Cale stood amidst the wreckage, his fists clenched, his body pulsing with electricity. His golden lightning crackled violently around him, illuminating the ruined house in eerie flickers of light.
He had one objective—find the Poison King.
Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and sent out waves of lightning, pulsing like sonar across the entire nation. Every bolt that shot into the sky expanded his reach, mapping the terrain, bouncing off buildings, sensing every lifeform within miles.
But no trace of him.
Damn it…
The venom still lingered in the air, burning his nostrils, reminding him that he was too late. His wife and daughter—where were they?
Then, an unexpected noise cut through the silence.
Riiing.
A phone.
Cale flinched, his narrowed eyes snapping toward the source. A landline phone, barely clinging to the wall, rang in the middle of the destruction.
For a moment, he hesitated.
Was this a trap? A cruel joke?
He was about to ignore it, focusing back on his search, but the sound wouldn't stop. It drilled into his head, disrupting his concentration. Annoyed, he scowled, sparks flickering across his fingertips.
"Shut up, you damn thing."
In a flash, his lightning surged toward the phone, lifting it from the receiver and bringing it to his ear. His voice was sharp, filled with venomous impatience.
"Who the hell is calling?"
The voice on the other end sent a chill down his spine.
"Hey… servant of the Calamity Killer."
The voice was low—dangerous.
It carried an unnatural glee, as if the speaker was reveling in something horrifying. There was no urgency, no rage—just slow, creeping amusement, like a predator toying with its prey.
Cale's grip on the phone tightened. His teeth clenched.
The voice on the other end chuckled, a sound drenched in satisfaction.
"You sound angry. Good… because I'm just getting started."
To be continued…