The ground shattered beneath him—
And Kragar vanished.
Not teleportation.
Not illusion.
Acceleration.
Pure, controlled speed.
He appeared in front of me—already mid-strike.
BAM—!!
I shifted half a step.
Not backward.
Not away.
Across.
The fist tore through the space beside my face, heat distorting the air into ripples. Even without direct contact, the pressure scraped against my skin like a blade.
That single movement gave me everything.
An opening.
A response.
My body moved—
Not by thought—
But by Prime Instinct.
BOOM—!!
A compressed sphere of energy detonated from Kragar's body.
Not chaotic.
Not explosive.
Contained.
The ground beneath him liquefied instantly.
I was already gone.
Reappearing several meters away, boots skidding across scorched stone.
I exhaled slowly.
So that's how he fights.
Control.
Compression.
Efficiency.
Kragar stepped forward.
Unhurried.
"Prime Instinct…" he said, voice low, almost amused.
"The technique people praise when they lack power."
His eyes locked onto mine.
Cold.
Measuring.
I smiled faintly.
"…Then you misunderstand it."
No more words.
BOOM—!!
I moved.
Not faster—
Cleaner.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
My strikes came in tight succession—each one deliberate.
Neck.
Joint.
Solar plexus.
Not random.
Not forceful.
Targeted.
Kragar raised his arm and blocked.
Minimal movement.
Perfect angles.
My strikes landed—
But the force dispersed across his frame like water hitting reinforced steel.
No recoil.
No damage.
…So that's it.
Not just armor.
A distribution system.
Every impact redirected.
Neutralized.
I pivoted—
A sharp upward kick to his flank.
BAAAM—!!
The hit connected—
But the force scattered again.
Kragar didn't move.
"…Cute."
His voice didn't rise.
Didn't change.
That told me everything.
He wasn't pressured.
Not even slightly.
Then—
BAM—!!
His fist slammed into my chest.
I saw it—
But I couldn't fully redirect it.
The impact drove me backward, feet carving deep lines into the ground before I stabilized.
I stopped.
Looked down.
A burn mark.
Localized.
Controlled.
He wasn't trying to destroy me.
He was measuring me.
"You've improved," Kragar said, stepping forward again.
"But you still rely on surface force."
I didn't respond.
Instead—
I inhaled slowly.
Then—
ROAR—!!
My aura surged—
But not wildly.
Not like before.
This time—
It wrapped around me.
Tight.
Dense.
Like a second skin.
The lightning flickered—
Then disappeared.
Contained within.
BOOM—!!
I moved again.
This time—
Faster wasn't the goal.
Precision was.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
Strikes flowed one after another.
But I wasn't trying to break him.
I was studying him.
Breathing pattern.
Reaction timing.
Weight shifts.
Micro-delays.
Kragar responded in kind.
Blocking.
Redirecting.
Countering.
Every exchange grew tighter.
Less movement.
Less wasted energy.
More danger.
Then—
BOOM—!!
Our fists collided.
A deep shockwave spread outward—
Smaller than before.
Not weaker.
Refined.
We separated.
Breathing heavier now.
Energy consumption rising.
I narrowed my eyes.
Analysis complete.
Over twenty confirmed hits.
Zero effective damage.
Conclusion—
External attacks are useless.
Solution—
Internal disruption.
Kragar's lips curved slightly.
"You've figured it out."
Then—
His aura changed.
Not expanding.
Collapsing.
Heat folded inward.
Pressure condensed.
The air around him warped subtly.
Danger.
"…So you're done testing," I said quietly.
He didn't answer.
BOOM—!!
He moved.
Faster than before.
No buildup.
No warning.
His fist came straight for my head.
Direct.
Lethal.
I tilted slightly—
Barely avoiding it.
The air behind me detonated.
Not from impact—
But from displacement.
Second strike.
Third.
Fourth.
Each faster.
Each sharper.
Each more precise.
I didn't counter.
I couldn't.
All my focus shifted to one thing—
Survival.
Prime Instinct activated deeper.
My body moved on its own.
Every dodge—
Millimeters.
Every shift—
Exact.
No wasted motion.
No hesitation.
But—
Even this had a cost.
My mind strained.
Vision narrowing.
Breathing tightening.
At this rate—
I wouldn't lose from damage.
I'd lose from exhaustion.
…Then I understood.
He wasn't trying to overwhelm me.
He was trying to outlast my control.
Smart.
Very smart.
I exhaled slowly.
"…Then I'll evolve."
I lowered my stance.
Closed my eyes—
Just for a fraction of a second.
Then—
Opened them.
Blue.
Sharper.
Clearer.
"Beast Ascension…"
My voice was calm.
Steady.
"…Form One."
Silence fell.
Then—
Something changed.
Not explosive.
Not violent.
Refinement.
My aura didn't expand.
It compressed.
Tighter.
Denser.
My heartbeat slowed.
My breathing stabilized.
The lightning vanished completely.
Not gone—
Integrated.
My muscles relaxed—
But felt lighter.
More responsive.
Stronger.
My senses expanded—
Not outward—
Inward.
For the first time—
Everything felt… aligned.
Kragar stopped.
His gaze sharpened.
"…So you chose control over power."
I stepped forward.
No rush.
No hesitation.
Just certainty.
He attacked.
A straight punch.
I didn't dodge.
I stepped inside.
Redirected his wrist.
Minimal force.
Maximum effect.
My palm struck his chest—
Not hard—
But precise.
A condensed pulse of energy—
Focused.
Penetrating.
THUD—!!
Kragar's body trembled.
Not from impact.
From within.
His eyes widened—
Slightly.
That was enough.
I followed immediately.
Elbow.
Knee.
Palm.
Each strike aimed at structural weak points—
Not armor.
Not surface.
Gaps.
The runes flickered.
Instability.
Finally.
Kragar stepped back.
For the first time—
He gave ground.
"…Interesting," he muttered.
But I didn't stop.
No pause.
No arrogance.
This wasn't victory.
This was opportunity.
I advanced.
Controlled.
Relentless.
Every movement efficient.
Every strike calculated.
No wasted effort.
No wasted energy.
Only execution.