Chapter 87: Adrian Versus Lycoptera!

Chapter 87: Adrian versus Lycoptera!

Adrian charged at the towering skeletal Lycoptera, his body moving with breakneck speed.

His arms sliced through the air, each step filled with determination and the primal surge of his Kaelrian blood. The skeletal colossus, standing like an ancient monolith, barely acknowledged the approaching force, dismissing him as a low-level alien—a mere child in its eyes. Lycoptera, after all, was Kaelrian too, but in its arrogance, it believed itself far superior to these so-called "Rugrats."

The wind, sensing the shift in energy, parted for Adrian, as if cheering him on, enhancing his speed, turning him into a blur. His expression was fierce, the veins in his neck pulsing as adrenaline flooded his veins.

Behind him, Nymff gripped Ecdy's hand tighter, her knuckles turning white. Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat filled with the silent prayer that Adrian would come out of this alive. No matter how much trouble he was, no matter the cocky grin he always wore, she loved him. She couldn't bear to see him fall.

Tessa remained still, her eyes glowing faintly under the influence of the moon. She wasn't rushing to intervene—she trusted Adrian's abilities—but she was ready. If things spiraled out of control, she would step in and end it. The Moon Goddess inside her remained watchful, an ancient force held back, for now.

Ikehara, on the other hand, clenched his fists. "Tessa… and this boy....again." The bitterness in his heart festered as he watched his carefully crafted plan unravel before his eyes. This wasn't how things were supposed to go. Not with these two in the picture.

Lycoptera groaned, its hollow voice rattling through the air like dry bones clashing together. It swung its massive arm, the skeletal limb crackling through the air with deadly force, ready to impale Adrian on the spot. But Adrian, with a speed that defied logic, crashed into the colossal creature, his impact shaking the very bones of the Lycoptera. The skeletal alien staggered, nearly toppling over.

Lycoptera hissed in pain—a sound that echoed through the vast expanse of the green-tinged sky—but it didn't back down. Rage filled its hollow chest as it swung its arms in a wild arc, slamming into Adrian with enough force to send him tumbling across the ground.

Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, but Adrian pushed himself up, wiping the blood with the back of his hand. His eyes were wild, full of fight, as he got back on his feet.

"Come on!" he roared, his voice cracking through the tense air. He ran toward Lycoptera again, undeterred.

The skeletal giant could feel it—parts of its bones cracking under Adrian's relentless assault. This wasn't what it had expected. The boy, this insignificant Kaelrian, was causing more damage than anticipated. Lycoptera knew it couldn't let this drag on. It needed to end this. Fast.

With a low growl, the Lycoptera swung its massive arm again, this time aiming directly for Adrian's throat, intending to crush the life out of him with a single strike.

The world seemed to freeze as Lycoptera's deadly limb hurtled through the air. Everyone held their breath, watching the scene unfold in horrified anticipation.

Nymff's heart was in her throat as she whispered, "Please… Adrian…"

Just as Lycoptera's arm was about to collide with Adrian, time seemed to slow, the air thick with the intensity of the moment. Adrian's eyes narrowed as his body moved in sync with the rhythm of his heartbeat. Every pulse of blood in his veins, every breath, every second seemed to hum with energy.

And in that moment, the lyrics of Eminem and Lil Wayne's No Love played in the back of his mind, fueling his determination:

"Throw dirt on me and grow a wildflower,

But it's "fuck the world", get a child out her.

Yeah, my life a bitch, but you know nothing about her—

Been to hell and back, I can show you vouchers…"

The words echoed in his mind, amplifying the intensity of the fight. He wasn't just fighting Lycoptera. He was fighting against the weight of everything—the expectations, the dangers, the feeling that maybe, just maybe, he was outmatched. But hell, Adrian had been underestimated before. He'd been knocked down, but he'd always gotten back up.

"No love lost, no love found."

The thought of giving up wasn't even an option. As the Lycoptera's arm came crashing down, Adrian made his move. At the very last second, he twisted his body, sliding just under the massive arm, and with a snarl of defiance, he launched himself back at the towering skeleton, aiming to strike where it hurt the most.

