Chapter 12: Worthy？

The room was silent except for the faint hum of the overhead lights flickering erratically. Adam's eyes never left the figure that stood before him, its presence looming like a shadow, cold and oppressive. Monica stood just behind him, her hand still gripping the handle of her gun, every muscle in her body tensed, ready to act at a moment's notice.

"Worthy?" Adam's voice was low, skeptical. "And what does that mean? What do you want from me?"

The figure, draped in an elegant yet sinister cloak, stepped forward. Its movements were deliberate, calculated. With every step it took, the air seemed to grow heavier, as though the very atmosphere in the room was bending to its will. Adam tightened his grip on his machete, aware that even the smallest misstep could lead them into a trap.

"I want nothing from you—at least, not yet," the figure replied, its voice smooth, like velvet, but with an underlying sharpness that made Adam uneasy. "I offer you a chance to ascend beyond your current limitations, to gain what others can only dream of."

Adam's pulse quickened. "What are you offering?"

The figure's lips curled into a smile that was all teeth, gleaming in the dim light. "The power to change the course of this world. The power to crush your enemies beneath your feet. The power to unlock your true potential."

Adam was silent for a long moment, weighing the words carefully. In a world where survival was a daily struggle, where the strongest reigned and the weak perished, power was a currency more valuable than food or water. He had fought for everything he had so far, and this... this felt like an opportunity he couldn't afford to ignore.

But there was something off about the figure's proposition. The price of power had never been simple, and Adam had learned early on that anything offered too freely came with a hidden cost. Still, he needed to know more.

"You're offering me power... but what's the catch?" Adam asked, his voice steady despite the unease gnawing at him.

The figure's eyes glowed brighter, redder, as it took another step forward. "You misunderstand," it said, its voice growing colder. "The price is not for me, Adam. The price is for you."

Adam's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

The figure reached into the folds of its cloak and pulled out a small, obsidian-like crystal. It glimmered in the low light, an unnatural gleam dancing along its surface. Adam's eyes locked onto it, sensing its energy radiating in the air like a low hum. This crystal... it was powerful. It was the kind of power Adam could use to finally stand above his enemies.

"The price," the figure continued, "is the soul. Your soul. Your humanity."

Adam's breath caught in his throat. He wasn't sure whether the figure was bluffing or if it was serious. But a quick glance at Monica, her wide eyes filled with suspicion, told him that she wasn't buying it either.

"The soul? You expect me to give up my humanity for power?" Adam's voice was tinged with disbelief. "I've fought too hard to survive, and you think I'm just going to give it all up?"

The figure's smile never faltered. "Not all of it. Just enough to give you the power you need to survive. To protect what matters most."

Monica stepped forward, her hand still resting on the gun. "And what's in it for you? Why offer this?"

The figure's smile deepened, and it tilted its head slightly, as if amused by her question. "What's in it for me? I gain nothing, except for the satisfaction of seeing you grow stronger. I have no need for power, Adam. My only interest is in observing the way you use it."

Adam's mind raced. The offer was tempting. He had already tasted the power that came from defeating strong enemies, from using his system to evolve. But this—this was something else entirely. To sacrifice a part of himself, to trade his very soul for power... was it worth it?

"I don't trust you," Adam said finally, his voice steady, but filled with an undeniable edge of caution.

The figure nodded slowly, acknowledging the truth in Adam's words. "Wise. But you're also desperate. You've seen the destruction that's coming. You've felt the weight of the apocalypse pressing down on you. You know that power is the only thing that will allow you to survive it. You have two choices, Adam: accept my offer, and become stronger than you've ever dreamed, or reject it... and die like the rest."

Adam stood motionless, his mind swirling with thoughts. He wasn't just fighting for himself anymore. He was fighting for humanity's survival. If this was the key to victory, could he really afford to turn it down?

"Give me time to think," Adam said, finally breaking the silence.

The figure's eyes narrowed, as if it hadn't expected this response. But it didn't object. Instead, it took a slow, deliberate step back.

"Very well," it said, its voice almost dripping with satisfaction. "But remember, time is not on your side. The world is collapsing, Adam. Every moment you hesitate, someone else is gaining strength. The price of power will only rise."

With those final words, the figure turned and began to retreat into the shadows of the room. Its form became less distinct, dissolving into the dark corners, leaving Adam and Monica standing in the eerie silence that followed.

For a long moment, neither of them moved. Adam's heart was racing, his mind spinning with the implications of the offer. It was a dangerous game, but in a world like this, danger was the only constant. And sometimes, danger was the price of survival.

Monica broke the silence first, her voice tight with emotion. "You can't trust that thing, Adam. You've seen what happens when you make deals with the wrong people."

Adam nodded slowly, though his gaze remained fixed on the place where the figure had vanished. "I know. But sometimes... there's no other choice."

The room felt colder now, the walls pressing in closer. Adam could feel the weight of the decision bearing down on him. There was no going back. No matter what choice he made, it would change everything.

"Let's leave," Monica said, her voice cutting through his thoughts. "Whatever happens, we need to get out of here before—"

A sudden, deafening crash interrupted her words. The walls of the room seemed to shudder, and Adam's instincts kicked in. Something was coming. Something powerful.

Before they could react, the door they had entered through exploded inwards, a wave of debris and dust filling the room. Adam's machete was already in hand, and Monica's gun was raised in an instant. They weren't alone anymore.

And whatever was coming, it wasn't here to talk.