"You know, you can still give, right?" Taro asked, as he'd see the hole in his abdomen, watching Adel struggle in moving forward, nearly stumbling and faceplanting himself into the dusty earth. The Dragon approached the Serpent with a calm motion in his step, kneeling down and watching Adel claw his way up, blood pouring out of his mouth. "You're only going to kill yourself if you keep pushing your body. For your sake, admit the loss. You were valiant, but you are not strong enough to-"
"Who said I was here to win?" Adel's words cut through Taro's like a knife, a fist pushing himself up from his knee, as he'd look up to the sky, his smile open and wide, the light reaching Boros from within his body, a visible tell to how he made his body capable of harnessing the Snake's anatomy. "You gave me the highest rank, remember? I'd be a fool to not prove myself at the very least. To show that I earned such a rank with what I have..."
"And you did. Spectacularly, might I add. Now you can rest." Taro's would set up a Claw and aim for a straight slash, yet he can see that, even in his weakened state, Adel was able to counter the blow with his own hand, parrying the flames and pushing himself back, launched into the ground, the wound spurting his blood out even more. Once more, he tried to stand, and as he did, he can hear the outcries from the masses. Annoyances that share the same sentiment the Human Vritra has. It was at this point he understood why Adel wishes to push on. He'd raise his hand, the flames crackling against his scales, as he'd blast it up into the air for others to quiet down. He'd let the man speak as he'd try to stand on his own legs.
"Throughout my time... Throughout what I've been through... I've caught a loss after a loss. Yet, with each loss, I made sure my body grows stronger. That Carbon you saw? That was from my first loss. The shedding effect to create a separate body and a personal armor? That is from my second loss. Each time I failed, I trained my body to its highest. I made sure to push on as much strength, speed, and magic as I can to its limit. It took me months to recover from the Carbon in my system. It took me weeks to learn how to shed my skin in a way where it becomes my second self. If I am ranked the highest in your kingdom, then that means I have to show what I have done. What I learned. What I wished to be. Blood, sweat, and tears were spent in making me who I am... and I don't regret a second of it."
"Even if I lose... I win."
Taro chuckled upon hearing his speech, winding up his arm as he gets into a stance. "I knew it. Your eyes previously were shining like a diamond. A flame unquenched by anything else I've seen. They were the eyes of my people. I wondered why exactly did I recalled such a glare from you? Why someone such as yourself would even possess it? It all made sense once you gave me your reasoning."
"You were once a resident of Orochi."
Adel's eyes widened upon hearing his words. He couldn't believe what he said, yet Taro kept going. "Everyone here in Orochi wishes to become strong. That is what makes up our Kingdom: Strength above all. It is what one wishes to do with that Strength that makes everyone strive as much as you. For me, it is to pursue and push on the beauty that is Dragon kind. From the Skeleton we walk on, to the shadows we walk under, such Magnificent beasts are to be treated as legends in their own right! I serve to be its core example of such! You, however... your needs are greedy. Selfish. A chance to pursue beyond what any human can capture. You reach the summit, and now you wish to take the stars. All to achieve a battle such as this. Am I right?" A smile was made on the Dragon's face, prompting Adel to share the same emotion.
"Right on the money..." He'd start getting into his own stance, as he'd tap his chest, ready to fight. Wounds aside, he still smiled. "Let's break this world.... Boros. It's time."
Thwack! Thwack, Thwack!
"Gah! H-hey! C'mon now!" His body would be struck from within, as the Serpent inside didn't want to. It began to cry as it understood what he wanted, yet not having the heart to do so. From past to present, it didn't wish to be the reason he would fall. It coiled around his chest, trying to shun his voice away. "Boros... You know we're both not going to live forever, right?" The snake hissed upon hearing such words, not wanting to hear it. "It's true though! We only live once. Eventually, we'd perish. If you're gone first, I'd cry. If I, then you. No matter what, we will always grieve. Let's grieve together, Boros. You and I dying together... it's fitting." Murmurs were heard, trying to understand who Adel was talking too. The Snake closed its eyes and gave a solemn nod, as it scaled deeper into his chest, weaving around any veins or bone, all to reach his heart.
SHIKK!!!!
A massive amount of blood coughed up as Adel stumbled back down. Boros has bitten into his heart, the venom pumping directly across his body. His energy was fading faster, yet with such little power, the Human Serpent charged it straight into the poison, letting it course with the toxin in one gallant streak. Writhing in agony, his body in a fetal position, his arms and legs twitching, his mouth foaming as his head would twitch. Everyone was being horrified at such a sight, seeing the man at first trying to kill himself mid-fight. Even Harvard and his friends were lost on what he was trying to achieve. Tsukiya and Envy's glance towards the boys filled them with dread, yet a quick look towards Taro said everything. Something was happening to Adel. Growls and chokes came out of that man, his skin pulsing and rippling, his body taking a new shape.
His claws were lengthened, his body coated in dark green scales, ones like the Human Vritra's. The hole once left behind by the blast immediately got sealed, with it, and his arms now sporting different faces, all of which held an expression of despair. His hair flowed wildly as his body properly got up, his feet gnarled up to be a Raptor's, his tongue extending around four feet, his teeth sharpened and attaining a hooked shape. His eyes, however, were the most appealing. The eyes of a Dragon, the Eyes that showed his heritage in Orochi. He'd get himself up after such a grueling transformation, knees buckled as he'd stare at his opponent, his energy visible in a toxic green, almost noxious to be around.
"Snake Magic. LERNEAN!! HY!DRAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!"
A roar of pride escaped his monstrous maw, bellowing out such power before the Dragon. Taro simply kept his smile, excited to see what this new state would do.