He didn’t stop.
Every time a creature appeared in front of him, it fell only moments later.
The battle no longer drained Adrian the way it had before.
His strength had changed, his speed had increased dramatically, and even the pain that had once made it difficult for him to move was no longer enough to stop him.
But Adrian wasn’t thinking about his strength.
He was thinking about only one person.
Philip.
He raised his eyes toward the room and saw that the path ahead was finally clear.
After the last Bimor fell to the ground, Adrian stood in the middle of the hallway, breathing heavily.
His eyes moved between the fallen creatures for a few moments before rising toward Philip’s bedroom door.
He stopped completely and stared at the closed door.
Then he shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice filled with both rage and fear.
“Malkar!”
Silence filled the hallway for several seconds before the doorknob slowly began to turn.
The door opened, and Malkar stepped out of the room.
But Adrian wasn’t looking at him.
His eyes were fixed on Philip, whom Malkar was holding in his claws, lifting the boy’s small body off the ground.
Philip was crying in fear, his face pale as tears ran down his cheeks.
He struggled desperately to free himself from Malkar’s grip, but it was useless.
“Adrian!” Philip’s trembling voice escaped his lips.
“Adrian, help me!”
Adrian’s eyes widened for a moment, and he remained standing where he was as if the sight before him had struck him speechless.
He could see his little brother trapped in Malkar’s claws.
He could hear his crying and desperate pleas, but for those first few seconds, Adrian couldn’t move.
Then his expression slowly changed.
His brows lowered, his jaw tightened, and his eyes filled with sharp fury.
He took a deep breath, but it came out heavy and uneven, as if something was burning inside his chest.
His hand slowly closed at his side.
His grip tightened until his knuckles stood out and his nails dug into his palm.
He didn’t feel the pain.
He didn’t even blink.
Every bit of his attention was focused on Philip.
Adrian took a step forward.
His lips trembled for a moment before he spoke in a low voice filled with rage.
“Take your hands off my brother.”
Malkar looked at him with a cold smile as Philip continued crying in his grip.
But Adrian didn’t care about that smile.
He didn’t step back, and his eyes remained fixed on his brother.
Black lines began spreading across his skin again as dark energy slowly seeped from his body, while his clenched fist remained at his side.
Adrian shouted louder, his eyes burning with fury.
“I told you to let my brother go!”
But Malkar remained where he was, cold and unmoving.
He didn’t even answer.
The anger on Adrian’s face deepened.
His jaw clenched tightly, and then he charged forward with all his strength, shouting as he raised his fist and aimed it directly at Malkar’s face.
Before his fist could reach him, Malkar simply raised one hand.
Adrian’s fist stopped inches from his face without touching him.
Adrian’s eyes widened, his expression shifting from rage to shock.
He pushed forward with all his strength, the veins in his hand and neck bulging as he tried to force his fist closer, but it remained completely suspended in the air.
His breathing became uneven as he stared at Malkar, desperately trying to move his body, but nothing happened.
Suddenly, Malkar closed his hand into a fist.
A massive aura exploded around him, and a powerful force slammed into Adrian.
His eyes widened before his body was hurled backward.
He crashed into the floor and rolled several times before slamming into it again and finally coming to a stop on his back.
Adrian remained motionless for several moments before slowly lifting his head.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
He pressed one hand against the ground and raised his eyes toward Malkar again.
Dan saw Adrian lying on the floor, and anger tightened his expression.
He fired a single shot toward his face, but the bullet stopped in midair and dropped to the ground before it could reach him.
The sound of the bullet hitting the floor echoed through the silence.
Malkar remained standing in the same place.
Then he slowly turned his head toward Dan.
Dan’s breath caught, and his eyes widened as he stared at him.
Malkar’s face was terrifyingly calm, completely free of anger or emotion, yet there was something in his eyes that made Dan’s entire body tense.
Malkar didn’t move or say a word.
He simply stared at him in silence.
Adrian watched from the floor.
The moment his eyes met Malkar’s gaze, they widened in alarm.
Fear appeared across his face as he realized his friend was in danger.
Dan clenched his jaw.
His fingers began to tremble before his weapon slipped from his hand and fell beside him.
Adrian’s voice came out weak.
“Dan…”
Malkar slowly raised his hand.
A white blade began forming above his palm, cold and razor-sharp, as if it had been carved from ice.
The moment Adrian saw it, he knew his friend was in danger.
He screamed at the top of his lungs.
“Dan!
Run!”
Dan flinched and quickly turned around, but before he could take a single step, the blade shot forward and pierced straight through his chest, emerging from the other side.
“No!” Adrian screamed.
Dan remained standing for a moment, unable to move.
Then he dropped to his knees, coughing violently.
Blood spilled from his mouth and chest, staining his clothes and spreading across the ground beneath him.
