The journey back from the battle with the Silver Rank Thorn Beast was a quiet one. Kaito and Taro walked side by side, their minds still reeling from the intensity of the fight. Kaito felt a deep sense of satisfaction at the rewards they had gained: his level had surged, his stats had improved significantly, and the bond between him and the Starlight Fox had only grown stronger.
Taro, too, seemed contemplative, his eyes scanning the dense trees that flanked their path. The quiet chirping of birds and rustling of leaves filled the air, but Kaito knew that in a forest as vast as this one, dangers lurked in every shadow.
"Hey," Taro broke the silence, his voice casual but serious. "That was a good fight, huh? Your fox has definitely become a force to be reckoned with."
Kaito nodded, feeling a warmth spread through him at Taro's compliment. "Yeah, we've come a long way."
Just then, the Starlight Fox let out a low growl, its ears twitching as it stopped walking and turned its head toward the treeline. Kaito's hand instinctively went to the small pouch at his side, where he kept some basic potions, his mind immediately alert.
"Something's wrong?" Kaito asked, crouching slightly.
Taro noticed the shift in Kaito's stance and turned to his own partner, Saladin. The large eagle's eyes scanned the area, and its wings flared slightly, as if ready for anything.
"Looks like it," Taro said in a low voice, eyes narrowing. "We're not alone."
The Starlight Fox's glowing fur shimmered faintly, and it crouched low to the ground, its tail swishing. Its glowing eyes flicked back and forth, and then—almost imperceptibly—a figure moved from behind a thick cluster of bushes.
Kaito's breath caught as he caught sight of a figure emerging from the shadows. It was a man, clad in a cloak that blended seamlessly with the environment, his movements smooth and practiced. His face was hidden beneath a hood, but the air around him seemed to distort, like the very atmosphere was bending at his will.
"A shadow caster…" Taro muttered, recognition dawning in his eyes. "This could be trouble."
Kaito felt a cold shiver run down his spine. Shadow casters were a rare breed of mages who specialized in manipulation of darkness and stealth. They were known for their ability to disappear into shadows, making them nearly impossible to detect. But that wasn't the worst of it. Shadow casters often worked for the highest bidder, and their motives were as unpredictable as their methods.
The man stood about ten feet away, his body emanating an eerie, unnatural aura that Kaito could feel pressing against his chest. The Starlight Fox let out another low growl, clearly uneasy.
The figure spoke, his voice smooth, almost mocking. "Well, well… what have we here? A couple of tamers with their pets." His words seemed to linger in the air, like the weight of a thousand secrets. "I've been watching you two for a while now. Impressive teamwork. It's a shame that such talent will be wasted."
Kaito's grip tightened on the pouch at his side, his heart rate increasing. "Who are you?"
The man's smile was barely visible beneath his hood, but Kaito could hear the amusement in his voice. "I'm someone who takes an interest in powerful beings like you. And you're a bit too strong for my liking, so I've been asked to… neutralize you."
Taro stepped forward, his hand on Saladin's harness. "A hired killer, then. Not very original."
The figure chuckled, and before either of them could react, the air around him warped further. In an instant, he vanished, disappearing into the shadows as if he were nothing more than a figment of imagination. The Starlight Fox's eyes immediately snapped to the spot where the man had been, its tail bristling.
"Stay sharp," Kaito warned, his voice low. "He's still here."
[System Notification: Shadow Presence Detected]
A soft rustle to the right signaled movement, and Kaito spun to face the sound, but the figure was already gone again, slipping through the darkness of the forest like smoke. This wasn't going to be easy.
Taro hissed under his breath. "This guy's good…"
Without warning, the Shadow Caster materialized again, but this time, he was closer. Kaito barely had time to react before the figure shot a dagger of pure darkness toward him, the weapon moving with unnatural speed. The dagger seemed to ripple and distort the very air around it, leaving a trail of black energy in its wake.
"Look out!" Taro shouted.
Kaito's reflexes kicked in. Flame Dash. Without thinking, he activated the newly acquired skill. A burst of fire erupted from his body, propelling him forward in a blazing dash that left behind a trail of scorched earth.
The dagger flew past where Kaito had been just moments before, embedding itself into a nearby tree with a soft, unsettling hum. He skidded to a stop, narrowly avoiding the projectile. The Starlight Fox reacted just as quickly, its glowing body flashing as it blinked behind the Shadow Caster, using Space Wrap to close the distance.
"Cosmic Strike!" Kaito shouted, directing the fox with a focused command.
The fox's eyes gleamed brightly, and a burst of condensed energy shot forward, but the Shadow Caster was ready. In an instant, he melted back into the shadows, disappearing completely.
"Is that all?" the man's voice came from the darkness, his tone mocking. "You're quick, but you lack control. You're predictable."
Kaito's blood boiled. He had to think fast. He couldn't afford to let this go on much longer.
"Starlight Fox, use Starlight Cloak!" Kaito ordered.
The fox's body shimmered, fading into invisibility, its presence undetectable to the human eye. Kaito knew this would give them the upper hand. The Shadow Caster couldn't sense the fox now—not unless he had some form of magic to detect it.
Taro was already on the move, commanding Saladin to dive and create gusts of wind to flush the man out. The eagle's wings beat powerfully, creating whirlwinds that ruffled the trees and scattered the leaves. The shadows in the area twisted as the wind clashed with the caster's aura.
But still, there was no sign of the man.
Then, Kaito heard it.
A faint whisper in the wind—no, it was the voice of the Shadow Caster, rising from the dark. "I'm getting tired of this, little boy."
The voice echoed from multiple directions at once, making it impossible to pinpoint where he was. It was clear the caster was playing with them, making them chase shadows while he remained hidden.
But then, the Starlight Fox's eyes flashed, and Kaito felt a subtle shift in the atmosphere. It had detected something—something he couldn't see, but the fox could.
"Now!" Kaito yelled.
The fox's body flickered in and out of sight, darting toward one of the shadows with incredible speed. Cosmic Strike erupted again, this time from an unexpected angle. The sound of the attack striking something solid echoed through the forest.
The Shadow Caster appeared, stumbling backward, as if the force of the blow had knocked him out of his concealment. A thin trickle of blood ran down from beneath his cloak, but he was far from done.
"You're… you're more trouble than I thought," the figure hissed, his form still flickering in and out of visibility.
It wasn't over yet. Not by a long shot.