Chapter 168: Adrian Vs King Theron (1)
When Adrian arrived at Eldryth, he realized that the war was far from ending. The High Elves were clearly being overwhelmed by the King. They were slowly running out of energy, and it was a surprise they'd lasted as long as they had.
But, below in the main battle, the Elves were thinning the human ranks and victory seemed close for them there.
But everyone knew that their triumph didn't matter in the grand scheme. The true decider of the war's fate lay in the skies above, where the King clashed with the mightiest of the Elves.
Whoever triumphed from that confrontation would decide the ultimate winner.
Adrian's gaze had swept across the ravaged battlefield. Many laid on the ground and some were unable to fight... some others dead.
That sight fueled his anger even more as he sped towards King Theron's location. Despite the Sovereign's fight being some distance from the main battle, stray attacks occasionally landed, killing both humans and Elves indiscriminately.
Adrian didn't underestimate the King. Without a second thought, he transported himself and Theron to a point he'd marked in the Magical Forest, just outside the boundary of New Haven. The real confrontation needed a stage all its own.
***
King Theron was in the midst of unleashing a devastating attack when a cool touch brushed his shoulder.
A whisper reached his ears, and in the very next instant, his world warped.
The roaring sounds of battle vanished, replaced by the serene embrace of the Magical Forest. He was still within its boundaries, yet in an entirely new, isolated clearing, far removed from the war he had been waging.
The King's mind reeled as he struggled to comprehend the sudden shift. He was still processing the impossible displacement when he realized he was plummeting.
He instinctively tried to reclaim his flight and reassert control over his descent, but before he could do so—
~BOOOM!~
Adrian, moving with impossible speed, met the falling King with two outstretched arms, smashing into his torso with a force that echoed through the forest.
Adrian didn't let go; he held on, using his momentum to drive the King downwards. Theron's body became a destructive projectile, propelled by Adrian's immense power, carving a violent path through the trees.
~THWACK! SNAP~
Each collision reverberated through Theron's form, splintering wood and tearing foliage as he passed.
After several agonizing moments, King Theron managed to catch himself, his descent arrested just meters from the forest floor.
With a furious roar, he exploded outwards in a blinding burst of fiery aura. The sheer concussive force of the flame explosion ripped through the air, sending Adrian tumbling backward.
Adrian found himself falling through the air from the sheer force of the King's enraged outburst. He spiraled backwards, the ground rushing towards him.
Just when it seemed he would impact, he deftly channeled the momentum of his fall, twisting his body and redirecting the downward force upwards, landing lightly on his feet.
He had no time to rest. A relentless downpour of fireballs, each the size of a human was already screamed towards him.
~WOOSH! WOOSH!~
Adrian moved with impossible speed. Like a phantom weaving through an inferno, he darted, spun, and evaded each molten projectile.
The fireballs, robbed of their intended target, slammed into the forest with explosive force, transforming everywhere into a scorched, chaotic wasteland.
The King almost amused fury, continued his assault. He launched himself forward, a fiery meteor streaking through the destroyed forest.
Adrian met him head-on and their forms clashed, a rapid succession of strikes and parries.
King Theron conjured blades of pure flame that lashed out, while Adrian, relying solely on his physical prowess, twisted and dodged, his armored fists and feet occasionally striking out at the King.
King Theron, floating effortlessly above the ravaged landscape regarded Adrian with a triumphant smile.
He had just pushed him back with a burst of fire, creating a momentary distance between them.
"You know... We're both humans. I don't believe you have a good reason to attack me," Theron suddenly began saying. "It's not too late for me to forgive you. We'll make magnificent allies, you and I. Imagine what—"
~WHOOSH!~
Adrian didn't let him finish. The image of Serena, of the humans out there dying, of everything he heard about this man, flashed in Adrian's mind.
He exploded forward with such speed that Theron's eyes widened fractionally in surprise at the sheer abruptness.
~THWACK!~
Before the King could react, Adrian lashed out lightning-quick mana enhanced kick, connecting squarely with King Theron's chin.
The blow sent his head snapping back, interrupting his words mid-sentence. Adrian didn't pause. He followed through with a relentless flurry of punches, aimed at the King's face and chest.
~BOOM! THUD! CRACK!~
The King was caught completely by surprise. The sudden, unannounced aggression after his attempt at negotiation fueled a fresh wave of rage within him.
He had offered a chance of potential alliance, and this unknown assailant had spat on it with brutal force.
"You fool!" King Theron roared, his voice now a low, dangerous growl. "I gave you a chance and you chose to treat it as weakness! You've made your choice, and now you will face the consequences! I'll take you more seriously now, much more seriously."
As he spoke, the very air around him began to shimmer and distort. Fire mana, vibrant and hungry, surged towards him from every direction.
Fiery particles coalesced around his form, drawn by an unseen, immense gravitational pull. The entire atmosphere around them took on an ominous orange glow, as if the sun itself had descended to engulf the forest.
The heat intensified, becoming unbearable for one to stay in. It felt as if the very air was about to ignite.
King Theron's eyes blazed with a terrifying, primal fury. "Let the lightning tribulation come. I will utterly obliterate you! Nothing will remain!"
Adrian, however, remained unfazed. The same impassive expression held firm behind his mask.
He had not been impressed when this fight began, and he certainly wasn't now, despite the King's burgeoning power.
He, too, was ready to treat King Theron with the seriousness he deserved. In his right hand, a weapon materialized... a familiar pistol he knew too well.