Hunt Race

The beast disappeared.

Kael didn't move.

His eyes remained fixed ahead, but he wasn't relying on them anymore.

He felt it.

A faint disturbance in the mana around him.

Behind.

Kael turned and raised his sword.

CLANG!

The beast's claw slammed against the blade.

Kael's arms shook from the impact, but he held his ground and immediately shifted his footing as the second claw came toward his ribs.

He sensed it before it moved.

Kael twisted.

The claw passed through the space where his body had been.

He stepped away.

The beast disappeared again.

Kael breathed slowly.

There.

A faint pressure to his left.

He moved before the beast appeared.

CLANG!

He blocked another strike.

The creature's eyes narrowed.

Kael pushed the claw aside and swung.

The beast leaned away.

The blade passed in front of its chest by inches.

Kael followed immediately.

Mirage Step.

He slipped around the creature's side and appeared behind it.

His sword flashed.

The beast turned at the last moment.

CLANG!

Its claw caught the blade.

Kael's eyes narrowed.

He had sensed the movement.

He had reached the correct position.

But the beast was still fast enough to respond.

The creature twisted and kicked.

Kael pulled his sword back and jumped away.

The kick passed beneath him.

He landed several meters away.

The beast was already moving.

Kael sensed it.

He raised his sword.

CLANG!

Another block.

The beast struck again.

Kael shifted.

Another block.

Another attack.

Kael redirected it.

The exchange continued.

For the first time since the creature had taken its humanoid form, Kael wasn't being caught completely off guard.

He could feel the beast's mana before every movement.

When it gathered around the legs, he knew it was about to move.

When it concentrated around the arm, he knew which direction the attack would come from.

When the flow changed suddenly, he knew the beast was changing its angle.

His eyes were no longer chasing the creature.

His senses were.

Kael had finally crossed that first barrier.

He could track it.

But—

CLANG!

The beast's claw slammed against his sword.

Kael was forced backward.

He immediately stepped forward and tried to counter.

His sword flashed toward the beast's chest.

The creature twisted.

The blade missed.

Kael followed with another slash.

The beast blocked.

CLANG!

Kael changed his angle.

The beast moved with him.

Kael used Mirage Step.

He disappeared and reappeared at the beast's flank.

He swung.

The creature turned.

CLANG!

Again.

Kael retreated.

The beast followed.

Kael could read every movement.

Yet he still couldn't land a clean hit.

His breathing grew heavier.

The beast charged.

Kael sensed the attack.

He moved before it arrived.

The first claw passed.

The second followed.

Kael blocked.

CLANG!

The force pushed him backward.

He immediately stepped around the beast and swung at its exposed side.

The creature twisted its body.

The blade passed through empty air.

Kael's expression tightened.

He had seen the opening.

He had reached it.

But the beast was simply too fast.

It attacked again.

Kael blocked.

Another.

He redirected.

Another.

He stepped away.

The battle had become a strange stalemate.

Kael could survive.

The beast couldn't surprise him anymore.

But Kael couldn't hurt it either.

He suddenly broke away from the exchange and stood several meters away.

The beast remained motionless.

Its breathing was steady.

Kael's was not.

Blood had dried across his clothes.

His body was still carrying the injuries from earlier, though the Mark had already begun repairing them.

Kael tightened his grip.

He had thought mana sensing would change everything.

It had.

Just not enough.

Before, the beast could attack him before he even knew where it was.

Now, Kael knew exactly where it was.

He knew when it would attack.

He knew which direction it would come from.

He could defend against it.

But that was all.

The beast suddenly moved.

Kael sensed it.

He stepped forward instead of backward.

The two crossed paths.

Kael's sword flashed toward the creature's arm.

For one brief moment, he thought he had it.

The beast twisted.

The blade missed by a fraction.

Kael's eyes narrowed.

The creature landed behind him.

Kael turned slowly.

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