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Chapter 19: The Storm of Power
Kael-X stood in the heart of the ruined city, his silver hair swaying in the wind, his face unreadable beneath the curtain of hair that always hid his eyes. Around him, fire raged, buildings crumbled, and the air smelled of smoke and blood. The few remaining humans who had dared to stay behind were either hiding or too foolish to run.
But Kael-X wasn't focused on them.
In front of him stood five figures, each radiating an aura of overwhelming power. They were not ordinary humans. They had taken Compound-X—perhaps too much of it. Their bodies pulsed with unstable energy, their veins glowing with eerie colors. Some had mutated limbs, others had eyes that flickered with strange, unnatural lights.
The leader of the group, a towering man with obsidian-black skin and cracks of molten energy running across his body, stepped forward. His voice was deep, almost inhuman.
"We are the evolved," he said. "The true peak of humanity. And you, Kael-X, will fall before us."
Kael-X didn't respond. He simply raised his head slightly, just enough for the glow of his red irises to shine through his hair.
The battle erupted like a supernova.
The molten-skinned leader lunged first, his fist leaving a trail of burning energy in the air. Kael-X barely shifted his body, dodging with speed too fast for human eyes to follow. The moment the leader's fist missed, Kael-X delivered a counterstrike—a lightning-fast kick to the ribs that sent the giant flying through a skyscraper. The entire structure collapsed, sending shockwaves across the battlefield.
But the others were already on him.
A woman with arms like liquid metal stretched them out like whips, lashing toward Kael-X. He twisted midair, dodging the first strike, but the second whip caught his arm. He felt the strange energy pulsing through it—strong, but still slow in his eyes. He wrenched himself free just as another enemy—a man covered in crystalline armor—slammed a fist toward his skull.
Kael-X raised his arm to block, but the impact was heavier than expected. He skidded back, his feet carving trenches in the ground.
Interesting, he thought.
These humans… were actually getting stronger. But I can feel they are going to pay the consequences even if they survive from me
But even with their power, they were still too slow.
In the blink of an eye, he vanished. A sonic boom followed, sending debris flying. The crystalline warrior barely had time to react before Kael-X appeared behind him, driving a fist into his back. The armored man crashed into the ground, his body denting from the force of the blow.
Kael-X didn't have time to finish him off. The molten leader had returned, eyes burning with rage. He opened his mouth—and unleashed a wave of molten energy that could melt through steel.
Kael-X moved.
He twisted through the air, avoiding the deadly flames, but the moment he landed, the liquid-metal woman was already on him. Her arms wrapped around him like constricting snakes, her strength growing with every second.
For the first time in a while… Kael-X felt resistance.
He tensed his muscles, power surging through his veins. Then, with one explosive burst of energy, he tore himself free, sending the woman crashing into the burning wreckage.
But something was wrong.
His body… felt different.
He clenched his fists, feeling an unfamiliar energy coursing through him. His eyes flickered.
Could it be… Compound-X?
Had he absorbed it somehow?
His heart pounded as he realized—this battle was only the beginning.
To Be Continued…
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This chapter keeps the action intense while hinting at Kael-X's evolving powers.