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Megalodon and the cloaked man lunged at the same time, the ground fracturing beneath their feet as they closed the distance in a blink.
Their fists collided—
POP.
A wet, sickening sound.
The cloaked man's wrist folded inward at an impossible angle, bone bulging under the skin, tearing muscle as it tried to push through.
He froze for half a second, staring at it.
Cloaked Man 2 (exhaling through his teeth): "So… I guess I don't have a choice anymore."Cloaked Man 2 (exhaling through his teeth): "So… I guess I don't have a choice anymore."
A crooked grin formed. "I'll have to get serious."
Megalodon didn't even flinch.
Megalodon: "You cannot beat me in a contest of strength."Megalodon: "You cannot beat me in a contest of strength."
He straightened, aura pressing outward like a tide. "I am vastly superior to you—in everything."
The cloaked man snarled.
Darkness surged around him, his aura sinking into a pitch-black void that swallowed the light nearby. The broken bone twisted, SNAPPING back into place on its own with a grinding crunch. Blood steamed off his skin as it sealed.
He pivoted on his heel and drove his foot into Megalodon's stomach.
WHUMP—!
The impact hit like a battering ram. Megalodon slid backward, boots carving deep trenches through dirt and shattered concrete, debris spraying up around his legs before he forced himself to a stop.
The cloaked man flicked his fingers.
Thin, razor-fast blades of compressed energy formed instantly and shot forward.
SHHK— SHHK.
SHHK— SHHK.
They carved into Megalodon's shoulders, ripped across his abdomen, punched through his thighs. Flesh split open, blood spraying in sharp arcs as the blades embedded themselves deep.
The cloaked man froze in place for a single beat—almost posing.
Then— BOOM.
Every blade detonated at once.
The explosion swallowed Megalodon in dust, fire, and flying debris. His massive frame was hurled across the field, crashing through rubble as broken concrete bounced off his armor and skin.
Before the smoke could settle—
Black Mentis charged in.
His boots crunched over shattered stone as he closed the distance, muscles coiling. He drove a kick straight into the cloaked man's spine.
THUD—!
The cloaked man lurched forward as Mentis fired an energy beam point-blank.
FSSSHHH—!
The beam slammed into his back, dragging him across the ground and detonating in a violent eruption of dust, sparks, and shattered concrete.
The cloaked man rolled— twice— bouncing across debris before planting his feet hard into the ground. He skidded backward, cloak torn, breathing heavy, then steadied himself.
Cloaked Man 2 (low chuckle): "Oblivion…"Cloaked Man 2 (low chuckle): "Oblivion…"
He glanced sideways. "Sneaky bastard, You really put a leash on your own dog."
Oblivion slowly pushed himself upright nearby, head still tilted at a grotesque angle. Blood ran down his neck and nose, dripping from his chin onto the ground.
He grabbed his skull with both hands.
CRACK.
CRACK.
CRACK.
Bone shifted. Vertebrae snapped back into alignment.
He rolled his shoulders and exhaled sharply.
Oblivion: "Yup."Oblivion: "Yup."
A grin spread across his face. "My bad, my dude."
He stretched his neck side to side.
Oblivion: "Aaah… that wasn't bad."Oblivion: "Aaah… that wasn't bad."
His eyes lifted, burning. "But if you think you can take us down—"
His aura exploded outward, dark red energy mixed with crawling black streaks that slithered like veins through the air.
Oblivion: "—you're sorely mistaken… Old… man!"
He pressed a hand over one eye and started laughing, shoulders shaking. Blood leaked between his fingers. His uncovered eye flashed bright green, a rotating symbol spinning inside the pupil. Then stopped.
Black Mentis stared, jaw tight.
Black Mentis: "You're not human anymore."Black Mentis: "You're not human anymore."
His voice lowered. "How the hell are you still standing after I snapped your neck?"
Oblivion dropped his hand slowly.
Oblivion: "That's right…"Oblivion: "That's right…"
He spread his arms slightly, energy surging. "I'm better. Stronger. Faster."
The ground beneath him vibrated.
Oblivion: "I'm the improvement humanity never had the guts to become."
Above him, the air distorted.
Millions of microscopic energy blades formed— each no bigger than a needle, vibrating violently as they packed together into a shimmering storm.
Then they launched downward in a single wave.
Aimed precisely.
Organs. Arteries. Weak points.
Cloaked Man 2 snapped his head toward Oblivion.
Cloaked Man 2: "Don't."Cloaked Man 2: "Don't."
His voice hardened. "You shouldn't activate your new powers yet— it's dangerous."
The blades continued falling.
Cloaked Man 2: "So far we've been fighting them with raw strength. Keep your abilities hidden until the fusion process is complete."
Too late.
Black Mentis crossed his arms instinctively, muscles tensing as energy flared around him—
But the blades slipped through him like needles through wet paper.
They pierced skin.
Muscle.
Organs.
Black Mentis gasped, body jerking as hundreds— thousands— of micro-cuts opened at once. Blood poured out in thin, continuous streams down his ribs and abdomen, soaking his waist and dripping onto the ground below.
His arms trembled. His knees buckled slightly.
Black Mentis (through clenched teeth): "Shit…"Black Mentis (through clenched teeth): "Shit…"
His breathing turned rough, wheezing. "There's no end to them…"
Each micro-cut reopened old wounds, tearing flesh that hadn't fully healed. Blood splattered with every labored breath.
Black Mentis: "I… can't keep holding… much longer…"
He staggered, shoulders shaking, crimson dripping from his fingertips as the storm continued to descend.
The battlefield fell into a tense, vibrating silence— broken only by the sound of blood hitting stone and the hum of countless blades slicing the air.
