**Chapter 20: Rift Awakening**
The clash of light and shadow shook the ruined streets of Tensei like thunder. Debris spun in the air, and the sky itself seemed to ripple with the battle between Aiki and Vaelith. Each strike of the Spirit Edge against Vaelith's dark aura sent shockwaves that splintered buildings and cracked the earth.
Aiki's chest heaved. *I can't hold back anymore…* he thought. The Spirit Edge pulsed violently in his hands, whispers growing insistent, almost pleading. *This is your chance… the Rift awaits…*
"Vaelith!" Aiki shouted, launching himself forward with a speed that blurred him into golden streaks. "You've been holding back, too. Let's see who truly controls the Ash Realm!"
Vaelith's eyes widened slightly — for the first time, the Veil Spirit looked cautious. But before he could counter, Aiki slammed the Spirit Edge into the cracked asphalt, and a golden rift tore open beneath them. Light erupted like liquid fire, enveloping Aiki.
The whispers in his mind became a roar. *Rift Awakening… embrace it… become a Rifter… transcend…*
Aiki's body glowed with raw energy as the rift consumed him. Golden lines of power traced over his skin, binding him to the Spirit Edge. He felt his senses expand — he could see Vaelith's aura, the flow of every spirit in the Ash Realm, even the faint energy of every living thing in the city.
When the light finally subsided, Aiki stood, transformed. His eyes burned with a radiant gold, and the Spirit Edge had grown, shimmering with divine light.
"This… this is…" Sen whispered, jaw slack. Even Enji and Sakura stepped back, stunned.
"This," Aiki said, voice calm but impossibly strong, "is Rift Awakening. The power of a Rifter. And now… I'm ready."
Vaelith's silver eyes narrowed. "So… you've crossed the threshold. A mere human… wielding godlike power… this is unprecedented."
Aiki's aura flared, golden energy spiraling outward, cutting through shadows and ash alike. "I don't care how many times you've destroyed worlds. I don't care how powerful you think you are. I'm Aiki… and I am a Rifter."
With a swift motion, he swung the Spirit Edge. The attack wasn't just a slash — it was a wave of pure energy that shredded the surrounding shadows, splitting Vaelith's aura like fragile glass. The force lifted him off the ground, suspended in the golden storm Aiki had become.
Sakura whispered, almost in awe, "I… I didn't think anyone could awaken it… not in centuries."
Enji clenched his fists. "So that's what a Rifter is… Aiki just broke reality itself."
The golden rift expanded, linking the Spirit Edge with the surrounding city. Spirits howled and scattered, and the remnants of Vaelith's aura struggled to maintain form against the overwhelming power.
Vaelith, gritting his teeth, let out a roar that shook the heavens. "This… cannot be! The Veil… cannot be controlled by a human!"
Aiki stepped forward, every step resonating with power. "The Veil belongs to no one. Not even you. From now on… anyone who unlocks Rift Awakening can stand against the Ash Realm. We are the Rifters. And we fight for life — for humanity — not destruction."
The first true godlike strike of a Rifter slammed into Vaelith, energy exploding outward like a supernova. The Ash Realm wavered, the rift pulsing with newfound balance.
And for the first time, Aiki smiled. Because the world had changed. And so had he.