As the monster reached for Priya, a voice cut through the chaos.
"Take your hands off her, you monster."
Forge burst out laughing despite the pain."I knew it," he said breathlessly. "Looks like I was right… you're our last hope, Arjun."
Arjun stepped out from behind Priya.
For a moment, she barely recognized her father.
The warmth she knew was gone—replaced by something cold, furious, and terrifyingly focused.
Spiritual energy erupted from him in waves.
The monster recoiled.
Before it could react, Arjun grabbed the chains binding it, yanked the creature toward him, and drove his fist straight into its face.
The impact sent the monster flying across the arena.
Shiva stared in disbelief."He touched the chains… without hesitation."
Forge narrowed his eyes. "Look at his hands."
A thin layer of spiritual energy coated Arjun's fists.
"Spiritual energy cancels spiritual energy," Forge explained. "Just like during a Spiritual Singularity. Those chains are nothing but condensed spiritual force. By coating his hands, Arjun neutralizes them on contact."
The monster roared and charged again.
Forge continued, his voice strained. "Ever since I met Arjun, I sensed something—just a flicker. But when Priya's seal broke, her energy flooded the arena. It acted as a catalyst."
Priya looked up sharply."A catalyst… for what?"
"For dormant power," Forge said. "Arjun had an enormous reserve of spiritual energy—unused, untrained, sleeping. That surge awakened it."
"But why does my dad have that much?" Priya asked.
Forge hesitated."Because we didn't tell you the full truth."
Before the Ten Protectors existed—before the sealing—many powerful clans supported the two warring factions. When the Founder intervened, he gave every clan a choice: abandon their wealth, power, and bloodshed… or be erased.
Some chose to live as ordinary humans.
Most didn't.
Those who survived were forced to atone. With each generation, spiritual energy accumulated—passed down unconsciously from parent to child. When that energy reached its limit, a Centurion was born.
And that was their punishment.
A Centurion would be hunted by the very clans their ancestors once supported—forced to live a life of secrecy, fear, and endless pursuit.
"The parents of a Centurion may not match their child," Forge said quietly, "but they still carry immense power."
Shiva frowned. "Then why did that punch send the monster flying? His teaching doesn't enhance his body."
Priya swallowed."My dad used to be a professional boxer. Before I was born… he was famous. One-punch knockouts. People said he had the strongest punch in the ring."
She smiled faintly."He quit when I was born. Whenever I asked why, he said he just wanted to watch me grow up."
Shiva nodded grimly."That explains it. His spiritual energy cancels the monster's defense—but the force behind the punch is pure skill. Pure strength."
He clenched his fists."But he can't keep this up. Unlike us, spiritual energy isn't supporting his attacks—it is his attack. He has to reapply it every strike. That burns through his reserves fast."
As if to prove it, Arjun laughed mid-battle—wild, exhilarated.
"This is incredible!" he shouted. "I missed this feeling! I've never fought this long at full strength!"
Forge's expression hardened."Arjun! You're running out of time. Finish it—now!"
Arjun wiped blood from his mouth and grinned.
"Got it," he said."Then let's go all out."