CHAPTER 433: PILLAR OF LIGHT.

"Monster? Hey now, you’re hurting my feelings!"

Red Bull cackled some more. Part because he found the whole thing funny, part because he felt like he was screwed. Danger sirens cried in his mind. His injuries had already healed, but that came at a cost.

His healing factor might be capable of restoring organs or entire limbs, but it was far from the main ability granted by his transformation. After being burned a few times, then crushing half of his bones in one attack, it looked like he had pushed it a little too far, something that had never happened before.

It isn’t every day that he gets to go all out, and he certainly never gets pushed that far. He had burned through most of the energy he had in reserve, and because of that, the next wound he gets might not fully heal.

Looking at his opponent, Red Bull started to realize why the BEO had sent out special warnings about him. The third party that single-handedly crashed their plans for Operation Wolf Slayer. Ghost—the hero killer who claimed the lives of five Genomes.

’Damn it...’ Red Bull felt a smile tug at the corners of his mouth. ’I should have brought the others...’

It was a little late to start acting cautiously, but what choice did he have? He decided to keep the conversation going. Time was on his side, after all, and every second he bought counted.

"You call me that, but you don’t look very human from over here." He said. "Where did you get those suits anyway? Orvakia? Don’t tell me those Gear nutsacks gave them to you."

Another thing that confused him about the battle was the power suits his opponents wore. The one he had now was almost twice as large as the dragon-themed one. Going by its bulk and the placement of the outer plating, it didn’t strike him as something meant for mobility. Its dirt brown color painted it as an immovable tank focused entirely on defense. If that were the case, it would mean that the horns on its headpiece were merely a decoration.

Red Bull wanted to comment about it copying his style, but before he could, the Ghost turned white once more, and his contour changed. An instant later, a different power suit manifested, making it appear as if someone had swapped places with the guy from before.

"Hahaha... Now, this one looks troublesome..."

~[ ]~

[Red Bull.] Volcan spoke, giving a more detailed version of his previous valuation. [90% of his cells have undergone a mutation. He has enhanced strength, durability, and cellular regeneration. The latter seems to fall short considering the lack of energy.]

’So he’s a pure strength type, huh?’ Dante though.

It matched the image he had of the so-called hero. Super strength and durability were the most common abilities among Enhanced Individuals, especially if you count Cyborgs. Considering his build and how he likes to fight with his bare fists, it was obvious from the start that he wasn’t the kind to rely on tricks.

’How are we going to defeat him now?’

Currently, Dante had his perception enhanced to the max, accelerating his thoughts as he looked for a way to defeat the muscly bastard. 6-3 was almost out of energy, so it wouldn’t be able to withstand another insane blow. He considered changing into a higher-level armor, but simply increasing his durability wouldn’t do.

He needed to deal some damage to bring himself closer to victory, and he couldn’t do that while standing in place like an unmoving boulder.

[I suggest using Type 3-4,] Volcan said. [Though Type 3-3 might suffice, so long as you avoid taking any damage.]

’Type 3, huh?’

Fire might be the most effective element when dealing with anything made from flesh, but when pressed for time, lightning was the better option.

Dante recalled his first time donning one of Volcan’s armors—the first time he was conscious of it, at least. His opponent wasn’t that different from now, and though electrical attacks proved to be effective against him, they still fell short of expectations, leading to him having to rely on other factors to win the fight.

Using the same strategy didn’t feel like a good idea this time. He was fighting a proper Genome with no limit on his transformation. The bastard was much stronger as well, and he could recover from most damage with ease. A single slip-up would be all it takes to send him to the grave.

Opening the [A]rmor screen, Dante checked Type 3’s stats and abilities. Though he remained hesitant till the very end, he still made his pick and gave the command.

The bulky, rigid armor disappeared, and in its place, a slick suit took form. Sharp alloy plating formed its shell, each part fitting together like layered scales. Thin, black lines snaked between each segment like veins carrying streams of darkness. The golden armor gleamed with a faint glow. Thin arcs of electricity danced on its surface, painting the image of sealed power threatening to escape.

Nestled inside the magnificent shell of Type 3-4, Dante felt a slight tingle on his skin. He didn’t appreciate the additional discomfort—the strain applied by a Level 4 armor was annoying enough, so he moved to end the battle as fast as he could.

Dismissing the updated status screen, he extended his arm in the hero’s direction and watched him explode into movement. From the look of it, the two of them shared the same thought, so both were rushing to end the battle before the other could land a hit. Unfortunately for the hero, Dante was already a step ahead.

’Lightning Pulse!’

The golden armor blinked once, and lightning exploded from its outer shell, spreading out in every direction like a translucent dome of light. The yellow dome washed over Red Bull before he could react, and his eyes snapped wide open as he felt the electricity seep through his flesh.

Paralyzed, the hero continued flying forward with no way to change his direction. Dante had already stepped out of the way. Holding up his right hand, he activated another one of the armor’s abilities.

’Lightning Spear!’

Golden tendrils seeped from his arm, coiling together to form a single bolt. Its size and length kept on increasing, turning it into a pillar of light that reached up to the cloudy sky.

Time seemed to stop. As Red Bull floated in front of him, every muscle in his body rendered useless by the electricity coursing through his veins, Dante brought his arm down, willing the massive bolt to rain down.

Light flashed, painting the entire city white. A faint crackle followed, then came a devastating roar. A violent tremor shook the earth, spreading to the buildings and everything they housed.

The wrathful thunder kept on echoing, imposing an eerie silence over Neo-Vatra. No one dared to move for a very long moment. No one except for the one clad in the golden armor. He stood at the center of a massive crater, surrounded by charred stone and molten asphalt.

Dante stared at the ground at his feet for a long moment, lightning still crackling along his right arm. His head slowly rose, then it turned to the left. Something fell at the edge of the crater, a trail of smoke rising from it. Dante paid it no mind and raised his gaze some more.

There, a single man floated a few meters above the ground. He was clad in a tight blue suit, parts of which seemed to have been burned away. Behind him, a similarly torn cape fluttered in the air, its red fabric made brighter by the embers clinging to the burnt ends. His blond hair gained quite a few sharp ends, though considering the state of his clothes, it was a miracle no strands smoked like burning incense.

Despite the state of his outer appearance, the man himself seemed the very picture of health. His skin had some red spots here and there, true, and arcs of electricity still clung to him, refusing to let go. Other than that, he seemed to be doing perfectly fine, and his impassive expression only seemed to hammer that point. Studying it for a moment, Dante let his head fall and heaved a long sigh.

[You know, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve imagined it.] He said. [Can’t say any where remotely close to this.]

When he thought about it, Dante realized he hadn’t exactly been subtle with his actions. He turned what should have been a stealthy extraction mission into a slaughter, drawing the attention of the local abomination. He held nothing back, unleashing one big move after the other and causing a level of devastation that was hard to ignore.

With that being the case, it wasn’t so strange that they would notice. It wasn’t so strange that they would rush to the source of the chaos, and it wasn’t so strange that the fastest among them would be the first to arrive.

He was summoned to this city for this exact reason. He was here to fulfill one mission. The strongest being in the world. The only Level 6 to ever be created. Eidolon’s masterpiece.

Paragon has entered the scene.