Chapter 20

"The target is within range. I can take him out right now," the man said quietly into his earpiece, perched atop a tall building. His dark, blood-colored attire blended seamlessly with the dim light, making him almost invisible against the rooftop. He peered through the scope of his rifle, its sights locked firmly on Adam.

"Are you using the untraceable bullets? The ones enhanced through special skills?" a calm, an authoritative voice crackled in his ear.

"Yes," the sniper replied with a tinge of irritation. The preparations had been extensive, and the risks were not lost on him. He'd received a list of Adam's known capabilities beforehand, and it was enough to make his palms sweat, despite his training. Although the list wasn't fully detailed due to Adam's skills that concealed his job class, level, and other critical details, there were still countless skills capable of uncovering such information that Adam couldn't entirely defend against.

Adam's strength was immense, so much so that the skill used to analyze his capabilities had reached its limit and couldn't display his full power. The assessment placed Adam at least at level 31, designating him as a C-rank. But that should have been impossible—how could anyone rise to a C-rank so quickly?

The bullet the sniper was preparing to use was no ordinary round. It was specially designed to be undetectable and untraceable, ensuring that no one could sense its presence or trace it back to him. He planned to take Adam out in a single, precise shot. After all, despite Adam's overwhelming power, he was still fundamentally human. No skill could keep his body as hard as steel indefinitely.

The sniper operated from well beyond Adam's sensory range, as indicated by the intelligence gathered. Thanks to his Job Class, Sky Sniper, he could transcend normal limitations and hit a target from over a dozen miles away. This alone was extraordinary, considering that the horizon for most humans was roughly three miles.

He had been observing Adam and Blessing during what appeared to be a date, waiting for the perfect opportunity. As the two exited the restaurant, the sniper saw his chance. Adam was clearly off-guard at that moment, especially as he reached to accept the gift from Blessing's hand. Yet, the voice on the other end of the earpiece hesitated, wasting a prime opportunity to eliminate Adam.

"Take the shot, then eliminate the girl next," the voice commanded through the earpiece. Without hesitation, the sniper pulled the trigger, sending the bullet rocketing through the air at supersonic speeds. This wasn't an ordinary shot—this bullet was engineered to minimize the sound barrier's impact, ensuring no loud noise revealed his position.

The bullet hurtled towards Adam, who had just sat down in his car. As it approached, Adam's eyes shifted slightly, catching sight of the incoming projectile. With a mere thought, the car's advanced barrier system activated. The invisible shield deflected the bullet with such force that it reversed direction, rocketing back toward its origin. In an instant, the sniper was struck and killed by his own shot.

'It took them almost six months, but they've finally gathered some information on me,' Adam thought. 'And they decided it was easier to try killing me than attempting to control me.'

Using his Observation Haki, Adam had extended his senses to the fallen sniper. Delving into the faint echoes of the man's mind, he had extracted everything he needed, the source of the order, their motives, and the extent of what they knew about him.

A few months ago, Adam had killed several people sent to capture him. Their goal was to deliver him to their boss, who planned to use a mind-control skill to bend Adam to their will. Adam had dealt with the situation strategically, opting to make himself appear less valuable in the eyes of those pursuing him. This approach worked, but it led to a series of individuals attempting to get close to him over the past few months, all with the intent of using skills to uncover his secrets. While Adam successfully avoided them, he knew it was only a matter of time before he couldn't dodge them all. No one could remain perpetually vigilant against every skill in existence.

This was also why he didn't kill everyone sent after him. Adam was well aware that some skills could be used to investigate events retroactively, potentially exposing his true strength to a broader audience—something he wanted to avoid at all costs.

'This was a trap… and I just fell for it,' Adam thought. His mind raced as he pieced things together. The sniper couldn't have been the only plan. Whoever was behind this had to know one sniper wouldn't be enough to kill him. Either this was an elaborate attempt to force Adam to reveal his abilities or a calculated move to confirm something they already suspected.

Adam's phone suddenly began ringing, interrupting his train of thought. He glanced at the screen for a moment, his expression neutral. Across from him, Blessing looked equally shocked—after all, someone calling Adam was a rare occurrence. Without saying a word, Adam picked up the call.

"I guess you got what you wanted," Adam said coldly, his tone devoid of emotion.

"Indeed, Mr. Adam," came the reply, the voice distorted by a voice changer. "Your skill set is truly remarkable. Not only did you sense the bullet in time, but you somehow managed to deflect it and send it back to its origin. Your abilities extend far beyond illusion. If I dare say, you might very well be the strongest living being alive."

Adam's expression remained blank, though his eyes darkened slightly.

"I've been observing you for the past five months and three weeks," the voice continued, calm and calculated. "For the longest time, I found nothing I could use against you. You're untouchable. You have power, you shun fame, and you're worth over $150 billion—so money is no leverage. But then I realized something."

The voice paused for effect, and Adam's grip on the phone tightened slightly.

