As soon as Gael laid eyes on the one-eyed monster, he realized that the imposing presence of the cyclops far exceeded his own strength, but a seed of courage compelled him to face that giant being.

The cyclops advanced towards him, and in that moment, memories of Karumo's wise words during training danced in his mind. Every move from his duel with Kira revealed a deep understanding of stances and combat techniques.

"The technique is the true strength, Gael."

Karumo's firm and wise voice echoed in his ears. Each word resonated as an essential reminder of how to become a true martial arts master.

Gael filled himself with determination, assimilating the words with a thirst for knowledge.

"My dominant hand for the sword and my secondary hand to channel elemental energy."

He whispered to himself, visualizing the perfect synergy between his hands.

From that moment, his mind became a whirlwind of possibilities. He understood that the manipulation of the element was in his secondary hands, ready to be unleashed and shaped by his will. Gael knew that this combination of technique and elemental energy would be his secret weapon to triumph in this battle.

With renewed determination, Gael was ready to face any adversity and tread his path as a true martial arts master.

The training with Kira, where he had been knocked down countless times, came to mind at the perfect moment. The relentless pursuit of balance and stability had provided remarkable improvements, making him more capable of facing challenges. Now, amid that confrontation, Gael knew he needed to apply everything he had learned in ten days of dedication.

The monster's first attack came through the club, but the height advantage of over 4 meters meant that its strikes were slower, allowing Gael to dodge.

"Good thing I'm a good physics student, your horrifying appearance doesn't scare me."

Gael said fearlessly, observing the creature's imposing figure.

"My speed will be my ally against your strength."

Indeed, his agility had progressed notably since the awakening of his powers. However, the terrifying form of the monster was a constant reminder of the imminent danger. With a swing of the club, the cyclops created a deep hole in the street where Gael had been just seconds before.

"Being good at physics won't save me if I get hit by one of its blows."

Gael reflected to himself, aware of the importance of avoiding the reach of the cyclops's formidable weapon.

When the club came down, Gael agilely and precisely dodged the spot where the fierce blow had been delivered. Amid the tension of the battle, his sharp eyes captured the imposing movement of the monster's hand, wielding the greenish brass knuckle, descending devastatingly toward him. Once again, the boy showcased his dexterity in evading the dangerous attack.

The giant had already unleashed two frightening strikes against Gael, who had not found an opening to counterattack so far. The cyclops, amused by the apparent helplessness of the boy, opened its mouth for the first time after the attacks to mock him.

"ARE YOU THE GUARDIAN OF THIS PLACE?"

The cyclops's voice sounded, full of mockery, questioning Gael's abilities.

"YOU WILL NOT BE A MATCH FOR MY STRENGTH."

"We'll see, lighthouse on the forehead!"

Provoking the monster with his bold response, Gael wanted to test his opponent's reactions. The intention was clear: to gain time to devise a strategy to break through the seemingly impenetrable defense of the cyclops, destabilizing it and creating an opportunity.

Infuriated by the insult to its single eye, the cyclops reacted with fury, delivering another blow of the club towards Gael, who, once again, managed to skillfully dodge. However, this time, the boy was prepared for a counterattack.

Wielding the sword firmly in his right hand, Gael focused even more on his breathing. A small orange flame appeared in his left hand, gradually increasing in size. The boy accumulated elemental energy in his body, marveling at the growing fire energy, transforming into a sphere the size of a volleyball. The aura of power emanating from him was palpable, revealing the strength of all his training in the past few days.

The cyclops charged in Gael's direction with the intention of attacking him again with its colossal club. However, the boy surprised the monster by counterattacking, launching the flaming fireball directly into its face. Momentarily, the giant stopped running, struck by the fiery power of the boy's attack.

Hopeful that his elemental power had had some effect on the monster, Gael watched attentively for the cyclops's reaction. However, his hope dwindled upon hearing the mocking laughter of the giant, ridiculing his power.

"HOW RIDICULOUS."

Mocked the giant, diminishing the young guardian's self-esteem.

"YOU STILL CALL YOURSELF A GUARDIAN?"

The disparity between their powers became increasingly apparent, and Gael found himself in a perilous situation, facing an opponent whose elemental energy was overwhelmingly superior. The distance between them was like an insurmountable abyss.

Again, the cyclops advanced towards Gael, and the boy prepared for the next move. With characteristic slowness, the monster assumed a position to attack, but Gael was fortunate to notice its lack of agility and skillfully slid under the giant's legs.

As he passed under the cyclops, Gael looked up, and it wasn't an inviting sight. However, this brief moment provided the opening he had been seeking. His elemental power might be insufficient, but his sword had an important role to play in this uneven fight. Now, more than ever, he would have to rely on his fencing skills and use the sharp blade as his main ally to face the formidable cyclops.

He positioned the sword in front of the cyclops's left leg, which the monster had used as support, and focused all his strength on this attack, aiming to knock it down to attempt a counterattack when it was on the ground. The movements were executed perfectly, as if Gael had trained for years on end. However, something seemed to be wrong.

Silva's sword penetrated the giant's left leg, forcing it to enter the colossal body. Despite the boy being sure that this blow would have brought down the cyclops, the attack seemed to have no effect. Disappointed with the result, Gael stepped back, seeing that his charge had not produced the expected outcome.

The feeling of powerlessness that had previously throbbed in his body now seemed to erupt. He felt completely helpless against that opponent. The will to fight was being consumed by the overwhelming reality that there was nothing he could do in that battle, except face imminent death in combat.

As he looked around, the chaotic scene revealed the magnitude of the destruction caused by the cyclops. Exploded cars, compromised buildings, destroyed houses, and people crying for help. It was a scene of chaos and despair. For those people, what could be happening? Was it an earthquake? A hurricane? The destruction that the cyclops had caused in the neighborhood where Gael grew up was overwhelming, and the sight of chaos left the boy paralyzed, caught in the horror of what he was witnessing.

However, the cyclops had not stopped. When Gael looked back at it, the giant was about to deliver the fatal blow with the club. Time no longer allowed for evasion, and gravity would take care of the rest.

Desperate, the boy tried with all his might to raise the sword in a desperate attempt to minimize the imminent damage. However, the

impact of the club was truly overwhelming, a colossal force that made his entire body tremble.

The brutal blow hit Gael with ruthless intensity, as if all the fury and power of the cyclops were concentrated in that single movement. Every fiber of his being protested against the violence of the collision. The piercing pain exploded in his mind before succumbing to unconsciousness.

While his body was dominated by the darkness of fainting, he was ruthlessly thrown through the air, like a leaf in the wind, and spun uncontrollably before violently colliding with the wall of a nearby house. The impact was terrible, echoing the distressing sound of metal and concrete meeting in a deafening crash.

His lifeless body hung on the wall, motionless.