The boy's body twitched again, but this time it was more exaggerated, more theatrical. He staggered back a few steps, clutching his chest. His head dropped, as though exhausted from the effort of pretending to struggle. It was all a show.
The boy panted heavily, barely able to keep his balance.
"You're good, Kael. I'll give you that. But I'm not done yet." His voice was strained, but his eyes never left Kael. His smirk returned, more confident than ever. "I'm just getting started. You'll see."
Kael didn't respond. His posture remained unchanged, steady as ever. He was no longer fooled by the boy's performance. The boy had thought he was in control, that Kael would underestimate him, but Kael wasn't going to make that mistake. He knew this fight was about who could control the battlefield—who could control the mind.
The boy pushed off the ground and straightened, taking another few steps toward Kael. His body jerked again, and this time, he managed to pull off an almost convincing show of struggling.
But Kael saw it for what it was: a final act of desperation. The boy was trying to feign weakness to get Kael to lower his guard. But Kael wasn't about to fall for it.
The boy's voice came again, the words heavy with feigned frustration.
"Why do you always look so calm? Are you not worried at all? I thought you were supposed to be the great Kael. Am I really that insignificant to you?"
Kael finally spoke, his voice as steady as ever.
"You're not insignificant. You're playing a game, and I'm done letting you play it."
The boy's eyes flickered with something darker, but it was quickly masked by his confident grin. He took another step forward, moving quicker now. The act wasn't over yet.
And Kael, for his part, wasn't done playing along.
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End of Chapter 57