Unyielding Force

Chapter 21: Unyielding Force

The wind howled as the tension between them thickened. The female Hallow Nefaria stood with an eerie smile, her wicked chain coiling around her like a serpent. The dark energy surrounding her pulsed, distorting the air with raw malice.

Quinn, on the other hand, exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders as gravitational pressure built up around him. The very space around him warped, rippling like reality itself was bending to his will.

A storm was coming.

WHOOSH!

Nefaria moved first.

Her chain lashed out like a lightning bolt, tearing through the air with a high-pitched screech. The dark energy surging through it left behind a trail of black lightning as it shot toward Quinn's head—too fast for the eye to follow.

But Quinn didn't flinch.

GRAVITY WARP.

The space around him twisted, bending his position in an instant. One moment he was standing there—the next, he was gone.

BOOM!

The chain obliterated the spot he had been in, the sheer impact sending shockwaves across the battlefield, carving a deep trench into the pavement.

Nefaria barely had time to react before—

BOOM!

Quinn reappeared mid-air—above her.

His fist came down, carrying the weight of a collapsing star.

GRAVITY CRUSH!

BAM!

Nefaria barely managed to raise her arms before the devastating punch connected, an earth-shattering force exploding on impact. The ground beneath her caved in violently, spiderweb cracks tearing through the pavement like fragile glass.

"GHAAA—!!"

The shockwave blasted her downward, sending her slamming into the earth, forming a massive crater.

Dust and debris erupted into the sky.

Quinn landed lightly on the edge of the crater, his blue eyes glowing with an untamed ferocity. His smirk deepened.

"You talk a lot," he said casually, cracking his knuckles. "But you're just as weak as Veyron."

The dust began to settle—

And then—

WHOOSH!

Nefaria's chain EXPLODED from the crater with insane speed.

Quinn barely dodged—

SLASH!

A streak of blood dripped down his cheek.

Her chain had grazed him.

His eyes narrowed. That speed increased…

Then—

The air trembled.

From within the crater, a surge of black energy erupted, forming a swirling vortex. The force of it made the surrounding buildings groan, cracks forming in their structures.

Nefaria rose from the pit, her form shifting further. Her veins pulsed, her muscles expanded, and the dark energy around her intensified.

Then, she vanished.

BOOM!

Before Quinn could react, her knee drove into his gut at supersonic speed.

His ribs groaned from the impact. The force launched him backward, tearing up the street as he skidded across the concrete, smashing through lamp posts and parked cars.

Before he could fully regain balance—

WHOOSH!

The chain shot toward him again—

Aiming straight for his neck.

Quinn's eyes flashed.

GRAVITY WARP.

He disappeared again—

BOOM!

The chain obliterated a parked car in an instant, splitting it cleanly in two. The explosion rocked the street, sending debris flying everywhere.

But Nefaria wasn't done.

WHOOSH—!

Her chain curved mid-air, adjusting like a hunting beast, already snapping toward Quinn's new position before he even fully landed.

"Tch."

Quinn tilted his head slightly, avoiding the first strike.

But then—

CRACK!

The chain struck his ribs like a lightning-coated hammer.

The dark energy surged into him, making his body convulse slightly from the sheer force.

And then—

BOOM!

He was sent flying into a building, tearing through multiple walls before finally skidding to a stop inside a ruined lobby.

Dust filled the air.

Silence.

Then—

A low chuckle.

From within the ruined building, Quinn stepped out.

Blood trailed down his chin, but his smirk was still there.

"Not bad."

His blue eyes gleamed dangerously.

"But it's my turn now."

He raised his hand.

And then—

The world itself seemed to shake.

A surge of unimaginable gravitational force exploded from Quinn's body, distorting the very fabric of reality. The buildings around them trembled violently, their windows shattering from the sheer pressure.

Nefaria's eyes widened.

The ground beneath her suddenly vanished—

No.

It was pulled toward Quinn.

GRAVITY FIELD: COLLAPSE!

BOOOOM!

Nefaria was yanked forward at blinding speed, her body hurtling toward Quinn like a meteor.

Before she could react—

Quinn clenched his fist.

GRAVITY CRUSH.

BAM!

A devastating uppercut exploded into her gut, folding her in half as a sonic boom erupted from the impact. The force ripped through the entire street, tearing apart asphalt, shattering lamp posts, and sending debris flying in all directions.

Nefaria's body was launched into the sky, rocketing upward like a missile.

But Quinn wasn't done.

