The giant curse attacked.
Kael barely dodged as its claw smashed the pavement.
Cars flipped like toys.
Buildings cracked.
Kael's chest tightened again.
"Come on… pulse!"
Nothing happened.
The monster grabbed him.
Lifted him into the air.
"You smell like him," the creature hissed.
Kael struggled.
"Like who?!"
The curse leaned closer.
"The one who made us."
Kael's blood ran cold.
"That's impossible—"
The curse tightened its grip.
"You were born from him."
Then—
A gunshot echoed.
The monster's arm exploded.
Virel stood behind it holding a strange silver revolver.
Symbols glowed along the barrel.
"Let the boy breathe," he said casually.
The monster turned.
"You cannot kill us."
Virel smirked.
"I know."
He pointed the gun at Kael instead.
Kael's eyes widened.
"WAIT—"
BANG.
The bullet hit Kael directly in the heart.
Everything went dark.
Then—
THUMP.
The biggest pulse yet exploded across the entire district.
Every curse within a hundred meters turned to dust.
Kael collapsed.
Barely conscious.
As the dust cleared, Virel whispered:
"Good."
"The Black Pulse is awakening."
But something else moved inside the smoke.
Something that didn't die.
And it was smiling.