Instability

Most humans today have came to an understanding that most of their fortunate and unfortunate chances could very well be attributed by the belief they've had towards their own feelings or some may call- their guts.

This feeling of theirs may have had quite the opposite result they wanted at first, but was soon covered by the path it opened that pave their way towards their own fortunate encounters.

As to why, most of them tends to rely on it's probability towards a better choice even if the other likelihood provided a better logic.

This reliant of theirs, growing much more severe as time passes by- it is after all, to most of them, an occurrence that rarely appears.

'W-Why now.. am i feeling, we need to retreat. He's alone.. It may have saved me once, but it sure hell won't save me twice!'

"STOP HIM!"

Though having an uncertain feeling, Fredrick's words still needed a strong stand to which he expressed loudly for all their men to hear.

Needing no further commands for they all have the necessary training deeply engraved to their bones in eliminating a person

With the exception of Daniel's group, all his other men began taking action, from firing at a distance unto charging fiercely with weapons exuding of a variety of radiance.

Most of them having their bloods boiling for what they have previously experienced to which their body still recently remembers.

Although most of them have been injured in some sort of way, it became almost entirely healed after a moment of treatment though Daniel's group seemed to have experienced it quite severely.

Nonetheless, it didn't alleviate their fierce approach for they have been ordered to and a trivial pursuit of revenge have only been a way for them to fully express their worth.

A show off performance that they would soon see an end to albeit, at a direction they wouldn't expect of.

Widely grinning under his mask, Adam's expression became entirely crazed.

His overwhelming emotions of sadness, rage, and regret being intertwined into an entirely different concept of him that yearns to be completely hollowed out.

"COME AT ME, YOU MUTTS!"

After his voice resounded, rows of men began closing on him to which the aura of crimson radiance radiating around him began fluctuating violently.

Closer by closer, by the moment, a single face infront became discernable through his mask, Adam held out and the aura around him began materializing into a sharp object that resembled a blade though it's edges whirls occasionally.

Before this first man could even initiate a slash, Adam had already positioned himself in a swordsmanship stance and did his own slashing motion that was quickly met by the man's unsuspecting body for it have already been cut in half, ignoring all of it's defense and gone through as if it was butter.

Before the next batch of men could comprehend what they've saw, they were already doing what the previous man have done in different combinations.

When they were about to near Adam's body, they soon experienced something alike what happened earlier, but they were all quickly cut in half together in one single motion.

Their dismembered body falling apart and became a part of the soil that was soon dyed in red, but they only served as intel for the next incoming men and was forgotten as mere unlucky fodders.

After witnessing this, they began changing their way of approach more appropriately in fear of dying in vain which was also further influenced by fired projectiles of before being meaningless infront of Adam as his aura completely absorbs this, proving that taking distant measurement is meaningless.

So, they began backing away while maintaining a defensive guard and movements from behind was soon signified as change in firepower when energy begins to pile up.

Upon seeing this, Adam paid no heed and quickly rushed infront and soon did a different motion of slash with his blade fluctuating even more violently.

As if being ready for it, the men infront have already prepared themselves with the highest defensive measure they could bring out and held an unknowing and nervous gaze yet still stood firmly.

*Crack-

Without being stopped by even a moment, Adam's blade instantly shattered what was prepared in front of him, it's momentum not even halting after sweeping through flesh as it's aftermath soon brought an outburst of sharp energy that killed and injured dozens of more men that wasn't influenced by the actual blade.

As more men continuously began piling up through Adam's blade, the movement from the back that built energy finally reached it's peak.

Knowing full well that defending doesn't do anything, movement from the back began occuring once more and soon blasted out a huge mass of energy that created a massive explosion, cratering a spot with Adam at it's center that had completely ignored casualties from their side.

Finding no meaning to it, fortunate mens that wasn't influenced by this patiently waited for dust to clear and await a result worthy of minimal sacrifices.

Though expectant and hopeful that it was the result they wanted, they nonetheless still held their guards- It was after all, a situation where logic is undefined to the foe they currently face.

This careful guard of theirs soon being right when dust finally settled where they could now see an amused Adam that was seemingly unaffected by what happened.

