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Adam's gaze swept the hall. His blue eyes, usually calm and kind, now carried a rage that seemed to leak from his very presence.
He sensed the corruption in the air, the pure malice taking on a shape he could read clearly. Bearers of his blood, descendants, leaking so much wickedness that he could mistake them for devils.
Dozens of exorcists stood before them, their black cloaks shrouding their forms while their light blades flashed dangerously.
Even with the obvious disadvantage, worry was the last thing on his mind. In that moment, the only thing Adam could feel was disgust.
Disappointment, revulsion, anger. He knew many of his descendants had taken impure paths, filled with evil, but he could not remain indifferent—especially when he saw them fallen so low.
Everyone in that place knew what was supposed to happen. The sacrifice of a pure, innocent girl was nothing to these people. For most of them, in fact, it was something to celebrate.
For those who had sunk so deep into darkness, Adam saw no salvation left.
The light blade in his hand gleamed. His gaze never left his enemies, and that alone made them feel the intimidation of his presence.
Mittelt, beside him, watched the whole situation with nerves. Doubt settled over her when she found herself caught in the crossfire.
She, who had lived, planned, and fought alongside the Fallen Angels, and until recently had followed Raynare with trust, could she betray them?
She already had, by bringing Adam. But to fight Raynare herself was another matter. Her leader could be cruel and arrogant, but in the end they were of the same race.
Fighting alongside humans, a species she had so despised, felt wrong; it went against her nature.
Still, she did not know which path to take. Maybe they would stand a chance if everyone joined forces against Adam, as unlikely as that seemed, because from what she had seen the man still had not fully mastered the sacred power in his body. But if Adam won, he would surely spare no one.
She needed time to think, but with the confrontation about to begin, there was none. She had to decide, and quickly.
"Mittelt."
The woman blinked when she heard the voice call her name. Her eyes turned to Adam, who, standing in front of her, did not look away as he spoke.
"Have you made a decision?"
The question hit her like a cold front. Her eyes widened as she wondered, in terror, how he could know about her indecision.
But despite her fear, it was not hard to guess. Adam had thought about it for some time. He knew that when battle came, Mittelt would be forced to decide.
Would she fight by his side, or Raynare's?
To be honest, he did not expect her to choose him. But as he had said before, he would welcome Mittelt as a genuine ally if she did.
So he decided to respect her choice without pressuring her. If she could not decide, then she could stand aside.
"If you cannot choose, then stay out of the fight." He said this with a gentleness he had never shown her before.
Mittelt was surprised. Adam was not forcing her to commit; he was allowing her a way out if she could not pick a side.
"See this as a vote of trust."
He turned to her with a smile. Her eyes widened as her heart thudded. A strange sensation, something Mittelt had not felt in ages.
No, she had felt it before, a distant memory from when she was a little girl. A warmth of shelter that only a father could give.
She took a step back, nostalgia striking her like a hard blow—memories she thought lost across centuries resurfacing.
Adam watched for a moment, then turned back to his enemies. He could be gentle, empathetic, and truly care for people, but that did not mean he could not manipulate someone if necessary.
He had been a soldier, after all.
"All right." He raised his light blade, his eyes sparking with the dangerous shine of a warrior. "Who goes first?"
.
As exorcists, they were used to confronting the abnormal. Monsters that could raze villages, devils with long lists of slain exorcists and bloodlust pouring from their pores.
Many of them claimed they feared no one. Experienced fighters, green recruits, survivors of battles that became the stuff of books—all of them said they were unafraid.
But in the presence of this man, there was no difference among them. Experienced or not, rookie or veteran, each of them was completely massacred.
Raising his sword above his head, Adam blocked an occultist's swing, redirected the blow, and with a single cut severed the man's head. No hesitation, no compassion. He moved to the next—an older occultist who watched in terror as the blond closed the distance in the blink of an eye.
"Attack together!"
He heard the desperate shout, but did not hesitate as he sliced another head clean. Then three occultists aimed their palms and unleashed magical fire.
That made him frown, but there was no fear in his eyes as he braced for the impact.
Boom!
The burst of magic blasted through the room, making the underground tremble.
"Did we get him?"
"Yes! That's it!"
"We won!"
When the dust curtain billowed through the chamber, the occultists turned to each other with pride.
Their joy did not last long as the dust began to settle.
"I almost got caught by that."
They froze when Adam's voice reached them, their bodies going rigid as they turned toward the source.
"My mistake, I forgot you could do that."
As the dust cleared, Adam stood revealed, protected by a barrier, a small, satisfied smile on his lips as he watched his defense with a bit of pride.
"That will not happen again."
When the barrier fell, his body flashed toward the occultists.
"Damn it! Attack again!"
"Protect yourselves!"
But Adam allowed them no time. His cuts were so fast that even the most skilled could not defend.
The smell of burning flesh filled the air as the screams faded. Before long, of the one hundred occultists present, none remained.
At least, that was what a superficial glance revealed.
Adam, blood-splattered, scanned the room slowly. He ignored the massacre around him and looked for something else. "You know, I think someone's missing."
He noticed motion at the corner of his eye but did not turn; his instincts told him to act.
"Is that you, Freed?"
Clang!
Adam raised his sword over his head, blocking a light blade that threatened to split him. A rear attack he had not even bothered to face directly.
"This is a bit much!" Freed called with a wild grin, springing back on his legs. "I feel a little humiliated now!"
Adam turned, one eyebrow raised, watching Freed ignite a second light blade. Did he really think he stood a chance?
"You know, I dreamed about you these last few days!" Freed's smile widened, making Adam unconsciously take a step back. "Our last fight… I replayed it so many times in my head! I have never felt like this before. Normally the idiots I fight die too fast, or are too boring for me to enjoy.
But you! You are different. What you made me feel… do it again. Make me feel it again!"
Adam stared at him with a hint of disdain, narrowing his eyes to keep the double meanings out of his head. The man was completely insane, he could tell, so there was no need to take him too seriously.
If Freed wanted to fight, Adam would not refuse. Freed might be a future problem, and Adam would not waste a chance to remove him now. He could at least give him a warrior's death.
"Then come!" Adam pointed his sword. "I will give you a good fight."
Freed grinned toothily and stepped forward to attack.
"Adam, watch out!"
Mittelt's warning sliced through the air. Adam's eyes widened as the hairs on his neck stood up. He turned just in time to block a light spear aimed at his heart.
Damn! She had been waiting for the opportunity.
He saw Raynare watching him from a distance, murderous intent in her eyes as she formed another spear of light.
"Do not let yourself be distracted!"
Taking advantage of the moment, Freed surged at him. Adam blocked his blade and grabbed his wrist, pushing him back with a hard kick to the gut.
"Did you think this would be a fair fight? Don't be stupid!" Freed recovered quickly and readied another charge.
Adam narrowed his eyes and did not turn his back on either attacker. He saw both Raynare and Freed prepare to strike together.
What a joke. He had hoped Freed would fight with honor, but that had been naive. From creatures this low, honor could not be expected.
If he once intended to provide an honorable death, Adam now planned to humiliate them completely. Whatever pride they had, he would crush it until nothing remained but shame.
That was their choice. They would die with fear and humiliation as their last grasp.
He would make sure of it.