Chapter 81
Nille has developed an adaptive survival persona, a self-constructed mental framework that keeps him mentally stable in a world filled with unknown threats, hidden histories, and overwhelming uncertainty.
At his core, he remains highly analytical and observant, constantly reading patterns, risks, and hidden connections. But instead of letting this overthinking consume him, he has learned to regulate it through an internal mental "split."
One part of him is the analytical self, focused, cautious, always evaluating danger and possibilities.The other is the stabilized self, a calmer mental state that prevents emotional overload and allows him to continue moving forward without breaking under pressure.
But now, something new exists within that second layer.
A simple smile.
Not a fake expression, but a deliberate mental anchor shaped by memory.
It is the smile of Granny Amparo.
The same smile she always gave him, warm, steady, and unshaken even in hardship. The smile she used when calling him Apo, as if reminding him that life was never meant to be carried only with fear and seriousness.
Nille has unknowingly adopted that memory as part of his internal identity.
It now acts as a grounding point inside his adaptive persona, a reminder that not everything must be solved through tension or overthinking, and that he can still choose how he carries himself even in uncertainty.
This makes him:
Highly analytical, but controlled Emotionally aware, but not overwhelmed Cautious, but no longer trapped in constant overthinking Adaptive, shifting mindset when needed Self-stabilizing through an internal mental framework And anchored by a quiet "Granny Amparo smile", a reminder that even in chaos, he can still choose calmness and humanity
In simple terms:
Nille is becoming someone who can face unknown dangers and buried truths without losing himself, because beneath all the calculation and caution, he carries a memory of warmth that reminds him how to remain human.
A smile he does not show to deceive others…
but one he uses to remind himself how to keep moving forward,
And so, Nille simply did it.
Not because he was above others in talent or destiny. Not because he came from some extraordinary lineage or carried unmatched luck.
He was different in a quieter way.
He had never been the kind of person who reached beyond what was immediately in front of him. Back in his small town in Bulacan, he was not known for overwhelming power or rare brilliance among awakened shamans. Nothing about him demanded attention from the world.
But what he did have—what he had always unknowingly relied on—was his adaptive mind.
The ability to adjust.
To endure.
To quietly rebuild himself whenever reality became too heavy to understand.
Nille slowly stood up, the wind brushing past him as the tension in his thoughts settled into something calmer. His expression softened slightly.
And then, faintly, he smiled.
Not a forced smile. Not a mask for others.
But the same kind of quiet smile he remembered from Granny Amparo. The kind she always wore when calling him Apo, as if reminding him that even in uncertainty, life was still meant to be carried forward with some sense of warmth.
That memory anchored him.
Grounded him.
Then, in that steady state of mind, Nille turned his attention inward and spoke.
"Nyx… can you fully utilize your ability to conceal my presence?"
His tone was no longer overwhelmed or uncertain.
It was calm.
Focused.
Adaptive.
Ready to move forward, not by understanding everything at once, but by surviving, step by step, with a mind that could bend without breaking.
Nyx was silent for a moment.
Not because she did not hear Nille's question,
but because she was not responding from a normal place of understanding.
Her existence inside the Celestial Cloth was still incomplete. Fragmented. Like a consciousness formed inside a vessel that had not yet fully taken shape.
She processed what remained of the Cloth's partial core memory, the unstable structure shaped by the merging of the Wingless Dragon essence and the Celestial framework that had not yet fully matured.
Only then did she speak.
Her voice was calm, but layered with slight distortion, as if multiple truths were being filtered through a broken lens.
"My ability to conceal your presence is… not fixed."
A pause followed.
The Cloth subtly responded around Nille, like a living fabric adjusting itself to her thoughts.
"The Celestial Cloth is still incomplete."
"It is currently in a transitional state, part relic, part living structure."
Another pause.
This time, her tone shifted slightly, as if recalling fragmented memory encoded within the Cloth itself.
"After the integration with the Wingless Dragon essence, its structure became unstable but more adaptive."
"It no longer exists as a single defined artifact."
"It behaves like a layered system, capable of reshaping its concealment functions depending on the user's condition and external pressure."
Nille listened quietly.
Nyx continued.
"However, because I am not the original full consciousness of the Cloth…"
A slight hesitation.
"My authority is limited to what remains of its partial core memory and residual control pathways."
The air around Nille subtly tightened, as if the Cloth itself was acknowledging the statement.