Though their expectations became shattered, their will wasn't when noticing that albeit it's unaffected appearance, the aura around Adam dimmed significantly and to Adam's amusement, he brought out even more energy that returned his aura's radiance to it's previous state.

Seeing this, the groups of mens didn't dwindle in drive as their actions actually brought change- a change that could pave a way to weaken Adam and surely end him

.

Knowing of this change in them, Adam's amusement grew and quickly acted out again, moving more violently than he ever did at men and mens he comes across with, countering, dodging and mostly sweeping his blade's purpose of cutting.

As building up energy takes time, most of them that isn't involve in blasting firepower could only face Adam head-on with retreat and avoiding a fight not being viable.

Leaving them no choice, but to do their best on holding out or by some chance, turn the tide and successfully eliminate him and be rewarded with fortune though the former being much more likely as the only option available.

As his blade continues on drawing blood and his footsteps becoming more riddled with bodies, Adam's newfound self became more and more amused to the point of his expression becoming entirely psychotic.

Without a track of time, Adam completely indulged himself to his emotions ride of slaughter- more and more, his once initial release of stability becoming completely unstable.

Without any sense of reality, his slaughter grew more and more accustomed to it's insatiable greed of wanting to see an end and taste it's last blood after an endless stream.

As the battle grew longer, the horde of men finally dwindled significantly, losing more than half of what it originally did by a mere hour.

Even after this much time had passed, Adam's bodily condition remained the same with no signs of fatigue and weakening, but no matter how seemingly endless his stamina is, his gears consistency isn't and with him entirely relying on it's use, it would only be a matter of time for his invincibility to last him.

Which seemed like so for Daniel's group that watches this battle from afar, after seeing this much bloodshed, Daniel wasn't the least bothered by these lost lives and remained enthusiastic of the time his imagination would finally come true.

A scene where Adam is on his knees, waiting to his blade's mercy yet despite the positive point of view of what Adam's outcome would be, Fredrick whose guts remained adamant since earlier couldn't help but be uncomfortable as he continues watching this slaughter.

After not holding it on any longer, Fredrick expressed possible scenarios that is highly unlikely to everyone in concern of not hurting to be more careful.

"It may look like his gears won't last him, it isn't a definite fact.. Should we be caught up in this slaughter, I'd rather not imagine the worst case scenario and diddle around for it to happen"

After stating this view of his, Fredrick's neutral intonation changed and spoke at a much emotional driven tone.

"I worry for you more than my life, Daniel.. Trust me, as not only your subordinate, but also as an uncle whom known you since little. So, let's go and retreat at a much safer are-

"Uncle, though i appreciate your concern. It is my choice to stay and see the end to this. I want to see him slowly making his way to death!"

After being cut off, Fredrick knew he couldn't change his will and could only see through this. If the worst case scenario indeed comes, he would be there and not let him die.

'Still emotionally driven.. You never changed, the master really did spoiled you too much.

I tried my best in changing you, but, i wasn't of much help, huh'

Suppressing further thoughts, Fredrick soon set his gaze once more on the ensuing clash of man and the impossible.

Blood and more blood began spilling with bodies joining the pile as moments passes by, though knowing their efforts would kill them, they had no way out of it and could only hope for the worth of sacrifices prior to soon reveal itself.

Soon unveiling itself for all men against Adam until they finally saw a sign of crumbling to Adam's invincible approach when his blade didn't entirely cut away a body.

Proving it's decrease in capability in accordance to it's radiance, but mostly when their blades finally held out against him and some projectiles actually touching his armor.

Although not having the means to once more use a more powerful fire power, it didn't discouraged them, but instead driven them further.

With relatives and goals influencing them greatly, their pattern changed and became more entirely connected.

Soon becoming more familiar with one another as years of experience filled this strangeness among them which made their way of battling slowly becoming coordinated.

Finding all of this even more amusing, Adam was ecstatic of knowing his blade could finally relish itself wholely- his mood becoming more excited despite his troubling situation.

Also finding himself an entirely different way of battling, showing what he really is capable of which wasn't entirely possible before due to his gears capability.

"That's more like it! DOGS THAT COULD ACTUALLY BITE!"

