Chapter 9: The Hunter becomes the Hunted

Dante tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

His mind was too loud, replaying the same thought over and over.

Another Gifted had lost their ability.

And it wasn't him.

That meant someone else was hunting.

But why?

Was it another thief?

Or was it something worse?

Dante sat up, rubbing his face.

If he wanted answers, he had to find them himself.

---

Dante barely touched his breakfast.

His mother noticed. "Mijo, are you feeling okay?"

"Fine," he muttered.

Alyssa arched a brow. "You sure? 'Cause you look like you got hit by a truck."

Dante ignored her, shoving his chair back.

"I'm heading out."

His mother frowned. "School?"

"Something like that."

Before she could ask more, he was gone.

---

Dante spent the day chasing rumors.

The Water Gifted who lost their ability had been found unconscious in an alley.

No wounds. No signs of struggle.

Just empty.

Dante stood on the rooftop above the alley, staring down.

This wasn't like his thefts.

He stole Gifts.

But this?

This was erasure.

And that terrified him.

If there was something or someone that could erase a Gift completely…

What would happen if they came for him?

Dante clenched his fists.

He needed to find them.

And stop them.

---

A Sudden Encounter

A whisper of movement.

Dante tensed.

He wasn't alone.

The air shifted, a pressure against his senses.

Then—

A blur of motion.

Dante whirled, shadows snapping to his hands—

But something hit him first.

Fast.

Too fast.

Pain exploded through his ribs as a fist slammed into his side.

Dante staggered back, gasping.

His eyes locked onto the attacker.

A figure in black, masked and hooded, standing eerily still.

Their voice was calm.

"You're not the only one, you know."

Dante's stomach twisted.

Something was wrong.

This wasn't a thief.

This wasn't someone like him.

This was something else entirely.

A predator.

And Dante was the prey.

---

Dante attacked first.

Lightning crackled from his fingers, arcing toward the figure—

But the moment it touched them…

It vanished.

The electricity blinked out of existence.

Dante's breath hitched.

What the hell?

The figure moved.

A blur of speed.

Before Dante could react—

A knee slammed into his stomach, knocking the air from his lungs.

Dante stumbled, coughing, but forced himself to stand.

The figure didn't gloat. Didn't mock him.

They just watched.

Analyzing. Calculating.

Dante wiped blood from his lip. "Who the hell are you?"

The figure tilted their head.

A whisper of a response.

"A name for a dog like me is unnecessary; but if you insist on calling me something call me Null."

Then they attacked again.

---

Dante had never fought someone like this.

Null was fast.

Strong.

More than that—

They erased everything they touched.

His Lightning? Gone.

His Shadows? Useless.

Every time he tried to summon his power, the moment it got too close to Null—

It ceased to exist.

Like it had never been there at all.

Dante was powerless.

For the first time since stealing his first Gift—

He was just a Zero again.

Panic surged in his chest.

No.

No, no, no—

He refused to be weak again.

But Null wasn't waiting for him to figure it out.

A fist smashed into his jaw, sending him sprawling.

Dante hit the rooftop hard, vision swimming.

He barely had time to roll away before a boot stomped where his head had been.

Null was relentless.

Dante was losing.

And fast.

---

Dante struggled to his feet, breathing hard.

Null didn't chase him.

Didn't finish the fight.

They simply watched.

Then—

Their voice. Flat. Empty.

"You think you're special," they said. "You're not."

Dante glared, spitting blood. "Yeah? And what the hell are you?"

A pause.

Then, cold words.

"A correction."

A chill raced down Dante's spine.

Null stepped closer.

"I erase mistakes," they murmured. "And you, Dante?"

Their masked face tilted.

"You are a mistake."

Dante's blood ran cold.

Then—

Null was gone.

Vanished into the night.

Like they had never been there at all.

---

Dante stayed on the rooftop, panting.

His body ached.

His mind spun.

He had lost.

Completely.

For the first time since stealing his first Gift—

He had been utterly powerless.

And worse?

Null hadn't even tried.

They had been holding back.

Dante clenched his fists.

His Gifts had been useless against them.

So if he wanted to stand a chance next time…

He needed to become something even worse.

---

Dante stumbled back to his apartment, pain lacing through his body.

His mother gasped when she saw him. "Dios mío, Dante! What happened?!"

"I'm fine, just got jumped on my way to school..." he muttered.

His Dad looked at him, narrowing his eyes in suspicion "You don't look fine".

Dante ignored them both, heading to his room.

He locked the door.

Then, he grabbed his notebook.

A new section.

A new goal.

How to Kill Null

✔ Find someone with a Gift strong enough to counter erasure.

✔ Train. Harder than ever.

✔ Take as many Gifts as possible.

✔ Next time—don't run.

Dante's hands shook.

Not from fear.

From rage.

From determination.

He had been at the top.

And in a single night, Null had knocked him back down.

