cosmic outbreak

Chapter 20: The Clash of Awakened Powers

The battlefield was set. Emi and Santino stood across from Kaito and Fyodor, tension crackling in the air. This was no ordinary sparring match—this was a test of power, a clash of will.

As soon as the fight began, Emi wasted no time. Fueled by sheer anger, she activated her Speed Spell, vanishing from sight before reappearing behind Fyodor in an instant. "Too slow," she muttered before unleashing a devastating Barrage Ball that sent him flying.

Fyodor groaned, trying to recover, but Emi wasn't done yet. She moved with unnatural speed, her Strength Spell amplifying her every strike. "Not so tough now, huh?" she sneered.

On the other side, Santino faced Kaito. Kaito conjured a fierce Windstorm, attempting to throw Santino off balance, but Santino countered with a crackling Thunder Rope. Bolts of electricity lashed out, wrapping around Kaito and slamming him into the ground three times in rapid succession.

"You're finished," Santino declared, tightening the current.

But Kaito wasn't done. With a sudden burst of energy, he roared, his body surrounded by swirling wind. His form lifted into the air, Awakening his latent potential. The very air itself bent to his will, forming a massive Cyclone that threatened to consume everything.

Santino braced himself, casting a Shield Spell, but the force was too overwhelming. His defense shattered in seconds.

Meanwhile, Emi's eyes burned with fury. With a deafening scream, her entire body transformed, becoming a manifestation of pure Barrage Energy. "You're gonna regret this," she growled, forming Barrage Guns infused with the Strength Spell. Without hesitation, she fired a relentless barrage at Fyodor.

The impact was catastrophic. Fyodor didn't just lose—he was destroyed in the attack, left crumpled on the ground, unconscious.

Now, only Kaito and Emi remained. Both had awakened. Both were monsters in their own right.

Kaito unleashed another Cyclone, but Emi charged straight through it. Her overwhelming force shattered the wind itself, and in retaliation, she conjured a Barrage Orb, fusing it with Strength Spell. She hurled it at Kaito, the sheer force sending shockwaves across the battlefield.

Kaito barely managed to dodge, his speed reaching light-speed levels. He countered with Wind Bullets, but Emi fired Barrage Bullets in response. The two attacks collided mid-air, sending explosions rippling across the arena.

However, Emi's attack was stronger. The bullets tore through Kaito's wind defense, forcing him to retreat. But he wasn't giving up yet. With one final push, he activated Barrage Graveyard, summoning a massive Barrage Sword infused with overwhelming power.

He swung at Emi.

But Emi didn't flinch. She took the attack head-on. The sheer impact should have destroyed her.

Yet, when the dust settled…

Kaito was the one on the ground. Defeated.

Ojiisan stepped forward, his voice calm yet commanding. "The winners are Emi and Santino."

The entire center was silent. No one could believe what they had just witnessed. Even Luna, the strongest in the center after Ojiisan, looked stunned.

But before anyone could celebrate, a dark vision flashed through the minds of those sensitive to magic.

A hidden alien lab deep in space. Scientists working frantically on a new breed of monster—a horrifying fusion of zombie and human, their bodies grotesquely large, their arms replaced with deadly weapons.

A mysterious alien scientist grinned, whispering, "It's time to unleash the Hybrids."

A massive energy orb shot toward Earth, carrying the twisted experiment with it.

Back at the training center, the next battle was about to begin—Kuroshin & Luna vs. Muscle & Hikaru.

Luna walked up to Hikaru, leaning close. She whispered in his ear, her voice chilling.

"You're going to die."