Chapter 27: The cosmic hunt

Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Cosmic Hunt

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Hours passed as Kael arrived at the Orbital Station.

He had retracted his headset, placing it in his pocket as he moved through the station. This time he wore a long black coat again, his dark hair pulled back, two strands flowing with the wind at each side of his head. He moved through the market, and something was different.

People seemed terrified. Some whispered amongst themselves, their voices low and hurried. Others glanced over their shoulders as if expecting something to jump out at them.

Kael slowed his pace as he approached a group of hunters huddled near a wall. A lady leaned against the wall, taking a sip of water from a bottle.

"Things are getting strange. I'm really scared," one hunter spoke, his voice trembling.

"But I don't understand. What would an elemental class beast be doing in the mutated portal?"

"Shut up," another hunter interrupted, lowering his voice. "From what I have heard, that thing doesn't look like an elemental. It's in a higher class."

"What the..."

"So you are saying that elemental class is not the highest class?"

"Shh." The hunter motioned for the others to remain quiet and calm. He glanced around before leaning in. "How would you people ever know when you spend your whole lives grinding on mutated class beasts and don't make any move to join the army?"

He paused, letting the words sink in.

"Don't you know about how the first destruction of the Deep Slums occurred? I heard it was a particular hunter who belonged to this class. The cosmic class hunters." His voice dropped to a whisper. "They are extremely rare. They have the power to wipe out races, planets, and even galaxies. They are gods."

Kael stepped closer, his senses heightened to hear better.

"That thing." The hunter pointed a trembling finger. "It isn't an elemental beast. It is a cosmic beast that must have soul backlashed a hunter, and now it wears his skin. It might be one of us."

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He spoke in a spooky tone, causing the others to tremble.

"Haha, I believe the Survey Corps should be inspecting this." He broke out in laughter, but it was hollow.

"Of course." "Yeah." The other hunters spoke, trying to smile, covering up their fear — but their bodies trembled.

Kael's blood went cold.

Cosmic class.

Planets. Races. Galaxies.

Soul backlash. Wearing human skin.

"Shadow, hi!"

The voice blurted out behind him.

Kael turned. Meters away, he spotted a black-masked man staring at him from the crowd.

Shit.

He moved immediately, weaving through the crowd, ducking behind a pillar. His heart pounded as he peered out — only to see something worse.

A search had begun.

Lion's Dude's gang had set up checkpoints throughout the station. They were questioning hunters, showing a holographic image of the armadillo's final moment.

For days they haven't searched for the thief. Why does it have to be now?

Kael hid behind a building, his mind racing.

That guy must have seen me. He's a threat. If I don't take him down, I would be totally screwed.

He ran toward the portal, his boots pounding the ground.

THUD.

He hit another body.

Kael stopped, turning. A girl stood an inch away from him, her face twisted with rage. Gina looked at him as she immediately flew up in fury.

"Can't you see, dumbass?" She spoke loud, her voice carrying across the station.

Kael staggered back. She began ranting, pointing at her sore arm. Other hunters turned, looking at the commotion.

"Fucking asshole, do you even know who I am?"

"Hey, calm down," Connie tried to stop her, but she was clearly getting enraged every second.

Kael suddenly became silent.

"Damn! Stop staring at me like a piece of shitty wood!"

Kael's eyes widened as the voice echoed thrice.

STOP STARING AT ME LIKE A PIECE OF SHITTY WOOD...

It entered his head. His head ached. The voice became recognizable — deep, male.

"It's enough," he whispered.

"What?" Gina stepped forward. "You can't even apologize. How dare you?"

She was about to raise a fist when a glow of black appeared in Kael's eyes — and vanished.

"Huh?"

She paused, staring at him, shocked. Her fist hung in the air.

Kael's face fell into paranoia. The memory had vanished. He didn't know what had just happened.

"Oh no. I can see him," Kael muttered.

He turned. Ran. Dove into the portal.

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Mid-Spires — Neon Hollow

Hours passed. Kael had finally lost the person following him.

He was now in Neon Hollow, a district quite close to Kley's, where Calvin and Tracy lived — but in different neighborhoods.

He put on his headset, listening to an orchestral electronic futuristic funk track. The music pulsed through his skull, calm and chaotic at the same time.

His screen displayed his biogenes. Weeks of grinding. After the last purple tentacle battle, he had hunted other crazy beasts.

The Frostfang Wolf pack. He remembered how he had played scared and stupid, leading the pack of wolves to chase him, only to lead them to a cliff where they fell to their deaths.

The Ironhide Boar. He had manipulated two hunters into killing it for him — an epic tier beast — and then slipped away with the spoils.

The Obsidian Serpent. That one had almost killed him.

"Sure, that was pure luck," he muttered.

He stared at his screen as his stats spiked greatly.

[30 Speed Biogenes]

[30 Strength Biogenes]

[20 Defense Biogenes]

[20 Intel Biogenes]

[5 Mutated Biogenes]

[Sprint Boost: 1 Minute / Cooldown: 20 Minutes]

"Sure, that's a lot," Kael spoke, scrolling through his black screen.

"I can't even—"

He stopped. White boxes had appeared on some sides of the screen. Numbers flickered.

"What the... is the screen glitching?"

Kael mumbled as he stared.

"Crucify!"

"Yep."

"What are you doing?"

"Alarming you!" The childish voice screamed happily. "He's at your back! Diving!"

Kael's eyes widened.

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End of Chapter Twenty-Seven.