Title: Stranger

  Kael took down the men with ease and was wiping the saliva off his jacket when he heard a familiar voice. "Uhmm... Thanks for helping me." Kael looked up and saw her—the girl from his jog—standing in front of him, tears welling up in her eyes. Kael, looking into her eyes, thought—Cute.

  Stumbling over his words, Kael said, "Oh, it's no problem. It was just something I had to do."

  The girl introduced herself, "Hi, I'm Hanami Sazeku." Kael felt the same sensation he did in the morning—beautiful. He nervously introduced himself in return.

  Hanami giggled softly. "You're not very good at talking to girls, are you?"

  Kael gave a small, nervous laugh, embarrassed by the comment.

  Hanami asked for his phone number, and Kael, shocked, realized she was the first girl ever to ask for it. She asked again, and after a moment of hesitation, Kael gave her his number.

  After saying their goodbyes, they went their separate ways. Kael returned home, where his mom was in the kitchen. She looked up and, noticing the expression on his face, teased him. "Did you see a girl, Kael? What's with your face?"

  Not knowing how to respond, Kael muttered, "No, I'm just tired," and went to his room.

  Kael lay in bed, his thoughts once again drifting to Hanami. He shook his head, trying to push the thoughts aside. I can't be doing this. I have to get stronger.

  Kael woke up early the next morning, his mind sharper and more focused than the night before. Last night's distraction was behind him, and he knew what he had to do—train harder and push himself further.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  He threw on his training gear and headed out to a spot in the woods, where the air was crisp, and the quiet allowed him to focus. The area was secluded, marked by tall trees that was good enough for him to train in.

  As he approached the clearing, Kael felt something unusual—a faint vibration in the air, almost like a hum.

  "Who's there?" Kael called out, his voice steady but sharp.

  At first, there was only silence. Then, from behind a tree, a shadow emerged—a figure appeared that had a very heavy aura that could make an ordinary man faint. The stranger's presence was unsettling, but Kael stood his ground.

  "You've grown stronger," the figure said, his voice low and gravelly. "But strength alone won't save you from what's coming."

  Kael's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean? Who are you?"

  The figure didn't answer immediately. Instead, The figure extended his hand, and a small sphere of glowing energy materialized in his palm. The sphere pulsed with a strange, otherworldly light, casting eerie shadows on the ground.

  Kael instinctively took a step back, his muscles tensing. "What is that?"

  "This is a fragment of the power you seek," the figure said cryptically. "But power always comes at a price. Are you willing to pay it?"

  Kael hesitated. His mind raced, trying to make sense of the situation. "I don't even know who you are. Why would I trust you?"

  The figure chuckled, a cold, humorless sound. "You don't have to trust me. But soon, you'll realize that the path you've chosen is far more dangerous than you can imagine. If you're not prepared, it will destroy you."

  Before Kael could respond, the figure hurled the glowing sphere into the air. It exploded, sending a wave of energy rippling through the clearing. Kael raised his arms to shield himself, but the force knocked him off his feet.

  When the light faded, the figure had disappeared. Kael sat up, his heart pounding. The air still crackled with energy, and a faint mark was burned into the ground where the sphere had exploded—a strange symbol appeared in that spot.

  Kael shouted and called the system but all he saw was error.kael frustrated that the system had failed didn't notice that strange symbol until his frustration went away.

  He stared at the mark, his mind racing with questions. What was that figure? What was the energy that the figure had shown? And what price would he have to pay to become stronger?

  Kael clenched his fists. Whatever was coming, he knew one thing for sure—he couldn't afford to hesitate. If he wanted to protect himself and the people he cared about, he had to be ready for anything.