The night was quiet.
Kael slipped through the apartment window silently.
His movements slow.
Careful.
Controlled.
The battle with the Magma Giant had drained him more than expected.
He landed softly inside the room.
"Hah…"
He exhaled quietly.
"That giant… drained too much mana."
His shoulders felt heavy.
Even his Shadow Cloak flickered faintly.
Kael reached toward the wall.
Click.
The lights turned on.
And—
He stopped.
Someone was already inside.
Sitting calmly in his chair.
Legs crossed.
Silver hair glowing under the light.
Elara.
The temperature dropped instantly.
Frost formed on the walls.
The air turned cold.
Breath visible.
Ice magic.
Her presence alone froze the room.
Kael didn't panic.
Didn't react.
He simply sighed.
"You didn't have to break my lock…"
He walked inside calmly.
"You could've just knocked."
Elara stood up slowly.
Her blue eyes sharp.
Anger.
Curiosity.
Both visible.
"You said you'd gather intel."
Her voice cold.
"You didn't say you'd humiliate India's number one hero…"
She stepped closer.
"And solo an A+ Rank boss."
The air grew colder.
Her aura leaked slightly.
Kael met her gaze calmly.
No fear.
No hesitation.
Elara's eyes narrowed.
"Who are you… Kael?"
"E-Ranker?"
"Hidden S-Ranker?"
Her voice lowered.
"Or…"
"...a monster wearing human skin?"
Silence filled the room.
Kael walked past her.
Opened the fridge.
Pulled out a bottle of water.
Drank casually.
"I'm exactly what you needed."
He spoke calmly.
"An irregular."
"A weapon that doesn't follow God's rules."
Kael reached into his pocket.
Pulled out the Magma Core.
Placed it on the table.
The red glow filled the room.
Heat clashed against Elara's cold aura.
"Vikram is a puppet."
Kael spoke quietly.
"Tonight… I cut his strings."
He looked at her.
"Aren't you happy?"
Elara looked at the core.
Then at Kael.
"Happy?"
She laughed quietly.
"You just made an enemy of the Golden Lion Guild."
"They'll hunt you."
"And if they discover you're that masked hunter…"
Her eyes sharpened.
"They'll send an army."
Kael smiled faintly.
"That's why you're here."
Elara raised an eyebrow.
"You want me to protect you?"
Kael leaned against the wall.
"You already decided to."
Elara laughed again.
Cold.
"I could expose you right now."
"One call."
"And you're finished."
Kael's golden eyes glowed faintly.
"You won't."
Elara paused.
"Why?"
Kael stepped closer.
"Because you know…"
"The Great Calamity is coming."
"And fake heroes like Vikram…"
"...won't stop it."
His voice dropped.
"Only I can."
Silence.
Elara studied him carefully.
She could feel it.
Something strange about him.
He wasn't using mana.
He wasn't using aura.
Yet—
Reality bent around him.
Dangerous.
Unpredictable.
Useful.
Elara slowly sat back down.
"Fine."
Her voice calmer.
"I'll keep your secret."
She looked at the Magma Core.
"But I want that."
"My ice magic needs fire essence."
Kael pushed the core toward her.
"Take it."
"For me… it's just a stone."
He smirked slightly.
"But remember…"
"We're partners now."
"Not master and servant."
Elara picked up the core.
"Partner…"
She smiled faintly.
"We'll see how long you survive."
Ice particles formed around her.
She began disappearing.
"Tomorrow."
"Come to the Association."
"I'm giving you a cover job."
"Analyst. My guild."
She vanished.
Leaving behind cold air.
Kael stood alone.
Then—
He smiled.
"She took the bait."
Now—
An S-Rank mage…
Was his shield.
The luxurious penthouse looked like a battlefield.
Broken glass covered the marble floor.
Expensive paintings torn.
Furniture shattered.
The sound of something breaking echoed again.
CRASH!
Vikram threw another bottle across the room.
It shattered against the wall.
His breathing heavy.
Eyes bloodshot.
Hair messy.
The Golden Lion…
Looked nothing like a hero anymore.
On the TV—
News played repeatedly.
"Following yesterday's Red Gate incident…"
"Vikram's popularity has dropped by 40%."
"Sponsors have begun withdrawing contracts."
"Social media backlash continues—"
Vikram roared.
