**Chapter 22: Shattered Bonds**
The city streets of Tensei were fractured, cracked with glowing golden veins where Aiki's Rift Awakening had touched. Spirits howled from the edges of reality, fleeing the rift… or drawn to it.
Aiki, Enji, Sen, and Kael moved cautiously through the chaos. Their senses were alert, every shadow a potential threat.
"She's close," Kael muttered, eyes narrowing. "Another Rifter… and they're unstable."
Enji groaned. "Great. Unstable Rifter equals guaranteed disaster."
They rounded a corner and froze. A figure hovered above the ruins — a young man with silver eyes, hair whipping in a chaotic wind of energy. He radiated a golden-red aura that flickered violently. The air itself seemed to burn.
"I've been waiting for you," the stranger said, voice smooth but cold. "The Ash Realm is interesting, but this city… and these Rifters… it's mine to claim."
Aiki stepped forward, Spirit Edge glowing. "I won't let you hurt anyone. Step down, now."
The stranger smirked. "Too late."
Without warning, a wave of destructive energy erupted from him, tearing through the nearby buildings. Debris and spirits exploded into the air. Aiki and the others scrambled to shield themselves.
Sakura moved to intercept, casting a protective barrier of glowing runes. "Stay back! I've got this!"
The enemy Rifter's eyes flickered cruelly. He raised his hands, and the barrier shattered violently. Aiki reached out, but it was too late. The force hit Sakura directly. A blinding flash of golden light… and then silence.
Aiki's stomach dropped. "Sakura!" he screamed, sprinting toward her.
Kael blocked the enemy. "Get back, Aiki! He's too strong!"
Aiki ignored him. He dropped to his knees beside Sakura, her body lying still, her runes flickering weakly. "No… this can't be happening… not you…"
Enji gritted his teeth. "Damn it… we're gonna pay for this."
But Aiki felt something stir deep within the Spirit Edge. A cold whisper at first, then a roar that shook his bones. The sword pulsed in harmony with his heart — and the rift energy around him flared violently.
"Enough," Aiki growled. His eyes burned gold, wider than ever before. "I… will not… lose anyone else."
The world seemed to tremble. Air warped, shadows screamed, and the enemy Rifter staggered, sensing the sudden spike in power.
Aiki's body surged with golden energy. Rift Awakening had unlocked something deeper — the dormant part of his soul linked directly to the Spirit Edge. His aura expanded, rifts tearing through the asphalt beneath him, the air vibrating with godlike force.
"I am… a Rifter," Aiki declared, voice echoing with power far beyond before. "And you… will regret ever touching my friends!"
The enemy Rifter's smirk faltered as Aiki lunged forward, golden light slicing through the chaos, leaving trails of shimmering energy that distorted reality itself. Sparks of rift power licked at the edges of the city, and the ground cracked under the force.
Even Enji and Sen froze, awed. Kael muttered, "So… this is the true potential of a Rifter…"
Aiki's eyes met the enemy's. "You won't survive this," he said, every word heavy with rage, sorrow, and unstoppable power.
The battle was about to escalate beyond anything Tensei had ever seen.
And in the distance, faintly, a whisper echoed through the rift: *The real awakening… has only just begun.*