Chapter 51 + HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!
At the mouth of a river diverging from the Hudson, there stood a massive suspension bridge, which had taken over a decade to construct. At either end of the bridge rose robust Roman-style arches, elegant and imposing in equal measure.
This was none other than the Brooklyn Bridge!
Above the bridge, icy winds howled incessantly. Below, cars roared past, a constant stream speeding to destinations unknown.
No one among the hurrying masses below noticed two figures atop the iron girders of the bridge, figures who, strictly speaking, could hardly be considered human anymore.
"What, exactly, do you mean by 'the truth of the world'?"
The Stone Man, his rocky skin glowing orange under the combined illumination of streetlights and moonlight, looked at Alex with mild irritation.
"It's said that seeing is believing," Alex replied, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips as he met the Stone Man's gaze.
"What...?"
Before the Stone Man could process the words, Alex grabbed him by the wrist, hoisting him as easily as if he were a baby. Then, with a single leap, he vaulted off the bridge, speeding away with the wind at his back.
"..."
The Stone Man stared at Alex in disbelief as they moved. His body, entirely composed of rock, weighed several thousand pounds, yet Alex—slim in comparison—had lifted him effortlessly and was now running faster than a sports car. It was a scene so bizarre he might not have believed it if he weren't experiencing it firsthand.
"Is this guy even human? If Reed ever met him, he'd go insane trying to study him," the Stone Man thought, the idea surfacing unbidden.
Half an hour later, Alex and the Stone Man arrived at an abandoned factory on the outskirts of the city. Once inside, Alex dropped the Stone Man unceremoniously onto the open ground.
The Stone Man planted his feet firmly on the ground, staring at Alex in a daze. "Who...what are you?"
"I told you, the real world has never opened its doors to you!"
Smirking nonchalantly, Alex shot forward in a blur, his fist hurtling toward the Stone Man's head. The punch, intentionally slow by Alex's standards, was delivered at a pace no different from a casual street fight. To any observer, it would've seemed an easy blow to block.
The Stone Man, with his naturally robust frame and some fighting experience, instinctively raised an arm to block the punch, despite his confusion.
The moment Alex's fist collided with the Stone Man's arm, a deafening bang echoed through the space. The ground beneath them sank several inches, and within a two-meter radius, spiderweb-like cracks spread across the floor.
"Come on, fight me," Alex said, his grin widening.
"Fine! Here I come!"
Suppressing his bewilderment, the Stone Man decided to channel his frustration into action. Letting out a roar, he threw a massive, rock-solid punch at Alex, the force behind it cutting through the air with a sharp whoosh.
Alex, unfazed by the oncoming attack, countered with a punch of his own.
Bang!
The two fists collided, one large and one small. A massive shockwave erupted from the impact point, sending debris flying in all directions. The ground beneath them shattered, and dust filled the air like a sudden storm.
By all logic, Alex, whose physique was noticeably smaller, should have been sent flying. But instead, it was the Stone Man who stumbled back several steps, each step leaving a deep, cracked footprint in the ground.
"Your strength isn't at its limit yet. Come on, show me more!" Alex taunted, his tone casual.
"Argh!"
Irritated by Alex's provocation, the Stone Man roared again, rushing forward and unleashing a flurry of punches, each faster and heavier than the last.
Alex, still grinning, met the onslaught head-on. The clash between the two escalated into an intense, close-quarters battle, their fists creating a symphony of relentless impacts.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Each collision sent tremors through the ground, like miniature earthquakes rippling outward. Despite his imposing size and undeniable power, the Stone Man found himself gradually falling behind under Alex's relentless pressure.
But the Stone Man was no ordinary opponent. His resilience was astounding, allowing him to shrug off Alex's attacks as though they were mere annoyances. Moreover, his strength seemed to be growing at an alarming rate.
At the start of their fight, their strength had been roughly equal, each capable of exerting about five tons of force. But as the battle continued, the Stone Man's power surged—first to six tons, then eight, then ten...until now, when he was closing in on twelve tons!
"Impressive. This guy's growth rate is insane!" Alex thought, still maintaining his outward composure.
Despite his formidable abilities, Alex realized he was nearing his own limits. His peak strength hovered just shy of thirteen tons. At the Stone Man's current rate of growth, it wouldn't be long before he surpassed Alex entirely.
Another fierce exchange sent both fighters stumbling backward. This time, they seemed evenly matched, neither gaining the upper hand. The ground beneath them sank even further, creating a crater several meters wide.
"Damn it. If I get beaten by someone who just got their powers, I'll never live it down!" Alex muttered under his breath.
Determined, he lunged forward again, his speed blurring as he darted behind the Stone Man. With a single, devastating punch to the back, Alex sent his opponent crashing into a nearby building, reducing it to rubble.
"Phew."
Exhaling deeply, Alex finally allowed himself a moment of relief. While the Stone Man's strength was terrifying, his lack of combat experience had made the fight manageable—for now.
"Let's go again!"
The Stone Man emerged from the debris, shouting with excitement. All his earlier frustrations had been replaced by exhilaration. The thrill of battle had completely consumed him.
"You've got to be kidding me," Alex groaned, though he couldn't help but smirk.
Without hesitation, the two charged at each other once more, their fists colliding in yet another earth-shattering impact.
HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR GUYS!