Silence.
A suffocating, unnatural silence fell over the Grand Hunter Arena.
Tens of thousands of spectators sat frozen, eyes locked onto the battlefield.
Because what stood there…
Was no longer just a fight between two hunters.
It was something far greater.
At the center stood Kael Varyn.
But he had changed.
His body radiated a deep crimson aura, darker than before—thicker, heavier, almost alive. Veins of glowing energy pulsed beneath his skin like molten fire, and faint, ancient markings began to spread across his arms.
His breathing slowed.
His heartbeat deepened.
Each pulse echoed like a drum of war.
System Notification
Primordial Berserker — Partial Awakening
Status: Active (10%)
All Physical Stats: +50%
Pain Suppression: Increased
Rage Conversion Efficiency: Enhanced
Warning: Mental Stability Decreasing
Kael exhaled slowly.
The world around him felt… different.
Sharper.
Slower.
Weaker.
He lifted his head.
And looked at Zarek Voidborn.
Zarek's expression had changed.
The calm confidence from before had been replaced with something else.
Excitement.
Genuine excitement.
"So this is it," Zarek said softly.
"The power hidden within your bloodline."
Kael didn't respond.
He stepped forward.
CRACK.
The ground shattered beneath his foot.
Zarek's eyes sharpened.
"Good."
"Show me."
The moment Kael moved—
He disappeared.
Not through speed alone.
But through raw explosive force.
The air behind him detonated as he launched forward.
Zarek barely had time to react—
BOOOOOOM!
Kael's fist slammed into him.
This time—
There was no block.
Zarek was sent flying across the arena like a missile.
He crashed into the barrier wall with a deafening explosion.
The entire arena shook violently.
The crowd gasped.
"He just—!"
"One punch?!"
But Kael didn't stop.
He moved again.
Faster.
Stronger.
Relentless.
Zarek emerged from the rubble—
Just in time to see Kael already in front of him.
Another punch.
Another explosion.
Another shockwave.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
Each strike carried monstrous power.
Each hit distorted the air.
Each impact cracked the battlefield further.
High above—
Kaizer Stormborn leaned forward.
"…His strength just doubled."
Seraphina Lux narrowed her eyes.
"No…"
"It's more than that."
Back on the battlefield—
Zarek skidded backward, blood dripping from his mouth.
But he was smiling.
Laughing.
"…HAHAHA!"
"This is perfect!"
He raised his hand.
And this time—
He stopped holding back.
Darkness erupted.
But it wasn't pure void anymore.
It was mixed.
Twisted.
Violent.
Void energy intertwined with berserker power, forming a chaotic storm of black and crimson.
The air screamed under its pressure.
System Alert
Unknown Energy Fusion Detected
Threat Level: Catastrophic
Zarek's body began to change.
His veins glowed crimson.
His eyes turned pitch black.
A second aura erupted around him—
Wild.
Savage.
Just like Kael's.
"Let me show you," Zarek said.
"What a true hybrid looks like."
He stepped forward.
And vanished.
Kael's instincts reacted instantly.
He turned—
BOOOOOOM!
The two collided mid-air.
Fist against fist.
Power against power.
The shockwave alone shattered parts of the arena barrier.
The crowd screamed as protective shields activated.
Kael grinned.
For the first time—
He felt it.
A fight where he could go all out.
They clashed again.
And again.
And again.
Each collision sent shockwaves through the arena.
Each impact pushed both fighters further.
Stronger.
Faster.
More destructive.
Kael's mind began to blur.
The system's warning echoed faintly.
Warning
Mental Stability Dropping
But he didn't care.
This was what his bloodline wanted.
Battle.
Destruction.
Dominance.
Zarek appeared behind him—
But Kael reacted instantly.
He grabbed Zarek's arm mid-strike—
And slammed him into the ground.
BOOOOOOM!
The arena floor shattered completely beneath them.
A massive crater formed.
Dust exploded outward.
Kael stood over him.
Breathing heavily.
Aura raging wildly.
Zarek laughed again.
Even while lying in the crater.
"…You're incredible."
He wiped the blood from his mouth.
"But you're still incomplete."
His aura surged again.
Violently.
Uncontrollably.
The void around him began to distort—
Not like before.
This time—
Reality itself began to fracture.
Kael's eyes narrowed.
"…What is that?"
System Alert
Dimensional Instability Detected
Zarek slowly stood.
His body trembling.
Power overflowing.
"This…" he said.
"…is what happens when two bloodlines refuse to stay separate."
The space behind him tore open.
A massive rift appeared.
Dark.
Endless.
Terrifying.
From within it—
Something moved.
The entire arena fell silent.
Even the strongest hunters stood up.
Because they could feel it.
Something was coming.
Something that shouldn't exist.
Kael clenched his fists.
His aura surged again.
Stronger.
Wilder.
Bloodline Reaction Intensifying
Primordial Awakening: 10% → 12%
Power flooded through him again.
His markings spread further.
His presence grew heavier.
Zarek smiled.
"Good."
"Because you'll need it."
The rift behind him expanded.
The darkness within it pulsed.
And then—
Something stepped through.
The match…
Was no longer just a match.