The creature roared.

The sound vibrated through the air, heavy and low, like thunder trapped within a body of stone and fire.

The mana golem rose, tall enough to cover three entire houses. Its body was formed of cracked plates of black crystal and veins of blue energy that pulsed like living blood.

Each movement released sparks and waves of heat, distorting the air around it.

Kael didn't wait.

He charged forward.

The first impact split the ground.

His boot sank into the stones and he launched himself like a projectile, slicing through the air in a straight line.

His right arm swung in an arc, the blade in his hand tracing a silvery trail before striking the monster's abdomen.

The blow didn't cut.

The blade ricocheted, sending sparks of mana flying.

The golem's body was too dense, too solid.

Kael spun in the air and landed silently, his eyes glowing silver and purple.

The golem swung back, its colossal fist coming down like a hammer.

He ducked, the blow grazing him—and the impact destroyed half the street.

The ground exploded into shards.

Kael rolled, dodging the second punch that followed, feeling the hot energy rushing past inches from his head.

"Too fast for his size…"

He kicked off with his heel, climbing the broken walls of a house and leaping again.

The golem's body spun slowly, tracking the movement.

Kael landed on a rooftop, a few feet from the creature's face.

His hands glowed.

Circles of mana appeared beneath his feet, emitting a bluish light.

A downward slash.

The blade tore through the air—and this time, the metal glowed brightly.

The accumulated energy exploded as it struck the golem's shoulder.

The crystal plate cracked.

The sound echoed like glass shattering under pressure.

The monster roared and reacted, its arm swinging in a horizontal arc.

Kael jumped back, narrowly escaping.

Even though it didn't hit him, the force of the blow created a shockwave that pushed him backward, ripping off part of the roof beneath his feet.

He landed on the ground, sliding in the dust.

The golem slammed its fist against its chest—and the symbol in its center glowed red.

Kael frowned.

"The core is exposed."

He launched himself again.

The ground beneath his feet cracked with the momentum.

The golem raised its right arm and fired a beam of pure mana.

Kael moved sideways, the beam passing close to his shoulder and destroying everything behind him. Heat seared the air.

He didn't stop—he leaped again, soaring straight toward the creature's chest.

The blade spun once.

It cut.

Cracks spread across the central crystal.

But the core didn't give way.

The golem roared, and the impact of the sound knocked him back.

Kael fell, but turned in midair, landing on his knees.

The ground shook with the monster's every step.

The energy radiating from its body caused the surroundings to waver—a pressure field that distorted vision.

Kael felt the dense mana around him, a living force trying to crush his lungs.

He exhaled.

The veins in his neck began to glow.

The air shifted.

The energy around him stirred—not from the golem, but from the city itself.

Loose fragments of mana, remnants of Azalith's magical field, began to be drawn toward him.

Dust shimmered in the air, slowly swirling until it disappeared into his body.

The temperature dropped.

The sound of the wind faded.

The glow in his eyes intensified.

Kael raised his blade and ran again.

The golem raised its arm, but this time he didn't dodge.

He stomped his foot and leaped straight into the blow.

The impact was brutal—a thunderous roar that echoed throughout the street.

Kael froze, his left arm bracing the blade.

The colossal force pushed him back, the stones cracking beneath his feet.

For a second, everything seemed to stop.

Then he pushed.

The mana he had absorbed burned within his body, pulsing like liquid fire.

The symbol on his sword lit up, and a slash of pure energy sliced through the air.

The blade pierced the golem's hilt.

The arm shattered into flaming fragments.

Kael spun around and, using the momentum, leaped over the still-unbroken arm, running toward the creature's shoulder.

Each step left trails of light on the black metal.

The golem tried to catch him, but Kael launched himself into a spin, flying through the air and striking the side of the monster's face.

The impact sent sparks flying—its right eye went out.

The monster staggered.

Kael fell in front of it, kneeling with one hand on the ground.

The energy around the golem began to regroup.

The cracks in its chest closed.

The core pulsed faster, drawing mana from the ground.

Kael slowly rose to his feet.

"The core is regenerating…"

Without hesitation, he drove the blade into the ground.

