The weight of the moment bore down upon the battlefield like an iron vice, the air thick with the scent of blood, sweat, and burning wood. James Howlett's chest rose and fell in ragged breaths, his body already bearing the wounds of battle. Yet, none were as grave as the one now gaping in his torso. He glanced downward, his sharp eyes locking onto the blue-black arm that had impaled him, piercing through muscle and bone as if they were parchment. A sharp, metallic taste filled his mouth, and before he could stop himself, a thick spray of blood escaped his lips, splattering across Adam's monstrous form.
The beast of a man before him inhaled deeply, reveling in the scent as he withdrew his clawed hand, now slick with James' blood. A grotesque grin stretched across Adam's face as he lifted his fingers to his mouth, licking them with a slow, deliberate motion.
"Ah... It tastes even better than before," Adam murmured, his voice filled with something between satisfaction and hunger. His eerie, blackened eyes flickered with amusement before narrowing into something more sinister.
Then, as if realization had struck him like a bolt of lightning, Adam's grin faltered. His gaze darted back to James, who was still standing despite the gaping wound in his chest. Before his very eyes, the flesh was knitting itself back together, sinew and skin sealing as though time itself had reversed. Adam's expression twisted into one of frustration and something else—resentment.
"You really are like me," he spat. "And yet, you're still foolish enough to throw away your chance to rise with me!"
From across the battlefield, Victor Creed watched in tense silence, his own breath hitching at the sight before him. He had always known that James was different—his strength, his speed, his endurance were far beyond that of an ordinary man. But never had he seen him wounded before. Even when faced with hordes of vampires, James had emerged unscathed. Now, watching his wounds heal at a speed that surpassed even his own, Victor found himself questioning everything he thought he knew.
Was James even human anymore?
Within mere seconds, James had fully recovered, the pain lingering only as a ghostly echo in his nerves. He exhaled slowly, steadying himself. In any other time, in any other life, this would have been the most severe wound he had ever sustained. But now? Now it was little more than an inconvenience.
And yet, as powerful as he was, James knew one thing for certain—Adam's true strength had yet to be fully unleashed.
The True Horror of Adam's Power
Adam's tongue flicked out one last time, savoring the remnants of James' blood before his expression twisted into something unreadable. With a single beat of his monstrous wings, he propelled himself forward once more, talons outstretched. The vampires under his command took their cue, launching themselves at Victor with renewed frenzy. Their desperation was evident—their master had transformed into something beyond their comprehension, and in their fear, they fought harder than ever before.
Victor, bloodied but still standing, let out a guttural snarl. His claws tore through the undead creatures one by one, each movement precise, each strike deadly. The battlefield around him became a blur of motion—fangs flashing, claws slashing, bodies crumpling.
But while Victor dominated his side of the fight, James was barely holding his own.
Adam had changed. No longer did he rely solely on speed to weave through attacks—he no longer needed to. Even in direct combat, his power was overwhelming. His every strike rattled James to the core, sending him skidding backward, his boots scraping against the blood-soaked earth. The gap between them was growing wider with each passing second.
The Sound of Awakening
The world seemed to narrow to the sound of their battle—the deafening crash of fists against flesh, the sharp crack of bones breaking and resetting, the roars of pain and fury that echoed across the field.
James knew he couldn't keep up. Not like this.
Then, it happened.
A rhythmic pounding filled the air. A deep, resonant sound, growing louder with each beat.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
James' body felt lighter. His breath steadied. The world around him slowed—not because time itself had changed, but because his senses had sharpened beyond what he thought possible.
It was happening.
The energy coursing through him was no longer just strength, no longer just speed. It was something far older, something primal. The air around him shimmered, warping like heat rising from the desert sands. His black hair lifted in invisible waves, his muscles tightening with newfound force. Every cell in his body pulsed with raw, untapped power.
Across the battlefield, Adam hesitated. For the first time, a flicker of uncertainty crossed his monstrous face.
James exhaled. Then he moved.
In an instant, he was upon Adam.
The Fall of the Monster
James' hand cut through the air like a blade. The edge of his palm met Adam's bat-like wing in a single, decisive motion—SHLK! The wing severed in one clean slice, the monstrous appendage falling to the ground in a heap of rotting flesh.
A piercing scream tore through the battlefield as Adam staggered back, thick black blood pouring from the wound. His rage twisted into desperation.
"Damn you!" he roared.
But James didn't stop. His fists became blurs of motion—drilling punches, hammering strikes, kicks that shattered bone on impact. Adam, the self-proclaimed immortal, the so-called god, was breaking. Piece by piece.
A well-placed elbow shattered Adam's shoulder. A crushing kick snapped his knee in two. His left arm was reduced to pulp, his chest caved inward.
For the first time since his birth, Adam felt fear.
The Final Move
Victor, having slaughtered the remaining vampires, turned to witness the carnage. He saw the raw, primal force James had become. And for the first time in his life, he understood—James was no longer merely his rival. He was something more.
James moved in for the kill. He would end this, once and for all.
Then, out of the darkness, Vadoma—a loyal servant of Adam—rushed forward in a desperate bid to protect her master. Her scream split the air as she threw herself at James, clawing, biting, shrieking.
Without hesitation, James ended her life.
But that split-second of distraction was all Adam needed.
A mangled, broken hand shot out—CHOMP!—and sank into Victor's shoulder.
Victor's roar of pain was unlike anything heard before. The venom in Adam's fangs coursed through him, his body seizing under its influence. Adam's tattered wings beat once more, and in an instant, he was gone—vanishing into the night, dragging his battered body toward the distant treetops.
Victor staggered. His breath came in short, ragged gasps. The pain was unbearable, his entire body burning from within.
James turned to him, eyes filled with a mixture of fury and concern.
"I can give you power," Adam's fading voice echoed through the night.
And then, just like that, he was gone.
visit patreon.com/Purhitee to view my exclusive 25+ chapters