The air in the control room thickened with tension as the Evolved soldiers closed in, their movements too fast for Evan to fully track. Even with his enhanced senses, it felt like they were everywhere at once—an overwhelming wave of speed, strength, and malice. Every step, every breath felt like it could be his last.

Kara fired rapidly, her shots reverberating through the room, but they seemed to do little more than slow the advancing soldiers. Alex swung his blade with deadly precision, cutting down one of the soldiers with a swift slash, but another immediately took its place, as if the Evolved were multiplying with each passing second.

Evan’s heart pounded in his chest, but his mind remained sharp. He knew they couldn’t win this fight—not like this. Not with Dorian standing there, his presence warping the very reality around them.

Dorian stood motionless, watching with an eerie calm, his golden eyes glowing brighter with each passing second. The room seemed to warp in his presence, reality itself bending to his will. It was clear now—the Genesis Protocol had not only transformed the Evolved, it had transformed him, elevating him into something otherworldly.

Evan’s mind raced. I have to end this. I have to stop him—before it’s too late.

His hand clenched around the hilt of his sword. He could feel the surge of power coursing through his body, the Genesis-level abilities that had awakened within him. The powers granted by the System had grown stronger with each battle, each victory. But this? This was something else entirely. Dorian had surpassed everything they had fought before.

If they didn’t act fast, humanity would be lost forever.

“We need to get to the control room’s central hub,” Evan shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos. “That’s where the mainframe for Genesis is. If we can disable it, we can stop Dorian’s plan!”

Alex nodded, his face grim as he sliced through another Evolved soldier. “I’ll cover you. Kara, get to the control room hub. We’ll hold them off as long as we can.”

Kara didn’t hesitate. With a quick nod, she sprinted toward the far side of the room, where a set of steel doors stood, their reinforced surface glowing faintly. The hub was within reach, but Evan could feel the weight of the battle pressing down on them.

As Kara made her way toward the doors, Evan turned back to face Dorian. The man—or whatever he had become—was still standing there, as if watching the chaos unfold before him. A sadistic smile tugged at his lips, and his voice resonated through the room, laced with dark amusement.

“Do you think you can stop this, Evan?” Dorian’s voice was like a whisper, but it echoed in Evan’s mind, reverberating through his very being. “You’ve seen what the Genesis Protocol can do. You’ve felt its power. There’s no going back. You cannot escape it.”

“I’m not going to stop,” Evan growled, his eyes narrowing. “Not until I take you down.”

The ground beneath them shook again, and the room seemed to darken, as if the very fabric of reality were beginning to tear. It was as if the Genesis System itself had been wounded—and it was reacting in pain, thrashing in its death throes.

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“You don’t understand, do you?” Dorian sneered. “The Genesis Protocol was never meant to be destroyed. It is an evolution of the world itself. The final evolution. And I, Evan, I am its true master.”

The Evolved soldiers surged forward once more, moving with terrifying speed, but Evan was ready. With a roar, he unleashed his Genesis abilities—powers he had honed, powers he had learned to control over the course of his battles. A surge of energy shot through him, a shockwave of raw power that sent the nearest soldiers flying back, their bodies crashing against the walls.

Evan didn’t hesitate. He charged forward, sword raised high, his movements fluid, his body a blur of motion. Each strike was precise, each slash cutting through the ranks of the Evolved like a razor through flesh. But as he advanced, he felt the resistance of something greater.

Dorian was no longer standing idle. The golden glow in his eyes intensified, and his body seemed to pulse with energy, as if he were tapping into the very core of Genesis itself. The air around him shimmered with power.

“You’ve grown stronger,” Dorian said, his voice a low rumble. “But you are still nothing compared to what I have become.”

A sudden burst of energy shot from Dorian’s hand, crashing into Evan with the force of a thousand thunderstorms. Evan barely managed to raise his sword in time, but the impact sent him skidding across the floor, his muscles screaming in protest. He could feel his Genesis powers flaring in response, but they weren’t enough to block the full brunt of Dorian’s attack.

As Evan struggled to regain his footing, Kara reached the central hub, her fingers flying across the terminal’s control panel. The room was bathed in a soft blue light as she worked quickly, her movements a blur of desperation and precision.

“Come on…” Kara muttered under her breath, sweat beading on her forehead. “I’m in… just need to initiate the shutdown sequence…”

Another pulse of energy erupted from Dorian, and the floor trembled beneath them. His golden eyes gleamed, brighter now than ever, as if he were drawing on an infinite well of power.

“You cannot stop me,” Dorian said again, his voice rising in pitch. “This world will belong to the Evolved. The Genesis System is unstoppable now. It is part of me.”

Evan’s vision blurred for a moment, his body aching from the impact of the blast. But he didn’t let up. His instincts kicked in, and he charged once more, his blade a blur as it clashed against Dorian’s defenses. The two forces met with a thunderous crack, the shockwaves reverberating throughout the room.

“You think you’re the only one who can evolve?” Evan shouted, his voice raw with defiance. “I’ve got my own power now. And I’m not afraid to use it!”

Dorian’s laugh echoed in the chamber, dark and hollow. “You have no idea what you’re dealing with, Evan. You are a child playing at a game far beyond your understanding.”

With a swift motion, Dorian raised his hand, and the air around Evan seemed to warp. The walls of the control room rippled, as if reality itself was bending under Dorian’s influence.

Evan’s heart raced. The battle had taken an unpredictable turn. He knew he was running out of time.

A sudden beep from the control panel pierced the chaos. “Got it!” Kara shouted. “The shutdown sequence is in progress!”

But as soon as the words left her mouth, the facility trembled once more. The lights flickered and went out completely, plunging the room into darkness. For a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath.

Then came the voice—low, cold, and full of malice.

“This is far from over, Evan. You’ve only just begun to understand the true power of Genesis.”

A blinding flash of light erupted from the center of the facility. The ground cracked, and a deep rumbling filled the air as the facility began to shake violently.

Evan’s eyes widened as the floor beneath him cracked, and he was thrown off balance. He struggled to maintain his footing, but it was too late.

Everything around him—everything—began to crumble.