Chapter 162: A Clown's Resolve

Chapter 162: A Clown's ResolveThe sun pierced through the thin curtains of Adrian's modest apartment, casting streaks of light across the room.

In the bathroom, he stood before a fogged mirror, gripping the sink tightly.

His chest rose and fell with uneven breaths, droplets of water sliding down his face.

His reflection stared back, pale and haggard, haunted by the echo of Mercury's rejection.

Her words looped endlessly in his mind, each repetition a stab to his pride. Mercury wasn't just a crush, she was a spark, a guiding light, the only unattainable dream he'd dared to chase. But now, she belonged to someone else. Someone who had everything he didn't.

He clenched the sink harder, his knuckles whitening as images of Eratz filled his mind.

The fame, the glory, the respect Adrian craved, it all seemed to fall effortlessly into Eratz's lap. And now, even Mercury.

"You're right, Mercury," Adrian muttered, his voice venomous, his lip curling into a bitter smirk.

His finger traced his lips, remembering every detail of her disgusted face.

"Why would you be interested in a clown?" His smirk faded, replaced by something cold and steely. "I'll give you something to go crazy for. From today... Adrian doesn't exist anymore." Later that day, the Golden Cosmos gym hummed with activity. Machines whirred, weights clanged, and faint roars echoed from the battle arena.

Among the crowd of trainees, Adrian stood out, not for his skill, but for his sheer determination to break himself.

He sprinted on the treadmill, his legs pounding against the belt with a raw intensity that belied his exhaustion.

Sweat drenched his shirt, streaming down his face and dripping onto the machine.

His breathing was ragged, his vision blurring slightly, but he pushed on, jaw clenched in defiance of his body's protests.

When the timer beeped, signaling the end, Adrian stumbled off, his legs trembling.

His chest heaved as he staggered to the weight rack. With shaky hands, he loaded heavier plates than usual onto the barbell, the clinking sound drawing the attention of nearby trainees.

"Is he okay?" one whispered, watching Adrian struggle to lift the bar.

Adrian's face twisted with strain, veins bulging as he forced the barbell upward.

His muscles quivered under the weight, the effort so consuming that the bar wavered dangerously in his grip.

With a frustrated growl, he racked the barbell, his chest heaving, and moved toward the pool.

The cool water hit him like a shock, but Adrian wasted no time. He dove in, each stroke driven by sheer will.

The water churned violently as he forced himself through lap after lap, his form growing sloppier with each turn.

His arms burned, his legs kicked unevenly, but he refused to stop.

On the sidelines, a group of trainees exchanged uneasy glances.

"Is it safe to not stop him?" one muttered as Adrian reached the edge of the pool, gasping for breath, before launching into another lap.

Joel, the loudest of the group, smirked as he cupped his hands around his mouth.

"Hey, Adrian! Careful, buddy!" he shouted. "If you keep going like that, you'll drown before you even bulk up enough to sink!"

Several trainees laughed nervously, their eyes flicking back to Adrian. His strokes faltered, his body pausing mid-swim as Joel's taunt echoed in his ears.

Adrian gritted his teeth, his breath ragged as he clung to the pool's edge. Joel's voice wasn't what bothered him, it was the memory it stirred.

He saw these same trainees weeks ago, huddled near the agency's entrance, staring at Eratz. Adrian had stood at a distance, watching as Eratz walked past them, calm and confident, the embodiment of everything Adrian wanted to be.

Not a word had been spoken, no greetings, no teasing. They were too awed, too intimidated.

Joel had been there too, standing stiffly, his hands behind his back. Adrian remembered the nervous glance Joel exchanged with another trainee, his lips twitching as if he wanted to speak but lacked the courage. Not even a simple "good morning" left his lips.

The memory stung, the contrast bitter. Eratz had been untouchable, respected. Adrian? He was just a joke.

The laughter grated on him, sparking something dark. Adrian turned, his pale eyes glinting with cold intensity as he emerged from the pool.

Water cascaded off his broad shoulders, his wet hair clinging to his forehead as he advanced toward Joel.

The laughter died instantly, the air growing tense. Joel's smirk faltered, his confidence evaporating as Adrian loomed over him.

"Hey, man... relax. It was just a..."

Before Joel could finish, Adrian's hand shot out, clamping around his throat, cutting off Joel's words as his eyes widened in panic.

"You think I'm a joke?" Adrian hissed, his voice dangerously low. His fingers tightened, his expression cold. "Say it again. I dare you."

