After yesterday's events, and the ripple that appeared in the space.
Things around Adam will begin to take a different route. The remaining question is:
What is coming? What would change? And what will Adam unravel?.
Adam woke up in the next morning. The memories of yesterday flood into his mind after a moment. The ripple, the crimson reflection in the mirror, the way people looked at him. But he gave no reaction, just a solid state of remembrance.
After that, he finally gets up from his bed, cleans it up and adjusted it. Even though there's nothing wrong with it, just a habit of cleaning and adjustment. He then went to the kitchen, prepared a cup of tea, and two sandwiches of cheese alongside slices of tomato and raw onion. His favourite meal. Then he finishes, and grabs the last of tea and sits on the floor, reading a book about cooking recipes. And after a while, he cleans the cup and dish, puts them where they belong, and went outside. But this time, he doesn't wear a jacket, just his black gi pants that he usually wears all the time, and heads to his work as an Engraver.
At work, Adam done an excellent job. Flawless shaping, perfect handing. Pretty much way better than his partners in the job, that one of them decided to approach him to ask how he does it. No mockery, just curiousity.
They asked how he does it, and this is where Adam just said:
Adam: "…just focus on the job"
And that's it. That's all what he was doing. Just focusing on the job. And nothing else.
After finishing the job. Adam was standing in a line with the other workers, waiting for his turn to earn the money of his work. And when he gets his turn, he sees he've been given more money than the other workers. Adam didn't think about it much, considering that he sees that this is the money of his own work at the job of Engravery. After that, he took a walk into the city. Slow pace, hands in his gi pants, breathing deep yet slowly. Requiem City's air and atmosphere despite smelling like salt and cooper. Still, the sun was casting a mesmerizing hue during it's sunset. After a while, Adam went to an underground fighting arena. A place he goes to everyday to earn extra cash besides his work as an Engraver. And that's when he was watching a match that was already happening.
And that's where the underground fighting arena manager, whom his name is Jack, saw him.
Jack: "Aah. Adam, my boy!. How are you doing?. You know? People kept waiting for you, so, the usual, eh?."
Adam: "Mhm…"
Jack: "Yes!... alright, who do you want to fight? A weakling? Oh wait, you don't lay a hand on those… how about something more… spicy? Hmm? What do you say?.
Adam didn't speak, just kept watching the matches, and after a while, he looked back at Jack.
Adam: "…give me the strongest one here."
Jack looked at Adam like he heard a symphony, but he was also surprised.
Jack: "uuh… you sure you want it, Phantom?…. I mean, no offense. But our 'strongest' here is a literal beast. He basically eats his opponents instead of fighting them… well, not in the literal sense though…"
Adam locked eyes with Jack, but didn't say anything, but then he switched his focus back to the arena. Seeing a towering 9ft tall figure going into the arena. Bulky, veins pumbing in a grotesque way, eyes wild like a predator looking down at everyone like they were prey, muscles radiating power and aura that would suffocate any lesser fighters. And that's where the crowd was yelling one name
Crowd: "BRUTUS! BRUTUS! BRUTUS! BRUTUS!."
But despite all this, Adam's gaze was locked onto Brutus. And despite all what was happening, he was… unimpressed. Like he was already expecting the strongest one to also be the loudest one. Jack looked at Adam. Really, really close. But he was even more surprised from the fact that Adam was unshaken, unflinching. Hell, even his fingertips wasn't twitching in the slightest.
Jack: "heh… y-yeah. That's Brutus… our strongest fighter around here… that's what who you were asking about."
Jack then looks down, but he subtly side-eyes Adam, sweating a little. Cause in his years of managing underground arena fights, usually anyone who asks for the strongest, which is Brutus. They usually try to joke their way out, fall to their knees shaking, or faint from fear.
But not Adam. He was still. Too still for anyone to believe, and even his eyes, his pupils were lazy. As if he knew what the outcome of this fight would be.
After few rounds. Jack looked up at Adam besides him.
Jack: "so, my friend?… your round, should i announce it?."
Jack asked with still a bead of sweat on his forehead.
Adam looked down at him, said nothing, and proceeded to head to the arena. Steps silent, calm, unrushed. Like a mountain unfazed by a storm of wind.
Jack nodded, nervously, before whispering to himself.
Jack: "Yes… right…"
Then he he went to the middle of the arena, yelling just enough for the crowd to hear.
