Thunderbolt's eyes widened as he stared at the figure formed entirely of thunder that suddenly descended upon him. He was instantly overwhelmed by a shock that words could not describe.
Lightning surged across the edges of the figure's clothes, rippling like crashing waves, radiating a destructive aura that spread out in pulses.
That aura felt tangible—like a heavy hammer relentlessly striking the hearts of everyone who witnessed the scene.
In a daze, Thunderbolt seemed to see a towering giant composed entirely of violent lightning.
Each lightning bolt coursing through its form looked like a giant's blood vessels, glowing with a blinding light and brimming with world-shattering power.
Standing there like a true god, the figure exuded an awe-inspiring majesty.
At that moment, Thunderbolt felt utterly insignificant.
Everything up until now… felt like a joke.
Nick Fury was right.
This—was a god.
And not just the Human Torch—everyone still alive in the square wore an expression like they had just witnessed a deity descend.
They would never forget this moment.
The shock would linger forever.
Russell didn't even look back. He glanced lightly at Mr. Fantastic and said:
"You owe me two favors now."
Reed Richards assumed it meant the lives of both himself and the Human Torch—that's why it was two favors. But he didn't dwell on it.
He simply gave a bitter smile and nodded.
If the other party said so, it could only mean one thing... Ben Grimm was beyond saving.
Russell turned his head and looked at the stone man climbing up from the ground.
The rocks on his chest were shattered, exposing a molten core glowing like lava.
"You. Deserve. Death."
The stone man's eyes had turned pitch-black. The hammer in his hand burst with terrifying energy, which surged through his body.
With a thunderous roar, the surrounding buildings' windows instantly shattered!
Black lightning violently erupted from his body. The rocks making up his body turned red like burning coals and rapidly grew in size.
Where once there was rubble, now hideous stone spikes protruded from his joints. A layer of black armor wrapped around him, engraved with a triple-ringed serpent emblem!
His warhammer also transformed—larger, more monstrous—its twisted runes gleamed with a cold metallic light.
In that moment, the stone man looked like a berserker demon from the depths of hell.
Standing on the shattered ground, the air around him grew heavy and suffocating, radiating an overwhelming aura.
Then he stomped forward with tremendous force.
The ground caved in, spiderweb cracks spreading out from beneath his feet!
Fear filled Thunderbolt's eyes.
If this had been his form earlier, Thunderbolt would've been killed in a single blow—without the slightest chance of survival.
The eyes of those nearby trembled. Their emotions, affected by the invisible pressure, began to collapse. Instinctual fear took root in their hearts.
The stone man grinned grimly, a look of satisfaction on his face.
Be afraid.
The more afraid you are, the stronger I become!
But at that moment, a calm voice echoed in everyone's hearts.
"One second. I'll kill you."
The voice shattered the fear that had just taken root—like a sword slicing through darkness.
Under everyone's stunned gaze, Russell raised his palm.
"You're the one who's going to die."
The stone man's eyes turned blood-red with rage, and he roared as he charged forward!
Every step carried unimaginable power, crushing the ground beneath his feet and shaking the earth. Anything that dared stand in his way was obliterated instantly!
Russell didn't move—but his gaze sharpened.
In an instant, scorching energy erupted from his palm, like molten magma. It carved a dazzling arc through the air and struck the stone man square in the chest!
Boom!
The stone man came to a sudden halt!
Blazing energy splashed everywhere. The black armor that encased his body disintegrated in an instant. The energy seeped into the cracks between his rocky form, as if it had a life of its own, spreading wildly and releasing a terrifying aura of destruction!
At a glance, it no longer looked like rubble.
It was as if the entire stone man was just one massive boulder—now breaking down under golden-red energy!
"Ahhh…!"
[Cosmic Radiation Mutation: Rock Life (Purple)]
Can freely switch between flesh-and-blood and earth-elemental form.
Can control earth elements.
Possesses super defense, super strength, and immense vitality.
Resistant to fire, extreme cold, and other environmental hazards.
Immune to curses and shapeshifting effects while in earth-element form.
Note: This entry's resistances can be stacked with other traits.
Russell raised an eyebrow in surprise.
He hadn't thought much of the stone man's abilities before—but this entry was unexpectedly good.
Especially the immunity to curses and shapeshifting—that alone made him a natural counter to most black magic users.
Of course, Russell knew this immunity had its limits. If it didn't, the stone man could walk into the dark dimension and challenge Chthon himself.
That was obviously impossible.
Still, it was an excellent ability. His own defense, resistance, and strength had now risen even further.
And best of all—he didn't have to take on the ugly appearance of the stone man to use it.
Russell thought about it and realized it made sense.
The Human Torch could freely shift into and out of his flame form. So why couldn't someone with earth-elemental powers revert from stone?
It was all elemental transformation. The only difference was that the stone man never fully understood the essence of his power.
Simply put—his talent was too poor.
He had never been able to wield even a tenth of his true ability.
Russell didn't feel the slightest guilt over killing him. He gave Mr. Fantastic a complicated glance—then transformed into a bolt of blinding lightning and shot into the sky!
The surviving humans in the square stood frozen in awe.
Especially some atheists—whose long-held beliefs were shaken to their core. That moment left an indelible mark on their souls.
At the same time—
The Arctic.
A white-haired, weary old man suddenly raised his head.
The woman in front of him—skinless and covered in a layer of blood-red muscle—looked at him with deep concern.
"Father, what happened?"
The man replied hoarsely, his voice low and rough:
"Soul Eater… died within three minutes of being born."
Original Sin's expression changed drastically.
As a fellow wielder of one of the Serpent's Hammers, she knew just how powerful that weapon was!
For someone to kill the wielder in less than three minutes—that was unthinkable!
The snake-like figure holding the scepter paused for a second, then murmured:
"…I didn't expect such a thing to exist in this world. It seems… I've fallen behind."
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