Circles of runes spread out, connecting with the cracks in the street.

Lines of blue energy extended beneath the golem's feet.

The monster reacted—but it was too late.

Kael jerked his fist upward, and the ground exploded.

Columns of pure mana erupted around the golem, trapping it in a ring of light.

The energy crackled, cutting through the air like thunder.

Kael ran.

He climbed one of the columns, used it as a springboard, and leaped straight for his enemy's chest.

The blade spun one last time, gathering all that was left.

The final blow struck the core.

For an instant, there was absolute silence.

Then, the sound—a dull boom, followed by a wave of energy that swept across the entire street.

The golem's body exploded into fragments of crystal and light.

The air lit up like the inside of a star.

Kael was thrown backward, crashing through a wall and rolling through the rubble until he came to a stop.

He dropped to his knees, breathing heavily.

Ash floated in the air, and the blue glow began to dissipate.

But something was still there.

Kael looked up.

Where the core had been destroyed, a sphere of mana remained floating—compact, alive, pulsing.

Part of the creature's heart.

The raw energy vibrated, trying to escape, but it seemed... to recognize his presence.

Kael reached out.

The sphere moved.

The energy spread in spirals, enveloping his body.

He felt heat penetrate his muscles, his bones, his skin.

The mana rushed in, burning from the inside out.

It was like being struck by fire and ice at the same time.

Kael kept his breath steady.

Umbra would have smiled if he had been there—the taste of living energy flowing straight to the core of his being.

But he didn't.

He let his body absorb it.

The veins glowed brightly for a few seconds, until the light faded, drained completely.

Silence returned.

Kael stood.

The cracks in the sword had disappeared.

The blade gleamed with a silvery glow, and a thin purple line ran down the center of the metal.

He took a step—the ground reacted.

The air around him trembled slightly, as if recognizing the force now emanating from him.

The golem's body, reduced to fragments, began to disintegrate completely, returning to its state of mana dust.

Kael watched the process without emotion.

"Unstable, but useful."

His voice was low, almost a whisper.

The heat of the fight was still in the air, and he could feel the echo of energy pulsing beneath the city.

That golem had only been the beginning.

He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his thumb and looked up at the mountaintop.

The gold and purple glow of Azalith's heart seemed stronger now—as if it had sensed the death of one of its creations.

The wind blew, carrying the metallic smell of burning mana.

Kael flicked his wrist.

The blade dissolved into particles of light and vanished.

The ground still vibrated.

More noises came from the north—cracks, the sound of energy condensing, a new awakening.

Other presences.

Other creatures.

He looked toward the Academy.

His body still burned, the newly absorbed mana circulating beneath his skin, mixing with his own power.

It was unstable, but alive.

Flexible.

Kael tested his strength, rolling his shoulders.

The air trembled slightly.

The energy responded.

The shadows behind him distorted, and for a moment, there seemed to be something there—a silhouette made of smoke, mirroring his movements, following him like a natural extension.

Kael took a deep breath.

The sensation was almost pleasant.

The ground crackled beneath his feet as he began to walk.

Each step left a faint, luminous mark on the stone, traces of the mana his body still exuded.

The surrounding city remained silent, but alive.

The rubble still glowed in blue fragments.

The cracked walls trembled in response to the mountain's pulse.

Kael looked to the horizon.

The clouds above Azalith were parting—not from rain, but from energy.

A golden whirlwind formed in the sky, slowly descending to touch the top of the Academy.

It was there.

The center of everything.

He walked, each step firm, each movement precise.

There was no rush—only certainty.

The battle was over, but the war was not.

The golem's energy still stirred within him, burning, merging with his own mana, making it denser, heavier.

The veins glowed faintly beneath his skin, pulsing in a steady rhythm.

His entire body felt alive—a shifting vessel of newly acquired strength.

Kael paused for a moment, the wind stirring the dust around him.

The distant sound of the mountain's heart continued.

Beating.

Breathing.

He looked up once more.

Azalith Academy glowed overhead, surrounded by flames and an otherworldly light.

Kael rolled his neck, feeling the crackle of his muscles.

"Time to continue."