Bab 193: Skeleton Lizard VS Extraordinary Dragon
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The brutal fight between Mandarin and the three mercenaries raged on. Despite their impressive close-combat skills, two fists are no match for four hands.
Recognizing his imminent defeat, Mandarin made a risky maneuver. As the tallest warrior lunged towards him, Mandarin didn't dodge. Instead, he met the punch head-on, absorbing the blow and spitting out a mouthful of blood. However, this calculated move allowed him to break free from their encirclement.
The three black-armored warriors mentally cursed, realizing Mandarin's ploy to buy time for his rings' abilities. Their suspicion was confirmed. Still airborne, Mandarin activated one of his rings, unleashing a torrent of flames directed at the mercenaries.
But Mandarin had overlooked one crucial detail – Kyle, who'd been observing the battle from afar. Kyle, anticipating Mandarin's plan, raised his right hand and pointed his index, middle, and ring fingers at each mercenary. With a whispered incantation of "Iron Armor," three beams of light enveloped the mercenaries, forming a magical defense shield. The flames harmlessly dissipated upon contact with the shimmering layer.
Mandarin, disconcerted by this unexpected turn of events, activated another ring. This time, a storm of electricity crackled towards the mercenaries. Unfortunately for Mandarin, he'd forgotten a key detail – not only were they protected by Kyle's magical armor, but their black armor was crafted from unique materials with built-in resistance to electrical attacks. After a brief spark shower on their armor, the attack fizzled out.
Aware of this advantage, Kyle didn't waste any further magic power. He channeled his magic into the sand, causing it to writhe and condense into a colossal, three-meter-tall elephant. With a magical activation, the sand elephant trumpeted and charged toward Mandarin, its trunk raised high in attack.
This magically-animated elephant, incredibly agile, unlike its real-life counterparts, proved to be a formidable opponent. Mandarin, attempting a frontal assault with a cutting beam, sliced the elephant in half, reducing it to a pile of scattered sand.
Despite the temporary setback, Mandarin's situation remained dire. The relentless assault by the three black-armored warriors continued, leaving him battered and bruised. In desperation, he resorted to his trump card. He contacted a powerful ally – a colossal creature using a unique spirit ring.
A thunderous roar echoed in the distance, followed by the swift arrival of a monstrous figure. It was a colossal green dragon, easily exceeding fifty meters in length. Its enormous wings whipped up a fierce wind, its razor-sharp claws glinted menacingly, and its body, covered in thick scales, exuded an impenetrable defense. Even hovering motionless, the dragon's presence instilled a sense of overwhelming dread.
Mandarin erupted in a maniacal laugh, his face contorted with a disturbing glee. "Come, Feilong, my loyal friend! Help me defeat these enemies!"
The giant dragon, the Feilong, unleashed a torrent of flames from its maw. The three black-armored warriors barely evaded the inferno with a desperate roll, quickly retreating towards Kyle and the others.
Staring at the colossal dragon dominating the sky, Kyle felt a wave of weariness. "Summoning creatures? How uninspired! Flaunting a pet in front of me is like brandishing a sword before Guan Yu," he thought in exasperation.
"I could summon Smaug and obliterate you in seconds. But during the Apocalypse fight, I concealed my identity, and using summoning wouldn't raise suspicion. Now, with Tony here, revealing my true abilities through magic is out of the question. It seems I can't intervene directly."
After a moment's contemplation, Kyle discreetly addressed the tallest black-armored warrior, Arno. "The situation is critical, and I cannot act openly. We need you to unleash your full potential. Don't hold back; teach him a lesson he won't forget."
Arnold, one of Ivan's most trusted lieutenants, acknowledged Kyle's message with a subtle nod. Unbeknownst to the others, Arnold was injected with a special super-soldier serum developed by Ivan, granting him near-Captain America-level physical prowess. This, combined with his mastery of Chinese martial arts, made him a formidable force. Additionally, to handle the inherent dangers of mercenary work, he had a powerful ability that would only be revealed under exceptional circumstances.
