Kael’s eyes sharpened.
CLANG—!
He deflected the attack with a single swing of his newly formed double-edged sword.
Kawa’s voice echoed in his mind, fiery and commanding.
“Holder, use my flames. End this creature.”
Kael nodded, inhaling sharply. He condensed his spirit flames and let them surge through his sword. The blade blazed with red-hot energy, reshaping itself into a burning arc of heat.
A new ability ignited within him.
“Burning Blade.”
Kael rushed forward, the ground beneath his feet scorching with each step. The abberant, now fully alert, lashed its tail again in desperation.
This time, Kael didn’t evade.
He cut through the tail outright.
SHHKK—!
The severed limb hit the ground, burst into flames, and crumbled into ash.
The abberant’s screech tore through the cave, its fury erupting to a fever pitch.
Kael quickly checked the system window.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
[SYSTEM ALERT]
?? EVOLUTION PROGRESS INCREASING ??
Target: Mutated Rat-Type Beast Abberant
Current Evolution: 70% / 100%
Warning: Transformation accelerating.
Status: Enraged
Kael tightened his grip on his burning sword.
“Kawa… give me something strong enough to finish this.”
The feathered dragon spirit responded without hesitation.
“Raise your blade. Focus all spirit energy to its tip. I will handle the rest.”
Kael lifted his sword skyward. Flames spiraled, condensed, and then…
A miniature sun formed at the tip of the blade.
Heat rippled outward, distorting the air.
The abberant sensed death closing in. It lunged at Kael with pure desperation.
Kael didn’t hesitate.
He hurled the miniature sun forward.
“RAGING SUN!”
The blazing sphere collided with the abberant.
BOOOOOOOOM!!!
Light swallowed the entire entrance of the cave. Trees vaporized. The ground quaked. A wave of heat washed over everything like a wildfire unleashed.
When the flames finally died down…
Only Kael remained standing.
Ash drifted around him like falling snow.
At the center of the scorched earth lay an abberant core, blackened, cracked, and pulsing faintly beneath layers of soot.
A familiar chime echoed inside his mind.
[SYSTEM UPDATE]
? TARGET ELIMINATED — EVOLUTION HALTED
Mutated Rat-Type Beast Abberant: DEFEATED
Final Form Prevented:
Semi-Human Abberant evolution sequence terminated at 70%.
STATUS:
- Threat neutralized
- Spirit mutation dissipating
- Battlefield stabilizing
REWARDS ISSUED:
? Instant Level Up
?? Chosen Core: +1 Rank Increase
?? New Technique Unlocked: Holy Ray
(Aligned with Spirit Creature: Kylon, the Dragon of Light.)
Kael exhaled shakily, the aftershock of Raging Sun still burning across his muscles. The battlefield was quiet, too quiet. No movement. No more screeching. Only the soft crackle of lingering embers.
Then…
DING—
A notification cut through the silence.
[PLAYER STATUS – KAEL SANTOS]
Level: 16
EXP: 20 / 380
HP: 10 / 110
Spirit Energy: 10 / 250
Status: Spirit Energy Drained
Kael blinked in confusion.
“Ten left…?”
But before he could fully process it, another warning hit him like ice.
[SYSTEM WARNING]
?? SPIRIT ENERGY CRITICAL ??
Kael Santos, your Spirit Energy has dropped to dangerously low levels.
CURRENT SPIRIT ENERGY:
10 / 220 — CRITICAL
His vision blurred.
His knees buckled.
The armor synchro shimmered… flickered… and then shattered into motes of red and orange light. His double-edged sword dissolved at the same time, reforming into glowing bands before snapping back into the familiar wristbands on each arm.
Kawa’s Spirit Card floated out from Kael’s chest, landing gently in his open palm.
His fingers closed around it, but with the last of his strength.
“Guess… that’s my limit…”
His body gave out.
Kael fell forward.
But before he hit the ground, he heard a voice, sharp, panicked, tearing through the ringing in his ears.
“KAEL!!”
Anya.
Her footsteps slammed against the dirt as she ran toward him. Through his fading sight, he saw a blurred figure, Vibrant armor though with scratched marks, hair flying behind her, eyes wide with fear.
“She’s… safe…”
That was his last thought before darkness swallowed everything.
And Kael Santos lost consciousness.