The sky split open.
Not with lightning.
Not with thunder.
But with power.
Dark clouds twisted violently above the battlefield, spiraling inward like a massive vortex. The air itself seemed to bend toward Kael, drawn into the storm gathering around his body.
Dust rose.
Rocks trembled.
Even the ground groaned beneath the pressure.
And at the center of it all—
Kael stood motionless.
Energy pulsed from his chest in slow, rhythmic waves.
Each pulse heavier than the last.
Each heartbeat louder than thunder.
BOOM.
The sound rolled across the battlefield.
Soldiers staggered.
Weapons rattled.
The wounded crawled away in panic.
No one understood what they were witnessing.
But everyone felt it.
Fear.
General Veyron narrowed his glowing crimson eyes.
For the first time in years—
He hesitated.
"That energy…" he muttered quietly.
His grip tightened around the hilt of his sword.
The black metal vibrated, reacting to the surge of power radiating from the young warrior before him.
"This is no ordinary awakening."
Kael's breathing was uneven.
Slow.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
Every nerve in his body screamed in agony, yet beneath the pain was something new — something intoxicating.
Control.
Not perfect.
Not stable.
But real.
A faint system voice echoed inside his mind.
[Skill Activated: Abyssal Surge — Level 1]
[Power Output: 312%]
[Warning: Physical Damage Increasing]
Veins of dark light spread across Kael's arms.
Cracks of glowing energy crawled along his skin like lightning trapped beneath flesh.
The ground beneath his feet fractured outward.
General Veyron stepped forward.
Slow.
Deliberate.
The battlefield trembled with each movement.
"You've crossed a dangerous line, boy," he said, voice calm but heavy with authority.
"Power like that devours its owner."
Kael lifted his head.
His eyes burned with fierce determination.
"Then I'll devour it first."
Silence fell.
A breathless pause.
The kind that comes just before disaster.
Then—
Veyron moved.
He vanished.
No warning.
No sound.
One moment he stood across the battlefield.
The next—
He was directly in front of Kael.
Sword raised.
Strike descending.
CLANG!
The impact exploded like a cannon blast.
Shockwaves ripped across the ground.
Stone shattered.
Air screamed.
Kael blocked the attack.
Barehanded.
His glowing arm caught the blade mid-swing, energy surging violently around his fingers.
The metal trembled.
Cracked.
Veyron's eyes widened.
Impossible.
No human could stop that strike.
No human should survive that pressure.
Yet—
Kael stood firm.
A low growl escaped his throat.
Pain burned through his muscles.
Bones strained.
Blood seeped from his palm where the blade pressed against flesh.
But he did not move.
Instead—
He pushed forward.
The ground beneath them collapsed as Kael unleashed a surge of power.
Dark energy erupted outward in a violent explosion.
Veyron was thrown backward.
His boots carved deep trenches into the earth as he slid across the battlefield.
Dust filled the air.
Silence followed.
For three seconds—
Nothing moved.
Then—
Veyron began to laugh.
Not softly.
Not mockingly.
But with raw excitement.
"Yes," he said, voice rising with intensity.
"Yes… THIS is power."
He lifted his sword slowly.
Dark flames ignited along its edge.
The temperature dropped instantly.
Frost spread across the battlefield once again.
The general's aura exploded outward.
Massive.
Crushing.
Overwhelming.
Soldiers collapsed to their knees.
Some fainted instantly.
Others fled in terror.
Even the monsters backed away.
Veyron pointed his blade directly at Kael.
His voice carried across the battlefield like thunder.
"Let us see how long you can survive."
Kael steadied his breathing.
His vision blurred.
Pain tore through his body with every heartbeat.
But he refused to fall.
Not now.
Not when he had finally gained strength.
The system voice returned.
Cold.
Mechanical.
Unforgiving.
[Warning: Body Integrity — 61%]
[Critical Damage Detected]
[Time Limit Remaining: 03:12]
Three minutes.
That was all he had.
Three minutes before his body collapsed.
Kael clenched his fists.
Energy surged violently around him.
The storm above roared louder.
Lightning flashed across the dark sky.
He took a single step forward.
The ground cracked beneath his foot.
"I don't need forever," he said quietly.
Another step.
The air trembled.
"I only need—"
Energy gathered around his body.
Violent.
Explosive.
Unstable.
"—one chance."
Veyron's eyes sharpened.
He sensed it.
The shift.
The decision.
The moment everything would change.
The battlefield held its breath.
Then—
Both warriors moved.
At the exact same instant.
They collided in the center of the battlefield with terrifying force.
The explosion of power shattered the ground.
Lightning tore across the sky.
Wind roared like a hurricane.
And the world itself seemed to tremble beneath their clash.
Far above the battlefield—
Hidden beyond the storm clouds—
A shadow watched.
Silent.
Ancient.
Unmoving.
Two glowing eyes opened in the darkness.
Cold.
Calculating.
Interested.
A voice echoed through the void.
Soft.
Almost amused.
"So… the child has finally awakened."