Chapter 70: Retreat

The fight began instantly.

The Dabba attacked first, closing the distance with brute speed that belied its massive frame. One moment it was several meters away, the next it was right on top of Jelo, forcing him onto the defensive before he could even process what was happening.

Jelo barely managed to throw himself to the side as the creature’s claws came down where his head had been a split second before.

The impact of the strike hit the ground with enough force to send cracks spider-webbing through the already damaged earth, chunks of rock exploding outward from the point of contact.

He didn’t have time to think, only to react.

Jelo countered immediately, his hands moving through the familiar motions as he activated Dragon Claw. Fire energy surged through his body, concentrating in his arms before erupting outward in multiple energy strikes, blazing projectiles that shot toward the Dabba in rapid succession.

The attacks landed cleanly, each one slamming into the creature’s mutated flesh with explosive force. The Dabba roared in pain and fury as the fire energy burned into its body, leaving scorch marks across its already scarred hide.

The strikes slowed it, forcing it to stagger back half a step as it absorbed the damage.

But they didn’t stop it.

The Dabba shook off the attacks like they were nothing more than an annoyance, its yellow eyes blazing with renewed rage. It pressed forward immediately, giving Jelo no time to capitalize on the opening.

The creature was relentless, overpowering him with physical attacks that came one after another in a brutal, never-ending assault.

Jelo found himself being driven backward with each exchange, his feet sliding against the loose gravel as he struggled to maintain his footing. Every block, every dodge, every desperate attempt to create space was met with another strike from the Dabba.

Its claws tore through the air with terrifying speed, each swipe capable of ending the fight if it connected properly.

The edge of the cliff was behind him now, Jelo could feel it even without looking, the absence of solid ground radiating like a warning in the back of his mind. The Dabba was driving him toward it, using its superior strength and reach to corner him against the drop.

Jelo’s breathing was already becoming labored, his body straining under the effort of defending against the creature’s onslaught.

The headache that had been plaguing him was making everything harder, slowing his reactions just enough to put him at a disadvantage. Every movement felt like it was happening through a haze of pain.

He needed to change the dynamic of the fight. Now.

Jelo used Wing Burst, the ability activating in a sudden explosion of movement that launched him sideways and away from the cliff edge. He barely escaped a strike that would have taken his head off, the Dabba’s claws passing through empty air where he’d been standing a fraction of a second before.

The repositioning gave him a brief window, and Jelo didn’t waste it. He retaliated immediately with another Dragon Claw, this time putting more power behind the attack. Multiple energy strikes erupted from his hands, each one larger and more concentrated than before.

They hammered into the Dabba from a different angle, exploiting the opening created by its missed attack.

The creature roared as the strikes connected, actually being forced back several steps by the impact. For the first time since the fight had started, the Dabba wasn’t the one dictating the pace.

For a short time, Jelo controlled the fight. He pressed his advantage, landing precise hits while avoiding direct damage through careful positioning and well-timed movements.

His Dragon Claw attacks came in controlled bursts, each one designed to maximize damage while conserving his fire energy. He couldn’t afford to burn through his reserves too quickly—not with his body already weakened by the headache.

The Dabba was bleeding now, dark blood oozing from multiple wounds across its body. The scorch marks from Jelo’s attacks were accumulating, covering its flesh in a patchwork of burns. For a moment, Jelo allowed himself to think he might actually be winning.

But the Dabba adapted quickly.

The creature changed its approach, becoming more deliberate in its movements. Instead of the wild, aggressive assault from before, it began timing its attacks more carefully, watching Jelo’s patterns and cutting off his movement options before he could execute them.

When Jelo tried to circle around to attack from the side, the Dabba was already there, forcing him back. When he attempted to create distance with Wing Burst, the creature anticipated it, positioning itself to intercept.

The momentum shifted again, this time more gradually but no less decisively.

A heavy clash followed. The Dabba lunged forward with a devastating overhead strike, both arms raised high before crashing down with all its weight behind them. Jelo saw it coming and activated Scaled guard, his defensive ability flaring to life just in time to absorb the blow.

The impact was tremendous. Even with Scaled guard active, Jelo felt the force of the attack reverberate through his entire body, his knees buckling slightly under the pressure. The ground beneath his feet cracked from the transferred energy, and for a moment, his vision swam from the shock of it.

But the defense held. Barely.

The Dabba didn’t give him time to recover. It followed up immediately with another strike, then another, each one hammering against Jelo’s Scaled guard defense with bone-crushing force.

The ability was designed to absorb and deflect attacks, but it had limits. And the Dabba was testing those limits with every hit.

The defense strained under the repeated impact. Jelo could feel Scaled guard beginning to falter, the protective barrier around him flickering like a candle in a windstorm.

His fire energy was being drained rapidly to maintain the defense, and his body was struggling to keep up with the demand.

The Dabba overwhelmed him through sheer force, breaking through his rhythm entirely. Jelo’s carefully controlled fighting style fell apart under the relentless assault, replaced by desperate, reactive movements that were more about survival than strategy.

He attempted another Wing Burst, trying to escape the creature’s range and reset the fight, but his timing faltered. The headache chose that exact moment to spike, sending a lance of pain through his skull that disrupted his concentration for just a fraction of a second.

That fraction of a second was all the Dabba needed.

The creature’s claw caught him mid-movement, before Wing Burst could fully activate. Jelo saw the strike coming but couldn’t move fast enough to avoid it completely. The impact was devastating.

He took a direct hit.

The Dabba’s claws raked across Jelo’s torso, tearing through his clothing and the flesh beneath. Pain exploded through his body, white-hot and overwhelming, as blood began flowing freely from the wounds.

The force of the blow sent him flying backward, his body tumbling across the ground before finally coming to a stop several meters away.

The impact injured him badly enough to disrupt his breathing and slow his reactions. Jelo gasped for air, each breath sending fresh waves of agony through his damaged torso.

His vision blurred for a moment, and he had to fight to stay conscious through the pain and the persistent headache that was now competing with his new injuries for attention.

Realizing the fight had shifted decisively against him, Jelo made a split-second decision. He disengaged, using what little energy he had left to throw himself backward and create distance.

He was forced to retreat as the Dabba remained aggressive and dominant, pressing forward with the same relentless intensity it had shown from the start.

The creature knew he was weakened now, could probably smell the blood in the air, and it had no intention of letting its prey escape.

Jelo stumbled as he backed away, his injured body protesting every movement. His breathing was ragged and painful, each inhale feeling like knives were being dragged across the inside of his chest.

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