Only I Can Adapt: Genetic Evolution System-Chapter 50: Against The Sun

By the will inscribed into his flesh and soul, he rose to his feet as his internal structure was rebuilt stronger than before. With an exhale that expelled the pain through his body, he stepped out from the antique shop.

Down the road, the shining figure drew closer with slow, but heavy steps that carried intense heat with every stride. He heard each step taken by the man of fire, like bombs ignited through the streets.

"Haaah..."

A quiet exhale led him into bending his knees before kicking off the ground, propelling himself forward with the energy stored in his legs. The scenery around him contorted as he pierced the sound barrier, meeting the Fulminare halfway as he led with his fist.

As his knuckles collided with the golden chest, he felt nothing give, even with all of the momentum on his side.

"Insufficient," Ignatius calmly reprimanded. "You had more strength before."

He ignored the comments, throwing punches and kicks with his evolved strength backing each hit. To him, he felt more power than ever in each blow, yet he hardly budged the golden man. There was no resistance from Ignatius, only indifference to his assault–a vexing display. As his combinations did nothing but seem to bore the legendary figure among the Fulminare, he changed his approach.

Planting his boots on the ground, he bent his knees and clenched his fist before springing up, leading his fist upwards against the man’s chin.

"—"

The Fulminare’s head was tilted back, moved by the blow, though the figure remained upright. It was the worst case; a blow strong enough to move the mountainous man, but not enough to finish the job.

"Sufficient."

—That word processed through his brain just as he found himself biting into a mouthful of asphalt. It wasn’t until his face was buried into the crumbled sediment of the street did his mind adjust to what happened.

He had been hit, or more accurately, slammed down. It felt like his consciousness was shattered when attempting to think, finding the very concept too difficult while his brain was stirred.

[Severe damage dealt to brain | Intense concussion received...Adapting.]

As his mind began to heal itself, he picked himself up from the man-shaped crater in the street, spitting out the mixture of sediment from his mouth. Just as he rose with a wobble, his face was grabbed in the large hand of the Fulminare.

"Mmn?!--" Seven struggled, feeling a helpless weightlessness as he was lifted easily.

"If you wish to stop me, you can only do so with greater strength. Mere intent or will–neither of those are enough, only relied on by the weak," Ignatius reprimanded calmly.

Seven fought the hand that gripped him mercilessly, feeling a heat come off of it like the face of a burning iron. He clenched the golden fingers, pulling with all of his might as his muscles fought not to tear, attempting to unlatch even a single digit–

All he could manage was pushing the thumb off, kicking his boot against the sternum of the towering fulminare. It felt like he made no dent in the man, but he managed to free himself from the grip, landing his boots on the asphalt.

Without sparing a second, he held his hand out, releasing the stored kinetic energy within him as a bolt of electricity. It roared out, lunging like a biting serpent directly against the unmoving expression of Ignatius.

Through the fading sparks and billowing smoke left around the burning warrior’s head, the figure remained upright. He moved forward, continuing to unleash whatever he had, whatever he was capable of.

["If I fail, everybody dies."]

On the southern end of the fallen city, soldiers rushed into truckers, guided by the shouted words of their superior officers.

"Go! Go!"

"Hurry up!"

Into the back of one of the armored vehicles, Alexander rushed in with the unconscious comrades of his, setting the wounded girls into their seats.

"Shit...Where is Seven!?" Alexander shouted, looking back.

The burning sky only seemed to intensify with each moment as the city rumbled, causing the truck to rock side-to-side.

Haoyu gripped onto the handles within the interior, holding on while trying to prevent his laptop from falling, "Worry about getting out of here first! He can handle himself—it’s Shin I’m worried about."

"This is all a damn mess...I couldn’t do a damn thing out here," Alexander lamented.

Amidst the chaos, the tremors through the streets rumbled the truck further before an impact landed just outside. A humanoid robot landed, carrying an unconscious person in its arms.

"A Proto-Reaper?" Haoyu recognized.

