The Superior Rebirth: A Hero's Awakening

The Shattered Wall

Xavier and Adam locked eyes, the tension between them palpable. Without hesitation, Xavier charged forward, determined to press the attack before Adam could reveal any hidden tricks. His twin blades flashed in a relentless assault, yet Adam—eerily calm—met the flurry with a single sword. The effortless deflection brought a faint smile to Adam's lips.

"You've grown stronger, Xavier," Adam remarked, his tone tinged with genuine admiration. His amusement, however, betrayed a quiet confidence—as if he knew the outcome already.

Xavier said nothing, his focus unyielding. But Alcmena's voice cut through his concentration. "He's not as skilled with that sword as you might think. For someone of his caliber, this is... unusual."

Xavier, mid-strike, shot a quick glance toward his companion. "Unusual? How?"

"I suspect he's accustomed to wielding a different weapon," Alcmena replied. "His movements lack the precision of a seasoned swordsman. But don't get overconfident. Even with this handicap, underestimating him could cost you dearly."

Xavier's expression hardened at the warning. In a swift motion, he used the hilt of one blade to disarm Adam, sending his sword clattering to the ground. Yet Adam reacted instantly, his palm striking Xavier's wrist with calculated precision, forcing one of Xavier's swords to propel itself upwards.

Instinct took over. Xavier lunged with his remaining blade, aiming for Adam's chest. But in a blur, Adam caught the blade's tip between his fingers, snapping it clean off. The crowd gasped as Adam, with the detached fragment, hurled it toward Xavier's throat in a deadly counter.

Time seemed to slow. Just as the shard closed in, it froze mid-air, halted inches from Xavier's neck. Adam's eyes widened in shock, and murmurs rippled through the audience. Xavier had activated his vector shield in the nick of time.

Without missing a beat, Xavier redirected the shard back toward Adam, the fragment slicing through the air with lethal precision. Adam barely managed to tilt his head, the shard grazing his shoulder instead of his throat. Seizing the moment, Xavier followed up with a fierce and swift kick to Adam's face.

"Xavier!" Alcmena's urgent voice broke through. "Behind you!"

Instinctively, Xavier turned his gaze downward and caught sight of Adam's hand—his previously discarded sword now gripped tightly, arcing toward Xavier's exposed back. In a desperate move, Xavier snatched his blade that was still in mid-air and teleported away just as Adam's strike closed in. The missed attack whistled through empty space.

Reappearing a safe distance away, Xavier panted slightly, his mind racing. "When did he retrieve his sword? I disarmed him... didn't I?"

"He's faster than you think," Alcmena said sharply. "Stop overanalyzing. Focus. Watch his movements."

"Got it." Xavier steadied his grip on his sword, his resolve strengthening.

Adam, now standing tall, rolled his neck with a smirk. "I've seen enough of your tricks, Xavier. You're skilled, but you rely too heavily on finesse and your powers. Your physical strength is lacking, which creates... openings." He paused, his eyes narrowing. "And then there's that creature of yours."

Xavier's brow furrowed. "Creature? What are you talking about?"

Alcmena's voice erupted in Xavier's mind, laced with indignation. "Creature? Who does he think he is, calling me that?"

"Is he talking about you, Master?" Xavier murmured, his tone unsure.

"Of course he is!" Alcmena growled. "The audacity!"

Xavier's eyes widened with a mix of fear and confusion as he tried to grasp how Adam could possibly know about Alcmena and the power he wielded.

Even though he couldn't hear Xavier and Alcmena's conversation, Adam caught the subtle shift in Xavier's expression after the mention of the word, 'creature'.