For a moment—
No one moved.
The dust was still settling in the air from Nime's burst, drifting slowly between them like smoke after an explosion. His chest rose and fell hard, every breath sharp, uneven.
His body felt light.
Too light.
Like something had just left him.
"…That again," he muttered under his breath.
Across from him, the three figures had stopped advancing.
Not retreating.
Just… watching.
Different now.
Careful.
"…Energy spike confirmed," one of them said quietly.
"Unstable, but output exceeds initial estimate."
The leader didn't speak.
His eyes stayed locked on Nime.
Calculating.
Measuring.
"…Capture him," he said again, calmer this time.
Like the decision had already been made.
Nime clenched his fists. "…You people don't get tired of repeating that?"
No answer.
They moved again.
Fast.
Too fast.
Nime forced himself forward this time instead of backing away. His instincts were screaming, his body barely keeping up, but he couldn't just stand there again.
The first attacker came straight at him.
Nime swung.
Missed.
A sharp strike hit his side—
"—gh!"
Pain shot through his ribs, forcing the air out of his lungs as he stumbled.
Too slow…
The second one was already there.
A hand grabbed his shoulder—
Then slammed him into the ground.
Hard.
The world shook.
For a second, Nime couldn't hear anything. Just a dull ringing in his ears as his vision blurred.
"…Pathetic," one of them muttered.
"Control is nonexistent."
Nime tried to push himself up—
A foot pressed down on his back.
Pinning him.
"…Get off me," he growled.
"Stop resisting," the man said calmly. "You are not in control of what you've become."
"…Shut up."
Nime's fingers dug into the dirt.
That feeling again—
That pressure—
He tried to grab it.
Pull it out.
Force it—
Nothing.
"…Come on…" he whispered.
But it didn't come.
The man lifted his hand.
"End resistance."
—
"…Enough."
—
The voice cut through everything.
Low.
Heavy.
And not directed at Nime.
The pressure changed.
Instantly.
The man pinning Nime paused.
For the first time—
Hesitation.
"…What is—"
He didn't finish.
Something moved.
Fast.
Faster than before.
Faster than any of them.
A blur passed—
And the man was gone.
Not pushed.
Not thrown.
Gone.
The other two reacted immediately, stepping back, eyes sharp, scanning.
"…New entity detected."
"…High-level presence."
Nime slowly lifted his head.
And saw him.
The lion stood between them now.
But it didn't feel like before.
Before, he was there.
Now—
He was there.
The ground beneath his paws seemed heavier, like it had accepted something it shouldn't have. His golden eyes were no longer calm.
They were cold.
Ancient.
Watching.
Judging.
"…So," the leader said slowly, his gaze narrowing, "it's true."
The lion didn't respond.
Didn't need to.
"…A guardian," the man continued. "We were told there was a possibility."
Still nothing.
Just that stare.
Unmoving.
Unshaken.
The air tightened.
"…Withdraw?" one of the others asked quietly.
The leader didn't answer immediately.
His eyes shifted briefly—to where their teammate had been.
Then back to the lion.
"…No," he said.
"Test it."
Nime blinked. "…Test—are you serious?!"
They moved.
Together.
This time, not at Nime.
At the lion.
The first attack came from above—fast, precise, aimed straight for the head.
The lion didn't dodge.
Didn't step back.
He simply moved his paw.
A small movement.
Almost lazy.
And the attack—
Stopped.
Caught.
The man's arm was held mid-air, completely frozen in place.
For a second, no one spoke.
Then—
A quiet crack.
The man's expression changed instantly.
The next second—
He was sent flying.
Not pushed.
Launched.
His body tore through the trees behind him, branches snapping as he disappeared into the forest.
Silence.
The remaining two didn't hesitate.
They attacked again.
Faster.
Sharper.
One aimed low, the other high—perfect coordination.
The lion stepped forward.
Just one step.
And everything broke.
The ground cracked beneath him as something invisible slammed outward.
The two attackers were thrown back violently, hitting the ground and skidding across the dirt.
They didn't get up immediately.
"…What… is that…" one of them breathed.
The lion finally spoke.
"You should not be here."
His voice wasn't loud.
But it carried.
Heavy.
Like it didn't belong to something that breathed.
The leader wiped blood from the corner of his mouth, pushing himself up slowly.
"…So it's protecting him."
"No," the lion said.
A pause.
"…He is mine."
Nime blinked. "…Wait, what—?"
The air went still again.
Different now.
Even the attackers felt it.
The leader stared at the lion for a long second.
Then—
"…Retreat."
Nime's head snapped up. "…Huh?"
The other two didn't argue.
Didn't question.
They moved immediately, disappearing back into the forest like they had never been there.
Just like that.
Gone.
—
Silence returned.
Real silence this time.
Nime stayed on the ground for a second, staring at where they had been.
"…They just… left?"
No answer.
He slowly pushed himself up, wincing slightly.
"…You could have done that earlier, you know," he said, dusting himself off. "Would've saved me a lot of pain."
The lion didn't respond.
Nime frowned slightly and looked up at him—
Then paused.
Something was… off.
"…Hey."
No reply.
"…Don't tell me you're going back to ignoring me again."
Still nothing.
The lion stood there, unmoving.
Watching the direction the hunters had gone.
"…This isn't over," he said quietly.
Nime felt it.
That tone.
Different from before.
Serious.
Heavy.
"…Who were they?" Nime asked.
A pause.
"…Those who hunt what you are becoming."
Nime swallowed.
"…And what am I becoming?"
The lion didn't look at him.
"…Something they fear."
—
Far away, deep within the forest—
One of the hunters stopped running.
He pressed a hand to his ear.
"…Target confirmed."
A voice responded from the other side.
Calm.
Interested.
"…And the guardian?"
The man hesitated for a brief second.
"…Active."
Silence.
Then—
"…Good."
A pause.
"…Proceed to phase two."