World One Chapter Four: Battle Between the Elder and the Younger

Jerome stood up, then sat back down, taking a deep pull from his cigarette, and said, "Tell us, who is the lucky woman, oh poet of the nation?"
Adam replied: "Hahaha, very funny, philosopher of your age."
Then came Joseph's response: "Of course — you fell in love, and now you're speaking in verse."
Adam nodded and answered, "Fine, fine. The girl's name is Amber."
A slow smile began to spread across both Jerome's and Joseph's faces, while Adam sipped his coffee, muttering to himself, "I think it was a bad idea to tell these two idiots."
Amid the laughter and chatter, the sound of keys echoed through the place, followed by the door opening slowly. Jerome froze for a moment, trying to hide his cigarette, but he quickly remembered he was in Adam's house, and that Alexander already knew about this habit of his, so he relaxed and brought the cigarette back to his lips.
Alexander walked in, taking off his shoes, glancing at the guests with gleaming eyes before saying in a mocking tone:
"Welcome, men of stature! I don't know why, but I feel like disaster is imminent whenever the three of you are gathered together!"
Adam chuckled, looking at his two companions, and said:
"When you think about it, you'll realize you're right! Especially with Jerome here — the mastermind of catastrophes — and Joseph, the man of rapid intervention!"
Joseph smiled slyly and replied quickly:
"And you... the last hope!"
Everyone burst out laughing, before Adam turned to Alexander, remembering something:
"You're back early from your errands today, Alexander?"
Alexander's features flickered with confusion for a moment, as if he hadn't expected to be back so quickly, then he said, trying to dodge the question:
"Let's just say I found an opportunity... so I ran with it!"
Jerome whistled in astonishment and shot him a theatrical look before saying slyly:
"Man! I swear you broke the very laws of life and escaped the Matrix! What's your secret?"
At first, Jerome's question was nothing more than a passing joke, but unintentionally it touched something deeper than he expected. It was as though simple words had reopened a wound that had never healed within Alexander. He fell silent for a moment, then looked at Jerome with the eyes of a young man who carried more on his shoulders than he should, and said in a low voice, heavy with meaning:
"Simply... work, discipline, sacrifice. Then sacrifice, then sacrifice. And you should know something — even a life like this won't bring you happiness."
Silence fell for a few moments. Everyone felt that Alexander was hiding secrets within his words, secrets whose time to be revealed had not yet come. But soon the tension was cut short by a deep breath he took, before turning to Adam and saying:
"Listen... how about a duel? The loser pays for everyone's lunch tomorrow!"
Adam thought it over carefully, but Jerome cut in, bewildered:
"A duel? Are we in the Middle Ages???"
A smile spread across both Alexander's and Adam's faces, before the former gestured for the friends to follow him. He led them through a secret passage to a hidden elevator, and once it opened, a corridor stretching deep into the earth was revealed before them, branching into many passages and rooms — some open, while others remained tightly shut.
Joseph studied the closed doors with curious glances, then asked in a hesitant tone:
"And what about these doors?"
Alexander gave him a calm look before answering in a voice free of any justification:
"Sorry, but those are private matters."
They continued forward until they reached a dark room. Alexander reached out and turned on the lights, revealing a stunning sight — a spacious room crowded with every kind of antique weapon: bows, swords, spears, and daggers of different sizes and colors, like an old war depot preserved with great care.
Jerome froze in place, staring at the scene in disbelief, before muttering in astonishment:
"What in God's name is this?! Are you planning to build an army and conquer the Kingdom of the North?"
Alexander winked at him slyly and replied in a calm voice:
"Maybe... who knows?"
Jerome moved closer to Joseph and whispered in his ear, worried:
"Listen, man... we need to keep Adam away from this room at all costs! Just imagine — God forbid — if his heart got broken over it, he might slaughter all of us without mercy!"
But suddenly, Alexander cut into their whispering with a sharp voice:
"What are you two whispering about over there?"
Jerome stammered quickly and answered, flustered:
"No... nothing!"
At that moment, Adam was searching among the weapons for a sword suitable for training, unaware that today would not be like the days before. Alexander said to him firmly:
"No, not today. Today you'll use a real sword. I think the time has come."
Adam's eyes lit up with excitement, while Jerome's worry doubled, and Joseph tried to hold back his laughter. Finally, Adam chose an elegant iron katana, while Alexander picked up a long, double-bladed spear.
As he wandered around, Jerome noticed something strange hanging on the wall. He approached with cautious steps, discovering it was a sword made of ruby — but what caught his attention more were the traces of blood staining its blade. He reached out to touch it, but no sooner had he done so than Alexander's voice thundered with anger:
"Step away from it. Now!"
Everyone froze, startled by the intensity of his reaction. Alexander fell silent for a moment, as if trying to regain his composure, then sighed and said in a softer voice:
"Sorry... but it holds great sentimental value to me."
