A few minutes ago, on the middle floor of the Red Zone, the sounds of battle had been thundering, the tension was at its peak.
Now there was silence, but the battle had no results. In the beginning, there were three participants and as many remained, not counting the dozens of dead spiders - the Inferno Serpent's servants. They proved too weak to do Adam anything, even before he opened the third lesser gates.
It seed that either Adam or the Inferno Serpent, one of them had to die, but they were both breathing, for now.
Oddly enough, of the three of them, Risha wanted to finish what they started the most. She was ready to cut off the serpent's head at any mont but had no right to do it without Adam's permission.
After all, she had done nothing to defeat the S4 monster. If not for Adam, the Inferno Serpent would have crushed her with his tail like a bug.
"The Fallen Ring Castle?" Adam muttered looking at the wounded but still full of strength monster.
He thought about a lot of things, for the battle against the Inferno Serpent and the Crimson Monarch was different from anything that happened before.
'Hmm...' Adam internally humd. 'It feels like I'm fighting against humans instead of monsters... I an, they are monsters, but it's nothing like the battle against the Plague Reaper.'
The deep fear of the Plague Reaper was still lingering in Adam's heart. He didn't try to get rid of it, instead, he sought to keep that feeling no matter how much stronger he beca from that mont.
After a few minutes, Adam nodded deeply.
"An S5 monster? Aren't you afraid I'll refuse and just kill you?" he asked, his voice low.
The Inferno Serpent chuckled. "Ghaha... Why? Aren't you afraid of facing an opponent stronger than ? I thought you were ready for anything, human..."
"Yes."
Adam's sudden reply baffled the Inferno Serpent.
"How odd..." the monster muttered in disbelief. "Considering how eagerly you fought I thought this was exactly what you were looking for. Was I wrong...? That's too bad, it ans I won't be able to fulfill my assignnt."
"You were a strong opponent," Adam stated firmly. "If I didn't get more powerful during the fight, there's no telling if I would be able to defeat you. Obviously, you're one of the strongest S4 monsters at the Red Zone, aren't you?"
With a heavy sigh, the Inferno Serpent nodded. "You can say it like that. So... If you've already made your decision, let's end things here and now. Even if I want to I can't escape."
As soon as his words were spoken, a bright flash lit up his head - Risha smashed the Revelation Ring summoning her Nexus.
However, before she could even take a single step Adam raised his hand, gesturing for her to stop.
"Wait, I haven't made a decision yet."
"WHAT?" Risha shouted in mild anger. "You're seriously injured! Are you really going to go to so castle where an S5 monster is waiting for you? You could barely handle the S4 one! I don't know what kind of S5 monster it is, but my brother wouldn't even let think about fighting them! They're the strongest!"
Risha wasn't going to stop. She continued to list reason after reason why Adam had to go back to the Red Tower and kill the Inferno Serpent right here and now.
Strangely enough, not only Glen and Silvana agreed with her, but even the Inferno Serpent. He realized that the Phantoms had no choice. He lost, so they had to kill him. That's how things worked all over the world, not just at the Lower Ring.
Only when Risha ran out of energy, under her heavy breathing did Adam decide to speak.
"You're right."
Risha's eyes shone brightly, a happy smile appearing on her face. 'He finally listened to ! It's happened!'
"I had to make an effort to defeat an S4 monster, and I'm not satisfied with that," Adam's stern tone broke out.
"Agh...?"
The Inferno Serpent lifted his head from the lake of lava, bemused.
"Risha, you may leave. I ca here to the Lower Ring to get answers to my questions. From what I've realized, I need the power for this man to listen to and tell the truth."
Risha gulped, fidgeting nervously. "B-But...! You're going to die! You're much weaker than any S5 monster!"
Without fear in his eyes, Adam nodded deeply.
"Yes, just like before this fight. Sooner or later, I'll have to fight an S5 monster if I want to reach K4-Level, won't I?"
"That's..." she stamred. "You say all the right things, but we're not talking about training, we're talking about a deadly battle. It would be much better to go back, heal your wounds, and prepare for the next battle!"
Adam shrugged nonchalantly, seemingly not taking Risha seriously.
"Furthermore, I have no desire to kill him," Adam pointed at the serpent.
The Inferno Serpent and Risha glanced to one side for a mont.
"WHAT?"
"Yeah... I want to take him up on his offer not only because I believe that fighting against the S5 monster is the best and fastest way to fully open the Crystal Gates, but also because I can see that he's lying."
The Inferno Serpent flinched. He didn't know what Adam figured out, but it made his heart beat faster before panic set in.
Adam lifted his chin. "You said the S5 monster at the Fallen Ring Castle is your master, right?"
The Inferno Serpent nodded.
"At first, I thought you were just a monster who obeyed a stronger monster - nothing strange. However, rembering your aura, your words and actions... You serve this master out of your own free will, right?"
With a dryness in its throat, the Inferno Serpent ajar his mouth. "How did you guess that?"
"Just a lucky one, for the most part."
Whoooooosh.
Before the Inferno Serpent could answer anything, Adam was on his head looking off into the distance. From the lake ca a lava river disappearing into the darkness, flowing farther than Adam could see.
"Co on, let's swim straight to the castle. I'm sure we have a long way to go. You'll tell the whole situation in detail on the way."
User Comments
0 comments from readers