CHAPTER 15: TRIAL BY BLOOD

The mutant lunged.

Kieran barely had time to react before its clawed hand sliced through the air, aimed straight for his throat. His instincts screamed—MOVE.

He twisted his body, dodging just in time. The mutant’s claws shredded the concrete where he had been standing, sending chunks of rubble flying.

Kieran's heart pounded. This thing was fast. Too fast.

A flickering system message flashed before his eyes.

[Hostile Identified: Unstable Mutant – Class E+]

[Threat Level: High]

He gritted his teeth. E+? He had no idea what the rankings meant yet, but judging by how fast it had almost taken his head off, he didn’t like his chances.

Behind him, Elias stood with his arms crossed, completely unconcerned.

“This is all you,” Elias said, leaning against the wall. “Let’s see if you actually learned something.”

Kieran’s stomach twisted. He was serious.

He clenched his fists. Fine.

The mutant attacked again, its body moving in jerky, unnatural motions. Kieran dodged—just barely. His muscles burned from exhaustion, but he refused to go down.

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Then he saw an opening.

The mutant’s side was exposed, just for a second. Now!

Kieran’s fist shot forward, red and blue lightning crackling at his fingertips—

BOOM!

His strike connected, sending the mutant skidding backward. Dust and debris kicked up from the impact.

Kieran blinked. It worked?

Then—pain.

The next thing he knew, his body was airborne. A blunt force slammed into his side, sending him crashing into the tunnel wall. The impact stole the air from his lungs.

He gasped, trying to push himself up, but his limbs felt sluggish. The mutant loomed over him, its distorted face twisted into something almost human, yet not.

A guttural growl echoed through the tunnel.

Kieran’s vision blurred. Damn it. He wasn’t strong enough.

The mutant raised its claws for the finishing blow—

Then, Elias moved.

In a blink, he was there, one hand grabbing the mutant’s arm mid-strike. The creature froze, its muscles twitching violently, as if it had just realized its mistake.

Elias sighed. “Pathetic.”

And then—he crushed its arm with a single motion.

The mutant screeched in agony, but before it could react, Elias drove his other hand straight through its chest. The air rippled with raw force as the creature convulsed—then collapsed, lifeless.

Kieran lay there, gasping. His body hurt. His pride hurt more.

Elias turned to him, shaking blood from his fingers. “You hesitated again.”

Kieran clenched his teeth. “I—”

“Save the excuses.” Elias’s gaze was sharp, unreadable. “You’ve got power, but you don’t know how to use it. You’ll die if you don’t fix that.”

Kieran’s fists tightened against the ground. He had tried. He had landed a hit. But it wasn’t enough. It was never enough.

Elias watched him in silence for a moment, then turned away. “Get up. We’re not done yet.”

Kieran swallowed the frustration burning in his throat.

Not yet. But soon.

One day, he’d make sure Elias would never have to save him again.