Left in Rage

Across from him, Sylara rested her chin on her hand, swirling the remnants of her drink idly. 

Her voice, though casual, was laced with something deeper.

"What about your mother?"

A flicker of something passed through Akira's expression. It was hard to tell.

Like I told you," He said, his tone flat, controlled.

"She's barely alive in hospital."

A pause.

"And I don't visit her often."

He exhaled, his fingers tapping against the table.

"Until I'm strong enough, I need to stay low."

His voice was even, but beneath it, a storm raged.

Sylara leaned back, crossing her arms. "She's in a coma, isn't she?"

Akira gave a slow nod. "Yeah."

Sylara scoffed. "A coma? That's nothing. You know Stars with healing abilities can fix that easily."

For a moment, Akira didn't respond. Then, his fingers curled into a fist.

"They tried." His voice was quiet. "But it's not a normal coma."

Sylara's smirk faded.

"What do you mean?"

"She was poisoned."

Sylara stilled.

"With what?"

Akira's eyes darkened. "Poison Plant Aeia."

A sharp inhale. Sylara's casual posture vanished.

"What?"

Her voice was low, almost disbelieving.

"You're telling me they used Aeia on her?"

Akira gave a slow nod. "That's right."

For the first time in a while, Sylara looked genuinely unsettled. Her fingers tapped against the table in thought.

"I've heard of it before. But only in theory. It was always said to be… mythical. A plant that doesn't just kill, but traps the victim between life and death, keeping them frozen until their body finally gives out."

Her gaze sharpened. "And you're saying that's what's keeping your mother comatose?"

Akira clenched his jaw. "Yes. And nothing can wake her up."

His voice wavered for a fraction of a second. Barely noticeable—but Sylara caught it.

She exhaled slowly, her violet eyes flickering with something unreadable. "Brat…"

Her voice was softer than before.

"I have something to—"

Then—

BOOM.

A shockwave ripped through the air, shaking the very walls of the restaurant.

Screams.

The moment the explosion shook the ground, Akira didn't hesitate. He moved like a ghost, slipping past the overturned tables and terrified patrons, rushing out of the restaurant before anyone else could react.

Behind him, Sylara barked orders, her voice sharp, commanding.

"Stay inside! Hide until the situation is under control!"

The panic in the air was thick, suffocating, but her words cut through the chaos, forcing the civilians to cower in the corners instead of running blindly into the unknown.

She sprinted outside after Akira, her heart pounding.

And then—she saw it.

Her breath hitched.

The streets were bathed in blood.

Bodies—some whole, some torn apart—littered the pavement. The smell of iron and burning wood choked the air. Buildings crumbled in the distance, flames licking at their edges. And in the middle of it all—dark, twisted creatures prowled the streets, their long, jagged limbs moving unnaturally fast.

Tall. Lean. Grotesquely humanoid.

Black-skinned beasts with glowing red slits for eyes and long, serrated claws. They were monstrous—larger than goblins, but bearing the same crude, vicious appearance.

Lingols.

A C-rank species, but stronger, faster, more brutal than any goblin. And there were dozens.

Sylara's mind snapped into battle mode.

"A dungeon outbreak," - She muttered, her voice low.

"Damn it… If they're here, then the dungeon responsible must've been at least B-rank."

Beside her, Akira stood completely still, his sharp eyes scanning the battlefield.

He had never seen this kind of monster before.

"They're from a B-rank dungeon huh!"

"I never encountered monsters from B-Rank dungeon before..."

Sylara flexed her fingers, already preparing herself for battle, when she heard him mutter under his breath—

"Tch… No weapon."

She barely had time to process those words before she saw movement at her side.

With a single flick of his wrist, Akira reached into his inventory, summoning his Pantho Sword out of thin air. He didn't even glance at her as he tossed it over.

The moment the hilt left his fingers, Sylara snatched it from the air, gripping it instinctively.

The blade was lighter than she expected. Sharp.Deadly

It hummed with energy in her grasp.

"That should do it for now," - Akira said flatly.

Sylara blinked, momentarily caught off guard. He just gave her his only weapon.

Her eyes snapped to his face. "What about you?"

Akira smiled.

A slow, confident smirk.

"My fists…"

His muscles tensed.

"…And lightning will be enough."

Electricity crackled at his fingertips, white arcs flickering in the night. His stance shifted, the air around him buzzing with raw energy.