Fully indulging himself to an actual battle, Adam's body slowly showed strains little by little alongside more and more bodies perishing.

Without knowing, his opponent's proportion became clearer to him as their once seemingly endless proportion finally dwindled and dwindled until completely dwindling with Adam's blade piercing his last opponent's abdomen whilst being held up by the neck

Whilst holding the blade that pierces him, the last man struggled for his breath and tried to say something, but ended up choking to his own blood.

"..Final words?"

Noticing himself free and fallen on a severed body that was one of the thousands that encompasses the entire field in variations prior to how they died.

"I made you bleed, didn't i.."

Although incomprehensible, his mouth's movements was all it needed for Adam to understand it's essence.

"..A scratch yet was large enough for blood to spill. So, I did bleed.."

To which he replied quite softly yet still held a cold expression which is massively different to what his spectrum showed earlier that gave the last men and the other thousands a sense of madness.

Although speaking straight, Adam's breathing was slightly in disarray with streams of sweats drenching his entirety.

Showing how much of a contrast a battle with his gears in full usage compared to it's underperforming use which became a battle to show his unparalleled capability in order to fill this gap.

After hearing this, the man smiled and left tears in his eyes closing, his body collapsing and soon overwhelmed by it's damage.

Casting a glance to the side, Adam's tone changed in words being playfully mockingly.

"..Finally showing yourself, huh. You could have run like you always did, what made it different now?"

"Run? From someone whose barely holding his ground?"

Following these words were the group that separated itself earlier beginning to scatter and encircle Adam's still figure.

Daniel whose words originated from neared close enough for Adam to fully discern his face which was slightly alleviated yet mostly disfigured.

Instead of being wary and vigilant, Adam couldn't help but let out a chuckle when he heard his words, but was mostly influenced when he saw a glimpse of Daniel's appearance.

After covering his face with his hands whilst avoiding eye contact, Adam was still occupied in his silent laughter and didn't noticed Daniel's rise in irritation.

"..Are you done? For someone whose about to die, you've done yourself like you have all the time in the world"

Expressing his newfound anger, Daniel continued in a gradual rise of voice.

"I'll cut away that grin of yours.. YOU'RE LIFE WOULD BE AT MY MERCY AS LONG AS I LIV-

His fume being cut off when Daniel and his surrounding men felt a rise in tension and soon noticed Adam's gears slowly regaining it's luster.

By the time, they could react and take action. Adam's gears was once again surrounded in crimson radiance, regaining it's previous vigor.

Following this change, his laughter also gradually ceased and soon regained it's void.

"I'm done.. Are your necks ready though?"

Hearing almost all of his words, Fredrick immediately got out of his stupor and quickly reacted.

"PREPARE YOURSELVES! DON'T MAKE ANY RASH MOVEMENTS!"

After hearing Fredrick's words, Daniel's men did as they were told and backed away, leaving out of their encirclement in a position that could retreat and guard themselves well.

But retreat they did not as they waited for someone to break this tension to which Daniel did by asking loudly in bewilderment

"H-HOW?! Even if you had all the monopoly on this energy.. HOW COULD YOU STORE THAT MUCH?!"

Continuing this doubt of his, he contemplated quite unnaturally "You're gears had signs of losing energy.. That won't happen unless you've managed to build a stable core for that energy.."

After seeing his long contemplation, Adam didn't know if the guy was brain dead or simply overconfident.

Seeing as how he had the time to ponder on something currently trivial

"..How could i catch a prey if it runs away, Simply, baiting you with what you see would surely make things easier. The only thing different is that, you had no escape even if you ran away"

After speaking in a nonchalant manner, Adam began stretching himself of his tensed muscles and soon continued this way of speaking.

"Besides, what i did earlier was a great warm up"

Hearing this, Fredrick assumption was enlightened and Daniel's overconfident attitude crumbled instantly.

Seeing Adam slowly approaching them, all mens of Daniel backed away instantly including Daniel and Fredrick.

"F-Fredrick. W-What should we do?!" Trembling incessantly, Daniel looked and asked Fredrick frantically which grew more and more the more Adam takes each step closer.

'Shit. Shit! Is there really no way out?"

Scrambling his brain to its fullest, Fredrick desperately tries to find a way to get them or only Daniel out of this.