But this wasn't over.

Not even close.

Dante closed his notebook, jaw tightening.

Null thought he was a mistake.

Null thought they could erase him.

Dante grinned, eyes dark with something dangerous.

Let them try.

Because next time?

Dante wasn't going to lose.

Next time—

Dante would erase them.

---

Dante grabbed his notebook and put in his now trashed backpack "Great, now I'll have to ask Mom for a new bag". Dante heard his parents on the phone talking to someone he heard his name but they were talking so hushed he couldn't make out the rest. He used them being preoccupied to slip out the back without either of them noticing; he still had to make to school afterall.

---

Dante dragged himself through the school doors, every muscle in his body twitching in pain.

He made it to his desk right as the teacher called his name for attendance.

Dante sat in his desk, slumped back, exhaustion weighing on him. The dull hum of voices filled the classroom, but his mind was far away—still replaying the fight with Null.

That fight had shaken him.

Not just because he had nearly died.

But because Null knew who he was.

Knew what he could do.

And if he knew, then who else did?

Dante clenched his fists under the desk, feeling the faint crackle of electricity between his fingertips. His body still ached from last night, but his biggest problem wasn't pain.

It was Alyssa.

She was too close to the truth.

The only way to throw her off…

Was to lie.

---

Finally a long day it was time for lunch.

Alyssa was already waiting for him by the time Dante sat down.

She didn't waste time.

"Alright, I know something's going on."

Dante barely had time to bite into his sandwich before she leaned forward, eyes locked onto his.

"What?" he said, playing dumb.

Alyssa exhaled sharply. "Dante. You disappear at night, you come back looking like you got hit by a truck, and suddenly people are losing their Gifts left and right?" Her voice dropped lower. "I don't believe in coincidences."

Dante swallowed. This was it. The moment.

Time to execute the lie.

Step 1: Play hesitant.

"I… I was going to tell you," Dante said, forcing uncertainty into his voice. "I just—" He ran a hand through his hair, looking away. "I didn't know how to bring it up."

Alyssa's suspicion faltered for the first time. "Bring what up?"

Step 2: Sell the lie.

Dante let out a shaky breath, then looked her in the eyes.

"My Awakening."

Silence.

Alyssa blinked.

"…What?"

Dante swallowed, leaning in. "It happened two nights ago. Out of nowhere. I don't know how, but—" He held up his hand, letting a small arc of lightning flicker between his fingers.

Alyssa gasped.

Her eyes widened, darting between his hand and his face.

"You—you have a Gift? Now?!"

Dante nodded, forcing a sheepish smile.

"I guess I was just a late bloomer."

Alyssa's shock turned into awe. "Dante, that's—holy shit!" She grabbed his arm. "You—you finally have a Gift! Do you know how rare that is?! No one's ever awakened this late before!"

Dante shrugged, playing it cool. "I guess I just got lucky."

Alyssa was too overwhelmed to question it.

She was buying it.

Hook, line, and sinker.

---

Just as Dante was about to breathe easy, a shadow fell over the table.

"Bullshit."

Dante froze.

Alyssa's head snapped up. "Zane, what the hell do you want?"

Zane Mercer stood over them, arms crossed, a cocky smirk on his face—but his eyes were sharp. Too sharp.

"You really expect us to believe that?" Zane scoffed. "A late bloomer? That's your excuse?"

Dante forced a grin, leaning back. "I don't really care if you believe it or not."

Zane's eyes narrowed. "Funny how you 'awaken' right when people start losing their Gifts."

Dante's stomach twisted.

This wasn't part of the plan.

Zane wasn't convinced.

Dante shrugged. "Not my problem."

Zane took a slow step closer. "You know what I think?" he murmured. "I think you're lying. And I think I know why."

Dante's blood ran cold.

For a moment, it felt like Null was standing in front of him again.

Staring straight through him.

But before Zane could push further—

Alyssa stood up.

"That's enough, Zane," she snapped. "He just awakened. You don't have to be a dick about it."

Zane didn't look away from Dante.

"I'll be watching you, Zero."

And then, he walked off.

Alyssa let out a sharp breath, shaking her head. "God, I hate that guy."

Dante forced himself to relax.

But inside?

His mind was screaming.

Zane knew.

---

The lie worked.

Alyssa was thrilled for him, spending the rest of the day asking him questions about how his Gift worked, how it felt, what he could do.

Dante played it safe—only showing small sparks, never anything overwhelming.

He needed this lie to hold.

He needed Alyssa off his back.

And it was working.

For now.

But Zane?

Zane wasn't fooled.

Dante could feel the bastard's eyes on him all day.

And as he walked home, the weight of it pressed down on him.

The game was changing.

He wasn't just stealing Gifts anymore.

Now, he had to protect his secret.

And if Zane or anyone else got too close?

Dante wasn't afraid to do what was necessary.

Because there was no turning back now.