Joel sputtered, clawing at Adrian's wrist, his face reddening. The trainees froze, too stunned to move.

"Adrian, stop! You're gonna kill him!" one of them shouted, stepping forward hesitantly.

Adrian's gaze flicked toward the voice, sharp and unyielding, silencing the trainee instantly. Without a word, Adrian hurled Joel into the pool with a brutal shove. Joel hit the water with a loud splash, resurfacing moments later, coughing and spluttering.

"What's your problem, man?" Klark, one of the older trainees, stepped forward, his fists clenched. "You don't have to act like this."

"Stay out of it, Klark," Adrian snapped, his voice icy.

"No," Klark shot back, his tone firm. "You've been acting like a psycho all morning. You think you're some kind of badass? You're just a bitter failure."

The insult was a spark to dry tinder. Adrian lunged, swinging wildly. Klark dodged, countering with a jab to Adrian's side.

They clashed in a chaotic, uncoordinated brawl, their movements fueled by anger more than

skill.

Adrian's exhaustion showed as his punches lacked precision, but he pushed forward with

sheer aggression.

Klark managed to shove Adrian back, but the wet tiles betrayed him. Both men slipped, tumbling into the pool with a loud splash. Water sprayed everywhere as they thrashed,

gasping for air.

"Enough!" a booming voice cut through the chaos as two staff members stormed in. One

hauled Adrian out of the pool with little effort, glaring at him.

"Adrian, what the hell is wrong with you?" the staff member barked.

Adrian didn't answer, his fists still clenched as he glared at Klark, who was being pulled out by

another staff member.

"He's lost it. He needs to be kicked out," Klark sputtered, coughing violently.

"You're done for today," the staff member ordered. "Shower, cool off, and get out of here!"

Adrian yanked his arm free, his jaw tight as he stalked off toward the locker rooms, water

pooling in his wake. The silence of the trainees behind him was deafening.

Adrian and Klark were ushered into a small meeting room by staff, their tempers still simmering. Two officials sat behind a desk, their expressions stern.

"You both need to understand that this type of behavior won't be tolerated," one of the officials began, his tone measured. "Klark, instigating further after tempers are clearly high is reckless. Adrian, physical violence, especially at this level, is unacceptable."

"We're issuing you both formal warnings," the other official continued. "Klark, your gym privileges are suspended for two days. Adrian, due to the nature of your actions, you'll be suspended from training for a week. Further incidents like this could result in harsher

consequences."

Klark muttered an apology and left. Adrian, however, didn't move, his jaw tight and his fists clenched on the armrests.

"For three years, I've been here," he began, his tone simmering with restrained anger. "Three years I've trained, fought, and bled for this agency. I've taken on whatever they've thrown at me, no complaints. I've been loyal. And now?"

The staff exchanged uneasy glances but didn't interrupt. Adrian's voice grew harder, bitterness seeping through.

"And now, I'm not even good enough to talk to Zara? Victoria is unreachable. Eratz and his

golden crew can waltz into her office, have lunch with her, get pep talks, but me? The guy who helped keep this place running, who's fought on no-name rosters to fill gaps, who's trained newcomers when no one else cared?" He scoffed, shaking his head. "I'm treated like I'm

nothing."

One of the officials cleared their throat.

"Adrian, this has nothing to do with you not being good enough. With this behavior, we Searᴄh the Novelƒire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

can't..."

"Don't," Adrian snapped, standing abruptly. "Don't lecture me about behavior. I've seen behavior, real issues, and nothing was done because it came from the 'stars.' But the second I speak up, I'm told to back down? You're afraid to even listen to me."

The officials shifted uncomfortably. One opened their mouth to respond but hesitated.

Adrian's glare pinned them in place.

"Contact Zara," Adrian demanded. "Now."

"That's not procedure," one of them replied hesitantly. "You're not in a position..."

Adrian laughed bitterly, cutting them off.

"Not in a position? I've put three years of my life into this agency, and you're telling me I'm

not in a position to talk to someone about how I've been treated?"

The room fell silent, the tension heavy. The staff exchanged nervous glances, clearly unsure

how to handle the situation. Finally, one of them sighed, picking up their phone.

"Fine," they said reluctantly. "Wait here."

Adrian folded his arms, leaning back in his chair. His stare didn't waver as they made the call.

After a hushed conversation, the staff member hung up and looked at him.

"Zara will see you."