But after taking another glimpse of Adam's slow yet invincible approach, Fredrick only came to one conclusion.

'There's no way out..'

Feeling Daniel's grip on his wrist tightening and seeing him barely hold his ground from fright, Fredrick was pained and could only respond with warm eyes to Daniel's desperate gaze.

"..Uncle is here. I'll be here to protect you, if the worst comes. I want you to use the knife you have hidden and kill yourself"

Despite hearing such change in words, Daniel's grip and stand became firmer instead of weakening entirely.

Knowing full well of it's meaning, Daniel still tried to respond with firm words though still trembling from body to mouth.

"I-I understand, uncle.. I-I-I'm still not ready to die yet, b-but meeting you became a way for me to feel the love- I-I've always wanted from a family"

"F-For that i am glad it was someone like you.." Trying his best to force out a smile throughout his gratitude, Daniel's trembling attempt of showing a smile gradually vanished.

Step by step, Adam's coldness intensifies, his suppressed emotions threatening to be let out once more, wanting to be completely emptied out of it's misery to which it tried, but clearly not had even half the satisfaction.

Gradually Adam neared the group's range of guard after a couple more steps.

*Tap-

By the moment his right foot touched the ground, Adam gripped his hand tight with a gap large enough for handling something that soon arrived as his gears fluctuations quickly flowed and solidified the radiance it brought at the space left by his grip.

Showing a glassy look crimson blade, a blade that was responsible for their disturbing environment, responsible for almost the entirety of it.

It's usage of bloodbath was after all handled personally and it would soon be used once more, but at a much fewer individuals yet for Adam- It was the most anticipated on.

Without needing instructions, all of Daniel's men immediately acted as soon as they could, reaching the moment when Adam's blade made it's appearance.

Seeing Adam's invincible approach coming their way, they were naturally reminded of what occured earlier to which made all of them highly horrified.

Even if they wanted to abandon and leave for their precious life that they'd rather not waste pointlessly.

They still couldn't escape Adam's grasp, looking at how his expression screams of madness and someone who just needed to quench his conflicting emotions and they were just the perfect outlet.

Rather a minor outlet that Adam would gladly consume, it isn't any fun after all to just devastate Daniel without an utmost sense of despair to which all of Daniel's men perfectly delivered.

Seeing Daniel's men coordinating in a deadly encirclement, Adam did not outright cut their life away in half, but instead took his time.

Chipping away their mobility one by one, severing all their limbs in transition- From leaving a person immobile through his loss of legs and immediately directing his blade to another man's approaching attack that was quickly dismissed by removing where it comes from entirely, sometimes to one hand, two hands at the same or it's arm entirely.

This process of slaughter being witnessed in full view by Daniel and Fredrick, making their unease grow even greater and Daniel's despair threatening to succumb his entirety second by second.

Adam's continuing deeds being especially noticable by Fredrick whose gaze glanced at Daniel's body trembling even more than before.

'..I need to do something about this, his already fragile will is getting weaker and weaker.. but how?'

Knowing Daniel's current state, Fredrick couldn't find any ways to somehow alleviate this, words wouldn't do much in someone's overwhelming situation after all where voices except theirs wouldn't penetrate their conflicting mind by even a bit.

Amidst his thoughts, screams became increasingly frequent to the point of covering every noise within it's vicinity which made this thought of his disturbed and remain unchanged no matter how much Fredrick concentrated.

Without knowing it, this screams gradually lowered and became wails that silently weakened prior to it's attempt of screaming more until it somehow stops, but only made their screams exhausted.

"Quite fun, isn't it?"

Stepping foot on a man's head, Adam casually pressured it and neared Adam and Fredrick who remained from it's group of more than half a hundred.

After hearing screams dying out, Fredrick knew it was definitely his turn, by the time Adam finished, he was already infront of Daniel with his arsenal in hand.

"..Could i hope from you that their suffering would end? I am not qualified nor right to judge what you've done, but as someone whose about to die to your hands.. I would love to suffer in their stead"

Hearing his soft words, Adam spoke with amusement laced to his cold grin

"Not even bothering on begging for his life, aren't you quite the smart one. Do you hope of possibly delaying time for his mind's easement.. For a suicide, perhaps?"

