Eo drifted through the silent depths, his body relaxing for the first time since his battle. The weight of the fight still lingered in his mind—not as exhaustion, but as something deeper. A lesson carved into his being.

  The jagged-toothed creature had been fast, precise, and deadly. Its mastery over the mist had nearly ended him, and for a brief moment, he had glimpsed the terrifying gap between himself and a true predator.

  He could not allow that to happen again.

  Eo stilled, his body merging into the water as he reviewed everything—the enemy’s movements, the way its muscles tensed before an attack, the subtle shifts in the mist before it struck. Every detail was imprinted in his mind, waiting to be dissected and understood.

  One thing stood out above all else.

  The mist could be sharpened.

  The creature had proven that. It had not simply pushed the mist—it had honed it, turning an invisible force into something that could slice through flesh. That precision had nearly cost Eo his life.

  Now, he had to master it for himself.

  Eo needed isolation—somewhere hidden, away from prying eyes. He drifted through the currents, searching for a place where he could refine his control without the risk of being interrupted.

  He found it nestled between towering underwater formations, a crevice that extended into darkness. It was deep enough to obscure his presence, yet open enough for him to test his reach.

  This would do.

  Eo coiled within the space, his form dispersing slightly as he extended his mist outward. First, he simply felt it, tracing the way it spread through the water. It was smooth, fluid, but lacked the sharpness he had witnessed before.

  He needed to change that.

  Eo compressed the mist, pulling it closer, molding it within his reach. The creature had used it like a blade—meaning it could be focused.

  He attempted to do the same.

  At first, the mist resisted. It was not solid, not something that could be shaped easily. But Eo had learned something in battle—it could be directed.

  He pulled at it, forcing it to condense around his limb, shaping it into something finer, thinner. It wavered, shifting between his grasp, but slowly, it took form.

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  A claw.

  Not just a vague outline, but something tangible. A layer of mist so refined it seemed to harden, the edges shimmering like a blade hidden in water.

  Eo flexed his limb, watching as the mist extended and retracted, responding to his control.

  This was more than just an ability.

  It was a weapon.

  And now that he had taken this step, he would only sharpen it further.

  Satisfied, Eo uncoiled from his hiding place, his form drifting into the open water once more. The newfound control filled him with certainty, but there was only one way to test it for real.

  He had to fight again.

  He scanned the abyss, his senses reaching outward, searching for another predator like the one he had slain. A creature that wielded the mist—not just for survival, but as a weapon.

  The thought sent a ripple through his being.

  This was no longer just about survival.

  It was about mastery.

  And for that, he needed stronger prey.

  Eo surged forward, vanishing into the depths, his hunt beginning once more.

  Eo pressed forward, weaving through the currents with an eerie stillness. His hunt had proven more difficult than expected. The jagged-toothed creature wasn’t just a common predator—it was something rare, something that didn’t lurk in every corner of these waters.

  It made sense. If every beast wielded the mist so naturally, his understanding of combat would’ve been much further along. But they didn’t. Most of the creatures he encountered relied purely on instinct, physical prowess, or crude ambush tactics. They lacked the refinement he had witnessed in his previous battle.

  Still, that didn’t mean they were worthless.

  Eo adapted his hunt accordingly. Instead of searching solely for another mist-wielding creature, he targeted whatever prey he could find. Each kill was another step toward sharpening his instincts, refining his understanding of combat and the mist’s potential.

  A school of small, predatory fish scattered the moment he approached, their bodies twisting in rapid, synchronized movements. He ignored them. Too weak. Too insignificant. They wouldn’t teach him anything useful.

  But then, movement.

  Something larger lurked in the distance, half-hidden within a crevice of jagged rock. Eo stilled, observing. The creature remained motionless, its body blending into the environment with near-perfect stillness. A patient hunter. Unlike the previous monster, it did not exude raw aggression. Instead, it relied on patience, waiting for prey to come too close before striking.

  Eo shifted his approach.

  Instead of rushing in, he mirrored its patience. He let the currents carry him closer, minimizing his movements. He studied the way the creature breathed, the faint flex of its muscles, the slight disturbance in the mist around it.

  Then, with a sudden burst of movement, the creature lunged.

  Its jaw split open, revealing rows of serrated teeth, but Eo had already reacted. His body twisted, water bending around him as he darted aside. The beast adjusted, thrashing its tail to propel itself toward him.

  But Eo had spent time refining his control.

  The mist around him thickened as he shifted his presence, reducing the enemy’s perception of his exact location. He glided in a curved path instead of a direct retreat, using the mist’s subtle influence to distort his movements. The predator hesitated—just for a fraction of a second—but it was enough.

  Eo struck.

  His sharpened mist, still crude but functional, lashed out like a blade. It didn’t slice cleanly—it lacked the refinement he sought—but it was enough to tear through flesh. The creature recoiled, writhing in pain.

  Eo didn’t wait. He surged forward, driving his form into the wounded predator with relentless precision. Teeth clamped down. Limbs coiled. He consumed it piece by piece, absorbing the lingering traces of mist within its body.

  It wasn’t the breakthrough he was searching for, but it was progress.

  Eo exhaled, releasing a slow pulse of mist into the surrounding waters. The search continued.