"Hey...That’s Shin!" Alexander said, scrambling over to the back of the truck.

The blonde man swooped up the unresponsive soldier from the bot, bringing him inside. As the back shut, letting the truck finally take off, both of the teenage soldiers sat around their recovered friend.

"Hey, man—wake up!" Alexander said, tapping his hand against the young man’s cheek.

Haoyu furrowed his eyebrows while examining the state of their comrade, only able to let out an exhale, "He’s not in good shape."

"It’s all gone to shit, hasn’t it?" Alexander lamented quietly.

Haoyu remained silent, intently staring down at their unconscious comrades.

–

He threw his fists against the unbreakable body, striking with everything he had, though it was his own knuckles that gave first. As the bones in his hands fractured and the skin peeled and bled, he only threw each blow with more force, more desperation–

"Insufficient."

As his next strike came, it was caught in the golden hand. While he attempted to tug himself free from the grip, it was simply impossible–like a black hole had sucked his fist right in.

"I had heard rumors of the human that had defeated multiple members of our race. At that, even two of the God Knights were slain when they descended, when they encountered you," Ignatius recalled calmly. "I fail to see how you could’ve overcome those two. I admit you’re strong, but my expectations have been...defied."

"I–" Seven uttered out, not stringing together any thoughts beyond desperation.

Helplessly, he could only gasp as the fulminare twisted his hand in a quick, sharp motion, dislocating his wrist, arm, and shoulder in that singular action.

"I will do you the kindness of letting your ash settle alongside your comrades," Ignatius softly said.

There was nothing kind in the words administered to him as he watched the free hand of the fulminare conjure a bright, red-hot flame. Managing to tug his dislocated arm away, it quickly resettled itself, though his concern laid on the fire that roared towards him.

It came quickly and without mercy, flashing through the street as the burning shine engulfed him entirely.

["Heat Resistance"]

The adaptation felt like a cruel joke as his skin quickly boiled within the unlivable temperatures. A part of him was grateful in that moment, assuredly one evolution away from having been turned to ash in that instant.

[Lethal burns placed on the body. Internal organs in critical state. Strengthening heat resistance...]

The wave of fire dispersed as he fell to his knees, looking at his reddened, peeled skin. It sizzled, at the same time rebuilding itself as the fulminare stood over him. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"You have my respect for fighting to defend your land and people, but this is the most you can do. Rest now, warrior," Ignatius complimented, raising his hand.

With the singular motion, the sky once more took to a burning hue as embers drifted in the wind like snowflakes during a white winter. All of it fell on deaf ears as he rose to his feet while his body still fought to rebuild itself from outside and inside.

["It burns. I can manage, though. The fire around me is nowhere as hot as the one inside me."]

The only action he could muster in that moment, with his insides charred, was to wrap his arms around the waist of the hulking figure. He interlocked his fingers, creating a seal as he squeezed the otherworlder’s body into a tight grip.

"What?--" Ignatius looked down.

"Nrrggh...!"

The lonesome human clenched his teeth as his gums bled, hoisting the much larger figure up and off the ground. Despite the pain and adrenaline coursing through his system, he had a clear thought in that moment—

He was sure of it; there was a dumbfounded look on the Fulminare’s face as he was lifted like an unruly child. Committing to the full motion, he leaned back, slamming the larger figure headfirst into the ground.

He jumped to his feet with an exhale as his skin replaced the burnt sections. In front of him, the golden destroyer was left planted like a flamingo in the street, upright with his feet in the air.

Ignatius silently pressed his hands against the asphalt, unearthing himself from a simple push as he flipped onto his feet.

"I see where I misjudged you, human," the fulminare admitted. "I must burn you away completely and absolutely. Half-measures will not be sufficient in dealing with you."

Words of respect; from the man belonging to a race of beings predicated entirely on strength, he knew what was said was genuine. None of it mattered to him, however, as his mind solely focused on stalling the figure before him, at any cost.