Assimilation

The waves raged violently, each surge threatening to tear him off his feet. The sheer force of the impact made it impossible to stand properly, the air itself pressing down like an unseen weight. His muscles screamed in protest, but he refused to fall.

Sol clung to his sword, using it as his only anchor against the chaos. Every inch of movement felt like pushing through a storm, yet he gritted his teeth, forcing his body to obey. Just a little more—just enough to lift his head, to see what had happened.

A sharp breath tore from his lips. Cold sweat dripped down his face. His brows furrowed, his vision shaking from the sheer pressure. But through sheer willpower, he managed to move.

And when he did—his eyes went wide with shock.

His mind raced, scrambling for an answer. Then, a single thought sparked in his mind.

The beam… it's being...consumed?! 

Sol's breath hitched as his eyes locked onto the sight before him.

Alex stood behind his silver shield, his stance unshaken. His hair whipped wildly in the air, his coat billowing from the sheer force of the collision—yet he did not flinch.

His gaze remained fixed on the point of impact, where the monstrous beam crashed against the shield, only to be devoured.

The beam surged forward, its energy growing even stronger, yet—it did nothing. No explosion - No destruction. The shield continue to consume the attack, swallowing the overwhelming force.

Moments passed, and then—the orb began to wither. Its once-dark mass trembled, flickering, before cracking apart like dried ash. Piece by piece, it crumbled into the air.

And with it, the beam began to shrink. Its once-monstrous glow dulled, its power unraveled—until finally, it was no more.

The battlefield fell into an eerie stillness.

The crushing pressure lifted. The ocean, once raging, settled back into gentle waves. The howling winds faded to a soft breeze, gliding past Alex's face—. 

Without hesitation, Alex raised his sword, bringing it close to his body. His grip tightened—both hands clasping the hilt with unwavering resolve.

His emerald eyes flared, surging with power. From his feet to his hands, from his hands to his entire body—his aura ignited. It surged like a raging storm, coiling around him in a violent dance, crackling with power.

The battlefield, once still, shuddered. The air twisted, bending under the sheer weight of his presence. The calm after the storm fractured—unraveling beneath the force now surging through him

Yet, beneath the overwhelming power, his expression held something strange—a mixture of calm, pride, and something else… worry.

But he did not dwell on it.

His body shifted. With a swift motion, he took his stance. His sword, steady and precise, slowly levelled forward, its tip aimed at the creature's lifeless, pale body.

His feet pressed firmly against the frozen surface, locking him in place. His fingers curled tighter around the hilt.

"Devour."

The single word sent a chill rippling through the air.

A thick surge of energy pulsed through Alex's sword, the blade trembling as it absorbed the lingering remnants of power. Then—suddenly—it glowed. An unfamiliar light crackled along its surface, its aura shifting into something far more ominous.

From behind, Sol's breath hitched. His senses flared—there was something about this energy… something he recognized.

This…!?

His eyes widened in shock.

It was the same energy that had been hurled at them moments ago—the monster's devastating attack. But now, it wasn't just gone… it had been taken. Not just consumed, but assimilated. And now—it was about to be unleashed.

A shiver ran down his spine as realization struck him.

Is this .…the true extent of his power?

During their training sessions, Sol had always known Alex was strong. Every spar, every exchange of blows—it was instinctive. The sheer force behind his movements, the way he carried himself—stronger than Jack and Jaz.

Yet somehow… he had forgotten. Alex's playful smirks, his casual teasing—it made it easy to overlook the truth. But right now, standing in the wake of this overwhelming force, there was no denying it anymore.

Sol's mind snapped back to reality as the sharp hum of energy reverberated in his ears. His gaze shot forward — A sphere of pure energy had formed at the tip of Alex's sword, vibrating violently, crackling with raw, condensed power. And then—

—SWOOSH!

A beam exploded from the blade, narrower than before, sharper, faster. It pierced through the air with terrifying precision, far more concentrated than when the monster had unleashed it.

The water in its path evaporated instantly, leaving behind trails of rising steam. The very air shuddered, twisting from the sheer heat radiating off the blast. Though smaller in size, its destructive power was undiminished—if anything, it had intensified.

In the span of a heartbeat, the beam tore through the monster's lifeless body—

A massive hole burst open at its center.

The force ripped through its flesh like paper, searing its insides. The creature's thick, purple blood gushed from the wound, splattering across the battlefield in violent streams. Around the edges of the hole, its charred skin melted, the flesh bubbling as trapped blood boiled and burst from within.

And the beam continued its path, piercing through the distant horizon.

Even though the creature had been slain, the battlefield remained thick with tension.

Alex's narrowed eyes swept across the surroundings, scanning every shadow, every ripple in the air. The unease pressing against his senses wasn't just his own paranoia.

Jaz felt it too. Her fingers tightened around her sword, knuckles pale. The weight of the unseen presence clung to her like a vice, pressing against her throat, making it harder to breathe. It wasn't just the aftermath of battle—this was something else.

Sol, already familiar with this sensation, still felt the icy prickle along his spine. He had sensed it even before the fight began. His fingers clenched around his sword, but despite his resolve, the weapon trembled in his grip.

The battlefield stood frozen. A strange, terrifying silence settled over them. And then—