Despite flinching slightly on Adam's accurate words, Fredrick still maintained his composure and remained steady on his words portrayal.

"What use would it make if i kneel and lick your shoes clean, would you find it satisfying enough for you to consider giving Daniel an eternal rest after you're done with him?"

Directing his gaze behind Adam, his eyes falling on where his supposed subordinates currently resides in perpetual anguish.

The more Fredrick's eyes stay, the softer his continuing words become.

"..Although not knowing one another for long, they were faces that was of mind to me- faces that greeted me diligently and was serious in orders. I'd rather see myself suffer than hearing their voices changing to what I've known it to be"

"..Is that so? Should i be touched"

"..N-No. I'm asking out of pure hope. it could be done with me being tortured without my wish. I jus-

*Plop*

'Why.. am i on the ground..?'

Before Fredrick could finish his words, his consciousness suddenly finds itself at a different space, this conscious vision of his landing perfectly to Daniel's tightening grip on a blade.

'..You.. must do i-

Before his consciousness could finish it's thought, Fredrick's vision faded whilst his lifeless eyes remains open.

Finding no time to react, Daniel stood listlessly, his eyes never leaving infront as he stares at the once dependable back dropping motionless, replacing his view with a grinning Adam whose dominant hand still had blood lingering onto it.

"..Annoying, wasn't it?"

Even after hearing Adam's voice, Daniel remained listless without any sense of reality, but signs of reaction gradually came when Adam began taking slow yet steady steps near him.

Trembling as anxiety and fear haunts him once more, his eyes becoming blurred with visible tears as an abrupt strike of feeling loss assaulted him, being an additional stress to his mind's point of crumbling.

Eventually, these emotions mixed and amidst this struggle of his. Daniel was reminded of an easy conclusion to his suffering, a proposal said by his uncle moments ago.

Tightening his hold on his knife's hilt, Daniel swiftly placed it on his neck, intending to slice through in one sweep yet when his knife actually reaches his neck- It stopped, his hand stopped him.

"Hmm? Where is it.. your blood, where is it. Weren't you about to end it all. Come on.

DO IT!"

Struggling visibly, Daniel tried once more yet his arm still didn't budge. More and more, he tried and tried yet the results were still the same- his mind didn't let him.

Even if his will were to slice his neck, the abruptness of it all contradicted where his mind stems from- where a huge part of him still wanted to live.

"I-I can't.. I-I'm sorry.."

Losing strength on his grip, his knife fell alongside his body. Making Daniel kneel on the ground with tears streaming out of his eyes, having a huge breakdown in an uncanny landscape.

"U-Uncle.. I-I-I dont want to die ye-

Within his fallen state, Daniel was suddenly knocked away as his drooping face meets Adam's foot, reaching levitation for a moment.

Feeling an additional assault of pain, Daniel squirmed and soon struggled to free himself off the ground, but wasn't granted of it as his pained face was kicked once more and was trampled firmly on the ground.

"Why were you being annoying as well?.."

Being pressured more and more, Daniel couldn't reply as his passage of air becomes thinner and thinner.

After a few more moments of enjoying himself, Adam's foot loosened and instead placed itself on Daniel's hand.

Finding himself free and fortunately still living, Daniel heavily yearned for air yet didn't got the chance to stabilize his breathing as he was soon assaulted with another wave of pain to which he found numbing and with numbness engraved, he regained his chance on stabilizing his breath somehow.

"You two were such an annoyance.. both common to it yet differ in actually upholding to it"

Continuing his words in disdain, Adam spoke while pressuring his foot even further.

"You were and is still a coward, Daniel.. Even after years passed by since that day, you never learned and changed.. I took the fear you've shown for granted, but now.."

Hearing Adam's slightly raised voice, Daniel tried to respond, but was unable to as an unimaginable wave of pain assaulted his entirety.

It's origin being his stomped hand that became dented on where it's situated on after being pressured into smithereens.

"I'll show you what comes after you're wish of living."

Finishing his paused words, Adam's grin widened, showing an expression that have emerged during his previous slaughters,but to Daniel-

It was truly terrifying.