Adam

Chapter Ten (10) part one (1) :- Freedom

Something amazing happened.

Fire seemed to crackle briefly in reality itself and Banks vanished instantly.

Less than a second later, he appeared before Adam, attacking with his palm straight for his opponent’s chest.

In front of the palm, there was a brilliantly bright spinning ball of fire.

It was transcending flame, becoming something like almost bright yellow light.

Adam’s eyes widened in terror ‘how did he get here without me seeing him? He’s almost lightning fast’

Banks roared out the name of his final technique before he struck

“Stellar!”

The ball of flaming light struck Adam with rocket force, but just before it hit him, he crossed his daggers in an X in front of him, trying to form a shield.

The ball of light exploded in a powerful beam the moment it struck him and blasted him straight through the entire lobby and straight through all the rooms to the very wall of the building.

The entire first floor lit up in a brilliant yellow light like a solar flare and the powerful beam blasted straight out of the building, blowing it away.

“I am the impersonation of freedom!” Banks roared and stomped his feet hard into the floor, crushing it and bending in take-off position.

“By all means, freedom must prevail!”

As he moved like a blast of fire, Adam suddenly flashed behind him with a brilliant crackle of electricity.

He was airborne, both daggers in his grip.

His eyes were flashing blue with electricity and his body was crackling violently.

There was killing intent in his gaze, this strike was going to be a deathblow.

Banks’ gaze shifted quickly, locating Adam in his peripheral vision as he swung his dagger blade down on him straight from behind.

It was a precision strike that would stab straight through his heart even from behind.

His body moved; primarily on instinct, spinning 180 degrees in a second and he raised his right arm in defense as Adam roared and stabbed straight at him.

Thunder and lightning exploded violently and more fire burst into the air.

As the explosion died down, Adam’s dagger was buried inside Banks’ right arm and blood was dripping slowly.

Banks glowered at his opponent “A precision strike that was meant for my heart” he growled

“One stab and an electric overload would shut down my body permanently. You truly were designed to kill”

The rings on his arm glowed brighter and suddenly transferred to the body of the blade and to Adam’s own right hand.

Banks glared as the bright yellow and hot ring tattoos appeared on his opponent’s blade and hand “I’m not dying just yet”.

Adam realised the impending danger and immediately let go of the dagger, skipping into the air.

But even while he was still mid-air, the rings set off in a drastic explosion. The dagger and the length of Adam’s arm which the rings had covered, blew up in a magnificent blast of fire.

As Adam shot out of the gutting flame; half of his right arm blown to bits, Banks followed with white raging eyes and a clenched fist.

He threw a punch, rings of fire coating his fist, but Adam instinctively swung his left hand, using the dagger in that hand as a shield.

There was a collision, and another blast of fire.

Adam managed to land on his feet, groaning in pain from losing part of his right arm.

But Banks shot out of the flame again, straight for Adam.

He was fast, and even as Adam assaulted him as well, the fist that was coated in rings of fire seemed like steel against Adam’s blade.

Lightning flashed and sparked, flames crackled and burst out as the two of them battled across the length of the first floor.

Frankenstein was also watching closely ‘he’s keeping up with only his left arm’ he noted as they fought all around him, flashes of electricity and explosions going off.

‘He really is a tenacious fighter’.

Banks roared and stomped his feet into the ground, then clapped his hands directly in front of Adam.

What followed was completely impressive.

Two large hands, constructed completely from fire taking solid form, appeared by his sides and began closing in a clap on Adam.

Banks' voice thundered “Fire art; hand of God!”

Adam gritted his teeth, he was mid-air and the hands were closing in fast.

He gripped his dagger tighter and glared at Banks, a voice creeped into his head ‘it’s now or never. It’s about to end’

The hands clapped finally, then fire exploded everywhere, rocking the entire vicinity.

Then, as the force shook the floor, electricity flashed and dozens of lines slashed through the flames.

In an instant, fire tore apart in large cubes like a reality play and Adam shot out of the flames directly in front of Banks.

His right arm was clenched into a fist, and Banks’ eyes widened ‘his arm grew right back!’

Adam’s eyes were glistening white with electric energy and the fist came straight to Banks face.

“It’s over…” his voice boomed “...Banks!”

With crushing force, his fist collided with Banks’ face and sent him rocketing back and smashing right into the wall of the building.

Clouds of smoke were churning out of the first floor, escaping through large holes in the wall and going skywards.

Banks stopped at one cliff end of the floor, gazing into his palm that he used to clutch his face.

Blood was pouring from his nose relentlessly and his face was completely bruised.

That hit had done more damage than even he realised.

‘What kind of insane strength does he possess?’ he asked himself, then removed his hand and stared at Adam in the distance.

Adam was walking towards him, a dead calm in his eyes, as if he knew something Banks didn’t.

The sleeves of his shirt had completely burnt up, revealing his bare arms and the tattoo of the equal armed cross.

He came to a stop two pillars from Banks, and his tattoos set aglow.

Electricity began humming all around him.

Banks chuckled softly, revealing his dentition “You’re good” he said “you hid your regenerative factor from me. Plus, you pack quite the punch”.

Adam remained calm, his gaze fixed on Banks like prey “I didn’t hide anything” he replied “I didn’t even know I had a regenerative factor. This is my first time using it, but I guess it comes in handy”

Banks couldn’t believe what he had just heard, somebody with so little experience in calvary arts and techniques had matched him in a fight and even overpowered almost every move he made.

He chuckled softly again, “Regeneration, teleportation and healing are all innate abilities a calvary possess from the moment they are respawned. Are you telling me you know absolutely nothing about them and still managed to become junior hand of the missionaries!”

“He has that much potential” Frankenstein intruded and stepped out of the shadows.

Concrete pillars had been shattered and walls crumbled.

Steel rods stuck out of the ceiling and floor; remains of what had been concrete pillars.

Slabs of concrete were lying all around, broken and shattered.

“His talent alone speaks volumes” Frankenstein continued “Bankole, you have one last chance. Return to the missionaries, and you will live. I’ll even let you stand by Adam’s side. Last chance”

Banks stared dumbfounded for a while, then smiled “Why the change of heart, glassman?”

“Good product shouldn’t just be put to waste” glassman replied “It would be a shame, wouldn't you agree?”

Banks chuckled again, ignoring the pain all over his body “That’s your problem Frankenstein, you think everybody is a product. Your product. Douglas’ product! I am not one of your products!”

His body stretched and he suddenly increased in size like an expanding metal “I am a free man! And I’d very much prefer to die as such!”

Frankenstein frowned “Your choice, what a waste”

Banks exhaled sharply and the rings on his body turned bright red, illuminating the vicinity in its dim glow.

“Storm bringer!” he roared “One last dance. I’ll unleash my full power, and I want you to hold nothing back! Here it goes”

A thousand cracks suddenly splintered all over his naked body, glowing fiercely with red hot energy, as though he was a ticking bomb about to detonate.

Then his body set ablaze and a powerful surge of red flaming aura exploded from within him with such force and heat that it burnt all the concrete and steel rods to ash and sparks.

His body was glowing and constantly releasing the flaming aura, making his presence alone feel like hell.

“Flame solo art; Gehena!”

Frankenstein was gritting his teeth in frustration ‘what’s this insane power boost? Is he pulling his own life force to boost his strength level? Does he plan on killing himself with his own power?! What kind of insane bastard does that! Can someone really be so foolish?’

He turned his gaze to Adam and yelled impatiently “Adam! Finish him!”