Lycoptera blinked—or at least it would have if it had eyes. For the first time in millennia, the ancient being felt the icy grip of fear crawl up its spine. It had never been truly challenged like this, not by a Kaelrian this young, this determined.

Tessa's lips curled into a smile. "Adrian…" she whispered. She could see it—the fire in his heart, the unshakable will to win. Whatever happened next, she knew Adrian wasn't going down easily.

Everyone waited for the moment when bone would clash against willpower, and Lycoptera would truly learn what it meant to face a Kaelrian like no other.

________

Adrian's fists collided with the Lycoptera's towering form, and the force was like a wrecking ball hitting stone. With each hit, parts of its skeletal structure shattered into fragments that flew off like shards of glass, layer by layer, but Lycoptera was a beast born of battle, and it wasn't about to back down without a savage fight.

"It's a little too late to say that you're sorry now…"

The song raged in rhythm with the battle as Lycoptera retaliated, slamming its massive skeletal arms into Adrian's side with a force that made the ground shake. Adrian's body crumpled as he flew through the air like a rag doll. He crashed down hard, the impact sending blood streaming from his mouth and nose. Yet, impossibly, the defiance in him burned on.

"You kicked me when I was down, but what you say just don't hurt me!"

Adrian dragged himself back to his feet, the blood dripping from his orifices, his body trembling but unyielding. The sheer force of will left everyone holding their breath. The sight made the hairs on Nymff's neck stand on end. How was he even still standing?

Ecdy looked away, unable to bear watching Adrian in such a state, "This guy's insane..."

Even Lycoptera paused for a moment, its hollow eyes registering something unfamiliar—respect, maybe? But it quickly snarled, raising its colossal arms again to bring down the final blow.

Adrian, his face covered in dirt and blood, grinned through the pain.

"You showed me nothing but hate, you ran me into the ground, but what comes around goes around!"

But this time, as the Lycoptera swung again, Adrian didn't dodge fast enough. The colossus's bony fist slammed into him with brutal force, sending him flying. His body went limp, unconscious mid-air, before he even hit the ground.

Everything stopped.

Without thinking, Tessa flashed forward, the wind bending to her speed. In a split second, she caught Adrian mid-air, holding him close before landing gently on the ground. His body was motionless, but that damned smirk was still plastered on his face, as if mocking the very idea of defeat.

Nymff gasped, breaking free from Ecdy's grip, and rushed toward Adrian. "Adrian!" Her voice cracked with worry. She dropped beside him, shaking his shoulder lightly as if hoping that would wake him up. "You idiot… why would you do this?"

Tessa's eyes flickered, filled with a mixture of admiration and concern. "Even unconscious, he's still trying to prove a point." She muttered, shaking her head.

Nymff looked at Tessa, her eyes pleading, "He's strong, but how long can he keep doing this?"

Tessa sighed, placing a gentle hand on Nymff's shoulder. "He'll be fine. He's a Kaelrian after all... they don't know how to give up."

Nymff wiped the tears that threatened to spill, "He's more than that, he's..." her voice trailed off as she turned to Adrian, her hand brushing against his cheek, her face softening. "He's more than just this warrior. He's... Adrian."

Adrian groaned, stirring slightly, his smirk deepening even as his eyes remained closed. "Is that... concern I hear?"

Nymff nearly choked on her breath, half-laughing, half-crying, "You stupid alien!"

Tessa smiled softly, watching them. Her focus, however, shifted back to Lycoptera, who now stood poised for another attack. She knew Adrian wasn't out of this yet, but for now, he needed rest, and she needed to deal with this.

Ikehara smirked from the shadows, clearly enjoying the chaos as Tessa stepped forward. "Don't worry, I'll make sure this fight ends the way it should have from the start," she muttered, cracking her knuckles.

"Now run, but you can't run far…"

As the lyrics of No Love began to fade, Tessa's aura flared up once more, the moon's light wrapping around her like armor. The fight was far from over.

The storm was about to hit.