[5 Status Points granted!]

[The Administrator, Carmhael, will grant you 1 more Status Point…

…if you kill Bjorn, the Silent Brawler.]

When Adam became a Hero, the Game mentioned something about him being more connected to the Game than other Heroes. He didn't really think much of this, not at all—after all, all the Heroes had already gone through the same process he did.

But that was where he was wrong. The other Heroes didn't go through the same process he did at all, no.

He was different, vastly different from everyone else. He'd always been. Mikhail did something to him because he wasn't being molded into whatever they wanted him to be, or whatever the rebirth was trying to do to his body.

He resisted that, and in turn… he became even more connected to the Game?

To the point that the Administrators were even watching him even though he was outside the Game altogether?

Weren't they satisfied already? Weren't they satisfied that he played their stupid little games?

Adam's lips began to tremble uncontrollably as he stared at the words floating in front of him. The Administrator's voice was about to whisper into his mind again, but Adam completely swatted the words away.

"That's not going to happen," he whispered loudly, looking up at the shattered ceiling. If his mind wasn't exhausted from the fight, he would have probably exerted more energy in expressing his dislike of these gods.

But alas, the only thing he could do was ignore them—and perhaps that was even the best thing to do right now.

[Carmhael is seething at your refusal, making you want to know that you are lucky they can not hurt you.]

…Can't hurt you?

Adam's eyes narrowed at those words. While it was true that there hadn't been a report at all of an Administrator personally coming down to smite people, weren't they the ones burning people for retreating and being idle during the Games?

[The Administrator, Jakrhael, is laughing at Carmhael.]

…Just how many Administrators were there?

Mikhael, Zyhael, Carmhael, Jakrhael—and there were a lot more others, with the way the voice always mentioned them. Were there… a hundred? There were a hundred Domes each month, after all.

Just… what do these gods want from them?

Adam squinted, looked to the side, and then raised both his middle fingers above his head.

[The other Administrators are now mocking Carmhael for being provoked by a participant.]

These Administrators… weren't they just like people, too?

[More Administrators are watching you now, Adam the Endless.]

"...Shit," Adam muttered, closing his eyes as he chose to put his mind elsewhere. He didn't even realize it, but he wasn't breathing at all.

He inhaled deeply, almost letting out a wheeze to recover himself as he looked around. He then stared down at Bjorn, who was still completely unconscious—but when he noticed that Bjorn's head was under the pool of blood, he quickly nudged him with his foot, rolling him slightly so his face wouldn't be submerged.

Adam could've just let him drown and killed him, that would've easily solved one of his problems—but he had a feeling Bjorn wouldn't be a problem to him anymore in the near future.

And besides…

You're one of the only people in this world who could afford to spare his enemies, Adam.

"Huh…"

With the Administrators no longer pestering him, Adam looked around, trying to get his bearings. The walls barely existed anymore—just debris and gaping holes. He couldn't even tell what floor they were on.

He walked around, and he could feel the entire room shift… even letting out a moan that seemed to echo throughout the entire building.

"Oh…?" And as he walked around, his eyes spotted something glinting in the rubble across the room. The Shion.

His sword lay buried under chunks of concrete and some furniture, but a part of its blade, slightly revealed from its sheath, caught what little light filtered through the destruction.

Adam sighed as he started making his way there, carefully stepping over the debris. But then, as he was halfway there…

…the entire building shuddered.

And the floor beneath his feet, the ceiling above him, and the wall farther on his left cracked. The pool of blood beneath his feet, seeping and slowly disappearing into the widening cracks.

"What…"

He had to lower his head as dust rained from above, and the groaning grew even louder.

The building… the entire building was collapsing.

Adam was about to rush toward his sword, but then stopped as he looked back and saw Bjorn still not moving.

Don't be stupid, Adam. Don't be—

And he didn't even have to think about it. As if by instinct… he rushed back toward Bjorn.

He grabbed the massive Hero under the arms and hauled him up. Adam could easily lift him—the only problem was that he was much bigger than Adam, and it was hard to balance. But still, he managed to throw him over his shoulder.

What are you doing?! Just leave him, he'll survive!

And there's a chance he might not.

He then ran back toward where the Shion was… but his weight and Bjorn's together caused the floor beneath their feet to give way.

Everything began to collapse.

"No…"

Adam still tried to make his way to the Shion, but the section where it was also collapsed.

"No." His eyes widened at this—he rushed to the edge of the floor to see where the Shion fell, and he easily saw it under the rubble. He was about to jump down… but there was a chance that he might lose his grip on Bjorn.

And that thought alone cemented Adam's only choice.

He turned around and ran.

Bjorn's body bounced against his back, the floor disintegrating behind them with each step as he made his way toward the large hole… and then he leapt.

He crashed through whatever debris blocked his path and plummeted toward the yard below. He spun in the air, and they hit the pavement hard, causing the two of them to violently roll against the pavement.

But of course, this kind of impact was already negligible for both of them.

And as soon as Adam was able to stand on his feet, he rushed back into the building for his weapon… or so he wanted.

The building was already gone. Half of the building folded in on itself, the dust blowing out in all directions, covering everything in a gray shroud.

"Ah…" Adam just stared at the still collapsing building, and then fell on his butt as he let out a loud groan.

"That… was a gift," he whispered. "Ha… I'm so stupid."

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