The cavern shivered under the weight of their presence.
Dust and stone trembled as Gabriel and Cain faced each other, energy coiling like serpents around their forms.
"…Your adaptation… faster than I expected," Cain said calmly, his golden eyes narrowing.
Gabriel didn't flinch.
"…Your strikes are efficient. Precise. But repetitive," he said quietly.
Cain tilted his head, intrigued.
"…Good," he replied.
Without warning, Cain moved.
Faster than a heartbeat.
Faster than thought.
Gabriel's system flared, predicting trajectories before they happened.
He blocked the first strike, energy flaring across his arms, the phantom pain from his curse screaming in response—but he converted it into raw output, reinforcing his defense.
Cain struck again—three, four times—each attack faster, sharper, heavier than before.
Gabriel endured, absorbing and analyzing, turning every impact into energy he could wield.
"…Conversion efficiency rising," he murmured.
Alex leaned against a crumbling pillar nearby, eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Finally," he muttered.
"This is the kind of pressure he needed."
Cain stepped back, evaluating, then released a pulse of compressed energy that warped the air around them.
The ground beneath their feet cracked and buckled, and the cavern walls rattled.
"…You're not attacking," Cain said, voice calm but deliberate.
Gabriel lowered his hand slightly.
"…I don't need to."
The pressure increased, coiling tighter, heavier.
Cain's aura condensed, focusing its intensity.
"…Then I'll force you," Cain said—and vanished.
This strike caught Gabriel off guard, landing directly in his chest.
The impact sent him flying, crashing through layers of stone and debris.
But mid-air, Gabriel stabilized himself, drawing on the curse's phantom pain to fuel his own energy.
"…New threshold reached," he said, standing firmly once more.
Gabriel moved first this time.
No hesitation, no testing—only execution.
His strike, dense and precise, collided with Cain's defense.
Energy exploded outward as their powers clashed.
Cain staggered slightly—surprised.
Gabriel pressed forward, each strike more forceful, converting every impact, absorbing and returning it with amplified intensity.
Cain blocked, then realized the change.
"…You're converting impact into output," he said.
"…Yes," Gabriel confirmed calmly.
The air itself screamed as their power clashed.
Ground cracked.
Stone shattered.
Air shimmered with pure energy.
Cain smiled—excitement in his gaze.
"…Then I won't hold back."
In a blur, Cain struck.
Faster than Gabriel could track, faster than the eye could follow.
The strike landed—direct, unavoidable.
Gabriel's body shook under the force but didn't falter.
He endured, converted, and retaliated instantly.
Their powers collided again—this time without restraint.
Force met force.
Control met adaptation.
Energy waves tore through the cavern, debris exploding in every direction.
Finally, both stood apart, breathing heavily, eyes locked.
Cain acknowledged him for the first time—not as an enemy, but as a worthy opponent.
"…You've reached D-Rank Peak output," he said.
"…Temporarily," Gabriel replied.
Alex clapped slowly from the shadows.
"Temporary or not… that's enough to make things interesting," he said.
Cain's aura sharpened, denser and more dangerous.
"…No," he said, voice low.
"It's not over."
Gabriel raised his hand, energy coiling, his system ready for the next phase.
"…Agreed."
And in that instant, both moved simultaneously.
The real battle—no longer tests, no longer practice—had begun.
Author's Thoughts:
Gabriel is finally evolving mid-fight.
Cain is built differently—he's calculating, refined, dangerous.
Alex is watching like a proud, slightly mad spectator.
And you… still haven't brought power stones???
Next chapter: escalation. Full battle. Stakes rising.
Support me or I'll fail exams and implode like a minor demon in Gabriel's path 💀