Dan slowly raised his eyes toward Adrian and stared at him for several seconds before his body finally gave out, his face hitting the floor.
Adrian stared at him with trembling eyes, unable to understand what had just happened to his friend.
He remained frozen, staring at Dan’s motionless body as every word disappeared from his mind.
Then Adrian forced himself to move.
He began crawling toward Dan, tears streaming down his face.
He tried to stand, but lost his balance and fell back to the floor.
He planted his hand against the ground and pushed himself up again, only to stumble and fall once more.
He kept trying.
Until finally, he managed to reach Dan.
Adrian rushed closer and dropped to his knees, lifting Dan’s head onto his lap.
He wrapped both arms around his friend’s head, his hands trembling as he held him close.
His face was pale, and his eyes were filled with tears as he stared down at Dan.
“Dan…
are you okay?” he asked in a trembling voice.
Dan slowly opened his eyes.
When he saw Adrian in front of him, a faint smile appeared on his face.
“Don’t worry, my friend…” Dan said softly.
“I’ll get you out of here.”
Adrian’s lips trembled.
He quickly wiped away his tears and reached down, trying to lift Dan.
“Hang on a little longer…”
But the moment Adrian tried to move him, Dan screamed at the top of his lungs in pain.
Adrian immediately stopped and pulled his hands away, panic flashing across his eyes.
“If you move me…” Dan said, pressing a hand against his wound, “I’ll die.”
Adrian stared at him, unable to speak.
Dan gave him a weak smile before saying, “Leave me here…
and save your brother.”
Adrian stared at Dan, his lips trembling as he shook his head violently.
“No…
He tried to move closer again, but Dan grabbed his arm and stopped him.
“Adrian…
listen to me,” Dan said weakly.
Adrian looked into his eyes, tears running down his face.
“I can’t leave you!”
Dan smiled despite the pain, then looked toward Philip, who was still trapped in Malkar’s claws.
“Your brother needs you more than I do right now.”
Adrian stopped.
He looked at Philip for several moments before turning back to Dan.
It was obvious that he didn’t want to choose between them.
Then Malkar’s calm voice came from behind him.
“Are you two finished saying goodbye?”
Adrian slowly raised his head, and his expression changed instantly.
He looked back at Dan and spoke in a trembling but determined voice.
“Hold on until I come back for you.”
Dan closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again and looking at Adrian with a weak expression.
Adrian slowly stood.
His back bent for a moment before he straightened himself.
Black energy began seeping from his body again, but this time there was far more of it.
It swirled violently around him, pressing against everything nearby.
Even so, it was clear that his power still hadn’t reached its full strength.
Adrian raised his eyes toward Malkar.
“I’ll make you regret what you did to my friend.”
Silence filled the room for several moments.
Then the corner of Malkar’s mouth lifted into a sinister, provoking smile.
His eyes narrowed slightly, as if he was enjoying Adrian’s anger.
His smile grew wider as he stared at him with complete confidence, as though Adrian’s threat was nothing more than an entertaining game.
Malkar threw Philip to the ground behind him.
Adrian followed Philip’s body with his eyes for a moment before looking back into Malkar’s eyes.
“If you manage to land a punch on my face,” Malkar said coldly, “I’ll release your brother.”
Adrian looked at Philip, then clenched his teeth.
“Then so be it.”
Adrian charged at him with all his strength and threw a straight punch at his face, but Malkar disappeared in an instant.
Adrian’s fist cut through empty air.
He spun around quickly, only to find Malkar standing behind him.
Before Adrian could move, Malkar struck him hard in the back.
Adrian was sent flying toward the wall and crashed into it with tremendous force.
He hit the ground, but immediately forced himself back up and charged again.
His attacks came one after another, but Malkar dodged them with astonishing ease.
Every time Adrian attacked, Malkar responded with an even stronger blow, tearing through his defenses and sending him crashing to the ground while Adrian’s eyes never left him.
Adrian stood again, blood running down his forehead and across his chest, but he refused to retreat.
He rushed toward Malkar and unleashed a series of punches, but Malkar avoided every one with ease before driving his fist into Adrian’s stomach and sending him flying backward.
Adrian landed hard, wiped the blood from his mouth, and stood again.
This time, he didn’t rush forward immediately.
He began moving carefully, watching Malkar’s every movement.
Then he threw a slow punch toward his face.
Malkar smiled and took half a step back, expecting another attack to follow.
But Adrian used that moment.
He suddenly lowered his body and changed direction, moving around Malkar before swinging his fist toward his face with all his strength.
Malkar’s expression changed for a split second.
He tried to raise his hand, but it was too late.
Adrian’s fist slammed directly into his face.
The impact echoed throughout the room as Malkar was forced several steps backward.
Adrian stood in front of him, his body covered in blood.
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