The Titan Mutation stepped through the cracked gate like a nightmare that had outgrown a human body.
Its arms dragged trenches into the concrete.Its spine curved outward in jagged spikes.Its grey, pulsing eyes locked onto one thing—
Arjun.
Not Velocity.Not the students.Not movement.
Just him.
Arjun stood still beneath the flickering courtyard lights, chest rising and falling rhythmically, grey-brown eyes pulsing faint white in the darkness.
Meera clung to the wall behind him, shaking so hard she could barely breathe.
"Arjun…"Her voice broke."Please — please don't go closer…"
He didn't look back.
He couldn't.
Samar stood beside Rudra, fists clenched tightly enough to bleed.
"Let him fight with me," Samar growled. "If he dies—"
Rudra grabbed Samar's shoulder and forced him to stay still.
"He won't die," Rudra said calmly."Unless you interfere."
Samar's eyes widened, fury rising."What the hell is that supposed to—"
Rudra cut him off:
"That monster is his mirror. If you step between a man and his reflection, you break both."
Samar trembled, barely restraining rage.
[Samar — Awakening Signature: 90% → 95%][Forced Awakening Danger: EXTREME]
Rahul whispered, horrified:"Bro… Samar's veins are literally glowing…"
Rudra didn't even look.
"He's close. Too close."
Velocity Falls First
Before Arjun could take another step, a squad of Velocity soldiers rushed in.
Their commander — the last surviving one — shouted:
"FORMATION AROUND THE SUBJECT! PROTECT THE STUDENTS—!"
The Titan roared.
A wall of sound hit the courtyard.Dust exploded upward.Windows shattered.
Meera screamed and covered her ears.Rahul dropped to his knees.Even Samar flinched.
The Titan charged.
Velocity opened fire.
Bullets tore into its chest—and bounced off.
The Titan grabbed one soldier by the torso—and flung him into the auditorium wall.
Another was crushed under its foot.
A third tried to stab its leg—the Titan lifted him by the throatand broke him like snapping a twig.
Blood pooled.
Meera sobbed.Rahul turned away, shaking.Samar's breathing grew violent with rage.
Arjun watched in horror—
—and then the System pulsed:
[Combat Projection Activated][Titan Mutation: Core Weakness Detected]Location: Left knee jointDamage Required: Heavy Impact
Arjun whispered:
"I saw it."
Rudra:
"Then use it."
Arjun Steps Forward Alone
Arjun's legs felt heavy.His ribs still bled.His palms shook—
But he stepped.
The Titan turned toward him instantly.
Samar shouted, "ARJUN NO—!"Meera screamed, "STOP—STOP—PLEASE—!"
But Arjun kept walking.
The ground trembled beneath the Titan's steps.Its massive hand swung horizontally at Arjun—
Arjun's Instinctive Flow activated.
Time slowed.
Arjun bent backward—the Titan's claws sliced his hair—he rolled forward, sliding between its legs—
and hit the left knee joint with all the force he had.
But—
It wasn't enough.
Arjun's knuckles fractured on impact.
Pain exploded through his hand.
He screamed.
Meera screamed with him.
Rahul cried, "BRO STOP—!"
Samar surged forward—
Rudra grabbed him again.
"LET ME GO—!" Samar roared.
Rudra's voice sharpened:
"If you awaken now, you'll tear yourself apart!"
But Samar wasn't listening anymore.
His awakening was forcing itself open.
His skin glowed beneath the surface.
His pupils dilated.His breath turned ragged.His fingers bent unnaturally.
[Samar — 95% → 97% → 98%]
Rudra shoved Samar back with force.
Samar slammed against the wall, panting.
"DON'T MAKE ME WATCH HIM DIE!"
Rudra whispered:
"He's not dying. He's changing."
Arjun Bleeds, Breaks — and Awakens More
The Titan swung downward.
Arjun dodged—but not fully.
A claw raked across his side.
Blood poured.
Arjun screamed.Meera almost collapsed in terror.Rahul grabbed her shoulders to keep her from running into the battlefield.
Arjun's vision blurred.
His body shook.
But then—
The System exploded with light.
[Emergency Awakening Surge Triggered][Origin Path: 82% → 90%][Instinctive Flow: Level 2 → Level 3]Effect: 0.4s precognition window unlocked
Arjun froze in shock.
He could see the Titan's next movement—before it made it.
He whispered:
"I… see the future?"
Rudra smiled faintly.
"No. You see possibilities."
The Titan's fist came down.
Arjun moved before it began moving.
Not dodging.
Redirecting.
He grabbed the Titan's huge fingerand pivoted around it—sliding across its arm—jumping onto its shoulder—before gravity caught up to reality.
Samar's jaw dropped.
Rahul whispered:"Bro… how the hell did he—?"
Meera looked like she forgot how to breathe.
Arjun stood on the Titan's shoulderpantingbleedingbarely conscious—
but awake in a way he had never been before.
He raised his hand—
the broken one—the one dripping blood—
and whispered:
"Hit the knee…"
He leaped.
The world slowed entirely.
Arjun fell—
spinning—
aiming—
all instinct turned into perfect control.
He slammed his heel into the Titan's left knee joint.
Something CRACKED.
The Titan stumbled.
Arjun hit the ground hard.
The impact broke something in his lower back.He screamed, rolling onto his side.
Worst injury yet.
Meera cried out, "ARJUN—!!"Samar roared, "I'M GOING IN—!"Rahul froze, horrified.
Rudra watched silently.
The Titan roared and collapsed onto one knee.
Arjun gasped in pain, clutching his side.
Blood dripped from his lips.
He could barely breathe.
The System flickered violently:
[Warning: Body Collapse Imminent][Origin Path: 90% → 94%]Countdown: 2 Hours Remaining
Arjun whispered:
"…two hours…"
His vision dimmed.
His breath grew shallow.
But he smiled weakly.
"I… hurt it."
Samar Finally Breaks
Seeing Arjun bleeding, unable to stand—something inside Samar snapped.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
Samar screamed — a sound halfway between rage and grief.
His awakening surged.
[Samar — 98% → 99% → 100%]FORCED AWAKENING TRIGGEREDWARNING: Body at risk of overload
Rudra turned sharply.
"…No."
Samar's veins glowed like molten metal.
His eyes went pure black.Not demonic—awakened.
His breath came out in violent bursts.
His muscles tensed so hard his shirt ripped.
"SAMAR!" Arjun shouted weakly. "STOP—DON'T—!"
Samar didn't hear.
He roared and sprinted toward the Titan.
Meera screamed, "SAMAR NOOO—!!!"
Even Rudra cursed under his breath.
But Samar kept going.
Straight toward death.
Straight toward power.
Straight toward the monster Arjun weakened—
and the monster they both feared within themselves.