Michael and Torren stood over Adam's scorched and unconscious body, breathing heavily. Relief slowly washed over them as the reality of their victory settled in.
"We did it," Michael murmured, eyes still on Adam.
Torren nodded, though his expression remained wary. "Yeah… but how the hell did he take everyone else down like that? He looked untouched before we fought him."
Michael didn't have an answer. But then—a soft sound behind them.
They spun around.
Adam was rising.
His body, moments ago charred and broken, began to glow faintly. Before their eyes, burns mended, skin restored, and his strength returned as if nothing had happened. The smirk returned to his lips, even more twisted than before.
Michael's jaw dropped. "How…?"
Torren's eyes widened. "No way… he's healing?"
And then, they remembered.
Ralph's final words. The warning he never finished.
"He was trying to tell us," Michael said. "About this."
Adam stepped forward, his tone mockingly casual. "Don't think you've won just yet. You never had a chance to begin with."
He looked directly at Michael, his smile sharpening. "You're not the only one with that technique, kid."
A flicker of flame appeared on Adam's finger—eerily similar to Michael's. Then, with a smooth motion, he blew it toward them.
Michael and Torren stood frozen, unsure how to defend against it in time, but before the fire reached them, a figure darted between them and the blast. The Elder.
In a single motion, he whipped off his cloak and held it out like a shield. The fire slammed into it, dispersing harmlessly around them.
When the flames faded, the Elder let out a breath.
"Whew," he said, glancing back at the two stunned boys. "Good thing I made it in time."
Michael and Torren stared in disbelief, then quickly turned to the Elder, gratitude flashing in their eyes.
"You saved us," Michael said breathlessly.
Torren added, "We didn't know how to stop that in time… thank you."
The Elder gave a soft chuckle. "For me, that was nothing. But let's focus—our enemy still stands."
He turned his gaze to Adam, now gritting his teeth in frustration. "How did he keep all that power intact? He beat so many without showing a hint of strain."
Adam growled, clearly agitated by the Elder's calm demeanor.
"You old bastard," he snapped. "Who the hell are you!? Want me to take you down too?!"
The Elder's smile didn't waver. "I have no obligation to tell you who I am."
He took a slow step forward, about to ask Adam for his name—though he didn't know it yet, when suddenly, lightning tore through the sky. A deafening crack and a bolt of lightning struck Adam squarely in the chest.
Michael, Torren, and the Elder all flinched, stunned.
Adam collapsed again, smoldering, unconscious.
They hadn't expected that.
Not at all.
From the bushes, Blitz stepped out, brushing leaves from his shoulders. "Tch. That guy was strong? How the hell did all of them manage to lose to him?" he muttered, clearly disappointed.
His words nearly sparked another argument with Michael, who clenched his fists in frustration.
The Elder frowned slightly. "He seemed… too weak. Was he truly defeated?"
Michael nodded slowly. "Torren and I thought the same thing before. We were wrong."
Torren added, "Exactly. This could happen again. Something's not right about him."
The Elder listened carefully, then nodded. "He's hiding something. Some kind of secret."
Blitz rolled his eyes. "I still don't buy it."
And then, as if on cue, Adam stirred again.
He rose to his feet, fury burning in his eyes. He began to speak, his voice low and seething, but he was cut off.
The Elder raised a single hand.
With practiced grace, he summoned the same technique that both Michael and Adam had used—but the fire that erupted was entirely different.
It roared to life in a blinding inferno, its radius massive, its intensity overwhelming. Trees nearby ignited. The earth cracked and shifted.
Adam didn't stand a chance.
He vanished in the blaze.
Not even ashes remained.
Michael, Torren, and Blitz stood paralyzed, eyes wide in disbelief.
They had never seen such power.
And amidst the scorched terrain, the only thing left behind… was a single finger.
A finger still wearing the ring.