Chapter 27: Level-1 Lifeform (part1)

Although Kael appears to be holding his own against the massive beast, his heart pounds in his chest, and his muscles burn with the effort of each movement. His every strike meets resistance, his arms shaking from the impact against the creature's tough hide. Sweat, or maybe blood, mixes with the water around him. Despite his years of training, the weight of the battle presses heavily on him.

Fuck, he thinks, twisting out of the way of the creature's snapping jaws. If this keeps up, I'm done for.

The beast is relentless, its tail thrashing wildly, sending shockwaves through the water. Kael feels his strength waning with every dodged attack. His breathing grows labored, and his grip on the spear begins to falter.

It's too fast. I can't keep this up.

For everyone watching from below, it looks like Kael is matching the beast blow for blow, but inside, he knows he's barely holding on. He glances toward the village, toward his family. His mother, Mira, still clutches Eamon in her arms, her eyes wide with a mix of hope and fear. His father, Eamon Sr., stands beside her, fists clenched, silently willing his son to survive.

Kael grits his teeth. I can't let them down.

But just as he refocuses on the fight, he miscalculates the timing of the beast's next move. Its massive tail whips through the water with deadly speed, catching him square in the side before he has time to react.

"Shit!" Kael gasps, the air forced from his lungs as he's flung backward like a ragdoll. He crashes into the seabed, the impact jarring through his body. His spear slips from his grasp, tumbling away into the dark water. The ground beneath him shudders with the force of his landing, and he feels a sharp pain radiating from his ribs. He tries to move, but his limbs are slow to respond, the sudden force leaving him dazed and struggling to catch his breath.

The beast roars above him, triumphant, sensing its advantage. It circles slowly, preparing for the final strike.

Kael coughs, spitting blood into the water, his vision swimming. His mind screams at him to get up, to fight, but his body won't cooperate. For the first time since the battle started, a cold wave of fear grips him. He knows that if he stays down any longer, the village—and his family—will be defenseless.

Get up, he tells himself. You have to get up.

Kael grits his teeth, trying to push himself off the ground. His muscles scream in protest, but he forces his arms to move. Every breath is ragged, every heartbeat feels like a hammer against his chest. His vision blurs as the beast looms closer, jaws wide open for the killing blow.

I can't lose... Not now...

Suddenly, something stirs inside him. A deep, pulsating energy—familiar but distant—begins to rise. It's the energy he's been absorbing, honing for five long years. The sheer intensity of the emotion coursing through him, the fear for his family, the desperation to protect them, all combine, igniting a power he didn't even realize he was holding back.

Kael feels it first as a trickle, then a flood. His body is engulfed in warmth, the pain in his ribs dulling, the ache in his muscles disappearing as this energy surges through every cell in his body. Then, with a sensation like shattering glass, something deep within him breaks free.

His eyes widen. His wounds close. His strength returns, but not just as it was before—he feels stronger, faster, sharper. His muscles pulse with renewed vigor, and his skin seems to hum with energy. His body, battered moments ago, is now fully healed. He rises to his feet, standing taller and more powerful than ever before.

The beast lunges, its jaws snapping forward to end him, but this time, Kael doesn't move to dodge. Instead, he thrusts his hand forward—barehanded—and catches the creature's massive maw in his grip.

Time seems to slow for a moment. The beast's eyes widen in shock as its unstoppable force meets Kael's immovable strength. He holds it there, grinning, his hand locked around its jagged teeth, keeping its deadly jaws open and harmless.

A wild smile spreads across his face as his newfound power surges within him. His grip tightens, and the beast struggles, thrashing wildly, but it cannot move him. The village, the hunters, even his parents, watch in disbelief.

With a crazed grin, Kael pulls the beast closer, his eyes burning with a fierce intensity. "Bastard," he snarls, his voice filled with confidence and fury. "You're done for."

In one swift motion, Kael shoves the beast back with enough force to send ripples through the water. It roars in pain and confusion, thrown off balance by the sheer strength of the man it once considered prey. Kael, now fully in control.

The water around Kael churns violently as the beast struggles to regain control, its enormous body thrashing in a frenzy. The force of Kael's shove has left it disoriented, its massive form tumbling through the ocean depths. But Kael, now fully revitalized, feels nothing but an overwhelming sense of purpose. He knows this fight is nearing its end.

The beast roars, its guttural cry echoing through the village, but it's no longer the same triumphant sound. There's something desperate in its voice now, a recognition that it has met an opponent far stronger than it ever expected.

Kael charges forward, his muscles surging with power, water parting as he moves with inhuman speed. His spear is lost, but it doesn't matter. His bare hands will be enough. With a fierce battle cry, he closes the distance, and before the beast can even react, Kael is on it.

He grabs the beast by the horns, its thrashing head trying to dislodge him, but Kael holds firm, teeth gritted, veins bulging with effort. "Not so tough now, are you?" he growls, tightening his grip.

The beast's glowing eyes widen in panic, its massive tail flailing in a futile attempt to shake Kael off. The villagers below watch, awestruck, as the man they thought lost to the depths now rides the back of a creature that could easily level their entire home.

With a powerful heave, Kael slams the beast's head down into the seabed, the ground cracking beneath the impact. Sand and coral debris swirl through the water, clouding the scene, but the muffled crunch of the creature's skull hitting the ground is unmistakable.