NOVEL WEB Chapter 18: The Fear of Power
Silence fell over the city as Katsumi's presence sent waves of pressure through the streets. Hunters trembled, sensing something beyond their understanding. The figure before him—his former ally—took a cautious step forward, eyes flickering between the swirling shadows at his feet and the silent, kneeling army behind him.
"Katsumi… what happened to you?" Their voice was barely above a whisper, but the fear in their tone was unmistakable.
Katsumi tilted his head slightly, a smirk playing on his lips. "I survived." His voice was calm, but the weight of his words made the air feel heavier. He stepped forward, and the crowd instinctively recoiled. They didn't see him as the boy who had fallen anymore. They saw him as something else. Something greater.
The city's guild leaders arrived, their auras flaring as they prepared for a confrontation. One of them, an older hunter clad in enchanted armor, pointed his weapon at Katsumi. "You are an anomaly. Stand down or be eliminated." Katsumi let out a quiet chuckle. They thought they had a choice. He raised his hand, and the shadows around him surged forward like living tendrils. "Then come. Let me show you the power of the abyss."