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Chapter 4 – The Awakening Storm
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ACT 1 – The Morning After the Storm
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[4 Months Later – Time Skip]
The morning sky was clear. A few wisps of white clouds drifted above, but the sunlight flowed unhindered. Last night’s rain still shimmered on the ground, as if the night had left behind a trace of itself. The air held a calming chill. Something about the day felt different—an eerie silence, like the kind that settles just before something big
A girl stood quietly on her balcony. She leaned forward slightly, glancing into the living room inside—where a television played at medium volume. The screen showed a news anchor, his expression unusually serious.
Anchor:
"Our next major story comes from Shintoi Town in the Tenshina District—where, seven years ago, a catastrophic asteroid strike caused massive destruction. Many were injured, and some medical cases defied all explanation...
But one case... was truly unique. According to our sources, a boy who had fallen into a rare condition known as 'Living Stasis' following the tragedy—a boy long forgotten by the world... has now awakened."
The girl exhaled a deep, cold breath as she watched. Her eyes glistened with the beginnings of tears, and her expression slowly softened. Without saying a word, she stood upright and walked back inside. The TV's glow lit up her face.
She spoke softly:
“Haah… finally.”
Placing her hands together near her chest,
she whispered to herself:
“I knew… you’d return, Alehh.”
(Her voice was quiet and emotional. The gentle smile on her face eased the weight on her heart.)
Just then, a sweet voice called from behind:
“What happened, Sarena?”
(Her name is revealed here for the first time after the tenshina incident .)
Her grandma stepped beside her, smiling as she looked toward the TV.
Grandma:
"This is such wonderful news! That boy… your childhood friend Alain, he's finally recovered."
Sarena quickly wiped her eyes. Hiding her pain behind a small smile, she replied:
“Hmm… it’s been seven years, Grandma. But it feels like just yesterday.”
Her grandma gently placed a hand on her shoulder, her gaze filled with understanding and a warm, quiet smile.
“You’ll see him again. Maybe not everything will be like it was, but the heart remains the same, doesn’t it?”
That old light returned to Sarena’s eyes. Her expression grew more determined.
“I’m going to see him, Grandma. Today.”
Her grandma chuckled softly.
“Then get ready. I’m coming too.”
[Cut to Hospital Corridor – Early Morning]
Two nurses walked slowly through a quiet hospital corridor, speaking in hushed tones.
Nurse 1:
"They say it’s been four months since Alain woke up. But the Chairman hadn’t made it public until now… Today’s the first time the world is learning through the media."
Nurse 2:
"And have you seen his physical condition? He was in Living Stasis for seven years, and yet… his body looks strong, toned… like he’s some kind of Kyreon."
Nurse 1:
"It’s like his muscles never slept. And his eyes? Sometimes I feel like he’s not just looking at us… but looking through us."
Nurse 2:
"Did you hear? Chairman Raiken himself is coming to visit him today—sharp at 3 PM."
The scene then cuts to Alain, walking alone down a foggy road.
---
ACT 2 – The Warning Pulse
---
Early morning. The city hums faintly — tired neon, silent streets. Alain walks alone down a narrow alley behind the hospital.
His hoodie hangs low. Hands in pockets. He isn't hiding from the world — he's just not ready to face it.
Alain (internal monologue):
“They call me a miracle. But I didn’t come back stronger. I just came back… wrong.”
Suddenly, the air stiffens. A ripple moves across his skin — like static. But deeper. Internal. A low frequency buzzing behind his ribcage.
He stops. His breath shortens.
Alain (tense):
“…What is this feeling…?”
The city around him shifts — lights flicker. Sounds distort. And then — everything freezes. Time itself buckles.
From inside his skull, a voice slams through:
UNKNOWN VOICE:
"You are the key. The balance lost. The error returned."
Alain stumbles, knees shaking. Sweat beads. His heart pounds like a war drum.
Then—release. Time snaps back.
He gasps, collapsing to a knee, the world rushing in.
