Volume 4, Chapter 2: Shadows of the Past
Cael walked through the bustling streets under his new alias, his hood pulled low. To everyone, he was just another noble adventurer but beneath the cloak, Absolute Atomic energy pulsed faintly, unnoticed.
> "Master… the organization thrives under your hidden support," Selene whispered, shadows flickering around him.
"They don't know you're providing funds, resources, and guidance."
> "Exactly," Cael said calmly.
"Influence from the shadows is far more effective than recognition. Money moves kingdoms, and no one sees the hand guiding it."
The Fox Girl Awakens
In a ruined village, the fox girl trained alone, unaware of her benefactor.
She began awakening latent magical abilities, strengthened by the survival trials imposed by her ex and the destruction of her clan.
Strange, fleeting memories of a mysterious figure saving her as a child surfaced, leaving her unsettled.
> "Who… helped us back then?" she whispered, touching a scar on her arm.
"I feel like I owe someone… but I don't remember."
A Shadowed Threat
Her ex, now fully consumed by evil, had grown in power and influence.
He raided nearby territories, seeking revenge and domination.
Every move was calculated, yet unseen by him, Cael had already marked his path, preparing contingencies in silence.
> "Selene… he's rising fast," Cael murmured, shadows twisting like living coils.
"We will let him grow… just enough to draw attention, but not enough to realize the hunter waits in the shadows."
A Silent Rescue
When the ex cornered the fox girl, intending to finish her, Cael intervened without revealing himself.
Shadows flared, disorienting the attackers.
A single precision strike removed the ex's reinforcements effortlessly.
The fox girl looked around in awe, sensing power but seeing no one.
> "Who… saved me?" she whispered, trembling.
> "A shadow," Selene murmured softly.
"A protector you do not yet know… but one you will someday recognize."
Cael's Hidden Motive
Cael did not reveal himself, nor did he seek thanks.
His goal remained simple: resources, control, and shaping the world from the shadows.
The fox girl would eventually remember him but only when the time was right.
> "Patience," Cael said softly,
"for the past is a shadow, and shadows must always wait for the perfect moment to strike."
As he disappeared into the city streets, the fox girl's heart felt an inexplicable pull, a faint echo of someone who had saved her before… someone she would meet again in the threads of destiny.