Chapter 6

  The air temperature dropped.

  Frost crept across cracked pavement as Finn rose from behind cover, his massive frame unfolding into view. His fur shimmered in the dying light, breath rolling out in pale mist. The sword scabbard at his hip knocked against chain in a mettalic chime as he stepped forward, his eyes fixed on the group with calm, predatory focus.

  The reaction was immediate.

  The construct stomped forward with a heavy clang, placing itself between Finn and its summoner. Its eyes flared brighter as it raised one arm, plates shifting with a mechanical growl.

  "Identified," the machine said, its voice deep and resonant, layered with synthetic distortion. "Threat classification: high. Subject matches archived combat profiles. Fenrir-type. Mythical grade."

  Finn's lips curled, amused. "Oh? I'm flattered."

  Before the businessman could respond, the boy with the staff stepped forward, expression suddenly serious. He planted the butt of his staff against the ground and traced a quick sigil.

  A ripple of light washed over Kelix and Finn.

  The boy frowned. "…That's odd."

  "What is, Damian?" Celeste asked, lowering her sword slightly.

  "I'm not detecting a binding resonance," the boy said slowly. "No active Soulbound energy between them. No synchronization feedback. It's like…" He hesitated. "Like they aren't linked at all."

  The silence that followed was sharp.

  The businessman stared at Kelix, disbelief hardening into anger. "That's impossible! Then what exactly are you?"

  Kelix felt the weight of Finn's gaze shift toward him, curious but restrained.

  "I'm his handler," Kelix said.

  "That's not how this works," the businessman snapped. "You don't just walk a Fenrir-type monster without a bond. You don't leash it like a dog."

  Finn chuckled low in his chest. "I don’t mind. He pulls well."

  The businessman's teeth clenched. "Enough." He raised his wrist and the machine monster's limbs locked into a ready stance, energy humming through its frame.

  "I don't care what game you're playing," the businessman said, voice tight with heat. "But I'm not letting an unregistered handler and an unbound monster interfere with our contract."

  Kelix's frown deepened. This was absolutely going to be a problem.

  Finn leaned down, breath cold against Kelix's ear. "You want me to behave, or remind him why that's a bad idea?"

  Kelix did not answer right away. The machine monster took one heavy step forward.

  The businessman's face darkened. He turned back to Kelix, anger flashing hot and immediate. "Explain yourself. Right now."

  Kelix did not move. Finn did not either.

  "That's none of your business," Kelix said.

  The businessman's hand clenched on his briefcase tightly, his blood vessels visible. "You walk into my contract zone with an unregistered monster, lie by omission, and expect me to believe you're harmless?"

  "I didn't say harmless."

  "Kelix don't," Celeste said. Her gaze slid to the suited man, panicked and annoyed, "Mr. Halvern, he's a civilian. Ease up."

  Mr. Halvern's expression tightened further, like a steel trap set to spring. "This isn't a game, Celeste. If he's not bound to that beast, he could become a liability."

  "I don't want trouble," Kelix said. "I'm here to observe. That's all."

  "Observe?" Halvern laughed harshly, cutting him off. "You think this is some kind of show? We're in the middle of a sanctioned hunt, and you're playing spectator? That's not how any of this works!"

  The construct shifted, gears whining as its stance widened. It now resembled a bodybuilder ready to pummel hulking figures.

  "Last warning," the businessman barked. "State your intentions or I will have my partner remove you."

  Finn's grin widened, teeth gleaming. Kelix felt the leash grow cold in his hand. He groaned inwardly.

  Something about Halvern's approach was too aggressive, too narrowed in focus. Stripped down to its core, this wasn't just about him or his presence; it was about control. Control over the hunt, control over the party, control over anything that didn't fit into Halvern's neat little box.

  This was spiraling fast.

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  Celeste, still poised and tense, stepped between them, trying to diffuse the situation. "Let's take a breath, everyone. We can figure this out."

  "Figure what out?" Halvern spat, gesturing sharply. "The only thing to figure out is how we deal with an unauthorized element. We can't afford distractions."

  The boy with the staff, Damian, glanced between them, uncertainty flickering on his face. "Maybe we should just… take a step back for a moment." He waved his staff slightly, as if the gesture would cast away the mounting tension. "We can talk this through, right?"

  Halvern shook his head, his eyes narrowing as he turned back to Kelix. "So, tell me, what's your game? Do you have some kind of secret agenda? Are you spying for another organization? Or could you be the worst kind of scum—a serial killer?"

  "Halvern!" Sheryl exclaimed, having lowered her phone to her hip. "He literally saved my life from that damn creepy white thing!" The woman shuddered, and the ferret in her purse poked its head out and nodded in agreement.

  "Exactly," Celeste jumped in.

  Kelix shrugged. "I wouldn't say saved, more like… intervened," he said, unsure how much he wanted to clarify his involvement.

  "Intervened? Is that what you call it?" Halvern's voice dripped with skepticism. "You come out of nowhere during an attack, and now you're just—what? Trying to play hero?"

  Finn leaned closer to Kelix. "I like that title. What do you think? Hero or just a pain in his side?"

  "Focus," Kelix muttered, pushing Finn’s teasing aside. He turned to Halvern, a simmering determination rising within him. "I'm not here for any agenda. I don't owe anyone an explanation. But if you want to keep this hunt safe—and profitable—maybe you should consider the fact that I've already crossed paths with some heavy threats. I know what's out there."

