Charles moved swiftly underfoot, dodging the stabbing bone spikes.
The human body was a remarkable thing—sometimes even a fluctuation in external temperature could trigger internal anomalies.
But it wasn't fragile. Even injuries deemed fatal could be endured for a time through sheer willpower.
Through his own abilities and years of research, the Grand Professor had fully exploited the body's potential.
These spikes, formed from bone, surpassed steel in both strength and sharpness.
Unfortunately, no matter how deadly they were, they were useless if they couldn't hit.
The Professor's combat awareness was so poor, it didn't even compare to Abraham, who lacked a "soul."
Charles slipped past a sharp spike just as one of the Professor's arms swelled grotesquely—soon it had ballooned to more than ten times its size, resembling the muscled fist of a giant.
That power-laden punch came crashing toward him.
Charles, however, looked bored. Surely the Professor didn't believe that punching strength came purely from the arm?
That was the sort of thinking only a total novice to martial skill would have. To unleash full power, one had to use the entire body—legs, waist, chest, and finally arms—only by channeling all muscles together could one produce true strength.
The Professor had only bulked up the arm; it might look intimidating, but the actual boost was far less than it seemed.
"I've lost interest."
By now, Charles no longer wished to continue the "fight." The man across from him wasn't suited to battle at all—in truth, the Professor didn't even qualify as an opponent. From the start, this wasn't a duel—it was a hunt, and the Professor was merely prey that could struggle back.
The massive fist dented a wide section of the carrier's deck but didn't so much as brush Charles's coat.
Before the Professor could even register what had happened, an immense force slammed down on his head, driving him face-first into the deck.
Immediately, twin bone blades erupted from his shoulders, stabbing toward Charles's face.
Charles withdrew, watching as the Professor stood, clutching his head. So, the prey still had some fight left.
Shaking his head, the Professor glared, eyes wide. "Impossible—how can human speed alone be that fast?!"
He couldn't believe the sheer velocity Charles displayed. All the strong fighters he'd seen had relied on abilities or techniques to achieve such speed—none had done it with pure physical power so fast he couldn't follow.
Charles flexed his wrist. "You're sheltered. You think you understand the limits of human strength?"
Nothing broke the Professor's composure more—this "mad scientist" couldn't stand having his research questioned.
Teeth clenched, he hissed, "You dare question my ability?!"
Backed up against the gaping hole Charles had made earlier, the Professor suddenly perked up.
Charles saw several dark shapes surge from the hole—if he wasn't mistaken, they were kagemusha he'd cut down earlier. They melted onto the Professor's body, writhing together into new flesh.
Even now, transformed into a mountainous flesh demon, the Professor failed to impress him.
Strength wasn't about sheer numbers—it was about mastery. Without control, more power only meant more openings.
Charles stepped forward, closing the distance in an instant, and struck.
A gaping hole appeared in the Professor's body. Every punch Charles threw made another appear; two well-placed blows at the shoulders severed the thick right arm completely.
To Charles, it felt like—nothing more than a poorly stuffed sandbag.
The Professor screamed. He had heightened his nerve sensitivity to the maximum, yet still couldn't react in time.
After who knew how many strikes, Charles had stripped away most of the extra tissue clinging to the Professor's body.
Then he clenched his fist, gathering power.
"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"
Surging flames erupted alongside the punch, engulfing the Professor entirely.
As expected, the Professor manipulated his spare flesh—and even parts of his own body—into a fire-resistant barrier to block the blaze.
Watching the char layer deepen, his expression darkened.
Then, in an instant, the barrier shattered. Charles filled his vision, a fist the last thing he saw before his nose erupted in blood and he collapsed.
Charles shook his hand in distaste, grabbed the man's heavy body, and unfurled fiery wings. Before leaving, he added a parting "Fire Dragon's Roar" to sink the entire carrier.
Flying back to Breaking Army Academy, he took in the battlefield.
The coastline of the island nation was the front line—the most brutal fighting of the war.
The USA's landing forces clashed fiercely with the nation's Blazers here.
But thanks to the efforts of Ikki Kurogane, Shizuku Kurogane, and the later arrival of Yudai Morohoshi, the line held.
With the Kurogane siblings' teamwork, the lead enemy warship was even sunk.
Charles noted the US fleet's main force hadn't advanced—perhaps they were hesitant about the war's course.
With the Professor captured, the conflict was reaching its end.
Bringing him to the academy, Charles saw that this battle, too, was nearly over—Stella had long since cleared out all the Abrahams.
Meanwhile, the fight between Kuro no Shinguji and Douglas had shifted.
Although her abilities were formidable, fending off Douglas's Enterprise-class device while preventing damage to the shelter was no small task.
More importantly, without crossing that final threshold, she was still at a disadvantage against a full-fledged demon.
The tide turned with the arrival of Nene Nishimiya.
Charles returned just in time to witness the Alliance-designated forbidden sword technique, "Hegemonic Celestial Star," in action.
Nene used her ability to pull down orbital debris, turning it into the heaviest strike to shatter Douglas's carrier-type device.
His ability—manipulating buoyancy—was a terrible match against hers.
Douglas's real strength lay in controlling his device and that massively upgraded superweapon, the largest device in the world.
Against such an incompatible opponent, victory was impossible.
Pity—if he'd had exceptional swordsmanship, Charles could have enjoyed an otherworldly version of Fujitora versus Golden Lion.
Still, one way or another, the war was all but over.
(End of Chapter)
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