The unseen threat

Chapter 40: The unseen threat

Kael-X sat on the edge of Elijah's apartment balcony, staring at the city below. The lights shimmered like stars trapped in a concrete jungle. The world was noisy, filled with the endless hum of cars, conversations, and distant sirens. It was different from the silence of space.

But something else was bothering him.

He was being watched.

His instincts, honed through countless battles, screamed at him. Someone—or something—was observing him. It wasn't the usual curious glances from humans. This was different. It felt... calculated.

Inside the apartment, Maya sat on the couch, flipping through channels absentmindedly. She glanced at him. "You've been quiet all day. Thinking about something?"

Kael-X didn't turn to face her. "Something is watching me."

Maya frowned. "You mean, like, the government?"

Kael-X finally looked at her, his golden eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. "Perhaps. But it feels... deeper than that. Like an invisible thread wrapping around me, waiting to tighten."

Maya shivered. "That's creepy."

Kael-X pushed off the balcony railing, landing softly on the floor inside. "I need to move carefully. If someone is studying me, they won't stop at just watching."

---

Elsewhere – Zypheron-5 Surveillance Base

A group of men in black uniforms sat in front of large monitors, watching every movement Kael-X made. His image flickered across multiple screens, each displaying different angles of his activities.

"He knows."

The voice came from the shadows. A man in a high-tech suit stepped forward. His cold blue eyes locked onto the screen. "He can sense us."

A technician hesitated before responding. "Should we go dark? Stop monitoring him?"

The man shook his head. "No. We push forward. Send a test subject."

The room fell silent.

"You mean... a Compound-X Variant?"

The man nodded. "Yes. It's time we see how our creations compare to him."

---

Back at the Apartment

Kael-X's senses flared again. But this time, it wasn't just observation.

Something was coming.

Something unnatural.

Chapter 40 (Continued): The Unseen Threat

Kael-X stepped away from the balcony, his fingers instinctively clenching into fists. The air had shifted. It wasn't just a feeling anymore—it was real. Something was approaching.

Maya, sensing his unease, stood up from the couch. "Kael, what's wrong?"

He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he turned his gaze toward the city skyline, his eyes scanning for something hidden in the night.

Then, he saw it.

A figure, barely visible against the shadows, moving along the rooftops at an inhuman speed.

"We're not alone," Kael-X muttered.

Maya rushed to the window, following his gaze, but she saw nothing. "What do you mean? I don't see—"

A sudden crash interrupted her.

The apartment window shattered as something lurched through it—something fast.

Glass shards flew in all directions as a humanoid figure landed in the middle of the room. Its body was unnaturally lean, its muscles pulsing with an eerie blue energy. Its eyes burned with an unholy glow—the unmistakable sign of Compound-X augmentation.

Kael-X's instincts kicked in instantly. He lunged at the intruder, but before he could strike, the creature disappeared—moving at a speed even he struggled to track.

It was fast.

But not faster than him.

Kael-X twisted mid-air, dodging an incoming attack as the intruder reappeared behind him, swinging a fist charged with raw energy. The impact sent a shockwave through the apartment, throwing furniture across the room.

Maya ducked behind the couch, shielding herself from the debris. "What the hell is that thing?!"

Kael-X didn't answer. His mind was already working.

This wasn't an ordinary human.

This was an experiment.

A test.

And the people watching him… had just made their first move.

Chapter 40 (Continued): The Unseen Threat

Kael-X recovered mid-air, twisting to land on his feet. His eyes locked onto the intruder—this wasn't just another human enhanced by Compound-X. This was something else.

The figure moved unnaturally, almost glitching as it shifted positions in rapid bursts. Speed. Strength. Energy manipulation. Whoever created this thing was experimenting with abilities beyond what normal humans should possess.

The attacker didn't waste time. In a blur, it vanished—only to reappear inches from Kael-X, a fist crackling with energy aimed for his chest.

Kael-X barely dodged, twisting his body at the last second. The air shredded from the force of the missed punch, a sonic boom shaking the apartment.

Maya let out a startled gasp, pressing herself against the far wall. The sheer power being displayed in front of her was beyond anything she had ever seen.

Kael-X didn't hesitate. He countered with a devastating kick, but the intruder flickered out of existence before the blow could land.

Teleportation? No… it's something different.

Kael-X narrowed his eyes, processing the fight in real time. The enemy wasn't teleporting—it was moving so fast it appeared to vanish.

It's using short bursts of speed to stay unpredictable.

The figure reappeared to Kael-X's left, swinging again. This time, Kael-X didn't dodge—he grabbed the attacker's wrist mid-strike, stopping the blow inches from his face.

"Not fast enough," he muttered.

The intruder's glowing eyes widened slightly in surprise. It tried to break free, but Kael-X's grip was like an iron vice. With a quick motion, he twisted the arm backward—a sickening crack echoed through the room.

The attacker let out a distorted, mechanical shriek. Not human.

Before Kael-X could land another hit, the figure flickered again, escaping his grasp. It reappeared near the shattered window, clutching its broken arm.

Kael-X took a step forward, but then he felt it.

A presence. Watching.

His eyes flicked to the rooftops outside—just in time to see red glowing dots in the distance.

Maya followed his gaze. "What… are those?"

Kael-X's expression darkened. Drones. Military-grade.

Whoever had sent this thing wasn't just testing Kael-X.

They were watching. Studying.

The intruder straightened, its broken arm already starting to realign—self-repair. It gave Kael-X one last look before the glowing energy around its body surged.

And then, in a burst of speed, it was gone.

Kael-X clenched his fists. The real game had just begun.