"I can enhance concealment."
"I can suppress your presence further than normal operational levels."
"I can even distort perception fields around you to reduce recognition probability."
Another pause—
longer this time.
"But I cannot guarantee absolute invisibility against beings who have already established conceptual recognition of you."
Her voice softened slightly, more precise now.
"Imto Dimas has already formed a cognitive link between you, the Cloth, and the Amparo lineage."
"That type of recognition is not purely sensory."
"It is memory-based."
A final clarification followed.
"Even at maximum concealment, I can hide what you are…"
"But I cannot fully erase what she already remembers."
Then, after a brief silence, Nyx added something more important—something shaped by the Cloth's unstable evolution.
"However… because the Cloth is still incomplete and adaptive…"
"If we encounter sufficient external pressure or new environmental resonance, its structure may shift again."
A faint pulse of energy moved through the fabric.
"Meaning concealment is not static."
"It can evolve."
Her tone steadied.
"I can optimize your concealment to its highest current limit."
"But what comes after… depends on what the Cloth becomes next."
Nille's eyes narrowed slightly as he refined his thought.
Then he spoke again, more precise this time.
"Nyx… can you think of a way to misdirect anyone who might be able to detect us?"
He paused.
"Not just hiding. I want a subtle misdirection. Something that makes any confirmation they get… uncertain."
Inside the Celestial Cloth, Nyx fell silent.
Not because the question was impossible—
but because it required her to think beyond simple concealment.
She sifted through the Cloth's partial core memory again, along with the unstable influence of the Wingless Dragon essence intertwined within its structure.
The Cloth responded faintly, as if acknowledging her deeper analysis.
Only then did she speak.
"Concealment alone… is insufficient against recognition-based detection."
A pause.
"Misdirection requires interference with interpretation, not just presence."
Nille listened quietly.
Nyx continued.
"There are three possible methods within my current operational limits."
Her tone remained calm, but more focused now.
"First: Perception layering."
"I can slightly distort your spiritual output into overlapping signatures. To observers, it will appear as multiple weak sources instead of a single stable identity."
A brief pause.
"This does not erase you. It fragments how you are perceived."
She continued.
"Second: Residual echo projection."
"The Cloth can generate faint, artificial afterimages of your presence in nearby spatial traces."
"These echoes would linger briefly, creating the impression that your presence shifts or moves more frequently than it actually does."
Nille's gaze sharpened slightly.
Nyx did not stop.
"Third: Identity dilution through conceptual noise."
"But if your recognition has already been established by this Imto Dimas, I can only introduce subtle instability into how your spiritual signature is remembered when recalled."
A careful explanation followed.
"Not enough to erase memory."
"But enough to create uncertainty in reconstruction."
"She would remember you, but the details of your presence would feel inconsistent when she tries to confirm them against reality."
A short silence settled.
Then Nyx added the limitation clearly.
"However… all three methods rely on controlled instability within the Cloth."
"And instability carries risk."
The Cloth gave a faint pulse again.
"Excessive distortion may attract attention from higher-level observers who are sensitive to irregular spiritual patterns."
Nyx's tone softened slightly.
"In simple terms: we can make you harder to confirm, but not impossible to notice."
A final clarification followed.
"Misdirection will not make you invisible."
"It will make your existence harder to trust."
She paused.
Then concluded quietly.
"If Imto Dimas attempts to verify you again, she may sense something familiar… but arrive at an uncertain conclusion rather than a definite one."
A brief silence followed.
Then Nyx added, almost cautiously:
"This is the highest stable level of misdirection I can currently sustain with the Cloth's incomplete state."
Nyx was quiet for a moment after hearing Nille's plan.
Then she responded carefully.
"There are residual effects, but they are within acceptable limits."
A pause followed as she assessed the Cloth's stability.
"Using all three misdirection methods simultaneously will increase strain on the Celestial Cloth's incomplete structure."
"However… because the Wingless Dragon essence has improved adaptive recovery, the strain will not be immediately harmful."
Her tone became more precise.
"For you, the effect will be subtle fatigue in spiritual circulation after prolonged use."
"For me, the cost is fragmentation of memory continuity. I may temporarily lose access to certain partial core fragments while maintaining concealment functions."
A short silence.
Then she added.
"In simple terms: manageable, but not sustainable for long periods."
Nille nodded slightly.
Then he made his decision.
"Let's use it."
