The rain had stopped, but the city's neon arteries still pulsed with a sick, amber glow. Jayden crouched behind a rusted cargo container, the *Dragon Pendant* burning a faint ruby against his palm. The vampire—*Draven*—and the werewolf—*Kato*—had vanished as quickly as they appeared, leaving only the echo of their growls and a faint scent of ozone.
A low vibration thrummed from his pocket. The *Beast System* interface flickered to life, overlaying his vision with translucent glyphs.
> *System Alert:* _Secondary activation detected. Proximity breach – Unknown entities 200 m, approaching fast._
*Suggestion:* _Engage Shadow Veil._
Jayden's breath quickened. He recalled the brief tutorial flash—_"Shadow Veil: Blend with darkness. 5‑second cooldown, 30‑second duration."_ He pressed his thumb against the glowing rune on his wrist. A wave of cold darkness washed over him, his crimson wings folding into invisible threads. The world dimmed to shades of gray; even the neon signs dulled to a ghostly whisper.
Footsteps. Heavy, deliberate, each one reverberating off the concrete like a drumbeat of impending doom. Two figures emerged from the mist—a *tall woman* with silver‑hair cascading like frozen water, her eyes twin sapphires that seemed to pierce the veil. Beside her, a *gargantuan beast*, its skin covered in obsidian scales, each movement rippling with a low, resonant hum.
"*The Crimson Covenant* has awakened," the woman hissed, voice echoing as if spoken through a tunnel. "You cannot hide, Jayden Miyazaki. We have traced the Dragon's Pulse."
Jayden's mind raced. _Dragon's Pulse…the pendant?_ He glanced at the ruby pendant, now throbbing in sync with his heartbeat. A sudden, sharp pain lanced through his temples—an *audio intrusion*.
> *System:* _Warning – Host under psychic assault. Initiating Counter‑Measure: Runic Shield._
A translucent, rune‑etched shield blossomed around him, crackling with electric blue arcs. The woman's smile turned feral.
"Runic Shield? Pathetic." She thrust her hand forward. A torrent of *black fire* erupted, slamming into the shield. The impact sent a shockwave that shattered the container behind Jayden, sending shards of metal spiraling like glittering daggers.
Jayden's vision flickered. The *Beast System* displayed a new prompt:
> *Do you wish to activate Crimson Inferno? (Y/N)*
He didn't think. He shouted, "*Y!*"
A roar tore from his throat, and his wings unfurled—*crimson flames* licking the edges, turning the rain‑slick pavement into a river of fire. The inferno surged forward, colliding with the black fire. The clash produced a blinding flash; for a split second, the entire alley was bathed in white light.
When the illumination faded, the silver‑haired woman staggered, her black fire sputtering out. The scaled beast let out a guttural howl, its body cracking, shards of obsidian raining down like meteorites.
"You… you've… *awakened*," the woman gasped, eyes widening. "The Dragon's heir… cannot be allowed to live."
She raised a trembling hand, summoning a vortex of *dark energy* that spiraled toward Jayden. Instinctively, he thrust the Dragon Pendant forward. The ruby core flared, emitting a *pulse* that resonated with the vortex, turning the darkness inward, devouring it.
A deafening crack split the night. The woman's scream was cut short, her form dissolving into a cascade of *silk‑black feathers* that vanished into the wind. The beast collapsed, its obsidian shell shattering into dust.
Silence. The rain began again, gentle now, each drop a soft percussion on the charred ground. Jayden slumped against the container, his wings folding back into his skin. The *Runic Shield* flickered out, leaving a faint after‑image of glyphs dancing in his vision.
A soft, familiar voice echoed from the pendant:
> *"Jayden, you must get to the *Crimson Altar* before the *Blood Moon* rises. Only there can the Dragon's power be sealed… or unleashed."*
A *map* materialized on his wrist— a twisted path through *Akihabara's Underground*, winding toward a glowing red dot marked *"Altar"*.
Footsteps approached. Draven and Kato emerged from the shadows, their eyes wary but no longer hostile. Draven's fangs glinted as he spoke, "You survived. That makes you useful."
Kato growled, "The wolves have sensed the Blood Moon. It's almost time."
Jayden tightened his grip on the pendant, feeling the *pulse* sync with his own. He stood, wings trembling with a mixture of fear and exhilaration.
"Lead the way," he said, voice steadier than he felt.
The three of them vanished into the rain‑slick streets, the city's neon veins flickering like dying fireflies—each pulse a reminder that *the war had just begun*