Chapter 29: Paradise Lost (4)
David swiftly assessed the situation and as he often did before any kind of confrontation, he mentally checked his own stats. He had come a long way since his training with Enryu.
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Status Window
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Name: David Jupiter
Title: Jupiter Heir
Level: 32
Strength: Superhuman (45)
Endurance: Superhuman (40)
Agility: Superhuman (35)
Intellect: Superhuman (28)
Super Powers:
- Author Authority (Ex.lv2)
- Electromagnetism (Unique)
- Danger Sense (Common) (Mantled)
- Adaption (Unique)(Mantled)
Character Mantle Slots: 0
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As the brawl began, David instinctively drew upon his Electromagnetism power. A palm strike, amplified by a burst of electricity, sent one of the Dog Pound members flying across the room. Another member lunged at him, but David raised an electric shield just in time to block the incoming attack.
Suddenly, a Dog Pound member whipped out a machine gun, grinning maliciously. "Let's see how you like the taste of metal. Say hello to my little friend!" he snarled, opening fire on David.
However, his bullets were no match for David's electric shield. As they pelted against his defense, David retaliated, his fingers sparking with raw energy. He unleashed a stream of electric currents, which hit most of the gang members, causing them to shout in pain.
One member, however, merely chuckled. "Oh, that tickles," he said, his voice deep and gruff. David quickly pulled up his status menu.
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Status Window
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Name: Old Boy
Title: Third in Command
Level: 33
Strength: Superhuman (45)
Endurance: Superhuman (45)
Agility: Superhuman (40)
Intellect: High Human (15)
Super Powers:
- Enhanced Senses (Common)
- Super Strength (Common)
- Super Speed (Common)
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Old Boy shed his blazer, revealing a muscular, ripped build beneath it. His head, that of a great dane, turned towards David, eyes glinting with anticipation. "Now, it gets interesting," he said, cracking his knuckles menacingly.
With a determined look on his face, David said, "I didn't want to hurt you, but you've given me no choice." He then tossed a much more lethal dose of electricity towards Old Boy, who managed to block it with one hand. However, he flinched as the shock coursed through his body, leaving burn marks in its wake.
Taking the pain in stride, Old Boy quickly closed the gap between them, rushing towards David with incredible speed. David attempted to dodge, but Old Boy pinned him to the ground, his jaws snapping dangerously close to David's face.
Meanwhile, Billy was having a field day with his electric batons. He moved fluidly, his actions resembling more of a dance than a fight. Bullets whizzed by him, missing by mere inches, as he dispatched gang member after gang member with swift strikes of his batons.
Eventually, one of the gang members managed to grab Billy from behind. Reacting quickly, Billy slipped out of his leather jacket and dove under the dog-man's legs, then delivered a powerful shock to his nether regions.
With a smirk, Billy quipped, "How do you like that, you mangy mutt?" The gang member fell to the floor, clutching his sensitive area and yelping in pain.
With a swift and powerful punch, David smashed Old Boy's nose in a downward direction, then followed up by sending a shockwave of energy off the ground. The powerful wave sent Old Boy crashing into the cityscape.
David then effortlessly lifted himself off the ground using his electromagnetism, dusting himself off as he floated in mid-air. As he did so, Buster, the temporary leader of the Dog Pound, began to undergo a drastic transformation.
Peeling off his shirt, Buster was still humanoid in appearance, but his amber-like dog eyes, pointed dog ears, and bulging muscles hinted at his Beastiamorph origin. As David watched, Buster's transformation kicked into overdrive. Fur sprouted all over his body, his canine teeth elongated into larger, more menacing fangs, his muscles grew even bulkier, and his feet morphed into bipedal paws, ripping out of his shoes.
Buster looked up at David, a menacing snarl on his face as he licked his lips. "I'm going to rip you to shreds," he growled, his voice echoing eerily in the gang's hideout.
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Status Window
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Name: Buster
Title: Temporary Leader, Beastiamorph
Level: 30 (60)
Strength: Superhuman (80)
Endurance: Superhuman (80)
Agility: Superhuman (80)
Intellect: Peak Human (30)
Super Powers:
- Beastiamorph Transformation: Allows Buster to transform into a dog-human hybrid, significantly enhancing his physical attributes.
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With a roar, he lunged towards David, his body moving with a speed that was almost a blur. The electric shield that David had put up in front of him was shattered like glass under Buster's immense power. Despite the sudden intrusion, David barely moved an inch, a smile playing on his lips. His eyes were shining with the thrill of the fight, the sense of danger fueling his adrenaline.
As Buster drew close, David sidestepped with agility, his hand balling into a fist. With a swift motion, he sent a brutal punch into Buster's liver, the impact echoing like a gunshot. Buster's eyes widened as he felt a sharp pain rip through his side, making him stagger back. Even with his enhanced stats, a direct hit to the liver was a pain unlike any other.
Still clutching his side, Buster snarled at David, his eyes wild with rage. Without warning, he lunged again, his paw swinging in a vicious backhand. But David was faster. He stepped back, withdrawing just out of reach and dodged the attack.
Then, with a wave of his hand, David lifted a nearby cast iron pan using his electromagnetism and smacked it right across Buster's face. The clang of metal against bone echoed through the hideout, followed by Buster's pained howl.
But the beast wasn't done. Ignoring the pain, he gave chase, his hulking form pursuing David through the hideout. His swipes were fast and lethal, aiming to take down David. But it was like trying to swat a fly.
Using Billy's Danger Sense, David dodged Buster's attacks, zigzagging around the hideout. His movements were swift and unpredictable, like a leaf dancing in the wind, while Buster's frustration grew with every missed hit.
[Adaption: +3 Strength obtained]
As the fight with Buster continued, David's body began to adapt to the situation. A faint glow surrounded him, signaling the activation of his Adaptation power. His strength increased noticeably, now sitting at a solid 48, up from 45.
The physical manifestation of this strength was subtle but significant. His movements became even swifter, his punches and kicks more powerful. David could feel the change, the power coursing through his veins like electricity. It was exhilarating, empowering.
With a surge of strength, David delivered another powerful blow to Buster's liver, sending him stumbling backward. Not missing a beat, David closed the distance, landing a swift right hook to Buster's jaw.
However, David didn't let Buster fall. Instead, he grabbed the transformed man in a Muay Thai clinch, sending multiple knees smashing into his head. Each strike was more powerful than the last, a testament to David's enhanced strength.
Finally, Buster stopped moving, his transformation dissipating as he fell unconscious. His form reverted back to human, and he collapsed onto the ground, defeated.
Billy, in the meantime, had dealt with the rest of the Dog Pound members. He efficiently tied up the unconscious thugs, making sure none of them could cause more trouble.
After all the members were dealt with, Billy walked over to the unconscious Buster, slapping him awake with a heavy hand. Buster groaned, blinking at Billy through swollen eyes, clearly dazed and disoriented from the fight