"Adam, there are two things you value above all else. The first—and perhaps the one closest to your heart—is the entertainment world. Movies, anime, and everything that brings you joy. Imagine a world where no new films are ever produced, where creativity is snuffed out at its root. I have the influence to ensure that no new movie or series is ever born, not just in your country but globally."

Adam's eyes narrowed, his expression cold as ice.

"The second thing is that girl sitting next to you," the voice added, its tone almost mocking. "She's the only person you've shown any leniency toward. Is that because she's carrying your child? A beautiful sentiment, really, but imagine how tragic it would be if something happened to her. This world is cruel, Adam. Humanity is regressing, returning to its primal instinct, humans can be cruel. But I can help you prevent that."

Blessing's eyebrow raised as she processed those words, but Adam remained motionless, his gaze fixed ahead, unreadable. The voice continued, slow and deliberate.

"So, Adam, what do you say? Let's work together. With me, you could ensure that neither of these things, your passion for entertainment or that girl—ever comes to harm. Think carefully."

"Before you continue, just know this, I'm fully aware you're not the mastermind," Adam said coldly, his voice steady but laced with venom. "Your boss is most likely Bob White. Or, you're nothing more than a pawn, being used as a shield. Bob White... That hell you went through is your last warning. Next time, I won't be so lenient."

With those words, Adam hung up, his grip on the phone tightening briefly before he tossed it onto the dashboard.

What was the point of all the money he was accumulating? Wasn't it to revive the movies, anime, and everything else that had suffered so heavily because of the world's upheaval? He'd worked tirelessly to rebuild what had been lost, and now this guy had the audacity to spit in the face of all that effort. Adam clenched his fists, his jaw tightening as his anger simmered beneath the surface.

"Seeing you get so angry for me is kind of touching," Blessing said with a teasing smile, breaking the silence.

Adam shot her a sharp glare, his eyes glowing faintly with restrained fury. He wasn't in the mood for her antics.

That deep-seated rage, the one he'd locked away ever since he was young, stirred within him like a beast waiting to break free. The gifts he'd been granted came with a double-edged sword: the overwhelming power he held in his hands and the burden of knowing how easily he could destroy. The only things keeping his rage in check were his unyielding self-control and his sharp intellect, which constantly worked to help him see beyond the storm of his emotions. But in moments like this, even those restraints felt dangerously fragile.

***

"How did he know?!" Bob White muttered darkly, his face twisting with frustration as he paced back and forth. The dimly lit room was eerily silent, with only one young man standing nearby, his head lowered, knowing full well that Bob wasn't asking him directly but venting his anger aloud.

"He knew all along," Bob growled, his hands clenching into fists. "Those bastards... can he read minds? But the sniper was miles away. How the hell could he have read the sniper's mind from that distance? What kind of Job Class gives someone that kind of power?"

Bob's face darkened further as his mind raced, trying to piece everything together. "That bastard avoided every single attempt I made to probe him. He knew. He must have manipulated the memories of the one guy I thought escaped, feeding me false information. Damn it!" Bob slammed his fist onto the desk, veins bulging with frustration.

"Contact the Jokers," he barked, his tone sharp and decisive. "Give them everything we have on Adam. No—give Adam's information to every evil organization out there. Those greedy bastards would jump at the chance to take him down for the benefits. Let them do the dirty work."

He paused mid-thought, his lips curling into a sinister smirk as a new idea struck him. "Wait... we'll use that as leverage. Peace is what he wants, isn't it? The last thing someone like him would want is the chaos I can unleash. Get him on the line. I'll talk to him personally this time."

Bob's triumphant grin faded instantly as his eyes drifted to the side—and froze. His face paled, his breath catching in his throat. Sitting there casually, like a silent predator watching its prey, I watched Bob like the clown he was.

The young man who had been quietly listening to Bob's tirade followed his gaze and stiffened, his body locking up in sheer disbelief. The room, heavy with Bob's plans moments ago, now hung in intense, oppressive silence as I simply looked at them.

The young man wasted no time. He sprang into action, positioning himself between Bob and me, his stance firm as he prepared to defend his master. Bob, in a panic, stumbled backward, slamming his hand against a hidden alarm on the wall, the blaring sound echoing through the room as it summoned reinforcements.

The young man, however, didn't wait for backup. With a quick flash of energy, he activated a skill, teleporting a short distance. In an instant, he was above me, his sword slicing downward with lethal precision.

With a sharp swish, my head was severed cleanly from my neck, spinning through the air before landing with a dull thud. Bob's eyes widened, his lips parting in disbelief. He hadn't expected it to be this easy. Relief and triumph briefly crossed his face as he watched my body collapse to the floor.

But that relief was short-lived.

My severed head and body began to shimmer, breaking apart into a flurry of black feathers. Bit by bit, the pieces of me transformed into a murder of crows, their shrill cries echoing ominously in the office. The crows scattered momentarily, only to converge in the corner of the room. Bob's expression shifted from triumph to terror as the birds reformed into my body, sitting in a chair, intact and unscathed.