The night forest had gone silent.
The hunter captain's body lay against the broken tree, blood slowly spreading beneath him.
Above the treetops, the silver distress flare still faded across the sky.
Kai stared upward, his face dark.
"No…"
Jack's silver eyes narrowed.
"The Church saw it."
A cold wind passed through the trees.
For the first time since the fight ended, both Jack and Kai looked truly worried.
Kai turned sharply toward Aarav.
"We need to move. Now."
Jack nodded.
"Once the Silver Cross Church receives that flare, they'll send trackers."
Aarav stood still.
Silent.
His glowing eyes remained fixed on the dead captain.
Then—
He smiled.
It was not his usual smile.
Not the warm smile Mia knew.
Not the awkward smile from college.
This one was calm.
Sharp.
Like a predator watching prey.
Jack froze.
Kai's expression changed.
For the first time—
Both of them felt something they had never expected to feel around. Aarav.
Fear.
Kai slowly spoke.
"Aarav?"
Aarav did not look at them.
His eyes were still on the captain's body.
Then he slowly walked closer.
His smile deepened.
"Interesting."
Jack frowned.
"What?"
Aarav crouched beside the body.
His fingers moved to the shattered silver crystal fragments still hanging from the captain's belt.
Then he looked up.
"The Church knows."
Kai clenched his fists.
"Yes."
"That's exactly the problem."
Aarav slowly shook his head.
"No."
His eyes gleamed sharply.
"They know the existence of the bloodline."
His voice became colder.
"But they do not know who carries it."
Silence.
Jack blinked.
Kai stared at him.
Aarav slowly stood.
His smile was calm.
Dangerously calm.
"After I kill him, nobody will know my existence."
Kai's eyes widened.
The words hit him hard.
For a moment, he had forgotten.
The captain was already dead.
No witness remained.
Aarav looked at the body again.
"I already found the answer during the fight."
Jack frowned.
"What answer?"
Aarav slowly touched his chest.
The mark remained hidden.
"The Church only sensed the bloodline awakening."
"They did not identify the carrier."
Kai's crimson eyes narrowed.
"That's true…"
Aarav's smile sharpened.
"And Elder Seraphina's concealment blood is already working."
He looked at his own hand.
The crimson and silver glow slowly faded.
"I can use wolf instincts."
"I can use vampire speed."
"I can use healing."
"But nobody outside us knows I exist."
The realisation slowly hit Jack and Kai.
Aarav was right.
The Church knew a bloodline had awakened.
But they did not know:
name, face, location, identity
Kai slowly exhaled.
The fear in his eyes eased slightly.
Then he looked at Aarav again.
But another feeling remained.
This smile.
This mindset.
It felt different.
Jack stepped closer.
"How are you this calm?"
Aarav looked toward the dead captain.
Then his eyes shifted deeper into the darkness of the forest.
His voice became low.
"Because survival changes people."
The words made the air colder.
Kai studied him carefully.
For the first time, Aarav no longer looked like the same ordinary college boy.
He looked like someone adapting too fast.
Too natural.
Then something caught Aarav's eye.
A folded silver parchment was hidden inside the captain's coat.
He pulled it out.
Kai moved closer.
"It's a dispatch order."
Aarav opened it.
The parchment glowed faintly with holy runes.
Jack frowned.
"What does it say?"
Kai's expression darkened as he read.
"The Silver Cross Church has detected an awakening bloodline."
He paused.
Then his eyes narrowed.
"They're sending original trackers."
A cold silence spread.
Jack's face changed.
"Original creatures?"
Kai nodded slowly.
"The Church keeps ancient bloodhounds."
"Creatures who can track hidden bloodlines."
Aarav's smile slowly faded.
Now this was serious.
Elder Seraphina had warned them.
Only powerful original creatures could still sense him.
Kai looked at Aarav.
"We need to go back."
"Now."
Jack nodded.
"If original trackers are moving, we don't have much time."
Aarav slowly folded the parchment.
Then his expression sharpened again.
"No."
Jack frowned.
"No?"
Aarav's eyes gleamed.
"If they're sending trackers…"
He looked deeper into the forest.
"…then let them come."
Kai's face darkened.
"Don't be reckless."
Aarav finally turned toward them.
His smile returned.
Sharp.
Predatory.
"Why run from the hunters…"
"…when I can hunt them first?"
The words sent a chill through both Jack and Kai.
For a moment—
They saw something wild inside him.
The vampire instinct.
The alpha instinct.
The hunter instinct.
Aarav slowly stepped forward.
His voice became calm.
"I need experience."
Jack's eyes widened.
"You're not thinking—"
Aarav cut him off.
"I survived because I learned during the fight."
His gaze hardened.
"The next time they come…"
"…I'll be ready."
Kai stared at him.
Then slowly nodded.
The fear was still there.
But now—
So was understanding.
Aarav was changing.
Fast.
Too fast.
The ordinary boy from college was disappearing.
And in his place—
Something stronger was being born.
Somewhere far above the forest—
A silver cross glowed faintly in the clouds.
The Church had begun its hunt.
But they had no idea—
Their prey had already become a hunter.