Their fists were coiled ready to collide, immediately their legs planted firmly on the ground, their arms launched simultaneously, at the last moment Kai changed the trajectory of his fist, the creature's arm moved past the side of his face swiftly, Kai's knuckles struck the side of its ribs with an unreal force.
The thick nature of its skin didn't allow his fist to sink deep, it was like punching a wall but Kai didn't falter, he thrust his arm forward sending the creature flying, tumbling on its back before coming to a skidding halt.
"There's no doubt about it. When it comes to strength this thing is way ahead of me, if our fists collided my entire arm would have broken" Kai said inwardly his voice calm and calculated.
The creature slowly erected its towering figure, still recovering from the punch. In the blink of an eye Kai was beside him, his left forearm extended straight ahead, a rigid piston of muscle and bone, while his right arm cocked back, bent at a precise angle, poised to deliver a devastating blow with pinpoint accuracy.
The creature moved instinctively, his arm held up at his side with its palm wide open, Kai's fist fitted perfectly into its palm, no time to waste Kai sent his right fist flying upwards jamming violently into its jaw, its jaw tilted upward with Kai's knuckles propelling his jaw.
At the last moment, he forced his jaw down pushing Kai's hand downward. Kai's eyes widened in shock, it clutched Kai's fist tightly dragging him closer at the same time its massive green coated legs launched forward.
Kai's gut connected with its shin his entire body folding on impact, his eyes bulged out, his mouth burst open. Immediately it sent its massive legs flying shooting Kai like a cannon.
The air rippled on impact, a straight line of wind trailed before him, the sheer velocity of his movement distorting the air.
BOOM!!
His body slammed into a wall, his body buried inside the wall with cracks, spidering around it, with a single stomp of its massive feet he breached the gap between them, its massive arm shot forward ready to strike.
At the last moment Kai, crossed his arms over his chest, the creatures knuckles collided violently with Kai's weak defense, the wall shook violently the cracks on the wall spreading, Kai's body buried deeper into the wall and with one final push, the wall shattered Kai's body erupted from the destruction.
Chunks of debris and dust exploded outward as Kai's body was sent hurtling through the air. His arms flailed helplessly before he slammed onto the pavement, bouncing off the cracked street in a cloud of dirt and rubble.
He lay there for a moment, chest heaving, his entire body throbbing with pain.
The 7 foot monster slowly walked through the shattered floor, his towering figure casting a dark shadow across the road.
****
Inside the Building – An Empty Hallway
"What's all that ruckus? I wonder who's getting thrown around—judging by the size difference, it's probably Kai," Victor sighed, shaking his head. "Well, I did warn him."
His voice echoed through the dark corridor, calm and unbothered.
"You know, between trying to intimidate me with numbers and failing to hide your presence, I can't decide which you're worse at," Victor stated.
The low guttural growls intensified. Red eyes flared in the shadows, multiplying. With hesitant steps, the creatures emerged, their instincts screaming at them to tread carefully. Even as they sensed the overwhelming power before them, they took solace in their numbers.
Victor slowly raised his hand, palm open. Instantly, an intense orange glow erupted, flooding the hallway with searing light. The creatures' grotesque forms were revealed—some with a single eye, others with none, some towering, others hunched and deformed. A grotesque gathering of abominations.
"You know, of all the monsters, you lot are my least favorite," Victor said, his voice sharp despite his composed face. "Abominations formed from abominations. You make me sick to my core."
The moment the words left his lips, the heat in his palm surged. The creatures screeched in agony as their bodies smoked and sizzled, the sheer intensity of the flames cooking them alive. Windows melted in the heat, and the very air wavered.
The creatures writhed, their bodies dissolving into a thick, bubbling sludge. Their screams faded, and one by one, they collapsed, nothing more than steaming piles of goo.
As the glow dimmed and the darkness reclaimed the hallway, Victor turned and continued his ascent.
Suddenly—
A monstrous, dog-like figure lunged from the left, its jaw unhinged, fangs gleaming. Without so much as a glance, Victor raised his palm, a torrent of fire engulfing the beast mid-air, turning it to ash before it could touch the ground.
More creatures rushed in—above, behind, from both sides. Victor stood firm, his hand moving like a conductor's baton, fire roaring to life with each motion. Bright orange flames carved through the darkness, reflecting off the walls as bodies incinerated in an instant.
And then—silence.
Victor slipped his hands back into his pockets, his steps echoing in the empty stairwell. But as he took another step—he froze.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"What the hell was that aura just now?" His instincts screamed. "I didn't sense it before. Don't tell me that guy outside isn't the boss after all. And… it managed to conceal itself? No ordinary monster can do that."
A smirk played on Victor's lips.
"Looks like I might have to start taking this mission seriously."
With that, he ascended the stairs.
---
The Courtyard
The creature stood eerily still, its unseen eyes locked onto Kai. Then—
A blur of movement.
It appeared in front of Kai in an instant, its massive fist drawn back, ready to drive him into the ground.
Kai barely reacted—
BOOM!
The creature's fist cratered the earth instead, missing its target. The ground trembled from the sheer force, its arm buried deep in the pavement.
Kai had reappeared above it, body coiled like a spring. The moment he landed—
He snapped.
Both feet slammed into the back of the creature's head with explosive force.
BOOM!
The impact sent the creature's face smashing into the ground, fissures spreading like veins. A cloud of dust erupted as Kai flipped off, landing with a controlled skid across the pavement.
His uniform was in ruins, the top half of his face soaked in blood. But his eyes—wide, burning with focus—never wavered.
The creature planted its hands firmly, dragging its head from the debris. Dirt and shattered concrete crumbled from its body as it slowly rose.
Then Kai saw it.
His breath hitched.
A face.
Eyes. A nose. A mouth.
"The hell…?" His pulse quickened. "Just a second ago, it had no face—so what the hell is this?"
Both Kai and Victor coul
d feel it—the shift in the air, the surge of tension creeping up their spines.
The real fight had just begun.