William rose to his feet once more, sweat cascading down his face, his eyes ablaze with unyielding resolve. His movement staggering but his eyes showed defiance against the storm in front him.
Even while knowing that he probably- NO, He can't do anything against him but still having the strength in him to stand tall in front of it. Which was another testament of his skill altogether.
'Look at that. The kid's got some grit in him. Let's see just how far that'll take him,' Adam mused. He crouched slightly, then propelled himself toward William, aiming a strike at his face. But just before the blow could land, a shimmering shield of light materialized, halting his advance.
He thought that William would have punched him or tried to defend like he had done before but this new and improved approach of defense was better, Which showed he was learning and he was learning fast.
Adam's fist collided with the barrier, expecting it to shatter on impact. To his astonishment, the shield held firm, momentarily stopping him in his tracks before it inevitably broke apart into thousands of light shards.
But that fleeting moment was all William needed.
'A chance' William thought.
His mind emptied of all distractions, focusing solely on delivering a straight, full-force punch. He drew back his right hand and struck with every ounce of strength he could muster. His fist connected, eliciting a brief cough from Adam as he was driven back several feet.
Yet, Adam's resilience was extraordinary. He quickly regained his footing, assuming his stance as though nothing had happened. William narrowed his eyes, thinking, 'That was my hardest punch, and he absorbed it like it was nothing.'
'What's it going to take to make this guy feel some real pain?'
'I might have to do something unexpected before I can actually be able to do anything to him like with that light beam.'
"It was a good punch. You actually made me feel a little something," Adam said from where he stood.
"Really?" William asked, skepticism lacing his voice not believing Adam's words.
"No, just trying to distract you for a while." Adam replied with a wry smile.
The skill William was thinking of was one he had acquired long ago but never had the opportunity to use:
[ Enhanced Senses - Skill - Physical - Rare - Cost (14 Bronze) ]
It was a skill he had considered invaluable, something he believed would be crucial in certain situations, though he hadn't expected to need it until now.
William slowly rose again, careful not to strain his body unnecessarily and aggravate his injuries. He looked toward Adam, who was still standing there with a faint smile, then closed his eyes.
To an outside observer, it might have appeared that William had surrendered, resigned to his fate. But Adam knew better. He watched with a brief smile as invisible wavelengths began to emanate from William.
'So, he's using the Enhanced Senses skill. But it looks like it's still at its basic level,' Adam thought. 'Let's see if he can actually make use of it.'
Adam conjured another double, this one visible but moving at such a speed that it became a blur to the naked eye. This was a technique Adam had used to dispatch many enemies, a lethal tactic that had earned him significant notoriety in the underworld. It was the same attack that had struck William twice before.
This time, Adam instructed the double to move at a slightly reduced speed. He wanted to see if William could defend against it, knowing that at full speed, William would stand no chance.
Even at this diminished speed, the double moved faster than most could perceive, quickly closing in on William's right side with a punch.
In his near-meditative state, William could sense slight fluctuations when something moved close to him, though his skill was still in its infancy. However, as the double approached, a massive disturbance rippled through the fluctuations, alerting him to the incoming punch.
The punch was lightning-fast, and William doubted he could avoid it. But almost instinctively, his body shifted, and he narrowly managed to dodge the blow.
The result astonished William. For the first time, he had successfully evaded one of Adam's attacks. But there was no time to revel in his success—another punch came, and again, he dodged it before countering and destroying the double.
Staring at his hands, William allowed himself the briefest of smiles before clenching his fists tightly.
"Yes! I can do this."