The purple portal swirled behind him as Kaien Arashi stepped back into the human world.
His heart raced, his breath heavy — the world looked the same, yet everything inside him had changed.
He walked to an open, deserted field far from the city.
There, under the fading light of dusk, Kaien raised his hand. The air trembled. Dark purple flames burst to life, swirling around him like a storm.
He clenched his fists.
"I have to control this… before it controls me."
The ground beneath his feet cracked. Trees bent under the pressure of his aura. Even houses ten kilometers away began to shake, their windows shattering from the force.
But before Kaien could calm his power—
Thud!
Something pierced his neck.
A dart.
His vision blurred. His knees weakened.
A strange gas clouded his mind.
> "Target secured! He's too strong—use triple dose!"
Those were the last words he heard before darkness took him.
---
When Kaien opened his eyes again, he was bound by thick, glowing ropes.
He was inside a large, high-tech chamber—metal walls, surveillance drones, and bright blue lights. Across the room sat an old man in a white coat, his golden badge reading:
"Dr. Ryusei — Leader of the Hero Association."
"Welcome back, boy," the man said coldly. "You caused quite the scene out there."
Kaien glared. "Who are you? Why did you capture me?"
The man smiled slightly.
"You're inside the Hero Association's main base. We protect humanity from demons. But someone like you… a human radiating demonic energy stronger than a B-class portal—
that's something we've never seen."
He tapped a holographic screen, showing various rankings:
> Hero & Demon Ranking System
S+ Class
S Class
A+ Class
A Class
B+ Class
B Class
C+ Class
C Class
D+ Class
D Class
E Class
"For every demon rank, there's a hero rank meant to counter it," Dr. Ryusei explained.
"But your aura doesn't fit any rank. It's off the charts."
He took a syringe, pricked Kaien's arm, and collected a sample of his blood. The test machine beside him began to beep rapidly—then exploded in sparks.
The doctor's eyes widened.
"This… this can't be calculated. His power output broke the analyzer!"
His expression hardened.
"You're not just strong. You're dangerous."
He turned to the guards.
"Send him to Zone Zero. The power-nullifying prison."
---
Hours later, Kaien sat in a dark cell surrounded by energy-sealing walls. His power felt suffocated, like his soul itself was being crushed.
He tried to break free—punching, kicking, focusing his flames—but nothing worked.
Then… a voice echoed inside his head.
> Shadow: "Still struggling? How pathetic."
Kaien froze. "You again…"
> Shadow: "You think walls can hold me? Watch closely."
The dark energy within Kaien flared.
The walls began to melt like wax under black fire.
In seconds, the cell was gone.
Kaien stepped out, breathing heavily.
"Why didn't you do that earlier?"
Shadow chuckled.
> "Because watching you struggle was amusing."
Sirens wailed through the facility. Red lights flashed everywhere.
> "Contain the prisoner! All units, engage!"
Hundreds of heroes surrounded Kaien, weapons drawn. Their leader shouted, "He's leaking demonic energy—attack together!"
Blasts of fire, ice, and lightning struck from every direction—
but a wave of purple energy erupted around Kaien, forming a flaming shield.
> Shadow: "Abyssal Barrier!"
Every attack dissolved on impact.
Kaien's eyes glowed faintly purple as Shadow whispered again:
> "Now… let's show them despair."
He raised his hand.
The dark flames around him condensed into a massive dragon-shaped surge.
> Shadow's Attack: "Draconic Oblivion."
The energy exploded outward, knocking down every hero in the room within a second. The entire base trembled.
Kaien moved toward the final gate of the facility, barely standing after the massive surge.
But just as he reached the exit—
Shing!
A sharp pain pierced his stomach.
He looked down to see a gleaming katana, its blade glowing blue.
Behind him stood a tall man in a white coat, calm but deadly. His badge read:
> A+ Class Hero — Jin Ryuzen
Jin's voice was low and cold.
"Sorry, kid. Orders are orders."
Kaien fell to his knees, blood dripping onto the steel floor.
Shadow's voice echoed faintly:
> "So… it begins."
---
Chapter 3 — End
To Be Continued…