Chapter 20: Chapter 20: The Breaking Point
Rhys barely managed to seize the Necrolythian's arm—the one clutching the syringe with both hands. He braced himself, anticipating the inevitable. In a swift motion, the Necrolythian threw a brutal punch towards Rhys's face. The force was staggering, propelling Rhys backward with explosive power. His body crashed through the metal wall behind him, tearing it apart like paper. He landed harshly in the adjacent room, smashing into a row of metal desks that shattered beneath his weight.
Pain shot through Rhys's body, but there was no time to dwell on it. He scrambled to his feet just as the Necrolythian raced into the room, its cold, hollow eyes fixed intently on him. Instinctively, Rhys grabbed one of the desks and hurled it with all his remaining strength. It smashed against the Necrolythian, who barely flinched, keeping the syringe protected with its other hand.
I have to break that thing, Rhys thought desperately. He grabbed another desk, feeling the weight of his desperation as he threw it with every ounce of his strength. The Necrolythian shielded the syringe once more, ignoring the debris. Determined, Rhys dashed, aiming a swift kick at the creature's leg to unbalance it. The Necrolythian blocked the kick with its shin, but Rhys's sheer force pushed it backward.
Due to the fact that both combatants were superhuman in strength, their unchanged mass allowed the Necrolythian to lose its balance, its feet skidding across the metal floor. Rhys saw his chance. He lunged forward, grabbing the Necrolythian's legs mid-air before it could recover. With a surge of adrenaline, Rhys slammed the creature into the floor, the impact echoing like thunder. He didn't stop. Fueled by rage, he yanked the Necrolythian up again and slammed it back down, again and again, each collision reverberating through the room.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The floor buckled under the relentless assault, but Rhys ignored the damage. He was determined to tear this abomination apart. Suddenly, a shadow loomed overhead. Rhys barely had time to react before another Necrolythian burst through the hole in the wall, delivering a crushing punch to his jaw. His head snapped back violently, and his world spun as he was thrown sideways. His jaw dislocated with a sickening crunch, blood filling his mouth.
The new Necrolythian stood over him, its eyes gleaming with malice. "There is no need for me to use a single body," it taunted, its voice icy and mocking, sending a chill down Rhys's spine.
Rhys's vision blurred as he struggled to regain control. But his cursed, augmented body was already working to repair the damage. His jaw snapped back into place with a sickening crack, and the dazed fog lifted as regenerative power surged through him. He wasn't done yet.
Clenching his fists, determination burning in his eyes, Rhys swung his leg upward, aiming a kick at the Necrolythian's chin. The blow grazed the creature's head, barely missing a solid hit. Close, but not enough. The Necrolythian lunged forward, diving for the syringe its previous body had dropped in the struggle.
"Not today," Rhys growled, stomping hard on the Necrolythian's arm and pinning it firmly to the floor. The creature hissed in frustration, trying to pull free, but Rhys refused to relent. He followed up with a vicious soccer kick to the Necrolythian's head. The impact was so powerful that the creature's skull popped off, rolling across the room as its body went limp.
"That should buy me a few seconds," Rhys muttered, barely catching his breath when the sound of approaching footsteps pierced the chaos once more. Another Necrolythian—the same one—entered the room, its body pristine as if nothing had happened. Rhys's heart pounded in his chest. How many times is this going to happen?
He knew he couldn't keep this up forever. The syringe. He had to destroy it, or this fight would never end. Rhys's eyes locked onto the syringe lying a few feet away. Whatever was in it, he knew it wasn't meant to help him. If the Necrolythian was so desperate to retrieve it, it had to be something dangerous.
The new Necrolythian—its body fresh and intact—lunged at Rhys again. Rhys moved quickly, grabbing its arm, but this time, the creature did something unexpected. Its arm ripped free of its body, tearing itself apart in a grotesque display of self-mutilation. Before Rhys could react, the Necrolythian stood and threw a high kick aimed directly at his face.
Rhys barely had time to respond. He brought his arm up, attempting to block the kick just before it connected. But without warning, the Necrolythian shifted its weight, altering the trajectory of the kick mid-movement. It chambered a side kick, and before Rhys could adjust, the creature's foot slammed into his ribs.
Pain exploded in his side, but Rhys gritted his teeth and forced himself to stay on his feet. I've been through worse. I'm not going down now, he thought, despite the agony. But he couldn't keep this up much longer. Every hit was wearing him down, and yet the Necrolythian kept coming, each new body just as relentless as the last.
Rhys knew he couldn't let this fight drag on. The syringe was the key. He had to destroy it before the Necrolythian found a way to use it. There was no use in running. Not here.
As the Necrolythian lunged again, its leg raised for another strike, Rhys's mind raced. I need to end this now.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone