Kai's body kept walking through the forest even though his real mind was screaming to stop.
The Shadow King was in charge now.
He raised his hand. More shadow beasts rose from the ground and ran off to hunt.
"Bring me every dying Echo you find," the king ordered in a cold royal voice.
Inside Kai's head, the real Kai fought hard.
"Stop! No more collecting!"
But the king only smiled. "Power is everything."
A few minutes later, the first shadow beast returned. It dragged a dying wild awakened behind it.
Kai's hand moved by itself and touched the man's shoulder.
**[New Echo Absorbed!]**
**Name: Wild Striker**
**Skills: Brutal punches, rage boost**
**Personality: Angry and loud**
A warm rush filled Kai. His fists felt heavier and stronger.
The real Kai groaned inside. "Not again…"
**[Status Update]**
**Fractured Echo Weaver – Level 6**
**Active Echoes: 11/10 (Overflow)**
**Overlap Risk: 100%**
**God Fragment Influence: 52%**
**New Skill: Rage Punch unlocked**
The king laughed. "Good. More."
Another shadow beast came back. This one carried a small glowing crystal from a dead monster.
Kai touched it.
**[Echo Fragment Absorbed!]**
**Skill: Minor Poison Resistance**
His skin tingled. He felt a little stronger against poison.
Two more beasts returned at the same time.
One had a dying forest hunter.
The other had pieces from a killed shadow monster.
Kai touched both quickly.
**[New Echo Absorbed!]**
**Name: Forest Tracker**
**Skills: Better senses, tracking**
**[Echo Fragment Absorbed!]**
**Skill: Shadow Hide (become harder to see)**
**Active Echoes: 13/10 (Heavy Overflow)**
Kai's eyes became sharper. He could now sense every living thing around him.
The real Kai's voice became weaker. "Too many… I can't think…"
But the king kept going. "Excellent. Keep collecting."
Mira and Lira were running ahead, breathing hard.
Mira looked back and saw new shadow beasts following them.
"More are coming! And Kai is getting stronger every minute!"
Lira pulled her faster. "We must reach the camp. They can help pull the god out."
Suddenly, two shadow beasts jumped out in front of the girls.
Mira quickly touched the smoke from a dead beast she had destroyed earlier.
Her power activated.
Two new glowing cards formed in her hands.
"Shadow Bind Card!"
"Tracker Sense Card!"
She threw the first card. It exploded and tied one beast with dark chains.
The second card made her and Lira move smarter ,dodging better.
"Nice!" Mira cheered. "I'm collecting too!"
Lira smiled a little even while running. "Good job, Mira."
Back with Kai, three more shadow beasts returned.
One brought a dying spirit bird.
One brought a wounded hunter.
One brought a small Veil crystal.
Kai touched all three without stopping.
**[New Echo Absorbed!]**
**Name: Spirit flyer**
**Skills: Light flight, wind control**
**[Echo Fragment Absorbed!]**
**Skill: Hunter Weakness Sense**
**[Veil Fragment Absorbed]**
**Bonus: +15% Veil resistance**
**Active Echoes: 16/10 (Extreme Overflow)**
Kai's body lifted slightly off the ground for a second. He could float a little now.
The king's voice became louder and prouder. "We are becoming unstoppable."
The real Kai was almost gone. His voice was very small now.
"Please… stop… I don't want to lose myself…"
But the king answered, "You already have."
Mira and Lira kept running.
Mira made one more card from the smoke of a destroyed beast.
"Flight Boost Card!"
She threw it. Both girls felt lighter and ran faster for a short time.
But more shadow beasts were closing in.
Lira looked back. "Kai is collecting too fast. If he keeps this up, the real him will disappear completely."
Mira nodded, tears in her eyes. "We have to reach the camp soon. I want my funny voice Kai back!"
Kai ,the Shadow King ,walked steadily behind them.
Every few minutes, another shadow beast returned with a new Echo or fragment.
He was growing stronger with every step.
The Breaker camp was still a day away.
And the real Kai was fading faster than ever.
How many more Echoes would he collect before there was nothing left of the old Kai?