The air froze.
The cloaked figures stood at the edge of the ruins, unmoving—like shadows given form.
At least five in front.
More behind.
Ethan Carter exhaled slowly, his grip tightening around the knife.
"Okay…" he muttered under his breath. "This officially beats my worst Monday."
No one laughed.
The man at the front stepped forward.
"You shouldn't exist," he said coldly, his gaze locked onto Ethan. "Silver Blood ended long ago."
Ethan tilted his head slightly.
"Yeah? Funny. I feel pretty alive."
A faint ripple of movement passed through the group.
The woman beside him spoke quietly:
"Don't provoke them."
Ethan didn't take his eyes off the enemy.
"Too late for that, I think."
The man raised his hand.
Instantly—
The others spread out.
Surrounding.
Cutting off every escape.
Ethan clicked his tongue.
"…Yeah. Definitely not friendly."
---
The first attack came without warning.
A cloaked figure rushed forward, blade flashing toward Ethan's throat.
Fast.
But—
Not fast enough.
Time slowed.
Ethan saw everything.
The angle.
The shift of weight.
The tension in the attacker's arm.
His body moved on its own.
He stepped aside.
Clean. Effortless.
The blade sliced through empty air.
"…Wait," Ethan blinked. "That actually worked?"
The attacker hesitated for a fraction of a second.
That was enough.
Ethan's hand shot out—
Grabbing the man's wrist.
Twisting.
A sharp crack echoed.
The blade dropped.
The man let out a low grunt.
Ethan stared at his own hand.
"…Okay. I'm definitely stronger."
No time to process—
Another attacker came from behind.
Ethan ducked instinctively.
A blade passed just above his head.
He turned—
Too fast.
Too sharp.
His knife drove forward.
Straight into the attacker's side.
The man staggered back.
Blood spread across his cloak.
Ethan froze for half a second.
"I… did that."
"Focus!" the woman snapped.
Right.
Focus.
More enemies rushed in.
This time—
They moved together.
Coordinated.
Ethan's expression tightened.
"Yeah, okay… now it's getting serious."
---
Steel clashed.
Footsteps echoed across stone.
The ruins became a battlefield.
The woman moved like a storm.
Precise.
Deadly.
Her dagger cut through the air, forcing two attackers back at once.
But Ethan—
Was different.
He wasn't trained.
He wasn't precise.
He was raw.
Uncontrolled.
And terrifying.
A cloaked figure lunged at him—
Ethan didn't dodge.
He stepped in.
Took the hit on his shoulder—
And grabbed the attacker by the throat.
"Bad move," Ethan said quietly.
Then—
He slammed him into the ground.
Hard.
Stone cracked beneath the impact.
The attacker didn't get back up.
Ethan stared down at him, breathing heavily.
"…Okay. That felt illegal."
"Ethan!" the woman shouted.
He turned.
Too late.
A blade cut across his back.
Pain flared.
Ethan staggered forward.
"Yeah, that part still hurts—!"
He spun around—
But the attacker was already retreating.
Not reckless.
Smart.
Testing him.
Ethan wiped blood from his mouth.
"…You guys are really annoying."
---
Then—
Something shifted.
The man at the front raised his hand again.
All movement stopped.
The attackers stepped back.
Ethan frowned.
"…What, break time?"
No answer.
The man stepped forward slowly.
"You're unstable," he said. "You don't understand your own power."
Ethan shrugged slightly.
"Yeah, I got that impression."
"You rely on instinct," the man continued. "That will get you killed."
Ethan tilted his head.
"Then come try."
A pause.
Then—
The man moved.
Fast.
Faster than anything before.
Ethan barely reacted in time.
Their blades clashed—
A shockwave of force ran through Ethan's arm.
"—!"
He slid back several steps.
Eyes widening.
"…Okay. You're different."
The man didn't respond.
He attacked again.
Relentless.
Precise.
Every strike aimed to kill.
Ethan blocked—
Dodged—
Barely keeping up.
His breathing grew heavier.
His body was fast.
Strong.
But—
Untrained.
The difference showed.
A cut opened across his side.
Another along his arm.
Ethan gritted his teeth.
"…Alright. This is getting less fun."
The man stepped closer.
"You're wasting it," he said coldly. "Power without control is meaningless."
Ethan's vision flickered.
Silver light pulsed faintly beneath his skin.
His heartbeat slowed.
Then—
Changed.
Everything went quiet.
No wind.
No sound.
Only—
The rhythm of blood.
Ethan lifted his head.
His eyes—
Now carried a faint silver glow.
"…Then I'll just have to learn faster."
---
The man attacked again.
But this time—
Ethan saw more.
Not just movement.
Intention.
Before the blade even moved—
Ethan already stepped aside.
He countered instantly.
Faster.
Cleaner.
His knife cut across the man's chest.
The first real hit.
The man staggered back.
For the first time—
He looked surprised.
Ethan exhaled slowly.
"…Yeah. That's better."
The silver glow intensified.
His movements sharpened.
One attacker rushed in—
Ethan turned—
Struck—
Down.
Another came—
Blocked.
Countered.
Dropped.
Everything flowed.
Like instinct—
But refined.
Controlled.
Even he didn't fully understand it.
But it felt—
Right.
---
Then—
A sound cut through the battlefield.
A low, distant horn.
The same sound as before.
Everything froze.
The cloaked man stepped back immediately.
"…Enough."
The others retreated.
No hesitation.
No resistance.
Ethan frowned.
"…You guys really like dramatic exits."
The man looked at him one last time.
"Enjoy this moment," he said.
"It won't last."
Then—
They vanished into the forest.
Gone.
Just like that.
---
Silence returned.
Ethan stood there, breathing heavily.
The silver glow faded.
His body suddenly felt—
Heavy.
Very heavy.
"…Okay," he muttered. "Now I feel it."
His legs gave out.
He dropped to one knee.
"Side effects," he added dryly.
The woman walked over quickly.
"You pushed too far."
Ethan let out a weak laugh.
"Yeah… I figured that part out late."
She helped him steady himself.
Behind them—
Allen remained unconscious.
Unchanged.
For now.
Ethan looked at the forest.
"They just left…"
"Yes," she said.
"…Why?"
She didn't answer immediately.
Then—
"They weren't here to kill you."
Ethan frowned.
"…That's not comforting."
"They were confirming something."
"What?"
She looked at him.
"Whether you're real."
A pause.
Then—
From deep within the forest—
Another sound echoed.
Not a horn this time.
Something heavier.
Slower.
Like something massive… moving.
Both of them froze.
Ethan's expression changed.
"…Okay. Please tell me that's not another wave."
The woman's face turned serious.
"No."
"…It's worse."
Ethan swallowed.
"Define worse."
She stared into the darkness.
Her voice dropped.
"That…"
"…is what controls them."
The ground trembled faintly.
Something—
Was coming.
And this time—
It wasn't testing him.
It was hunting.
Ethan slowly stood up, gripping his knife again.
A faint trace of silver flickered in his veins.
"…Good," he said quietly.
A tired smile appeared on his face.
"I was just getting warmed up."