Darkness.
Silence.
Riven felt nothing.
No pain.
No sound.
No movement.
Just… emptiness.
"…Am I… dead…?"
A faint voice echoed in his mind.
"…No."
"…Not yet."
His consciousness flickered.
Slowly—
The darkness cracked.
Light seeped through.
And then—
His eyes opened.
"…Where… am I…?"
A ceiling.
Wooden.
Unfamiliar.
He blinked slowly.
"…This is…"
"…The guild."
Godwin's voice.
Riven turned his head slightly.
Godwin stood nearby.
Arms crossed.
Calm as always.
"…You survived."
Riven let out a weak breath.
"…Barely…"
A pause.
"…How long was I out?"
"…Three days."
Silence.
"…Three days?!"
Riven tried to sit up—
Pain shot through his body.
"…Gah—!"
He dropped back down.
"…Don't move."
Godwin said calmly.
"…Your body isn't fully healed."
Riven stared at the ceiling.
"…I feel like I got destroyed…"
"…You did."
Godwin replied simply.
Riven sighed.
"…Great…"
Silence.
Then—
Riven's expression changed.
"…What about them…?"
Godwin looked at him.
"…They left."
A pause.
"…For now."
Riven clenched his fist slightly.
"…So this isn't over…"
"…Not even close."
Silence.
Riven closed his eyes.
"…I wasn't strong enough…"
Godwin didn't respond immediately.
Then—
"…You killed one."
Riven opened his eyes.
"…Yeah…"
"…But I almost died doing it."
Godwin nodded.
"…That's how growth works."
A pause.
"…You survive."
"…You adapt."
"…You become stronger."
Silence.
Riven exhaled slowly.
"…Then I'll do it again."
Godwin's eyes sharpened slightly.
"…Good."
Because he meant it.
Hours later—
Riven stood outside.
Still injured.
Still weak.
But standing.
"…I can't just lie down…"
The city moved again.
But different now.
People whispered.
Talked about the sky.
The pressure.
The fear.
"…They felt it too…"
Godwin stood beside him.
"…They don't understand it."
A pause.
"…But they know something is coming."
Riven looked ahead.
"…Then we need to be ready."
Godwin nodded slightly.
"…We will be."
Silence.
Then—
Riven frowned.
"…Something feels different…"
A pause.
"…Inside me…"
Godwin looked at him.
"…Of course it does."
"…You crossed a line."
Riven blinked.
"…What line?"
Godwin stepped closer.
"…The line between surviving…"
A pause.
"…And fighting back."
Riven froze.
"…So I got stronger…?"
Godwin smirked faintly.
"…Check it yourself."
Riven focused.
His system responded instantly.
[Level: 100 → 115]
His eyes widened.
"…What?!"
"…That's… insane…"
Godwin nodded.
"…Battle growth."
"…You earned it."
Riven clenched his fist.
"…I feel it…"
Power surged through him.
Not overwhelming.
But stable.
Controlled.
"…This is different…"
Godwin looked at him.
"…Because now…"
A pause.
"…You're not just reacting anymore."
"…You're evolving."
Silence.
Riven smiled slightly.
"…Then I'll evolve faster."
Godwin smirked.
"…You'll need to."
Because far away—
The enemy gathered.
Not two.
Not three.
But many.
A dark space.
Endless.
Cold.
Voices echoed.
"…He killed one of ours."
"…Unacceptable."
"…Send more."
A pause.
"…No."
Silence.
"…We prepare everything."
"…And then…"
The air trembled.
"…We invade."
Back in the city—
Riven looked at the horizon.
"…They're coming back…"
Godwin nodded.
"…Yes."
A pause.
"…And next time…"
His eyes sharpened.
"…It won't be a small fight."
Riven clenched his fist.
No fear.
Only determination.
"…Then I'll be ready."
Because now
This wasn't just training.
This wasn't just survival.
This
Was war.
To be continued…