Chapter 4:

VOL. 1: CHAPTER 4 — "THE APEX BEAST, THE ANOMALY, AND THE FIRST TRUE HUNT"

FATEBREAK: The Anomaly Who Holds Two Authorities

— Kai’s POV —

The journey back through the deeper forest took longer than expected. Mostly because Aerin wouldn’t stop clinging to my sleeve.

“B-Big brother Kai… don’t go far, okay?” He said.

His small voice trembled every time a twig snapped.

Man, Why did this kid activate every forgotten older brother instinct I never knew I had?

“Relax, kid. I’m not going anywhere.” I replied.

Aerin squeezed my arm tighter.

Lythiriel, walking ahead, glanced back.

“You spoil him too much,” she said.

“Yeah? And what’re you, his strict school teacher?” I teased her.

“I am NOT—” She said loudly.

“Princess Teacher Lythiriel~” I teased her again.

“…Kai.” She called.

“Yes?” I responded.

“Silence.” She said.

“Nope.” I said coolly.

A guard whispered, “They argue like siblings.”

Another muttered, “More like a married coup—”

Lythiriel’s ear flicked. Her gaze froze him solid.

“Ahem. Nothing, Princess.”

I snickered.

She glared.

We continued.

---A small pause later---

“So, uh… since I’m kind of stuck here, mind explaining how this world works?” I said.

Lythiriel sighed like she’d rather eat dirt. “You ask too many questions.”

“And you answer too few.”

“…Fine.”

She slowed her pace so she walked beside me. Her voice took on a soft lecture tone — like a teacher reluctantly tutoring a terrible student.

“You are in Aetheryon. One of the most stable worlds created by the Primordials.”

“Primordials? Like gods?”

“No. Above gods.”

She frowned. “You truly know nothing…”

“Yup. Freshman in Fantasy World 101.”

Aerin giggled.

Lythiriel continued. “There were three Primordials. Iris — Creation. Veylor — Void. Ryshiel — Knowledge.”

Amara whispered inside my mind:

> 『Affirmative. Cross-referencing data… accurate.』

Lythiriel noticed me spacing out. “You’re not listening, are you?”

“Totally listening. Primordial One, Primordial Two, Primordial Google.”

“Primordial WHAT—?!”

“…ahem. Sorry. Earth thing.”

She pinched the bridge of her nose. I swear she’ll develop wrinkles at sixteen hundred years because of me.

“Anyway,” she resumed, “magic flows from Iris’s creation veins. Spirits from Ilyrion. Skills from Ryshiel.”

“Okay, but what about—”

“Not done.”

“…”

“Do not interrupt me when I finally choose to educate you.”

“…Yes, Mom.”

Her steps faltered. She looked like she wanted to stab me. Gently.

“Say that again, and I will throw you into a mana-eating bush.”

Aerin snorted, trying to hide his laughter behind my sleeve.

I patted his head. “It’s okay, kid, your princess has anger issues.”

“Kai!!”

“Yep?”

“STOP TALKING!”

“Impossible.”

A guard coughed violently to hide laughter.

— Aerin’s POV (childlike, soft)—

Kai is funny.
Kai is warm.
Kai doesn’t get scared, even when scary monsters attack.
Kai talks a lot, but… I like it.

Even when Princess Lythiriel yells at him. It makes the forest feel less frightening.
I want him to stay.
If he leaves…I’ll be alone again.
And I don’t want to be alone anymore.

— Lythiriel’s POV —

This human is insufferable.
Annoying.
Chaotic.
Unpredictable.
Yet…

When he listens, he listens seriously.
When he jokes,
Aerin relaxes.
When danger appears, he doesn’t run.

I watched him carefully as he asked questions:
“So, how strong are you elves? Like, compared to humans?”

I answered reluctantly:
“Spirit Arts grant elves superior affinity. An average elf child has more mana than a human adult.”

“Wow. Humans suck.” He said.

“Yes.” I answered.

“…You could deny that a little slower, Princess.” He said.

“I merely confirmed a fact.” I replied.

“You didn’t even hesitate!” He said, making his voice sound like he is hurt.

“And I am not required to.” I simply replied.

“Tch. Racist elf.” He said.

“…Excuse me?” I said.

“EXCUSED.” He answered immediately.

Silence.

A guard quietly whispered, “He is suicidal…”
Another corrected: “No, suicidal people have more self-preservation.”

I bit back a smile.
No.
This human is… strange.
And deeply dangerous.

His mana was still fluctuating.
Unstable.
Like a void wrapped in flesh.
That alone terrified me.
But his laughter…

His smile while holding Aerin’s hand…
Why am I noticing that?

— Elorin’s POV (Captain of the Guard) —

This boy…
I’ve dealt with humans, beastkin, sorcerers, even Abyss cultists. But I’ve never met anything like Kai.

His aura…
It isn’t mana.

It isn’t divine.

It isn’t spirit.
It is emptiness.

Like staring into something that should not exist.
Yet…The boy is gentle with the child.
He is ridiculous.
He is lazy.
He is immature.
But he is not evil.

