The aftermath

Chapter 62 – The aftermath

For the first time in what felt like forever, the battlefield was quiet.

Kael-X stood amidst the wreckage, his breath slow and steady, his body aching from the relentless battle. His coat was torn, his knuckles bruised, and dark smudges of blood and dirt covered his skin.

The Specialist wasn't moving. Their armor flickered, their internal systems sparking weakly. Kael-X didn't know if they were unconscious or dead, but it didn't matter. The fight was over.

Above him, the night sky stretched endlessly, littered with faint stars. The Zypheron-5 spaceship was still stationed above Earth, a silent threat waiting beyond the clouds. They had seen everything.

He exhaled. "So, what now?"

Veyron's voice slithered through his mind, a lazy amusement coating his words.

"A wise man would retreat. A foolish man would celebrate. Which are you?"

Kael-X smirked. "Neither."

Nyx shifted beside him, their shadowy form slithering through the rubble.

"They will come again. They always do."

Umbra let out a low, guttural growl.

"Then let them come. We will tear them apart."

Oblivion, the silent one, didn't speak, but Kael-X could feel the weight of its presence. The massive beast stood just behind him, waiting, watching.

Kael-X clenched his fist, staring up at the sky. He knew this wasn't the end.

If anything, it was only the beginning.

Somewhere, high above Earth, Zypheron-5 was watching. Studying. Calculating.

And soon, they would make their next move.

Kael-X rolled his shoulders, feeling his energy returning. He wasn't done either.

Not by a long shot.

Chapter 62 (Continued) – The Aftermath

Kael-X ran a hand through his disheveled hair, feeling the sting of fresh wounds across his skin. His body demanded rest, but his mind remained sharp, scanning the battlefield. The air still crackled with residual energy, and the scent of scorched metal lingered.

Veyron's chuckle echoed in his thoughts.

"The storm has passed, but the sky still watches."

Kael-X followed Veyron's gaze upward, locking onto the distant Zypheron-5 spaceship hovering just beyond Earth's atmosphere. Their silence was unnerving.

"They're calculating their next move," he muttered, stretching his sore muscles.

Nyx's shadowy form slithered beside him, their voice smooth and steady.

"They expected a simple hunt. Instead, they found a predator."

Kael-X cracked a small smirk. "Let them keep underestimating me. It makes things more fun."

The city around them was eerily silent. The battle had been loud, chaotic, but now, there were only distant sirens and the flickering of broken streetlights.

The news broadcasts had captured everything. Civilians who had dared to stay behind had likely recorded every moment on their devices. The world had witnessed him fight.

Kael-X let out a breath, glancing toward the shadows. "Maya and Elijah… I need to check on them."

Umbra let out a deep growl, its glowing red eyes scanning the area.

"They live. For now."

Kael-X frowned but didn't question it. Umbra was never one to sugarcoat the truth.

Oblivion remained silent as usual, standing as a looming figure of power beside him.

Kael-X turned away from the wreckage, his mind already three steps ahead. Zypheron-5 was regrouping, the world was now fully aware of his existence, and there were still questions he needed answers to.

But before all that…

He had to see them again.

With a final glance at the ruined battlefield, he disappeared into the night, his shadow beasts following closely behind.

The distant hum of the Zypheron-5 spaceship remained constant, a reminder that the battle wasn't truly over. They weren't retreating. They were watching. Calculating.

Kael-X clenched his fists, ignoring the sting from his injuries. He had survived, but

"You bleed, yet you grin. A contradiction, or simply madness?"

Kael-X smirked. "Maybe both."

Nyx's form twisted in the shadows beside him, their tone as calm as ever.

"The world has seen you now. Their fear will grow, but so will their curiosity."

That was the part that irritated him. He had never wanted an audience. Yet now, millions—no, billions—had likely watched the battle unfold. His name, his abilities, his very existence were no longer whispers in the dark.

He could already imagine governments scrambling, scientists theorizing, soldiers preparing.

Umbra let out a low growl.

"Tch. They should prepare graves instead."

Kael-X sighed. "No need for unnecessary killing… unless they force my hand."

Oblivion shifted but remained silent, a silent pillar of power at Kael-X's side. He appreciated that. No questions. No cryptic remarks. Just readiness.

He turned his attention back to the spaceship above. If Zypheron-5 was still waiting, then that meant…

Kael-X's expression darkened. "They're not done. They're sending something else."

Veyron chuckled.

"And the play continues. A new act, a new challenge. Shall we dance?"

Kael-X exhaled slowly. Whatever came next, he would be ready. He had to be.

But first, he had something else to do.

"Let's move," he muttered. His shadows coiled around him, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished into the night.

— To Be Continued in Chapter 63 —