"So, are you the Mesdame's boyfriend?"

"That…"

"Margaux!"

Before Adam could even attempt to answer that question, Sylvie once again raised her voice. And this time, Margaux giggled and stepped back.

"Oh, mon Dieu, relax," she said before winking at Adam, "Eh, everyone thinks you are 'er boyfriend now! You make lots'a people jealous."

Xavier chuckled. "So zis is ze famous American, non? Ze one who 'as our Sylvie acting like a schoolgirl?"

"I do not act like—" Sylvie couldn't even defend herself before Hugo also joined in on the conversation.

"'E looks too young, non?" Hugo squinted at Adam. "What are you, boy? Sixteen? Seventeen?"

"Twenty-seven," Adam said quietly. He scanned each of the Heroes in front of him, and then at Sylvie. Adam initially thought that Sylvie would be a little distant from the other guild members because of her status as France's only S-tier Hero.

But to think they were treating her normally. Perhaps that was a testament to how she treated other people—Adam saw that personally back in the Game. Like him, she was trying to prevent the lost as much as possible.

"Twenty… seven? Older than me?!"

"The mesdame like them looking young, eh? When is za wedding, eh? When—"

Margaux was going to continue, but then the three suddenly noticed Clementine's… deadly glare. Her eyes had gone cold, and they had no idea why. Even the temperature in the cavern seemed to drop several degrees.

And so, the three could only awkwardly introduce themselves before getting back into… more important matters.

"R-right," Xavier cleared his throat. "So... what brings you 'ere? Touring?"

"Something like that," Clementine muttered.

"Wait," Margaux's eyes lit up again. "Did 'e just become a 'ero? Because I remember ze livestream from ze last Game..."

She pointed at Adam. "You were ze one! Ze Creep who defeated multiple 'eroes! Incroyable!"

"Uh…"

"You fought 'eroes as a Creep and won?" Hugo's voice carried genuine respect now. "And now you are one of us? Magnifique!"

"No, not… really?"

"So," Xavier grinned, "will you be fighting ze Feinor Giant wit' us? We would love to watch ze famous 'ero-killer in action."

"Uh…" Adam blinked a couple of times. He couldn't really understand most of what they were saying due to their thick accents. Fortunately for him, he didn't have to understand all of it.

"No, Adam will be fighting alone?"

"Qoui?" Hugo's eyes widened. "Dangerous, no?"

"Eh, he'll be fine." Clementine shrugged. "Adam, go ahead. The Boss should be inside."

And of course, Adam took that chance to immediately leave.

"Okay," he said, stepping toward the far end of the chamber, where a massive hill of ice rested.

Sylvie, Clementine, and the others chose a spot on the side of the chamber, watching as Adam approached the "hill".

And very soon, that massive hill of ice stood up.

[Feinor Giant | HP: 100%]

Adam looked up to follow its head… and then he looked up again.

"Oh…"

It was easily the size of three buses, its rotting flesh encased in armor of black ice so thick it looked like obsidian. Adam also noticed the mist forming from his mouth became thicker from the cold the monster emitted.

"Will 'e be alright?" Hugo whispered to the others.

"What are you even worried for?" Clementine scoffed. "Sylvie's here. She won't let anything happen to her boyfriend."

"He is not my—" Sylvie didn't have time to protest as she heard Adam draw his weapon.

The creature's eyes glowed upon also hearing that sound—six of them, arranged in two rows across its massive skull.

The Feinor Giant moved, breaking some parts of it that were attached to the cavern. And without even a warning, or a roar… its massive fists swung down toward Adam.

Adam moved, and he instantly realized how much easier it was now. He was already fast before due to putting all of his Status Points into Strength—but that speed was more explosive, short bursts and aggressive.

But now, his speed felt… fluid. Tamed.

He dodged the fist, slipping between the creature's legs, coming up behind its ankle.

"Mon Dieu," Margaux breathed. "He a fast one, eh?"

Sylvie's eyes narrowed upon seeing that. He knew what Adam was capable of now… this was different.

"Did you notice?" Clementine whispered to her sister, also noticing the difference in Adam's movements.

"Yes." Sylvie nodded. How could she not? The way he moved when he first entered this Leak just a few hours ago couldn't even be compared.

He was faster, much faster.

Adam leaped onto the giant's arm as it swung past, running up the massive limb like it was a bridge. He moved fast enough that when he carved through gaps in the monster's ice armor, it just looked like flashes of light… followed by the creature's rotten blood spraying out.

And almost instantly, Adam reached the giant's shoulder, raised his blade for a killing strike at the neck—

But then, something wrapped around his legs.

Adam looked down in confusion. The giant's arms were both visible, swinging at empty air where he'd been moments before. What had—

And then, he felt himself being lifted. He gazed down at his feet… and it was a third arm. Emerging from the creature's back, covered in the same dark ice, its massive hand now gripped both his legs.

"Merde!" Xavier raised his arm, parts of his armor crawling toward his hand to form a shield.

"Wait." Even Clementine tensed, and Sylvie was ready to materialize her weapon. Neither of them, however, took any action just yet.

As for Adam, well…

"S-shit…" The giant's grip tightened around him, and he felt his bones creak under the pressure.

Adam didn't think it would happen, but it did, he grew overconfident. Even with his new Strength, of course, something called a Feinor Giant would be physically stronger than him.

Try as he might, he couldn't break free at all.

He struggled, trying to swing his sword around but the angle was too awkward and he couldn't hit anything as the creature carried him in front of its face.

And it was then that he caught his reflection in the creature's face, and he saw it clearly for the first time since becoming a Hero.

[Adam, the Endless]

The title floated above his head in the reflection, and suddenly, Adam understood.

"Oh," he whispered.

He was a Hero now, and that meant…

…he didn't need to hide his abilities anymore. The ability that he'd been keeping secret from the world.

In a way, Adam could consider this as another gift from the Game—he now had an excuse for his original gift.

"Heh…"

And with that thought, Adam raised the Shion… and drove it through both his own legs...

...right in front of three people he barely knew.

Ah... such a relief.

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