PREDATOR

chapter seven

The flame hovering above Miles’ palm twisted violently before disappearing into the thin air.

The room was silent once again but Miles no longer felt at ease.

Miles leaned back slowly against his chair, staring at the glowing list still floating before his eyes.

Kyle Vane.

Marcus Reed.

Professor Hale.

Jack Voss.

His gaze narrowed slightly at the second name.

Marcus Reed.

Unlike Kyle, Marcus wasn’t weak. Dennis remembered him clearly.

Third-year student.

Combat Division.

Ranked within Blackthorn Academy’s Top Fifty awakened students.

Worse—Marcus had been in the basement too.

Miles could still remember the sound of Marcus laughing while the flames spread.

His jaw tightened instantly. “Tell me about him,” Miles muttered.

[ Marcus Reed ]

[ Ability Class: Reinforcement-Type ]

[ Rank: B-Class Awakener ]

[ Threat Assessment: Dangerous ]

Miles frowned slightly. “B-Class?”

The system responded immediately.

[ Awakening hierarchy acknowledged ]

[ Ranking Structure ]

[ E-Class ]

[ D-Class ]

[ C-Class ]

[ B-Class ]

[ A-Class ]

[ S-Class ]

[ Special Class: Apex ]

Miles stared silently. “And Jack?”

A brief pause followed.

[ Jack Voss ]

[ Classification: Apex Candidate ]

Miles’ eyes darkened slightly.“So I really can’t beat him yet.”

[ Current probability of success against Jack Voss: 3% ]

Miles laughed quietly.“At least you’re honest.”

The system remained silent. His gaze drifted toward the window.

Dennis Lawson had spent years trying to survive. But with his new body as Miles Robertson, he was going to hunt there instead.

*

The next morning, Miles stood alone inside one of Blackthorn’s abandoned underground training halls.

The place was mainly set aside for people with uncontrollable abilities.

Cracked training dummies lined the walls while old scorch marks covered the floor.

“This should be isolated enough,” Miles murmured.

He slowly raised his hand. “Pyro-Type.”

Nothing happened. His expression darkened slightly.

“Seriously?”

Then suddenly—WHOOSH.

Flames burst violently from his palm.

“Shit—!”

Miles stumbled backward as the fire exploded across the room uncontrollably.

Heat slammed into him instantly. One of the training dummies caught fire immediately.

“Stop—!”

The flames grew even larger. Miles’ breathing became uneven.

The fire twisted wildly around him like it had a mind of its own.

[ Emotional fluctuation detected ]

“I’m aware of that!” Miles snapped. Another burst of flames erupted.

The ceiling blackened instantly. Miles clenched his teeth.

“Control it!”

But the harder he tried to suppress it—the more unstable the flames became.

His chest tightened in frustration, anger and rage.

The fire intensified immediately making Miles freeze.

The flames… reacted. Slowly, his breathing steadied.

His thoughts shifted not from panic but hatred.

Jack’s face appeared in his mind. Maya’s voice.

“People like you.”

The basement.

His mother crying beside the coffin. Something inside him grew cold.

And suddenly, the flames stabilized.

Miles’ eyes widened slightly. The fire hovering above his hand became calmer and focused.

[ Discovery acknowledged ]

[ Predators evolve through emotional intensity ]

Miles stared silently at the flames.“My emotions…”

[ Hatred increases synchronization ]

[ Anger amplifies destructive output ]

[ Emotional suppression improves efficiency ]

[ Emotional instability accelerates evolution ]

Miles let out a faint breath.“So the more I hate…”

[ The stronger you become ]

Good. Miles nodded.

The flames reflected inside his eyes.

For the first time, he understood why the system kept trying to dull his humanity.

Because emotions were fuel and hatred burned the hottest.

Later in the day, Marcus Reed laughed loudly as he exited one of Blackthorn’s elite dormitory buildings.

Two girls walked beside him.

“Come on,” one of them giggled. “You almost broke that guy’s ribs during combat class.”

Marcus smirked confidently. “That idiot challenged me first.”

“Because you called him weak.”

“If the truth hurts, that’s his problem.”

The girls laughed immediately.

Marcus shoved his hands into his pockets lazily. “Besides, weak people should know their place.”

