Ryuken

Prologue

Ria found herself standing in front of her adversary, enduring numerous blows but refusing to surrender. Gripping her weapon tightly, a sword forged from the breath of a dragon, she knew that she only needed to land one decisive strike. However, exhaustion weighed heavily upon her, a result of the relentless battles she had just emerged victorious from. It had been 5 years since she was acknowledged as the Ryuu. Now, she stood face to face with the man responsible for the tragedy that befell her family.

"Have you had enough?" the man taunted.

"Never, not after what you've done to my family. I will end you," Ria declared fiercely, raising her weapon and charging towards her enemy with the intent to kill. Yet, all she could perceive was darkness, unsure of her surroundings as she confronted the only family she had left. She couldn't allow herself to die now. She simply couldn't.

"Prepare to meet your demise. Rubber technique: Seventh piercing arrow," he proclaimed. Unable to evade or even discern where to defend herself, Ria pondered how she had become entangled in this perilous situation in the first place.

Chapter 1

"Ria! Ria!! Wake up or you'll be late for school today," her father called out to her from downstairs. She had already woken up, but she still couldn't quite understand why she was crying and who that boy in her dream was. This dream had been recurring for the past five days. Could it be that she was developing an interest in younger guys? She thought to herself. No way! That couldn't be right. She had to snap out of it and remind herself that she was fifteen now.

"Ria, don't get distracted. You're growing up," she told herself.

"Ria, get up," Dad screamed again.

"I'm up, Dad, and I'll be down in a minute," she replied. She said her prayers, took a shower, and then made her way downstairs. Her dad was already prepared, dressed in his suit once again.

"Alright, here," Her father handed her the lunchbox.

"Dad," she complained,

“I can do this myself." Her father didn't respond, he simply turned and headed towards the car, as if to prove that they were running late. She locked the door behind her and got into the car.

"I hope you didn't forget anything," her dad asked.

"No, I didn't," she replied matter-of-factly

“Good," he responded. Ever since a certain incident, her dad insisted on dropping her off at school, regardless of how much she protested.

"Ria," Her father asked as they drove, nearing the highway, "this is the fourth time you've overslept this week. Is something wrong?"

"No, Dad, I'm fine. There's nothing to worry about," Ria replied.

"Are you sure?" Dad asked, still looking concerned.

"Yeah, absolutely sure," Ria said, giving him a reassuring smile. She couldn't possibly tell him about the dreams; it would only make him worry.

"Alright, but remember, if you ever want to talk, I'm here for you, okay?"

"Okay, Dad," Ria replied. Ria's dad, George Saito, was born and raised in America. He later returned to his home country Japan and married Ria's mom. He had told Ria that her mother passed away during childbirth, and she never had the chance to meet her or her grandparents. Apparently, they didn't want to have any contact with her after her mother's death. Perhaps they believed it was for the best.

"Dad, are you sure you're not running late for work?" Ria inquired.

"No, don't worry," he reassured her, even though he wouldn't disclose if he was indeed running late. Upon arriving at school, her father got out of the car to open the door for Ria.

"Don't worry, Dad, I can handle it myself," she insisted, but he disregarded her request and opened the door anyway. The truth was, Ria didn't appreciate her father coming to her school due to the attention he received from female teachers, who often looked at him with admiration. One teacher even asked Ria to get her father's phone number. It was quite bothersome!

"Stay safe. I'll be coming home late today, so I want you to leave the school with Sakura and Noraba. You are not to go home alone, understood?" her father instructed with a stern expression.

"Yes, Dad," Ria mumbled, her mind drifting back to the incident that led her father to drop her off at school every day. She had gotten lost once before, and for two days, everyone was searching for her. People speculated that she had been kidnapped, but she never felt that way. Her father kissed her on the forehead, got back into the car, and drove away. Before she could divert her thoughts elsewhere, she heard her name being called.

"Hey, Ria, good morning," Suzune greeted.

"Hey, Suzune, morning," Ria replied.

"You're just arriving, right? I just got here too. Why don't we head to class together? We're not too early," Suzune suggested with a smile.

"You're right," Ria muttered. And so, Suzune and Ria began walking to class together, forming a friendship along the way. Suzune, with her dark blue hair and friendly demeanor, was one of the most popular girls in their class. Ria found it easy to understand Suzune's thoughts and feelings.

Despite Suzune's popularity and involvement in the student council, Ria couldn't figure out why Suzune only spoke to her. Perhaps it was because they sat next to each other? However, Suzune didn't have the same level of interaction with Hanabi, who also sat nearby.

After school, Ria needed to find her two friends, Sakura and Nobara, who were in different classes. She met Sakura first and together they went to Nobara's class. Sakura expressed frustration with Nobara, who seemed to have gotten into trouble with the teachers. Ria, holding their bags, couldn't enter the classroom. Sakura explained that Nobara most likely hadn't submitted a project from the previous week. They had no choice but to wait for Nobara to finish her test. Ria had to ensure she went home with her friends as her dad had instructed, or else she would be grounded. Additionally, she cherished the opportunity to spend time with her friends, as her dad usually picked her up from school. The wait in the teachers' office felt like an eternity until Nobara finally emerged. She apologized for taking so long and expressed gratitude that they had waited for her. Sakura, still annoyed, playfully hit Nobara with her mathematical set, reminding her to complete her projects on time. Nobara apologized to Sakura, acknowledging her mistake.

"I'm sorry, Sakura," Nobara sobbed.

"Come on, it's okay. Let's go home. But I hope you did well on it?"

"Of course," Nobara replied. They proceeded to walk towards the school gate.

"Wow, that's great. I actually thought you would end up sad and alone, like ramen without a cup to hold it in," Sakura commented after Ria finished explaining her recurring dreams.