Jack: "Ladies and gentlemen!. Tonight, we have special match that only happens twice!. Because tonight, is the night where the titans clash! Where the beasts feast on eachother! And only one superior predator survive!."
He pauses as he lets the crowd chant and yell. Then continues.
Jack: "Ladies and gentlemen… tonight's match, is one of a kind… BRUTUS, THE UNTAMED BEAST! VERSUS ADAM, THE SCARLET PHANTOM!."
And after that, the crowd keeps chanting and yelling. Some with Brutus, and some with Adam Vyren.
The scene zooms out as to show the wide arena. A place surrounded by metal vices and spears for any fighter trying to quit the fight.
The scene then zooms in, focusing on Brutus who comes out of his entry, yelling loud, pumbing his muscles in grotesque, monstrous way.
Then changes to Adam, walking out of his entry scene slowly, calmly, silently. Like a man who is not afraid of being surrounded by a set of beasts.
As both closes the distance between them, standing face to face against eachother now.
Brutus looks down at Adam, mouth foaming, breathing wild.
But Adam is unfazed, looking up at Brutus, gaze calm. Too calm, unflinching, unshaken, untrembling.
Jack then yells again, organizing the match.
Jack: "Alright, gentlemen!. Take your stances and your distance… ladies and gentlemen! Place your bets!."
Before both fighters take their distance. Brutus leans down, enough to try to intimidate Adam with his breath brushing his face, growling.
Brutus: "Hnnnnrrrgh… i can't wait to break that face of yours.!"
But Adam looks at him, dead in the eye, unflinching, unfazed by the threat. Then he turns to take his distance.
Both fighters are now meter away from eachother, locked in. One is a beast who can't wait to eat his meal. The other is like a ghost who observes the situation.
Jack announces again.
Jack: "ALRIGHT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!… IT IS A BEAST AGAINST A PHANTOM. LET'S GOOOO!!."
And after the booming sound of explosions from above the arena.
Brutus screams wild in monstrosity, and proceeds to charge at Adam with full force and speed. And as he closes the distance with a fist cocked back, aiming a planet-shattering haymaker to the face. Adam side steps, making Brutus stagger forward, losing balance for a single second, before turning around slowly, growling.
Brutus: "Hrrrrrgh… so you can move… good… makes breaking you even MORE FUN!!."
Then he charges at Adam again, throwing a punch which Adam side steps again, making Brutus' fist whiffs the air, but he turns around quickly, and charges again at massive hypersonic speeds, throwing devastating combos enough to shatter planetary constructs. But to the surprise? Adam doesn't side-step this time. Instead, he parries and dodges every strike, as if swatting away a fly.
Brutus felt more anger than frustration, he stepped back, only to side step to reach behind Adam, aiming a massive fist to the back of the head, but Adam twists around with a right hook to the face.
The sound of Adam's punch echoed like a gun-shot, Brutus, for the first time, staggers back. And it was for the very first time in his life as a fighter. The crowd was looking at the arena, stunned, speechless. Nobody has ever managed to make Brutus move an inch, let alone make him stagger back from a singular counter.
Brutus looked at Adam, shocked more than confused.
He brushes his own lips slowly, noticing blood. And that made him more furious than confused.
Brutus: "…I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU, PHANTOM!!…"
And with that. He charges again. Faster and more brutal than ever. Throwing precise yet more devastating combo to the torso and head. But Adam this time no longer dodge nor parry. Each time Brutus throws strikes, Adam simultaneously blocks and counters.
Brutus throws a right jab, Adam answers with a sway of his wrist and a right hook to the face.
Brutus throws a right kick, Adam counters by catching his ankle, yanking him to the side with a low kick to the other leg, making Brutus fall face-first.
Brutus gets up, throws a front kick, followed by an knee to the sternum, a left hook to the neck, a vicious diagonal elbow to the skull, a three punches to the torso, then finally a devastating uppercut to the jaw.
Adam took all the hits. His head snapped back from the last uppercut. But something is… wrong.
Brutus, known for his planet-shattering brute force and power. Anyone should fall from this vicious and merciless combo.
But Adam? He slowly lowers his head back to normal, slow, deliberate, like someone who tanked a storm capable of reducing a continent to ash, but remained unfazed. No blood. No broken bones. Not even a single scratch on his skin.
The crowd went insane. Some gasped. Some was stuttering trying to form words. And some were having their legs shaking.