Oblivion lifted his arm and angled it toward where Megalodon had crashed.
The air screamed.
The remaining micro-blades redirected instantly and rained down, burying Megalodon's position completely. The ground detonated in overlapping impacts—stone shredded, dirt blasted upward, the field collapsing inward under the storm. Dust and blood mist filled the air.
From the crater—
Megalodon moved.
A massive hand slammed into the ground as he pushed himself up. Dozens of glowing fragments slid out of his skin on their own, clattering against rock as his flesh pulled shut, muscles tightening, wounds sealing in thick, aggressive ripples. Blood stopped flowing almost instantly.
He straightened slowly.
The cloaked man dropped to one knee nearby, fingers brushing the ground. He pressed them into Megalodon's spilled blood, twisted his wrist, then brought his hand to his mouth.
He licked his fingertips.
His breathing deepened.
A third eye split open on his forehead—skin tearing, blood trickling down as the eye opened fully. Inside it, three pupils rotated slowly, locking onto Megalodon.
Cloaked Man 2 (steady, flat): "This is over."Cloaked Man 2 (steady, flat): "This is over."
He rose, pointing directly at Megalodon.He rose, pointing directly at Megalodon.
"I do not see a single future where either of you survives.""I do not see a single future where either of you survives."
A pause.A pause.
"I'm killing you here. Now."
Megalodon didn't move.
Megalodon: "Then you're short-sighted."Megalodon: "Then you're short-sighted."
His eyes narrowed.His eyes narrowed.
"How sad."
He took a step forward, boots grinding debris.
Megalodon: "I see every one of your attacks."Megalodon: "I see every one of your attacks."
A faint grin pulled at his mouth.A faint grin pulled at his mouth.
"Do it."
His aura flared heavier, pressing outward.
Cloaked Man 2: "You'll finally understand what it means to face a warrior who serves the true king."
The cloaked man flicked a single finger.
Nothing happened for half a second—
Then Megalodon's body detonated from the inside.
SHLOKKKK—!!
Organs burst outward like wet shrapnel. His upper torso vaporized in a violent spray. Ribs launched through the air like broken blades. Blood and fragments splashed across the ground as his lower half collapsed with a heavy SLAP.
Black Mentis reacted on instinct.
He lunged forward and drove his fist straight into Oblivion's face—
CRACK—!
But the moment his knuckles connected, his arm snapped, bone bending sideways with a dry, brutal crunch.
Mentis staggered back, choking, clutching his ruined arm as it dangled uselessly.
Black Mentis: "Wh—what…?"Black Mentis: "Wh—what…?"
His eyes widened.His eyes widened.
"That's impossible— how is this even— what did you DO?!"
Oblivion rubbed the side of his jaw casually, rolling his neck.
Oblivion: "Me?"Oblivion: "Me?"
He chuckled, scratching the back of his head.He chuckled, scratching the back of his head.
"Aww… you give me way too much credit."
He stepped closer, aura humming.
Oblivion: "It's nothing special. Every hit you landed— every beating?"Oblivion: "It's nothing special. Every hit you landed— every beating?"
He leaned in.He leaned in.
"It made me stronger. Faster. Harder to kill."
A crooked grin.
Oblivion: "You're the one who made me like this."Oblivion: "You're the one who made me like this."
He paused, laughed.He paused, laughed.
"…Yeah—okay— that came out wrong."
He waved a hand dismissively.
Oblivion: "Point is—I was just toying with you the whole time."
Mentis clenched his teeth.
Black Mentis: "Damn you…"
His eyes flicked to Megalodon's remains, breath hitching.
Mentis (thinking): I don't have a choice anymore…Mentis (thinking): I don't have a choice anymore…
Mentally:" Even Megalodon's getting torn apart.They're pushing us back—like it's nothing."
Behind them—
Megalodon reformed.
Flesh pulled itself together violently, muscle snapping back into place in thick spasms. Bone slid into alignment. His torso rebuilt itself piece by piece until he stood whole again, blood steaming off his skin.
He extended one hand.
Megalodon: "Grasp of Heart."
His fingers closed.
A single heartbeat echoed—
THUMP.
The cloaked man gagged violently, blood spilling from his mouth as his chest seized. He dropped to one knee, coughing hard, fingers digging into the ground.
Cloaked Man 2 (coughing): "Foolish—!"Cloaked Man 2 (coughing): "Foolish—!"
Blood dripped from his lips.Blood dripped from his lips.
"Y-you think crushing my heart is enough to kill me?"
Megalodon vanished— and appeared behind Oblivion.
He seized both of Oblivion's arms and twisted them behind his back, locking him in place with crushing force.
Megalodon: "Then try to heal it."
He turned his head slightly.
Megalodon: "Mentis."Megalodon: "Mentis."
His voice sharpened.His voice sharpened.
"I know your plan."
Mentis froze.
Megalodon: "Stop hiding it."Megalodon: "Stop hiding it."
"Do it. Now.""Do it. Now."
"While neither of them can move."
Megalodon shifted his gaze back to the cloaked man.
Megalodon: "You're not the only one who can see futures."Megalodon: "You're not the only one who can see futures."
His grip tightened.His grip tightened.
"Don't get cocky, child."
A low hum rolled through the air.
Megalodon: "I don't just see paths."Megalodon: "I don't just see paths."
"I create the ones that suit my goals."
Mentis' eyes widened, wild.
Black Mentis (thinking): How…Black Mentis (thinking): How…
How does he know about the spell…?
The battlefield trembled—blood pooling, auras colliding, the moment stretched tight, seconds away from breaking.
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