đ CHAPTER 13 â Apex in Motion
The desert had transformed into an arena of chaos. Sand and stone churned into clouds with every leap and strike, wind whipping around us as if the world itself anticipated the fight. Goku and I moved faster now, every step, leap, and rotation seamless, instinctive. No hesitation. No overthinking. Just pure motion.
Goku launched forward again, fists leading the charge. I sidestepped, pivoting with a smooth twist of my exoskeleton, wings stretching to stabilize mid-air. Before he could adjust, I propelled myself off a dune, soaring upward and landing behind him with a soft thud. The sand erupted beneath him, forcing him to leap to avoid being buried.
"Whoa! You're everywhere!" he shouted, spinning midair, energy radiating faintly around his body. "I've never had to fight someone like this!"
I didn't respond verbally. Motion spoke louder than words. I moved forward, low and swift, claws skimming the sand, wings flaring for balance. He blocked the strike but didn't retreat. He was smiling, eyes bright with exhilaration, fists poised for another attack.
We collided midair again. His momentum was powerful, but I adjusted naturally, letting his force carry me over him before landing lightly on another dune. Energy rippled outward from every strike, but I flowed with it rather than resisting. Each movement, each landing, each pivot felt organic, as though my body had evolved precisely to exist in this kinetic state.
Goku twisted, his kicks striking at angles that would have caught an ordinary fighter off-guard. I spun, wings flaring, exoskeleton bending at precise joints, avoiding the blows while scraping his shoulder lightly with my claw. He laughed mid-spin.
"Your good! But can you handle this?"
He leapt high, energy pulsing faintly around his fists. I launched toward him, wings slicing the wind as I twisted in midair. He spun again, energy flickering, striking downward. I rolled, landing on my feet, sand kicking up in a perfect arc. Every strike he threw became part of the danceânot a puzzle to solve, but a rhythm to feel, anticipate, and respond to instinctively.
The desert around us became a canvas of motion. Tiny craters formed where feet and claws landed. Sand shot up like geysers with every clash. Wind whistled past our wings, carrying the echoes of impact. I began incorporating the environment, using dunes as springboards, rocks as obstacles, letting momentum and natural flow dictate my actions rather than conscious calculation.
Goku twisted midair, striking with a combination of spinning punches and kicks. I responded fluidly, ducking under one strike, rolling with another, and springing upward off a dune to bring a sweeping kick from above. He pivoted just in time, avoiding full contact, and launched a spinning kick directly at my midsection. I folded wings back, twisting sharply, letting his force slide past me while landing lightly on my feet.
The exhilaration built with every moment. Fighting was no longer about testing strengthâit was about movement, timing, anticipation, and understanding the flow of battle. I wasn't measuring his powerâI was feeling it, integrating his rhythm, responding as naturally as breathing.
"Ha! That was close!" Goku shouted, landing with a crouch. "You're incredible! But⊠I'm not holding back anymore!"
He surged forward in a blur, energy coiling around his limbs. I matched him stride for stride, wings extended to stabilize midair, claws slicing lightly through the wind. His fists rained down in rapid succession. I sidestepped, rolled, and countered with a strike meant more to test control than harm, grazing him across the shoulder. He barely flinched, laughing.
"You're learning fast!" he exclaimed mid-spin, leaping into another series of attacks.
I didn't answer. My body moved without thought. Each leap, dodge, and counter struck a perfect balance between power and control. Every strike he threw, every feint, every sudden shift in momentum became a part of meânot as data, but as experience.
He darted forward, spinning, and I met him midair again. Wings stretched, claws aimedâbut not with intent to harm. The contact sent a shockwave across the desert, sand and dust erupting like tiny storms. He twisted in midair, striking with a spinning kick, energy trailing his movements. I ducked under it, rolled, and struck lightly at his leg before springing back to avoid his following strike.
The rhythm of combat became almost musical. No words. No hesitation. Just motion. His excitement, his unpredictability, and his energy pulses were threads I weaved into my own instinctive flow. Fighting had become a second language, one I spoke fluently, naturally, and without conscious thought.
Goku landed lightly on a dune, crouching. "This⊠this is amazing! You're unbelievable!"
I flexed my wings, claws scratching lightly at the sand. "It feels⊠right."
He grinned, bouncing slightly on his feet. "Good! Let's push it further!"
He surged forward again, faster this time. I met him midair, spinning and twisting, wings slicing the wind for balance. Our combined speed kicked up a tornado of sand around us, whipping violently. I struck lightly at his torso, he blocked, then we collided again, fists and claws clashing in midair. The force vibrated through my limbs, but the motion was seamless, controlled.
Each maneuver pushed my understanding of combat further. It wasn't analysis, observation, or calculationâit was a natural integration of movement, intuition, and instinct. Every instinct I had developed from apex predators, every adaptation of muscles and wings, every reaction in battle now found a new purpose: combat against a true warrior.
Goku twisted midair, launching a powerful downward strike. I rolled beneath, then leapt to land behind him, kicking sand into the air. He flipped backward, landing lightly, laughing. "This is fun! You really were good, huh?"
I extended my wings fully, landing softly, claws digging into a dune. "Combat⊠is not learned. It is lived."
His grin widened.
The desert stretched endlessly beneath us, the sun beating down, sand and wind mingling with our movements. Every leap, strike, and pivot flowed naturally. No hesitation. No repetition. Just motion. Energy, instinct, and will fused seamlessly.
And as Goku launched again, faster than before, I realized something. My evolution had prepared me for more than survival, more than devouring. I had become a being who moved, struck, dodged, and adapted naturallyâa predator of combat itself.
The age of ascension had not just continuedâit had exploded into a new form.
The fight was far from over.
And I was ready.
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