Chapter 229: Chapter 229 - Punching Bag
[ Adam's POV ]
{ A moment before the spell had hit }
Adam sprang back multiple times, deftly dodging the barrage of light bullets that William suddenly unleashed. After retreating, he halted, a faint smirk playing on his lips as he observed William.
'So, he's quick to lose his composure too. That's another thing I'll need to correct.'
'Predictable for someone in his age but also something that needs to be changed unless he makes a fatal mistake in the future.'
"Not exactly honorable, but clever. And staying clever is what keeps you alive," Adam remarked, his tone tinged with irony as he waited for William's next move.
Adam's eyes narrowed as he watched William rise to his feet. William bent slightly, muttering something under his breath that Adam couldn't quite discern.
'What's he scheming now?' Adam thought looking at William's new move.
Their gazes locked, and Adam noticed a newfound determination in William's eyes.
'He's definitely planning something. Now, what could it be—'
Adam's thought process was abruptly interrupted as he noticed a beam of pure white light racing toward him.
The beam emerged suddenly, moving with formidable speed—enough to overwhelm most opponents. But Adam wasn't just any opponent; he was a high-level assassin, with speed as his defining attribute.
Speed was his domain, the very skill that allowed him to dominate the assassin's realm. So, even though the beam was swift and dangerously close, he could easily evade it if he chose. However, out of a mix of curiosity and confidence, he thought, 'Yes, its fast, and this would be a perfect moment to counterattack too.'
'Unfortunately for him, this won't do much against someone of my caliber. But should I allow it to strike me?'
'Why not? It's not like it can penetrate my defenses and actually harm me.' Adam thought with overconfidence as saw the level ONE spell speeding towards him.
With a sense of unshakable confidence, Adam crossed his arms in front of him, deeming that sufficient to block a Level ONE spell.
Little did he know, William's spells harbored a unique trait.
As Adam prepared for the imminent impact, fully convinced he could withstand it, his danger instincts suddenly flared, warning him to evade. For the first time, it seemed as if the beam might actually pose a threat.
Although Adam had unerring faith in his speed, and could have evaded countless attacks, this beam was different. It was already upon him when his danger sense kicked in.
Unable to dodge or mount a more effective defense, Adam had no choice but to brace himself as the beam collided with him.
He expected to deflect it for a moment before launching a counterattack, but to his shock, the light beam shattered his defenses as though they didn't exist, striking him with its full intensity.
A small explosion ensued, and smoke billowed around him as Adam coughed amid the thick haze.
The damage wasn't severe enough to incapacitate him, but it did inflict pain—an outcome he hadn't anticipated. Surprised, perplexed, and slightly irritated that a Level ONE spell could cause him discomfort, Adam realized there must have been some anomaly in the spell to break through his defenses so effortlessly. But that was a matter to analyze later. He chuckled quietly as the smoke began to clear.
Straightening up, he coughed lightly before speaking, "Cough, cough... I must admit, that was well-executed. But..."
Adam fixed his gaze on William, his eyes glinting with renewed resolve, a dark smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"Now it's my turn."
[ 3RD POV ]
Before William even heard those words something inside him told him that the next few moments were not going to be something he was going to like.
William saw the fierce determination in Adam's eyes and instinctively took a step back. He wondered, 'Is he really that angry over such a low-powered spell hitting him?'
The answer came swiftly. Adam vanished from his spot and reappeared in front of William, delivering a powerful kick to his chest that sent him crashing into the wall of the training room.
THUD
'Yep, he's definitely furious,' William thought, groaning in pain as he struggled to his feet. His stance was lower now, the lingering ache from the kick evident in his posture.
'Damn, that kick felt like getting hit by a sledgehammer,' he mused and looked towards his stomach where he could feel a legs shadow being tattooed by the pain.
Fortunately—or perhaps unfortunately for him—Adam didn't immediately follow up with another attack. Instead, he declared, "Alright, now the second stage of training begins. This time, I'll beat you, and you... will try to survive."
'Did he seriously just say that?' William thought in disbelief as he watched Adam close in on him at an even greater speed. This time, William was more prepared. He crossed his arms to block the incoming punch, but the force still sent shockwaves of pain through his body as he wondered whether the punches would break his bones or not.
Adam wasn't finished. He unleashed a relentless barrage of strikes, and William could only manage to block or evade a few before he was battered around like a ragdoll.
After a series of punishing blows, Adam delivered a direct punch to William's gut. The impact knocked the wind out of him, sending him flying at a sharp angle and crashing into the wall once more before crumpling to the floor.
BANG
THUD
'Fu— Fu*k. Is he trying to kill me, or is he really that pissed off about getting hit by a basic spell?' William wondered as he lay on the floor, groaning from the intense pain.
It took him a full minute to regain his breath and stagger back to his feet. Getting up he looked towards Adam and wondered whether he should give up before shaking that thought out of his head.
Adam watched him closely, giving a brief nod of approval, though William didn't notice. Adam thought, 'The kid is not only incredibly powerful for his age, but his resilience is extraordinary. Anyone else at his level would be out cold from that punch.'
'But this kid not only got back up, he did it quickly.'
Adam cut his internal musings short and launched himself at William once again.
William hadn't fully regained his breath, but he managed to prepare himself. He conjured a Light Shield, but to his dismay, it shattered instantly as Adam's punch continued unabated, striking him once more. He staggered, and before Adam could deliver another blow, William slashed at him with a Light Sword, but Adam dodged it with ease.
The battle resumed in this manner—William launching attacks that Adam effortlessly evaded, while Adam countered with strikes that William could only partially block or dodge.
Finally, as William's stamina began to wane, Adam delivered a decisive blow, intending to end the fight. William was sent flying several meters back.
For a moment, it seemed as if the battle between an elephant and an ant had reached its inevitable conclusion. But William, against all odds, held on. Slowly but surely, he rose to his feet once more, sweat pouring down his face, his eyes burning with unyielding resolve.