Arin's boots made soft, rhythmic crunches against the wet soil, every step measured.
Kael moved beside him, silent but watchful, his gaze cutting through the fog as if the mist itself were a challenge to be dissected.
"Stay alert," Kael said finally, his voice low but firm, slicing through the quiet. "Class A threats don't announce themselves with fanfare."
Arin nodded, eyes sweeping the shadowed edges of the riverbank. "Understood. I'm… ready."
Kael's glance flicked toward him, sharp, skeptical. "You think you're ready. That's different from being ready. Keep that in mind."
Arin exhaled softly. "I'll focus. No missteps. I won't let fear slip in."
Kael gave a short hum of approval. "Good. Just remember—courage without caution is another kind of stupidity. Don't chase what you can't control."
The ember inside Arin thrummed in response, a soft pulse under his skin. Level 4. He flexed his fingers, feeling the faint shimmer along their edges, reminding himself to stay centered. Fear and greed were tools—if tempered.
[Status: Ember Flow Stable]
A sudden rustle cracked through the undergrowth. Arin froze mid-step, instinct coiling tight in his gut. Kael's eyes snapped toward the sound.
"Good," Kael murmured. "You heard that. Now focus—don't react before it's necessary."
Arin's fingers twitched, ember light flickering faintly at his fingertips. He exhaled slowly, grounding himself. "I can feel it. Something's there."
Kael's tone was almost approving. "Feel is good. But don't let your imagination paint monsters that aren't there. Trust your senses, not your fear."
[Detection: Shadow Presence – Low]
[Potential Threat: Demonic]
Kael moved first, silent as a hunting cat, gesturing for Arin to follow. The forest thickened, mist swirling around the gnarled roots of ancient trees. Shadows lengthened unnaturally, curling where the light dared not touch.
"Fear is useful," Kael said quietly, voice a guide through the tension. "It sharpens you. But don't let it dictate your actions. Control it. Bend it into your flow—like the ember."
Arin's breath steadied. "It's like a rhythm… I can move with it."
Kael nodded once. "Good. Let it guide you, not blind you."
Arin hesitated. "And if I lose control?"
Kael's eyes didn't leave the mist. "Then the ember burns you instead of them. Every power demands discipline. You either master it—or it masters you."
Something moved again—closer. A whisper slid through the fog, thin and distorted.
...You fear me already… good…*
Arin's pulse spiked. "It can… talk?"
"Echoes," Kael said evenly. "Shadows don't think. They feed."
The hiss came again, metal scraping bone.
...Too slow… or too fast… which will it be?...*
[Detection: Mid-Level Demonic Shadow – Confirmed]
[System Alert: Recommended Engagement – High Risk]
Arin's pulse quickened—fear and excitement blurring together. "This is it," he whispered. "My first real test."
Kael motioned for him to crouch behind a thicket. "Observe first..i will show you.... Learn before you strike. If you act too soon, it'll use your recklessness against you."
Arin crouched, heart pounding. The river's roar was faint but constant. "It's like smoke… but alive," he murmured.
Kael walked forward, arin at his back.
"Notice its movement," Kael said. "Even chaos has rhythm if you look closely enough."
The whisper slithered again.
...Alive… yes… your warmth calls to me… you burn with hesitation…*
The ember surged inside Arin, heat tracing his veins. "It's watching....us."
Kael nodded slightly. "Good. Now breathe. Fear will try to rush you—don't give it permission....look at me, and observe.
"Observe my control," Kael said. "Observe my clarity. Observe my strength."
..
Kael moved forward, each step calm and deliberate, as if steeped in thought.
The demon attacked, its jagged claws slashing through the fog, but Kael sidestepped with almost lazy precision.
"Hmm...Predictable," Kael said, his voice steady, almost bored.
The demon hissed and swung again. "You… you're nothing to me!" it roared, smoke rising from its mouth.
Kael's eyes narrowed. "Nothing? I wouldn't know about that." With a single motion, Kael's blade severed one of the demon's hands.
Arin watched, eyes wide, barely able to keep up.
'He's so fast… I can hardly see him clearly.'
The demon screamed in pain, " my hand, my hand, fuck…Fuuucckkk!!!"
But moments later he used his cursed power to regrow its hand, then spun, swinging its claws erratically to attack Kael.
But Kael remained utterly calm, the demon's attacks meaning nothing to him.
"You rely on our fear," Kael said in a calm voice, ducking a swipe. "Your instincts are strong, but your discipline is weak."
The demon snarled, its claws clashing against Kael's blade, sparking. "I'll devour you! I'll—"
Kael pressed his advantage, moving with surgical efficiency. Each strike not only defended but pushed the demon back, like a punishment.
Arin's pulse raced.
He makes it look so easy…
"Your strength isn't enough," Kael said, stepping aside from a lunging blow. "You stood tall in shadows and terror, but you've never faced control, never faced me."
The demon staggered, trying to retreat, its claws flailing. "I… I'm chaos! You can't…!"
Kael's blade cut through the mist, a silver streak.
The demon barely raised its hand in defense. "Chaos?" Kael said flatly. "Possible. But chaos doesn't mean unbeatable.
The demon faltered, growling, looking at Kael with something like fear. "You're… stronger… stronger than I thought!..."
Kael lowered his stance, blade pointed at the demon. "And now you understand why blind aggression is meaningless."