  Halvern's expression hardened further. "Shit," he muttered under his breath as he glanced at his Soulbound partner. "We don't have time for this." The businessman did not wait for a response.

  "Engage," he snapped. At his command, the construct moved. Its arm unfolded with a mechanical shriek, segments locking into place as thrusters ignited along its forearm. The machine's fist launched forward like a missile, tearing through the air straight toward Finn.

  Kelix's instincts kicked in. He stepped in front of it, while the Fenrir did not move. In a fluid motion, Kelix raised one hand and met the incoming strike head-on.

  His palm caught the metal wrist and turned it upward with a sharp, precise motion. The force redirected cleanly, the rocket-assisted punch screaming past him and detonating harmlessly into the air above, scattering sparks and dust.

  Before anyone could react, Kelix stepped forward. He drove his other palm into the construct's abdomen. There was no flash. No spell circle. No visible surge of power.

  Just impact. The sound was deep and hollow, like steel being struck from the inside. The construct skidded backward across the ground, heels carving trenches through broken pavement as it slid past the businessman in a shower of sparks and debris. It came to a stop several meters away.

  Still standing, still upright, one foot braced hard against the concrete.

  The construct straightened slowly, plates shifting back into place. Its head tilted, eyes brightening rather than dimming. "Curious," it said. "Force output exceeds projected human parameters."

  No one spoke.

  Celeste stared, mouth open, sword hanging forgotten at her side. The boy with the staff froze mid-step, eyes wide as he recalculated everything he thought he knew. The businessman stood rigid, face pale, staring over his shoulder at his partner as if trying to understand how it was still operational.

  The college-aged woman's phone slipped from her fingers and hit the ground with a dull clatter. She and the ferret in her purse spoke at the same time.

  "No way."

  Kelix's heart raced, and he could feel the weight of the situation pressing down on him like a boulder. He glanced at his maddeningly aching hand, throbbing to the bone, and admitted that the construct was tougher than he had expected. He could even see the green heat hazing around his hand. He was quick to shake it off.

  Instead of panicking, he took a breath, centering himself. "What will it take to make you see I'm not your enemy?" He found himself saying, calmly but firmly. "I want clarity here."

  Silence lingered for several long seconds, thick enough to feel.

  Halvern was the first to move. He took a step back, then another, eyes never leaving Kelix. His grip tightened around his briefcase as if it were an anchor, something solid to keep the situation from tipping further out of control.

  "We're done here," he said sharply. "We disengage and report this as an anomaly."

  Celeste snapped her head toward him. "What? You can't be serious!"

  "I'm very serious," he shot back. "That was not a spell, not a weapon, and not a registered ability. I don't care how strong he is, this just turned into a liability."

  Kelix said nothing. Finn shifted beside him, amused and alert, clearly enjoying how fast the power balance had changed.

  The boy with the staff finally exhaled, rubbing his temple as if the last ten seconds had given him a headache. "Statistically speaking," he said, "walking away might be the optimal choice. We don't know what he is, how he does what he does without a Soulbound beast, or whether he violates at least twelve Association bylaws."

  "I am standing right here," Kelix said.

  "That doesn't make it better," Halvern snapped.

  Sheryl crouched to pick up her phone, still staring at Kelix as if he might vanish. "I mean… if we're being honest," she said, "I'd feel a lot better with him around."

  Her ferret nodded vigorously. "Way better."

  Kelix opened his mouth. "I didn't say—"

  "You're coming," Celeste interrupted, jabbing a finger at him. "At least until we know what we're dealing with."

  "I absolutely did not agree to that," Halvern said.

  Damian tilted his head. "Statistically, refusing his involvement increases casualty likelihood."

  "That's your opinion."

  "That's math."

  "And," Celeste pressed on, "he just stopped an Elite combat construct with his bare hands. You saw that. We're supposed to be hunting monsters in a restricted zone, and you want to walk away from that?"

  "We are not bringing him along."

  "And if we vote?" Celeste challenged.

  Halvern's teeth clenched. "For God's sake, this is not a democracy!"

  Sheryl raised a hand. "I mean… it kind of is. We agreed on that after the sewer incident."

  The boy nodded. "She's right."

  Voices rose. Accusations flew. Words like risk, contract, safety, and idiots were thrown around with increasing enthusiasm. Kelix stood in the middle of it, watching the debate spiral, feeling the familiar tension settle into his shoulders.

  He exhaled. Yeah. This was definitely going to be a headache. Before he could intervene, a low clap reverberated around them, echoing like a sonic wave. Aria stepped closer, her usual calm demeanor shifting to something more intense.

  "You need to listen," she declared, her voice steady as she locked eyes with Halvern. "Kelix arrived at a critical moment. If you keep pushing, we risk losing the upper hand. We should focus on the hunt instead of tearing each other apart."

  The businessman looked like he might combust. "Fine. Vote."

  Celeste raised her hand immediately. "Yes."

  The woman followed, a little slower. "Yes. I vote we do not make the scary punch guy angry again. What do you say, Pollen?"

  Her ferret squeaked and lifted a paw. "Seconded."

  Damian hesitated, then sighed. "Yes, with conditions."

  Three hands. A paw. All eyes turned to the businessman.

  He stared at them, then at Kelix, then at the cracked pavement where his construct had been sent skidding. His shoulders sagged just slightly.

  "…Unbelievable," he said. "This is going to ruin my margins."

  Kelix finally spoke. "I didn't ask to join."

  Celeste grinned at him. "You didn't have to."

  Finn chuckled low in his chest. "Told you this would be fun."