't feel right.
Another step forward.
Then—
he saw it.
A mark.
Deep scratches across a broken wall.
Not random.
Not natural.
Too sharp.
Too deliberate.
Ryo stepped closer.
His eyes narrowed.
There were more.
Across the ground.
Across stone.
Across everything.
And then—
something darker.
A stain.
Old.
Dried.
Blood.
Ryo's grip tightened around the blade.
So it's real…
A low sound echoed.
This time—
clear.
Not wind.
Ryo turned.
Slowly.
The air shifted.
Something moved.
Far ahead.
Too fast to see clearly.
His body reacted before his mind did.
His stance lowered.
Silence again.
But now—
it wasn't empty.
It was watching.
Ryo's breathing slowed.
Controlled.
Don't rush.
Another sound.
Closer.
A shadow stretched across the broken ground.
And then—
it stepped into view.
Ryo froze.
It wasn't human.
Not even close.
Its form was wrong.
Too tall.
Too thin in places—too thick in others.
Its limbs bent at unnatural angles, like they weren't meant to exist that way.
Its skin—
if it could be called that—
looked stretched.
Tight.
Almost tearing.
And its chest—
There.
A faint pulsing point.
The target.
Ryo's grip tightened.
That's it…
The Wrestling tilted its head.
Then—
it moved.
Fast.
Too fast.
Ryo's eyes widened.
"—!"
He launched.
The gear pulled him sideways just as the creature lunged forward.
The ground where he stood—
cracked.
He barely avoided it.
Mid-air—
his balance shifted.
Still unstable.
The creature turned instantly.
No delay.
It moved again.
Ryo reacted—
late.
The impact hit him from the side.
He was thrown.
Hard.
The air left his lungs as he crashed into the ground, rolling before stopping.
Pain shot through his shoulder.
Ryo pushed himself up—
fast.
Too fast…
The creature was already moving again.
No pause.
No break.
Ryo activated the gear again—
Launch.
This time, higher.
But his body tilted mid-air.
Control slipping.
The blade moved—
but not clean.
Miss.
The creature passed beneath him—
then vanished.
Ryo landed—
unstable.
Sliding back.
His breathing grew heavier.
I can't read it…
Silence again.
Then—
behind him.
Ryo turned—
Too late.
The creature was already there.
Its arm moved—
Ryo's eyes widened.
He raised his blade—
The impact slammed into him.
The force sent him crashing back again—
harder this time.
Dust exploded around him.
For a second—
he couldn't breathe.
His vision blurred.
The ground beneath him felt cold.
This is… bad…
A shadow loomed.
The creature stepped forward.
Slow this time.
Watching him.
Waiting.
Ryo's fingers tightened around the blade.
His body shook slightly.
Not from weakness.
From realization.
I'm not ready…
The creature moved again.
Faster.
Ryo forced himself up—
The gear activated—
But his timing—
was off.
The ground cracked beneath him—
The creature closed the distance—
Ryo's eyes widened—
And for the first time—
fear hit him.
He might die here.
To be continued…