But he didn't stop there.
His eyes shifted toward the wider academy grounds.
"We'll also distribute threads of the scarf."
Nyx processed the idea immediately.
"Explain."
Nille spoke calmly.
"If the Cloth can split its presence, then we place fragments in fixed locations."
"Academy insignia flags. Structural anchors. Rune-forge materials. Any place with stable spiritual fabric."
Nyx paused, then responded with understanding.
"That is viable."
The Cloth reacted faintly, as if agreeing.
Nyx continued.
"Each thread contains your spiritual imprint."
"They can anchor themselves into compatible materials and blend into existing fabric structures."
"This will create multiple stable reference points of your presence."
A brief pause.
"Approximately ten locations can be established without destabilizing the core Cloth form."
Nille exhaled slowly.
That was enough.
Not perfect, but enough to distort certainty.
A system of presence, not absence.
Then he moved.
By the time he left the quieter sector, Nille was already in motion across academy grounds.
His first stop was the Rune Forge Merchant Main Building, where the heavy scent of enchanted metals and spiritual ink lingered in the air.
Inside, he met Nhulla Loresong, his personal merchant handler.
The exchange was brief, routine supplies, reinforced materials, and a few discreet components that would support his continued field activity. Nhulla, as always, did not ask unnecessary questions. She simply processed the request with calm efficiency, already accustomed to the unusual nature of her client.
With supplies secured, Nille did not linger.
He left the building and moved toward Sector 6.
The hunting grounds.
He kept his expression neutral, his presence controlled. The academy gates automatically registered identity upon entry, and Rank 90 status alone was already enough to draw attention.
But now, he was no longer relying on visibility.
He was relying on structure.
Behind the calm surface of his mind, Nyx began activating the plan.
Threads dispersed.
Anchors forming.
Presence dividing across the academy's hidden fabric.
And Nille simply walked forward, trusting the system he had chosen,
and the adaptive persona he had built, to carry him through what came next.
Nille checked the time again.
Two hours.
That was all he had before the Sector 6 class group hunt began.
He stood still for a moment, letting the information settle while his mind rapidly calculated possibilities.
Then Nyx spoke first.
"Recommendation: acquire additional Malignant core."
Nille frowned slightly."Why?"
Nyx answered without hesitation.
"Your current spiritual output is approaching Level 25 threshold potential. Increasing it will improve stability of your disintegration technique and reduce activation delay."
A brief pause followed.
Then she added, more carefully.
"It will also increase your survival margin in the upcoming group hunt… especially if Imto Dimas appears again."
That name again.
Nille exhaled slowly.
He didn't like how often it was becoming part of his decision-making process—but he couldn't deny Nyx's logic was sound.
Still, speed mattered.
"We need something fast," Nille muttered.
His thoughts shifted, revisiting the refined version of his disintegration technique. The controlled output. The touch-based activation. The way Nyx had helped him restructure it into something more efficient instead of raw destructive force.
Then Nyx made her suggestion.
"Sector 10."
Nille's eyes narrowed slightly.
Nyx continued.
"Sector 10 is inhabited by Gold-Digging Ant Malignants."
"Insect-type swarm organism. Documented sizes range from cow-scale units to elephant-scale queens."
A projection of the terrain formed in Nille's mind through Nyx's shared perception.
Tunnels.
Dense colonies.
Constant movement beneath fractured earth.
Nyx explained further.
"Their structure makes them optimal for rapid core extraction."
"They operate in swarms, with high physical coordination and hive aggression patterns."
Then her strategy became clear.
"You can use controlled fire bursts to disrupt formation and create brief separation windows."
"Then apply disintegration through touch on clustered units while they are still in contact with each other."
"This allows chain-core extraction efficiency."
Nille stayed silent for a moment, analyzing the plan.
It was dangerous.
But efficient.
Very efficient.
Nyx added one final calculation.
"Estimated time to harvest sufficient cores for Level 25 advancement: within your two-hour window."
Nille slowly tightened his grip.
Then nodded.
"Alright."
A pause.
Then quieter, "Let's do it."
As he began moving toward Sector 10, his thoughts briefly drifted again.
Imto Dimas.
Granny Amparo.
The Celestial Cloth.
Too many threads still connected in ways he did not understand.
But for now, he pushed it aside.
Survival came first.
Understanding would come after.
Nyx adjusted the Cloth's internal concealment parameters as they moved.
