"Boom—!"
The heavy, resonant impact shook the small park. Dust and scattered leaves swirled in the sudden wind. Slowly, the girl in the wheelchair blinked, her wide, frightened eyes coming into focus. Before her lay the source of the recent terror—the one-eyed demonic wolf. Its body sprawled lifelessly across the stone-paved ground, grotesque and bloody.
A jagged hole had been blown clean through its skull, blood trickling steadily onto the tiles and pooling beneath the wheelchair. The girl instinctively recoiled, wincing at the brutal sight.
The surrounding hunters, members of Alice Springs' Monster-Hunting Team, froze. Their mouths hung open, some nearly gaping wide enough to fit a large duck egg, shock rooting them in place. All eyes—captain, deputy, and seasoned hunters alike—fixed on Kain Clinton, the young man responsible for the wolf's sudden and violent demise.
"He… he's that strong?!"
Caitlin Tang, the blue-haired deputy, pressed a trembling hand to her forehead, her usually composed face pale. The lingering aura of power radiating from Kain made her knees weak. The sheer force of his magic had annihilated the wolf in a single strike, leaving nothing behind but gore and a faint magical residue. No flashy mid-tier spells, no elaborate incantations—just one precise, lethal attack. An advanced monster reduced to nothing.
The others stared dumbfounded. When had Alice Springs ever seen a hunter this formidable? The idea was almost incomprehensible.
Finally, Caitlin stepped forward, her pride warring with caution. "Sir… I apologize for my earlier disrespect," she said, bowing slightly.
"I didn't give you permission to speak," Kain replied flatly, his tone detached. Caitlin's training and skill were sufficient, but her arrogance grated on him. He had no patience for self-important novices.
"You—"
Her retort died on her lips. Even with her tenuous connection to the Moore family, confronting a mage of Kain's caliber was unthinkable.
"This one-eyed wolf will be recorded under my hunter account," Kain declared, producing a sleek, obsidian-black hunter's license from his pocket. The emblem glimmered faintly—a mark of recognition in the Hunter's Guild, a global system validating every hunter's achievements and experience.
Even if this kill only granted a small sliver of experience, Kain was unwilling to credit anyone else. If it had been Nina Moore or Tara Young, he might have been generous. But Caitlin? Not a chance.
"Kain Clinton… High-tier Mage, Two-Star Hunter Master!!"
The words echoed across the park. Even the president of Alice Springs' Magic Association, revered for his prowess, was only a mid-tier mage. Here, standing before them, was someone who completely dwarfed their expectations.
Caitlin swallowed hard, her pride crumbling under the weight of reality. Had she acted rashly, her career could have been ruined. No family influence could shield her from a High-tier Mage, let alone a Two-Star Hunter Master.
The girl in the wheelchair blinked in awe. Though she had studied magical theory and basic combat, she had never witnessed a High-tier Mage in person. Her pale hands gripped the chair tightly as she watched Kain's calm demeanor.
Ignoring the hunters entirely, Kain approached her. She was undoubtedly Sophie—the girl he had noticed earlier, trapped amidst the chaos.
"Are you hurt?" Kain asked, his voice gentle yet commanding.
"I'm fine… thank you for saving me," Sophie replied softly, her gaze filled with genuine gratitude.
"Sorry you had to see that… it must have been frightening," Kain added, glancing at the blood beneath her chair. He carefully shifted her to the side to avoid contact with the gore.
The unexpected care left Sophie slightly bewildered. High-tier mages were usually distant, aloof, almost untouchable. Yet Kain treated her with attentiveness and respect rather than condescension. Her heart fluttered, a mixture of relief and awe.
"I'm also a mage," she said quietly, attempting to steady herself. "I'll face monsters someday too."
Her delicate presence quietly drew Kain's attention. There was something inherently gentle and reassuring about her, a subtle beauty that never demanded attention yet effortlessly captured it.
"Then I'll escort you home," Kain offered, calm and teasing.
Sophie shook her head politely. "No… that's unnecessary. Thank you." She hesitated. Trusting a stranger, even a seemingly kind one, was not easy.
Before she could finish, Kain had already maneuvered the wheelchair, guiding her smoothly through the park. There was a quiet satisfaction in taking charge without displaying overt strength.
"Outrageous!"
"Exactly!"
Once Kain and Sophie disappeared from view, Caitlin's simmering anger erupted. "That bastard! He's even taking advantage of a girl… and he's a High-tier Mage! Shameless!"
"Enough complaints!" Captain Blake Rivers barked. "If he returns, it won't just be you in trouble—we'll all pay the price!"
"Such a young High-tier Mage… one careless word and he could wipe us out. And he's barely twenty—he'd never even glance at someone like you," Li Wenjie said sharply, trying to cool Caitlin's temper.
Caitlin shrank back, realizing the gravity of her behavior. She had only spoken out of ego; if Kain had judged her harshly, her career could have been destroyed.
Once Sophie reached home, she was met by her aunt, Claire, who blocked Kain's path, suspicion written across her face. He looked no older than a college student, yet she knew Sophie was only in her first year of high school. Her protective instincts flared.
"He saved me from a monster," Sophie quickly explained.
"A monster? Are you hurt?" Claire's tone shifted to concern. She examined Sophie carefully, relief washing over her when she found no injuries.
"He's a mage?" Claire asked, scrutinizing Kain.
"Yes… a High-tier Mage," Kain replied calmly.
Claire's mind went blank. She had just challenged a High-tier Mage? Her knees weakened. But Sophie was safe, and the danger had passed.
"Apologies… I meant no offense," Claire stammered, bowing deeply.
This was the difference between ordinary citizens and mages. Even mid-tier mages commanded respect. High-tier mages, however, were pillars of magical society, their authority extending throughout Alice Springs.
"Since she's safe, I should take my leave," Kain said. He chose not to linger; too much presence could create discomfort, and a touch of mystery was always more effective.
Back at the Moore estate, Kain returned to find Jayce still engrossed in studying the Earthly Spring. With the right instruments, they might uncover new information—but time was short.
"This Earthly Spring is indeed strange," Jayce said, brow furrowed. "It could really be connected to the Azure Dragon… but most of its energy has been depleted. There's little we can extract."
"Then don't say the trip was wasted," Kain remarked. "Even a trace of insight is valuable."
"I wanted the totem! Even if I never see the Azure Dragon itself, just glimpsing its totem would have been enough. And this… this is barely even its 'bathwater,' let alone the real thing!" Jayce groaned, making an exaggerated retching motion at the thought of the Earthly Spring.
Kain smirked faintly. "Tomorrow, we return to Mo City."
"Return?" Jayce scratched his head. "What's the hurry? I thought we just arrived."
"The mission in Alice Springs is nearly complete," Kain said steadily. "You've collected your clues. Staying longer here accomplishes nothing. Tomorrow we resume the totem search in earnest."
Jayce's eyes lit up. "So this trip was just… a warm-up? You should've told me! Totem Duo, let's go!"
"Say that one more time and I'll strangle you," Kain growled, though a faint smile betrayed his amusement.
The streets of Alice Springs settled into a quiet dusk, leaving only lingering whispers of the day's extraordinary events. Monsters defeated, young lives protected, and subtle threads of fate weaving silently in the background, Kain prepared to lead the hunt into a new chapter—one promising danger, discovery, and the elusive totems that would shape their destiny.