The Predator Appears
The morning mist hung low over the jungle, curling around the trees like ghostly fingers. The air was damp, heavy with the scent of wet earth and crushed leaves. Not a single bird chirped. Not a single leaf rustled.
Something was wrong.
Mira's fingers twitched near the hilt of her katana, her violet eyes scanning the jungle. She couldn't shake the feeling—they weren't alone.
Behind her, Leo stirred. A soft groan escaped his lips as he struggled to lift his head. His body felt like lead, heavy and useless.
"M-Mira...?" His voice was weak, barely above a whisper.
She didn't turn to him. Every nerve in her body was on edge.
Then—a slow, steady crunch.
A footstep.
Mira's breath hitched. She spun toward the sound, katana half-drawn.
The mist shifted.
A figure emerged, tall and composed, walking through the jungle like it belonged to him. A black cloak draped over dark armor, crimson eyes glowing faintly beneath the hood. His presence felt wrong, as if the air itself bent around him.
Mira's grip on her sword tightened.
Leo, still lying on the ground, turned his head to look. The moment his eyes landed on the man, his stomach dropped.
He wasn't just another enemy.
He was something far worse.
The figure stopped a few feet away, his expression unreadable. Then, he sighed—bored, unimpressed.
"So," he said, his voice smooth but laced with something dangerous, "you're the ones who caught my attention last night."
Kaelvar's Curiosity & Threat
A heavy silence settled over the clearing.
The unknown figure stood relaxed, his cloak swaying slightly, but the air around him felt suffocating. His crimson eyes flickered between Mira and Leo, cold and unreadable—like a predator deciding how long to play with its food before the kill.
Then, he smirked.
"I suppose introductions are in order." His voice was smooth, calm—too calm. "I am Kaelvar. A-Rank Malvora Knight."
Leo's fingers twitched against the dirt. His breathing hitched. Malvora Knights... A-Rank.
They weren't supposed to be beatable.
Kaelvar's gaze flickered past them, toward the ancient statue behind them. For a split second, his smirk wavered.
Then, he stepped forward.
A soft crunch echoed as his boot pressed into the damp earth.
"...Tell me." His voice was casual, but there was weight behind it. "What happened here last night?"
Mira stiffened. "What...?"
Kaelvar's gaze sharpened. "The light."
He lifted his hand, and a strange ripple spread through the air around his fingers—as if the very fabric of reality was twisting beneath his command.
"There was a surge. Something unnatural." His voice was still calm, but there was an edge now, a quiet warning. "I want to know why."
Mira's grip on her katana tightened.
Leo tried to speak, but his throat felt dry. He forced his lips apart, but only a weak croak came out. His body refused to move, and fear coiled around his chest like chains.
Kaelvar took another slow step forward.
"No answer?" His voice was filled with amusement. "Shame."
Then—his smirk widened, but this time, it was sharp. Dangerous.
"I'll kill you if you don't answer."
The words hung in the air like a blade against their throats.
Mira's heart pounded. Her instincts screamed at her to move, to grab Leo, to run.
But where?
No one was coming.
No reinforcements.
No Guardians.
No hope.
Kaelvar took another step, voice laced with amusement.
"I'll kill you even if you do."
Leo's breathing shallowed.
Kaelvar tilted his head slightly, his eyes gleaming.
"The pain will just be... less."
Mira's chest tightened. Her fingers trembled over her sword's hilt.
A single moment of hesitation.
A single thought—is this it?
Then, she inhaled sharply, pushing back the fear. No. If they were going to die, she wouldn't go down begging.
She straightened, planting herself between Leo and Kaelvar.
Her violet eyes burned.
Her grip on her katana tightened.
Her voice came out firm, steady.
"Then I'll fight."
Mira vs. Kaelvar – The First Attack
Mira exhaled sharply. The air around them felt thicker now, pressing down on her shoulders like an invisible weight. She could hear the soft rustling of leaves, the distant drip of morning dew—but her focus was locked on the man before her.
Kaelvar hadn't moved.
He stood still, arms relaxed, watching her with mild amusement.
Mira's grip tightened around her katana.
She knew how this would end. She knew.
But that didn't matter.
Her feet dug into the earth. And then—she moved.
CRACK—
Dirt exploded beneath her as she lunged forward, katana raised high. The wind whipped past her ears, her heart hammering in her chest.
Kaelvar didn't react.
His smirk stayed in place, like he was watching a child throw a tantrum.
Good.
Mira wasn't aiming to strike.
At the last second—she pivoted.
Her foot slid back, and instead of slashing, she thrust her palm forward—
"Water Thrust!"
A jet of water exploded from her katana's tip—sharp, fast, cutting through the air like a spear.
The attack shot toward Kaelvar's chest.
Direct hit.
Or so she thought.
FWIP.
A portal ripped open in front of him.
Mira's eyes widened.
Her attack vanished.
A second portal snapped open—directly behind her.
SHHHHRRRKK!
The same high-pressure water jet came flying straight at her back.
Too fast. Too close.
