Chapter 6: New Family

Kaiser dangled upside down, struggling against the rope that had snapped around his ankle. The five bandits surrounding him were grinning, their weapons drawn. One of them, scarred and carrying a rusted axe, gave a mocking laugh. "Not even five minutes outside Pax Crossing, and you're already caught?"

The others chuckled. "Poor bastard probably thought he could survive on his own."

Kaiser gritted his teeth. It was his own mistake—he had let his guard down.

And now, he had to fix it. "These bandits are weak, but they can serve as your training." Alzalel's voice slithered into Kaiser's mind, cold and calm.

"You rely on power you do not understand. Use this moment to learn."

Kaiser tensed. He was still exhausted. He couldn't afford to waste his abilities.

He needed to think. One of the bandits, a thin man with a jagged knife, stepped forward, raising his weapon toward Kaiser's chest.

"Let's see if you have anything valuable on you."

Kaiser exhaled slowly.

Then—he moved.

Using the momentum of his hanging position, he twisted his body mid-air, grabbing the bandit's wrist with both hands. He tightened his grip, feeling the bones shift beneath his fingers. The bandit's smug expression twisted into surprise, then pain.

With a sharp yank, Kaiser pulled the man forward, forcing his balance to shift. The bandit's knee buckled, his footing lost on the uneven dirt ground— SNAP.

The rope trapping Kaiser tore loose, sending him flipping downward. Air rushed past his face as he twisted, righting himself just in time to land on his feet, knees bending to absorb the impact. The dust beneath him scattered from the force.

The bandit stumbled back in shock, clutching his wrist.

But Kaiser wasn't done. A strange cold sensation ran through Kaiser's hands.

Before he could even think, his daggers materialized.

A shadow dagger, its edge glowing with an eerie, ghostly mist. Not fully solid, yet not intangible either. The blade shimmered with a quiet hum, reacting to his grip as though they were alive.

Kaiser stared at them for half a second. His weapons… they came when he needed them. Then, he moved.

The first bandit barely had time to react before Kaiser lunged forward, his daggers cutting through the air with precision. The first slash traced a red line across the bandit's chest—not deep, but enough to make him recoil with a strangled cry.

Kaiser pivoted, his body reacting on instinct. The second bandit, one wielding a club, swung wildly at him. Kaiser ducked, feeling the rush of air as the weapon passed just inches above his head. Before the man could recover, Kaiser twisted his blade and drove the hilt into the bandit's ribs, forcing a grunt from his lips.

The other three bandits, now wary, spread out, surrounding him. Their laughter was gone, replaced with tense focus.

Kaiser's heart pounded. This was his first real fight since awakening.

He could feel his muscles burning, his body adjusting to his enhanced reflexes. Every move was sharper, faster. He could see their attacks coming before they even committed to them.

But he couldn't rely on his powers too much.

If he used Phantom Step too soon, he would tire out.

If he used Gaze, he would be just as vulnerable as his enemy.

He had to fight smart.

Just as Kaiser knocked down a second bandit, a deeper voice cut through the air.

"Enough."

The remaining bandits stepped aside as someone new approached.

A larger, more muscular man, wearing reinforced leather armor. Unlike the others, his weapon wasn't a rusted axe or a broken blade—

It was a massive two-handed club, its surface covered in dried blood. A weapon that had crushed many before him.

Kaiser immediately knew—this one was different.

The leader smirked. "You're not bad, kid. But you're not good either."

He rested his club on his shoulder, cracking his neck. "How about I teach you what real pain feels like?"

Kaiser exhaled sharply.

This wasn't like the others.

This one was a real threat.

He had no choice.

Kaiser activated Phantom Step.

His body flickered—disappearing for a split second. The sensation was disorienting, his surroundings momentarily a blur of shadow and light.

He reappeared behind the bandit leader, daggers already swinging.

But — CLANG.

The man reacted instantly, twisting and blocking with the handle of his club. Sparks flew as Kaiser's blade scraped against hardened wood.

Kaiser's eyes widened.

"He saw through it?!"

The bandit leader smirked. "That trick might work on my men, but not on me."

Then—he swung.

The club came down with brutal force, and Kaiser barely had time to twist away. The sheer power of the swing sent a shockwave through the air, kicking up dust and debris as it slammed into the ground where Kaiser had been standing just a breath ago.

The force alone would have shattered bone if it had connected.

Kaiser landed a few feet away, heart pounding. He couldn't afford to take a single hit from that weapon.

The bandit leader rolled his shoulders, grinning. "Come on, kid. Let's see if you can keep up."

In the distance, hidden among the trees, two mysterious figures continued to observe.

One of them let out a low whistle. "He's adapting fast."

The other, more serious, simply said, "But will it be enough?"

They continued to watch. Waiting. Testing.