"SHUT UP!"
He grabbed another bottle.
Threw it at the screen.
CRACK.
The TV shattered.
Static filled the room.
Silence followed.
Then—
His phone rang.
Guild Master.
Vikram grabbed it instantly.
"S-Sir!"
He spoke desperately.
"It's fake!"
"The footage was edited!"
"I was going to attack—"
The voice on the other end remained cold.
"You embarrassed the guild."
Vikram froze.
"Sir…"
"Your S-Rank status…"
The Guild Master continued calmly.
"...is under review."
"For now… you're suspended."
Click.
The call ended.
Vikram stood still.
Then—
His body trembled.
"NO…"
He screamed.
"AAAAHHHH!"
He kicked the table.
Smashed another vase.
"That bastard…"
He growled.
"That Unknown Hunter…"
"I'll kill him…"
"I'll kill everyone…"
The lights flickered.
Suddenly—
The shadows grew longer.
Darker.
The temperature dropped.
A voice echoed.
Low.
Heavy.
"You want revenge… Vikram?"
Vikram froze.
He slowly turned.
Dark mist filled the corner.
Red eyes appeared.
Vikram stepped back.
"Who's there?!"
"Security!"
No one responded.
The black mist formed into a figure.
Tall.
Distorted.
A Demon Messenger.
"Security…"
The demon chuckled.
"...can't save you."
"But I can give you…"
The demon extended its hand.
"...power."
A black heart appeared.
Pulsing.
Alive.
Dark energy radiated from it.
"The gods abandoned you."
The demon whispered.
"But demons…"
"...reward their followers."
"Eat this."
"Become stronger."
"Become… a Demon King."
Vikram stared at the heart.
His mind filled with one image.
Kael.
Standing above him.
Humiliating him.
The world laughing.
"Power…"
Vikram whispered.
"I need power."
Without hesitation—
He grabbed the heart.
CRUNCH.
He swallowed it.
Immediately—
Pain exploded through his body.
"GAAAHHH!"
Black veins spread across his skin.
Bones cracked.
Eyes turned black.
His teeth sharpened.
Dark energy erupted around him.
Transformation.
S-Rank Human
→ Demon Hybrid
His breathing slowed.
He looked into the mirror.
A new smile formed.
Dark.
Twisted.
"Kael…"
His voice distorted.
"I'm coming."
Morning arrived quietly.
Sunlight filtered through Kael's apartment window.
The room had returned to normal.
The frost left behind by Elara had already melted.
Kael stood in front of the mirror.
Back in normal clothes.
Simple hoodie.
Plain jeans.
No armor.
No mask.
Just another ordinary person.
But his eyes—
Still sharp.
Still calculating.
His phone rang.
Ren.
Kael answered.
"Bhai!"
Ren's voice sounded worried.
"Tu thik hai?"
"Kal raat tu gayab tha!"
"Store manager pagal ho gaya hai!"
Kael walked toward the door calmly.
"Ren…"
He spoke quietly.
"Quit the job."
Silence.
"Kya?"
Ren sounded confused.
"Kyuuuun?"
Kael stepped outside.
The city looked peaceful.
But he knew—
Storm was coming.
"Because…"
He looked toward the Hunter Association building.
"...we got promoted."
Ren blinked.
"Promotion?"
Kael smiled faintly.
"From freelancers…"
"...to cleaners."
Ren didn't understand.
But Kael ended the call.
His phone vibrated again.
New message.
From Elara.
Guild ID.
[Frost Wings Guild]
Role:
Special Consultant
Kael studied it.
Perfect.
Official access.
Guild protection.
Resources.
Everything he needed.
Kael placed the phone into his pocket.
His thoughts shifted.
Vikram.
He wouldn't stay quiet.
Someone like him…
Would come back.
Stronger.
More dangerous.
Kael welcomed it.
Because conflict…
Created opportunity.
He walked toward the Association building.
Wind moved slowly.
The sky darkened slightly.
Clouds formed strange shapes.
Almost like monsters.
A bad omen.
Kael looked up.
"The game…"
He muttered quietly.
"...just entered the next phase."
Somewhere else—
Vikram stood on a rooftop.
His eyes now black.
Dark aura surrounding him.
The storm had begun.
And soon—
Hunter…
And Demon…
Would collide.
Chapter 10 End.