Chapter 3

A few hours had passed, and Akudama rose from his bed, noticing that it was early in the morning. He walked towards the window and gazed at the dimly illuminated tall buildings outside. Akudama remarked to himself that they would look even more impressive at night. Just as he was lost in thought, the doctor opened the door and caught sight of Akudama standing by the window. Akudama also noticed the nurse standing beside the doctor.

The doctor, speaking quietly, motioned to the nurse, suggesting they move to a corner of the room. The nurse nodded in agreement, and as they did so, the doctor's voice filled with astonishment. He whispered to the nurse, questioning whether it was possible for someone to recover from such a severe head injury in just 17 hours, which was less than a day. In response, the nurse simply stated that Akudama was a rare case.

After concluding their conversation in the corner, the doctor and nurse approached Akudama and informed him that he had been cured. Akudama nodded in acknowledgement and responded with a simple "okay." The doctor, contemplating his response, thought to himself, "I need to provide a more substantial answer than just saying 'okay'."

Meanwhile, the nurse handed Akudama his clothes and requested that he wear a white T-shirt, black shorts, and black sandals. Expressing his gratitude, Akudama replied, "Thank you very much," and nodded in agreement with the nurse's instructions.

As Akudama continued walking away from the hospital, even though it was early in the morning, he gradually distanced himself from the medical facility. Along his journey, he attracted the attention of a group of people who began whispering amongst themselves, commenting on his peculiar appearance. However, Akudama remained unfazed by their negative remarks, displaying a lack of emotion in response to their comments.

As Akudama reached the store across the street, he entered and began searching for a drink to quench his thirst. After some exploration, he finally found the drink he desired and proceeded to the cashier. The cashier, upon seeing Akudama's appearance, was taken aback and displayed a noticeable shock. However, despite the cashier's initial reaction, they hesitantly processed Akudama's purchase. The intensity of fear emanating from Akudama seemed almost overwhelming, and as the cashier completed the transaction, they nearly stumbled to the ground, seemingly overwhelmed by the experience.

As Akudama walked out of the store, sipping on his soda, he continued his journey through the morning streets. After finishing his drink, he became aware of a commotion nearby. His attention was drawn to a disturbing scene where an individual was assaulting two teenage girls and a boy. Despite witnessing the abilities possessed by the teenagers, Akudama felt an indifference towards intervening to save them.

Observing the situation, Akudama recognized that the assailant also possessed formidable abilities, particularly in the form of fire manipulation.

As Akudama observed the dire situation and contemplated intervening, he placed his empty bottle on the ground and approached the injured teenagers. They appeared to be in a critical condition, collapsing onto the ground due to their severe injuries. In contrast, the assailant, though not heavily injured, was still capable of fighting.

Questioning the motives behind the attack, Akudama confronted the assailant, asking, "Why did you do this?" The bad individual, taken aback by Akudama's appearance, considered him to be strange. However, at that moment, Akudama began to experience a sudden headache.

As the headache intensified, the bad individual seized the opportunity and unleashed a powerful blast of fire, sending Akudama crashing into the corner of a nearby house. Despite the impact, Akudama miraculously survived, but he was in excruciating pain. He let out agonizing screams that echoed through the air.

Suddenly, a strange aura emanated from Akudama, engulfing the surrounding area. The aura grew in intensity, creating a massive explosion that expanded across a radius of about 400 meters. The bad individual, realizing the imminent danger, attempted to flee but was caught off guard. The black phenomenon surged through Akudama's muscles, unleashing a devastating explosion that obliterated everything in its path.

As Akudama rose from the wreckage, he surveyed the devastated surroundings with shock and disbelief. The destructive aftermath left him astounded. Realizing the extent of the damage caused by the unleashed powers, he was overcome with a sense of horror. In an instant, he turned and fled, sprinting away from the scene as fast as he could.

As he continued running, the people he encountered along the way displayed overwhelming fear in their expressions. The level of terror etched across their faces was palpable. It seemed that the power awakened within Akudama had intensified his aura of fear, amplifying its effect on those around him. Although there was no hatred directed towards him, the sheer magnitude of fear emanating from Akudama was enough to evoke a strong and pervasive sense of terror in others.

As Akudama's speed surpassed human comprehension, people found themselves unable to react adequately to his presence. His sheer presence filled the atmosphere, instilling an overwhelming sense of fear in those around him. Moreover, an unexpected ability emerged within him—he could hear people's emotions and thoughts as he passed by them. Countless thoughts of fear echoed within his mind, amplifying his own sense of dread.

In a state of anguish, Akudama began to scream, declaring that this world was born evil because of his very existence. His voice reverberated with intense emotion. However, his anguish seemed to trigger a surge of power within him. Moving at such blinding speed, he broke the sound barrier, causing the surrounding buildings to be torn apart by the immense pressure generated by his rapid movement.

As Akudama came to a halt and turned around, a sense of shock overwhelmed him. The sight that greeted him was devastating—buildings stretched over a distance of 4 kilometers lay in ruins, and the aftermath of his destructive running became apparent. The realization struck him that his actions had inadvertently caused the death of countless people. The weight of this revelation bore heavily upon him, and he began to view himself as a genuine threat to humanity.

"Demonic Powers" awakened