Chapter 34: Unforseen Darkness (4)

The heroes' faces hardened at his words, but their focus remained unwavering. Supra, the speedster, attempted to cut Shadow off mid-sentence with a sudden burst of superspeed, but Shadow's reaction was almost inhuman.

He caught Supra's wrist with a lightning-fast grab, snapping both his arms as if they were twigs. A swift kick to the solar plexus followed, and Supra was sent reeling, his arms grotesquely disconnected from his body.

Grasping the severed arms, Shadow's face contorted into a demented grin. His voice reached new levels of insanity as he cackled.

"Hey, does anybody want a hand? A hand, get it?" His laughter grew wilder, a jarring and unsettling sound that sent chills down the spines of everyone present.

Yura Frostblade and several other teachers were caught in a relentless onslaught as Shadow deftly used Supra's severed arms as cruel weapons. The horrifying slaps echoed through the air, each one a sickening testament to Shadow's madness.

When Yura was struck by one of the severed hands, something profound shifted within Enryu. Those who looked upon him could feel a palpable change in the atmosphere. His icy blue eyes, once filled with determination, now burned with an otherworldly intensity.

David, from his vantage point, recognized the signs of a profound transformation. Enryu was a character known for his plot armor, and now it seemed he was ready to transcend his limits.

Enryu's entire body began to change. The transformation was slow at first, his skin taking on a crystalline appearance as ice started to form around him. The ground beneath him cracked and frosted over, and the air itself seemed to grow cold and brittle.

As the ice enveloped him, the temperature plummeted, reaching levels that would freeze normal men to death in an instant. The mental barriers that should have prevented this manipulation of external energy were shattered as Enryu's power grew.

A storm of elemental cold raged around him, a maelstrom of ice and frost that seemed to defy the natural laws of the world. His voice, filled with a raw and primal fury, erupted from within the storm. "Frostbite!" he screamed, the words echoing like a battle cry.

"He's screaming his power's name just like a main character would." David said, witnessing this transformation from a distance.

Shadow, sensing the immense danger, teleported away, but it was too late for his arm, which was caught in the necrotic freeze. It was left behind, a grotesque reminder of Enryu's newfound power.

The transformation was complete, and Enryu stood as a living embodiment of winter's fury. His very presence was a chilling testament to his resolve.

Shadow's insane laughter had been replaced by uncertainty and fear.

Enryu's transformation was a sight to behold, a testament to his power and rage. Ice clones emerged from the ground, menacing and spiked, as the temperature plummeted, freezing everything in its vicinity. Shadow, sensing the imminent threat, had already teleported away, leaving his necrotic arm behind.

David knew that the situation was rapidly escalating, but before he could even ponder what to do next, Shadow, in a last-ditch effort for petty revenge, teleported back to the battlefield. His eyes, filled with madness, were fixed on Yura, one of Enryu's most beloved teachers.

With a vicious and cruel swipe of his remaining hand, Shadow beheaded Yura right in front of Enryu. The brutality of the act was horrifying, and the battlefield fell into a stunned silence.

Enryu's face twisted in agony and rage, his icy blue eyes now filled with a wild, dangerous fire.

The loss of his arm meant nothing to Shadow; his deranged mind was consumed with the desire to inflict pain and suffering on those who had opposed him.

The situation was spiraling out of control, and David's mind raced. "Dam, this is getting out of hand. Where is Omega 6 at?" he wondered, panic creeping into his voice.

His question was answered almost instantly as the clouds began to part, and a figure descended onto the battlefield. Crimson-eyed, wearing a black and red spandex uniform with a matching cape, Ares had arrived. An Omega 6 elite hero, known for his ruthlessness, had come to quell the madness.

The battle had reached a fevered pitch, with morality and ethics thrown to the wind. Heroes were forced to confront not only Shadow's insanity but their own inner demons. The stakes were higher than ever, and the lines between right and wrong had never been more blurred.

Status Window

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Name: Ares

Title: Omega 6 General, Hero Of Fairhaven, Dog of Omega 6,

Level: ???

Strength: ???

Endurance: ???

Agility: ???

Intellect: ???

Super Power:

- Royal Arcanian Physique (Legendary): Grants immense physical abilities and resilience.

- Trimodias Blessing of Strength (Legendary): A divine blessing that enhances strength to an extraordinary level.

- Minor Telekinesis (common): Ability to manipulate objects with the mind on a smaller scale.

- Limiter Removal (Unique): A potentially dangerous ability that allows Ares to surpass his natural limits, often at great risk.

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In an instant, Ares grabbed Shadow, snapping a power-dampening collar around his throat. "You're not getting out this time," he said with cold resolve.

Enryu's rage was uncontrollable. "He needs to die!" he shouted, his voice cracking, the ice abilities he'd exhausted in his desperation.

Ares looked at him, his eyes like ice. "I know what you're thinking. Just don't."

Ignoring the warning, Enryu lunged toward Shadow, only to be met with a slap from Ares so powerful that it shattered the ice around him and likely broke every bone in his body.

Enryu fell to the ground, unconscious, his eyes rolled back.

"Nice hit, Ares, that's for my arm!" Shadow cackled, jumping up and down beneath his mask.

Ares's face remained impassive. "I'm going to process this one," he said, and then he was gone, leaving behind a scene of devastation and a haunting silence taking Shadow with him.

David's mind raced as he realized he still had the Arcanian Steel sword in his possession, a dangerous artifact he didn't want to keep. He knew Ares could hear him from miles away, and he screamed, "Ares! You forgot something important!"

In a flash, Ares was back, having already dropped off Shadow in a containment cell. He looked at the sword in David's hand, recognition flashing in his eyes. "Oh, you're Jupiter's brat," he said, his voice tinged with both curiosity and understanding. "That's a very dangerous artifact you have there."

"I know that's why I'm giving it to you," David replied, his voice steady despite the gravity of the situation.

Ares raised an eyebrow, surprised at David's decision. "You didn't think about keeping it?"

David shook his head, conviction in his eyes. "No, I did, but I feel like my life would be just a little bit safer if I didn't have to worry about Shadow wanting vengeance or somehow getting a hold of this sword."

A slight smile played on Ares's lips as he motioned his hand, levitating the blade into his grasp. He looked at David with a newfound respect. "You, I like you," he said, his voice tinged with approval. "Unlike your friend, you think about consequences."

Back at the scene of battle, Enryu was healed by Zoya but lay defeated, surrounded by the somber aftermath of the fight.

"Everyone's dead," Zoya said, her voice filled with regret. "My time healing only works within 20 seconds after someone is beheaded. Once the circulation cuts and the consciousness is lost, my power won't let me bring that person back."

Enryu nodded, his eyes downcast, his face etched with the pain of failure. He simply sighed, the weight of his words heavy in the air. "In the end, I couldn't really change anything."

Ijax, who had been watching from a distance, approached Enryu, his eyes filled with understanding. He laid a hand on Enryu's shoulder, speaking with the wisdom of someone who had seen much in his life. "

You're just a child in the grand scheme of things," he said gently. "There's a whole world ahead of you, filled with chances to make a difference. Don't lose yourself in this one moment."

Enryu's eyes went wide as he looked at Ijax. "Ijax, you're alive?"

"Of course I'm alive," Ijax replied, his voice filled with a warm reassurance. "He did get me good, but I had to sit it out. I knew you all had it handled."

As they stood together, facing the wreckage of what had been, the reality of their losses settled in.