Michael's eyes narrowed at the distant bursts of orange and gold cutting through the mist.
Brian.
Just thinking of him made Michael's jaw tighten. Getting attacked for no reason by someone he knew was already infuriating enough.
But what made it worse was the ridiculous strength Brian had displayed.
If Michael hadn't known his own true strength, this humiliation alone might have been enough to shatter someone else.
He hated to admit it, but Brian's display of power gnawed at him. For a newly awakened, it bordered on monstrous.
With that level of power, skills alone couldn't account for it—Brian's class level had to be higher than most at their stage.
Michael himself was an anomaly too, but his circumstances were unique, shaped by conditions that couldn't be replicated.
So beyond the sharp edge of hate, there was something else simmering inside him—curiosity.
