The afternoon sun tried to break through the cracked sky, but purple light still leaked everywhere.
Kai stood near the camp gate with Lira and Mira. Elder Voss and a few strong breakers stood behind them.
In the distance, a large group of Echo Hunters marched toward the camp. There were at least thirty of them. Some carried glowing weapons. Others had strange beasts walking beside them.
The leader was a tall man with a scar across his face. He stopped fifty meters from the gate and shouted.
"Echo Thief! We know you are in there. You fought two gods and survived. That kind of power belongs to us now. Come out willingly and we will let your friends live."
Mira made a face. "As if we would believe that."
Lira's silver threads glowed softly around her hands. "They look strong. But we have the camp's runes and Kai's power."
Kai felt the nine Echoes inside him. They were calm, waiting for his command. The small god fragments were still sleeping.
He stepped forward and called back in a clear voice.
"I am not the same person you are looking for. I will not join you. Turn around and leave. No one has to die today."
The scarred leader laughed loudly.
"Listen to him! The boy thinks he is a hero now. We saw what you did in the forest. You collected Echoes like candy. You belong with us, not these weak breakers."
He raised his hand.His men started moving closer.
Mira grinned and pulled out her new cards.
"Time to test my collection! Kai's Real Smile Card first!"
She threw it. A warm smile and soft laugh appeared in the air. Some of the younger hunters looked confused for a second.
Then she threw stronger ones.
"Shadow Chain Card! Fire Punch Card!"
The cards exploded in front of the hunters. Chains wrapped around two men. Fire burst near another group.
Lira sent her silver threads flying. They tied up three hunters and pulled them to the ground.
Kai felt the old excitement return.He stepped forward and used a simple merge of Shadow step mixed with wind dash.
He appeared in the middle of the hunters in a blur.His fist, strengthened by stone skin and rage punch, hit the nearest hunter and sent him flying.
The scarred leader pointed at Kai.
"Take him alive! His Echoes will make us rich!"
The fight began.
Kai moved fast, dodging attacks and landing clean hits. Every punch felt controlled. The voices helped instead of fighting him.
Reginald gave him smooth reflexes.
Jax gave him strong punches.
Shadow helped him disappear and reappear.
For the first time, the Echoes worked together because Kai wanted them to.
Mira kept throwing cards from the gate.
"Nice! That was a good one, Kai! Keep moving so I can collect more smoke!"
Lira protected the gate with her threads and healed small wounds on Kai when he got too close.
The hunters were strong, but they were not ready for a team that fought as one.
Kai knocked down five hunters in less than a minute.
He felt good and strong. But not out of control.
Then the scarred leader pulled out a special weapon , a black spear that glowed with stolen god energy.
He threw it straight at Lira.Kai saw it at the last second.
He used every bit of speed he had and appeared in front of Lira.The spear hit his shoulder, pain shot through his body. But he did not fall.He pulled the spear out and threw it back. The leader barely dodged.
Kai's voice came out loud and clear.
"You want my power? Then come and take it yourself!"
The fight grew fiercer.
Mira made a new card from the smoke of a fallen hunter.
"Hunter Weakness Card!"
She threw it. The card exploded and made several hunters slower and weaker.
Lira tied up the leader with her strongest threads.
Kai walked up to the scarred man and looked him in the eyes.
"Go home. Tell your friends the Echo Thief is not for sale."
The leader spat on the ground.
"This is not over, boy. The big Quake is coming. When it does, we will come back with more men and more power."
He gave a signal.
The remaining hunters picked up their wounded and retreated into the forest.
The camp was safe again.
Kai walked back to the gate. His shoulder was bleeding, but he felt alive.
Mira ran to him and hugged him.
"You were amazing! I got so many new cards today!"
Lira checked his wound and wrapped it with a cloth.
"You controlled the power well. I am proud of you."
Elder Voss nodded.
"You protected the camp without losing yourself. That is real strength."
Kai looked at the forest where the hunters had disappeared.
He knew they would come back.
He knew the big Quake was coming.
He knew the small god fragments inside him might wake up one day.
But for now, he was still himself.
He looked at Lira and Mira and smiled.
"Let's go eat something. Fighting gods and hunters makes me hungry."
Mira laughed.
"Finally! Normal Kai is back!"
As they walked back into the camp, Kai felt a small stir inside his mind.
One of the god fragments whispered very quietly."We are watching."
Kai pushed it down gently, "not today," he said to himself.
He had his friends and he had control. He also had a reason to keep fighting.
The road ahead was still long and dangerous but for the first time, Kai felt ready.