I Can Kill You Here

Sizzle!

"Not bad. You've got sharp eyes. Ten points."

Ron said flatly, his eyes flaring with crimson light as plasma laser rays shot out abruptly.

"But I don't approve of thieves. What have you lost?"

Raising a hand to block the rays and absorb the energy, the Black King nonetheless took a heavy punch to the gut.

"You think just because you've copied my ability, you can stop me?"

He snarled viciously, swinging a fist in counterattack—the heat radiating from it enough to vaporize steel.

"I've spent decades developing this power. How could you possibly match me!"

Last time, when Ron used the Red Devil's ability, it was clear he'd copied it but was far behind in application and mastery.

"Is that so? How do you know I only got the ability itself?"

Wreathed in plasma-like energy that blazed like crimson flames, Ron hovered in midair, trading blows with the Black King, who, fueled by ample nuclear energy, could also fly.

"Kid, I'll settle last time's score and today's interference together!"

The longer this dragged on, the worse his plan became—especially with people seeing him in this state.

Remembering being dumped into an ash chimney, the Black King vented his nuclear energy furiously through his attacks, the power in his fists growing ever more terrifying.

He was certain Ron's energy capacity was far inferior to his own.

Since Ron could absorb energy like him, he'd just overload him!

The horrific heat and radiation spread, raising the temperature of the sea surface for miles around. Radiation seeped down, and small fish carcasses floated up from the seabed.

"How is Ron doing this?"

Under the intense radiation, Magneto's head spun, unbearable. He stepped on an iron sheet to flee quickly, stunned and baffled that Ron could fight the Black King to a standstill.

Squinting, he saw what looked like two small suns clashing above the sea.

He tried to control the wreckage of the nuclear submarine to attack and help Ron.

Whoosh!

A massive chunk of steel debris, weighing over a thousand tons, hurtled through the air—but before it could get close, the heat in that area demagnetized it, and it fell into the water.

"What?"

Against his enemy, his own attack couldn't even get close.

Bang!

"You want to overload me? Useless."

Effortlessly blocking the Black King's attack again, moving faster to firmly cut off his breakthrough, Ron said expressionlessly, aware of his intent.

"However much energy you can absorb, I can absorb even more!"

Alex's ability, combined with the Black King's, pushed Ron's energy capacity—especially for heat and radiation—slightly beyond the Black King's.

Thud!

Their fists collided. Energy ripples exploded, surging hundreds of meters into the sky, scattering clouds, pressing the sea surface into a depression, and whipping up waves.

"Impossible, kid. You're about to give out, aren't you? Don't force it!"

The Black King's face twisted, his subconscious refusing to believe it.

If Ron not only had other abilities but also matched him in energy absorption, then even if he destroyed the world in a great war, would he still be the one ruling it afterward?

"The Black King's power is this terrifying?!

And Ron? He's actually holding the Black King back solidly!"

Several miles away, on the Blackbird jet, Professor X muttered to himself, while Raven and the others were stunned.

The Black King was far stronger than they'd imagined—like a walking nuclear bomb—and Ron had shown abilities that were in no way inferior.

"He copied the Black King's ability, but didn't he say he could only use it five times in his life?"

"Actually, this might be Ron's fifth copy."

Moira, beside him, hesitated as something came to mind.

"After I found you, I looked into classified military files. It turns out there's a Colonel Stryker in the army who seems to have known about your existence for a while. He commands a unit called X-Force, made up of people with various special abilities.

One member, codenamed Sabretooth, has abilities matching what Ron first showed—slower aging, super-fast healing, and enhanced physique. His nails turn into sharp claws..."

"So you're saying two of the five abilities Ron told me about actually come from one person?"

"Yes."

"Oh. He lied to me.

But good lie."

Professor X slapped the top of the window frame in excitement. He couldn't imagine who else could stop such a terrifying Black King if Ron hadn't copied his power!

"God, are two deities fighting out there?"

Both fleets on the sea stared in shock, rooted to the spot.

This felt like a scene from a mythical god-war, shattering their worldview.

"How can humans possess such power?!"

A dreamlike sensation rose in their hearts.

Weren't humans fragile creatures—scalded by boiling water, killed by a bullet to a vital spot?

Yet how could those two frail bodies contain such terrifying energy!

Above the sea, Ron and Black King traded blows, evenly matched. Fists and feet clashed, terrible energy collided, back and forth, sending massive ripples surging across nearly a kilometer in every direction.

A seabird flew past, instantly shredded to flesh and ash.

Boom!

"For the first time, I hate my own ability!"

Nuclear energy gathered on his fist as he struck at Ron, Black King spat through gritted teeth.

He finally understood how his past enemies had felt facing him—every attack utterly useless.

All energy was absorbed, no feedback at all, like striking a bottomless abyss that devoured everything!

"Same here."

Ron replied coldly.

His fight with Black King constantly leaked energy ripples strong enough to tear everything apart, probably terrifying to onlookers.

But to him, it felt a bit dull.

A full-power strike couldn't even push the other back a step or wound him.

"To make sure this never happens again, I'll just have you die here today."

With his current strength, even fighting Homelander shouldn't be like this.

Black King's ability was too good at frustrating and disheartening opponents—only one being like that should exist on Earth from now on.

"You? Get lost."

Black King's attacks grew fiercer, his body radiating heat near the sun's surface, trying to drive Ron back.

"Stay put. I don't think either of us can join that fight."

Nearly a kilometer away, watching the two clash midair, unleashing ripples that consumed everything.

They had taken cover on the other side of the island. Darwin's body had turned into a strange brown rock-like form to resist the shockwaves, standing beside Alex, swallowing hard.

One could absorb heat, radiation, and energy; the other had survival-of-the-fittest adaptability—that was why they could stand here. Normal people would have died long ago.

But that was it. If they got any closer, neither was sure they'd survive.

"Black King's temperature is already near the sun's surface. We can't even get close. Avenging Siren and saving the world falls on Ron."

"Ron, execute Plan D!"

After the shock and excitement, Professor X snapped back to reality on the Blackbird jet, shouting through the loudspeaker.

Matters of world safety had to be taken seriously. Ron, Professor X, and Magneto had discussed several plans against Black King.

Poison gas, extreme cold, space... centered around his teleportation ability, sending Black King into pre-prepared deadly environments to kill him.

"Plan D?

Yeah, that's the only one left."

Hearing the reminder and having familiarized himself with the ability, Ron decided not to drag it out any longer, ready to end the fight.

In Black King's current state, steel evaporated near him. Poison gas and cold were out of the question. Teleportation range was limited, and sending him into space meant he could fly back. Only one feasible plan remained.

"Someone's rushing me. Black King, this ends here."

"Ends here? You surrendering?"

Firing arm-thick nuclear rays from his palms, Black King attacked fiercely.

The Soviet-made helmet on his head made him immune to any psionic ability. With his tight defense, Ron had no chance to remove it.

Physically, aside from a large-yield nuke, what on Earth could kill him?

"Or are you planning to use your teleportation to send me into a nuclear blast center and kill me?"

"Can you really absorb my massive nuclear energy while focusing on teleporting?"

"You're right. Absorbing huge energy while teleporting is a bit tricky."

Ron replied, firing plasma laser rays from his eyes in return.

"But no need to go anywhere else—I can kill you right here!"