And Nille stepped forward into Sector 10, not as someone chasing answers yet,
but as someone preparing himself to survive long enough to eventually find them.
In Sector 10, Nille moved with a level of efficiency that bordered on mechanical precision. With Nyx continuously adjusting the Celestial Cloth's concealment output, his presence was reduced to something nearly untraceable, only faint disturbances in the surrounding spiritual flow hinted that he was even there.
Nyx guided him in real time, using the Cloth's partial core awareness to map hive movement patterns beneath the terrain. Instead of engaging in prolonged fights, Nille focused on speed and rhythm. He would release controlled fire bursts just enough to fracture ant formations, forcing the Gold-Digging Ant Malignants into chaotic clusters. The moment their swarm structure collapsed, he would close in instantly, using his refined disintegration technique to directly neutralize their cores through contact while they were still physically connected to one another. This allowed chain elimination, where multiple cores were destroyed or extracted in a single fluid motion.
The deeper he moved into the colony, the more dangerous the enemies became, until he was facing Level 300 Ant Warriors, larger, heavily armored variants designed for territorial defense. Even then, Nyx maintained composure, guiding him to exploit their swarm dependency rather than their raw strength. By isolating momentary connection points between their bodies, Nille continued executing precise disintegration strikes, removing them in rapid succession without ever allowing them to fully surround him.
Within the two-hour window, the entire operation was completed. Hundreds of ant units were eliminated, and a significant number of high-grade Malignant cores were extracted and stabilized by Nyx for later processing. Despite the scale of the massacre, Nille remained concealed throughout the entire hunt, his adaptive persona keeping his emotions steady while his body moved with calculated speed.
By the time the final hive activity collapsed into silence, Sector 10 had been cleared far faster than expected. Nille stood briefly amid the ruins, breathing steadily, as Nyx confirmed the results, his spiritual level now safely reaching the threshold for advancement, just as the Sector 6 group hunt draw was approaching.
After leaving the devastated hive grounds of Sector 10, Nille immediately headed toward Sector 6 secretly , without wasting any more time. The processed Malignant cores were already being stabilized within the Dragon Celestial Scale Cloth by Nyx, allowing his spiritual circulation to settle as they moved.
Unlike the silent isolation of Sector 10, Sector 6 was filled with noise and activity.
Large gathering points had already formed near the hunting gates as first-years, second-years, third-years, and even fourth-year students assembled for the scheduled group hunt. Instructors and support personnel moved between formations while students checked weapons, spiritual catalysts, and communication runes before deployment.
Most of them appeared relaxed.
Some were excited.
Others treated the hunt as routine field training.
None of them realized how abnormal the atmosphere beyond the gates truly was.
Because deep within the Kobold territory, something had already changed.
The forest sectors beyond the academy boundary had grown unnaturally quiet. Kobold patrol patterns had almost completely disappeared from their usual scouting routes, leaving behind only scattered signs of forced retreat and territorial disturbance.
And hidden farther within the dark wilderness, beyond the sight of both students and instructors alike, a massive Lycan force was already waiting.
Not a small hunting pack.
Not wandering strays.
An organized army.
Dozens upon dozens of towering Lycans stood silently beneath the dense forest canopy, their glowing eyes fixed toward the academy approach routes. Larger Alpha-class variants remained deeper behind the front lines while armored Lycan warriors positioned themselves with unnatural discipline around the outer territory.
At the center of them all stood a massive figure watching the academy sector in complete silence.
Waiting.
Observing.
As though the incoming students had already stepped into a trap without realizing it.
Meanwhile, Nille quietly arrived near the edge of the gathering area.
His presence remained concealed beneath Nyx's layered misdirection techniques, making him difficult to focus on despite standing among hundreds of students.
But unlike everyone else there, Nille immediately felt it.
The pressure.
The stillness.
The unnatural tension hidden beyond Sector 6.
His eyes narrowed slightly toward the distant wide grass land
Something so large was waving their flag, they were too far to be notice as Kobold freely dash toward were the students were going to flock to start their own hunt.
Nille entered the underground parking district beneath the island's largest shopping complex without drawing direct attention to himself. The massive structure had long been repurposed as one of the academy's secondary deployment hubs, and deep within its lower levels rested the gateway leading toward Sector 6's hunting grounds.
Students and instructors filled the area in organized groups, preparing for entry while transport barriers and spiritual scanners continuously monitored movement around the gate.
