Chapter 5 – First Real Hunt
1238 Words
The presence didn’t disappear.
It lingered.
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Not like the weak flickers he had sensed before.
Not scattered.
Not faint.
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Focused.
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Watching.
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Kaelor continued walking, his pace steady, his expression unchanged.
But internally—
everything sharpened.
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[Warning: Higher energy signature detected]
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Higher.
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That meant risk.
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That meant opportunity.
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Kaelor didn’t turn.
Didn’t search openly.
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Because whatever it was—
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it already knew where he was.
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The sensation pressed lightly against his awareness again.
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From the outer edge of the settlement.
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Near the abandoned structures.
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Less people.
Less interference.
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Good.
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Kaelor adjusted his path without drawing attention.
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Each step measured.
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Controlled.
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The further he moved from the center, the quieter everything became.
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Voices faded.
Movement thinned.
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Until—
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there was almost nothing.
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Just wind.
Dust.
Silence.
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And—
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that presence.
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Stronger now.
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Kaelor stopped.
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The air shifted.
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Subtle.
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But real.
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Then—
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a sound.
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Low.
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Rough.
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A growl.
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Not human.
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Kaelor turned.
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Slowly.
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And saw it.
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A beast.
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Larger than the ones before.
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Its body was lean but coiled with strength.
Dark fur.
Sharp eyes.
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And inside it—
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energy.
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Not minimal.
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Not weak.
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Alive.
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Hungry.
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[Target identified: Feral Fang Beast]
[Threat level: Moderate]
[Success probability: 9%]
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Kaelor’s lips curved slightly.
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Lower than before.
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Good.
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The beast stepped forward.
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Cautious.
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But not afraid.
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It had already assessed him.
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Weak.
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Easy prey.
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Kaelor exhaled slowly.
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This would not be like before.
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No mistakes.
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No wasted movement.
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Because this—
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this could kill him.
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The beast lunged.
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Fast.
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Far faster than the others.
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Kaelor barely moved in time.
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Its claws sliced past him, tearing through the air where his body had been a fraction of a second earlier.
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Too close.
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Kaelor pivoted—
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but his body lagged.
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Pain flared through his side as he misjudged his balance.
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The beast turned instantly.
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No hesitation.
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It attacked again.
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Relentless.
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Kaelor blocked—
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barely.
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The impact threw him back.
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His arms screamed.
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His breath vanished.
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Too strong.
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Too fast.
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This body wasn’t ready.
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[Warning: Host condition deteriorating]
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Kaelor’s eyes hardened.
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He knew that.
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He didn’t need the system to tell him.
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He needed a way to win.
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Now.
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The beast circled.
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Patient.
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It had sensed the shift.
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The weakness.
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The moment.
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Kaelor straightened slowly.
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Forced his breathing to stabilize.
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Forced his mind to sharpen.
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Because panic—
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was death.
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Think.
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Analyze.
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The beast moved again—
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Kaelor didn’t retreat.
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He stepped forward.
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The timing—
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was everything.
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The beast lunged—
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Kaelor shifted just enough—
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Not to avoid—
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but to intercept.
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Pain exploded as claws tore into his shoulder—
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but he didn’t stop.
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He grabbed it.
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Both hands.
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Locked.
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The beast thrashed violently.
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Claws digging deeper.
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Teeth snapping toward his throat—
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Kaelor tightened his grip.
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And smiled.
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“Got you.”
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[Condition met: Direct capture]
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The system activated instantly.
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[Absorption possible]
[Risk: HIGH]
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Good.
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Kaelor didn’t hesitate.
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“Begin.”
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The pull came—
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violently.
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Stronger than before.
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Far stronger.
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The beast screamed—
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a sharp, furious sound—
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as its energy was ripped from it.
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Not gently.
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Not controlled.
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Taken.
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The energy slammed into Kaelor.
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Wild.
Chaotic.
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It tore through him like a storm.
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His vision went white.
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His grip almost broke—
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He forced it tighter.
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“No,” he growled.
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Not this time.
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Not after coming this far.
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He forced the energy to compress.
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Forced it to obey.
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Piece by piece—
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it resisted.
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Fought back.
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But Kaelor—
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had done this before.
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On a far greater scale.
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This—
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was nothing.
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The chaos slowed.
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Then—
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bent.
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Aligned.
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His breathing steadied.
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The pain shifted.
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Less destruction.
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More pressure.
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More… power.
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The beast’s movements weakened.
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Its struggle slowed.
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Then—
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stopped.
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Kaelor released it.
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It collapsed instantly.
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Still.
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Empty.
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Kaelor staggered back—
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but didn’t fall.
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Not this time.
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He remained standing.
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Barely—
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but standing.
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[Absorption successful.]
[Energy gained: Moderate]
[Body condition: Significantly improved]
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Kaelor inhaled slowly.
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The difference—
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was immediate.
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His limbs responded faster.
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His balance stabilized.
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His vision—
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clear.
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Not strong.
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Not yet.
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But no longer weak.
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A transition point.
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Kaelor looked down at his hands.
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Steady.
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Finally.
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He exhaled once.
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Satisfied.
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So this is the threshold.
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From survival—
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to growth.
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But—
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something felt off.
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Subtle.
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Wrong.
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Inside him—
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the energy shifted.
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Not violently.
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But… differently.
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[Warning:]
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The system again.
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[Energy overload detected]
[Backlash risk increasing]
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Kaelor stilled.
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Backlash.
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So this was the cost.
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Noted.
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His jaw tightened slightly as a sharp pulse of pain ran through his chest.
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Temporary.
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Manageable.
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For now.
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Kaelor lifted his head.
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Scanning the area again.
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The silence had changed.
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Not empty anymore.
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Watching.
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Aware.
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Because this time—
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he hadn’t gone unnoticed.
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Footsteps.
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Approaching.
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Slow.
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Deliberate.
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Not afraid.
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Kaelor turned.
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And saw him.
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Older.
Stronger.
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A cultivator.
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Real.
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Not like the others.
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Not like the boys.
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This one—
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had power.
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And he was smiling.
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“Well,” the man said, looking at the dead beast, then at Kaelor.
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“That’s interesting.”
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Kaelor didn’t respond.
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But his body—
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shifted slightly.
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Ready.
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Because this—
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was something new.
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Not prey.
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Not opportunity.
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A threat.
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The man’s gaze sharpened.
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“You shouldn’t be able to do that,” he said calmly.
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Kaelor met his eyes.
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Cold.
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Unmoved.
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“And you shouldn’t be here,” Kaelor replied.
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A pause.
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Then—
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the man smiled wider.
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“Looks like I found something valuable.”
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Kaelor’s eyes darkened.
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Good.
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Let him think that.
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Because the truth was—
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he had just found something too.
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A new level.
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A new challenge.
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And possibly—
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his first real enemy.
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[New Threat Detected]
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The system confirmed it.
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As if he needed it to.
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Kaelor exhaled slowly.
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Then—
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he smiled.
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Because now—
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things were finally getting interesting.
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