A World Without A Spark

********************************************

Kazuki Tenno trudged through the crowded streets of Lumosport, a city built on the bones of Ether veins. Towering spires buzzed faintly with Etheric energy, their glow a constant reminder of the power Kazuki would never have. Born without even a flicker of Ether, he was an outcast in a society that revered it. The Hunters, powerful raiders who delved into dungeons and secured society's future, were a distant dream for someone like him.

His father’s repair shop was where he belonged, fixing broken dungeon gear and sweeping up dust. But Kazuki’s heart yearned for adventure—a chance to prove himself.

One evening, while delivering tools to a Hunter guild, Kazuki overheard a heated discussion. A small team of rookie Hunters had discovered an anomaly in a Tier-One dungeon. The leader, a brash swordsman named Hideo, dismissed the danger. “It’s just a dungeon flare—probably a faulty Ether vein,” he said, laughing.

Kazuki’s curiosity burned brighter than his common sense. That night, he slipped away from home and followed the Hunters into the dungeon, desperate to see what they were talking about.

The dungeon was a dark, winding labyrinth of jagged stone and glowing crystals. Kazuki crept behind the group, careful not to make a sound. As they delved deeper, the air grew thick, and the light of their Ether-fueled torches began to flicker.

When they reached the anomaly, the Hunters froze. Before them was a pulsing chamber filled with an unnatural, electric-blue glow. The energy felt different from Ether—wild, volatile, and alive.

“I don’t like this,” murmured one of the Hunters, clutching her spear tightly.

The glow intensified, and suddenly, the chamber erupted in chaos. The energy lashed out like lightning, striking the walls and floor. The Hunters screamed as their Ether shields failed to repel the onslaught. One by one, they fell, incapacitated by the unrelenting force.

Kazuki barely had time to react before the energy struck him, piercing through his chest like a blade of fire. His vision blurred as he collapsed, his body consumed by the brilliant light.

---

When Kazuki awoke, he was lying in complete darkness. For a moment, he thought he had died, but a faint neon glow pulsed beneath his skin, illuminating the veins in his hands. The chamber was gone, replaced by the ruins of the collapsed dungeon.

Pain seared through his body. Every movement sent electric jolts through his nerves, and his breaths came in ragged gasps. His hands trembled as the glow intensified, sparks of neon energy jumping between his fingertips. He tried to calm himself, but the light only grew brighter, hotter.

Panic set in. Kazuki’s arms jerked involuntarily, and a surge of energy shot out, carving a glowing scar into the stone wall. The blast left him gasping for air, his vision swimming.

“What… what is happening to me?” he whispered, clutching his chest.

The answer came not from within but from a disembodied voice.

“Your body has been altered,” said a cold, mechanical tone. “The energy you encountered was Neon—a power that predates Ether and exists beyond its control. It has bonded to you. But this power is unstable and will destroy you if not properly contained.”

Kazuki stumbled to his feet, his glowing arms casting eerie shadows on the walls. “Who are you? What are you?”

“I am *Aurion,* the caretaker of the Neon Protocol. You are now its host.”

Before Kazuki could question further, a tremor shook the ruins. The dungeon was collapsing. Rocks tumbled around him, and the distant roar of awakened monsters echoed through the tunnels.

Kazuki tried to run, but his legs buckled under the weight of the Neon energy coursing through him. Sparks danced along the ground, scorching the earth with every step. He clutched at his chest, where the energy burned the hottest, threatening to burst free.

“Contain it!” Aurion commanded. “Focus your mind, or the power will consume you!”

Kazuki’s vision blurred as the pain grew unbearable. In desperation, he slammed his hand against the wall, and the energy surged outward, forming a glowing blade of pure light. The force propelled him forward, slicing through the falling debris.

He stumbled out of the collapsing ruins just as the entrance caved in behind him. Collapsing onto the ground, Kazuki gasped for air, his body trembling. The neon glow dimmed, but the pain lingered.

“You must learn control,or else picture your death” Aurion said. “This power is a double-edged sword. Without discipline, it will destroy not only you but everything around you.”

Kazuki clenched his fists, his heart pounding. The glow from his body flickered erratically, like a storm trapped under his skin. He didn’t know why he had been chosen or what Neon truly was, but one thing was clear: his life would never be the same.

And if he couldn’t master this power, it wouldn’t be a life worth living at all.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***