In the distance, a noise. Not thunder. Not wind. Not traffic.
Screams.
---
ACT 3 – Shadow of the Street Beast
---
The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
The street was wreckage. Smoke drifted from broken engines. A school bus sat cracked in half — no screams left inside. And above it all, the sky darkened again. Rain began to fall.
Rhyno stood in the middle of it all. His arms had mutated — slabs of jagged stone fused into bone. One forearm had split open into hooked blades. The other was now a hammer of twisted black metal.
He wasn’t just armored. He was transforming.
Rhyno (shouting):
“Where are your Kyreons now?! Where’s your shining hope?!”
A drone buzzed overhead. Rhyno snarled, ripped a signpost from the pavement, and hurled it.
BOOM!!
The drone exploded midair, raining sparks on the burning street.
Civilians screamed. A man tried to run with his daughter — too slow. Rhyno charged.
CRASH!!
He slammed the hammer-arm into a nearby car. It flipped and crushed another vehicle. People inside didn't crawl out.
Rhyno grinned.
Alain crouched behind a shattered bus stop. His breath shook.
Alain (inner voice):
“Get up. Move. MOVE—”
His legs didn’t respond.
Then— a voice.
Unknown Girl (off-screen):
“Grandma—wake up! Please, stay with me!”
Alain’s head jerked toward the voice.
Across the debris, a crushed taxi sat in the wreckage. In the back seat — a girl pinned by bent steel.
Her hand gripped the wrist of an unconscious older woman beside her.
Her other hand — bloodied — kept tapping calmly at the window, checking for structural weakness — trying to break through strategically, not in panic.
Her eyes burned with focus, not fear.
Alain’s breath caught.
The voice. That tone.
It was her.
She didn’t recognize him. She hadn’t seen him. But she was still protecting someone. Still standing tall.
Rhyno heard it too.
He turned.
He walked toward the taxi slowly — his arm forming new jagged edges with each step.
He crouched beside the car.
Rhyno (taunting):
“Ohh... a family? How sweet.”
He slammed his stone blade into the roof — tearing it like wet paper.
The girl flinched but didn’t cry out. She simply shielded her grandmother with both arms.
Alain dropped to his knees behind cover.
Alain (inner voice, spiraling)
“I can’t do this. I’m not ready. I’ll only get in the way…”
His hands trembled against the concrete.
“…I wasn’t meant to come back…”
Then— a sound cut through everything.
A cry.
Not of fear — of faith.
Unknown Girl (faint, steady):
“Somebody… please… help us…”
Alain’s breath hitched.
That wasn’t desperation.
That was hope.
Hope she shouldn’t still have.
Hope for someone like him.
He stood.
Not because he was strong. Not because he was brave. But because shame had nowhere left to hide.
Resolve took its place.
He walked forward. Slow. Steady.
Rain fell harder now, tapping on glass and metal like a war drum.
Rhyno looked up — startled.
Rhyno:
“You again? You look even more pathetic up close.”
Alain pulled back his hood.
Rain slid down his face.
His eyes met Rhyno’s — and didn’t look away.
Alain (quiet, flat):
“I used to run.”
Alain (stepping closer):
“I used to watch. Cry. Freeze.”
Alain (calm, precise):
“But then I woke up and saw what this world became.”
He stopped just out of Rhyno’s reach.
Alain (cold fire in his voice):
“Now I know— The worst thing isn’t dying.”
He lifted his head.
Alain (dead calm):
“It’s surviving… just to watch others die in your place.”
The street went silent.
No sirens. No reinforcements.
Just one boy.
One beast.
And the breath between them.
Rhyno (snarling):
“Tch… who the hell even are you?”
Alain’s jaw clenched. His shoulders relaxed.
Alain (low):
“You’ll remember me.”
He stared at the monster without blinking.
Alain (harder):
“But only if you survive.”
---
TO BE CONTINUED...
