Max's fingers tapped across his device, the screen's glow dancing in his eyes. Lines of code shifted. Numbers updated. Still, his expression didn't change.
Ash stood beside him, arms folded, watching the battlefield. Heat shimmered in front of them. Flames curled around Jov's fingers, twisting with each movement.
That sight stuck in Ash's mind. Something felt wrong.
'Weren't all other fire veinflow users wiped out?'
"The Burns family was supposed to be all dead, leaving Dad's as the only survivor. Did Apex mess with something?"
Ash didn't answer. He didn't need to. The ground made the next move.
A low crack split the silence.
The earth tore open beneath Kael.
Stone burst upward, jagged and sharp. It wrapped around Kael's arms and legs, locking in place like shackles.
Kael's flames surged. Heat poured from his hands—but the rock didn't budge. He strained against it. Nothing. His breath hitched.
Laughter echoed through the haze.
Jov stood still, fire pulsing at his side.
"I bet you weren't expecting that."
Max froze mid-swipe. "Another ability?"
Jov raised one hand. Fire gathered. Not wild or loose—shaped, thick, burning hotter by the second. It twisted into a ball of heat, light bleeding from its surface. The air warped.
The orb shrieked through the sky. A burning trail carved the space between them.
The fireball split in half, torn down the center. Sparks sprayed outward. Smoke rolled past the battlefield.
Ash stood in front of Kael, sword still raised. The edge hissed, smoke curling off its surface. His stance stayed locked. His blade didn't move.
Jov's smile wavered. "Oh?"
Ash didn't lower his sword. His eyes locked onto Jov.
"You talk too much. You good?" he asked without turning around.
Kael stretched his fingers. Heat rolled off his arms, his skin pulsing with fire.
"Yeah. He just caught me off guard."
He glanced toward Max.
"But that—what he did just now—shouldn't be possible, right? Unless..."
Max didn't blink. His eyes ran across the screen.
"Yes. A person shouldn't be able to wield both unless they're born with two Veinflow."
Kael stared at Jov, mind racing.
"Then this hybrid Vein"
"No. Hybrid Vein happens when two Veinflow fuse at birth. "
Ash narrowed his eyes, grip tightening on the hilt.
"Then how's he handling two Veinflow at once?"
Max swiped again, lines of data shifting as he zoomed into Jov's energy readout. The screen pulsed red.
"His Vein signature is pure Fire. If he had true hybrid Vein, Fire and Earth would blend evenly. But look—"
He turned the screen.
"The Earth flow's weaker. Broken up. It's not natural. It's being shoved through his system."
Ash stared at the screen, face unreadable. Then his voice dropped.
"I've heard of this... Mom told me about someone once. A man who used almost four Veinflows. Maybe more."
Max's hands paused. His eyes narrowed.
"Yeah... during the war."
He pinched the screen, zooming closer to Jov's stone-wrapped arm. The image sharpened.
"That arm... it's not his."
Kael's body went still.
Max's voice barely rose above the hum of static.
"It belonged to a Master Earth user. Apex must've taken it—grafted it onto him. Now his body's pretending it's natural."
Heat pulsed off Kael's skin. He clenched his fists, eyes fixed on Jov.
"Well yeah but Not exactly. This came with a flaw."
He tapped another command. The scan deepened, color waves blooming across the display.
"The arm is fused with him now. He's using its Veinflow like it's his. But his own energy hasn't changed."
Ash shifted slightly, his sword still lowered.
"His Fire and Earth don't mix. If he's forcing both—his body's probably a mess inside."
Max gave a short nod.
"Exactly. His system's constantly fighting to stay balanced. That's where we hit him."
Ash's stance adjusted, his blade ready.
Max's lips curled, eyes never leaving the screen.
"The arm is connected to his core Vein. That's his weak point. Let him keep using both. His energy won't last. Hybrid users are born with expanded Vein energy. He's not. He's burning through it fast."
Kael's hands lit with flame.
"So we burn him out."
His legs still locked in stone, but the heat around him surged.
"Push him till his Vein collapses. That's when we strike."
Kael's flames curled higher.
Across the battlefield, Jov let out a laugh, low and sharp.
"You brats done chatting? I'm still here, y'know. Since you interrupted my duel, might as well let my boys return the favor."
A sudden whine filled the air.
The sky lit up—red beams pouring down like rain.
"[Activating skill: Storm Vein.]"
"[Activating skill: Static Surge.]"
Ash was already moving. He dashed forward, blade slicing through the air. One, two—each swing knocking away a beam before it touched ground. Sparks burst around him, his movements clean, his footwork tight. He stood between Kael and the attack, his sword a blur of steel.
