Just like the days before, Gary found himself unable to sleep through the night. Even after everything that had happened and returning to the manor, his body wouldn't rest. His mind wouldn't quiet.
Instead of sleeping, Gary had continued pushing forward, training his Qi, practicing his transformation. Ever since unlocking a small part of it, he felt like he could finally do something meaningful with his powers. There was no need to start the process with Innu by his side.
But he wasn't reckless. Not anymore.
He didn't want to scare the maids or any of the staff walking around the manor at night, so he quietly made his way down to one of the reinforced training rooms deep within the estate.
Inside, Gary was hit by a wave of familiarity.
The walls were made from grey panels, floor to ceiling, just like the special lesson rooms at the AFC. The days of him fighting against beasts in such a room had appeared. Everything about it triggered old memories, of blood, sweat, and the will to improve.
Sitting down in the center of the room, Gary focused deeply.
He was trying to circulate his Qi throughout his body, without triggering his transformation. It required immense control. Precision. Calmness. He had to separate the energy from the beast, and the extreme focus had dulled his other senses.
In the middle of this focused meditation, he suddenly felt something.
A low rumble. Barely there. But it sent a shiver through him.
What was that? Gary's eyes snapped open. Is someone else training? No… not at this hour. Everyone should be asleep and no one is that big of an idiot to do that while everyone is sleeping. That doesn't make sense. I should check it out. Just to be sure.
Elsewhere in the manor, Xin also stirred.
She had felt it too. That faint tremor, as if the earth itself had flinched.
Getting up from her bed, she hurried to Gary's room and knocked several times. When there was no answer, she carefully opened the door, only to find it empty.
He's training again? Was that rumble from him...but no one would train at this time of night while everyone is sleeping right, well maybe Gary would, but it could be something else? she wondered.
The cause of the tremor was far more serious.
It had been the massive combined attack from Ice and Apollo, a display of raw elemental power that could be felt even at a distance from the manor.
They had managed to create a hardened prison of ice around Unzoku, an incredible feat in itself, but even now, the same question echoed in both of their minds:
How did something like that… break free so easily?
With no movement. No resistance.
Was it just brute strength? Or was it something else, something they still didn't understand?
"Go back!" Kai shouted from where he stood, still paralyzed. "Go and get the others!"
"And leave you here?" Apollo growled. "I'm sorry, but I haven't been in the Howlers long, and even I know, Gary wouldn't want to see you die."
Ice agreed without hesitation. He gritted his teeth, charging forward with his massive club in hand. The ground beneath him frosted over with every heavy step.
This wasn't the time to hold back. Not anymore.
His club crackled with swirling ice and wind energy as he poured everything into one full-powered strike.
Unzoku made no attempt to dodge.
And Ice was right. He didn't need to.
The moment the club made contact with Unzoku's arm, frost began spreading rapidly. But Unzoku simply clenched his fist, and in an instant,
Red energy burst out like flames, dark and sinister, wrapping around his limb. With one brutal surge of force, the entire club snapped like it was nothing.
Ice staggered back, stunned. But Apollo didn't wait.
Running full speed on all fours, Apollo launched himself at Unzoku's waist like a missile. The impact pushed the monster back, but only a few inches.
Still, it wasn't about distance. Apollo was gripping him tightly, preparing to lift him into the air and slam him.
Until pain exploded through his back.
Sharp claws, long and deadly, stabbed through Apollo from above.
Unzoku had pierced him with one hand, embedding his claws deep into Apollo's back before lifting his entire body off the ground.
With a roar, Unzoku swung him overhead and released, retracting his claws just as Apollo went flying.
His body soared through the sky, shrinking into the distance until it disappeared entirely.
He still couldn't move. He couldn't stop it.
He's strong. Just as strong as Gary… maybe even Lupus. The only person who can fight him now… is Gary.
Unzoku began to walk again, heading toward him.
I'm sorry, Gary. If I had warned you sooner, if we had everyone… maybe you and Xin could've stopped him. Maybe we would've stood a chance.
I'm sorry I even said he'd go after Lupus instead. I was wrong.
And now, I'm sorry that I won't be there when you need me most. I just wish… I could've stayed by your side a little longer.
Kai looked up at the towering figure now standing over him, and somehow, despite it all, he forced himself to smile.
Unzoku paused. "This is not a situation for a smile," he said.
"You might be right," Kai replied, voice trembling but steady. "I was just thinking… about the look on your face. The one you'll have when Gary kicks your ass, again."
Unzoku's grin widened, revealing sharp, jagged teeth stretching from one edge of his mouth to the other.
"Oh, but you're mistaken," he said, reaching out his hand toward Kai.
"My target isn't Gary. From the very beginning,
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