The air crackled with tension as Grak approached the ship, his eyes gleaming with an almost maniacal desire for combat. His very presence seemed to distort the atmosphere. Jack and Jaz, hardened warriors in their own right, felt their hearts skip a beat as they locked onto Grak's imposing figure. Every instinct screamed danger.
Grak's chest expanded as he took in a deep breath, preparing to announce his arrival with the usual arrogance of a tyrant.
"I am Grak, the ruler of --"
Before he could finish, a blur of motion tore across the battlefield. In an instant, Jack vanished from the ship's deck, only to reappear right beside Grak. His fist, glowing with brilliant blue energy, was already in mid-swing.
BOOM!
The punch landed squarely on Grak's oblique with a bone-rattling impact, sending shockwaves rippling through the air. The force blasted Grak off his feet, hurling him into the cliffside with a thunderous clash. Rocks and dust exploded into the sky as the ground shook violently.
Jack landed softly, wiping the sweat from his brow. That..... should've shattered him. His eyes narrowed at the cloud of dust.
The battlefield fell silent. No one moved. The scavengers stared, stunned at the display of power.
But then, a deep, booming laugh echoed through the dust.
"AMAZING !!!" Grak's voice rang out, full of sinister joy. He emerged from the debris, not a single scratch on him. He brushed the dust off his shoulder like it was nothing. "That was impressive, kid. Really!! But now-" He grinned, his eyes gleaming with twisted delight. "Where's your partner hiding?"
Jack's heart sank, his mind racing. Impossible. That was almost my full strength... He thought. How the hell is he unscathed?
Grak's face darkened with disdain. "You honestly thought an 'Enhancer' of your level could hurt me?" A dark, crimson aura began to swirl around him, and the ground beneath his feet cracked and groaned under the weight of his power.
The air became heavy, thick with malice as Grak's bloodlust surged across the battlefield. Jack felt the same sensation he had experienced only on the deadliest battlefields - The presence of true monster.
"Time to show you real power." Grak raised his arm, red energy swirling around it like a living, breathing thing. His hand began to glow brighter, the sheer force of his power making the air around him distort as he prepared to slam it into the ground.
But before Grak could unleash his attack, Jaz appeared in a blur of movement, her curved sword slicing through the air with deadly precision. The blade shimmered as it cut through Grak's arm, aiming to cleave it in two.
However, The sword sank halfway into Grak's forearm - and stopped.
Jaz's eyes widened. "What the --" The sword - her ancestral weapon, passed down through generation - was stuck. Grak's muscle had halted the blade mid-slice.
Grak looked down at her sword lodged in his arm and chuckled darkly. "Nice try." He grinned, his free hand glowing with the same red energy, ready to strike her down.
Time slowed to a crawl. Jaz saw her life flash before her eyes, knowing she couldn't possibly dodge in time. But then --
WHAM!
Jack reappeared, his body flickering with speed. His foot smashed into Grak's mid-section with enough force to level a mountain. The shockwave from the impact flattened trees for miles around, and Grak's massive form was sent hurtling backwards once more.
Panting heavily, Jack grabbed Jaz and leapt back to a safer distance. "We... we need a new strategy," he gasped, his legs trembling from the exertion of his last attack.
But their brief respite was cut short by an eerie laugh coming from the dust cloud.
"You two really are something else."
Grak emerged again, but this time, something had changed. His arm - half severed by Jaz's blade - was hanging loosely at his side, and Jack's kick had left an imprint on his torso. But despite the injuries, Grak was... laughing.
"One's an 'Enhancer', the other a 'Martial'. Huh!! Now that's interesting." His voice was laced with amusement as he staggered to his feet, blood dripping down his arm.
Jaz and Jack exchanged a glance, hearts racing. They had wounded him but , then to their horror, they saw it - Grak's severed arm began to heal. Flesh knitted itself back together in seconds, bones snapped into place, and the muscle reformed like clay being reshaped by an unseen hand. His torso, bruised and battered also healed in an instant. Within moments, Grak stood before them, completely whole once again.
"What the hell...?" Jack muttered, his voice trembling with disbelief.
Grak flexed his regenerated arm and cracked his neck, a twisted grin still plastered on his face. "Impressed? You should be. But if that's all you've got, this is going to be disappointing."
The scavengers, who had been watching in stunned silence, now turned to flee. If we stay here, we're dead! One of them cried, panic spreading through the crowd as they scattered.
But Sol, hiding in the shadows, couldn't move. He watched in horror as Grak - this unkillable monster - prepared to face Jack and Jaz once more. What...what kind of creature is he ? Sol's breath came in short, terrified gasps.
Jack clenched his fists, his muscles tensing as he prepared for another round. "We can't let him win. Not now" Jaz tightened her grip on her sword, her eyes narrowing in determination.
Grak stepped forward. "Round two, then?" his voice dripped with menace, his bloodlust filling the air. "Let's make this interesting, shall we?"