Chapter 108: Zero Chance.

Chapter 108: Zero Chance.

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[Adam C. POV]

I found myself submerged in the calm, enveloping darkness of the sea, sitting at the bottom of the sea inside a spiritual barrier.

Inside this little box of twelve by twelve, I had more than enough oxygen to last a few hours if I wanted to. So, I had time to think, and ponder on my next move.

For the moment I was using Kaido to mend my wounds to an acceptable state, letting the familiar warmth of these wonderful techniques flow through my body.

I could feel it, a hum in the back of my mind, the energy signatures of my friends in combat. Each pulse of magic was a reminder of the battle that was still raging above me.

A spike in energy signaled the climax of one such battle, a force I recognized instantly. Erza.

I felt a small smile tug at my lips. I knew she'd come out on top, that being said, something felt off about this. It had taken her longer than I would've expected to finish her fight, Ikaruga was strong, but not strong enough to give her this much trouble.

It didn't make much sense.

I pondered over it, the rhythmic thrumming of the ocean around me providing a soothing backdrop to my thoughts. Could it be that Ikaruga had somehow managed to counter Erza?

As soon as that notion hit me, I dismissed it.

No, it couldn't be that the gap between them was big enough to cover any gaps in experience.

And then it hit me, The Tower. Our shared past, the specters of memories it held... it was probably affecting her more that she would care to admit, shaking her usual unwavering focus.

I didn't blame her.

Despite my usually calm demeanor right now, even I was being affected by this.

The thing was, that unlike Erza, I had some form of closure with this wretched place.

With a sigh, I shifted my attention to another familiar energy. Cana.

Her battle had started basically at the same time Erza's had, but unlike hers, Cana's battle had been swift and decisive, ending almost as soon as it had begun.

Heck, for a moment there I almost think I felt Laxus' power.

The point was everyone was winning their fights.

Meaning I could fully focus on figuring out if Jellal's threat had any bark to it.

Fortunately for me, I had someone doing just that for me. The old man, who I had called a few moments ago to confirm whether or not I needed to change my current strategy.

The sudden vibration in my pocket broke through my deep concentration, the familiar ringtone of my lacrima phone echoing softly in the underwater void.

I pulled out the magical device, reading the caller ID. Gramps.

"Good news, old man?" I said as I answered the call. After all, his next words would decide whether or not I stayed to destroy this place.

"Adam," He started, his deep voice rang out through the tiny speaker, an undercurrent of seriousness in his tone. "Your suspicions were correct."

I listened, my heart pounding a little faster, as he told me of his findings.

I had already made one of my two objectives pay.

"You will die just like he did," I said, my voice dripping with venom as I raised my hand.

However, before any of us could do or say anything else, a wave of power washed over us, so raw and forceful it nearly knocked me off my feet.

My heart pounded in my chest as the ground seemed to shake, a primal fear gripping me. The sheer magnitude of the power was monstrous, suffocating, almost tangible.

He... he had survived?!

Disbelief seared through me.

I had watched him plummet into the sea; his body wrecked by the Etherion's blast. And yet, there was no doubt, this was his power, his rage, and it was all directed at me.

A cold dread washed over me as I realized the implication behind this.

If he had survived and had waited this long before making his presence known, it could mean one thing. He had seen through my ruse.

Meaning he knew there was no second Etherion, no backup plan. That I had lied to avoid the annihilation of my goal.

I gritted my teeth, my mind racing.

This was bad, very bad, I had to act now, before Adam made his move.

I had to activate the Tower right now. As much as I wanted to fight Erza, to bask in her suffering, I knew better than to ignore the looming threat raging outside.

The chances of the Tower working without the sacrifice were small, but this change of events was leaving me with no choice.

If that monster arrived, I simply had no hopes of winning.

Making my decision, as regrettable as it was, I used my celestial magic to surge towards the activation runes of the Tower with blinding speed.

Erza, quick on the uptake, following after me, her intent clear. "You will not get away!"

However, before either of us could move any further, a shift occurred in the very fabric of the air around us. A powerful silent shriek, akin to a vacuum in the emptiness of space, echoed through the chamber.

For a moment, everything stood still, the ominous sound reverberating in the air.

Then, as sudden as the silence that had befallen us, everything tilted, as the Tower split in two, right down the middle.

The deafening sound of metal and stone shearing apart filled the air, as the room around us was torn apart, the space bisected with the frightening precision.

Shock froze me in place, my mind struggling to comprehend the reality of the situation. This was not part of the plan. This was not supposed to happen.

Suddenly, out of the settling dust and debris as the Tower crumbled down on its foundations, a figure emerged. His very presence seemed to suck the very air out of the room, his towering silhouette imposing and resolute amidst the crumbling ruins of my life's work.

"Jellal."

That one word sent chills skittering down my spine, igniting an icy dread in my gut. It wasn't loud or angry, it was calm and steady.

It was the calm that scared me, the controlled fury that seemed to underpin every syllable.

His figure stepped into the light, and his eyes met mine. His gaze held a promise, a vow of retribution that made me swallow hard.

I had failed.

Everything I had worked so hard for, ruined in a single second. And now. There was nowhere to run, no place to hide.

"Jellal are you ready for... Wait a second... Are you afraid?" Adam chuckled dryly. "Oh god! You are! Oh, my fucking God! This is pathetic, I can't stay angry at something so pitiful. It's demeaning for me."

"Adam!" Erza beamed at him, an uncharacteristic warmth filling her voice.

It didn't matter anymore.

I had failed.

My life was no longer worth a thing. I had no purpose.