Even Jack in the announcer's seat was speechless, eyes wide.
Meanwhile, Brutus was looking at Adam, his anger and brutality was slowly and slowly getting lowered. As if standing in front of something that was, in the first time of his life, can't understand.
His hands began shaking, and for the first time since this fight began? Brutus feels something he never felt before. Fear.
Brutus: "W-w…what t-the h-hell are… you?!…"
Adam's eyes remains onto Brutus, gaze locked into his. Silent. Unmoving.
He grabs his own wrists, snapping it slowly, deliberately. As if cracking his neck.
Brutus's fear was increasing by the second. But despite this, he roars and dashes forward again, aiming a brutal punch to the face, but it's slow, as if hesitant.
Adam tilts his head slightly, enough for Brutus's fist to do nothing but brush his cheek, then, he cocks his fist, and delivers a mid-uppercut to Brutus' sternum. Forcing him to stagger back, clutching his abdomins, coughing blood. After a long silence since this fight began, Adam speaks. Voice calm, deep, cold.
Adam: "…You really call what you did 'fighting'?…"
Brutus doesn't have time to even give a reaction as confusion, before Adam is already in motion, faster than what any eye in the arena and crowd can track. An uppercut smacks to Brutus's guts, then a right punch to the lower side of Brutus's ribs. Then follows with en elbow to the lower flank, a hammer-fist to the shoulder blade, a shin kick to the liver, a low kick to the inner thigh, an uprising uppercut to the sternum, another low kick to the back of the knees, and then a backfist to the face as Brutus falls to his knees from the second low kick.
A pause. The crowd watching the silent and surgical-like combo happening, as if watching an architect dissecting down his creation.
Brutus takes all the hits, silence falls over the whole underground arena, then, Brutus falls unconscious onto his back, body twitching, barely able to breathe, bloodied, bruised.
The crowd remains silent, eyes wide, mouths parted in stunned disbelief.
Jack then from the Announcer's seat, same reaction as the crowd. And aftet a moment of silence. He speak loud again.
Jack: "…ladies and gentlemen… the winner of tonight's Deathmatch… ADAM, THE SCARLET PHANTOM!!!…"
Then, the crowd erupts in loud cheering, chanting.
Crowd: "PHANTOM!, PHANTOM!, PHANTOM!—"
But Adam was already moving. No posing, no speech, no fanfare, nothing. And yet they all kept chanting after him, the healing team arrived, picking up Brutus' massive and heavy and unconscious frame.
As Adam continues walking, he muttered to himself.
Adam: "so much for a so-called 'Untamed Beast'."
Aftet the fight. Adam was already changing. Black gi pants still on, but he puts a black jacket with red thin lines. Basic and simple clothing.
Jack then approached him, holding stack of money.
Jack: "Yoooo!!… man, you were like a ghost back there. Can you believe that?!. Nobody was able to track your moves at all!. It's like you existed but at the same time you didn't!. That was… well, that was badass. Like, imagine this. You literally came at Brutus, and you threw those punches in surgical precision!—"
And as Jack remained talking, Adam remained silent, listening to Jack until he finishes talking. Patient. And after a short while, Jack finally gets into it.
Jack: "but anyway… here is your money. Not sure how many times it is multiplied. But it is way more than your usual share… also, some poor fellas didn't bet on you because they 'underestimated you from first sight'. That's crazy."
Adam took the money. Split half of it, and gave 0the other to Jack. Jack looked at the half of the money, confused, then looks up at Adam again.
Jack: "Huh?… wait. But… that's your share? Why would you—."
Adam: "I don't spend that much money outside… besides—".
Adam looks down at Jack, meeting his gaze.
Adam: "—i heared your son needs a medical surgery. Correct?."
Jack: "But… hold on. You really don't need to—".
Adam: "Go home, Jack… take care of yourself, and your family."
Then, Adam proceeds to walk, leaving the Underground Arena.
As Adam continues walking around in the paths of Requiem City. The air feels more fresh than usual nights in the City.
After a while, Adam stumbles into a clear route, nobody was around, just the light pillars. When all of a sudden…
???: "I've finally found you… Son of Vyren…"
The voice wasn't normal like anyone else's. It was etheral, otherworldly, as if something wrong shouldn't exist.
Adam stops walking, turns around, and sees a figure, their frame is shadowed by the near tree, the only thing clear about them is their eyes, glowing silver irises, sharp pupils.