Adrian stepped forward slowly.
The battlefield around him was filled with smoke and destruction. Broken buildings, cracked roads, and scattered debris surrounded him, but none of it mattered anymore. His eyes were locked onto only one person.
Jake.
Adrian grabbed Jake by the collar, his hands shaking.
"Jake… remember me?" he said quietly, his voice trembling. "It's me. Your childhood friend. We grew up together. We dreamed about becoming heroes together. So please… just stop."
Jake stared at him without any expression.
For a moment, Adrian thought he saw something familiar in his eyes.
Then Jake punched him.
The blow sent Adrian flying backward, his body crashing into the ground as blood spilled from his mouth. He groaned in pain but forced himself to stand again, refusing to look away.
"Jake!" Adrian shouted desperately. "Why are you doing this?! Are you okay?! Who did this to you?!"
Jake didn't respond.
Anthony stepped forward slightly, his expression dark.
"The Jake you knew is gone," he said. "That thing is just a weapon. A machine built to kill. It has no free will. It probably can't even understand your words."
Adrian's eyes widened.
"No…," he whispered, his voice breaking. "First my dad… and now Jake too…?"
Tears formed in his eyes.
At that moment, Jake raised his hand, an energy sphere forming in his palm.
Before he could fire it, Adrian rushed forward, slammed his forehead into Jake's face, grabbed him again, and threw him into a nearby building. Concrete shattered as Jake crashed through multiple floors.
For a brief second, Adrian hoped.
But Jake appeared again instantly, fully healed, standing right in front of him.
Anthony shouted from behind, "You have to erase his body completely! If even a single part remains, he'll regenerate!"
Adrian clenched his fists. "Got it."
He vanished and reappeared in front of Jake, unleashing a storm of punches. His fists moved faster than sight, each strike shaking the air and tearing Jake's body apart again and again. Limbs shattered, metal cracked, and flesh was destroyed, but Jake's body regenerated instantly, reforming perfectly every time, as if damage itself meant nothing.
Adrian's breathing grew heavier with each second.
Jake, however, showed no sign of exhaustion.
Anthony looked around and realized the situation.
"We have to run!" he shouted.
He lifted Cosmic onto his shoulder and grabbed Kenji as well. "Adrian! We can't win like this!"
Adrian turned his head slightly. "Take them and go! I'll hold him off!"
Anthony hesitated for a moment, then clenched his teeth and ran, carrying Cosmic and Kenji away.
Jake noticed and raised his hand to attack them, but Adrian appeared instantly and punched him in the stomach, shattering the forming energy attack.
Anthony escaped.
Now, only Adrian and Jake remained.
The fight continued.
Adrian's movements slowly became slower, his body trembling from exhaustion, while Jake stood perfectly stable, untouched, and emotionless.
Suddenly, Jake's elbow shifted unnaturally, a blade emerging from it. Before Adrian could react, the blade pierced through his chest.
Pain exploded through his body.
Adrian coughed blood and staggered backward, barely able to stand.
He thought it was over.
Dying at the hands of his best friend.
But then he noticed something.
Jake's face was still cold, but his eyes were trembling.
And then Adrian saw it.
Tears.
Jake was crying.
"Jake…" Adrian whispered weakly. "Please… come back. You're still here. I know you are."
For a moment, Jake didn't move.
Then his lips curved slightly.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
Adrian gasped.
But suddenly, the smile froze, and Jake's eyes lost their light.
A cold, robotic voice echoed from his body.
"Goodbye."
Jake collapsed.
His body hit the ground without moving.
"Jake…?" Adrian whispered.
He rushed forward, fell to his knees, and shook Jake's shoulders.
"Wake up… Jake… this isn't funny…"
No response.
No heartbeat.
No breathing.
Adrian's hands started shaking.
Reality hit him.
Jake was dead.
Adrian screamed.
He pulled Jake's body closer, tears flowing uncontrollably.
"Why…?" he whispered. "Why did this happen to you…?"
Slowly, his sadness transformed into rage.
He stood up, his eyes no longer filled with tears, but with burning hatred.
"Whoever did this to you…" he said quietly.
His voice was cold.
"I will hunt them down."
He clenched his fists.
"For the rest of my life."
Meanwhile, Lucius watched from afar.
"Hunt me down?" He said smiling, "Interesting."