Chapter 142: Unleashed
Kael stared at the figure standing several meters away.
The beast hadn’t moved.
Its body remained completely still, yet something about its posture made Kael’s instincts scream.
There was no wasted movement.
No unnecessary tension.
It simply stood there, watching him.
Kael tightened his fists.
Then he disappeared.
His body shot forward as mana surged through his muscles. He reinforced his arm with Mana Emphasis and threw a straight punch directly at the creature’s head.
Boom!
The beast raised its arm.
It blocked the punch perfectly.
Kael’s eyes widened.
Before he could react, the beast twisted its body and launched the exact same punch.
Kael leaned backward.
The fist passed inches from his face.
He immediately retaliated with a kick.
The beast matched it.
Kael followed with another punch.
The beast responded with another punch.
Left.
Right.
Elbow.
Knee.
Every movement Kael made was returned with frightening precision.
It was as if he was fighting himself.
Except this version was better.
Faster.
Stronger.
More precise.
Kael gritted his teeth as their fists collided again.
BOOM!
The impact sent both of them sliding backward.
Kael looked at his trembling hand.
His knuckles were bleeding.
"What the hell are you?"
The beast didn’t answer.
It simply charged.
Kael’s expression hardened.
Fine.
If copying his movements was what it wanted, then he would stop fighting like a human.
His stance changed.
His shoulders lowered.
His fingers curled.
His breathing became heavier.
Then Kael lunged forward like a beast.
There was no technique behind his movements anymore.
Only instinct.
He clawed toward the monster’s face.
The beast moved its head aside.
Kael immediately followed with a bite.
The creature avoided it and slammed its forehead into Kael’s face.
Bang!
Blood spilled from Kael’s nose.
He stumbled backward.
The monster followed.
Kael twisted his body and drove his elbow toward its ribs.
The monster blocked.
Kael punched.
It punched back.
Kael kicked.
It kicked back.
Once again, they matched each other blow for blow.
Kael’s breathing became heavier.
His body was already covered in bruises.
A cut ran across his cheek.
Blood dripped from his mouth.
Yet the monster didn’t seem tired at all.
It’s reading everything.
Kael jumped backward.
The monster immediately pursued.
Kael released darkness mana.
The black energy spread across the marble floor like a living shadow.
For a moment, the monster’s movement slowed.
Kael used the opportunity to create distance.
He appeared several meters away.
But the monster didn’t stay trapped.
It broke through the darkness and rushed toward him.
Kael’s pupils shrank.
Too fast.
He barely managed to raise his arm.
The monster’s fist collided with his guard.
BOOM!
Kael was thrown backward.
He crashed into the marble floor and rolled several times before stopping.
Pain spread throughout his body.
He forced himself back onto his feet.
The beast was already coming again.
Kael clenched his teeth.
He had fought countless enemies since arriving in this world.
C-rank monsters.
The Shadow Fangs.
Even a B-rank monster.
But none of them had made him feel this helpless.
This thing was different.
It didn’t simply overpower him.
It understood him.
Every movement.
Every instinct.
Every attack.
It was as though the dungeon had created an opponent specifically designed to destroy him.
Kael barely avoided another punch.
The monster’s fist shattered the marble behind him.
Kael countered with a kick.
The beast caught his leg.
Kael’s expression changed.
Damn it.
The monster slammed him into the ground.
BOOM!
Kael coughed violently.
He tried to move.
The beast was already above him.
Kael rolled away just as its fist smashed into the floor.
He scrambled backward.
His breathing was becoming ragged.
I can’t beat it like this.
He released more darkness mana.
The black energy exploded outward.
For several seconds, the monster disappeared within the darkness.
Kael used the opportunity to retreat.
He moved as quickly as he could.
But suddenly—
The monster appeared in front of him.
Kael froze.
How?
He barely had time to raise his arms.
The beast’s hand pierced through his defense.
A sharp pain exploded through his chest.
Kael looked down.
The creature’s arm had gone straight through him.
Blood slowly dripped onto the marble floor.
For a moment, everything became silent.
Kael stared at the blood.
Then he looked at the beast.
He didn’t scream.
He didn’t panic.
He simply stood there.
So this is death.
His knees slowly gave out.
Kael fell forward before catching himself with one hand.
Blood poured from his chest.
The marble beneath him quickly became stained red.
His vision began to blur.
Yet strangely...
He was calm.
He had fought.
He had truly fought.
There had been no holding back.
No clever plan.
No reliance on the system.
No borrowed technique.
He had given everything he had.
And he had still lost.
Kael closed his eyes.
So this is my limit.
For the first time since arriving in this world, Kael wasn’t thinking about what he could copy.
He wasn’t thinking about what the system could give him.
He wasn’t thinking about the future.
He simply accepted the possibility that he might die here.
Then he remembered Xavier’s words.
"You can go all out. No need to worry. I already know who you are."
Kael’s lips slowly curved upward.
A faint laugh escaped him.
"He really is insane."
His body trembled.
Then something changed.
The mana surrounding Kael suddenly became darker.
Much darker.
The darkness mana inside his body erupted.
BOOM!
A massive wave of demonic energy exploded from him.
The beast immediately stepped backward.
Kael remained on his knees.
His head hung low.
Black energy crawled across his body.
His wounds remained.
His blood continued to drip.
But his presence...
had completely changed.
The demonic symbol appeared on his forehead.
His aura became heavy enough to make the entire room tremble.
Kael slowly stood.
His eyes opened.
There was something different in them now.
He looked at the beast.
Then he laughed.
"Wow..."
Kael rolled his shoulders.
"I feel free."
His smile widened.
"Like I’ve been holding a load on myself for a long time."
Darkness mana continued pouring from his body.
"I guess it’s time to see what I can do when I decide not to hold back."
The beast charged.
Kael vanished.
BOOM!
He appeared behind it.
His fist slammed into its back.
The monster was launched across the room and crashed through several marble pillars.
Kael stared at his fist.
He blinked.
That felt... easy.
The monster recovered almost immediately.
It rushed toward him.
Kael smiled.
This time, he didn’t retreat.
Their fists collided.
BOOM!
The monster was pushed backward.
Kael followed.
Another punch.
BOOM!
Another.
BOOM!
Another.
The monster tried to imitate him.
But something had changed.
It could copy Kael’s movements.
It could predict his attacks.
It could reproduce his fighting style.
But it couldn’t reproduce what Kael had just released.
His demonic mana amplified everything.
His physical strength.
His speed.
His reactions.
Even the force behind his attacks.
For the first time, the monster was being pushed back.
Kael appeared beside it and slammed his elbow into its jaw.
The beast flew through the air.
Before it could recover, Kael appeared above it.
His fist descended.
BOOM!
The monster crashed into the floor.
Kael landed several meters away.
He stared at the creature.
A few minutes ago, he had been desperately trying to survive against it.
Now...
He was beating it senseless.
At this point, it could hardly be called a fight.
It was bullying.
Kael’s aura continued to rise.
Is this really my power?
He looked at his hands.
If I stop limiting myself...
His eyes narrowed.
I might already be approaching A-Rank.
The realization didn’t frighten him.
It excited him.
The monster suddenly stood.
Its body shifted.
Its aura intensified.
Kael’s expression became serious.
"So you still have something left?"
The creature disappeared.
Kael’s instincts immediately reacted.
He turned.
The beast appeared behind him.
Kael ducked.
Its fist passed over his head.
Kael spun around and drove his palm into its stomach.
The monster bent forward.
Kael grabbed its head.
Then he slammed it into the ground.
BOOM!
The marble cracked.
Kael stepped backward.
His demonic mana condensed around his hand.
He focused.
The darkness gathered.
Compressed.
Solidified.
Until it formed a blade.
Kael stared at the weapon.
It wasn’t a physical sword.
It was pure condensed mana.
He smiled.
"Let’s finish this."
His grip tightened.
"First Form..."
The blade shimmered.
"Celestial Moon."
His body disappeared.
The monster’s eyes widened.
Kael appeared directly in front of it.
His sword moved once.
SHING!
The monster blocked.
But Kael was already gone.
"Second Form..."
He appeared above it.
"Moon Reflection."
The sword moved again.
Suddenly, dozens of silver afterimages appeared around Kael simultaneously.
Each one held a blade.
Each one unleashed a crescent-shaped slash.
The attacks flew in different directions.
Yet they didn’t miss.
Every crescent curved unnaturally through the air.
Some bent upward.
Others twisted sideways.
Several seemed to disappear entirely before reappearing behind the monster.
The beast desperately tried to evade.
But every possible escape route was sealed.
The dozens of crescent slashes converged toward a single point.
The monster looked up.
For the first time...
It couldn’t predict the attack.
Kael’s gaze hardened.
"Got you."
The silver crescents struck simultaneously.
BOOOOOOM!
The entire fifth floor shook.
Cracks spread across the marble floor.
Dust filled the air.
Kael stood motionless in the center of the destruction.
His sword slowly dissipated.
He stared into the dust.
Waiting.
For several seconds, there was nothing.
Then—
A low growl echoed through the chamber.
Kael’s expression changed.
The dust began to clear.
And the monster was still standing.
Barely.
Its body was covered in wounds.
Its black blood dripped onto the floor.
Yet its eyes remained fixed on Kael.
Kael’s smile disappeared.
"...You’re still alive?"
The monster raised its head.
Then its body began to change.
Kael’s pupils contracted.
The creature’s aura suddenly began climbing.
Higher.
And higher.
Until Kael realized something.
The battle wasn’t over.
It was only entering its final phase.