Ethan noticed the shift in his own mindset long before he consciously acknowledged it. Even before activating his soul sense, before confirming danger or weighing consequences, he had already decided to kill. There had been no hesitation, no lingering thought about mercy or letting them walk away if possible. The decision came clean and absolute, as natural as breathing. When his soul sense expanded outward moments later, it felt less like a choice and more like instinct catching up with what his heart had already settled.
Then he moved.
In less than a blink, Ethan returned to where he had been standing moments earlier, as if nothing had happened at all. The seven men remained frozen in place, their pupils wide, expressions locked somewhere between confusion and terror. For several seconds, nothing changed. The air felt strangely still, almost peaceful.
Ten seconds passed.
CRASH.
