Sometimes, after a string of difficult events, things began to fall into place. Everything became easier, more familiar, and clearer.
That was exactly how Adam felt when he began fighting the bull. He started doing what he knew how to do again, well... it didnât last long.
As soon as the tall man appeared, everything changed, causing Adamâs heart to tighten with fear.
Tremble! Tremble! Tremble!
The white spear trembled with the power filling it. The tip spun rapidly, turning into a bright flash that seemed ready to explode at any moment like a star.
This stood in stark contrast to the tall manâs calm gaze, and for Adam, it was the deciding factor.
If his opponent remained calm while wielding such power, it meant that to him, it was nothing impressive.
Without a word, the tall man leaned forward as his frame trembled. In a heartbeat, he hurled the spear straight at Adam, slicing through the air in a white trail.
The only outcome the tall man expected was the complete annihilation of Adam. Not even a handful of ashes should remain of a Phantom that had somehow found its way into their lands.
BLAST!
A devastating explosion sent up a cloud of dust as bone fragments flew off in all directions. The tall manâs narrowed eyes slowly widened, filling with calm.
The job was done.
Whooooooosh!
Suddenly, Adam appeared to the manâs right, his gaze just as calm as the manâs. Their blue eyes mirrored one another.
Adam clenched his fist tightly before striking, but even that failed to elicit any emotion from the tall man.
Just before the punch was about to reach its target, a white energy wall appeared in front of the tall manâs face.
This was supposed to block Adamâs punch and open up an opportunity for a counterattack.
At least, thatâs what the tall man was counting on.
Crack!
Adamâs fist shattered the white barrier, causing the tall manâs eyes to widen in disbelief. These were the first genuine emotions on his face throughout their entire fight.
BAM!
The direct strike to the tall manâs jaw sent him flying several meters backward, slamming him to the ground.
His back slammed into the ground, but the tall man immediately jumped to his feet and waved his hand, summoning his spear. Now, his expression was no longer relaxed, but carried a seriousness as he stared intently at Adam on the other side of the battlefield.
Step.
Adam stepped forward, running a hand through his hair. Unlike his opponent, he was the one who treated their fight casually.
"Well, well, you know, at first, you actually scared me." His gaze fell on the tall manâs spear. "I thought it was your Arc, but itâs just your ability, isnât it?"
The tall manâs gaze dropped for a moment to several crimson spots. The gray sand had absorbed his blood.
âJust one of his strikes was enough to wound me, even though I put up a barrier.â
"Human," the tall man muttered. "Who are you?"
"Agh? You decided to ask that question after attacking me? You know, usually I donât mind answering that question, but not to you. You didnât think about that when you wanted to kill me."
That answer didnât sit well with the tall man, as a slight frown crossed his face.
"You... Youâre nothing more than an uneducated beast. I asked your name because only now do I see that youâre a worthy opponent. All I wanted was to introduce myself in return, so youâd understand who stands before you!"
The tall man exclaimed and aimed his spear at Adam.
"My name is Larth, and I am one of the honored Fangs!"
Adam scratched his head.
"Hmm? Honored Fang? What the hell does that mean?"
Larthâs face froze for a moment. The fact that Adam didnât understand what it meant shocked him far more than anything that had happened before.
Only then did Larth begin to realize that the Phantom before him hadnât gotten lost or accidentally stumbled into some kind of spatial anomaly. No, everything was far more complicated.
"You... How could you have ended up in these lands and not know the very basics?"
Adam shrugged with a bored look.
"You wonât believe it, but Iâd like to know that just as much as you do."
In search of answers, Larthâs eyes scanned the area as he noticed the cave ring. This gave him an idea.
"Have you been there before?" he asked, pointing at the abyss.
Adam touched the back of his neck and nodded. "Yep, I woke up there and made my way out. You know, this place looks so empty and scary, but youâre already the third monster Iâve encountered on my journey."
Larth blinked a few times, recalling the events.
âIf you donât count me, there was only that bull... a worthless weakling. But...â
"Third? What does that mean? Who did you fight at the very beginning?"
In response, Adam pointed upward.
"I donât know what theyâre called, but itâs a flying gray thing with a big amber eye. It just looked at me and flew away. Then, the bull appeared, and then you."
Adam tilted his head, confused.
"Wait, why do you look so shocked? Didnât that flying thing tell you about me?"
Larth touched his face with his hand, his eyes trembling through the gaps in his fingers.
"I see. So we donât have much time. If I defeat you... then maybe I can participate in..."
Whoooooosh!
With a sweeping swing of his spear, Larth left a white trail in the air as he leaned forward. His aura grew several times larger in a short period as he unleashed all his power.
"Show me everything youâre capable of, human. The longer you hold out, the better, just make sure you lose at the right moment!"
Before Adam could answer, Larth lunged forward, appearing in front of Adam in the blink of an eye. Despite the situation, Adam had nothing but a smirk on his face.
"Oh, what interesting goals you have. You know, I think you were right." Adamâs aura grew stronger. "I should have told you my name."
Step.
Adam stepped forward, finding himself right in front of Larth.
"No matter how far away these lands are, Iâm sure youâve heard of Adam Vinter, havenât you?"
Then, all of Larthâs plans crumbled once again, and he didnât know what awaited him next, nor did Adam.
News of his arrival had already begun to spread across the boundless lands.