Chapter 25 - Chapter 25: Breaking Point

The battlefield split into two fronts.On one side, Aditya Roy clashed with the Orc King.Sparks and shockwaves erupted with every strike of their blades.The King's raw strength, fueled by the crystal lodged deep in his chest, shook the earth itself.Aditya's blade, however, moved like a storm—every swing precise, carrying the weight of countless battles."Is this all, beast?" Aditya roared, forcing the King back with a devastating strike.The crystal pulsed violently, responding with a surge of energy that sent Aditya skidding across the ground.The battle of titans raged, neither side giving an inch.Meanwhile, Veer, Ashish, Anika, and Jiya faced the empowered Orc Queen.Her aura was monstrous, amplified by the King's crystal earlier.Every swing of her mace left craters, every roar shattered the air.The four fought desperately.Veer absorbed blows again and again, redirecting bursts of kinetic energy to slow her down.Ashish hardened his body to block fatal strikes, but his arms shook under the weight of each blow.Anika fired bursts of force, but the Queen's resilience made them little more than scratches.And Jiya—her sword glowed faintly with pure aura, but her strikes weren't enough.Her heart pounded in frustration.Why… why can't I protect them?Why am I always just barely enough?The Queen swung her mace.Veer was too slow this time.BOOM!The strike landed, sending him tumbling, coughing blood."Veer!" Jiya screamed, running toward him.But the Queen's shadow loomed overhead, weapon raised again.Ashish staggered forward, his stone-hardened body already cracked, trying to shield them both.Jiya froze.In that moment, her world blurred—memories flashing through her mind.Her father's stern but caring voice.Her mother's warm smile she could no longer see.Veer's laughter as a child, clutching her hand.Her promise, long ago, to always protect her little brother no matter the cost.Tears stung her eyes as her blade shook in her grip.I can't lose him.I won't lose him.Not now.Not ever.A deep, raw cry tore from her throat."NOT AGAIN!"Her aura exploded.The faint glow around her blade ignited into a blinding storm of pure energy.The ground cracked beneath her feet as raw power surged outward, washing over the battlefield.The Queen staggered back for the first time, shielding herself from the searing light.Ashish and Anika turned in shock.Even Veer, struggling to rise, could only stare in awe.Jiya's eyes blazed with fierce determination, her body surrounded by streams of radiant energy.The once-faint aura she had wielded now roared like a tempest, every ounce of it bending to her will.Her presence had changed.She had crossed the threshold.Tier 5.Jiya raised her sword, the energy howling around it, and pointed it straight at the Queen."You will not touch my family," she said, her voice steady and unshakable.The Queen snarled, enraged, but for the first time—there was hesitation in her steps.And so, as the battle reached its boiling point, hope flickered once more on the battlefield.But it was only the beginning.