Every strike from the King tore through the air like thunder splitting the sky.Each blow was enough to flatten a mountain—yet I still stood.
[ADAPTIVE PHYSIOLOGY ENGAGED][Firewalls Reinforced → 89%][Muscular Density Optimized]
The pain in my ribs dulled. The ache in my arm stabilized. My body changed, shifting under the pressure, learning from every impact.
He moved again—too fast for mortal eyes, but my perception stretched with the rhythm of his fury. His fist came down in an arc meant to crater the throne room itself.
I caught it.And this time, my hand didn't crack.
Gid's eyes narrowed. "Hmph. So the parasite learns."
I bared my teeth in something between a grin and a snarl. "Not learns—evolves."
With a twist, I redirected his force, slamming him into the marble. The ground erupted, shockwaves tearing across the hall. Soldiers flew like paper in a storm.
The King rose instantly, laughing as rubble fell from his shoulders. "Good! GOOD! Show me more!"
His aura surged again, purple fire engulfing him. It twisted into claws, wings, horns—a demonic shadow mirroring his wrath. The air itself screamed at his presence.
And yet—I did not falter.
[Warning: System Strain → 97%][Emergency Protocols → Available]
The voices within stirred.
— Consume him. Tear him down. Use his essence to ascend.— No. Endure. Outlast. Adapt until he breaks himself.
Two paths. Two instincts. Both mine.
I steadied myself. My gaze locked with his.
"You're strong," I admitted. "But strength without purpose is wasted."
His snarl twisted into a grin. "Purpose? Mine is simple—crush anything that threatens my daughter."
Lala's cry cut through the chaos. "Father, STOP!"
For a moment—just a heartbeat—his aura flickered. The tiniest hesitation.
I lunged. My fist slammed into his chest, a wave of symbiotic force erupting outward. The King staggered back, surprise flashing across his face for the first time.
The hall shook. Cracks spread across the throne.
And I realized—this fight was no longer about survival.
It was about dominance.