The demon stumbled back, chest heaving. Its snarl turned ragged, almost pleading. His arrogance losing all meaninh, feeling death from his blade.
The demon knew, he knew it then and there. This man. This man could end him. His ember devouring his curse.
"M..Mercy… please… I just want to survive…"
Kael's eyes briefly flicked to Arin. "Observe..... Even monsters shrink when they grasp absolute power. Fear is a tool, Arin—not a master."
Arin crouched, maintaining distance, every nerve taut.
The ember within pulsed rapidly, resonating with the tension as he watched Kael dominate effortlessly.Each strike was a lesson in clarity, precision, and calm patience.
The demon's growl faded into desperate gasps. "I… I yield… I'll leave… just… spare me!"
Kael already weakened the demon enough, his ember almost squishing the demons cursed energy.
So he smiled sheathing his sword. The demon surprised seeing mercy from an awaken.
Kael nudged arin to come as he stepped back. The demon knew. He knew what the human was trying to do. As the demon raged. The human was treating him like a traininh puppet.
"Don't underestimate me...you fucking humans..."
The demon lunged. Arin flinched—Kael's hand clamped on his shoulder, grounding him. "Do not flinch. Move with your center, not your panic."
"Right… flow, don't fight."
The strike swept past him, a blur of darkness. He pivoted, ember flaring faintly along his arms, letting the motion carry him.
"Center yourself!" Kael barked. "Flow!"
Arin inhaled. Heat steadied. The ember responded, tracing bright veins across his palm. Light shimmered—gentle, but alive.
The shadow recoiled, then lunged again, faster.
...i will kill you, i will fucking kill you kid..
[System: Fear Index 60%]
Kael's tone sharpened. "It senses your fear. Don't let it feed on you."
"I...i can do this," Arin muttered, teeth gritted.
Kael's voice softened. "Then prove it—to yourself... he's weak...dont let fear overtake you.."
Arin dodged, pivoted, struck. Ember flared—a molten flash connecting with the shadow. Smoke spiraled as it screeched.
".You learn too fast… for a puny human... you're... you're dangerous to me...to us.."
"Good!" Kael shouted. "You met its strike—you didn't chase it. Control!"
[System: Fear Index 85%]
The shadow darted again—erratic, violent. Arin's movements blurred, guided by instinct. He let it overcommit, then struck through its center.
[Fear conversion: Activated]
A surge of power roared through Arin, a calculated 40% boost igniting his body. His muscles tightened with explosive strength, and a faint aura of shimmering heat pulsed around him. Every motion felt faster, stronger, unstoppable.
Bang!
"Come on Bitch, you're not that scary," Arin muttered, a smirk flickering as he steadied his stance.
The shadow burst apart, dissolving into mist.
Its final whisper lingered—
Fear… will still find you…
Arin's chest heaved. Kael's eyes were sharp but approving.
"You controlled it. You didn't let it control you."
Arin exhaled....
[System: XP Awarded +550]
[Level Up Pending]
The ember cooled, molten calm in his veins. Fear no longer felt like an enemy—it pulsed like an ally.
Kael crouched, scanning the riverbank. "That was a test. The evolved spirit ahead is far more cunning."
"Wait.... there's more of these?"
"Yup, get Ready..."
".....I understand," Arin said, straightening.
"Do you?" Kael's tone was wry. "Because you always rush."
Arin allowed a faint grin. "You say that like it's a bad thing."
Kael gave a dry chuckle. "It's what makes you worth teaching—and worth worrying about."
A rustle stirred deeper in the forest. Kael's eyes narrowed. "There. That's your next lesson."
From the mist emerged the Evolved Spirit, cloaked in shifting darkness, eyes faintly alight. It moved with thought.
[System: Class A Threat – Confirmed]
Arin swallowed. "This… is it."
Kael's hand landed lightly on his shoulder. "Watch. Learn. Don't act first."
"It's… not attacking first, it's observing... thinking," Arin whispered.
"Exactly," Kael said. "And thinking enemies learn. Don't teach it your weaknesses."
The spirit's voice was smooth, almost human.
"Commmee human....Try to take me down... I'm..weeaaaakk."
"It talks," Arin muttered.
"It tests," Kael replied. "Ignore its words..."
The spirit tilted its head, eyes like dull coals.
'....He tells you to obey, yet your pulse betrays you.... Tell me, human-child… what happens when your master isn't watching?..."
Kael's jaw flexed. "Silence is your shield, Arin."
The spirit circled, predatory. Arin mirrored it, his ember syncing with instinct. Each heartbeat was a drum of heat and focus.
"...You hide the ember's hunger well,"it whispered. "Most burn before they reach your age."
"Shut up... I'm not most," Arin said, voice steady.
The spirit lunged. Ember met shadow. Heat flared, movement seamless.
Kael's command cut through the chaos. "Flow! Don't force!"
Arin's rhythm sharpened, his fear crystallizing into focus.
[System: Fear Index 100%]
The spirit faltered, its form breaking. 'Every flame casts a shadow… we'll meet again when yours wakes.
Then it vanished, mist folding in on itself.
[XP Awarded: +230]
[System: Fear Index 100%]
[Xp A#$&)/ re: 577$#7]
[10x Reward Activated]
[XP Awarded: +23000]
[Level Up:4 > 8]
Kael exhaled slowly. "You've reached a new threshold. I feel it...."
Arin straightened. "Yeah....indeed."