PREDATOR

chapter four

The world hadn’t moved on. It had simply forgotten him.

Miles stood at the edge of the crowd, his eyes fixed on the white coffin at the center.

His mother’s cries cut through everything. His hands clenched at his sides, his chest tightening with every broken word she forced out.

“Dennis…! My son… please wake up…!”

Her voice trembled, raw and shattered. Miles felt the sting behind his eyes, but he forced it down before it could show.

His body leaned forward—just slightly. He took a step forward.

Just one.

That was all it would take. To go to her. To tell her he was alive. To stop her from crying like that.

But he couldn’t. Not with his new face. No one was going to believe he was standing right in front of his own dead body.

His jaw tightened.

“I’m right here,” he whispered, the words barely leaving his lips. She couldn’t hear him. She wouldn’t believe him.

Not like this.

Pain coiled tightly in his chest—but then something shifted.

A strange sensation passed through him.

[ Emotional fluctuation detected ]

[ Instability… corrected ]

Miles blinked.

The pain dulled. Not gone—but distant. Muted, like it had been pushed behind a wall.

“What did you just do?” he murmured.

[ Response: Stabilization ]

[ Objective: Efficiency ]

His gaze hardened slightly. He didn’t understand it—but he felt it.

His eyes drifted back to his mother who was still crying.

Then he heard the students laughing.

Miles’ head turned slowly.

A few students stood not far from the crowd, whispering among themselves.

“Did you hear how he screamed?” one of them said, chuckling.

“Man, I thought he was going to pass out before the fire even caught him,” another added.

“Scholarship kid didn’t even know how to beg properly. This place was never meant for people like him.”

“I bet he wasn’t the first one Jack set up.”

“He should’ve known his place.”

Miles’ vision darkened. They knew and yet none of them came to his rescue.

His chest tightened—not with grief this time, but something sharper.

His gaze locked onto one of them. The boy who held him down.

The one who drove his knee into his back while he struggled. Miles’ breathing slowed.

[ Target identified ]

A faint red outline formed around the boy.

[ Threat level: Moderate ]

[ Compatibility: High ]

He said nothing. His eyes didn’t leave him.

“You’re loud,” he murmured under his breath.

The boy laughed again, unaware.

“Honestly, Jack didn’t even need to go that far. A beating would’ve—”

Miles turned and walked. He passed the coffin. Passed his mother and didn’t look back.

“Hey, where’s Miles going?” one of them asked.

“Probably got bored,” another replied.

“Trying to act serious over a dead nobody is pathetic.”

“I swear, some people just don’t know their place.”

They laughed again.

Miles didn’t react. He waited just beyond the corner—then followed them silently.

The noise of the memorial faded behind him. The hallway ahead was empty and quiet.

Miles rolled his shoulders slightly as he walked. This body felt… different.

He felt stronger and he was in control of his own body.

He hadn’t tested it yet—but something inside him told him he wouldn’t need long to figure it out.

“Man, that was boring as hell…” one of the boys muttered as they turned the corner.

They stopped the moment they saw him.

Kyle frowned. “Do I know you?”

Miles tilted his head slightly. For a moment, he said nothing.

“No,” he replied.

Kyle shrugged. “Then move.”

Miles didn’t. He just stared at him.

Something in his gaze made Kyle pause.

“…What’s your problem?” Kyle asked, narrowing his eyes.

Miles took a step forward. “You were there,” he said quietly.

Kyle blinked. “What?”

“The basement,” Miles continued. “The fire.”

Kyle’s expression flickered—just for a second.

Then he scoffed. “You’re one of those idiots, huh? Heard a rumor and now you’re acting like you saw something?”

Miles stopped right in front of him.

Kyle’s tone hardened. “Back off before you get dragged into something you can’t handle.”

“You don’t remember me,” Miles said.

It wasn’t a question. Kyle frowned. “Why would I?”

And just like that, something inside Miles snapped.

[ Command accepted ]

[ Predator sequence initiating ]

Heat surged through Miles’ body. Not outside but inside.

His fingers curled slightly as a faint warmth gathered beneath his skin.

Kyle noticed.

His smirk faltered. “What the hell—?”

Miles moved fast.

His hand shot forward, grabbing Kyle by the throat and slamming him into the wall.

The impact echoed sharply.

Kyle’s eyes widened in shock. “W-what—?!”

Miles’ grip tightened. For a brief second, even he seemed surprised.

At how easy it was.

“You should’ve remembered,” he said quietly.

Kyle struggled, his hands clawing at Miles’ wrist. “Let go of me!”

He swung wildly—but the hit barely landed.

Miles didn’t flinch.

Didn’t move. Didn’t care. His gaze dropped slightly, studying him.

Almost curious.

“How?” he murmured.

Then the voice returned.

[ Ability detected: Latent Pyro affinity ]

[ Extraction in progress ]

Kyle froze.

His body trembled violently.

“What… what are you doing?!” he choked out. “STOP—!”

Miles felt it. Something strange was happening to him.

Miles’ strength began to drain. His resistance weakened.

Miles’ mind flickered. For a moment, he heard his own voice. His pleas and cries as he was being tormented.

The memory hit hard.

His grip faltered but only for a second. Then it tightened again.

His eyes darkened.

“So this… is power,” Miles whispered.

Kyle’s body went slack.

His head dropped forward, barely conscious. The struggle stopped.

And then he heard another voice.

[ Extraction complete ]

[ Ability acquired: Pyro-Type ]

[ Compatibility: Stable ]

Miles released him. Kyle collapsed to the ground in a heap.

Silence returned to the hallway.

Miles stood there, staring down at him. And for the first time, he didn’t feel weak.