Watched Over

As Kai entered the alley, the shadows seemed to press in around him, dampening the faint noises of the village beyond. Isla emerged from his Monster Core, her tiny figure materializing in a burst of soft light. Her face was pale, her wide eyes betraying a mixture of awe and disbelief.

"What… what did you just do?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Kai, still catching his breath, looked at her with mild confusion. "What do you mean? I just—"

"You reached the second stage of Varkul's Cultivation Technique," Isla interrupted, her tone sharp but edged with incredulity. "That's... that's impossible! Monsters—no, even humanoids—take months, sometimes years, to achieve what you just did. You… you've done it in less than a month."

Kai shrugged, his expression unassuming. "I just followed your instructions. I closed my eyes, focused on the energy, and when I noticed it was struggling to enter my core… I made the point of entry bigger."

Isla blinked, struggling to process his words. "You made it bigger? How?"

"I don't know," Kai admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "I just... wished for it, and it happened."

For a moment, Isla was silent. Her thoughts raced, her mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. This human is… something else.

She had seen prodigies before, rare individuals whose talent defied expectations. But Kai wasn't just talented. His growth, his adaptability, was unparalleled. Could it be? she thought, her gaze lingering on him. Was Master planning this all along?

She bit her lip, a sense of unease creeping in. Everything—the system, the cultivation technique, the ring—it all felt too perfectly aligned, as if some grand design was at play. Isla couldn't shake the feeling that Kai's role in this story had been orchestrated long before his arrival. But how could her Master, Varkul, have known?

"Isla?" Kai's voice broke through her thoughts. He tapped her tiny shoulder gently, concern flickering in his eyes. "You okay?"

Startled, Isla nodded quickly. "Yes, sorry. I was just… thinking. Are you ready for the next step?"

Kai's expression turned serious. He knew what lay ahead. The Corrupted Tree, their next target, was the most heavily guarded location in the Dark Elf village. If anything went wrong—if his [Shadow Cloak] faltered again—there would be no margin for error. The guards would descend on him like predators on wounded prey.

"I think we should wait," Kai said firmly. "If something goes wrong, I'll need the ability I just gained from the second stage. Rushing in now would be suicide."

Isla studied him for a moment, then nodded. "You're right. Resting is the wiser choice. I'll keep watch while you sleep."

Kai hesitated but finally relented. Exhaustion weighed heavily on him, his limbs aching from the night's events. Finding a spot behind a discarded trash bin, he settled down, curling up as his dragon-like eyes fluttered shut. Within moments, his breathing steadied, and he drifted into a deep sleep.

Isla hovered nearby, her gaze softening as she watched him. You don't even realize how extraordinary you are, do you? she thought. Turning away, she glanced at the darkened sky above, its inky expanse dotted with faint, pale stars.

Her expression hardened. "Come out," she whispered, her voice low but commanding. Her eyes scanned the shadows. "I know you're there."

No response.

She narrowed her eyes, her tone sharpening. "I can feel your presence. Stop hiding."

Still, there was no movement, no sound. Yet Isla's instincts screamed that someone—or something—was watching. Ever since Kai's breakthrough, a powerful energy had loomed over them, its oppressive weight a constant reminder of their precarious situation.

Her fingers twitched with frustration. If only I could use my full power... But she knew the consequences. Revealing her true strength would draw attention from far greater forces, ones Kai wasn't ready to face.

As she mulled over her options, the oppressive presence suddenly vanished. Gone, as if it had never been there. Isla exhaled slowly, her tension easing only slightly. Whoever it was, they had chosen to retreat—for now.

But her unease lingered. Whoever had been watching them would undoubtedly report back to their superiors. Kai wasn't ready for that kind of attention. They needed more time.

***

Far from the village, two figures moved through the dense forest, their cloaks blending with the darkness. Lady Myre's sharp features were set in a mask of irritation as she led the way, her every step purposeful. Behind her, Lord Shing followed silently, his keen eyes scanning the trees for any sign of their quarry.

"It's been days," Myre muttered, her voice tight with frustration. "We're no closer to finding him."

"They won't," Shing interrupted, his tone calm but firm. "Our network is unparalleled. He won't escape us."

Myre shot him a skeptical glance but said nothing. Her mind drifted to the past, to the deal she had struck with the God of Monsters. Thousands of years had passed since that fateful day, yet the weight of her promise remained. I will find him, she thought. I have to.

Their march was interrupted as one of Shing's subordinates stumbled into view, panting heavily. "I-I think I might have found something…"

Myre's eyes narrowed, her heart pounding with a mix of hope and dread. "Speak," she ordered.

The subordinate straightened, his face pale but determined. "There's a disturbance near the Dark Elf village. There's a chance that it is the anomaly that you have talked about. The beings I watched over also released a great deal of energy. Something that wasn't corresponding of the first realm."

Shing's expression darkened. "Do you think it's the anomaly?"

The subordinate hesitated but nodded. "It's possible."

For the first time in days, Myre felt a spark of optimism. But there was still the same problem as always... she would need to get rid of Shing before they found him. Otherwise, the deal she had made thousands of years ago would result in failure and she would die because of this failure.