The cavern walls groaned under the pressure, dust falling from cracks as Gabriel and Cain faced each other, each pulse of their aura sending ripples through the stone floor. Gabriel's body glowed a deep, vibrant emerald; every nerve, every fiber thrummed with energy. The curse was no longer a torment—it was a weapon, a fuel that sharpened his reflexes and amplified his strikes.
Cain's golden aura flickered like liquid fire, coiled tightly, dangerous, ready to strike at any opening. "…You've grown far beyond my expectations," he said, voice calm but threaded with challenge.
Gabriel's eyes narrowed, unflinching. "…I'm only beginning. You'll see what happens when adaptation becomes evolution."
Cain lunged, moving faster than the eye could track. Gabriel responded instinctively, energy forming around his fists, each movement precise, each strike a fusion of brute force and redirected pain. Their collision created a shockwave that tore through the cavern, sending shards of stone and debris flying in every direction.
Gabriel converted the phantom pain coursing through him into kinetic energy. Every impact against him became fuel for his counterattacks, each blow growing heavier, sharper, more unpredictable. Cain blocked, parried, and stepped back slightly, eyes flickering with recognition. "…You're no longer just enduring. You're dominating."
Gabriel didn't reply. He struck again, faster, harder, forcing Cain to respond to him instead of the other way around. Each exchange escalated, shockwaves tearing the cavern apart. Energy arcs spiraled outward, bright and violent, as their battle reached a level beyond measurement.
Alex watched from the shadows, golden eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Now this is the performance I've been waiting for," he said softly, excitement clear in every word.
Cain grinned faintly, his aura sharpening. "…You've integrated the curse fully. But this is only temporary. Let's see how far you can push."
Gabriel's body pulsed with emerald light, energy coiling and snapping like lightning around his frame. "…Then let's find out," he replied.
The next clash was instantaneous—faster, sharper, deadlier. Gabriel anticipated Cain's strikes, converting energy mid-air, redirecting each blow with amplified precision. Each impact sent reverberations through the cavern, dislodging stone, shattering the floor, and cracking the walls.
Cain landed a heavy strike to Gabriel's shoulder. Pain screamed—but Gabriel absorbed it instantly, converting it into a concentrated counterwave that threw Cain off balance. "…This… is evolution," Cain muttered, eyes narrowing in both respect and challenge.
Gabriel pressed forward, aura blazing, attacks calculated, lethal. "…And I'm just getting started," he said.
The two collided again, a storm of pure energy, strength, and precision. Shockwaves radiated outward, the cavern quivering under the force of their battle. Every strike pushed them closer to the limits of their potential, each movement more refined than the last.
"…D-Rank Peak was only the beginning," Cain said quietly, breathing heavily. "…Now… S-Rank is where it starts."
Gabriel's fists ignited with energy, veins of green light running across his body. "…Then let's begin," he said, emerald aura blazing fiercely.
The battle escalated further, faster, deadlier. Every pulse of energy, every strike of force, pushed them both beyond limits, testing S-Rank potential against unparalleled skill.
Author's Thoughts:
Gabriel is evolving beyond a mere conduit; he's now a weapon of precise, destructive power.
Cain is still a lethal counter, calculating and adaptive.
Alex is sitting back, grinning like a mad spectator.
Meanwhile… I still don't have power stones.
If I don't get them soon, my exams will crush me harder than Gabriel crushes D-Rank enemies.
Next chapter: full-scale S-Rank unleashing. Stakes skyrocket.