Hunt Race

The forest was silent.

Only the sound of their breathing remained.

The Razor Fox lowered its body once more.

Its muscles coiled like a drawn bow.

Then—

Mirage Step.

It charged.

Kael didn't move.

Not yet.

The fox closed the distance in an instant.

Its front paw dug into the earth.

Its weight shifted.

Left.

"No..."

Kael whispered.

"...Right."

Instead of following the fox's body...

He moved the instant its balance changed.

One step.

A small turn.

His body slipped past the fox's real path.

For the first time...

The fox's attack completely missed.

Its golden eyes widened.

It landed awkwardly before instantly twisting around.

Kael didn't pursue.

He simply watched.

Again.

The fox attacked.

Again.

Kael slipped past it.

Not perfectly.

Not gracefully.

But he no longer reacted to the mirage.

He reacted to the movement before it was born.

The Razor Fox growled.

Its attacks became more aggressive.

Claws rained down.

Its tail swept low.

Its jaws snapped toward Kael's throat.

Kael's clothes gained new tears.

A few shallow wounds appeared on his arms.

But every injury was smaller than the last.

The fox couldn't understand it.

The human wasn't becoming faster.

He was becoming...

Harder to catch.

The Razor Fox suddenly sprang backward.

It disappeared into the trees.

Silence.

Kael remained still.

"...Come."

Nothing.

The leaves rustled overhead.

Then—

Three silver blurs burst from different directions.

The fox had used the trees to break his vision.

Any ordinary hunter would choose one.

Kael didn't.

His eyes dropped to the forest floor.

Only one shadow matched the rhythm of real footsteps.

"There."

He shifted.

The real fox shot past his shoulder.

Its claws met empty air.

At that exact instant—

Kael turned.

His movement flowed without hesitation.

Not copied.

Not forced.

Natural.

His sword stopped just short of the fox's neck.

The fox froze.

One more inch...

And it would die.

Neither moved.

Several long seconds passed.

Kael slowly lowered his sword.

"...I see it now."

The Razor Fox stared at him.

Then...

It took one careful step backward.

Another.

Without another sound...

It vanished into the depths of Blackstone Forest.

Kael didn't follow.

He closed his eyes.

Then took a single step forward.

The movement felt...

Different.

His body no longer fought against itself.

Every shift of weight.

Every turn.

Every step.

Flowed together.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"I'll call it..."

He looked toward the direction the fox had disappeared.

"...Mirage Step."

He sheathed his sword.

The fox had escaped.

But Kael had gained something far more valuable.

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