---
Ready for Chapter 5, or want me to begin the Alain vs Rhyno fight choreography next?---
Chapter 4 – The Awakening Storm
---
ACT 1 – The Morning After the Storm
---
The morning sky was clear. A few wisps of white clouds drifted above, but the sunlight flowed unhindered. Last night’s rain still shimmered on the ground, as if the night had left behind a trace of itself. The air held a calming chill. Something about the day felt different—an eerie silence, like the kind that settles just before something big
[4 Months Later – Time Skip]
A girl stood quietly on her balcony. She leaned forward slightly, glancing into the living room inside—where a television played at medium volume. The screen showed a news anchor, his expression unusually serious.
Anchor:
"Our next major story comes from Shintoi Town in the Tenshina District—where, seven years ago, a catastrophic asteroid strike caused massive destruction. Many were injured, and some medical cases defied all explanation...
But one case... was truly unique. According to our sources, a boy who had fallen into a rare condition known as 'Living Stasis' following the tragedy—a boy long forgotten by the world... has now awakened."
The girl exhaled a deep, cold breath as she watched. Her eyes glistened with the beginnings of tears, and her expression slowly softened. Without saying a word, she stood upright and walked back inside. The TV's glow lit up her face.
She spoke softly: “Haah… finally.”
Placing her hands together near her chest, she whispered to herself: “I knew… you’d return, Alehh.”
(Her voice was quiet and emotional. The gentle smile on her face eased the weight on her heart.)
Just then, a sweet voice called from behind: “What happened, Sarena?”
(Her name is revealed here for the first time after the tenshina incident .)
Her grandma stepped beside her, smiling as she looked toward the TV.
Grandma: "This is such wonderful news! That boy… your childhood friend Alain, he's finally recovered."
Sarena quickly wiped her eyes. Hiding her pain behind a small smile, she replied:
“Hmm… it’s been seven years, Grandma. But it feels like just yesterday.”
Her grandma gently placed a hand on her shoulder, her gaze filled with understanding and a warm, quiet smile.
“You’ll see him again. Maybe not everything will be like it was, but the heart remains the same, doesn’t it?”
That old light returned to Sarena’s eyes. Her expression grew more determined.
“I’m going to see him, Grandma. Today.”
Her grandma chuckled softly.
“Then get ready. I’m coming too.”
[Cut to Hospital Corridor – Early Morning]
Two nurses walked slowly through a quiet hospital corridor, speaking in hushed tones.
Nurse 1:
"They say it’s been four months since Alain woke up. But the Chairman hadn’t made it public until now… Today’s the first time the world is learning through the media."
Nurse 2:
"And have you seen his physical condition? He was in Living Stasis for seven years, and yet… his body looks strong, toned… like he’s some kind of Kyreon."
Nurse 1:
"It’s like his muscles never slept. And his eyes? Sometimes I feel like he’s not just looking at us… but looking through us."
Nurse 2:
"Did you hear? Chairman Raiken himself is coming to visit him today—sharp at 3 PM."
The scene then cuts to Alain, walking alone down a foggy road.
---
ACT 2 – The Warning Pulse
---
Early morning. The city hums faintly — tired neon, silent streets. Alain walks alone down a narrow alley behind the hospital.
His hoodie hangs low. Hands in pockets. He isn't hiding from the world — he's just not ready to face it.
Alain (internal monologue):
“They call me a miracle. But I didn’t come back stronger. I just came back… wrong.”
Suddenly, the air stiffens. A ripple moves across his skin — like static. But deeper. Internal. A low frequency buzzing behind his ribcage.
He stops. His breath shortens.
Alain (tense):
“…What is this feeling…?”
The city around him shifts — lights flicker. Sounds distort. And then — everything freezes. Time itself buckles.
From inside his skull, a voice slams through:
UNKNOWN VOICE:
"You are the key. The balance lost. The error returned."
Alain stumbles, knees shaking. Sweat beads. His heart pounds like a war drum.
Then—release. Time snaps back.
