CHAPTER 56: The Washington Incident - Part VI

CHAPTER 56: The Washington Incident - Part VI

Fénix was on his knees on the floor, breathing with difficulty. His body trembled, on the verge of collapse. Every wound burned as if he were being burned from the inside. He could barely keep his eyes open, but his determination remained intact.

Adam, standing a few meters away, watched with disdain. A cruel smile spread across his face as he raised his right hand, aiming directly at Fénix's head.

"No more games, Fénix." Adam's voice was an echo of cruelty. "This ends here."

Invisible pressure began to build around Fénix's skull. A sharp, devastating pain exploded in his head. His skin tightened, and his eyes began to swell, while lines of dark blood ran down his face from his eyes, nose, and ears.

"Ah... argh!" Fénix tried to resist, but the pain was unbearable. His trembling hands tried to hold his head, though he knew it was useless.

Adam enjoyed the spectacle.

"Do you see this, Fénix? This is your limit. A king of lies, a weak leader."

Suddenly, a silver flash cut through the air, and a dry sound resonated in the room. Adam's hand was cleanly severed from his wrist, falling to the ground with a dull thud.

Adam recoiled in surprise, his face twisting into a snarl of rage and pain.

"What the hell...?!"

Fénix, staggering, regained his senses just in time to see who had intervened. There stood Lucio, holding his sheathed sword with both trembling hands. His body was a disaster: exposed muscles, blood dripping from countless wounds, and his breathing was a ragged whistle.

"Don't... touch... my... friend." Lucio's voice was barely a whisper, but his determination filled the room.

Fénix felt a wave of relief and gratitude. A weak, though blood-stained, smile appeared on his face.

"Lucio... you always know how to make an entrance."

Lucio, barely standing, shot him an exhausted look.

"You... know... I like dramatic things."

Adam looked at the stump of his right arm, which was already beginning to regenerate rapidly. His expression changed from anger to a cold admiration.

"You've got guts, human. But you know it's not going to last long, right?"

Lucio didn't respond. He could barely stand, and his vision was beginning to darken. But even so, he remained firm before Adam.

Fénix took advantage of the distraction to get up, though his body protested with every movement.

"Adam, I'm on my feet. Let's finish this."

Adam let out a laugh, shaking his head.

"You never learn, Fénix? Very well. I'll give you what you want."

In a near-invisible movement, Adam launched a devastating blow with his newly regenerated hand. First, he connected with Lucio, sending him flying against the wall with an impact so strong it left a crater. Before Fénix could react, he received a punch to the chest that catapulted him next to Lucio, both crashing through several walls as if they were paper.

Finally, they landed in a large, ruined hall, a grand salon that must have once been majestic. Rubble fell from the ceiling, and dust filled the air. Fénix staggered, coughing up blood as he tried to locate Lucio, who lay motionless near him.

Adam appeared amidst the ruins, walking with an unsettling calm.

"How many times do I have to say it?" he growled, looking at the two fallen before him. "Neither of you stands a chance against me."

Fénix, despite the unbearable pain, clenched his fists and looked up defiantly at Adam.

"If that's true... then why are we still standing?"

Fénix, trembling but defiant, managed to get to his feet. Every muscle in his body protested, but his gaze remained fixed on Adam. Beside him, Lucio, covered in blood and barely conscious, also slowly rose.

"Fénix..." Lucio's voice was barely a whisper. "If we try together, we can... win."

Fénix looked at him, noting his friend's deplorable state. Though he knew the odds were against them, he nodded.

"Then let's fight."

Both launched their attack. Fénix charged with a wild roar while Lucio, his sword still sheathed, followed him. Blow after blow, they managed to land precise attacks on Adam's body. Claws tore his skin, Lucio's sword left deep cuts, and Fénix's punches resonated with force. For the first time, Adam's body showed signs of damage, with his skin torn and patches of dark blood soaking the floor.

But then, as if it were all a game, Adam stopped moving. His body began to regenerate at a terrifying speed. The wounds disappeared one by one, and within seconds, he was as good as new. More than that, even the scars from the initial blows had vanished.

Adam smiled with satisfaction, showing his fangs.

"See how useless this is? I'm just having fun. If I wanted you dead... you already would be."

Fénix gritted his teeth, furious and impotent.

"Enough games, Adam!"

Adam raised a hand, stopping him with a casual gesture.

"Not so fast. I think it's time I showed you what power really means, Fénix. Perhaps an example will be more educational."

Before Fénix could react, Adam disappeared in a blink. Suddenly, he appeared behind Lucio, who was barely conscious. Lucio's body, exhausted and bleeding out, staggered as he felt Adam's presence.

Fénix took a step forward, screaming desperately.

"Lucio, move!"

Lucio turned his head toward his friend, a weak smile crossing his bloodied face.

"Fénix..." His voice was a whisper, barely audible. "Do me a favor... don't let all this be in vain."

Fénix felt a knot in his stomach as Lucio continued:

"Fénix... please... win."

Before Fénix could advance, Adam's hand glowed with a dark and lethal power. In an instant, Lucio screamed in pain as his body began to collapse from within. A dull, tearing sound filled the hall as Lucio's body imploded, disintegrating in an explosion of blood and flesh.