Adam and Alexander stood in the middle of the room, the distance between them barely more than a few steps. Adam gripped his katana, while Alexander spun his spear, balancing it with one hand as though it were a natural extension of his body.
Jerome stepped back, looked at Joseph, and said sarcastically:
"You know? We're in the twenty-first century, but these two are acting like they're in the Middle Ages! I swear, if one of them ends up cut to pieces, don't blame me if I lose my nerve."
Joseph laughed, crossing his arms:
"Don't worry, just focus on not fainting at the sight of blood."
Alexander smiled as he raised his spear into an attacking stance:
"Alright, Adam — show me what you've got."
*Alexander (to himself):* "Adam has always been stubborn, but he's never faced me with a real weapon before. Will he back down? No... not him. But I want to see... how far can he go?"
Adam took a deep breath, tightened his grip on the katana's handle, then lunged forward!
The two blades met in a thunderous clash, the ring of metal echoing through the room. Alexander was faster, moving gracefully, circling around Adam and trying to strike him from behind, but Adam dodged with a swift duck and aimed a quick strike toward his shoulder.
Alexander dodged it at the last moment, then struck his spear into the ground to use it as a pivot point and leapt over Adam, attempting a direct downward strike. Adam barely managed to block it, but the force of the blow forced him to retreat several steps.
*Adam (to himself):* "He's so fast... he's not giving me a chance to attack. It's fine — I'll make him think he's the one in control here."
Jerome watched the scene, waving his arms in agitation:
"Madmen! They're both completely mad! Why can't they just fight with nice words like normal people? 'I'm mad at you.' 'And I'm mad at you too.' And then it ends with a hug and peace!"
Joseph exclaimed, laughing:
"Thank you, Jerome — I really needed that deep wisdom in the middle of this bloody fight!"
But Adam wasn't listening to their comments; he was focused on Alexander, who moved with lethal fluidity, before lunging toward him with a swift strike. Adam tried to dodge it but was a fraction of a second too late, feeling a sharp sting on his cheek, and a hot drop of blood trickling down to his chin.
Alexander didn't give him time to recover, aiming a low strike at his leg. Adam managed to partially dodge it, but the spearhead tore his skin, and he felt a stinging pain in his foot.
*Alexander (to himself):* "He's good... but not good enough. I don't want him to lose easily. He needs to see for himself — real combat isn't just about strength, but the ability to think amid the chaos."
Adam looked down at his wound, then exhaled slowly, before a small smile formed on his lips.
"So... you rely a lot on your spear, don't you?"
Alexander raised an eyebrow as he twirled the spear in his hand:
"And what of it?"
Adam smiled wider, then bent down, scooped up a handful of fine sand scattered on the ground — likely old remnants from weapons sharpened there over the years — and hurled it straight into Alexander's face!
"Old trick, but effective!"
"Damn it!"
Alexander tried to shield his eyes, but the moment it took him to clear his vision was all Adam needed. He moved fast, lunged forward, slid beneath the spear, then landed a light but decisive strike on Alexander's side — enough to signal that, had this been a real fight, it would have been over.
Everyone stood in silence; even Alexander himself looked stunned. Then, unexpectedly, he burst out laughing.
"I didn't expect a dirty trick like that from you, Adam."
Adam sheathed his katana and said, smiling:
"In war, everything is fair game."
Jerome whistled loudly:
"Wonderful! Now, who wants to explain to me why these two are treating bleeding like it's just a 'minor detail'?!"
Adam sat on the couch while Joseph tried to clean the wound on his cheek, and Alexander wrapped a bandage around his leg.
Jerome scoffed, staring at them:
"You two really don't value your own bodies, do you? I swear, if I ever see you fighting each other again, I'll report you both as a public health hazard!"
Adam laughed while Joseph pressed on the wound, making him wince.
"Be gentle, man!"
Joseph raised an eyebrow and said:
"Oh, sorry — weren't you supposed to be a 'strong warrior'?"
Jerome muttered:
"'Strong warrior,' yet he cries when you put alcohol on a small cut."
As for Alexander, he looked at Adam silently for a moment, then said calmly:
"You surprised me today."
Adam looked at him, puzzled:
"Because I won?"
Alexander shook his head slowly:
"Not just for that reason... but because you fought smart. You didn't just try to overpower me with strength — you thought. And that... is something I've been waiting for from you for a long time."
Adam didn't fully understand what he meant, but an unfamiliar warmth washed over him. It was as if Alexander hadn't just been testing him... but had been waiting for him to prove something.
Joseph patted his shoulder, saying:
"Alright, hero — rest now."
But Jerome cut in quickly:
"Rest? No, no, no! Remember, 'champion,' that you now have to choose the lunch spot, and I'm afraid you're going to pick something that costs Alexander a fortune!"
Adam laughed slyly, while Alexander sighed:
"Wonderful... looks like I'm going to lose more than just my dignity today."
*Jerome (sighing):* "Yes, Alexander... today is the day of your great defeat!"