He gasps, collapsing to a knee, the world rushing in.
In the distance, a noise. Not thunder. Not wind. Not traffic.
Screams.
---
ACT 3 – Shadow of the Street Beast
---
The street was wreckage. Smoke drifted from broken engines. A school bus sat cracked in half — no screams left inside. And above it all, the sky darkened again. Rain began to fall.
Rhyno stood in the middle of it all. His arms had mutated — slabs of jagged stone fused into bone. One forearm had split open into hooked blades. The other was now a hammer of twisted black metal.
He wasn’t just armored. He was transforming.
Rhyno (shouting):
“Where are your Kyreons now?! Where’s your shining hope?!”
A drone buzzed overhead. Rhyno snarled, ripped a signpost from the pavement, and hurled it.
BOOM!!
The drone exploded midair, raining sparks on the burning street.
Civilians screamed. A man tried to run with his daughter — too slow. Rhyno charged.
CRASH!!
He slammed the hammer-arm into a nearby car. It flipped and crushed another vehicle. People inside didn't crawl out.
Rhyno grinned.
Alain crouched behind a shattered bus stop. His breath shook.
Alain (inner voice):
“Get up. Move. MOVE—”
His legs didn’t respond.
Then— a voice.
Unknown Girl (off-screen):
“Grandma—wake up! Please, stay with me!”
Alain’s head jerked toward the voice.
Across the debris, a crushed taxi sat in the wreckage. In the back seat — a girl pinned by bent steel.
Her hand gripped the wrist of an unconscious older woman beside her.
Her other hand — bloodied — kept tapping calmly at the window, checking for structural weakness — trying to break through strategically, not in panic.
Her eyes burned with focus, not fear.
Alain’s breath caught.
The voice. That tone.
It was her.
She didn’t recognize him. She hadn’t seen him. But she was still protecting someone. Still standing tall.
Rhyno heard it too.
He turned.
He walked toward the taxi slowly — his arm forming new jagged edges with each step.
He crouched beside the car.
Rhyno (taunting):
“Ohh... a family? How sweet.”
He slammed his stone blade into the roof — tearing it like wet paper.
The girl flinched but didn’t cry out. She simply shielded her grandmother with both arms.
Alain dropped to his knees behind cover.
Alain (inner voice, spiraling)
“I can’t do this. I’m not ready. I’ll only get in the way…”
His hands trembled against the concrete.
“…I wasn’t meant to come back…”
Then— a sound cut through everything.
A cry.
Not of fear — of faith.
Unknown Girl (faint, steady):
“Somebody… please… help us…”
Alain’s breath hitched.
That wasn’t desperation.
That was hope.
Hope she shouldn’t still have.
Hope for someone like him.
He stood.
Not because he was strong. Not because he was brave. But because shame had nowhere left to hide.
Resolve took its place.
He walked forward. Slow. Steady.
Rain fell harder now, tapping on glass and metal like a war drum.
Rhyno looked up — startled.
Rhyno:
“You again? You look even more pathetic up close.”
Alain pulled back his hood.
Rain slid down his face.
His eyes met Rhyno’s — and didn’t look away.
Alain (quiet, flat):
“I used to run.”
Alain (stepping closer):
“I used to watch. Cry. Freeze.”
Alain (calm, precise):
“But then I woke up and saw what this world became.”
He stopped just out of Rhyno’s reach.
Alain (cold fire in his voice):
“Now I know— The worst thing isn’t dying.”
He lifted his head.
Alain (dead calm):
“It’s surviving… just to watch others die in your place.”
The street went silent.
No sirens. No reinforcements.
Just one boy.
One beast.
And the breath between them.
Rhyno (snarling):
“Tch… who the hell even are you?”
Alain’s jaw clenched. His shoulders relaxed.
Alain (low):
“You’ll remember me.”
He stared at the monster without blinking.
Alain (harder):
“But only if you survive.”
---
TO BE CONTINUED...
---
