The city of Virelith slept under a calm moonlight, but Kael was wide awake.
From the top of a quiet tower, he surveyed the streets below. Not the citizens—but the energy flows, the faintest disturbances, the subtle tremors in the Dominion's formation networks.
Something was out of place.
[System Alert: Anomalous Energy Signature Detected – Probability 76%]
Kael's brow furrowed slightly. "Not a Hunter… not directly."
Lyra's voice came softly from behind him:
"Then what is it?"
He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he focused inward, feeling the Infinite Ascension System pulse gently through him. Each micro-fluctuation of the city's energy told a story.
And the story said one thing:
Someone—or something—had prepared a training ground. Hidden. Perfectly disguised. Strategically aligned.
Kael moved silently, Lyra following. Their systems synchronized quietly, scanning the streets, rooftops, and hidden channels beneath the city.
The anomaly led them to an abandoned district, far from civilian eyes. Crystalline towers leaned and twisted in impossible angles, suspended by faint energy threads. Kael's pulse quickened—not from fear, but anticipation.
[System Notification: Hidden Construct Confirmed – Adaptive Response Protocol Active]
The construct was not a building. Not a trap in the traditional sense. It was a living simulation. Every wall, every floor, every object capable of responding, learning, and adapting to their moves.
Kael's lips curved faintly.
"They want me to test control… without alerting the Dominion."
Lyra's eyes narrowed.
"Then it's a perfect training environment. Full adaptive pressure. No collateral risk. Pure efficiency."
Before they could proceed, the air shimmered.
A silver humanoid figure appeared, faceless, hovering silently. Not quite a Hunter. Not quite inert.
Kael's system flickered.
[Adaptive Simulation Layer Detected – Hunter Signature Embedded]
He smiled faintly.
"They left fingerprints. They're teaching… not just testing."
The figure extended its arm, releasing threads of silver energy designed to ensnare, test, and measure in one fluid motion.
Kael didn't flinch. Instead, he let the threads connect—just barely. Every pulse, every surge measured. His system hummed, analyzing and calibrating.
Lyra stepped beside him, her system scanning for patterns.
"They're mapping both of you simultaneously. Your synergy… they want it quantified."
Kael's eyes glinted.
"Then we'll give them data—but on our terms."
The threads tightened, adaptive pulses increasing. But Kael did not retaliate. Instead, he lowered output slightly, letting the construct learn the pattern. Then, precisely timed, he reversed the feedback—a subtle, controlled burst that destabilized the threads without breaking them.
Lyra's system detected the change instantly.
[Synchronization Detected – Probability of Construct Compromise: 34%]
The construct faltered. Its pulses wavered. Adaptive analysis lagged just enough.
Kael whispered, almost to himself:
"Control is stronger than raw power."
Lyra's eyes softened—not in emotion, but in recognition.
"You're evolving faster than they anticipated."
The construct flickered violently, then stabilized, adjusting its adaptive calculations.
Kael smirked faintly.
"They'll try again."
Lyra glanced at him.
"And we'll be ready."
High above, beyond the city, the faint distortion of Hunter surveillance shimmered. The observers whispered:
"Subject adapts… containment probability decreasing. Escalate Phase Three parameters."
Kael turned his gaze toward the construct, eyes calm, precise.
"Then let them escalate. We are ready."