Douluo Dalu:Shards of Fate

Ryo's eyes snapped open as he gasped for breath, his chest rising and falling rapidly. His body ached, his muscles sore as if they'd been wrung dry. He sat up slowly, running a trembling hand through his tousled black-and-red hair. The faint metallic taste of blood lingered on his lips, but the searing pain he'd felt earlier had subsided. He was alive.

"Grandpa," Ryo muttered hoarsely, his crimson eyes turning to Li Anye.

Li sat slumped nearby, his normally sharp features pale and drained. His crescent-shaped mustache twitched faintly as he took deep breaths, looking like an old man who had just returned from a dangerous encounter with death itself.

"Ryo… you're okay," Li said weakly, pausing to steady himself as he met Ryo's gaze. His voice carried relief, but also exhaustion.

Ryo swung his legs over the side of the bed, immediately lending an arm to help Li sit upright. "Grandpa," he said quietly, his voice steady but carrying a faint hint of concern.

Li gave him a tired smile, patting his grandson's hand. "I'll be fine," he said after a moment, though his breathing remained labored. His eyes softened as he looked at Ryo. "But what about you? You absorbed the spirit ring, didn't you?"

Ryo nodded silently, standing fully as he rolled his shoulders and tested his body's movements. He was still sore, but the worst of the pain had passed.

"So," Li said, his voice regaining some strength as he straightened up. "What's the new skill?"

Ryo glanced at him, his eyes briefly reflecting the soft purple glow of the spirit ring that rose from his feet. "Let's see," he said, holding out his hand. The shards of his glass box martial soul materialized around him, faint streaks of violet light pulsing through their translucent forms.

The first soul skill activated instinctively. The shards condensed into thin, sharp needles that floated around Ryo in a perfect orbit. With a flick of his wrist, the needles shot forward, striking the wall with uncanny accuracy. The tips didn't shatter on impact—they vibrated instead, sending out high-pitched sound waves that disoriented anyone within range.

"Resonance," Ryo said, his voice calm. "The shards vibrate at high frequencies after hitting their target. The sound waves can disorient enemies, dull their senses, and even destabilize weaker defenses."

Li's eyes widened briefly as he nodded, impressed. "That's sharp—literally," he said, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

Ryo's crimson eyes flickered as he experimented further. Instead of firing the shards outward, he expanded their formation, surrounding himself in a curved, dome-like arrangement. The shards vibrated faintly, amplifying the sound waves to create a shimmering, translucent barrier. The refracted light and distorted sound waves formed a disorienting visual and auditory effect, making it almost impossible to perceive Ryo accurately.

"This…" Ryo said after a moment, testing the barrier's stability, "is a way to use Resonance. A defensive barrier that distorts perception and weakens incoming attacks. It's not just an attack skill—it can be adapted."

Li studied the barrier carefully, his sharp eyes gleaming with approval. "A technique to amplify your skill's effects," he said, nodding. "It's efficient. Adapting a soul skill this quickly… you've got a good head on your shoulders, boy."

Ryo deactivated the skill, the shards returning to their dormant state as they shimmered faintly before vanishing. His expression remained neutral, though his mind was already running through the possibilities of Resonance's applications.

After ensuring Li had recovered enough to move, the two left the inn and headed into the bustling city. The streets were vibrant with activity, filled with the noise of merchants hawking their goods and travelers preparing for journeys.

"Xi herbs! Freshly picked!" one vendor called out, waving a bundle of green stalks in the air.

"Mercenaries for hire! Skilled fighters!" shouted another, gesturing toward a group of heavily armed men nearby.

Ryo helped Li settle into a quiet room at the inn, ensuring his grandfather was resting before venturing out on his own. The streets were alive with clamor, and Ryo moved silently through the crowd, his sharp eyes scanning the stalls and vendors with faint disinterest.

"Boy! Do you need a bow? A sword?" a street vendor called out, holding up an array of crude weapons with a wide grin.

"No," Ryo replied curtly, brushing past the man without a second glance.

But as he walked, an idea took root in his mind. A memory from his past life surfaced—a weapon of precision and destruction unlike anything found in this world.

"A gun," Ryo thought, his crimson eyes narrowing. "How would I make one here? Does gunpowder even exist in this world?"

He moved instinctively, his thoughts racing as he wandered toward the edge of the forest.

The wind shifted suddenly, a sharp gust rustling the trees as a shadow fell across Ryo. Before he could react, a powerful force gripped him, lifting him off the ground.

"Shendu," a deep voice rumbled, carrying both curiosity and authority.

Ryo blinked as the trees blurred past him. His body was held aloft by a figure he recognized immediately. Hsi Wu. The bat-like humanoid demon looked down at him, his glowing red eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"What happened to you?" Hsi Wu demanded, his tone sharp. "Why haven't you freed us? Why am I the only one awake?"

Ryo's mind raced, calculating the situation as he steadied his expression. To Hsi Wu, he wasn't Ryo—he was Shendu, or rather, what remained of Shendu. The demon's essence had been absorbed into Ryo, and now, to the other sorcerers, he was Shendu himself.

"My memory," Ryo said carefully, his voice low but steady. "It's been sealed. This world's energy is suppressing me, Hsi Wu. I can barely access my own power, let alone free the others."

Hsi Wu's claws flexed dangerously, his glowing red eyes narrowing. "Sealed?" he repeated, his tone filled with suspicion. "You're supposed to be the smartest among us, Shendu. Do you expect me to believe you've been crippled by something so insignificant?"

Ryo met his gaze evenly, showing no fear despite the tension in the air. "Believe what you want," he said coldly. "If I wasn't suppressed, don't you think I would have already freed the others? Do you think I enjoy being bound like this?"

Hsi Wu snarled, his wings flaring out as he stepped closer. "If you're lying, I'll rip what's left of your soul apart, Shendu. Don't think I've forgotten the years we spent sealed because of your schemes."

"And yet, here you are," Ryo shot back, his voice calm but cutting. "The first to awaken. Do you think that's a coincidence? Maybe I planned for this."

Hsi Wu hesitated, his expression flickering between anger and uncertainty. The tension between the demons had always been high, their alliances fragile at best. But Ryo's sharp tone and confident demeanor gave him pause.

"Fine," Hsi Wu said after a long moment. "But if you've planned for this, then you better start making progress. The others won't be as forgiving as I am."

With a final beat of his wings, Hsi Wu released Ryo, allowing him to drop lightly to the forest floor. "I'll find you again," he said, his voice echoing faintly as he disappeared into the shadows.

Ryo watched him go, his mind already working through the implications of the encounter. He had avoided suspicion for now, but the situation was growing more complicated. For Hsi Wu and the others, he was Shendu. But in this world, he was Ryo—and he intended to stay that way.

--

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