Meanwhile, Mandarin, seeing their hesitation, resumed his attempts at persuasion. "You see, resistance is futile. Surrender to me, and I offer you a place amongst the elite!"
Arnold remained unfazed by Mandarin's offer. Seizing the opportunity, he addressed Kyle, Tony, and Yinsen in a feigned tone, "This situation is extraordinary. The enemy is far stronger than anticipated. But fear not; Cipher will see it through since you've accepted the mission. However, there's a matter that requires clarification. We'll be utilizing abilities beyond your comprehension. You must sign a non-disclosure agreement, ensuring today's events remain confidential."
Tony and Yinsen readily agreed while Kyle offered a curt nod. As Tony pondered the events, his worldview had been repeatedly shattered throughout the day. He'd witnessed powers beyond human understanding, yet nothing could have prepared him for the sheer shock that awaited.
Following these assurances, Arnold suddenly collapsed onto the sand, letting out a beastly roar. His tail and legs retracted, seemingly vanishing entirely.
Within mere seconds, Arnold's transformation was complete. Gone was the human form; in his place stood a colossal monstrosity exceeding sixty to seventy meters in length. This reptilian behemoth, resembling a grotesque fusion of snake and lizard, possessed a skull-like head and crawled on two thick forelimbs, leaving deep furrows in the sand.
If any Skull Island mutants were present, they would instantly recognize the creature before them - a Skull Crawler, one of the island's apex predators. This very power was the secret bestowed upon Arnold by Ivan.
Originally, he had devised a secret technique that involved gene splicing and transformation to allow individuals to shift between forms. However, he discovered it needed to be more widely applicable. While gene splicing was straightforward, the transformation required magical support, and transforming into a colossal entity like the Skull Crawler demanded tremendous magical energy. This meant that one needed to become a wizard with a sufficient magic power level to achieve such a feat.
Arnold could transform with the qualifications to become a wizard. Yet Ivan, ever generous towards his people, especially a capable subordinate like him, wouldn't give up so easily. After much deliberation, he devised an alternative method.
Ivan established a magical circle within his British castle. This circle channeled energy from an underground node, converting it into magic power sealed in a confined space. Arnold spent time within this space, soaking in the magic power and forcing his body to transform. It was an excruciating process riddled with magical disturbances. Without Ivan's constant vigilance, Arnold would have perished countless times.
Despite the hardship, it ultimately proved successful. Arnold's transformed body held the ability to absorb and store magic power. Furthermore, the Skull Crawler's genes were implanted, allowing him to transform. However, there was a flaw to this artificial transformation. After each transformation, Arnold returned to the castle to replenish his magic power. To avoid overburdening him, Ivan transformed two others, allowing them to utilize this ability in rotation. These three individuals, united under the moniker of the Cipher Mercenary Group, became a true enigma in the world.
The other two mercenaries underwent the same process as Arnold's transformation. Given the formidable aerial threat posed by the Feilong, they opted for immediate transformation. Arnold's Skull Crawler form dwarfed the others, reaching a colossal sixty meters in length. The other two mercenaries transformed into slightly smaller Skull Crawlers, roughly two-thirds of Arnold's size, exceeding forty meters.
Utterly unprepared for the mercenaries' transformation abilities, Mandarin abandoned confronting them head-on. He turned and fled in a desperate attempt to escape. However, the largest Skull Crawler couldn't let him off the hook. It unleashed a mighty roar and lunged at him, its gaping maw resembling a second Feilong seeking to devour him.
The two smaller Skull Crawlers exchanged glances. One of them lured the Feilong in for an attack, then, with a swift motion, ripped off a section of its flesh. Now engaged in a brutal brawl, the three monstrous creatures dominated the battlefield.
Utterly overwhelmed by the spectacle, Tony felt his worldview shattering into a million pieces. Everything that had transpired that day relentlessly assaulted his perception of reality. The Feilong had been a shock, but now, three colossal beasts transformed from humans? No wonder they were called the Cipher Mercenary Group – monstrous and grotesque.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
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