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Chapter 28 — First Blood
The mist thickened the deeper they went, curling around Kael's boots like it wanted to hold him in place. Birdsong had stopped — the only sound was the crunch of grass underfoot and the distant calls of the nobles trying to outshout each other.
Lord Carrin's voice echoed faintly from a hilltop ahead. "Two down already! What's taking the rest of you so long?"
Kael ignored him. SIDE's tone was low and tight. —Your shadow's moving on its own. That's not normal for a clear morning.
"I noticed," Kael murmured, shifting his grip on his sword.
Through the mist, antlers emerged — huge, twisted, and blackened at the tips. The stag that followed was wrong in every way: eyes pure white, hide mottled with patches of scaled plating, breath hissing in visible bursts.
It froze when it saw him, head lowering. The ground beneath its hooves cracked.
[SIDE SYSTEM ALERT]
Target: Corrupted Stag (Lv. 22)
Warning: Mana anomaly detected.
Kael stepped left, circling, the stag's gaze locked on him. The mist around it swirled against the wind.
Then it charged.
Kael's world narrowed — grass tearing under hooves, the impact building like a wave. He sidestepped into a space-step blink, reappearing at its flank mid-stride. His sword carved a line across its ribs, black blood spraying into the air.
The stag bellowed, spinning faster than it should've been able to, antlers slicing toward him like blades. He ducked under the first sweep, but the second clipped his shoulder, spinning him half a step.
Pain flared. His shadow surged.
Without willing it, tendrils shot upward from the ground, coiling around the stag's hind legs. Kael seized the moment, driving his blade through its throat in one smooth motion.
It collapsed, breath rattling once before stilling. Black mist rose from the corpse — thicker than before, heavy with something else.
SIDE's voice was sharp. —Take it or leave it. But if you take it, you'll need to be ready for the next one.
Kael let the mist sink into his palm.
[SIDE SYSTEM ALERT]
XP Gained: 1,350
Level Up → Lv. 19
Stats: +3 Strength, +2 Willpower, +1 Agility
New Skill: Shadow Snare (Rank 1) — Use your shadow to bind enemies for 2–4 seconds.
From the hilltop, the horn sounded again. Not the triumphant call of a noble's kill — this one was faster, urgent.
Kael looked toward the sound. "Looks like it's not just me finding the wrong prey."