Chapter 107
I felt a pang of anxiety as I tried to come up with an excuse. "I-uhm... I was going to hunt monsters!" I blurted out, hoping it sounded convincing.
Kairos raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. "Really? Then I’ll go with you."
"No!" I answered a bit too quickly, causing his suspicion to deepen. His gaze grew more intense, his eyes narrowing as he studied me. "I-I want to go alone," I added, trying to sound more resolute, but the waver in my voice betrayed my nerves.
Kairos didn’t budge. "Then the more reason I want to go with you," he said firmly, leaving no room for argument.
I swallowed, realizing that there was no way I could convince him otherwise. His sudden shift in demeanor caught me off guard, and I could tell he wasn’t going to let this go. It was rare for him to be this insistent, but when he was, there was no talking him out of it.
I sighed in defeat, knowing that my plan to find Cypher alone had just been derailed. "Fine," I muttered, turning away from him. "But stay out of my way."
The entire night turned into a relentless game of cat and mouse. I would dart off in one direction, hoping to finally outpace Kairos, only for him to effortlessly appear by my side each time. His amusement was clear, but it only fueled my determination to shake him off. Yet, no matter how many tricks I tried—sudden changes in direction, doubling back, even feigning a fall—Kairos was always there, never more than a step behind.
Hours passed, and the frustration only grew as I realized that my attempts were getting me nowhere. My determination to find Cypher faded as the night dragged on, replaced by a growing sense of exhaustion. I had used up more mana than I should have, trying to outpace Kairos, and it was taking its toll.
Finally, after yet another failed attempt to lose him, I felt my legs give out beneath me. My vision blurred as I stumbled forward, my body no longer able to keep up with my stubbornness. Before I could even react, I found myself face-first on the ground, completely drained.
Kairos’s laughter echoed through the silent woods, the sound both infuriating and oddly comforting. "Tired already?" he teased, crouching down beside me.
I turned my head weakly to glare at him, but all I managed was a tired groan. "This is... your fault," I muttered, too exhausted to argue or even care about how ridiculous this all seemed.