The scene shifted.
The ruined castle faded into shadow.
And the world snapped back into motion.
Adil and Kael were locked in brutal combat, fists flying, bodies colliding with raw force. Each strike echoed across the battlefield—bare-handed, primal, and precise.
Adil moved like a storm—targeting Kael's solar plexus, liver, and every vital point with ruthless accuracy.
Then—
Adil drove a crushing blow toward Kael's heart.
Kael's body seized.
Paralysis.
His limbs stiffened. His breath faltered.
Adil didn't hesitate.
He grabbed Kael's neck and slammed him backward, the impact cracking the ground beneath them. Then he seized Kael's ankles and stretched them apart with brutal strength.
The tide had turned.
Adil was overpowering Kael.
Then—tuck.
A sickening snap.
Kael's ankles broke.
Kael screamed."Aghhh!"
Adil rolled backward, landing with calm precision.
His expression was flat.
Emotionless.
Focused.
"I have to finish it quickly."
Kael staggered to his feet, trembling, barely able to stand.
Adil raised his guard.
Adil (coldly): "No need to act tough."
Kael's body shook.
But then—
Blue mana surged through him.
It flowed like lightning, wrapping around his broken form, restoring strength to his shattered frame.
With a roar, Kael raised his fist into the air, gathering power for a final blow.
Blue mana surged, swirling around his arm like a storm. The energy condensed, pulsing violently.
Then—
He struck.
A shockwave burst from his fist, and from the impact, a wolf-shaped force erupted—howling through the air, fast and furious.
It tore across the battlefield, passing straight through Adil's chest.
Adil's body jolted.
His breath caught.
Blood spilled from his mouth.
He staggered back, eyes wide, pain surging through his core.
The force had pierced him—not just physically, but deep inside.
His muscles trembled.
His stance faltered.
But his eyes…
Still burned
Blood dripped from Adil's mouth.
He staggered slightly, but his eyes gleamed with defiance.
Adil (smirking): "As expected… You have a wolf spirit."
Suddenly—
A translucent interface flickered into view before him.
System Notification:You have 30 seconds to maintain your current form.
Adil's expression shifted.
Adil: "Damn it."
He clenched his fists.
Ki surged.
His body glowed faintly as energy flooded his veins.
System Update:Blood Core Power: 50% Activated.
Adil's muscles pumped up, his frame growing sturdier, faster, sharper.
The ground beneath him cracked as he launched forward—a blur of motion, cutting through the air with terrifying speed.
Kael barely had time to react.
Adil was no longer holding back.
His fist connected with Kael's ribs.
Crack.
Kael's body twisted from the impact, breath knocked out of him.
Before he could recover—
Adil struck again.
A brutal punch to the face.
Kael's head snapped back, blood spraying into the air.
Adil stood over him, breathing steady, eyes sharp.
Adil (flatly): "I have to admit… you've got a superior body compared to mine."
He wiped the blood from his mouth, expression unreadable.
Adil: "And it's been fun fighting you."
A pause.
His eyes narrowed.
Adil: "But I have to finish this quickly. No time for jokes now."
Kael staggered, barely holding himself upright.
The battlefield trembled.
The final exchange was coming.
Kael wiped blood from his mouth, eyes burning with rage.
Kael (growling): "Tch… you damn bastard!"
Adil didn't flinch.
He raised his leg, his muscles surging, as he prepared to deliver the finishing kick.
But then—
System Notification:Time limit reached. Blood Core Form deactivated.
Adil's body flickered.
The glow vanished.
His form reverted.
And then—
Pain.
A violent surge tore through his insides.
His muscles collapsed.
His bones screamed.
Adil's body broke from within.
He staggered, clutching his chest, blood dripping from his mouth.
His breath was shallow.
His vision blurred.
The cost of power had come due.
Kael blinked, confused by the sudden shift.
Kael (stunned): "Huh?"
Adil's body trembled.
His vision blurred.
His thoughts raced.
"No… no… I can't…"
Then—
Adil lunged.
With every ounce of strength left in his broken body, he surged forward and slammed his forehead into Kael's face.
A brutal headbutt.
Kael reeled backward, dazed by the impact.
Adil staggered.
His knees buckled.
And then—
He collapsed.