Jax, a crimson blur of raw power, slammed into the Basilisk Serpent. The creature, already disoriented and roaring in agony from Kael's blinding attack, thrashed wildly. Its immense body, still coiled and bleeding luminous fluid from its shattered eye, snapped towards Jax, its remaining emerald eye burning with furious intent.
"Get off him!" Jax roared, his voice a guttural explosion of rage. He didn't bother with finesse. His powerful fists, fueled by the raw, insatiable hunger of his gem, hammered into the serpent's armoured hide. Each blow was a thunderclap, resonating through the jungle, cracking scales that had resisted Kael's direct assault. The Basilisk shrieked, its thrashing growing more desperate, its movements becoming sluggish as Jax's relentless assault found its mark.
He aimed for the serpent's exposed underbelly, the softer flesh that Kael had tried to target. With a savage grin, Jax activated his Destructive Energy Release. A raw, crimson energy flared from his fists, concentrating into a focused, explosive force. He plunged his hands into the Basilisk's side, and with a horrifying, tearing sound, he ripped through its thick scales and muscle. The serpent convulsed, a final, shuddering tremor running through its colossal form as its life energy, a dense, dark cloud, began to siphon directly into the pulsating gem in Jax's chest.
The Basilisk Serpent, the terrifying hunter of the Brazilian jungle, fell with a deafening crash, its immense body striking the earth with a final, earth-shaking thud. Jax stood over it, chest heaving, his crimson skin glowing with an almost blinding intensity as he absorbed the last vestiges of its power. He felt a surge of exhilaration, a rush of strength that made him feel invincible.
But his triumph was short-lived.
Before Jax could even fully savour the kill, a blur of vibrant blue energy erupted from his side. A fist, crackling with raw, focused power, slammed into his jaw. The impact was brutal, unexpected, and utterly devastating. Jax's head snapped back, a grunt of shock and pain tearing from his throat. The force of the blow was immense, sending his massive frame hurtling through the air, tumbling over the dead serpent's body, and crashing into the dense undergrowth with a heavy thud.
Jax lay stunned, his vision swimming, the taste of blood in his mouth. He pushed himself up, shaking his head, his glowing red eyes snapping to his attacker.
It was Kael.
Kael stood over the fallen Basilisk, his blue eyes blazing with a terrifyingly unfamiliar intensity. His skin was flushed, almost translucent, and the blue interface of his Apex System was flaring wildly before his eyes, a chaotic storm of text and warnings.
ERROR! ERROR! SYSTEM OVERDRIVE!UNAUTHORIZED ENERGY ABSORPTION DETECTED!TARGET NEUTRALIZATION INTERCEPTED!KILL CREDIT: STOLEN!APEX PROTOCOL: VIOLATED!WARNING: EXTREME ANGER DETECTED!
Kael's chest heaved, not from exertion, but from a raw, consuming fury that radiated from him like heat. His gaze, usually calm and analytical, was now filled with a cold, primal rage, fixed on Jax. The blankness he'd felt regarding his family, a consequence of years of being treated harshly and like an outcast, was now utterly consumed by a singular, burning indignation. This victory, this crucial surge of power, had been ripped from his grasp. Jax had stolen his kill. And the Apex System, now in overdrive, was demanding retribution.
Suddenly, Kael clutched his head, a guttural groan tearing from his throat. His body spasmed, trembling violently as if caught in an invisible vice. His blue eyes, moments ago alight with fury, now widened in agony, darting wildly as if battling an unseen force within his mind. He staggered, his knees buckling, the raw power radiating from him flickering and sputtering.
Estelle stood a few paces away, her purple eyes squeezed shut, her brow furrowed in intense concentration. The pink bandana around her forehead pulsed with an almost painful brilliance, and the air around her shimmered with an unseen force. A thin trickle of blood began to seep from her nose, running down her lip, and a crimson stain bloomed at the corner of her mouth. She was straining, pushing, trying to force Kael into submission, to shut down the raging Apex System within him. Her telepathic command, usually a gentle whisper, was now a desperate, agonising scream in Kael's mind: Sleep, Kael! You must sleep!
But Kael, fueled by the Apex's vengeful overdrive, resisted with a terrifying will. He fought back against Estelle's mental assault, his body arching, his hands pressing harder against his skull as if to contain the explosion within. "No!" he roared, a sound of pure, unadulterated defiance. "Mine! My kill!"
Estelle gasped, a choked sound, and more blood flowed from her nose, now mingling with a thin stream from her mouth. Her body swayed precariously, the effort visibly draining her.
With a final, agonising shudder, Kael's resistance shattered. His eyes rolled back, the blue light fading from them, and he collapsed to the ground, hitting the damp earth with a heavy thud. The chaotic warnings on his Apex System interface winked out, leaving only a faint, residual blue glow.
Orion, who had been watching the terrifying display with a mixture of awe and growing dread, rushed to Estelle's side, his luminous blue lines pulsing erratically. He caught her as she stumbled, her body trembling, her face pale and streaked with blood. He looked at Kael's unconscious form, then back at Estelle, his abyssal black eyes wide with a fear he rarely showed.
"Estelle," Orion whispered, his voice laced with genuine terror, "What did you do?"