Mira barely had time to twist her body, the jet grazing past her shoulder before slamming into a tree behind her with a deep, wet CRACK.
She stumbled, breath shaky.
A soft chuckle broke the silence.
Kaelvar tilted his head, unimpressed.
"That all?"
Mira's Desperation – Water Vortex Fails
Mira's breath came fast and uneven. A sharp pain ran through her shoulder where her own Water Thrust had barely missed cutting into her. She had escaped once.
She wouldn't be so lucky again.
Kaelvar still hadn't moved from his spot.
He sighed, rolling his neck lazily. "You're making this harder than it needs to be."
Mira gritted her teeth. She refused to let fear take over.
Her grip tightened around her katana, water energy surging around the blade. The air around her shifted, the humidity rising.
"Water Vortex!"
She spun in place, her katana carving a tight circle through the air.
A whirlwind of water erupted around her—spinning, twisting—growing into a raging vortex. The swirling current howled like a storm, sending leaves and dust flying in all directions.
This would work. It had to.
Mira swung her blade forward, the tornado of water rushing straight at Kaelvar.
He didn't blink.
A portal snapped open.
Mira's eyes widened in horror.
FWOOOSH!
Her own Water Vortex vanished.
A hum of energy. A second portal.
"Not again—!"
Before she could react, the massive whirlpool of water burst out of the air right behind her.
SPLASH!
The force sent Mira stumbling forward, coughing as water crashed down her back. She barely managed to stay on her feet.
Kaelvar's low chuckle echoed through the clearing. "You Guardians rely too much on magic. Without it, you're nothing."
Mira's body shook. Her heart pounded against her ribs. She was running out of stamina.
Then—
A flicker of movement.
Behind her.
A shadow loomed at her back—Kaelvar had teleported.
Mira spun, swinging her katana—
He wasn't there.
A whisper at her ear—
"Too slow."
She felt a rush of cold air, and when she turned again—Kaelvar was back in his original spot, watching her.
Her stomach twisted. He was toying with her.
Mira took a shaky step back. Her legs felt heavier now.
She was burning through energy fast.
She risked a glance at Leo.
He was still on the ground, body trembling, face twisted in frustration. His fingers clawed at the dirt.
His lips barely moved as he whispered, voice full of desperation.
"Move... body... MOVE!"
The Legendary Water Dragon – Mira's Last Hope
Mira's breath was ragged. Her limbs felt like dead weight, her chest rising and falling in sharp, painful gasps.
She was out of options.
Her vision blurred for a moment, sweat dripping down her temple. Kaelvar stood in the same spot, untouched. Unbothered.
His crimson eyes watched her struggle, calm and patient—like a hunter waiting for its prey to break.
Mira gritted her teeth. Not yet.
She tightened her grip on her katana, her knuckles turning white.
One last move.
Her strongest technique.
If this didn't work...
She didn't let herself finish the thought.
With a sharp cry, she raised her sword high above her head and—
Plunged it into the earth.
CRACK!
The ground shook beneath her. The air rippled.
A deep rumbling sound filled the jungle, like the roar of an approaching storm.
Then—
Water exploded from the ground.
A massive wave surged upward, twisting and spiraling into the form of a dragon.
Its glowing blue eyes snapped open, its fangs bared.
The Legendary Water Dragon.
It coiled around Mira, its massive body made of raging currents and crashing waves. The air vibrated from its sheer force.
Kaelvar watched. He didn't move.
He didn't look impressed.
Mira thrust her hand forward.
"GO!"
The dragon let out a thunderous roar, its body surging toward Kaelvar like a tidal wave ready to crush everything in its path.
Leo, still half-conscious, felt his breath catch.
Something... felt off.
His fingers twitched against the dirt.
His body was still too weak to move—but something inside him stirred.
A strange warmth crawled up his spine, different from exhaustion.
It felt familiar.
Like he had felt it before...
Somewhere.
FWIP.
A massive black portal ripped open in front of Kaelvar.
Leo's heart dropped.
Mira's eyes widened in horror.
"No—!"
Before the dragon could reach him, it was swallowed whole.
The jungle fell silent.
Kaelvar exhaled through his nose, unimpressed. "Hmph."
Then, with a flick of his wrist—
A second portal tore open.
Right above Mira.
Her own Legendary Water Dragon came crashing down—on her.
SPLASH!
The impact sent Mira slamming into the mud, the weight of the water crushing her body.
She gasped, choking as the last of the energy drained from her limbs.
Leo's vision blurred.
His heartbeat pounded in his ears.
Mira collapsed to her knees. Her hands trembled, her katana shaking in her grip.
She was done.
Kaelvar finally took a step forward, rolling his shoulder as he unsheathed his sword. The sound of metal sliding against metal sent a fresh wave of terror through Leo's body.
Kaelvar's voice was calm, final.
"This was fun."
He raised his blade.
"But playtime's over."
The Killing Blow – Leo's Desperate Move
Mira couldn't move.
Her body felt like stone, her limbs refusing to respond. She struggled to breathe, her chest heaving as water dripped from her trembling fingers.
Her katana lay in the mud beside her, useless.