That terrifies me more than if he was, because good intentions with unstoppable power……
destroy more than any villain.

— Kai’s POV —

We stopped when the forest suddenly shifted atmosphere. A heavy pressure descended.
Elorin held up a hand.

“Princess… something approaches.”
My instincts prickled.

Amara whispered:
> 『Master. Threat level: High.』
『Apex Beast detected. Classification: Elderwood Monarch.』

“Sounds big,” I muttered.

> 『Accurate.』

“Should I run?” I asked.

> 『Running is ineffective.』

“…So yes?” I asked again.

> 『I recommend survival.』

“That’s not helpful!” I said.

A massive silhouette emerged through the trees. A towering creature of muscle, antlers, and mana-veins. The Elderwood Monarch Stag.

A monarch-level mythical beast. Ten meters tall. Glowing green eyes. Its aura crushed the air.

Lythiriel hissed, “A Monarch?! They avoid this region!”

Elorin stepped forward. “Princess, stand back!”

“No. I will assist.” Her blade ignited again.
"Moonweaver: Sixth Form — Astral Sever!"

The Monarch roared, sending shockwaves. Aerin whimpered behind me.

Without thinking, I crouched and hugged him.
“It’s okay. Big bro’s here.”

He clung tighter. “K-Kai… don’t die…”

I ruffled his hair. “Don’t worry. I’m too lazy to die.”

Lythiriel looked over her shoulder briefly. “…You better stay alive, idiot human.”

“Kinda sweet hearing that from you.” I teased.

“It is NOT—! Just—just don’t make things harder!” She retorted.

I smirked.
Then the beast charged.
Trees shattered.
Ground cracked.

Elorin yelled, “PRINCESS—!!”

Lythiriel leaped—But she wasn’t fast enough.
The Monarch was faster.
Too fast.

Aerin screamed. “KAI—!!”

I stepped forward.
Slowly.
Almost lazily.

“…This thing’s too loud.” I raised my hand.

Lythiriel shouted in panic, “Kai—DON’T—!!”

Too late.
I pressed my palm forward.

“ANYparxía—Boundary Dissolution.”

Space warped.
A thin ripple spread—and the Monarch Stag’s antler simply…
disintegrated.
Gone.
Like chalk erased.

The beast recoiled violently.
Lythiriel’s eyes widened, breath catching.

“That… that was conceptual erasure…”

Elorin trembled.

“Kai… just what ARE you…?” She asked in disbelieve.

Aerin clung to me, terrified and awed.
“Big brother… you’re amazing…”

I pat his head. “Stay back, kid. I’m not done.”

The Monarch roared and charged again.
I cracked my knuckles.

“Alright, big guy. Let’s see what I can do without ANYparxía.”

> 『Warning: Physical capability insufficient.』

“Nah. I wanna test something.” I said.

Amara hesitated.
For the first time ever.
> 『…I will support.』

Her voice…
sounded slightly less mechanical.
Was she evolving?
No time to think.

The Monarch lunged.
I ducked.
Shoved my fist upward—

“Elemental Manipulation: Shock Burst!”

A shockwave of compressed air exploded from my fist, launching the beast backward. The guards stumbled.

Lythiriel choked. “That strength… that technique—what ARE you!?”

I grinned. “A guy who skipped gym class.”

Aerin: “Big brother you’re so cool!!”

Lythiriel: “NO HE IS NOT—!! WAIT—WHAT—HOW—?!”

The stag staggered up.
I cracked my neck. “Alright. Round 2.”

I sprinted.

A shock of pure adrenaline.

The world sharpened.

Amara’s voice guided me.
> 『Left. Jump. Strike low. Leverage force.』

Her tone—not cold.
Not entirely.
Almost… caring?

I drove my fist into the Monarch’s jaw—
BOOOOM.
Pure physical force.

Trees fell.
Dust exploded.
The forest trembled.

The Monarch collapsed.
Not erased.
Not dissolved.
Just beaten.

Silence.
Utter silence.

Lythiriel stared at me like I’d rewritten physics. “You… killed a Monarch. With your fists.”

“…I mean, technically it died of embarrassment—” I joked.

“KAIIII!!” She shouted.

— Lythiriel’s POV —

This boy…
He is terrifying.
Absolutely, utterly terrifying.

But when he held Aerin…
When he fought to protect us…
When he risked himself without hesitation…

I felt…
Safe.
Around the most dangerous being I have ever met.

What kind of contradiction is that?

— Aerin’s POV —

Kai…
Big brother Kai…
He saved everyone.

He saved me.
I want to stay with him forever.
Please…

Please don’t let him leave.

— Revenant POV —

The mirror cracked again.
Dark fluid dripped. “…The anomaly grows.”

Aerin’s faint glow in the mirror strengthened.
“…The tether thickens.”

A single finger tapped Aerin’s image.
“…This child… must die soon.”

— Kai’s POV —

As we wrapped up and collected ourselves.

Lythiriel finally spoke quietly. “Kai.”