The city hadn't gone back to normal.
It only pretended to.
People walked.
Cars moved.
Hunters stood guard.
But beneath it all—
something was wrong.
Kael and Elena stood on top of a half-abandoned building.
Below them, a quiet district stretched out.
Too quiet.
Elena crossed her arms.
"…This is where it started."
Kael's gaze moved slowly across the area.
The air wasn't just still.
It was… hollow.
"…It's already inside."
Elena frowned.
"Inside what?"
Kael didn't answer directly.
Instead—
he stepped forward.
"Inside the layer we're standing on."
The moment his foot touched the edge—
the world shifted.
Not visibly.
But enough.
A faint ripple spread across space.
Elena's body tensed instantly.
"…I felt that."
Kael looked back slightly.
"You can?"
She gave a small smirk.
"I'm not weak."
For a brief moment—
his eyes rested on her.
"…I know."
That one sentence—
simple, calm—
but genuine.
Elena paused.
Just slightly.
"…You don't talk like other hunters."
Kael looked forward again.
"I'm not one."
Suddenly—
the ground below them cracked.
Not physically.
It glitched.
Like reality failed to load properly.
Shadows twisted unnaturally.
Buildings flickered between existence and absence.
Elena stepped back slightly.
"…This isn't a Gate."
Kael's voice was low.
"No."
A shape formed in the distance.
But it wasn't coming toward them.
It was forming around them.
"…We're already inside it."
The sky above distorted.
Then—
everything disappeared.
Not destroyed.
Replaced.
The city was gone.
Instead—
an empty space stretched infinitely in all directions.
Black.
Silent.
Broken.
Elena's breathing slowed.
"…So this is what you deal with."
Kael didn't deny it.
"Yes."
For the first time—
she looked at him differently.
Not as a suspect.
Not as a hunter.
But as someone carrying something… heavier than she expected.
"…And you're still calm?"
A pause.
"…Someone has to be."
Suddenly—
a voice echoed.
Not loud.
But absolute.
"You do not belong here."
A distortion appeared.
Closer than before.
This one—
was more stable.
More aware.
Elena immediately moved in front of Kael.
Weapon drawn.
"I'll handle it."
Kael watched her quietly.
"You can't."
She didn't turn back.
"Doesn't matter."
A brief silence.
"I'm still going to try."
For the first time—
Kael felt something unexpected.
Not annoyance.
Not superiority.
Respect.
The entity moved.
Reality bent violently—
aimed directly at Elena.
Kael's eyes sharpened.
Too fast.
Before the distortion reached her—
he moved.
Not forward.
But through.
He appeared beside her.
One hand raised.
"Stop."
Everything froze again.
Elena's eyes widened slightly.
"…You did that again."
Kael didn't respond.
Instead—
he looked at the entity.
"…You're adapting."
The entity flickered.
"And you are interfering."
Kael stepped forward.
Dark green aura slowly expanded.
Not explosive.
But overwhelming.
The empty world trembled.
Elena watched from behind.
For the first time—
she felt it clearly.
Not just power.
But something beyond understanding.
"…What are you…?"
Kael spoke without turning.
"…Someone who doesn't belong anywhere."
That answer—
for some reason—
felt heavier than anything else.
The entity tried to stabilize.
Reality bending again.
More aggressively.
Kael raised his hand.
"Return."
The space collapsed inward—
but this time—
it resisted.
The entity struggled.
"…You are not authorized—"
Kael's aura flared slightly.
"I don't need authorization."
With a single pulse—
the entity disappeared.
Completely.
The empty world shattered.
And reality returned.
Back in the city—
everything resumed.
As if nothing had happened.
Except—
Elena was still standing there.
Looking at him.
Really looking this time.
"…You weren't protecting the city."
Kael stayed silent.
She stepped closer.
"…You were protecting me."
A pause.
Kael looked at her.
"…You were in the way."
Silence.
Then—
Elena smiled slightly.
"…Liar."
For the first time—
Kael didn't respond.
The wind moved softly across the rooftop.
And for a brief moment—
everything felt… normal.
But far above—
something had changed.
This time—
the watchers were no longer just observing.
They were preparing.
Because now—
they understood one thing.
Kael Veyron was not just an anomaly.
He was a problem.
And problems—
were meant to be erased.