CHAPTER 58: The Washington Incident - Part VIII

CHAPTER 58: The Washington Incident - Part VIII

Both combatants were on the verge of collapse, their bodies barely supporting the weight of their wounds and their will. The ruined hall where they fought was a testament to the chaos they had unleashed. Phoenix, breathing heavily, held his position, while Adam, standing before him, began to laugh between gasps.

"You're... interesting, Phoenix," said Adam, his voice raspy but laced with something resembling respect. "You're strong, sure, but that's not what really defines you. What sets you apart... is that damn unbreakable soul of yours."

Phoenix didn't respond with words. His eyes shone with determination, and his body, despite its physical limits, remained firm. Then, without another word, they both charged back into combat, a frantic exchange of blows.

Each impact resonated like thunder; Adam's punches were devastating, but Phoenix found ways to withstand them and return them with equal intensity. In the midst of that whirlwind of violence, Phoenix saw his opportunity. With a roar of effort, his right fist crashed into Adam's chest with immense force. The skin and flesh gave way, and his arm pierced through Adam's torso.

Blood gushed out as Phoenix, without stopping, began to dig deeper, searching for the core of what kept Adam standing. Adam, far from yielding, let out a mad, insane laugh and began to throw punches at Phoenix's face and body, each impact more brutal than the last.

But then, in a desperate move, Phoenix connected a direct punch to Adam's face with his free hand. The impact was so powerful that Adam's head snapped violently to the side, and everything changed in that instant.

The world around them seemed to stop. Colors distorted, the air grew heavy, and the ruined hall disappeared, replaced by a dark and silent void. Adam, with an expression of surprise on his face, slowly closed his eyes, while Phoenix's body trembled from exhaustion.

Time itself seemed to have stopped, leaving them both in a space between reality and something much deeper, something unknown. Phoenix, his arm still inside Adam's torso, looked around, his mind trying to comprehend what was happening, as a strange silence fell over the scene.

The darkness dissipated, and suddenly, both Adam and Phoenix were in a completely different place. The blood, the wounds, and the chaos had vanished. Both were immaculate, their bodies perfect, without a single sign of the brutal battle they had just fought.

The room was spacious, elegant, with a minimalist design, like a corporate boardroom, illuminated by a soft, warm light that seemed to come from no specific source. A large glass table occupied the center, but what caught Adam's attention wasn't the surroundings, but Phoenix's strange calmness, who was standing next to him as if nothing had happened.

Adam frowned and looked around, disoriented. "Where are we?" he asked, his voice filled with distrust.

Phoenix slowly turned his head toward him, his expression serene and almost kind. "Welcome to my mind, Adam. I brought you here to show you something. Something you would never understand on your own."

"What the hell are you talking about, you brat?" Adam growled.

Phoenix raised a hand and pointed toward the back of the room. There, in the distance, were Marcus, Lucian, Vanessa, and Enid. They were all laughing, sharing anecdotes and moments of camaraderie. The scene was almost ethereal, like an idealized memory.

"Them," said Phoenix, his voice soft but firm. "They are my reason for living. My reason to keep going. You never had that, did you, Adam? All you've ever done is destroy, consume, and in the end, you're left empty."

Adam gritted his teeth, his dark eyes filling with barely contained fury. "So what? Do you expect me to be moved by your ridiculous emotions?"

Phoenix smiled, not sarcastically, but with a calmness that only made Adam's anger grow. "I expect nothing from you. I tried to be your friend, Adam. I tried to give you a chance. But you killed my people, you destroyed what I loved. That doesn't make you strong, it just makes you pathetic."

Phoenix's words fell like a weight upon Adam, who clenched his fists so hard his knuckles turned white. "Shut up, you insolent brat!" he roared, his voice full of contempt. "You have no right to lecture me. You're nobody!"

Phoenix remained unfazed. His calm was unshakable. "I don't care what you think, Adam. I'll just give you two options. Option one: you return to the body you came from, like the brain tumor you were, and you live a little longer. Option two: you die right here."

Adam let out a bitter laugh. "You think you can threaten me? You think your fake morality affects me? You're a child playing hero."

Suddenly, the scene faded, and they both returned to reality. The rubble and blood replaced the calm of the boardroom. Phoenix, now facing Adam, looked at him with the same serenity.

"If you don't want to live, Adam, I can't force you. The choice is yours," said Phoenix in a low but firm voice.

Adam, still smiling, didn't respond immediately. His eyes reflected a mix of hatred and something deeper, something that seemed close to emptiness.

Both were at their limit, their bodies pushed to the breaking point. The wounds on their bodies were slowly regenerating, but the exhaustion was evident. Phoenix and Adam stared intently at each other, with burning determination in their eyes.

"Adam..." said Phoenix, breathing heavily as he clenched his fists. "With the next blow, I will separate your body from Marcus's. I will end this nightmare once and for all."

Adam, covered in blood but still smiling, let out a dry, guttural laugh. "The next blow, huh? Perfect. Then I'll give you the finishing blow, you brat. Let's see if you have what it takes to stay standing."

Without another word, they both charged with everything they had left. The thunderous sound of their movements echoed through the shattered hall, each blow charged with devastating power. The walls vibrated with the impact of each collision, and they exchanged frantic blows, neither willing to yield.