Pred, which I suspected was just his code name— sounded too close to 'Predator.' Did Oma send their so-called Predator to hunt me like prey?
Pred glared with killer intent while Rose tried desperately to convince him to leave. She sounded worried— but not for him.
Was she afraid for me?
Did she really believe this hooligan could kill me and get away with it?
Now I really wanted to fight him.
I spoke in his dialect:
"Aboa Nipa."
Animal person.
A taunt for the uncivilized.
He acted like he was walking away… then threw an axe at me.
I didn't just dodge the speeding axe— I caught it by the handle mid-air and threw it back with even more deadly precision.
It would have killed that savage if...
Before either of us understood what happened, Rose jumped in front of Pred as the axe came at her head.
Pred moved with terrifying speed, pushing Rose aside and catching the axe with his bare hand. His right palm bled, but he didn't flinch.
Rose, thrown to the ground, yelled,
"Enough already! Please, Zefar… I'm begging you. Let us go. I promise we will leave and never return."
I didn't know what to say. I didn't want Rose to leave— but I felt her connection to this ferocious man. She was ready to take an axe to the head for him… why?
The cold in my heart returned instantly. My mood darkened.
"If you wish to leave, then be on your way. Get that savage out of Babel by dawn or my Slayers will have your Predator for breakfast."
She thanked me and left with him.
I hated letting her go.
I shouldn't have let her leave.
I should have fought harder.
I should have killed that Predator even if she loved him.
Even if she hated me forever…
at least she would be alive today.
I was pulled out of my thoughts by the sudden screams of Slayers. That was… extremely unusual.
My Slayers—especially the Summoned—were no strangers to danger. They laughed in the face of death, mocked enemies who thought torture could break them, and they never, ever screamed in fear.
I looked around, alert, trying to spot the source. Then I noticed them—surrounding me at every turn were packs of wolves.
Looking up into the trees, I saw those bloody ravens. It was him.
The Predator was here.
A rush of adrenaline hit me. I hadn't felt this excited in a danger zone since the days I ended all the wars in Babel.
I declared,
"Predator! I know you hear me. I came for a visit. Is this how you welcome your visitors? I knew you were wild, but you never told me you were royalty. In this jungle of monsters, you made yourself king."
A whistle cut through the air.
I knew he had just commanded his army of wolves to make me their next meal.
Now I understood why my Slayers screamed—the memories of my fallen soldiers flooded my mind.
They were chased, bitten, ripped apart, eaten alive.
No one deserved that kind of trauma… even those who could come back to life.
As the wolves charged from all sides, I felt something close to déjà vu. It reminded me of my past self—the day I first decided it was me against the world.
I wasn't sure I stood a chance then.
But I still succeeded.
Now, I fully believed Adam's words.
I was born to win.
Made Incarnate to learn from my mistakes.
And even if I died today, I would return before dusk.
My target ruled this kingdom of beasts.
He had questions to answer—
and I, Victor Zefar, would make him talk, no matter what.
I dashed forward as the wolves closed in. One brave and fast beast reached me in a blur. It lunged high, aiming for my neck—the only exposed place in my armor. I grabbed its head mid-air, slammed its jaws shut, and ended it with one twist.
The others skidded to a halt, terrified.
Poor wolves.
Did they think I was going to be an easy meal?
I laughed and spoke to their master:
"Predator, it seems your monsters have met the Devil. What can they possibly do without you?"
I scanned around, trying to pinpoint where Pred was hiding. His ravens suddenly took flight, blocking my view of the treetops.
So that's how he was killing my Slayers undetected.
I stood near a tree, searching, when an eye snapped open on what should've been normal bark. A serpent shot toward my neck.
Either these animals were intelligent… or Pred could telepathically command them.
Or—judging by the name of this place—it truly was home to every man-eating predator alive.
The only one they didn't hate was Pred.
I caught the snake by the throat, strangled it with one hand, and tossed its corpse away like trash. If Pred hadn't gotten the memo already, I wanted it clear: only he stood a chance against me.
The wolves growled, bold and ready for round two.
But I hated dealing with minions.
I cut a thick cluster of vines and used them to lift myself off the ground straight into the treetops. Pred's ravens weren't happy about that, but my dagger opened too many throats for them to keep coming.
I called out to their king:
"Pred… no, that's not your real name. I know you're waiting for the chance to strike a killing blow. Before you end me, at least tell me your name."
I scanned every branch, every shadow.
I activated my Veil of Glass—checked every angle.
Still nothing.
His ravens swarmed, forming a wall of wings and shadows.
They weren't attacking.
It was a diversion.
I looked left. Right. Down.
But before I lifted my head, I heard his voice roar:
"The name's Apex—
but to prey like you,
I'm the Apex Predator!"
My view cleared—
And there he was.
Leaping from above, two axes raised, descending on me like judgment.
I smiled to myself.
Was he the man who would finally end me?