Max didn't blink. His hand lifted. A glowing barrier blinked into place, hex-shaped light panels forming around him. The lasers slammed into it, flaring against the surface before dying out. The shield held.
Jov watched them with a wicked grin.
"Let's see how long you can keep that up."
Kael's breath came slow, steady. Heat shimmered around him. His body tightened, power crawling under his skin. Fire danced at his fingertips, the ground beneath him turning black from the rising heat.
"I'll make you pay for this."
Jov laughed, casual, as if he'd seen it all before.
"Oh? Still got some fight left in you?"
Kael smirked, not looking back.
"Max, Ash—you two go find whatever Apex is after. I'll handle this guy myself."
'Is this guy trying to play hero right now? I know he's strong, but can he handle all of them?'
Max stepped forward, unsure.
Kael rolled his shoulders. Fire surged, answering his call.
The air shifted. Heavy. Like something ancient was waking up.
Max groaned, rubbing his forehead.
"Damn, I knew you'd pull this."
But his lips twitched.
"Good thing I came prepared."
Kael's fire pulled close, curling around him like it had a will of its own. His muscles swelled, fibers straining as strength exploded through him. That red streak in his hair spread fast, flooding every strand in glowing crimson.
His suit responded. It didn't tear. It fell apart—piece by piece, it broke into fragments that hovered like burning ash in the air.
His hands clenched. Red fur broke through skin, thick and rough, striped with black. His legs bent the wrong way, bones realigning, becoming heavy, beast-like. The earth cracked under his feet. Claws punched through the ground. Arms grew longer, thicker—fur mixing with fire-hardened flesh, shaping him into something wild.
Then his face twisted.
A sick crack. His jaw stretched, bones shifting until it wasn't a human face anymore. His mouth filled with long, sharp teeth. His eyes lit up like molten steel, glowing red in the haze.
Steam rolled off him as he breathed.
The broken suit pieces shot back in, snapping into place over his fur-covered body. They formed tight, dark armor that clung to him like second skin—layered and sharp like flame-forged steel.
Ash's fingers tightened on his sword. His stance dropped, eyes locked on Kael.
'He fully transformed... Is he gonna lose control... like last time?'
Jov's grin grew wider.
"Now that's more like it."
Kael let out a slow breath. Heat rose from his lips. His voice rumbled from deep within.
"Haha... now, let's see if you can handle this."
Jov's face twitched. His stance lowered.
"I've heard about this form... but I thought only Flame could do it."
Kael bared his teeth. Fire lit his smile.
"Like I said... I'm the son of Flame. If you want him, you go through me first."
The world held its breath.
Heat rolled off Kael in waves, warping the air. Then, his jaws opened.
Fire exploded out—loud, wild, alive.
The flames tore across the field, straight into the Apex ships. Metal screamed as it melted. Explosions shook the sky. The ships broke apart, pieces flying like burning leaves. Smoke swallowed everything.
Kael turned toward Max and Ash. His eyes still burned.
"Go. I'll hold them off."
He opened his claws. Fire pulsed with every heartbeat.
"Right now... they're nothing to me."
Max didn't speak. He ran a hand through his hair, then turned.
"Fine. I've pinpointed the object they're after. Just keep them busy until we secure it."
He moved fast, no hesitation.
Ash stayed a second longer. He looked at Kael. Said nothing. Just a small nod—then he followed Max into the smoke.
Jov stepped forward, sneering.
"You really think I'd just let you walk away?"
Fire shot from his hands. He launched forward, chasing after Max and Ash.
A blur crossed the space. A shockwave slammed the ground. Jov didn't even see it coming—just the pain, sudden and sharp, as something massive struck him. He flew sideways, hit the dirt hard. The ground split beneath him.
Coughing, he lifted his head. His vision cleared.
Kael stood there. Towering. Fur burning. Red eyes locked on him.
"You want them? Go through me first."
Jov spat, fire flashing in his eyes. He rose slowly, glaring past Kael.
The Apex troopers behind him tensed.
"What the hell are you waiting for?! Get after them!"
The soldiers froze. Their grips tightened on rifles. Eyes darted. None moved.
Then the wind changed.
A breeze cut across the field—unnatural, sharp, cold. It carried pressure.
The hesitation vanished.
Kael grinned, teeth gleaming.
"Oh? So you're ready to die?"
He inhaled. Heat rushed into his chest. Fire built in his throat, ready to burst.
A column of stone shot from the ground, smashing into his jaw.
Kael staggered, head jerking back. The fire in his mouth fizzled, smoke spilling out.
He caught himself, growled low. His claws flexed. Shoulders rolled.
"Great, Earth. This is gonna be a pain."