He vanished.

Then—

BOOM!

He reappeared above her, already winding back his fist.

"Going somewhere?"

Then—

BAM!

Another devastating blow hammered her downward, sending her crashing into the ground below at supersonic speeds.

BOOOOOOOM!!!

The impact formed an explosion of raw force, creating a massive crater several stories deep. The entire area shook, and the surrounding buildings groaned under the shockwave.

The dust began to settle.

Quinn stood at the edge of the massive crater, his blue eyes gleaming as he surveyed the destruction. The ground had been completely decimated, the street shattered beyond recognition, and the surrounding buildings trembled from the residual force of his attacks.

And yet—

She was still standing.

Nefaria slowly rose from the rubble, her body twitching as her muscles twisted and regenerated before his eyes. Black tendrils of energy surged through her flesh, forcing her wounds shut as if time itself was reversing for her body.

Quinn clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"Why do all you powerful Hallows have this stupid healing ability?" he muttered, rolling his shoulders. "I hate that skill. It's so damn annoying that you guys never just die instantly."

Nefaria wiped dark blood from her lips, smirking despite the clear strain on her body. "It will take more than that to put me down."

The moment the words left her mouth—

COUGH!

A splatter of blackened blood dripped from her lips. Her smirk faltered for just a moment.

Quinn laughed. "Looks like that did a number on you." He cracked his knuckles, grinning. "Not so untouchable now, huh?"

Nefaria's eyes flashed with fury. The dark energy around her surged violently, crackling like a living storm. Her wicked chain coiled around her like a serpent before shooting toward Quinn with terrifying speed.

WHOOSH!

Quinn's body blurred as he twisted to the side, narrowly dodging the first strike. The chain lashed past him, splitting the air with a deafening crack.

But she wasn't done.

BOOM!

Nefaria appeared right in front of him, her hand crackling with dark energy as she swung her clawed fist at his chest.

Quinn's eyes sharpened—

GRAVITY ANCHOR!

His feet locked onto the ground like an unmovable force. He raised his arm—

BAM!

Her fist slammed into him, but instead of sending him flying, the sheer weight of his gravitational field absorbed the impact. The ground beneath him shattered as the force of her strike dispersed through the pavement, but Quinn barely budged.

His counterattack was instant.

GRAVITY WAVE!

BOOM!

A crushing gravitational force exploded outward, launching Nefaria backward like a ragdoll. She twisted mid-air, using her chain to latch onto a nearby building and swing back toward him at full speed.

Her chain lashed out—

BOOM!

A shimmering gravitational barrier erupted in front of Quinn, deflecting the chain and sending it spiraling off course.

But Nefaria was relentless. She landed smoothly and dashed toward him again, weaving through the battlefield with terrifying agility.

SLASH!

Her chain curved around the shield and came from behind—

Quinn ducked. The chain missed his head by mere inches.

Then—

WHOOSH!

She appeared behind him in an instant, her clawed hand surging with dark energy—

GRAVITY PULL!

Nefaria's entire body lurched forward as Quinn's ability yanked her toward him—

BAM!

His knee slammed into her gut with earth-shattering force. Her body bent inward, the shockwave tearing through her flesh as she was sent flying backward—

But even as she flew, she twisted mid-air, her chain snapping toward him once more.

Quinn's blue eyes flashed.

GRAVITY BEND!

The chain veered off course as the very space around it warped, missing Quinn by a hair. He capitalized on the moment—

GRAVITY STEP!

BOOM!

He vanished—

Then—

BAM!

He reappeared above Nefaria and hammered his fist into her spine, sending her rocketing toward the ground—

BOOOOOOM!

The impact cratered the battlefield once more, but Quinn didn't stop.

He raised his hand—

GRAVITY FIELD: COLLAPSE!

The entire battlefield tilted as an enormous gravitational force sucked everything toward him. The buildings groaned, the debris scattered, and Nefaria's body lurched forward—

She had no time to react—

BAM!

Quinn's fist drove into her skull with enough force to send shockwaves rippling through the air. Her body bounced off the ground like a broken doll before skidding to a stop.

Silence.

Quinn exhaled, shaking his hand as the dust settled.

Nyx groaned from the crater, struggling to rise. Her body was trembling now, her healing slowed. The dark energy around her flickered unsteadily.

"You're tough," Quinn admitted. "But you're already weakening."

Nyx panted, her grip tightening on her chain. Despite everything, she smiled.

"Then I just need to kill you faster."

She lunged—