Chương 20: Chapter 19
"Kid!"
The mutant called Siren sneered, his voice dripping with malice.
"Even if you're trying to play the hero, you should pick your battles wisely!" he warned. "This girl here is Lady Cassandra's property. Interfere, and you'll pay dearly."
In the region, everyone knew Cassandra's terrifying reputation. Siren expected this guy would back down.
But Jimmy, his teammate, laughed and patted Siren on the shoulder. "Don't sound so threatening, man; you're making us look like the bad guys. Remember, we're no longer with the Brotherhood."
Jimmy then looked over at Russell with a calculated grin. "Hey, buddy," he said with feigned sincerity. "This isn't worth the hassle. In Void Territory, there are plenty of women around. Why get attached? Spend a night, then move on. But if you join us, you'll get something way better."
He motioned toward Laura. "Once Lady Cassandra's had her fun, you'll get your turn with her—intact, claws and all."
Hearing this, Laura's heart sank. She felt the betrayal of her hope, a familiar weight that settled cold in her chest. Would he really take the easier path?
The forest was silent as Russell stood there, seemingly weighing his options. Then, breaking the tension, he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, I could agree to that," he said. "But... I'm a sucker for a challenge. A girl like this with her claws still attached? That's real excitement."
He raised an eyebrow at Jimmy, a smirk spreading across his face. "Tell you what. Why don't you drop to your knees and beg me? Who knows, maybe I'll show mercy and install you as a knock-off Iron Man in a shiny new suit. Maybe then, Fireman will actually respect you." His grin widened. "Give him a reason to bow down."
Jimmy's expression hardened as the insult sank in. He'd tried to trick Russell, but it was clear now that he'd been the one led on. He stepped back, while Siren stepped forward, eyes burning with hatred.
"Fine, kid!" Siren snarled, his lips curling back to reveal sharpened teeth. "You'll regret that." His sparse red hair faded to a deathly gray, his skin paling into a ghostly shade.
Laura, still on the ground, felt a wave of helplessness. She wanted to call out for Russell to run. Siren's ability looked disturbingly powerful, unlike anything she had encountered before.
"Get out of here!" she rasped, desperate.
"Get out? Not a chance," Siren snapped, his mouth widening. In an instant, waves of distorted sound pulsed out, shattering the air around them.
Jimmy watched, a smug grin reappearing on his face, expecting to see Russell stumble or fall. But to his shock, Russell dodged with the ease of a seasoned fighter, leaping out of the blast radius just as Siren unleashed his power.
Siren was stunned. "How... how did you know my ability?!"
Russell, perched on a tree branch, shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't know you, and frankly, I'd remember an ugly face like yours if I'd seen it before."
Siren's eyes narrowed, his face twisting with rage. "You're dead meat!"
He opened his mouth again, releasing another violent blast of sound that shattered trees and splintered branches, but Russell danced through the air, weaving between the sonic blasts like a ghost. Siren roared in frustration, his powers rippling in a futile attempt to land a direct hit.
Finally, Siren propelled himself forward, his cloak billowing as he launched himself like a missile toward Russell. "You think you can dodge this one, smart mouth?"
Below, Laura's heart twisted as she watched, her voice choking. "No…"
But just then, a soft laugh echoed from above. "Ever heard of spider senses?" Russell quipped as purple strands of magic-infused spider silk shot out, connecting with a nearby tree. With a flick of his wrist, he swung out of Siren's path at the last possible second.
Siren's face contorted with confusion. He jerked his head around, trying to locate Russell, only to be met with a mouthful of spider silk that glued his face in place.
"What the—" he spluttered, clawing at the sticky threads.
As he ripped the webbing from his face, his teammate yelled out a desperate, "Look out!"
But it was too late. Siren barely had time to see the boot aimed at his face.
Wham!
Russell's kick sent Siren spiraling backward. He reeled, only to be met with a relentless barrage of punches and kicks. Each strike forced him back, disorienting him further, until he was nothing more than a punching bag in a flurry of blows.
From below, Jimmy watched in horror as Siren's body dangled from a massive, magical spiderweb stretched between the trees, his face bruised and swollen. Siren hung limply in the trap, his head slumped forward, defeated.
A sudden shadow darkened the forest floor as Russell's silhouette loomed above, hanging upside down like a predator in his web. His smile was eerily calm, his eyes filled with unsettling delight as he whispered, "Alright, Jimmy… your turn."
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Added 'All the Powers Russell has Till Ch 45' Auxiliary chapter do check it out.
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