Chapter 167
The two clashed in the cornfield. The cornstalks were scraped and crushed, flattened to the ground by the sheer force of their impact, as if wailing in agony from their encounter.
The sound of their movements tearing through the air like a cascading waterfall. The shockwaves shattered the fences of the nearby pastures, sending lambs fleeing in terror. The cornfield was devastated in their wake—wherever they passed, the green stalks were completely annihilated. Even those farther away, merely affected by the residual force, bent deeply, their roots half-pulled from the soil.
Both fighters were cloaked in searing flames, their bodies igniting the air around them. A white energy barrier formed at the forefront of their charge, distorting wildly as they accelerated.
Then, they pushed their speed even further. Their fists, engulfed in crimson fire, burned with friction, shattering the layers of heat and the white sonic boom barrier before colliding.
Their fists became streaks of red-hot light, bursting forth with ferocious, brutal killing intent. All the kinetic energy accumulated from their supersonic charge converged into a single moment of impact.
BOOM!
The instant their fists met, time seemed to freeze.
From extreme speed, breaking the sound barrier, reaching supersonic velocities, to the sudden, violent collision, the sheer intensity of the moment overwhelmed even air and sound. The abrupt halt after such unimaginable velocity created a visual shock so profound that it felt as if the world itself had stopped.
The hurricane-like airflow trailing behind them had yet to catch up with the point of impact. In contrast, the surrounding air had already been thrown into chaos, rolling and reverberating from the explosive shockwaves.
For a brief moment, the collision point fell into eerie silence. Then, an unparalleled force erupted.
A massive, dome-shaped sonic boom cloud formed, and the sheer magnitude of their power carved out a vacuum within a 100-meter radius. The outward force expanded violently before accumulating, compressing, and then detonating in a blinding instant. A second white sonic boom cloud exploded outward, engulfing them both.
A deafening explosion shook the battlefield. The air around them convulsed as shockwaves roared from their clash, generating a screeching sound like a wooden chair groaning under unbearable pressure before twisting into a spiraling tornado. The opposing forces canceled each other out, dissipating into the invisible.
Both fighters felt their footing falter. Their soles dug into the earth before abruptly giving way. The ground beneath them could not withstand the force and collapsed, creating a massive circular crater—300 meters in radius, 15 meters deep.
Even the edges of the crater were unnaturally smooth, a testament to the raw power unleashed. The force radiating from their feet spread in devastating cracks, splintering outward like a spiderweb. The fractured ground groaned under the strain, deep black fissures cutting through the earth like scars.
All of this occurred in the instant their fists connected. The moment of release.
Bardi's arm had already exceeded its limit. Sparks from the burning friction of his clothes extinguished in an instant, his sleeves shredded and reduced to nothing.
The back of his arm, his shoulder joint was forcibly dislocated. The bone, stark white and bloodied, jutted out from his mangled flesh.
Jor-El's raw strength had overpowered him, blasting his arm apart with a single strike.
The force of the impact surged through his arm, triggering a brutal chain reaction. He was unable to withstand Jor-El's power, and in an instant, the kinetic energy crushed his flesh from within. His cells ruptured under the immense pressure, scattering in a mist of blood.
He had lost an arm.
And the force was still unrelenting. The energy traveled up to his shoulder, launching him backward like a cannonball, blasting through the lingering sonic boom cloud. He crashed into the ground, carving a 30-meter-wide impact crater lined with jagged cracks.
Dust erupted into the sky, swirling chaotically, engulfing the battlefield in a suffocating haze.
"He's surpassed the genetic limit!"
Jor-El's expression tensed.
By his calculations, with his supersonic charge, his accumulated kinetic energy, and the sheer force of his final strike, Bardi's entire body should have been pulverized, reduced to nothing but dust. He should have been annihilated completely.
Yet, instead of complete destruction, he had only lost an arm before being sent flying.
And in mid-air, the sheer force of the impact had already begun dissipating.
Jor-El's heart sank.
Bardi's resilience was beyond expectation.
Jor-El possessed the pinnacle of Kryptonian genetics—his strength, his body, his raw power, all at the absolute peak of his race. His physical superiority was undeniable.
And yet, even with the full might of his supersonic acceleration, even with his kinetic energy converging into a decisive strike, his own fists merely trembled. His arms were numb, momentarily unable to exert force.
Unlike Bardi, however, his limbs had not exploded into a mist of blood.
But there was no joy in this small victory. Instead, a deep unease settled in his chest.
His feet, buried deep into the fractured ground, struggled against the backlash of his own force. His broad chest heaved as he leaned forward, stabilizing himself. His soles dug into the earth, dragging through the rock, carving deep trenches as he skidded back a full hundred meters before finally coming to a stop.
As he steadied himself, wisps of smoke curled from his body. The extreme heat from within him evaporated moisture from his cells, sending ghostly steam rising from his skin.
His expression remained cold and composed. His werewolf-like physique, bulging muscles and a mighty frame was covered in twisting steam. His presence was as terrifying as the legendary beast itself.
He prepared to pursue once more, forcing his legs free from the fractured ground.
But then—
A sharp, weakening sensation spread from his lower right abdomen.
His foot faltered.
He stumbled.
Half-kneeling on the cracked earth, he glanced down.
A dagger, glowing with an eerie green light, was buried in his side.
Kryptonite.
The radioactive mineral immediately took effect, corroding the solar energy within his cells. Sinister green veins spread outward from the wound.
Though his body was equipped with a device to shield him from kryptonite radiation, it could not prevent direct cellular contact. The blade had already fused with his flesh, leeching away his power.
"Tch…"
His expression darkened.
Gritting his teeth, he gripped the hilt and yanked the dagger free. When the kryptonite had drained 20–30% of his stored solar energy, he hurled the blade far away. It spun through the air, leaving behind a trail of sickly green light.
He had originally lured the kryptonite toward Bardi.
He never expected it to be used against him.
Bardi's wealth of combat experience, his honed battle instincts—when Jor-El had unleashed his full power, without a moment of hesitation, Bardi had driven the dagger into his side.
At that moment, Jor-El understood.
On Krypton, in the final battles, Bardi had fought his way through the ranks of high-genetic Kryptonian generals, carving a path through sheer skill and willpower.
He had not relied on talent.
He had surpassed the so-called limits of genetics.
Jor-El bared his fangs, emitting a deep growl. His sharp gaze, like a blade, locked onto Bardi.
And Bardi…
Had already risen from the crater.
Amidst the swirling dust, his figure loomed tall, standing as if above the world itself.
His body was wounded, his shoulder mangled, his bones exposed and dripping with blood.
Even with a missing arm, his presence exuded absolute control over the battle.
A chill ran through Jor-El's heart.
As the dust settled, Bardi's smirk sharpened.
From his left hand, he pulled out a syringe. Inside, golden energy pulsed like liquid fire.
Without hesitation—he drove it into his chest.
Jor-El's pupils contracted.
His eyes darkened with burning crimson veins. A deep red glow ignited within them, spreading like wildfire, until his entire gaze was consumed by searing, terrifying heat.
(To be continued.)
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