"You just evolved, I'm sure of it. So how can you move that fast?" Delmas's voice was calm, but very eager.
He had chased Malakai down as he ran.
Initially, Delmas had only wanted to observe and see how the boy had taken down their recruits so easily.
A Genesis stage evolver had killed six specially trained evolvers in seconds. Something had to be wrong.
But it was during the process that he had seen it.
Malakai's passive speed had been insane, far beyond anything a Genesis stage evolved should have. And that wasn't even the shocking part.
For a moment, even if it was just a second, Malakai had reached a speed no Genesis rank should be capable of.
Not even beginner Node Formation stage evolvers with formed nodes in both legs could reach that. It was that insane.
And yet, Malakai had somehow reached that speed.
Delmas's footsteps suddenly paused, and his aura turned cold and heavy.
Suddenly, six massive figures burst from the foliage of trees from behind him, moving with ferocious speed.
Malakai's bloodshot eyes narrowed.
'Grade One Enhancers.'
They were the darkness creatures that had formed from the recruits he killed earlier.
It wasn't shocking to Malakai that they had followed him. Once formed, darkness creatures' sole purpose was only to kill and multiply.
They would seek out the nearest source of Vita and destroy it.
What was shocking though, was that they had come from behind Delmas, what was supposed to be the nearest and largest source, and yet completely ignored him.
They surged toward Malakai like he was the only thing that existed.
'Their eyes… they've changed.' Malakai's eyes shifted.
The usual clear white eyes of the darkness creatures had shifted to a deep, blood crimson.
And somehow, their whole being was focused entirely on him, as though they would do anything to have a taste of him.
Malakai clenched his teeth and forced his body to move, but before he could act, the sound of air splitting filled his ears.
In the next instant, the darkness creatures were split apart.
Severed limbs and black ichor splattered across the ground.
Malakai's gaze snapped to the tiny threads of blood that danced lazily around Delmas, so thin and delicate they looked like they couldn't hurt a fly.
Malakai's eyes had been directly on the darkness creatures, and yet, he hadn't seen the blood-made threads move.
As he thought this, the reality of the situation crashed down on him.
Every scenario his mind formed ended the same way.
He'd be sliced apart before he could take a single step.
There was no escaping this.
His opponent was a Blood Champion.
Then, Delmas simply continued talking, stepping over the black ichor pooling on the floor like it was nothing.
"You killed our elite recruits in seconds… and you just evolved? What are you?"
He stopped in front of Malakai, observing every inch of him.
As he did, his eyes slowly widened.
Delmas had felt it even from a distance. But it was only when he got closer that he could see its magnitude.
The amount of Vita being drawn into Malakai's body was insane.
There was just no way this was a Genesis stage evolved. Especially one who just evolved!
"Have you been lying? Hiding your power all this time?"
Delmas tried to figure it out. It was the most logical conclusion. But as he thought for a second, he shook his head.
"No… the reports say you were in life-threatening battles during your missions, and you didn't use any power. Your nodes had been reported broken since you failed to evolve two years ago…"
The Maugrim were an organization built around information and assassination within the dome.
They knew almost everything, every shift in power, every alliance, every movement.
Their network stretched into every corner.
Delmas had read everything they had on Malakai the moment Khana's request reached them.
He probably knew more about the boy than anyone else in the dome.
He suddenly hunched forward, staring straight into Malakai's eyes.
"You just evolved. I'm sure of it. So how did you repair your nodes? And how are you this strong already?"
If there was a way to repair broken nodes in humans, it was information the Maugrim had to have.
The value of such information could not be quantified.
Malakai met the man's crimson gaze without a word.
He maintained his silence, simply focusing on maintaining his [Bloodflow].
Seeing this, Delmas placed a hand under his chin.
"Hmm. I was going to kill you and make that woman owe us a favor. But now…"
"I think you'll be more valuable alive."
His voice turned cold.
"I'll take you back with me. I need to see what makes you special."
Malakai clenched his scythe tightly, his eyes narrowing.
Going with this man now meant he would be turned into a test subject for the rest of his life.
If there was one thing the Maugrim were good at, it was their ability to blend into the shadows.
The Blood Guardians, the ones who served as the police force of the West region, had been chasing them for decades, and yet, they hadn't been able to find them.
If he was captured now, the probability of him getting rescued was next to nothing.
Despite all this, in the next instant, Malakai's grip loosened up, and he released a slow, heavy exhale.
Delmas tilted his head.
"You're not going to resist?"
Delmas was surprised.
Looking into Malakai's eyes told him a lot about the boy.
And from what he had gleaned, giving up wasn't in the boy's dictionary.
Malakai remained quiet for several seconds before he finally spoke.
"The one who sent you… was it Khana?"
Delmas's eyes narrowed, slightly taken aback.
The boy's insight was frightening.
But what shook him even more…
Malakai should've been in agonizing pain.
He had just found out that there was no escape. That he was about to be captured, taken as a test subject.
There was no way out. No escape.
So where was the fear?
His voice hadn't even trembled.