The ruins pulsed with energy, the Abyssal Flow shifting in chaotic tides around Kael. He could feel it now—the pressure, the resonance, the whispering currents responding to his presence. The confrontation was inevitable.
Jorin Malvek stood in the distance, his posture unshaken, the Abyss folding around his form like an extension of his will. There was no wasted movement—only precision. The air condensed at his fingertips, forming a spiraling sphere of dark energy. Kael barely had time to react before it launched toward him, the Abyssal Shot cutting through space like a silent predator.
Instinct took over. Kael twisted, pressing his palm against the current, letting the Flow adjust his weight and velocity. Instead of dodging outright, he used the opposing surge to shift sideways with unnatural speed, sliding through the fractured terrain in fluid bursts. The attack slammed into the ground behind him, erasing a chunk of reality in its wake.
Jorin exhaled, the Abyssal Flow around him coalescing into layers of compressed energy. His next strike wasn't just an attack—it was manipulation. A twisting rift emerged at Kael's feet, pulling at the Abyss around him, trying to disrupt his Void Anchor directly.
Kael felt the drag, the sudden shift in energy density threatening to crush his stance. Instead of resisting, he moved with the distortion, allowing the Abyss to shape his next motion rather than working against it. He lifted his hand and spun the Flow around his arm, forming a Ripple Veil, a barrier that flexed rather than shattered against impact.
Alyss watched from the edge of the battlefield, her expression unreadable. She had taught him that Abyssal Flow wasn't a force to control—it was a tide to navigate. Now, Kael was proving that lesson in real combat.
Jorin narrowed his eyes. "You're adapting faster than expected."
Kael didn't answer. He had no time for words.
Instead, he shifted forward, weaving his arm through the currents. The Echo Strike formed—a delayed imprint in space that wouldn't activate until Jorin moved into range. Then, before the Abyss Hunter could react, Kael used Void Drift, letting his energy harmonize with the natural tides of the battlefield. His movement blurred—untraceable, unpredictable.
Jorin stepped back instinctively. That was all Kael needed. His Echo Strike activated, the Abyss snapping into place like a predestined storm.
For the first time, Jorin faltered.
And Kael knew—this battle wasn't just about survival anymore.
It was about mastery.