Bab 18: Chapter 18: Evolution
Ethan's lips curled into a mocking smile. "I don't follow anyone, Doom. Least of all a man whose arrogance blinds him."
Doom's eyes darkened, his fingers twitching as dark energy began to coalesce around him. "Then you leave me no choice."
The air crackled with energy as Doom raised his hand, a mixture of advanced technology and dark magic swirling together to form a devastating blast. At that moment, the Avengers and the Fantastic Four charged in as well, fully aware that they were stepping into the crossfire of something far more dangerous than any ordinary supervillain.
Ethan didn't flinch. Instead, his black circles rippled across his skin, his control over the spotted dimension solidifying. He could feel it, he was evolving, growing stronger. Doom's arrogance would be his undoing. Ethan's mind raced, calculating every possible outcome as the energy from Doom's attack surged toward him.
But instead of dodging, Ethan remained still. One of the black circles on his chest expanded, absorbing the energy blast entirely. For a split second, Doom's eyes widened in shock, but Ethan didn't waste any time. With a flick of his wrist, the energy was redirected, shooting out from a portal behind Doom and crashing into the treeline.
Ethan's voice was cold, unyielding. "You should know better than to think I'd fall for something so simple."
The heroes sprang into action. Tony fired his repulsors in rapid succession, while Captain Marvel shot forward, fists glowing with cosmic energy. Reed Richards stretched his limbs, trying to ensnare Ethan, while Sue Storm raised an invisible force field to protect her team.
But Ethan's body was now a living portal. Every punch, every blast that came toward him was swallowed by the black circles that covered his body, only to be redirected elsewhere. A punch from Captain Marvel disappeared into one portal and shot out toward Ben Grimm, the Thing, sending him stumbling back. Sue's force field shattered as Ethan redirected a concussive blast from Tony straight into her barrier.
The heroes found themselves on the back foot almost instantly. Ethan's control over the spotted dimension had grown exponentially, and he was no longer merely dodging attacks, he was using them to his advantage.
Tony's voice crackled over the comms. "He's adapting! We need to rethink our strategy."
But there wasn't time. Doom, undeterred by his earlier failure, unleashed a barrage of attacks, bolts of magical energy mixed with precision-guided missiles from his armor. Ethan dodged some, but others struck true, and for the first time in a long while, Ethan felt the sting of battle.
Doom's cold voice rang out again. "You're not invincible, Spot. You're still learning. And I, Doom, have mastered both science and sorcery."
Ethan staggered slightly, the relentless assault pushing him back. Doom's attacks were unlike those of the Avengers. They were calculated, and the mixture of technology and magic was harder for Ethan to anticipate. But instead of frustration, Ethan felt something else, a spark of excitement. He was being pushed, but he was learning.
The hole on face morphed into a sadistic grin, white lines like saliva formed on the hole, this scene brought a dense sensation to the present.
He tapped deeper into the spotted dimension, feeling its chaotic energy surge through him. His body rippled as more black circles formed, and with them, his control over space grew sharper, more refined. Now, he didn't need to move at all. Any attack that came toward him simply vanished into the black circles, redirected effortlessly to a location of his choosing.
Captain Marvel charged at him again, her fist glowing with immense energy, but as soon as her punch connected with one of the black circles on Ethan's chest, it was gone, redirected into a portal. The punch reappeared from a portal behind Reed Richards, narrowly missing his head.
Ethan smiled coldly. "You're too predictable."
He moved with blinding speed, closing the gap between himself and the heroes. His fists flew through the air, each punch connecting with devastating force. But it wasn't just brute strength, Ethan had learned. He was adapting. Every move the Avengers made, every strike Doom attempted, was analyzed, absorbed, and countered with brutal efficiency.
Ethan's fist slammed into Tony's armor, and though the suit's advanced technology absorbed most of the impact, the force still sent Tony crashing into the ground. Captain Marvel's cosmic energy blasts were swallowed by Ethan's portals and shot back at the heroes. Even Ben Grimm, with all his strength, found himself outmatched as Ethan slipped through his attacks, landing calculated blows that sent the giant stumbling.
As the battle raged on, the heroes began to falter. Ethan's power was overwhelming, his control of the battlefield absolute. But something had shifted. His black circles, while still strong, were beginning to fluctuate. The strain of tapping into the spotted dimension was taking its toll, but Ethan pressed on, his resolve unwavering.
Doom, sensing that the tide of battle was turning against him, raised both hands, dark energy swirling around him. "I will not be bested by a mere amateur," he growled, his voice laced with fury. With a roar, he unleashed a cataclysmic blast of both technological and magical power aimed directly at Ethan.
For a moment, time seemed to slow. Ethan, standing in the eye of the storm, felt the full weight of Doom's assault bearing down on him. The air crackled with energy, the very fabric of reality threatening to tear apart.
But Ethan didn't flinch. His black circles expanded, growing larger, more numerous. The attacks from Doom were absorbed effortlessly, disappearing into the void. Ethan's smile widened as he realized just how far he had come.
"I told you, Doom," Ethan said, his voice calm, but carrying the weight of his newfound power. "I don't follow anyone."
With a flick of his hand, Ethan redirected the full force of Doom's attack back toward the sorcerer. The explosion rocked the battlefield, sending Doom flying backward, his armor scorched and his pride wounded.
The heroes looked on in shock as Ethan, now standing at the center of the devastation, loomed over them. His power had grown beyond anything they could have anticipated. He was no longer the man they had first encountered, he had become something far more dangerous.
And in that moment, Ethan's resolve hardened. He would not be stopped. Not by the Avengers, not by Doom, not by anyone.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone