Chapter 143: Unleashed Part 2
Kael stood in the middle of the ruined chamber, his chest still bleeding from the wound that should have killed him.
The monster stood opposite him.
Its body was covered in cuts from Moon Reflection, black blood dripping from its wounds and staining the marble floor. Several cracks ran across its body, and one of its arms hung slightly lower than the other.
Yet it was still standing.
Kael stared at it for several seconds.
Then he sighed.
"You’re seriously still alive?"
The monster raised its head.
A strange sound escaped its throat.
Not a roar.
Not a growl.
Something between the two.
Then its body began to change.
The black flesh covering its body tightened.
Its muscles expanded.
The wounds across its body began closing one after another.
Kael’s expression became serious.
Regeneration?
He tightened his grip around his mana blade.
The creature’s aura continued rising.
Kael could feel the pressure against his skin.
A moment ago, the monster had been barely holding itself together.
Now its presence felt completely different.
So that wasn’t even its strongest state.
Kael couldn’t help but laugh.
"This dungeon really doesn’t know when to stop, does it?"
The monster disappeared.
Kael’s eyes widened.
Fast!
He immediately moved.
A fist passed through the space where his head had been.
Kael twisted his body and threw a counterpunch.
The monster blocked.
Kael followed with an elbow.
The monster dodged.
A knee.
Blocked.
A kick.
Dodged.
Kael continued attacking without giving it a chance to breathe.
Their bodies moved across the chamber like flashes of black and silver.
BOOM!
Kael’s fist collided with the monster’s forearm.
The impact sent a shockwave across the floor.
The monster slid backward.
Kael followed.
He swung his blade.
The monster ducked beneath it.
Kael immediately reversed the blade.
The creature raised its arm.
CLANG!
The mana blade struck its flesh.
This time, however, Kael wasn’t able to cut through.
The monster grabbed the blade.
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
It pulled.
Kael released the weapon before being dragged forward.
The monster swung its free hand.
Kael ducked.
The punch shattered a marble pillar behind him.
Kael jumped backward.
His breathing became heavier.
It’s stronger.
There was no doubt about it.
Its physical strength had increased.
Its speed had increased.
And, most importantly—
Its ability to copy him had improved.
The monster suddenly adopted Kael’s stance.
Kael froze.
"...You have got to be kidding me."
The creature rushed forward.
Kael moved.
The monster moved exactly the same way.
Their fists collided.
BOOM!
Kael’s feet slid backward.
He looked at the monster.
It was using his movements.
Not simply copying the techniques anymore.
It was reproducing the rhythm of his fighting.
Kael grinned.
"Okay."
His demonic mana surged.
"Then let’s make this interesting."
He rushed forward.
The monster did the same.
Their fists collided again.
BOOM!
Neither moved.
Kael threw a left hook.
The monster blocked.
Kael immediately changed the angle and attacked its ribs.
The monster anticipated it.
It countered with the exact same attack.
Kael blocked.
A second punch came.
Kael blocked again.
Then a third.
Fourth.
Fifth.
The two exchanged blows at terrifying speed.
Kael’s body began accumulating damage.
A punch struck his stomach.
He coughed.
The monster attempted another.
Kael caught its wrist.
"Not this time."
He twisted.
The monster followed his movement and twisted with him.
Kael’s eyes widened.
It learned that too?
The monster kicked.
Kael barely blocked.
The impact sent him flying.
He crashed into the marble floor.
BOOM!
Kael rolled several meters.
His back burned with pain.
He slowly pushed himself up.
The monster was already charging.
Kael didn’t retreat.
Instead, he smiled.
That’s right.
He had been thinking about this all wrong.
The monster’s greatest strength was also its greatest weakness.
It could copy him.
It could predict him.
It could reproduce his movements.
But everything it knew came from Kael.
So if Kael couldn’t predict himself...
Then neither could it.
Kael lowered his stance.
His breathing changed.
The monster stopped.
For a brief moment, they stared at each other.
Then both disappeared.
Kael threw a punch.
The monster copied it.
But halfway through the movement, Kael changed direction.
He twisted his shoulder and turned the punch into an elbow.
The monster reacted.
It changed too.
Kael smiled.
He changed again.
A knee became a kick.
The kick became a feint.
The feint became a headbutt.
The monster followed.
But each time Kael changed his attack, the creature needed a fraction of a second to respond.
It was tiny.
Almost impossible to notice.
But Kael noticed it.
There.
He had found it.
The monster could copy him.
But it couldn’t act before him.
It needed him to move first.
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
"You’re not predicting me."
He ducked beneath a punch.
"You’re reacting to me."
He slammed his fist into the creature’s ribs.
BOOM!
The monster staggered.
Kael followed with another.
BOOM!
Another.
BOOM!
The creature attempted to counter.
Kael changed direction.
The attack missed.
Kael appeared behind it.
His elbow crashed into the back of its head.
The monster stumbled forward.
Kael didn’t give it time to recover.
He grabbed its shoulder and threw it across the room.
The creature crashed into the wall.
Kael rushed after it.
The monster recovered and swung.
Kael leaned aside.
The fist passed his cheek.
Kael grabbed the arm.
He pulled.
The monster came forward.
Kael drove his knee into its stomach.
BOOM!
The creature bent over.
Kael grabbed its head.
Then—
BANG!
He smashed his forehead against its face.
The monster staggered.
Kael laughed.
"How does it feel to fight someone you can’t copy?"
The creature roared.
Its aura exploded.
The entire chamber trembled.
Kael was forced backward.
The monster’s body began changing again.
Its arms lengthened.
Black claws emerged from its fingers.
Its legs became more muscular.
