Jōki

Luka had never seen so many dangerous people in one place before.

The deeper they walked into District 9, the heavier the air felt. Thick with tension. The streets were narrower, the alleys lined with broken neon signs and flickering holo-displays.

Unlike the chaotic Undermaze, this place had structure.

Everything looked organized. Too clean.

And that only made it worse.

Luka shivered as he followed Sun deeper into the district. He could still feel the lingering coldness of the knife that had been pressed against his back earlier—when Sun had used him as bait for the black-market dealers.

They had taken the bait.

And now, they were hunting them instead.

Sun walked ahead of him, his footsteps eerily silent. It wasn't normal—Luka had seen enough people move to know that no one could be that quiet.

Sun was using his Jōki.

Null Energy.

The power that erased presence.

Luka had never felt it before—not really. He couldn't see Jōki, so the idea of someone using energy that erased itself felt… wrong.

But he could feel it in a way he didn't understand.

Like something was missing from the space around him.

Like Sun was there—but also wasn't.

"Stay close," Sun murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

Luka swallowed and nodded.

They finally reached the entrance.

It didn't look like much. Just an old train station, its rusted walls covered in graffiti and old posters from years ago. The heavy metal doors were guarded by two men, their bodies enhanced with cybernetic arms that pulsed faintly with modified Jōki.

They were mercenaries.

Not just any mercenaries—Black Veil.

Luka had heard their name before.

A powerful, ruthless faction in The Undermaze.

Sun didn't stop. He walked straight toward the doors, his masked face unreadable.

Luka hesitated but followed.

The guards barely glanced at them. No scanning. No weapons check.

Because Sun had already erased their presence.

They walked inside without a sound.

And that's when Luka saw it.

The Black Market Auction.

The room was massive, carved out of what looked like an abandoned industrial plant. The walls were lined with holographic displays, showcasing illegal weapons, modifications, and stolen Jōki tech.

But that wasn't what made Luka's stomach turn.

It was the center of the room.

A massive metal cage.

Inside it—

Luka's breath caught.

Onix.

Strapped down. Alive.

The creature was massive, its dark, expressionless mask reflecting the overhead lights. Its limbs were restrained, thick steel clamps bolted into the floor, holding it in place.

Wires ran from its body to the auction platform.

They were extracting it.

Selling its organs.

Luka's fingers clenched into fists.

The last time he saw an Onix, it had been tearing through his home.

Now, it looked pathetic.

Weak.

"Bidding starts at 500,000 K-Creds, for a live Onix Core—fully intact!"

The auctioneer's voice rang through the speakers. The crowd of wealthy buyers murmured in interest, their faces hidden behind masks of their own.

"Remember, ladies and gentlemen, Onix power is highly unstable—but extremely valuable. With the right modifications, its energy can be used to enhance soldiers, create artificial Jōki weapons, and even improve cybernetic implants!"

Luka glanced at Sun.

He still couldn't see his face, but he didn't need to.

Sun was angry.

Luka didn't know how he knew. Maybe it was the way his master's body had stiffened. Or maybe it was the way his fingers twitched slightly, like he was resisting the urge to move.

Sun hated this.

Luka didn't understand why.

Not yet.

But he would soon.

Because this was just the beginning.

And they weren't the only ones here to watch.

The auction house was packed.

Men in tailored suits sat comfortably, their hands wrapped around glasses of rare alcohol. Women in expensive dresses whispered among themselves, their eyes locked onto the extravagant illegal weapons displayed before them.

But Sun wasn't paying attention to any of that.

Instead, his gaze was locked onto a single man.

A man with white hair, dressed in a fine black suit.

Next to him sat a boy—his hair just as white, but his golden eyes sharp with curiosity.

Sun tilted his head and let out a chuckle. "Bringing your grandson to a place like this? Pretty careless of you."

The old man didn't even blink.

Instead, he smirked. "I could say the same about you. Bringing a kid here, knowing the kind of filth that gathers in these places."

Sun laughed. "Tch. Looks like I've been found out."

The old man stood.

And in his hand—

A katana.

Its blade shimmered with a black and purple glow, its presence alone making the air feel heavy.

Luka felt it.

The entire atmosphere shifted, as if something far greater than him was about to unfold.

Sun cracked his neck. "Luka. Stay here with the brat."

Luka blinked. "Brat?"

The white-haired boy scoffed.

Sun smirked. "I need to have a chat with Grandpa over there."

And then—

They were gone.

A gust of wind followed, but they had already vanished, leaving Luka and the white-haired boy alone.

Luka sat down, his back straight, his hands resting on his lap.

The other boy sat across from him, arms crossed, watching him with sharp, curious eyes.

After a moment, he spoke.

"How old are you?"

Luka didn't hesitate. "Ten."

"Huh. Same as me."

A pause.

Then—

"What's your name?"

"Luka Viazemsky."

The boy smirked. "Eros Siebert."

Luka simply nodded.

Eros tilted his head. "So… is your master strong?"

Luka thought about it. He had seen Sun fight before. Seen how effortlessly he moved, how casually he erased people like they were nothing.

He nodded. "Yes. He's strong."

Eros smirked. "So is mine."

He flicked his gaze toward the rooftop, where their masters had disappeared.

"Master Rossi… was once the strongest Jōki user in Kislevia."

Luka glanced at him. "Was?"

Eros' smirk faded slightly. "He's old now. But in his prime? No one could beat him."

Luka hummed.

He wasn't sure why, but he found himself watching the rooftop as well.

A shockwave erupted from above, shaking the entire building.

The guards froze, their eyes darting around in panic.

"What the hell was that?!" one of them shouted.

Another explosion followed.

More tremors.

The ceiling cracked, dust and debris falling onto the guests below.

Security forces rushed to assess the situation.

Eros and Luka exchanged a glance.

Then—

They ran.

Dodging between stunned guests and guards, they bolted for the rooftop, their small bodies slipping through unnoticed.

The closer they got, the heavier the air became.

And when they finally reached the top—

They saw it.

Sun and Rossi.

Their swords clashed, sparks flying with every movement. Their speed was inhuman, their power unmatched.

Eros' mouth parted slightly.

"Master Rossi…"

Luka's eyes locked onto Sun.

Even against someone as strong as Rossi, he wasn't struggling.

He was smiling.

Rossi, however, sighed.

And then—

He stopped.

Stepping back, he rested his sword against his shoulder. "I won't fight anymore."

Sun tilted his head. "Oh? Giving up?"

Rossi smirked. "I'm old. If I were in my prime, you'd already be dead."

Sun scoffed. "Damn. Would've loved to fight that version of you."

Eros and Luka finally approached, standing beside their respective masters.

Rossi turned to Sun. "So? What brings you here?"

Sun cracked his neck. "Same thing as you. That weapon."

Rossi raised an eyebrow. "For your new apprentice?"

Sun nodded.

Rossi chuckled. "Hah. Looks like we had the same idea."

Luka and Eros exchanged a glance.

"Wait—" Luka started. "So you both just came here… to buy a weapon?"

Sun grinned. "No. I came here to destroy them."

Rossi laughed. "I see. You're still as reckless as ever."

Sun's grin didn't fade. "And you're still too soft."

Then—

A gunshot.

The guards had arrived.

Sun barely glanced at them.

He lifted a hand—

And they vanished.

Not killed.

Not burned.

Just… erased.

Rossi exhaled through his nose.

"That ability of yours is unsettling."

Sun ignored him and turned to Luka.

He knelt, meeting Luka at eye level.

"Listen, kid. Time for your first training lesson."

Luka straightened.

Sun grinned beneath his mask.

"What do you know about Jōki?"