Yet somehow, Nille slipped past all of them unnoticed.
Or more accurately…
almost unnoticed.
With Nyx activating all three concealment methods simultaneously, Nille became nearly impossible to perceive normally. To most awakened individuals, there was simply nothing there at all, as if no one had passed through the area.
However, for the rare, possessing a very rare and exceptionally heightened spiritual senses, something unusual briefly crossed their vision.
Not a clear figure.
Not even a shadow.
But a faint distortion in space, like transparent air bending unnaturally while moving at high speed. The sensation lasted only an instant before disappearing, leaving behind uncertainty strong enough to make them question whether they had truly seen anything at all.
Not a dark shadow.
Not a human figure.
But something resembling a translucent heat distortion moving unnaturally fast through space, like clear glass warping light as it passed. Some described it instinctively as looking similar to a mirage rushing against reality itself, faint, almost invisible, yet carrying an unnatural sense of motion that the human eye struggled to properly focus on.
A few students instinctively rubbed their eyes in confusion.
Others briefly turned their heads before immediately doubting what they saw.
Because the moment they tried focusing on it directly,
the sensation vanished.
Nyx ensured every concealment layer remained active.
Perception distortion.
Residual echo projection.
Conceptual interference.
Together, the effects blurred Nille's existence into something difficult for the mind to confidently process.
And at full speed, Nille ran.
Not recklessly,
but with complete precision.
His enhanced body surged forward with controlled force as he crossed through the underground staging area faster than most eyes could track.
To anyone who barely sensed him, it felt less like seeing a person and more like witnessing reality momentarily skip.
Then he was gone.
Even the instructors preparing to escort the student hunt felt it only faintly.
A subtle disturbance.
An instinctive sense that something had just moved through the area that should not have been there.
One instructor briefly stopped walking, narrowing his eyes toward the empty corridor.
An ominous feeling lingered in his chest for only a second before fading into uncertainty.
Too weak to confirm.
Too unclear to justify halting the operation.
And because of that hesitation, no investigation was made.
Meanwhile, Nille had already disappeared far beyond the gate leading into Sector 6's open grasslands. By the time the official deployment began, he was already too far ahead for anyone to notice or properly track.
The instructors entered first to secure the initial perimeter, followed by the fourth-year students, then the third-years, second-years, and finally the first-years in organized sequence.
Everything proceeded according to standard academy protocol.
None of them realized that someone had already entered the hunting grounds long before the operation officially began.
Nille moved across Sector 6's open grasslands at full speed, his presence completely concealed beneath Nyx's layered distortions. The farther he traveled, the heavier the atmosphere became until even the wind itself felt tense.
Then he finally saw it.
An army.
Not a scattered hunting pack—
but a fully organized war force.
More than ten thousand evolved Lycans stood across the distant plains and forest edges, their massive bodies covered in reinforced armor forged from bone, metal, and hardened beast-hide. Their glowing eyes remained fixed toward the academy approach routes with unnatural discipline, forming ranks more fitting for soldiers than wild creatures.
And marching ahead of the main force were the Kobolds.
Less than a thousand lesser Kobolds advanced as the frontal assault line, carrying crude weapons and shields while moving roughly fifty meters away from the gate opening leading toward the academy's hunting grounds.
Behind them, nearly two hundred meters farther back, the true Lycan army advanced in terrifying silence.
At the center of the formation stood King Lykos Kael.
Even from a distance, the pressure surrounding the Lycan King felt overwhelming. His enormous armored figure towered above the others while dark spiritual energy pulsed unnaturally beneath his fur.
And immediately, Nille sensed it.
Something was wrong.
The energy surrounding Lykos did not feel natural anymore.
Nyx confirmed it instantly.
"Curse-based mental interference detected."
Nille's eyes narrowed.
Imto Dimas.
Without hesitation, he accelerated forward.
The battlefield remained focused entirely on the academy gates, leaving Nille completely unnoticed as he slipped through the outer movement lines like a ghost.
Then, reaching the center position directly before the advancing Lycan King, Nille finally stopped.
Lykos' massive eyes locked onto him instantly.
For a brief moment, murderous pressure exploded outward,
until Nille jump toward head of the king and raised and the moment king Lykos move Nille anticipated the kings response, Nille like a cat in mid air twisted his body and re position his body and reach the kings fore head and just like that casted a focus desintegration spell directly intro massive Lycan Kings head.
