Immortal In A Death Game-Chapter 197: Adam’s Current Strength

"Stop it. I’m serious. You’re going to end up hitting your friends."

The soldiers around him glanced at each other. They thought for a moment, and then remembered they weren’t trained to think at all.

"Shoot him!"

The shooting continued.

"...Seriously?" And with that, Adam decided to actively attack.

He sighed and moved through the soldiers near him, gently but firmly knocking down each soldier who kept firing. He was fast. The soldiers could still track him, but he moved from soldier to soldier.

They hit the ground hard, but other than mild concussions... they should be fine.

"Okay." Adam raised both hands again as he stepped down from the disabled jeep. "I’ll retaliate again, but only if you attack me again."

The soldiers hesitated, looking at each other uncertainly. But while they started to hesitate, James aimed another high-caliber weapon from a different jeep and fired directly at Adam’s chest.

Everyone opened fire again.

"...Okay." Adam’s expression began to change. The patient look in his eyes hardened into something colder. He disappeared and lunged toward James, the concrete cracking under his boots as he launched himself forward.

He didn’t go straight to James, however, but rather rammed the jeep.

The vehicle crumpled like an aluminum can, metal screaming as it folded in on itself. The soldiers above were thrown clear, tumbling across the gravel.

Adam didn’t stop at just that. He glanced at the soldiers nearby, then began tearing the destroyed jeep apart with his bare hands for whatever reason.

Metal shrieked as he ripped off doors, tore away the engine block, and scattered pieces across the compound.

Every soldier stared in stunned silence, weapons forgotten as they watched the Hero dismantle a military vehicle like it was made of paper.

***

Several Hours Earlier - Hero Evaluation Wing

"This is..."

Gordon’s eyes snapped wide open, and he grabbed the edges of the table, his eyes moving uncontrollably. The monitors in front of him erupted in chaos without pause—red warning lights flashing, numbers climbing beyond anything he’d seen in the last several years.

"...Impossible," he whispered.

The readings kept climbing, rising, and climbing.

Gordon’s shocked face twitched, slowly turning into a smile as he leaned back.

Soon, a light tremor ran through the observation room. The monitors shook slightly on their mounts, and Gordon had to hold one of them to stop them from falling offl. The vibration continued for several seconds, then stopped abruptly.

<Sir.> Adam’s voice crackled through the speakers. <How is it? Do you want me to go again?>

"You..." Gordon didn’t answer. He scrambled to his feet, knocking over his chair as he rushed toward the door. His hands fumbled with the security lock, sweat beading on his forehead as he punched in his palm.

He didn’t stop running until he burst through the doors of the testing area.

Adam stood beside the ECS Frame, looking confused as Gordon was jogging toward him. The massive testing apparatus was smoking slightly, several warning lights blinking red along its base.

"What’s the result?" Adam asked.

Gordon didn’t answer. Instead, his jog turned into a run, and he started to flex his muscles. His coat and shirt ripped open, fabric tearing as his body expanded.

And without warning, he rushed at Adam.

"Wh—" Adam’s eyes went wide as he watched Gordon charge forward, fist cocked back.

Gordon’s punch flew toward Adam’s face.

Adam blocked it.

Adam gritted his teeth, his eyes going wide with shock. He was expecting Gordon to be strong... but this?

Gordon’s strike was stronger than Bjorn’s. A lot stronger. The impact sent shockwaves through Adam’s arms, and something might have been dislocated. But still, Adam remained on his feet. The ground beneath them, however, cracked... and Adam was sure that it was metal.

"Why did you attack me?!" Adam raised his voice, confusion and anger mixing in his tone.

But Gordon laughed, taking several steps back. He shook his head repeatedly, staring at Adam like he was seeing him for the first time.

"What... are you?" Gordon asked.

"Huh...? Adam’s confusion deepened. "What am I...? What are you doing?"

"Do you know who I am?" Gordon interrupted.

"You..." Adam’s eyebrows lowered, his glare becoming even more aggressive. "Please, don’t tell me you’re part of the Hospital."

"No, boy..." Gordon laughed at this.

"I’m one of America’s S-tier Heroes."

"Huh...?" Adam’s eyes widened at the casual revelation. He was seeing Gordon differently now—the man’s body seemed to shimmer with barely contained power, an aura of strength that made the air around him feel heavy.

Adam instinctively moved into a defensive stance, raising his hands.

But Gordon just grinned. "Do you know what you just did?"

"What... I did?"

"You just blocked an attack from someone with S-tier Strength. I’m not being boastful... but I’m one of the physically strongest people on the continent."

"You... are?"

Gordon’s grin widened. "You really are a monster."

"Wh—"

"But in a good way."

"Then..." Adam started to relax, holding his arm that was healing from Gordon’s attack. "...What was my result?"

"Ha!" Gordon laughed loudly, the sound echoing off the walls of the testing chamber. "Do you really have to ask that? Your Strength is in S-tier, Mr. Adam—no...

...it is in the Higher S-tier."

***

Back at the military base, the soldiers were now all staring at Adam like he was a monster. Well, he was. But of course, unlike Gordon, they didn’t know that he was a monster in a good way... whatever that actually meant.

Adam was now holding parts of the jeep in his hands as he stared back at the soldiers. He stepped and let go of the metal chunks, causing the soldiers to flinch and once again point their weapons at him.

"Don’t move!" James crawled back, pulling out his sidearm as he started shooting at Adam’s head when he started slowly walking toward him.

The other soldiers also started shooting at him, but all of their bullets just bounced off his skin.

Adam stared down at James and then moved his hand. James held his breath at this, but to his surprise, Adam didn’t attack.

No. He just looked to the side and then pressed a finger to his ear.

"Updates?" he whispered.

<Nothing yet, bro.>

And from his ear, Harvey’s voice sighed.

<Ryan’s stupid animal is proving useless right now.> <What... p-please. Don’t... don’t tell him that.> <Sshh! Quiet.>

<Well, Leona’s detecting several openings below, so...

...it shouldn’t be long now. Keep distracting them.>