---
He rolled just in time, shoulder bouncing off a cracked root. His claws extended and snagged the incoming tongue mid-lash. The impact jolted his arm, sparks flying from the friction. He grunted, his forearm plate groaning under the pressure as the tongue twisted and flailed like a serpent in a fire pit.
"Enough," Kai growled.
His fingers closed tighter.
With a snarl, he heaved the monster limb upward, veins bulging along his neck and arms. His heel spikes dug into the broken stone beneath him, anchoring his stance like a siege engine winding up for the final pull.
The floor didn't just tremble, it tore.
Ground cracked. Roots snapped. Fungal growths exploded in a haze of toxic spores. Kai pulled the tongue with a brutal and unrelenting force that made his body armor hum with strain.
