Episode 49 : Razed

Although Zawaq moved swiftly and randomly to evade Alen's attacks, Alen caught Zawaq and hurled him high into the air.

It was unknown how many hundreds of meters Zawaq had ascended. He looked around. There was nothing he could do. Suddenly, Alen appeared before him, suspended in mid-air.

Alen had jumped to match Zawaq's altitude. With both fists, he struck Zawaq, sending him plummeting straight down. Zawaq crashed into the ground, causing a massive explosion. He was now buried deep in the earth.

Pain engulfed his entire body. He had no strength left to rise. Alen landed at the impact site, right where Zawaq lay, weak and embedded in the ground, delivering a devastating punch upon arrival.

Zawaq coughed up a mouthful of blood. It also gushed from his nostrils. Alen did not stop. He relentlessly pounded Zawaq, who remained trapped beneath the earth.

Each strike from Alen sent tremors rippling across the area like an earthquake. The surroundings shook violently. Zawaq's body absorbed the onslaught of Alen's furious, unrelenting blows.

Alen then pulled Zawaq out of the crater. Zawaq looked like a battered doll, his body drenched in his own blood.

"Alen... stop..." Zawaq weakly pleaded.

Alen slammed Zawaq into the ground with all his might, then began stomping on him mercilessly. His massive foot, larger than Zawaq's entire body, crushed down on his back.

Zawaq felt his bones cracking, shattering under the force of Alen's uncontrollable assault. Alen then picked him up again and threw him with all his strength.

Zawaq's body hurtled through the air, smashing through dozens of building pillars and walls before finally collapsing onto the floor of one of the structures.

Forcing himself up, he leaned on his elbows, struggling to move. The sound of Alen's approaching footsteps grew louder. He wasn't done. He was still rampaging.

Gritting his teeth, Zawaq let out a roar and pushed himself up. He planted one knee down, using it as leverage to stand.

Alen's pace quickened. Zawaq dodged just in time, and Alen barreled through the pillars and walls behind him, causing the building to shake and crumble.

Alen turned back, looking for Zawaq. But Zawaq was already gone. Suddenly, Zawaq launched a punch at him, striking from above as he leaped between the collapsing debris.

Alen swung both arms to counter, but missed. Zawaq took the chance to unleash a flurry of kicks to Alen's head.

Then, Alen's fist connected. Zawaq was sent flying again, crashing through multiple floors and walls. But this time, he managed to grab onto something mid-air, halting his momentum.

He found himself at the top floor of a building. Climbing onto the roof, he searched for Alen, spotting him below.

Alen, unable to find Zawaq, leaped down from the rooftop to the ground. Zawaq walked to the edge, watching him.

"Alen, I will avenge you. It pains me to see you like this. The Israhell regime is truly cruel," Zawaq muttered to himself.

He jumped from the rooftop, rocketing towards Alen with a double-footed kick to his back. Alen spun around, unleashing a flurry of punches.

Zawaq dodged and countered with his own punches and kicks, amplifying his speed and power to inflict greater damage.

They traded blows, locked in combat. Zawaq continued to evade Alen's berserk strikes.

Hours passed. Both warriors weakened. Alen's body shrank, while Zawaq was soaked in his own blood, dripping as if wrung from a soaked cloth.

Alen grew smaller and weaker. Zawaq pressed on, landing strike after strike. Eventually, one powerful punch landed on Alen's face, shattering his last bit of endurance. Alen collapsed.

But he struggled to rise again.

"Enough, Alen. Enough. I will find a way to heal you," Zawaq said.

"Kill me. End my suffering," Alen whispered.

He clawed at Zawaq, who deflected the attack and retaliated with punches and kicks. Yet, Alen did not stop—either he couldn't, or he had lost control of himself.

"You can keep going, Alen. You still have me. And I still have you. You're the only one I have left," Zawaq told him.

Tears welled in his eyes, trailing down his cheeks. Though his golden irises still glowed brightly, the sorrow in his eyes was unmistakable.

"Kill me. It's the only way..." Alen muttered, clutching his head.

"Alen? Alen?!" Zawaq was shocked as Alen screamed in agony.

"Kill me, Zawaq!!! Kill me!!! Arghhh!!!" Alen roared.

His voice boomed like thunder in a relentless storm. His body swelled once more.

His muscles expanded. The horns covering his body re-emerged, no longer shrinking with his weakness.

"Useless... Useless!" Zawaq berated himself, frustrated at his helplessness.

"This is the only way! Zawaq!!! Kill me, or I'll kill you and the innocent people around us!!!" Alen bellowed, writhing in pain.

"I'm sorry, Alen. I'm so sorry," Zawaq whispered.

He stepped forward, launching a barrage of punches at Alen. Tears streamed freely down his face.

Without stopping, he pounded Alen as his transformation into a monstrous form resumed. Each strike grew faster, each impact deadlier. He had to end this. The life of his closest friend and mentor.

Alen endured the endless blows. To him, this was the only way to retain his humanity—rather than become a mindless killer.

Zawaq didn't stop. Alen's body gradually broke down, his flesh crumbling. Blood splattered everywhere.

Zawaq screamed in grief. Alen smiled, despite his face being drenched in blood.

Punch after punch. Darkness crept into Alen's vision. The last thing he saw was red—then nothing.

Alen collapsed.

"Don't stop..." Alen whispered with his last breath.