The reason Avela reacted the way she did—the way her face drained of color and then flushed with fear when the vines wrapped around Arin—could be traced back to the last three months.

  Three months that changed the world.

  Before all this, Physiques were just theories. The kind of rumors found in fantasy novels and late-night forums. People whispered that somewhere out there, humans with strange bodies and supernatural gifts were hiding. But no one had ever stepped forward. No evidence, no confirmation, nothing concrete.

  Some believed in them.

  Most didn’t.

  If someone awakened one, they stayed silent—because who would volunteer themselves for government labs?

  Everything changed the day a man walked onto national television and declared:

  “I have a Physique.”

  The world reeled.

  Reports erupted across every continent. He was tested, examined, questioned live on camera. His abilities were undeniable. After that single day, everything changed overnight.

  Suddenly governments, guilds, corporations—everyone was scrambling to recruit these rare individuals. Not to dissect them, they claimed, but to protect them. To support them.

  And their offers were tempting:

  individualized training

  custom weapons

  lifelong resources

  political protection

  The world insisted Physique holders were to be treasured assets, not test subjects.

  And it worked.

  Slowly, hesitantly, more began to reveal themselves.

  For weeks, nothing bad happened.

  No disappearances.

  No labs.

  No experiments.

  The world breathed a sigh of relief.

  Then, exactly one month after the first revelation,

  they began to vanish.

  One by one.

  Dozens.

  Hundreds.

  Eventually—thousands.

  Some vanished from city streets. Others from inside secure government housing. A few disappeared while surrounded by guards. Even nations had no idea how it was happening.

  The panic was immediate and absolute.

  The global hunt that followed was the largest in modern history—and it ended with a discovery so horrifying it nearly collapsed several governments.

  A cult.

  A massive, organized, well-funded cult with branches across the globe. Its roots traced all the way back to North Korea. They had been capturing Physique holders, cutting them open, dissecting them—trying to reproduce their power for themselves.

  When the world realized an entire nation had knowingly bred and distributed a Physique-harvesting cult, no one hesitated.

  North Korea ceased to exist within a week.

  Even their former allies refused to defend them. Even China looked away.

  In the end, of the nearly three thousand people abducted, barely five hundred were rescued alive. And those survivors were… not the same. Many were psychologically shattered. Many could barely speak. Some were so traumatized that they begged for death.

  And the final conclusion from the global investigation was carved into history:

  Physiques cannot be extracted or transferred.

  The person is the Physique.

  And destroying the body destroys the ability.

  But the cult had done more than butcher people.

  They had left a legacy of rumors—dark, viral, and impossible to kill.

  Because in their desperation, after discovering Physiques couldn’t be stolen, they… experimented further.

  Some victims had been consumed.

  Eaten.

  Searching for power in the most ancient, most monstrous way.

  The authorities tried to bury that part of the report. They failed. People talked, exaggerated, twisted it—and before long, the world was whispering that wealthy elites feasted on Physique bearers for power.

  Most sane people didn’t believe it.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  But people fear what they don’t understand.

  And Physique holders kept disappearing even after the cult fell.

  So to the common man, the rumor became “truth.”

  And that was why, when vines wrapped around Arin to heal him, Avela didn’t scream about magic.

  She screamed because her son had just painted a target on his back.

  Gathering the Family

  “That… isn’t good,” Arin muttered once he finally understood everything. His mother clung to him tightly, trembling with leftover terror. He gently patted her back before looking at the others. “Do you think anyone else saw?”

  Karl exhaled heavily, arms folded. “That’s the problem. We don’t know.”

  “No one should have been near the house,” Theun added, brow furrowed. “But some military patrols come close during training.”

  “And if someone saw those vines healing you…” Dennis finished, rubbing his temples.

  Arin’s expression darkened.

  Not anger—annoyance.

  He had no fear for himself. If someone tried to take him, he could fight. If they brought numbers, he could run. He wasn’t helpless.

  But it would be a hassle.

  And his family would worry themselves sick.

  “We’ve placed lookouts since we noticed the vines,” Karl continued. “So far nothing suspicious. But we can’t guarantee nobody slipped past.”

  “Which means,” Theun said grimly, “we need to assume the worst.”

  Karl nodded once—sharp, decisive.

  “We need to confirm whether anyone’s watching us.” His eyes landed on Arin. “And for that… we’ll need you to act as bait.”

  Avela’s head snapped toward him.

  “No. Absolutely not—”

  Arin raised a hand. “Mom.”

  He softened his voice. “Living in fear is worse. If someone is watching us, we need to know now.”

  Avela bit her lip hard—but said nothing.

  Karl continued, “It’ll also be good to involve the younger generation.”

  Arin blinked. “Why the younger group? I thought the elders were handling the ambush.”

  Karl shook his head. “We’ll be there. But most of the kids haven’t killed anything before. Not even a rabbit. And a human…” He paused, eyes heavy with memory. “A human is different. When goblins come in half a year, hesitation will get them killed. Better they learn that now than in the Trails”

  The room fell silent.

  Theun nodded slowly. “He’s right. But don’t forget—we might deal with military personnel. Without witness accounts, things could get ugly. And even if we do everything right…” His expression turned grim. “The clan in Clanton been too quiet lately. Too much training. Too much movement. If they smell an opportunity, they won’t hesitate.”

  He looked at Karl. “We should call Sophie. If she witnesses everything, the higher-ups won’t be able to twist the story.”

  Karl’s eyebrows rose. “A good point, Theun.”

  He clapped his hands sharply, breaking the tension.

  “Then it’s decided.”

  He pointed around the room, giving orders with soldier-like crispness.

  “Arin. You’ll leave the house in three days. Walk through the military camp toward the bunker. We’ll set up our positions beforehand.”

  He turned to Dennis.

  “Gather the elders.”

  To Johnny.

  “Get the children ready.”

  To Tilly.

  “Go with your grandmother. Fetch all your aunts and uncles.”

  “Yes, Grandpa!” Tilly chirped, taking off like a bolt of energy.

  Karl headed toward the door, muttering, “Time to make a few calls…”

  His voice grew firmer as he opened it.

  “We have work to do. We only get one shot.”

  The house erupted into controlled chaos.

  And Arin, still pale and hooked to an IV, could only sigh.

  Three months ago, people didn’t even believe Physiques existed.

  Now he was about to be used as bait to flush out kidnappers.

  What a mess.