Breaking Limits

The dust slowly settled.

Kael stood in the center of the battlefield, his breath ragged but his stance steady. The punch he had landed on Reinhardt was clean—powerful—but not enough.

Across from him, Reinhardt wiped the blood from his lip, rolling his shoulders. His Gravity Armor pulsed again, and the air around him became even heavier.

The watching students held their breath.

Seraphina clenched her fists. "Kael has improved… but it won't be enough."

Kain smirked. "Yeah. Reinhardt hasn't even gotten serious yet."

Commander Ragnor remained silent, arms crossed. He was watching both fighters carefully, noting every movement.

Reinhardt exhaled, then fixed his sharp gaze on Kael.

"I was holding back before," he admitted, "but you actually made me bleed. That's impressive."

Kael's muscles tensed. He's about to go all out.

Reinhardt vanished.

Kael's instincts screamed at him to move—

BOOM!

An invisible force slammed into his body. He barely had time to react before he was launched backward, his body rolling across the courtyard floor.

He coughed, forcing himself to stand.

What the hell was that?

Reinhardt was still standing in the same spot, but his Gravity Armor was now fully unleashed.

"I don't have to hit you directly," Reinhardt said. "I just have to crush you with pressure."

Kael's eyes widened. So that's how it is.

This wasn't just enhanced strength. Reinhardt was controlling the force of gravity around him.

The weight in the air increased again, and Kael dropped to one knee. His entire body felt like it was being pushed into the ground.

I can't move…!

Reinhardt slowly walked toward him.

"This is where it ends, Kael."

He raised his fist, preparing the final blow—

But at that moment, something changed.

A strange energy stirred inside Kael.

His Vanquish Armor suddenly flared to life, brighter than before. A golden glow spread across his skin, and a surge of strength rushed through him.

His mind became clear.

His exhaustion vanished.

And just before Reinhardt's fist could hit—

Kael moved.

He wasn't sure how, but he suddenly felt lighter. The crushing gravity no longer affected him.

He sidestepped Reinhardt's attack with ease, appearing behind him in an instant.

Reinhardt's eyes widened in shock. "What—?"

Kael didn't give him time to think.

His Vanquish Armor burned with power. He clenched his fist and delivered a devastating uppercut to Reinhardt's jaw.

CRACK!

Reinhardt was sent flying.

The entire courtyard shook from the impact as he crashed into the stone floor.

Silence.

The crowd was frozen in shock.

Kain's smirk disappeared. "Did… did Kael just increase his speed?"

Seraphina's eyes narrowed. "No… it's something else. His power changed."

Kael looked down at his hands. His Vanquish Armor felt different.

What just happened to me?

He clenched his fist.

He wasn't just faster. He was stronger than before.

And he could tell—this was only the beginning.

Reinhardt groaned, pushing himself up from the ground. He touched his jaw and winced. "Tch. That actually hurt."

Then he smiled.

"This is getting interesting."