Alistair looked at Zeke, his brow furrowing with curiosity. "Zeke, how do you plan to catch these thugs?"
Zeke glanced at him, his expression unreadable. "Don't worry about that," he replied, his voice calm and confident. "I have my ways."
Alistair raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. "What ways?" Zeke stayed silent.
Alistair's expression shifted to concern as he added, "Then what about the man who attacked you? The one who's probably their leader, level 7 or 8 Soul Manifestation? Searching for their group now might be dangerous for you."
Zeke's gaze hardened slightly, but he kept his tone steady. "I'll manage."
Alistair seemed to weigh Zeke's words carefully before continuing. "I've been thinking about it. I'll ask for help from the captain. I'll get two level 8 Soul Manifestation experts on our side. What do you think?"
Zeke didn't hesitate. "Fine, you do that."
The truth was, the gang's leader—the man who had attacked him—was already dead. But Zeke wasn't sure how to explain that to Alistair. How could he say that the man, the very one who had nearly killed him, had died by his hands? He didn't know how to spin that.
Instead, he just agreed to Alistair's suggestion, pretending he hadn't already outsmarted the situation. It wasn't the time to bring it up. "Do whatever you think is necessary," he said, his voice controlled.
Alistair nodded, still looking a bit uneasy. "Alright, I'll make the arrangements. But be careful, Zeke. This isn't a game."
Zeke's lips tightened into a thin smile. "I know. Don't worry. I'll be ready for whatever comes."
As Alistair turned to leave, Zeke couldn't help but feel a twinge of irritation at the idea of asking for help. But for now, he would play along. Soon enough, the truth would be revealed—and when it was, there would be no turning back.
zeke's plan was to wait in the house of the gang leader, if the other gang members were capable they would find this place, the gang leader was not in the right state of mind so he might left traces leading to this house when he was hiding here so zeke ordered the recruits to search for the gang members so he could corner them to look for their leader.
Zeke spent the next few days in the house, waiting patiently for any sign of the gang. It was quiet. Too quiet. The silence stretched on, and he couldn't help but feel a growing sense of anticipation in the air, as though the walls themselves were holding their breath. He stayed vigilant, knowing that if he wasn't careful, he might miss something crucial. The days passed slowly, but his mind was sharp, constantly running through different strategies.
As the days turned into a week, Zeke felt something shift inside him. His training, combined with the intense focus he had on his goal, was paying off. The surge of energy that accompanied his breakthrough to Level 4 Soul Manifestation was both exhilarating and empowering. His body and soul had grown stronger. But even with this new power, no one came to him. No sign of the gang. It was as if they had disappeared completely.
He refused to let the silence get to him. He continued his training, refining his abilities, constantly pushing himself to the limit. He kept his mind on the task at hand, knowing that if he stayed focused, the results would come.
Three weeks passed in the same routine. Training. Waiting. Thinking. And then, one morning, Zeke felt it—his breakthrough. He had reached Level 5 Soul Manifestation. The sensation was unlike anything he had experienced before, like a flood of power rushing through his veins. He could feel the change deep inside him, an inner strength that made him more dangerous than ever.
But despite all the progress, he had not caught a single lead. He couldn't help but feel the frustration build inside him. The gang was being unusually cautious, careful not to make any mistakes. He went to the headquarters every few days to check in with the recruits, but they hadn't found anything either. They were getting nowhere. It was as if the gang had vanished into thin air, and Zeke knew that the more time he wasted, the more they could slip through his fingers.
He didn't want to admit it, but the truth was becoming clear: these people weren't just careful; they were smart. They knew how to cover their tracks, how to hide in plain sight. Zeke realized that if he didn't change his approach, he might never catch them.
He decided that if no one came after him soon, he would have to force their hand. His patience was wearing thin. Maybe it was time for a new plan. But first, he needed to reach Level 6 Soul Manifestation. The next breakthrough would give him the edge he needed.
Zeke stood in the center of the room, his eyes closed as he focused on the surge of energy inside him. For the past few weeks, he had been pushing himself harder than ever before, and now, it was time for the next step. The breakthrough to Level 6 Soul Manifestation. As he concentrated, something unusual happened. The energy that had once felt like a roaring fire inside him, hot and turbulent, started to shift. It became colder, sharper—almost like an ice shard cutting through the heat.
He opened his eyes in disbelief as his Soul Power changed before his very eyes. What was once a vibrant, flickering aura now turned into a mysterious gray soul energy. The power felt different now, more controlled, more precise. He could feel the chill running through his veins, yet it wasn't uncomfortable. It was invigorating. A strange calmness washed over him as he realized the significance of what was happening.
The stories he had heard about Soul Manifestation—about people transforming their Soul Power into different elements, weapons, or even abstract forms—rushed into his mind. Some could turn their power into fire, others into blades of energy, but to his surprise his soul power turned into healing power.