A closer look confirmed it was not Zach.
The hand gripping the steering wheel slowly loosened. Kael took a deep breath and studied the man's face.
His brown hair was tousled, covering most of his head. He wore a mask, and his black shirt clung to his body, outlining a toned chest and defined muscles without a trace of fat.
The man removed his mask and leaped over Kael's front gate.
When he stepped into the backyard, Kael finally saw his face clearly. A chiseled jawline. Sharp features. Green eyes that seemed to glow.
No. They were actually glowing.
Was he activating a skill?
A familiar sensation struck Kael. He narrowed his eyes and examined the intruder more carefully. The longer he stared, the more memories from years ago resurfaced.
Back when he and Zach lived together, a young boy would visit them from time to time. He had the same brown hair as Zach. The only difference between them was their eyes.
The boy had green eyes. Zach's were brown, slightly lighter than his hair.
That young boy was Zach's younger brother. Zeke.
Kael vaguely recalled Michael's message mentioning that an S Class Hunter named Ezekiel from The Watcher's Guild was looking for him.
So, Zach's younger brother had become an S Class Hunter?
Kael scoffed, a faint smile forming on his lips.
Zach must have felt humiliated watching his younger brother rise to S Class while he remained an A Class hunter.
Ezekiel entered Kael's house without ringing the doorbell. The moment he stepped inside, he paused. He tilted his head slightly and pressed something in his ear.
"You are sure this is Hunter Clyde's address?"
"Yes. The Hunter Association's records are up to date," Jason replied immediately.
"That hunter is not here."
Ezekiel turned on the lights and surveyed the spacious living room connected to the kitchen. There are barely any traces of human activity.
There are not much decoration and furniture in this house. There was not even a television. The more he looked around, the more it resembled a commercial space rather than someone's home.
Ezekiel infiltrated like it's the most natural thing to do. He checked each room.
He searched each room but other than Kael's clothes he put in the closet and his bathroom supplies, there's hardly anything.
He exhaled in mild frustration and ran his fingers through his hair.
"Damned, the guy living here is like a ghost."
He tapped his earpiece again.
"Jason, check the hospitals in Mandel City, Mane City, and the Capital City. See if there is a hunter patient named Clyde McNeil."
"So, he has not been home for several days?" Jason asked.
"I cannot tell. There are too few belongings here. It is hard to determine whether he was home today or has been gone for days."
Ezekiel checked the back door. There were no signs of laundry. No clothes hanging to dry. No detergent bottles left out. The kitchen and trash were spotless.
The absence of clutter and human traces made it difficult for him to track Clyde.
"I will check the nearby hospitals," Jason said. "I will contact you if I find anything."
"Good. Inform me as soon as you have results. I will stay and monitor the house in case he returns."
The call ended.
Ezekiel disappeared from the spot.
Inside his car, Kael leaned back in the driver's seat and drummed his fingers against the steering wheel.
What could this man want from me?
The possibility that his true identity had been discovered was nearly zero. If Ezekiel was searching for someone, it was Clyde McNeil, not Kael Solace.
What could Clyde McNeil possibly have that would attract the interest of an S Class hunter like Ezekiel?
The silver coin suddenly materialized in Clyde's finger. He twirled it between his fingers and remembered the message Lix gave him.
Someone will come looking for me… And it's another gifted hunter. There's danger if I get involved.
So Zeke gained the gift from one of the forty - nine hunters who passed away that day?
A playful smile appeared on Kael's lips.
How ironic.
The older brother slaughtered forty nine hunters to seize their gifts, unaware that his younger brother would obtain one without bloodshed or betrayal.
Kael had no intention of getting involved with Ezekiel or anyone from The Watcher's Guild.
But there had to be a reason for this behavior.
Why was Ezekiel so determined to find Clyde McNeil? Why go as far as breaking into his home?
It must be related to Clyde's restoration ability.
What did he want restored?
As that thought formed, Clyde activated his smartwatch and opened a holographic screen. He searched for recent activities involving S Class Hunter Ezekiel.
The most recent report dated back one month.
It involved Hunter Allyson, another restorer.
According to reports, Hunter Allyson had repeatedly sought out Ezekiel. As a non combat hunter, she was often assigned to restoration work in controlled dungeons, repairing terrain to retrieve treasures or restoring structures after dungeon explosions.
It was rumored that she had expressed dissatisfaction with her current assignments and insisted that she was the restorer Ezekiel truly needed. She claimed she could restore the 'thing' he wanted restored.
Thing?
Kael attempted to find more information about that 'thing', but no further records appeared. It seemed The Watcher's Guild had suppressed the incident to prevent internal conflict from becoming public.
The curiosity he felt immediately died down when he noticed someone's car was parked in front of his gate. Ezekiel was serious when he said he will wait and ambush for Clyde's arrival.
Kael exhaled slowly.
How troublesome.