Rex stared through Kaeleth, his eyes not seeing a god but seeing a data stream, a sequence of failures unfolding in real time.
The tension in the sanctum was so thick it felt like breathing liquid mercury. Every ragged breath Kaeleth drew sounded like gravel grinding in a wound, a wet, choking noise that punctuated the terrible silence.
"You made me faster every time you hit me," Rex said, his voice disturbingly calm, almost conversational. "That's the beauty of it, isn't it?"
"The Adaptation's analysis speed isn't just a passive shield; it's a learning function."
"It's a predator that grows stronger with every wound it receives..."
"You weren't fighting me, Kaeleth... You were training me."
Kaeleth remained silent. His golden blood continued to drip from his chin, spattering against the floor with a rhythmic tap... tap... tap that sounded like a countdown.
