A single lightning strike was enough to change the course of the battle and turn the great serpent into a creature on the verge of death.
Risha's eyes went wide, watching as countless electric shocks ran through the Inferno Serpent's body. This ti, the scales were powerless. The electric discharges continued to attack until they turned the scales into dust, stabbing straight into the Inferno Serpent's flesh like hundreds of blades.
The Inferno Serpent tried to defend himself, his only option was to use energy and lava, he did both. However, against Adam's strike everything was useless.
The mont the Inferno Serpent let all 72 thorns on Adam's wreath fill with power, the battle was over.
It is unknown how many monsters were near the Inferno Serpent's cave, but everyone who felt Adam's aura at the mont of the attack quickly hid in their burrows or fled away from the epicenter of the battle.
"Holy shit..." Risha caught her breath, looking at the shattered edges of the lake, lava flowing along new paths paved by purple thunder.
Soon, her gaze filled with disbelief, not because of Adam's strength or the effects of his Foundation Artifact but of the Inferno Serpent's resilience.
The great monster collapsed into the lava, its scales charred, the flesh burned, and blood pouring out of his massive body from nurous torn wounds. But, the Inferno Serpent continued to breathe, slow and heavy, his heartbeat keeping him alive.
Tap.
Adam's feet touched the ground as he collapsed to one knee.
"Gha!"
A stream of blood rushed from his mouth, pouring out of the hot ground in front of him, while the black wreath broke apart into particles, into vanishing ash without a trace.
In a way, Adam had done what Moira and Lone Blaze wanted simultaneously.
The Wreath of Hope provided him with a single but devastating strike of unprecedented power, moreover he himself was free to determine its form and purpose. The thod of activating this artifact was like a specific battle mode.
And, the price for such an artifact was not only in the deprivation of two forr abilities but also in the powerful recoil, piercing through Adam's entire body to the depths of his heart.
"Fuck..." he wheezed, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. "That was stronger than I expected, in every way..."
It was well known to every Phantom that energy was not the only factor limiting how many tis a Phantom could use his abilities.
An important component was the strength of the ability. In the beginning, when a person was just becoming a K0-Phantom, even using the First Order twice in a row was a great burden.
Adam had long since passed that stage, like all Phantoms that moved forward to true strength. His heaviest ability was the effect of his past artifact. The last ti he used it twice in a short period, his left arm turned into a bloody ss.
A lot of things happened since then, he beco a K3-Phantom and already opened three lesser gates. Now, he could easily use his past artifact two or even three tis with minimal damage to his arm.
But... Use the Wreath of Hope twice?
Adam's body couldn't take it, his heart would either stop or explode.
However, a single-use was more than enough to turn even an S4 monster into ashes.
Well, the Inferno Serpent was stronger than the others, which wasn't a surprise.
Step. Step. Step.
With slightly trembling legs, Adam headed forward, approaching the stunned Risha.
Adam glanced at the Inferno Serpent, his left eye was slightly open, watching his enemy.
"Hah... Is this guy still alive? This is fucking unbelievable!" he smiled bitterly shaking his head.
Risha gulped.
"Yeah..." she nodded uncertainly. "We have to finish him off! Right now!"
She realized that Adam was too exhausted to keep fighting. She had to finish the job.
In any other situation, she wouldn't have been able to even scratch the serpent's scales, but now the Inferno Serpent was hardly able to attack her back.
Her aura grew stronger as she pulled out the Revelation Ring and was ready to rush into the fray - slay a serpent and sever its head from its long body.
Tap.
Before she realized it, Adam's hand fell on her shoulder, stopping her.
"Wait, do you want to take my prey from ?" his heavy voice rumbled.
Risha flinched. She knew she had acted wrongly, especially under the rules of the Lower Ring.
Then, Adam smirked weakly.
"Hah, calm down. I don't really have the strength to keep fighting, and neither does he," Adam pointed at the Inferno Serpent. "However... I can't kill him before I learn sothing."
Stumped, Risha tilted her head. "Hmm? What the hell are you talking about?"
Saying nothing, Adam walked to the edge of the lake and kicked the ground with his last strength.
It was enough for a piece of rock to break off, becoming a small island, right in front of the Inferno Serpent.
At the next jump, Adam's silhouette was reflected in the serpent's single eye. They were both exhausted, as well as ready to have a conversation, the tough one.
Whooooooosh.
Risha quickly appeared on the shore, ready to attack the Inferno Serpent at any mont.
However, Adam was not going to fight. He showed it with his whole appearance as he sat down on a rock with his hand on his knee.
Then, he stared at the Inferno Serpent. "So... You have two choices. Either I kill you and co back as the proud winner over an S4 monster, especially one as strong as you, or... you tell your plan.
"What did you want to gain by calling us here with your aura?"
With a heavy sigh, the Inferno Serpent shifted his gaze to Adam from the bubbling lava.
"Hah... I wanted to tell you about this much earlier... It was my mission, but... by taking my eye you pissed off a lot you little bastard..."
Adam only shrugged his shoulders.
After that, the Inferno Serpent wheezed. "The Fallen Ring Castle... straight to my master..."
"Master?"
"Hah... That's an S5 monster for you... Young Phantom..."
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