Adam sat on the scorched battlefield, the ground beneath him trembling with the chaos of conflict.
His breathing was shallow, his body caked in dust and grime from relentless attacks.
The air was thick with the acrid stench of gunpowder and smoke, and the muffled cries of soldiers echoed in the distance.
His muscles ached from the unending barrage, but his mind remained razor-sharp.
As he gazed at the soldiers regrouping in the distance, his heart sank.
They were reloading, following the orders of General Core.
The command to "Fire!" rang out again, and bullets began raining down on him like a deadly storm.
"Enough," Adam muttered to himself, raising his hand as a makeshift shield to deflect the onslaught.
"I have to get out of here," he thought desperately.
But before he could make a move, a familiar voice echoed in his mind—a voice he'd heard before, one that felt like a memory long buried.
His gaze darted towards the horizon, where a massive tank emerged, its turret swiveling to aim directly at him.
Beside the tank stood General Core, his expression cold and calculating. He raised his hand, signaling the tank to fire.
BOOM!
The tank shell exploded just feet away from Adam, sending him hurtling through the air like a ragdoll.
His body collided with the ground, bouncing several times before crashing into the border wall with a sickening thud. The impact left a gaping hole in the wall, and debris rained down around him.
In the distance, General Core climbed into a military-green armored vehicle, flanked by a convoy of escorts.
His assistant, a sharp-eyed woman named Nell, followed closely behind. Before departing, the General barked an order to a nearby soldier.
"I want updates every minute. No delays," he commanded. The soldier saluted crisply as the convoy roared away, leaving Adam battered but alive.
---
Adam groaned as he pushed himself out of the crater his body had created in the wall.
His muscles screamed in protest, but he forced himself to stand.
As he stumbled through the breach, his eyes locked onto a squad of soldiers waiting for him, their rifles trained on his chest.
"Stop right there!" one of them shouted, but Adam barely had time to process the command before the gunfire erupted again.
Bullets tore through the air, colliding with his skin in rapid succession.
Sparks flew, and the ricocheting projectiles created a cacophony of metallic clangs.
His body absorbed the blows, his superhuman resilience shielding him from serious harm.
Yet, the pain was undeniable, each bullet like a fiery sting against his flesh.
His mind raced. 'Thousands of bullets... they've already hit me with thousands...' Some had even grazed his head, leaving behind trails of heat but no blood.
Suddenly, the ground trembled as another tank rolled into view.
Adam's eyes narrowed as he spotted a female soldier perched on top of it, her machine gun poised and ready. The weapon's massive barrel glinted ominously in the sunlight.
"Ohh, Come On...Not again," Adam muttered under his breath.
The gun roared to life, unleashing a hail of oversized bullets that carved deep craters into the wall behind him.
Adam darted left and right, dodging the worst of the barrage. But some bullets found their mark, slamming into his chest and arms with bone-jarring force.
Pain coursed through him, sharp and searing, unlike anything he'd felt before. It was as though blades were slicing through his nerves. He staggered, clutching his sides.
"If even one of those hits my eyes..." he thought grimly, shielding his face with his hands. He couldn't risk it—not now.
Desperation surged through Adam. Gritting his teeth, he bent his knees and leaped with all his strength.
The soldiers gasped in unison as Adam soared into the air, his jump propelling him higher than a multi-story building.
Their fingers froze on the triggers, disbelief plastered across their faces.
Even the female soldier on the tank stopped firing, her eyes widening in astonishment.
Adam's trajectory carried him towards the border wall, and for a fleeting moment, he thought he might escape. But as he reached the apex of his leap, his eyes widened in horror.
On the other side of the wall, a line of tanks awaited him, their barrels angled upwards, locked onto his position.
'They were ready for this...'
The soldiers in the tanks acted swiftly. Three of them fired simultaneously, their rockets streaking through the air like fiery comets.
Adam crossed his arms over his chest, creating a makeshift shield with his hands.
The first two rockets exploded against his forearms, sending shockwaves rippling through his body.
The third struck his back, propelling him backwards like a missile. He crashed into a two-story building, smashing through the roof and landing on the ground floor in a cloud of dust and rubble.
The building groaned under the strain before collapsing entirely, burying Adam beneath a mountain of debris.
---
Far from the battlefield, General Core sat in the back of his vehicle, his expression calm but calculating. Beside him, Nell monitored the situation through a secure radio channel.
"This is General Core to Base. Status report."
The voice of a captain crackled through the radio.
"Sir, the target is enduring everything we throw at him—multiple tank rockets, machine guns, and automatic fire. His condition remains... surprisingly stable. There are no visible injuries."
Core's lips pressed into a thin line. "Understood. Hold your ground. Reinforcements are en route."
He ended the transmission and pulled out his phone, typing a quick message. A reply came almost instantly, bringing a rare smile to his face.
"It's a shame," he mused aloud. "If only this subject would fight for us instead of against us. He'd be an unparalleled asset. But as it stands, he's too dangerous."
---
Back at the ruins, Adam stirred. Dust and rubble clung to his skin as he emerged from the wreckage, his body unmarred by the chaos.
His resilience was absolute, but exhaustion was beginning to creep in.
The soldiers watching from a distance trembled. To them, he was no longer human—he was a monster.
Adam took a deep breath and shouted, his voice raw with frustration. "Can I get a moment to breathe?...Just one?"
The only response was another hail of gunfire. Adam raised his hands instinctively, shielding his face once more.
He crouched low, preparing for another leap. But just as he was about to push off, a strange sound reached his ears.
It was faint at first—a hum that grew louder with each passing second. He looked up and froze.
Twelve jets streaked across the sky in a arrow formation, their engines roaring like thunder.
As they descended, Adam could see their sleek shapes, each one bristling with weaponry.
"No...No ...no" he whispered, dread settling in his chest.
---
Inside the lead jet, Wing Commander John barked orders. "This is Eagle Squadron. Target is locked. Countdown: three, two, one... fire!"
Two missiles launched from each jet, their engines igniting in unison.
Twenty-four rockets screamed towards Adam, their speed breaking the sound barrier.
On the ground, the soldiers intensified their fire, pinning Adam in place. The rockets reached their target within seconds.
!!!BOOM!!!
The explosions were deafening, their shockwaves tearing through the battlefield.
Two nearby tanks were obliterated in the blast, and a towering cloud of smoke and dust rose into the air.
Buildings crumbled, their foundations unable to withstand the force.
When the dust settled, the battlefield was silent, save for the faint crackle of flames.
---
End of Chapter 13.