CHAPTER 32: A HUGE THREATH

Hunter leaned in, one hand shooting out.

"...four, three, two..."

Lucien stood suddenly, voice sharp, alive for the first time—

"NOW!"

Hunter slammed the throttle, sparks flying as he made contact.

The final red light flashed on the screen.

"Player 200 eliminated."

Then the intercom boomed—

"Prey Hunter – all targets complete."

The crowd erupted.

Lucien exhaled for the first time in minutes, his hand trembling slightly against the tablet. Mason stared, speechless.

Ethan stood still, the sound fading into a hum around him.

Somewhere inside

The booming drums of the stadium echoed like thunder rolling through steel caverns. Sparks burst across the enormous holo-screen as the crowd’s roar crashed in waves. The lights dimmed, then snapped back with violent intensity as the rankings blinked onto the display.

A deep synthesized voice announced the results, each name slamming into the air like a verdict.

"Rank One... SPIKE. Seventy-five catches."

Spike threw both arms up and let out a sound that barely qualified as human, a roar torn from a throat made for violence.

"That’s what I’m talking about, baby!" he howled, veins bulging as fans chanted his name like a war drum.

The screen shifted.

"Rank Two... Bulldozer. Sixty catches."

Bulldozer simply nodded once. A mountain acknowledging the inevitable.

"Rank Three... Ethan. Thirty catches."

Ethan exhaled through his nose. No celebration. No reaction. Just a quiet acceptance of the numbers glowing beside his face. He didn’t need the cheers. He didn’t need the noise. He had done what he always did, deliver. He didn’t need to show it off like Spike or Bulldozer

But then

"Rank Five... Hunter. Twenty-five catches."

"Rank Six... Timothy. Twenty-four catches."

Timothy’s entire body stiffened. His glove creaked from how tightly he clenched it. Ethan could practically feel the heat of the man’s rage radiating across the stage. In sure he might only be pissed about Hunter rank than anybody else , he thought

Behind them, the final announcement cut through the stadium:

"Two hundred and forty-four out of two hundred and fifty-five prey eliminated, leaving forty one standing , what a massive chop off just form the first round off"

The crowd roared again.

But Ethan didn’t care about the crowd.

His gaze drifted, pulled by something magnetic, something unspoken, toward the entrance at the far end of the arena...

Mason fell onto the couch like every bone in his body had liquefied.

"Thank the heavens ,he qualified, he survived that road ," he breathed, wiping sweat from his forehead. He stared at the ceiling for a while , my first game watching and i almost soaked my pants from the pressure

Lucien didn’t respond.

He couldn’t.

He stood frozen in place, staring at the screen displaying Hunter’s name among the qualifiers. His hand slowly lifted, pressing against the center of his chest. But what he felt was... nothing. No rush. No exhilaration. No thrill.

"The feeling... is not there," he whispered, confused, his voice hollow.

The absence carved strangely into him. Every race with Ethan used to ignite something fierce inside him, adrenaline, fire, fear, excitement. But with Hunter...

It was like something had been unplugged inside his ribs.

His hand lowered, weak. Oh , maybe this time i wasn’t racing for myself , or maybe Hunter didn’t ignite the fuel inside my heart as i thought

Mason frowned as he looked at Lucien phased form , this idiot, what could he be possibly be thinking about after he nearly caused Hunter to crash. "Wha—"

He didn’t finish the sentence as he was interrupted by the door slammed open.

Old man Harris burst in like a gust of chaos. Mason rolled his eyes , great more idiot

"Oii, boy!" he beamed, reaching out to grab Lucien by the shoulders and spin him around with surprising strength. "I knew you would pull it off! But I wasn’t expecting that!"

Lucien yelped as he lifted off the ground for a second.

"Why are people obsessed with lifting me?!" he complained, glaring weakly as he was placed down " seriously you’re making me feel small"

Harris laughed, slapping Lucien hard on the back. "Because you’re too small not to!"

Lucien rubbed his shoulder with a wince. "Ow..."

"Come on," Harris said, still grinning. "Let’s go meet the champions now."

Lucien hesitated, but followed and Mason tagged along , cuz honestly what could he do in here

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The screen above them shifted to show the remaining predators still standing, those who had earned their place in the next round.

Ethan was barely listening. He was focused on getting out of the crowd, slipping toward the side exit. He was done his task , now it was better if he went home

Then—

He saw him.

Lucien stepped into view, just behind Harris, with Mason hovering too close behind him.

Everything around Ethan slowed. The lights dimmed. The cheers blurred into a distant murmur. For a breathless second, it felt like his lungs forgot how to function.

Their eyes locked.

Lucien froze, his pupils widening. His hand flew to his chest, like the force of their connection had hit him physically.

’thump, thump, thump’ Lucien placed his hand over his chest , his heart started to pound extremely fast

Ethan felt it too.

The echo of the past slamming between them.

Lucien’s lips parted slightly.

"The feeling is here..." he muttered

Then—

Mason cleared his throat.

Lucien flinched. Ethan’s jaw tightened, eyes narrowing as he stared at Mason standing too close... far too close.

He turned away sharply and vanished into the dispersing crowd. Harris called after him and rushed to follow.

Mason looked at Lucien as he clenched his fist , this cant be happening , dont tell me im about to lose him to you again

The moment Ethan disappeared, the world rushed back to full speed. Noise. Light. People brushing past.

Lucien let out a shaky breath.

Then something slammed into his shoulder.

Timothy.

Timothy’s eyes burned with humiliation and anger.

"Just because you outscored me this time," he growled, "doesn’t mean you’ll get that chance again. Remember that."

He shoved Lucien aside and stormed off, leaving a trail of venom behind.

Mason scoffed loudly. "He seriously needs therapy."

Lucien wasn’t listening anymore.

Something else tugged at his attention.

He approached Hunter’s bike, what was left of it. The metal was bent, the engine casing cracked, wires exposed like torn veins. He crouched, brushing his fingertips over the ruined frame.

"Damn... you really pushed it," he whispered. "but it managed to hold on"

Then—

A chill ran up his spine.

Cold. Sharp. Primal.

He snapped his head to the side.

A man was walking past him.

But Lucien hadn’t heard him approach, never heard his footstep. Hadn’t sensed him. Hadn’t felt even the smallest shift of presence.

Which was impossible, no

He straightened slowly, eyes narrowing.

The man continued walking without looking back, coat swaying with each step. One word was printed across the back:

PREY

He participated in the event. Lucian thought as he narrowed , funny how i never tracked nor saw him the entire time

Lucien’s pulse quickened, not with excitement, but instinct.

Danger.

That man radiated danger. A predator wearing a prey’s label, it felt like he would get engulfed by the guy just by his presence. Someone too silent. Too empty. Someone whose presence felt like a shadow swallowing light.

Then—

He stopped.

And turned his head, just slightly acknowledging Lucien without truly looking at him.

Lucien’s breath hitched.

There was something wrong with him.

Something that didn’t belong in this arena.

Something that felt like death wearing human skin.

Before Lucien could move, speak, or blink—

The man continued walking and vanished into the crowd.

Leaving behind a cold dread in Lucien’s chest.

"who is that person?"

Lucien swallows. His hands tremble. He exhales slowly, but the icy prickling sensation crawling down his spine doesn’t fade.

He bends over Hunter’s bike again, touching the bent frame lightly.

Hunter survived. But that man... he’s not done yet, he is going to be a biggest threat. And I can feel it.

Lucien straightens. Eyes scanning the arena. Every shadow. Every figure. Every whisper of movement.

The race is over. The round is complete.

But the real game... has just begun.

And this time we might have a even bigger threat laid ahead of us