She had nothing left.
Kaelvar tilted his head, watching her kneel in the dirt. His blade gleamed in the morning light as he lifted it with ease.
"A shame." His voice was almost bored. "You put up a fight. But in the end..."
He vanished.
A sharp whisper of air cut through the clearing.
Mira's eyes widened.
He was behind her.
Her body froze.
She couldn't turn. Couldn't dodge. This was it.
Kaelvar's blade came down fast.
SHING!
A sharp ringing sound. The blade sliced toward her neck—
And then—
A second whistle through the air.
Something moving fast.
FWIP—THUNK!
Kaelvar's instincts screamed. His eyes flickered to the side—
A rusted katana came hurtling straight at him.
Leo's katana.
Kaelvar reacted instantly.
His fingers flicked, and a portal split open between him and the incoming blade.
The katana was about to vanish inside—
Then—
"It's not over until I win."
The words came low and hoarse, but the sheer determination behind them sent a chill through the air.
Kaelvar's smirk faltered.
Just for a moment.
His crimson eyes flickered toward the rusted blade—
A feeling twisted in his chest.
Something was wrong.
Kuroyasha's True Power – Kaelvar's End
The rusted katana spun through the air, its blade catching the morning light as it raced toward Kaelvar's portal.
Kaelvar's smirk was gone.
His crimson eyes narrowed, locked onto the sword as if sensing something off.
Then—
The moment Kuroyasha touched the portal—
CRACK!
A sharp shudder ran through the air. The space within the portal rippled violently, distorting like a broken mirror.
Kaelvar's breath hitched.
"What—?"
The portal didn't absorb the katana.
It collapsed.
SHATTER!
A deep, unnatural ripping sound echoed as the portal tore itself apart, erased from existence.
Mira, still struggling to stay upright, stared in disbelief.
Leo's katana kept going.
Kaelvar's body tensed. He had no time to react. No second chance to open another portal.
He could only watch as Kuroyasha's rusted blade drove straight into his chest.
THUNK!
The impact sent a dull shockwave through the clearing. Kaelvar's fingers trembled, his breath catching in his throat.
The blade had gone all the way through.
For the first time, Kaelvar looked shaken.
His eyes flickered down to the sword lodged in his chest.
A single drop of blood slid from his lips.
He coughed, his voice barely a whisper.
"But... how?" His fingers twitched as if trying to reach for something—something that wasn't there. "You... can't be human..."
His body began to sink, his legs giving out beneath him.
For the first time, Kaelvar felt fear.
And then—
Silence.
Silence After the Storm – The True Mystery Begins
The jungle stood frozen in time.
The battle was over.
Kaelvar collapsed, his body hitting the dirt with a lifeless thud. His once arrogant smirk was gone, replaced by emptiness. His fingers twitched once, twice—then stopped moving forever.
The morning sun pierced through the mist, casting a golden glow over the battlefield. Yet, the air felt cold.
Mira didn't move.
Her legs trembled, her chest rising and falling in deep, uneven gasps. Her fingers, still curled around her katana, felt numb.
She should feel relieved.
But all she felt was shock.
Her violet eyes flickered to the rusted katana—Leo's katana.
It stood in the ground where Kaelvar had fallen, the last traces of its eerie glow flickering... then fading completely.
Just an old, rusted sword.
Like nothing had happened.
But Mira knew better.
Slowly, she turned toward Leo.
He lay motionless, his chest rising and falling weakly. His body looked so small, so fragile against the battlefield they had just survived.
He shouldn't be alive.
Yet—he was.
Mira's breath shook. She took a hesitant step forward, then another, before finally kneeling beside him.
His face was pale, his dark brown hair messy and damp with sweat. His breathing was slow, his body burning up beneath her fingertips.
She reached out, brushing his hair away to get a better look at him.
"How? How did you do that?"
Her hands tightened into fists.
The power behind that sword... The way Kaelvar's portal collapsed like nothing... The fact that Leo—a mere E-rank Guardian trainee—killed an A-Rank Malvora Knight.
It was impossible.
Her lips parted, a whisper escaping before she even realized.
"Leo... what... are you?"
But Leo didn't answer.
His body finally gave in.
His eyes fluttered shut, and the world went black.
Epilogue: The Watcher in the Shadows
The jungle remained silent.
Mira sat beside Leo, her mind racing, her heart still hammering from the battle.
She had so many questions.
But none would be answered today.
Because far beyond the battlefield, in the shadow of a crumbling stone pillar, someone was watching.
A figure stood motionless, half-hidden by the twisted remains of an ancient tree. His cloak, worn from age, billowed gently in the morning breeze. The hood draped low over his face, concealing his eyes in shadow—but the lower half of his face was visible.
His lips pressed into a thin line, as if in thought.
As if he had just witnessed something impossible.
His gaze flickered to the rusted katana still buried in the earth. Then to Leo's unconscious form.
A moment of stillness.
Then—a whisper.
"...So you've returned."
The wind howled through the trees, carrying his words into the endless jungle.
But no one was there to hear them.
No one... except the ghosts of the past.