INFINITE MONEY - I Will Buy Everything

'Look at that. The kid's got some grit in him. Let's see just how far that'll take him,' Adam mused. He crouched slightly, then propelled himself toward William, aiming a strike at his face. But just before the blow could land, a shimmering shield of light materialized, halting his advance.

He thought that William would have punched him or tried to defend like he had done before but this new and improved approach of defense was better, Which showed he was learning and he was learning fast.

Adam's fist collided with the barrier, expecting it to shatter on impact. To his astonishment, the shield held firm, momentarily stopping him in his tracks before it inevitably broke apart into thousands of light shards.

But that fleeting moment was all William needed.

'A chance' William thought.

His mind emptied of all distractions, focusing solely on delivering a straight, full-force punch. He drew back his right hand and struck with every ounce of strength he could muster. His fist connected, eliciting a brief cough from Adam as he was driven back several feet.

Yet, Adam's resilience was extraordinary. He quickly regained his footing, assuming his stance as though nothing had happened. William narrowed his eyes, thinking, 'That was my hardest punch, and he absorbed it like it was nothing.'

'What's it going to take to make this guy feel some real pain?'

'I might have to do something unexpected before I can actually be able to do anything to him like with that light beam.'

"It was a good punch. You actually made me feel a little something," Adam said from where he stood.

"Really?" William asked, skepticism lacing his voice not believing Adam's words.

"No, just trying to distract you for a while." Adam replied with a wry smile.

Something about Adam's words set off alarm bells in William's mind, but before he could fully process it, a sudden blow from his left side sent him sprawling towards the cold hard ground. He hit the ground hard, rolling several times before coming to a stop.

"What the hell was that?" William groaned, scanning the area but seeing nothing where the punch had originated. He glanced back at Adam, who remained stationary, showing no sign of having moved.

'That guy hadn't moved a single step from where he had been standing but still I got hit by something that I couldn't even see.'

'If Adam was still there when I got hit, then what on earth struck me?' William thought, searching for an answer that eluded him.

'Was it some kind of air attack or spell? No, If it was I would have been able to feel the air when it hit me.'

Slowly, painfully, William pulled himself to his feet. The cumulative damage from the relentless assault was taking its toll; every movement sent fresh waves of agony coursing through his battered body.

But his ordeal was far from over. Another kick, this time to his back, sent him crashing to the floor once more. William, unable to see or predict where the attacks were coming from, was helpless to defend himself.

'Seriously! What the hell is that move? Why can't I see it?' William thought, lying prone on the ground, taking a momentary respite from the relentless onslaught.

Adam, observing from a distance, pondered, 'Should I let him catch his breath? Why not? The kid's taken a lot of hits; he must be in excruciating pain by now. Let him have a minute. Then I'll finish this quickly.'

'He hasn't managed to surprise me with anything else like that light beam. If he were a bit more ruthless… No, its better that he isn't.'

'That kind of fighting only suits the weak, those that know that anything other than dishonorable lifestyle wouldn't suit them, those who will never reach true strength. But he… he has potential.'

Suddenly, William's eyes widened as a realization dawned on him. 'Yes! It might be some kind of double or clone technique. Or maybe it's an invisible attack.'

'I hope it's not the latter, or I won't be able to defend against it no matter what I do… But even if it's just a clone, I still can't defend against it.'

'Not without a skill that could help me in this precise moment.'

William frantically searched his mind for a solution, and after a few agonizing seconds, his eyes lit up. 'Yes! I have that skill. Let's see if it can get me out of this.'

The skill William was thinking of was one he had acquired long ago but never had the opportunity to use:

[ Enhanced Senses - Skill - Physical - Rare - Cost (14 Bronze) ]

It was a skill he had considered invaluable, something he believed would be crucial in certain situations, though he hadn't expected to need it until now.

William slowly rose again, careful not to strain his body unnecessarily and aggravate his injuries. He looked toward Adam, who was still standing there with a faint smile, then closed his eyes.

To an outside observer, it might have appeared that William had surrendered, resigned to his fate. But Adam knew better. He watched with a brief smile as invisible wavelengths began to emanate from William.

'So, he's using the Enhanced Senses skill. But it looks like it's still at its basic level,' Adam thought. 'Let's see if he can actually make use of it.'

Adam conjured another double, this one visible but moving at such a speed that it became a blur to the naked eye. This was a technique Adam had used to dispatch many enemies, a lethal tactic that had earned him significant notoriety in the underworld. It was the same attack that had struck William twice before.

This time, Adam instructed the double to move at a slightly reduced speed. He wanted to see if William could defend against it, knowing that at full speed, William would stand no chance.

Even at this diminished speed, the double moved faster than most could perceive, quickly closing in on William's right side with a punch.

In his near-meditative state, William could sense slight fluctuations when something moved close to him, though his skill was still in its infancy. However, as the double approached, a massive disturbance rippled through the fluctuations, alerting him to the incoming punch.

The punch was lightning-fast, and William doubted he could avoid it. But almost instinctively, his body shifted, and he narrowly managed to dodge the blow.

The result astonished William. For the first time, he had successfully evaded one of Adam's attacks. But there was no time to revel in his success—another punch came, and again, he dodged it before countering and destroying the double.

Staring at his hands, William allowed himself the briefest of smiles before clenching his fists tightly.

"Yes! I can do this."