Chapter 16: The Aftermath of Destruction
The explosion was absolute.
Flames engulfed the underground facility, consuming steel, rock, and anything unfortunate enough to be caught in the blast radius. The sheer force of the detonation sent shockwaves rippling through the Earth, causing buildings miles away to tremble.
And yet…
From the center of the inferno, a shadow stood motionless.
The flames flickered, struggling against an unseen force. The smoke swirled violently, only to be torn apart by a sudden gust of pure speed.
Kael-X remained standing.
His silver hair barely moved, untouched by the destruction. His body remained perfectly intact.
He slowly raised his head.
"That was cute," he muttered.
"Yunno,it seems you humans failed to learn quickly, just don't attack me simple " Kael said gesturing
"Anyways I have other things to deal with"
And then—
He moved.
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Total Elimination
The fire hadn't even settled when Kael-X vanished.
A streak of black lightning tore through the wreckage, a blur too fast for any human eye to follow. The automated turrets, now recalibrating, barely had time to register his movement before—
BOOM!
One turret imploded.
BOOM!
Another was torn from its base and sent crashing through a wall.
Kael-X reappeared in the center of the destroyed control room, standing amid flickering sparks and smoldering debris. The surviving scientists trembled in horror.
He wasn't even scratched.
The lead scientist, the same one who had activated the trap, stared in disbelief.
"I-It didn't work?"
Kael-X tilted his head. "Did you really think that would stop me?"
With a flick of his wrist, a massive shockwave erupted.
The walls buckled and collapsed. The remaining computers burst into flames. Sparks rained down like dying stars, and every surviving human in the room was sent flying.
Kael-X didn't bother finishing them off.
He had bigger concerns.
---
The Truth About Compound-X
He knelt and pressed his palm against the ground. His superhuman senses stretched downward, deeper than the facility itself.
And that's when he felt it.
Something ancient. Something powerful.
Beneath the Earth, far below even this bunker, lay something that pulsed with energy—something alive.
"Compound-X wasn't man-made," Kael-X realized. "It's part of the planet itself."
Suddenly, a deep rumbling echoed from the depths.
The ground shook violently.
Then—
CRACK!
The entire bunker split apart.
Something was awakening.
Kael-X narrowed his eyes, unseen beneath his silver hair. He had a feeling this was only the beginning.
---
Above Ground – The Military Response
Miles away, in a secure military command center, high-ranking officials watched in horror.
Satellite footage displayed the aftermath.
The underground facility was gone.
A massive crater had formed in its place.
Seismic activity was still ongoing.
"How is he still alive?" a general muttered, gripping the edge of the table.
"He's more than just an alien," another officer whispered. "He's unstoppable."
"What do we do now?"
Silence.
Then—
"We use Protocol X."
Every head in the room turned to the speaker. A tall, gray-haired man in a black suit stepped forward. His expression was cold, emotionless.
"Release the X-Hunters."
---
Kael-X's Next Opponents
Back in the smoking ruins of the facility, Kael-X lifted his head. He could feel it—a new presence approaching.
Multiple.
And they were fast.
Before he could react, the sky darkened.
Figures descended.
Fast.
Dressed in sleek, black exosuits, a team of elite soldiers landed around him. Each of them emitted a strange energy—something unnatural.
Kael-X's eyes narrowed.
"More toys?
Are you guys endless?
Or you are created also because I don't understand again"
One of the soldiers raised his weapon.
"Speed Villain. By order of Earth's High Command… you are TERMINATED."
The battle was about to begin.
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To Be Continued in Chapter 17…