His forearm burned from blocking a savage elbow. His jaw throbbed from a glancing uppercut. His ribs screamed in pain every time he twisted too hard.
Still, he kept fighting.
Every movement became sharper, more refined. He was learning his own body now, testing the limits of his new strength. He could feel the rhythm of the fight, not just with his eyes, but with instinct.
The tiniest twitch in the Construct's shoulder told him when to dodge. The faint shift in weight gave away its next target.
But it still wasn't enough.
After ten minutes of back-and-forth, Kael was panting. His shirt clung to his back, soaked through with sweat. His blade arm trembled. Blood dripped from a cut just above his eye, stinging as it ran down his face.
The Construct? It was still steady. Breathing like it had only just warmed up.
Kael spat blood onto the ground. His chest heaved. "Stamina freak..."
The Construct didn't reply. It just moved again.
