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**When they reached the river,** the sky had darkened into a deep indigo, and moonlight shimmered and rippled across the water's surface. The echoing sounds of animals in the forest amplified the unease of the night. The chimpanzees had already finished their work, leaving behind a chaotic campsite before vanishing. Broken branches and footprints were the clearest signs of their hasty departure.
Kaelen knelt and dipped his hands into the water. The cold liquid soothed his weariness, if only slightly, as it slipped through his fingers. He lifted his head, took a deep breath, and then began to drink thirstily.
"Ah... I've waited a long time for this," Kaelen said, narrowing his eyes as the water refreshed his throat.
Liam watched his relaxed demeanor from a few steps behind. His plan had been a solo one—he wasn't supposed to trust anyone. But now, in this unexpected situation, his unease grew. There was something about Kaelen... an inexplicable, instinctive sense of threat.
Somehow, this boy was dangerous. Incredibly so. If Liam wanted to pass the trial, he had to be sure Kaelen wasn't his enemy.
He muttered to himself, "So what you said wasn't a lie."
Kaelen noticed Liam's gaze fixed on him. Slowly, he turned his head and met his eyes. They gleamed like red stones within a flame—cold and sharp.
"Hey, instead of standing there, take some of that meat. The chimps made enough noise. Soon, other mages will start gathering here."
Liam tried to make sense of Kaelen's unusually carefree attitude. There were a few things he genuinely wondered about. Why had Kaelen spared him? And more importantly, why was he acting so defenseless around him?
*"Does he not see me as a threat?"* he thought, frowning slightly.
But he had to push those thoughts aside. Survival was more important right now.
Kaelen scanned the surroundings carefully. The scorch marks on tree trunks and dried bloodstains bore traces of the conflict that had taken place here. Yet there were no corpses—only the cold silence left behind by vanished souls.
Kaelen paused. Grumbling inwardly, he muttered, "So even the knives those kids used are gone."
He ran his hands through his hair and sighed. "Let's go. There's nothing more for us here."
As Liam carefully wrapped a large piece of roasted meat in leaves, Kaelen stood silently beside him. The thoughtful expression on his face reflected the complex calculations running through his mind. Then, he murmured to himself:
"That damned witch... She wants us to dirty our hands. Not just take others' belongings and complete the trial."
Liam noticed that Kaelen had momentarily lost himself in his words. But who was this *"damned witch"*? He had a few guesses, but what sane person would openly insult a master mage like that?
Liam turned his gaze to Kaelen. His black hair blended into the night, and his crimson eyes burned like flames in the dark. Normally, Liam could sense a mage's aura—especially when in his *"Kai"* form, his senses were sharper. But Kaelen was an exception that defied everything he knew. How had this boy managed to sneak up behind him without a sound?
He realized he didn't want to know the answer. At least, not yet.
"Where are we going?" Kaelen asked, looking at Liam.
Liam blinked in surprise and raised his head. "Why are you asking *me*?"
Kaelen rolled his eyes. "Because a mage like you would've already secured a safe spot. Besides, I'm tired and need sleep. I don't want to nap on a tree and let bugs bother me."
Liam took a deep breath. Kaelen's nonchalance baffled him. Normally, in these kinds of alliances, one side exploited the other. But here, Kaelen seemed to treat him more like a partner than a tool. Or at least, that was the impression for now.
"Yeah, I have a shelter," Liam said hesitantly. "But I'm not alone. There's someone else."
Kaelen nodded slightly. "Good, even better. Two people can keep watch while I sleep."
Liam studied Kaelen's relaxed attitude once more. *Who was this kid? Where did he come from? And why did he feel so dangerous?*
Kaelen stretched, flexing his muscles, and began walking toward the opposite bank of the river. He lifted his eyes to the sky. Dark clouds veiled the moonlight. The long night had only just begun...
Liam stepped ahead and led the way to their hidden refuge. As they stepped into the forest's darkness, Kaelen maintained his *"Kai"* form. Deciding to follow suit, Liam activated his own *"Kai"*, allowing them to move almost as one with the surrounding nature.
After a few minutes of silent walking, Kaelen asked curiously:
"How did you know about the sky fruit?"
Liam felt a chill down his spine. Kaelen's voice echoed from within the darkness. In that moment, he realized that Kaelen's mere presence weighed on him. Still, he answered plainly.
"Where I come from, there are many corrupted beasts. The first thing my family taught me was to never, ever steal food from their territory."
Kaelen considered the answer and nodded.
"Your family was wise. A place with many corrupted beasts... Is it in Africa?"
Liam answered immediately:
"Yes, sir."
"That continent has many decayed creatures. So how did you make it to Eldorian? Crossing from one end of the world to the other can't be easy."
Liam sighed. "Honestly, the Council helped. There are many powerful people in my village, and their references brought me here."
Kaelen gave Liam a once-over. "Hmm. So that's how it was. Do you have a surname?"
Liam smiled faintly. "Liam Carter."
Kaelen smirked invisibly in the dark. *"The Carter family... Interesting that this kid is from that lineage. Why didn't I know him in my past life? Did he not make it into the Academy?"*
The silence between them was brief. Liam asked cautiously:
"How come I couldn't sense you approaching?"
Kaelen suddenly leaned close to Liam's ear and whispered:
"Like this?"
Liam flinched reflexively. "Agh—!"
Kaelen barely stifled a laugh. "Alright, fine. Sorry. I'll explain."
Liam listened intently.
"Like you, I used *'Kai,'* but our methods were a bit different. You used it to isolate yourself from the environment, while I used it to become one with it. I even synchronized our heartbeats. I positioned myself upwind so you wouldn't catch my scent. Plus, you were too focused on the scene ahead. All these factors combined made it natural that you didn't notice me."
Liam digested Kaelen's words. He had never met someone who wielded *"Kai"* with such mastery. And they were the same age.
Liam slowed his pace slightly. This conversation had given him a lot of information, but he still had no clear idea of Kaelen's intentions.
Meanwhile, Kaelen noticed they had arrived at the entrance of a cave on the volcanic mountain's slope. He asked curiously:
"This is it?"
Liam nodded. "Yes."
Kaelen observed that the cave was naturally fortified. Under normal circumstances, even a mage who stumbled upon it wouldn't dare enter—from what he remembered, the strongest beasts in this region dwelled in caves. He wondered what knowledge had led Liam to choose this as a shelter but decided to ask later.
Liam noticed Kaelen's hesitation and stepped inside first. The narrow corridors at the entrance provided natural protection—larger mana beasts couldn't enter, which was an advantage. As they ventured deeper, the tunnel narrowed until even Kaelen had to squeeze through a tight passage. Emerging on the other side, they were greeted by a spacious cavern, roughly twenty square meters.
Kaelen couldn't hide his surprise. In his past life, he had often slept among cold tree roots and had never stayed in such a secure refuge. *Did mages his age really live in places like this?*
But then something else caught his attention.
In the darkness, someone sat against the wall.
Her black hair cascaded over her shoulders. She was short, yet her presence carried weight. Her onyx eyes seemed to peer straight into Kaelen's soul.
For a moment, Kaelen felt something strange in her gaze—as if it could penetrate his mind. Instinctively, he grew cautious.
In one corner of the cave, three makeshift beds of woven branches lay on the ground. Kaelen smiled faintly at the sight.
Then, locking eyes with the girl, he asked:
"Are you a seer?"
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