The dense forest stretched endlessly around Kael, shadows growing longer as he followed the hidden trail among the trees.
The Black Fortress was two days away.
But Kael couldn't just walk in and attack.
If this place truly was the Ironbloods' headquarters, it would be fortified with guards, traps, and scouts.
He needed information before making a move.
And to get that… he would find a scout.
And break them.
Tracking the Prey
Kael moved silently along the dirt road, his steps light, his breathing controlled.
The map he had taken from the bandits marked a few cabins and watchposts along the way.
He didn't need to go directly to the fortress.
He could capture someone on the road.
And that was exactly what he did.
After hours of quiet travel, Kael spotted an isolated cabin nestled deep in the forest.
A faint light flickered from its window.
Voices. Two men inside.
Guards? Informants? Scouts?
It didn't matter.
If they knew something, Kael would extract it.
He melted into the shadows and waited.
As always, fools revealed themselves.
The cabin door creaked open, and one of the men stepped outside, yawning.
He stretched lazily and wandered to the side of the cabin, utterly unaware that his fate had already been decided.
Kael moved.
The First Interrogation
The man didn't see the blow coming.
Kael grabbed him by the neck, dragging him silently into the darkness.
One second. Two seconds.
Silence.
The second man inside the cabin noticed too late.
He turned toward the door—
And saw Kael standing there.
The cold gleam of Kael's dagger reflected in the man's wide, terrified eyes.
His hand shook as he reached for his weapon.
He didn't get the chance.
Kael closed the distance in a blink.
Two strikes. One to the hand. Another to the leg.
The man crumpled to his knees, screaming.
Kael knelt in front of him, gripping his face tightly.
"Tell me about the Black Fortress."
The bandit gritted his teeth.
"G-go to hell!"
Wrong answer.
Kael twisted his wrist, driving the dagger deeper into the man's leg.
A scream tore through the air.
Good. He was in the right state to talk now.
Kael tilted his head, his voice cold.
"You're already dead, but you can choose how it ends. Slowly… or now."
Silence.
And then… surrender.
The bandit started talking.
Kael listened to every word.
What Waited at the Black Fortress
The leader of the Ironbloods was named Valen.He wasn't just a common bandit—he was a trained warrior, an ex-member of a minor sect who had been expelled for betrayal.Valen had gathered the outcasts and survivors of that sect, forming his criminal empire.The Black Fortress wasn't just a hideout—it was a recruitment ground for mercenaries and assassins.
Kael processed it all.
The fortress wouldn't fall to brute force alone.
He would need something smarter.
The Plan for Infiltration
Kael wouldn't attack the Black Fortress.
He would enter it.
As a recruit.
He would let Valen believe he was there to join the Ironbloods.
And once inside…
He would destroy them from within.
Kael turned to the wounded bandit.
The man knew he wasn't leaving that cabin alive.
But Kael never wasted an opportunity.
He extended his hand.
The Dark Lotus activated, its tendrils of shadow curling around the man.
Kael felt the bandit's energy—his very life force—drain into him.
The man's body shriveled, collapsing into itself like a dried husk.
Kael stood, feeling a new surge of power coursing through him.
New Technique Unlocked: Essence Theft
Kael could now absorb not only spiritual energy but the life force of his enemies.A fitting weapon for his next mission.
Kael cleaned the dagger on the man's clothes and stepped out of the cabin.
He turned his gaze toward the direction of the Black Fortress, disappearing into the forest.
Valen didn't know it yet.
But his reign was already over.
The predator was coming.