A Stirring in the Kingdom
The battle with the Silent Watchers had left Liam’s body aching and his mind unsettled.
The system was no longer his secret alone.
Someone—no, an entire group—had been waiting for him. Watching. Judging.
And now, as he walked through the capital’s streets, he couldn’t shake the feeling that more eyes were turning toward him.
People whispered. Murmured. Stole gnces when they thought he wasn’t looking.
It wasn’t paranoia.
It was real.
And it wasn’t just the commoners.
At the royal pace, where banners of the kingdom’s emblem swayed gently in the breeze, a meeting was taking pce.
One that concerned him.
---
The King’s Council
In the grand halls of the pace, beneath chandeliers of glowing aether crystals, the kingdom’s most powerful figures gathered.
King Aldric, his presence commanding yet unreadable, sat at the head of a long ebony table.
Beside him, the Grand Inquisitor, robed in dark crimson, tapped his fingers against the polished wood. His voice was calm but sharp.
"Your Majesty, there is… an anomaly among us."
The council members exchanged wary gnces.
The Head Mage, an elderly woman with piercing blue eyes, frowned. "An anomaly?"
The Grand Inquisitor nodded.
"A man who moves faster than any warrior. Who wields power beyond human limits. Who does things… that should not be possible."
A moment of silence.
Then, the Minister of Intelligence leaned forward.
"You believe this man is a threat?"
The Grand Inquisitor’s lips curled. "I believe he is something far worse."
King Aldric finally spoke. His deep voice echoed through the chamber.
"Who is he?"
The Inquisitor’s answer was instant.
"His name is Liam."
---
Evelyn’s Dilemma
Liam returned to the tavern where he and Evelyn had been staying. The air smelled of roasted meat and ale, but the moment he stepped inside, he felt the tension.
Evelyn sat at a corner table, her arms crossed, eyes stormy with conflict.
He sat across from her.
"Alright. Say it."
She sighed. "I don’t know what to think anymore, Liam."
"About what?"
She gave him a look. "You know what."
Liam leaned back, crossing his arms. "I told you, I don’t fully understand this power either."
She hesitated, then lowered her voice.
"You broke a man’s arm like it was nothing. You disappeared from my sight when you moved. And now, strange people are watching us. Watching you."
Her fingers clenched around her cloak.
"Are you even human anymore?"
Liam stiffened.
The words cut deeper than he expected.
Seraphis’s voice was gentle.
"You are still you, Liam. You have a choice."
Nyx, however, chuckled.
"She’s afraid. And she should be. You are no longer just a man."
Liam closed his eyes for a moment, then met Evelyn’s gaze.
"I don’t know what I am anymore."
A long silence.
Then, Evelyn reached across the table.
Her hand, hesitant at first, grasped his.
"Then let’s find out together."
---
The Shadow That Hunts
That night, Liam didn’t sleep.
Something felt… wrong.
He stood by the tavern window, staring into the moonlit streets. The usual ughter, chatter, and ctter of hooves filled the air.
But beneath it, there was a stillness.
A presence.
[SYSTEM WARNING: HOSTILE ENTITY DETECTED.]
Liam’s breath hitched.
He turned sharply—just in time to see a cloaked figure standing on the rooftop across the street.
Still. Motionless. Watching him.
And then—
The figure moved.
Liam’s body reacted instinctively. He kicked open the window and leapt into the night.
---
The Assassin’s Dance
The figure dashed across the rooftops with inhuman speed.
Liam followed, pushing his system-enhanced body to its limits. Cobblestone streets blurred beneath them. The wind howled as they leapt between buildings.
Then—
The figure stopped.
Liam skidded to a halt, standing on the edge of a crumbling bell tower.
The assassin turned.
The moonlight revealed a mask. White porcein, emotionless.
The voice that emerged was cold.
"System Holder."
Liam’s fingers clenched into fists.
"Who are you?"
The assassin drew a dagger. Its bde pulsed with dark energy.
"I am your executioner."
Then, they attacked.
---
A Battle of Wills
Liam barely dodged the first strike. The dagger sliced through the air, missing his throat by inches.
The assassin moved like a shadow. Faster than anyone Liam had fought before. Silent. Precise. Relentless.
[SYSTEM COMMAND: COMBAT BOOST – 70% ACTIVATED.]
Liam’s speed and strength surged. He caught the assassin’s wrist mid-strike, twisting sharply.
But before he could nd a counterattack, the assassin vanished.
And reappeared behind him.
Pain erupted as the dagger sliced across Liam’s shoulder.
He staggered. Blood dripped onto the rooftop tiles.
The assassin’s voice was eerily calm.
"You are not ready."
Liam gritted his teeth.
"Then I’ll get ready."
With a roar, he unleashed a devastating counterattack.
Fists collided with steel. Bdes fshed in the moonlight. The battle raged across the rooftops.
And then—
A sudden explosion of dark energy.
The assassin leapt backward, nding gracefully on the edge of a distant building.
"Next time, you won’t be so lucky."
And with that, they vanished into the night.
---
The Weight of Destiny
Liam stood there, breathing heavily.
Blood trickled down his arm. His heart pounded.
Evelyn’s voice echoed in his mind.
"Are you even human anymore?"
He looked down at his shaking hands.
This was just the beginning.
And the world?
It wasn’t just watching.
It was coming for him.
---
End of Chapter 8
