Chapter 37 - Chapter 34: Where Space Breaks

Ren didn't step back. The moment he felt the distortion flicker, he moved again. No hesitation. No pause. The creature stood still, its body unchanged, but the space around it shifted again—slower this time. Ren saw it. Not clearly. Not perfectly. But enough. "…You're not the one attacking," he muttered. "It's everything around you." The creature didn't respond. It raised its arm. The air twisted. Ren moved before it finished. He stepped to the side early, slipping out of where the distortion would form. The space snapped a second later—missing him completely. "…Yeah," he said quietly. "I can see it now." Lira stayed behind him, tense, watching every movement. "Then end it already!" "…Not that simple." Ren stepped forward again, slower this time. Careful. Controlled. His core pulsed steadily, fragments reacting in rhythm. Not chaotic. Not leaking. For the first time—it felt… connected. The creature moved. Not forward. Not back. Just a slight shift. But the space reacted violently. Multiple distortions formed at once. Not one point—several. Ren's eyes widened slightly. "…So you can do that too." The distortions snapped. He moved instantly. Left. Right. Forward. Barely slipping past each collapsing space. One grazed his shoulder—his body jerked slightly from the pull—but he kept moving. Didn't stop. Didn't break flow. "…Too many," Lira muttered. "…No," Ren said. "Still patterned." He saw it. The order. The timing. Not random. Never random. The creature's arm lowered slightly. The distortions paused for half a second. That was the gap. Ren stepped in. Fast. His hand surged with compressed energy—tighter than before. Focused. He didn't aim for the body. He aimed for the space. Right where the distortion would form. Impact. The air cracked. Not loudly. Not violently. But enough. The distortion flickered—then failed to form properly. The creature reacted instantly. Its head tilted slightly. Adjusting. Ren didn't stop. He stepped in again. Another strike. Same point. Same pressure. Impact. The space warped—then stuttered. "…You're losing control," Ren said quietly. The creature raised both arms this time. The air compressed harder than before. He felt it immediately. Movement slowed. Breathing tightened. "…You're increasing output," he muttered. "Then I'll just match it." The fragments pulsed violently. His core answered. Not stable. But stronger. Ren pushed forward anyway. The distortions formed again—faster, tighter, closer together. He moved through them. Not cleanly. Not perfectly. One clipped his side. Another scraped his arm. Pain flared. But he didn't stop. Because now—he understood something important. The creature didn't attack directly. It forced the world to do it for him. "…Then I just need to break the world you're using," Ren said quietly. He stepped in. Closer than before. Dangerous range. The distortions tightened instantly. No space to move. No room to dodge. Lira's voice cut in from behind. "Ren—!" Too late. Ren didn't dodge. He didn't retreat. He stepped forward. Into it. The space twisted violently around him. Pressure slammed into his body from all sides. His vision shook. His core pulsed wildly. "…Now," he muttered. His hand surged with everything he had. Not refined. Not perfect. Just focused. He drove it forward—into the center of the distortion. Impact. The space shattered. Not completely—but enough. The distortions collapsed instantly, breaking apart like fragile glass. The creature froze for a split second. Ren saw it. "…Got you." He moved immediately. No pause. No hesitation. Another strike. Then another. Each one hitting the same point where the space had failed. The creature reacted slower now. Its control slipping. Its distortions forming unevenly. Unstable. Ren pressed forward. Step by step. Hit by hit. "…You're not untouchable," he said quietly. The creature raised its arm one last time. The space twisted again—desperately. Ren stepped in before it could finish. His final strike surged forward. Clean. Focused. Impact. The distortion collapsed completely. The creature's body flickered. For the first time—its form broke. Cracks of dim light spread across its surface. Then— It shattered. Not violently. Not explosively. It dissolved. Piece by piece. Like it had never been whole to begin with. Silence fell over the chamber. Ren stood there, breathing hard. His body trembling. His core pulsing unevenly—but alive. "…That's two," he muttered. Behind him, Lira exhaled sharply. "…I hate this place." Ren didn't respond. Because deep down—he knew. This was just the beginning.