Following his hateful roar, Adam dashed towards Ignatius, his empty eye sockets dripping blood as layers of frost encased his right fist.
He didn't know why, but he hated this word and would swiftly annihilate anyone who dared to pronounce it in front of him.
As he drew closer, Ignatius' smirk widened at the creature's foolish decision. His golden eyes glittered excitedly as he said, "With your control over that new energy, you should have stayed at range. What a fool!"
His violet hair danced in the wind as his figure blurred, leaving an afterimage behind. The noise of cracking slabs echoed under his forceful steps as he reached Adam in a flash. Then, he swung his fist in a wide arc, aiming at the head.
Surprisingly, Adam's glowing eyes followed his movements and placed his left hand on the fist's trajectory.
Widening his eyes in astonishment, Ignatius strained his muscles, forcefully halting his movements right before the detonation. Subsequently, his pupils' shape turned into that of an eagle's eyes as he scanned through the flames to locate his opponent.
Yet, before he could, he heard Adam screaming, "I CAN SEE YOUR MOVES!"
Unfazed, he answered, his voice dripping mockery, "And what good would that do? Friend."
Since the creature flared twice after hearing that word and seemed to hate it, he would use it to destabilise him and expedite the fight. However, Adam's answer was far from the expected result, as he remained silent and pointed his hand toward the ceiling.
His red cape billowing behind him ominously expanded, reaching three-quarters of its original mana counterpart as negative energy condensed into a giant ice pillar above him. Then, with a snap of his fingers, hundreds of ice bullets materialised behind him along two blood-red mages' hands.
"DeAd mEn'S wOrDs ArE IrReLeVaNt." He declared, a smirk covering his misty features. After all, he had already experienced four years of constant provocations and subconsciously knew how to deal with them.
As the deadly attacks approached, Ignatius' eyes widened in shock, and his mind raced in yearning. The unleashed energy proved more potent than anticipated, fueling his resolve to study and gain control over it.
With crazed eyes, he looked at the descending pillar and the bullets closing in before using his tentacles to cover his body in a ball. Unafraid of the attacks, he took his time to ponder his next moves as the first bullets collided with his defence.
"Despite his madness, he still adapts and learns rapidly." He analysed, his brow furrowing in thought. "I'm too impatient to study his body. I should take my time to adapt to mine and collect data on this energy usage first."
Then, his tentacles tensed as the massive ice pillar collided heavily above him, forcing him to focus on the situation.
The ball forming his defence caved in under the terrible weight, menacing to crush him in the next second. Yet, the incredibly durable tentacles held firm until the pillar's momentum died down.
Grinning after witnessing his undamaged limbs, he retracted his tentacles enough to create a small opening before cutting the wind with a swift swing of his sharp nails.
Dust rose as the cleanly sliced parts of the pillar collided with the ground in a cacophony of shattering sounds around the opening ball.
Free from the weight of the pillar and unwounded by the bullets, Ignatius retrieved his tentacles and burst into laughter as he looked at the creature and said, "My dear monstrosity, shall we have some fun?"
In response, Adam's smile turned malevolent as he said amidst high-pitched, mad laughter, "CoMe PlAy."
Unfazed by his unsuccessful attacks, his objective was still partially accomplished. After all, the frost accompanying his strikes was more than a mere elemental attribute.
However, his expression grew serious upon witnessing Ignatius outstretch his right palm, from which a big spike protruded.
"Like projectiles? Take mine." The man said, amusement lacing his voice as he unleashed the spike with inhuman speed.
Despite his increased agility, Adam failed to follow the projectile's movement. As the wind howled, causing his ears to buzz, he instinctively focused his negative energy in front of him in a familiar shape.
Instantaneously, layers of frost-covered, blood-red, diamond-shaped constructs materialised before him a second before crushing sounds echoed in the room.
One by one, his defences shattered under the terrifying spike. Yet, they fulfilled their role in slowing it down and revealing its trajectory. With minimal movement, he sidestepped before bending his knees and racing towards Ignatius.
With contempt in his eyes, the chimaera shook his head at Adam's repeated irrational decisions, unaware that he was more than a highly adaptable foe.
"My body is perfect, and melee is my domain, idiot!" He exclaimed before controlling his tentacles to wrap around his right arm like monstrous fleshy gauntlets. Then, with a powerful rotation, he swung it towards the fast-approaching but slow weakling.
However, his face darkened as freezing-cold fingers clutched his feet, disrupting his lower body's movements. With a frown, he peered down and noticed the two red hands trying to freeze him.
As his scientific mind distracted him from the incoming threat, forcing him to search for the source of the problem, Adam re-summoned his Beastbane dagger in his left hand before propelling himself forward in a spinning motion.
By a hair's breadth, he passed below the tentacles-covered arm and viciously lacerated it with his chilling dagger.
Alas, the weapon was of the first tier, created from bears' and wolves' fangs. Against a tier-four body, it failed to inflict the expected damages. Yet, Adam's red eyes glinted in satisfaction as the cold pervaded the mighty tentacles.
Feeling the painless impact of the strikes, Ignatius raised his eyes and gazed at the creature provokingly. "You wield such mysterious power, yet you are so weak." He said as he stomped his feet to obliterate the hands before adding, "Your attacks can't penetrate my defences, and it would only take me one hit to end your life."
After a brief pause, his smirk reached his ears as he added, "I know! Strike with everything you have. I won't move or retaliate."