Eli felt like he couldn't breathe.
Like his lungs had forgotten their purpose entirely.
The only thing still working was his heart—overworking, pounding so violently against his ribs that he was sure it would give out.
Each beat was loud, intrusive, drowning out every other sound in the room.
He wanted to answer.
He needed to.
But his mind lagged behind, stuck on a single, impossible thought.
Because… how?
The room was filled with S-Class hunters. Monsters in human skin, every single one of them. Eli had even been standing beside Midas Ryu himself—and yet he hadn't noticed a thing.
So how could Caelen?
How could Caelen sense Wormy?
Wormy was hidden. Concealed. Suppressed down to the very last trace. Eli had made sure of it. He had to.
So then—
Was this a test?
Was Caelen testing him?
No.
Caelen's gaze dropped to Eli's wrist, calm but sharp, suspicion quietly settling behind his eyes. The same wrist where Wormy was hidden.