Nyx synchronized immediately.
A pulse of purified energy surged outward from Nille's hand and struck directly into the curse embedded within the Lycan King's spiritual core.
The reaction wasnt violent.
Dark energy erupted around Lykos as the enchantment curse placed by Imto Dimas resisted removal. Cracks of distorted spiritual force spread across his body while the surrounding Lycans immediately halted in confusion.
Then,
the curse shattered.
A deep shockwave burst outward across the battlefield as the corrupted influence collapsed completely.
King Lykos Kael staggered once before his glowing eyes regained clarity for the first time in what felt like an eternity.
And the entire advancing army stopped moving.
Silence fell across Sector 6's battlefield as King Lykos Kael slowly regained full control of his consciousness. His massive body remained tense, but the murderous pressure that had been guiding the Lycans moments earlier had completely vanished.
Only he could see Nille.
To the rest of the Lycan army, there was nothing in front of their king—no presence, no figure, no signal of life. Even their heightened senses failed to register anything at the center of the disturbance, as if space itself had been slightly bent away from perception.
But Lykos saw him.
Not clearly.
Not fully.
A distorted figure, like a human silhouette seen through fractured glass, standing directly before him.
Nille spoke first, his tone steady.
"I am not your enemy."
The Lycan King's glowing eyes narrowed as he clenched his fists, still feeling the lingering remnants of the curse that had just been forcibly shattered from his mind. His breathing was heavy, but controlled.
Then Lykos spoke, his voice deep and filled with restrained fury.
"That is why I do not trust those Dalaketnon."
He turned his gaze slightly, as if still feeling traces of manipulation within his thoughts.
"I hate vampires… but I hate tricksters even more."
A low growl escaped him.
"I was about to dishonor my clan's name… and destroy everything my forefathers built—just so that dark elf could have his war."
The weight of realization settled heavily in his words.
For a moment, the battlefield remained completely still.
Then Nille stepped forward slightly, still maintaining concealment through Nyx's layered control.
"I will capture the one who placed that manipulation curse on you."
His voice was calm, but firm.
" She will soon come out here...."
A brief pause followed as he assessed the battlefield beyond Lykos, the Kobold front line, the distant Lycan formations, and the unseen tensions still lingering in the forest edges.
Then he added quietly,
"For now, you and your army need to stand down. This is no longer just a territorial invasion… it's something being controlled from behind the board."
The Lycan King remained silent for a moment.
His glowing eyes sharpened as he processed Nille's words, the rage slowly shifting into controlled awareness.
Behind him, the army waited without movement, sensing that their king's decision had not yet been made, but the war they thought they were about to unleash had already been interrupted by something none of them could see.
King Lykos Kael did not accept Nille's words lightly.
At first, the idea of cooperating with an unseen, unverified presence would normally be impossible for a Lycan King. Lycans valued direct sight, scent, and spiritual confirmation—anything hidden was considered a potential threat.
But this situation was different.
The curse had already been inside him.
He had already lost control of his own judgment.
And worse—he had felt it.
The manipulation was precise, foreign, and deeply invasive, aimed not just at controlling his body but at bending his will into something that would have destroyed his clan's honor forever. That level of interference was not something a normal enemy could achieve.
So when Nille spoke—calmly, directly, and with the ability to remove that curse instantly—the King understood one thing:
Whoever was before him was not part of the enemy's influence.
Even though he could not fully see Nille, the absence of hostile intent, the stability in his spiritual "gap," and the fact that the curse had already been broken without exploiting him, all pointed to one conclusion:
This unseen being was acting against the same manipulator.
Then Nille made the offer.
A division of vengeance.
Not chaos.
Not blind destruction.
But controlled retaliation.
One arm for the King.
One arm for the unknown ally.
That detail mattered.
To Lycans, justice was not only about revenge, it was about balance and honor. Splitting the punishment meant the act would not become reckless slaughter, but a measured response against an enemy who had already violated sacred trust.
After a long pause, King Lykos Kael exhaled sharply.
"If you could break my chains without killing me…" he growled quietly, "then you are not my enemy."
He lowered his killing intent slightly.
Not in submission, but in acknowledgment.
He still did not trust what he could not see.
But he trusted the outcome he had already felt.
The curse was gone.
His mind was his own again.
And for a Lycan King, that was enough reason to temporarily accept an unseen force standing beside him in war.