The Next Move

Chapter 63 – The Next Move

Kael-X landed silently on a rooftop, his body still aching from the battle. His coat was torn, his wounds throbbed, but he had no time to rest.

His eyes flicked toward the Zypheron-5 spaceship, still hovering ominously above Earth's atmosphere. They weren't retreating. That meant only one thing.

They were preparing something worse.

Nyx's voice echoed in his mind, smooth and calculating.

"They've seen you fight. They've measured your strength. Whatever comes next will not be reckless. It will be precise."

Kael-X gritted his teeth. "Let them come. I'm not running."

Veyron let out a soft chuckle.

"Oh, but wouldn't that be fun? A chase through the stars, hunted like prey?"

Umbra growled lowly.

"Tch. Let them send whatever they want. We'll just tear it apart."

Kael-X closed his eyes for a moment, processing everything. The world had seen him now. The news channels were running endless broadcasts of the fight, governments were in panic, and the human race had just been reminded that they were not alone.

Then there was the real problem—Zypheron-5.

If they weren't attacking immediately, then they were either strategizing… or waiting for reinforcements.

His eyes snapped open.

They wouldn't just send another soldier.

No. They'd send something bigger.

Oblivion shifted beside him, his massive form blending with the night. He didn't speak, but his presence was solid, unwavering. A silent force of destruction, waiting to be unleashed.

Kael-X exhaled sharply. He had to move before they did.

"Let's go," he muttered, his shadows coiling around him.

Veyron grinned.

"Ah, the game continues."

And with that, they vanished into the night.

Chapter 63 (Continued) – The Next Move

Kael-X's mind raced as he leaped across the rooftops, the neon city below buzzing with life, unaware of the storm brewing above. His body still ached, but he had no time to dwell on it.

Zypheron-5 was still there, watching—waiting.

Nyx's voice came again, her tone colder this time.

"They won't send another assassin. They know that won't work. They'll send something worse."

Kael-X clenched his fists. "Like what?"

There was a pause before Umbra growled.

"A hunter."

Kael-X's eyes narrowed. "Explain."

Veyron's eerie chuckle slipped into his mind.

"Oh, my dear host, do you truly think you were the only one they experimented on? Zypheron-5 doesn't waste resources. If they can't kill you… they'll send something made to erase you."

Kael-X's gut twisted. "You mean they made another one?"

Nyx's voice was sharp.

"Not just one. There were always others. Some failed. Some survived. And some… became monsters."

Kael-X's breath slowed. A new enemy. One with his abilities. One that could push him beyond his limits.

And worst of all?

It was already coming.

Just then, the sky flickered. A deep hum resonated across the city.

Kael-X whipped his head toward the heavens.

A beacon of light had just fired from the Zypheron-5 ship, piercing the clouds. It wasn't an attack.

It was a signal.

A summoning.

Oblivion finally spoke, his deep, rumbling voice carrying a single, ominous warning.

"It's here."

Kael-X exhaled, his fingers twitching. No more running. No more waiting.

The next battle was already upon him.

Chapter 63 (Continued) – The Next Move

Kael-X's eyes locked onto the beacon tearing through the night sky. The city remained oblivious, but he wasn't.

That signal was meant for something.

Veyron's chuckle rang through his mind.

"Oh, this is rich. You feel it, don't you? The weight of something unnatural pressing against the air. It's coming, Kael-X. The hunter."

Kael-X ignored the sarcasm lacing the words and focused. He knew Zypheron-5 wouldn't stop, not after everything. But who— no, what—were they sending this time?

His instincts screamed at him. Something was wrong.

Nyx's voice was calm but laced with warning.

"They wouldn't risk another assassin after Deadeye failed. This… will be different."

A heavy thud echoed through the city.

Kael-X whipped his head toward the sound. A rooftop in the distance—something landed. Hard.

Oblivion growled lowly.

"We are being watched."

Kael-X didn't hesitate. He vanished in a blur, racing across the rooftops, his body a streak of shadow and speed. He needed to see. To know.

As he neared the location, the air thickened with something unnatural. The presence felt… familiar, yet wrong.

Then he saw it.

A figure stood at the edge of the rooftop, back turned to him. Tall. Motionless. Cloaked in a sleek, armored suit with glowing red circuitry running through its frame. A Zypheron-5 creation.

Kael-X slowed his approach. His senses screamed that this wasn't like the others.

The figure finally moved, tilting its head slightly, acknowledging him.

Then, it spoke.

"Kael-X."

The voice was mechanical yet disturbingly human. It wasn't a question. It was a statement. A confirmation.

Kael-X tensed. His fists clenched, energy humming at his fingertips. "Who are you?"

The figure turned fully, revealing a face hidden behind a smooth, featureless black mask, save for two glowing red eyes.

"I am Specter. Zypheron-5's solution to anomalies like you."

Kael-X smirked, rolling his shoulders. "Cute name. And let me guess—you're here to kill me?"

Specter didn't react.

"Not yet."

Kael-X's smirk faltered. "What?"

"I am here to evaluate. To measure. To learn. Your limits. Your weaknesses. The next phase depends on what I report."

Kael-X's eyes narrowed. A test. They weren't just trying to eliminate him blindly anymore.

They were studying him.

He didn't like that.

Nyx's voice was sharp.

"Be careful, Kael-X. If they're sending this one, they expect it to survive you."

Kael-X exhaled slowly, his body already shifting into a battle stance. "Alright, Specter. You wanna test me?"

He grinned, darkness curling around his fingertips.

"Let's see if you can keep up."

— To Be Continued in Chapter 64 —