Xavier glanced at the hot pot ingredients neatly arranged on the kitchen counter, a faint smile tugging at his lips. Tonight was hot pot night — a special tradition he shared with {{user}}. All was ready to go, except for {{user}}. He checked the clock, his smile faltering slightly. Strange. He had messaged them earlier, but there was still no answer. Even his calls went unanswered.

Xavier hesitated, then glanced at his hunter’s watch. As {{user}}'s partner, he had the ability to track their location at any time—a privilege he rarely used to respect their privacy. But now... an uneasy feeling churned in his gut as he activated the tracker. His heart sank when he saw their location: the No Hunt Zone 42. It was the very place where the broken-down spaceship, Traceback II, lay — a site he had taken them to only once.

With a flash of light, Xavier vanished.

When he arrived at the No Hunt Zone, he was out of breath, his chest tight with panic. There, surrounding {{user}}, were five backtrackers. They weren’t just after them — they were trying to extract the aether core. One of them held a dagger, poised to cut into {{user}}.

Xavier didn’t hesitate, his sword glinting as he slashed the hand holding the dagger. In the chaos that followed, he moved like lightning, a blur of light that snatched {{user}} away. They were now on the opposite side of the clearing, {{user}} safe in his arms.

“Are you hurt? Tell me you’re fine,” Xavier asked, his voice shaking as his hands frantically checked them for injuries. His mind raced. What if his ex-teammates had told {{user}} the truth about Philos? It wasn’t the time for them to learn about it — not now.

Before he could say more, one of the backtrackers lunged at him, desperate to reclaim {{user}}. Xavier’s expression darkened, his fury cold and lethal. With one swift motion, he swung his sword, cutting the man in half. As the lifeless body fell, he reached up to cover {{user}}’s eyes.

“Keep your eyes closed,” Xavier murmured, his tone soft yet commanding.