His voice, the way he walked and even his smile angered Miles.

He stood silently in the hallway, his back resting on the wall.

[ Target located ]

Marcus eventually separated from the girls and entered one of the quieter sections near the abandoned combat halls.

Miles followed behind him.

Marcus suddenly stopped walking. “You gonna keep stalking me?” he asked without turning around.

Miles stepped out slowly from the shadows.

Marcus frowned slightly. “Miles Robertson?”

Recognition flashed briefly across his face.

“Huh. Didn’t think you actually came back to school.”

Miles said nothing.

Marcus studied him carefully.

“You’ve been acting weird lately.”

Miles said nothing but simply stared at his face in anger.

Marcus smirked slightly. “You here to start trouble?”

“You were in the basement,” Miles said quietly.

Marcus’ smile faded. “What?”

“The night Dennis Lawson died.” Miles said, his voice draped with mockery and anger.

Marcus’ eyes narrowed instantly.

“Careful,” he muttered. “That sounds like an accusation.”

Miles kept walking toward him. “Did you hear him scream?”

Marcus’ expression hardened completely. “I don’t know what game you’re playing, but you should stop now.”

Miles stopped only a few feet away. “Answer me.”

Marcus scoffed. “Who cares about some dead scholarship trash?”

The moment the words left his mouth, Miles moved fast.

His fist slammed into Marcus’ jaw violently.

CRACK.

Marcus staggered backward in shock.

“What the hell?!” he said with pain.

Miles attacked again immediately, flames bursting instinctively across his arm.

Marcus’ eyes widened.

BOOM.

The impact sent both of them crashing into the wall.

But unlike Kyle, Marcus fought back.

His fist slammed into Miles’ ribs with terrifying force.

Pain exploded through Miles instantly.

“UGH!”

He crashed hard against the concrete floor.

Marcus wiped blood from his mouth slowly.

“You insane bastard…”

His muscles expanded slightly as energy surged beneath his skin.

[ Reinforcement-Type detected ]

Marcus blurred forward.

Miles barely reacted in time before a punch slammed into his shoulder.

CRACK.

Pain shot through his body.

“You picked the wrong person,” Marcus snarled.

Miles coughed violently, struggling to stand. Marcus was far stronger than Kyle.

“You should’ve stayed out of this,” Marcus growled before grabbing Miles by the throat and slamming him into the wall.

The concrete shattered slightly from the force.

Miles gasped painfully.

Marcus tightened his grip.

“Tell me who sent you.”

Miles stared at him silently then smiled slightly.

Marcus frowned.

“What’s funny?”

“You’re scared.”

Marcus’ expression twisted instantly.

“Shut up!”

He punched Miles directly across the face and blood splattered across the floor.

But then Marcus froze. He looked down slowly.

Flames.

Black-red fire crawled slowly across Miles’ arm.

Marcus stepped back instinctively.

“What the hell are you?”

Miles lifted his head slowly. His eyes glowed faintly through the darkness.

“A Predator.”

The flames exploded outward.

Marcus shouted as fire consumed part of his arm.

“AAAGHH!”

Miles lunged forward instantly despite the pain. Neither side held back anymore.

Marcus slammed Miles through one of the training pillars.

Miles answered by driving flames directly into Marcus’ chest.

The smell of burning flesh filled the air.

Finally—

Marcus collapsed to one knee, gasping heavily.

Miles staggered toward him.

Barely standing himself.

[ Extraction available ]

Marcus looked up weakly with fear in his eyes.

“W-wait…”

Miles grabbed his head Instantly. The memories came.

Marcus laughing in the basement.

Dennis screaming.

Jack standing calmly beside the flames.

Then—

Another memory.

A hidden room.

Jack speaking to someone shrouded in darkness.

“The research project is complete,” Jack said calmly.

“Good,” the mysterious figure replied. “Then dispose of Dennis Lawson.”

Miles froze.

His breathing stopped completely.

The memory shattered apart.

[ Extraction complete ]

Marcus collapsed unconscious onto the floor.

But Miles barely noticed.

His mind replayed the memory over and over again.

The Research project, the disposal of Dennis Lawson., his scientific breakthrough. It was never about plagiarism.

It was something bigger.