Two glowing eyes appeared in the darkness covering its face.
Kael stared.
It’s evolving.
The creature disappeared.
Kael barely raised his arms.
BOOM!
He was sent flying.
His body crashed into the floor.
Before he could recover, the monster appeared above him.
Kael rolled.
A claw tore through the marble where his head had been.
Kael kicked upward.
The monster blocked.
Kael pushed himself away.
The creature chased.
Its claws came down.
Kael blocked one.
Then another.
Then another.
The attacks became faster.
Kael’s arms began bleeding.
He gritted his teeth.
It’s getting faster every second.
The monster swung again.
Kael ducked.
He punched its stomach.
Nothing.
The monster barely moved.
Kael’s expression changed.
Its defense increased too.
He jumped backward.
The monster followed.
Kael condensed his mana into a blade.
The creature rushed toward him.
Kael swung.
The monster raised its claws.
CLANG!
The two weapons collided.
Kael pushed harder.
The monster pushed back.
For several seconds, neither moved.
Then Kael noticed something.
The creature’s claws were beginning to crack.
Kael grinned.
"Got you."
He released the blade.
The monster stumbled forward from the sudden loss of resistance.
Kael stepped inside its guard.
His fist was already surrounded by compressed demonic mana.
"Mana Emphasization."
BOOOOOOM!
His fist slammed into the creature’s chest.
The monster was launched backward.
It crashed through a marble wall.
Kael didn’t stop.
He condensed darkness mana around his legs.
Vanishing Step.
His body disappeared.
He appeared above the monster.
The creature looked up.
Kael drove his knee into its face.
BANG!
It crashed into the floor.
Kael landed.
He looked down.
The monster slowly began standing again.
Kael’s breathing became heavier.
His body was reaching its limit.
Even with his demonic mana released, there was only so much his body could endure.
His chest wound continued bleeding.
His arms were covered in cuts.
His legs trembled slightly.
I can’t keep this up forever.
The monster roared.
Kael’s expression hardened.
"Then I only need one more attack."
He extended his hand.
Darkness mana gathered around his palm.
The monster charged.
Kael didn’t move.
The creature’s claws came toward his chest.
At the last possible moment—
Kael vanished.
The monster’s claws cut through empty air.
Kael appeared behind it.
His mana blade formed in his hand.
He whispered.
"Celestial Star Art."
The monster turned.
"Third Form..."
Kael’s eyes flashed.
"Constellation Dance."
His sword moved.
One strike.
Then another.
Then another.
His movements became connected.
Each slash flowed into the next.
The monster attempted to copy him.
But this time, Kael deliberately changed his rhythm.
The first slash came from the left.
The second from below.
The third reversed direction.
The fourth came from behind.
The monster blocked one.
Two.
Three.
But the fourth struck its shoulder.
Blood sprayed.
Kael continued.
Five.
Six.
Seven.
The monster roared and attempted to counter.
Kael stepped between its attacks.
Eight.
Nine.
Ten.
The creature’s body became covered in wounds.
Kael’s final slash sent it crashing backward.
The monster remained standing.
Barely.
Kael stood several meters away.
His sword trembled in his hand.
He looked at the monster.
The creature looked back.
For a moment, neither moved.
Then Kael smiled.
"You were the strongest opponent I’ve fought since coming here."
His grip tightened.
"But you’re not stronger than me anymore."
The monster charged for the final time.
Kael lowered his body.
His demonic mana surged through every part of him.
He stepped forward.
"First Form..."
The monster raised its claws.
"Celestial Moon Style."
"Crescent Slash"
Kael’s blade flashed.
The monster blocked.
Kael disappeared.
"Second Form..."
He appeared behind it.
"Moon Reflection."
Dozens of silver afterimages filled the chamber again.
The monster turned frantically.
It couldn’t tell which Kael was real.
The crescent slashes curved through the air.
One.
Two.
Ten.
Twenty.
Dozens.
Every attack bent through space before converging on the monster.
The creature attempted to escape.
There was nowhere to go.
Kael appeared above it.
His real blade descended.
"Finish."
The silver crescents struck.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
The entire chamber shook.
The marble floor cracked beneath them.
Dust filled the air.
Kael landed on one knee.
His breathing was ragged.
His demonic aura slowly began fading.
He looked toward the monster.
For several seconds, there was silence.
Then the creature’s body cracked.
Black lines spread across its entire form.
It slowly collapsed.
BOOM.
Kael remained still.
He waited.
Nothing happened.
The monster was finally dead.
Kael released a long breath.
"Finally."
He fell onto his back.
For the first time since entering the dungeon, he allowed himself to relax.
He stared at the ceiling.
A strange feeling filled his chest.
Not fear.
Not excitement.
Something closer to satisfaction.
He had fought without copying anyone.
Without relying on someone else’s technique.
Without holding himself back.
He had discovered something important.
His power wasn’t limited to what he could copy.
He had his own instincts.
His own fighting style.
His own strength.
Kael slowly smiled.
"Maybe Xavier was right."
He closed his eyes.
Then a familiar mechanical voice echoed inside his mind.
[Congratulations.]
Kael opened one eye.
[You have defeated the Guardian of the Third Floor.]
[Special condition fulfilled.]
Kael sat up.
"Special condition?"
Before he could ask anything else, the marble floor beneath him began glowing.
A massive magic circle appeared.
Kael stared at it.
His expression slowly changed.
"Don’t tell me..."
The floor began opening.
A staircase descended into darkness.
Kael stared into the abyss.
Then he sighed.
"There’s a fourth floor."
He stood, wiped the blood from his mouth, and smiled.
"Of course there is."