Sparks flew around them, his blade meeting the claws in a clash of speed and power no human body could endure. Yet, he gradually switched from defense to offense. His movements blended into one another in an appalling show of fluidity and swiftness. With each second crawling by, more electric arcs danced around him, accompanying his graceful dance of wood and steel.
Though he had a lot of fun exploring his new strength, he noticed the frustration bubbling in Soma and his weakening strikes.
Smirking in mischief, he leapt back and taunted the desperate werewolf.
"Hey. You love the moon, right? Try this."
Like a vacuum, his blade gulped the surrounding mana, sparkling as he cleaved the air vertically two meters away from his target.
Propelled by the movement, a broad silver crescent darted towards the stunned Soma. Digging a five-meter trench into the ground, it sliced through the air like a saw, leaving fissures in the surrounding space.
The public watched in stunned silence, mouth agape and eyes enlarged as Soma rolled to the side. Their leader's grace and powerful image shattered in their minds as dust covered the powerful wolf's fur.
Instead of continuung to watch the sad spectacle, their legs chattered upon hearing the short human youth's amused voice.
"Hahaha. I almost tested everything I wanted."
Adam roared in laughter, uncaring about the werewolves' terrorised gaze.
However, his brows twitched in annoyance at the huffing coming from Soma.
Still unwilling to admit defeat, he watched his adversary return to his five-meter-tall half-beast form. Arms trembling, he pushed himself off the ground and clenched his fists, a steely glint flashing in his eyes that didn't escape Adam's notice.
'Time to become serious, or he'll never understand he has no chance.'
He threw his hat to the dwarfs and tightened his fingers around his macuahuitl. His eyes narrowed into purple slits, his amusement and good humour melting like ice under the sun as he entered battle mode.
Lightning rumbled, deafening the now despairing public. Their heart sank at the almost palpable pressure emanating from the human.
Then, he spoke, shattering their hopes.
An ordinary word they would have glossed as the saying of a raven lunatic. Yet, it resounded like an archmage's absolute command in this situation.
"You didn't wound me yet. I'll never bow before anyone, much less Selene's pawn!"
He rolled his eyes at Soma's determined answer.
"If you want wounds, wounds you'll get."
Before his words could linger, he blurred into motion, the wind whipping his coat the only proof of his presence.
A sharp glint, sudden and lethal, zoomed into Soma's eyes. Determination and adrenaline fueling his movements, he crossed his claws over his chest in a protective manoeuvre.
"You can't block my strikes."
His mocking voice echoed as he activated the blade's last enchantment.
The blade's triangular edges collided with the claws in a symphony of clans and sparks before...
A burst of milky white solar flames engulfed the werewolf, charring his skin and burning his flesh.
Primal roars of pure agony shattered the night as he watched his adversary roll to the ground to douse the flames.
The smell of burned fur filled his nostrils before he asked.
"Never! What kind of monster are you?"
Soma roared in response. Yet, his usually intimidating voice resounded like a puppy's yelps to him.
"Depends on the time."
He shrugged, his grin returning to his face.
"Today, I'm the storm!"
The wind rose and swirled around Soma. Lightning cracked and condensed in a violet spectacle of doom above. Then, a thick spinning wind sphere caged him, howling in his ears and making him tremble in dread.
"The sky guardian's spell!"
Despite his agony, he recognised Vivian's self-created spell. One that had terrorised the lands when she was still an arcanist.
Despite his realisation, Adam showed no mercy and swung his blade down, guiding the spell's rage into the werewolf.
'Don't resent me. You're the one refusing to give up.'
The condensing lightning bolts roared with furious abandon as they crashed to the ground like purple rain.
The electricity paralysed the werewolf's nervous system, leaving his maw gaping after his first howl and drool streaming down. Ugly patches of charred skin covered his body, his eyes rolled in their sockets, and he spasmed wildly on the ground.
However, Adam dismissed his spell, restoring silence in the half-destroyed arena before Soma suffered too much damage.
"Do you give up now?"
He asked, his tone echoing his exasperation as his lips twisted into an impatient grimace, and he crossed his arms over his chest.
Even if Soma couldn't answer because of the lightning paralysing his muscles, he saw the determination still burning in his eyes. His hate for Selene ran too deep.
'He'd rather die than return to his creator. At least he'll listen to me now that he can't move.'
A heavy sigh escaped his lips, and he shook his head.
"Listen, I never intended to force you into serving Selene. I only need his help. That's why I accepted his request."
His lips curled into a mischievous smirk, and he pointed at Soma.
"He wants someone to capture and bring you back to him. But what happen next is none of my business. So, let's imagine you all disappeared without a trace after he rewards me. Wouldn't it satisfy everyone but him?"
He noticed Soma's constricting pupils, compelling him to continue.
"I have a reliable method to make you leave. What you do after is your concern. But you have my words: I'll never hunt you."
He turned to the cloaked individuals, eyes sparkling.
"Or the vampires. Share my plan with your leader. I'll visit him soon."
Then, he refocused on Soma's twitching frame. Eyes narrowed and voice reverberating with solemness, he continued.
"You can refuse, of course. But he'll come himself next time, and trust me, you'll have nowhere to hide when he does. He really became an archmage and you know as well as me that fighting him is a lost cause."
Finally, he shrugged and walked to the dwarves.
"Sleep on my offer tonight and give me your answer tomorrow. I'll return to the same house with the brats."
A tense silence engulfed the arena as he fixed his hat back on his head and left the stunned public.
No one dared to speak, leaving the group's echoing footsteps the sole noise cutting through the night.