"Guys, this is serious," she complained.

"Yeah, and so is Sakura's love for food," Nobara remarked.

"I do not love food," Sakura retorted.

"Sure you do."

"I said I do not." "Then why do you always use food as a simile?"

"Ouch," Nobara received another hit on the head.

"Ugh," Ria sighed. They had started their usual bickering.

"But really, Ria, if it really bothers you, I could take you to a dream reader. They could tell you the meaning. I mean, who knows, maybe the universe is trying to tell you something," Sakura said, feeling pleased with herself. However, Nobara had to correct her.

"Umm, Sakura, you do know it's called a oneirologist, right?

"Don't tell me you're so dumb that-"

"Ouch." she got smacked again. Sakura and Nobara were Ria's first and only friends. Sakura was a stunning girl with light pink hair and flawless skin, she could definitely pursue a career in modeling. However, the only unattractive thing about her was her eating habits. As for Nobara, she wasn't as beautiful as Sakura, but she still possessed a certain beauty with her blue hair. She was a bit reserved around others, but surprisingly, she wasn't like that with Ria and Sakura.

“So Ria, have you opened your presents yet?" Nobara inquired.

"No, I haven't," Ria replied.

"Sakura and I got something special just for you," they said as they presented a necklace to her.

"Guys, just how much did this cost?" Ria asked, concerned. Yesterday was her birthday, and both Sakura and Nobara couldn't attend because Ria and her dad had gone out. Her dad took the day off to spend it with her, as he was always occupied. They returned home late, which meant that their plans for a party had to be canceled. However, the gift she received seemed excessively extravagant and costly.

"Don't worry about the price, we just wanted you to have a wonderful birthday," Sakura reassured, embracing her warmly.

"What would you like for your birthdays?" Ria inquired.

"Matching outfits," they both responded simultaneously, as if it had been prearranged.

"Alright then, on your birthdays, I'll make sure to get you matching outfits that we can all wear," Ria declared. "YAY," they both exclaimed softly.

"But I also want some chocolate," Sakura added excitedly.

"Of course," Ria replied. She knew that Sakura had a fondness for sweets, and she had to make up for the lackluster gift she had given last year. As Ria contemplated which clothing styles to choose, a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Oh, you're still here," it was Suzune.

"Um, hey Suzune," Nobara greeted her with a wave.

"Yeah, we were just about to leave. What about you?" Ria responded.

"Student council business. Wait, I have an idea. Why don't we all go together? I don't really want to go alone. Do you guys mind?" Suzune proposed casually.

"So, what do you think?" Ria asked, glancing at Sakura and Suzune.

"No," Sakura replied curtly.

"Wait, Suzune. We would be delighted if you joined us," Ria quickly interjected.

"Wait, Ria, what are you doing? It's obvious that this girl has ulterior motives. She's trying to steal you away from us. You both are in the same class, spend time together, and now she wants to go home with you?" Sakura whispered, her voice filled with suspicion.

"It's only you who thinks that way. Please, Sakura, reconsider," Ria pleaded.

"I apologize for my earlier statement. I was mistaken. Please come with us," Sakura apologized, bowing her head to Suzune, although Ria could sense the lingering anger on her face.

"Are you sure? And what about you, Nobara?" Suzune inquired.

"Umm... it's fine," Nobara timidly replied, reverting back to her shy self.

"Alright, let's proceed," Ria stated, feeling compelled to vocalize it due to the encroaching darkness. Nevertheless, Ria couldn't help but ponder what Suzune truly desired from them.

"Ria, have you ever considered joining the student council? We could benefit from an additional member," Suzune proposed.as they were getting close to the bus stop.

"No, I haven't," Ria responded. "You should contemplate it. After all, someone like you would be an asset," Suzune casually remarked. Now, Ria comprehended why Suzune had always been drawn to her. She sought their support and involvement in the student council due to Ria's affluent background. It dawned on her that Suzune simply desired individuals around her who would provide support. If it weren't for that incident, they might have become just like her. To their astonishment, they witnessed a massive trailer hurtling towards Sakura. Ria summoned her strength and managed to halt it with her bare hands.

"What?!" Sakura exclaimed. "How did you accomplish that?" Suzune inquired, approaching Ria. Disregarding Sakura's comment, Ria turned to face Suzune.

"Well, I've always possessed strength, even since I was young," she replied.

"That's an incredible display of strength," Suzune commented, smiling and observing her seemingly ordinary arms.

"Yes," Ria said, blushing. To be honest, only her father and two friends, Sakura and Nobara, were aware of her superhuman strength and agility. She had been instructed to keep it a secret, but she assumed Suzune would be fine if she didn't disclose it to anyone.

"Please promise me you'll keep this confidential," Ria cautioned.

"Of course I will," Suzune replied, smiling.

"No one would want to date a human gorilla," she jokingly added. They all burst into laughter. However, they knew that Ria wasn't truly that strong; she simply possessed twice the strength of someone her age. Then, something or rather someone materialized that altered everything. It caused the group to come to a halt. The individual donned a crimson kasa and a mask, concealing their identity completely. Along with the mask, they wore a flowing scarlet robe. Their sudden appearance seemed almost supernatural, and their presence exuded an intense aura. The rest of the group trembled visibly, realizing the reason behind it all.

"I had a feeling that the Ryuu would be among you three. It's fortunate that I decided to test my theory and direct that truck towards you," the mysterious figure stated. The group stood frozen, unable to comprehend the unfolding events.

"Who are you?" Ria managed to inquire.

In a nonchalant manner, the person replied with these precise words, "I am known as RED of the X. Now, which one of you is the Ryuu?”