Shadow Blood

The Awakening

Chapter 1 — The Awakening

Rain hammered the streets of Neon City like bullets falling from the sky.

Bright neon signs flickered above the crowded roads while sirens echoed in the distance. People hurried through the rain with their heads down, trying to get home before midnight lockdown began.

But Kai Ren kept walking alone.

His black hoodie was soaked, and cold water dripped from his messy dark hair onto his face. In one hand, he carried a small metal package wrapped in tape.

His stomach growled painfully.

He had not eaten since morning.

“Just finish the delivery,” he whispered to himself. “Then maybe you can finally eat something.”

At sixteen years old, Kai already understood something cruel about the world:

The weak suffered. The strong survived.

Ever since his mother disappeared two years ago, life had become a nightmare. Debt collectors came every month. School bullies mocked him daily. Gangs controlled the streets. Nobody cared whether he lived or died.

Kai tightened his grip on the package.

Another delivery. Another dangerous night.

His old phone suddenly vibrated inside his pocket.

UNKNOWN NUMBER.

Kai answered carefully.

“Hello?”

A cold male voice replied instantly.

“Change of plans. New drop-off location.”

Kai frowned. “What?”

“Take the package to Sector 9.”

Kai stopped walking immediately.

Sector 9 was one of the most dangerous places in Neon City. Most people avoided it completely after dark.

“There has to be a mistake,” Kai said nervously.

“No mistake.”

“I’m not going there alone.”

“Then you don’t get paid.”

The call ended.

Kai stared silently at the screen.

“…Great.”

For a moment, he considered throwing the package away and leaving.

But he needed money.

Without money, he would not survive another week.

So he turned toward Sector 9.

Twenty minutes later, Kai entered the abandoned district.

Broken buildings surrounded him like giant skeletons. Old advertisements flickered weakly on cracked walls. Trash rolled through the empty streets as thunder rumbled overhead.

Something felt wrong.

Too quiet.

Kai walked faster.

Then—

Footsteps.

He froze.

More footsteps appeared behind him.

His heartbeat quickened.

“Knew it,” he muttered.

Suddenly three masked men stepped out from the darkness.

One blocked the alley entrance.

Another cracked his knuckles.

The tallest one pointed at Kai.

“The package,” he demanded.

Kai slowly stepped backward. “I don’t want trouble.”

The tallest man laughed.

“You came to Sector 9 carrying gang property and expected peace?”

Kai’s breathing became heavier.

“I was just paid to deliver it.”

“Not our problem.”

The second man suddenly rushed forward and punched Kai hard across the face.

Pain exploded through his skull.

Kai crashed against the wall and nearly dropped the package.

The men laughed.

“Too weak.”

“Pathetic.”

“Look at him shaking.”

Kai clenched his teeth angrily.

He hated hearing those words.

Weak. Pathetic. Useless.

His entire life people had treated him like trash.

The tallest man grabbed Kai by the collar and slammed him against the wall again.

“You should’ve stayed home tonight, kid.”

Kai struggled desperately.

“Let me go!”

The man pulled out a knife.

Rainwater reflected across the silver blade.

Kai’s eyes widened.

“W-Wait—”

STAB.

The blade pierced into Kai’s side.

Everything stopped.

Pain burned through his body like fire.

Warm blood spread across his hoodie.

The package fell into a puddle beside him.

Kai collapsed onto his knees while the gang members stepped back.

One of them looked nervous.

“Did… did you kill him?”

The tall man scoffed. “Relax. Nobody cares about another dead street rat.”

Kai’s vision blurred.

The rain felt colder now.

His heartbeat slowed.

“So this is it…” he thought weakly.

Memories flashed through his mind.

His mother smiling.

Her voice.

Her final words before disappearing.

“No matter what happens, Kai… never hate yourself.”

Tears mixed with the rain on his face.

“I’m sorry, Mom…”

Then suddenly—

The shadows around the alley moved.

At first, Kai thought he was hallucinating.

But the darkness beneath the buildings began twisting unnaturally.

The gang members noticed too.

“…What the hell?”

Black smoke-like energy slowly spread across the ground.

The air became freezing cold.

Kai’s heartbeat BOOMED violently inside his chest.

Once.

Twice.

Again.

Something awakened deep inside him.

A burning pain spread through his veins.

The wound in his side began healing rapidly.

The gang members stared in horror.

“That’s impossible…”

Dark markings crawled across Kai’s arm like living shadows.

Then a voice echoed inside his head.

Deep. Ancient. Terrifying.

AWAKEN THE SHADOW BLOOD.

Kai’s crimson eyes snapped open.

BOOM!

Dark energy exploded outward from his body, shattering nearby windows instantly.

The gang members were thrown backward across the alley.

One screamed in fear.

“What IS he?!”

Kai slowly stood up.

But something was different now.

The darkness around him moved like it was alive.

His breathing sounded heavier.

More dangerous.

The tallest gang member trembled and pointed the knife again.

“S-Stay back!”

Kai looked at him silently.

For the first time in his life…

People were afraid of HIM.

And deep within the shadows surrounding his body—

Something smiled.