Kael Darkwind had hunted thirty-seven fugitives over thirty years.
Not one had escaped. Not one had seriously hurt him.
Until now.
The thing that had been Alex Carter moved.
It didn't walk. It didn't run. It simply *appeared* in front of Kael—a speed that made **[Shadow Step]** look slow.
Kael blocked by instinct—twin blades crossed—
Alex's fist connected.
*BOOM.*
It wasn't the sound of flesh against metal.
It was the sound of thunder.
Kael flew backward—literally flew—traveling fifteen meters through the air before slamming into a brick chimney.
*CRASH.*
The bricks exploded. The chimney partially collapsed.
**[Kael HP: 6,800 → 6,200/6,800]**
Kael coughed blood and dropped to one knee.
First real damage in five years.
"Impossible," he murmured, looking at his swords—both bearing deep cracks where Alex's fist had connected. "A level 40 can't..."
Alex appeared again—an instantaneous teleport—and seized him by the throat.
Lifted him with one hand. *One hand.*
