Chapter 14: The Breaking Point

Kieran gritted his teeth, barely blocking Elias’s next strike. His forearm ached from the impact, and his breath came in ragged gasps. Every movement hurt. Every block, every dodge—it was like Elias was forcing his body to break just to see how far it could go.

And Elias wasn’t holding back.

Another attack came—faster this time. Kieran’s instincts screamed, and he twisted his body at the last second. Too slow. Elias’s fist clipped his ribs, sending a sharp pain through his side.

He staggered back, sweat dripping down his face. How was this even training?!

Elias didn’t let up. “That hesitation’s still there,” he said, stepping forward. “You’re reacting, but you’re not committing. You think too much.”

Kieran wiped the blood from his lip, his eyes burning with frustration. “I’d like to see you fight with a system that tries to kill you every five minutes.”

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Elias smirked. “Excuses.”

Kieran’s fists clenched. Damn it. He was right.

He couldn’t rely on the system to save him. It wasn’t just about power—it was about instinct. Commitment.

Elias lunged again. This time, Kieran didn’t think.

He moved.

His body reacted on its own, twisting past the strike. His muscles burned, but his fist snapped forward—faster than before.

Elias dodged, but just barely. His smirk widened. “Now you’re getting it.”

Kieran barely had time to process the moment before—

BOOM.

The ground shook. A shockwave tore through the underground space, dust and debris falling from the ceiling.

Kieran’s heart pounded. What the hell was that?!

Elias’s expression shifted, his smirk fading. He turned toward the tunnel entrance, eyes narrowing. “That wasn’t part of the plan.”

Then—a sound.

Low. Guttural. Not human.

Kieran’s breath caught in his throat as a shadowed figure stepped through the smoke. Its body was **distorted**, its limbs too long, its eyes gleaming with an unnatural glow.

The same glow Kieran had seen in himself.

A system-induced mutant.

And it was coming straight for them.