Chapter 96 – Stark Twists Energon King Kong's Nose! I'm Not as Good as Electric Lizard? Do You Even Know the three phantasmal gods?!
Thinking back to Zhou Mo's Crystal Warrior absorbing the Power Stone's energy and unleashing such a terrifying strike, Odin doesn't even dare imagine what kind of horror a single blow from Zhou Mo—now empowered by two divine forces—would produce!
Just letting the question surface in his mind makes Odinfeel as if he's plunged into an icy abyss, his heart trembling with dread.
This pitch-black creature with tentacles and a tail is clearly several magnitudes stronger than the previous Crystal Warrior. Odin's mouth twitches; he can't fathom how Zhou Mo obtained so many broken abilities.
The next moment, as if confirming Odin's guess, the Electric Lizard on the screen turns its head and coldly stares at the distant Sanctum Sanctorum.
Odin feels his heart about to explode; his body shudders, despair ready to spill from his eyes. Is Zhou Mo really going to fight earths guardian?
…Under the double blessing of the two divine forces, Zhou Mo in Electric Lizard gains an extra sense for all magical auras. Without even looking, as if granted a full-map view, he can clearly perceive every trace of magic on Earth.
He narrows the perception to New York City. Even though Ancient One hides in the shadows, she's instantly located—after all, no mage in New York is stronger than her.
Inside the Sanctum Sanctorum, everyone except Gwenfeels an icy chill pour from the heavens under that cold stare. Under its gaze the world seems to vanish; only the Electric Lizard's figure swells, and they tremble uncontrollably on the frozen ground.
Shivering uncontrollably, Stark collapses in utter bewilderment—Zhou Mo and these mages were getting along fine, with no life-or-death grudge, so why are they suddenly trying to kill each other?!
"The lightning dancing between my fingers is the faith you'll never lose in this life."
When Electric Lizard softly utters that cryptic line, for an instant Stark feels Zhou Mo's cold filter shatter—but only for an instant, because the next second he sees violent electricity gathering at that outstretched finger and his heart clenches again.
Seriously, bro? You're gonna kill me too?
Instinctively Stark looks around, ready to bolt. Realizing there's probably nowhere safer in New York than beside Ancient One, he steadies his breath and drops the idea.
Only Spider-Gwen remains as carefree as ever, arms folded, humming in open provocation like a victory-speech rabbit. "Hmph, now you know how scary he is—but it looks like it's too late."
"Well, if you beg me, maybe I'll ask him to spare you."
Gwen puffs out her chest proudly. Escape never crosses her mind; Zhou Mo already saw her heading here.
Why would he attack her? Gwen doesn't believe it for a second. She assumes his strike will swerve around her like the mages' spells—after all, he was willing to risk his life to protect Wanda!
Surely he'd ignore someone who's helped him so many… Glancing at Zhou Mo, Gwen suddenly gnashes her teeth—best friend?! Never gonna happen, she swears.
But then in the magical projection she sees Wanda's small hand grasp Zhou Mo's other—Wanda takes the initiative!—and Gwen's blood pressure spikes; she can't accept it.
So just because you slept together you're something special?
The way Wanda tilts her head to gaze at Zhou Mo is so tender it could spin silk, paired with that meaningful, worshipful smile. Gwen's heart sinks instantly.
Behind her mask Gwen's eyes widen; she can't stay calm any longer.
Wait, Zhou Mo! Don't tell me you heard Wanda feed you some brainwash line and now you're gonna wipe me out too?!
…Watching the charging Electric Lizard, Wanda gradually realizes something and gently tugs the hand she's holding. "Mr. Otto, the crisis is over—why are you still…"
She trails off, remembering Dormammu, and presses her lips together. Right—how could she forget? Their real target is Dormammu.
Electric Lizard says grimly, "Unless we force Dormammuout and kill him, you'll still have a hard time staying alive."
Little face reddening, Wanda lowers her head with a soft "Mm."
Watching the two flirt like lovebirds, Jean rolls her eyes and complains inwardly—seriously, now I'm the one getting fed dog food?
But she quickly notices the heavy aura around Electric Lizard, casts the thought aside, and frowns in concentration. "Since he's decided to attack somewhere, what's he hesitating about?"
While Jean wonders, Electric Lizard seems to reach a decision, sighs, and unleashes the surging current at his fingertip. In an instant, like a hunting fury-serpent, lightning tears the night, illuminating everything as it crackles toward the Sanctum Sanctorum.
Inside the Sanctum Sanctorum, besides Ancient One, Zhou Mo also senses the aura of the Time Stone!
That's why he hesitated. The Time Stone's aura makes the shadow of Clock King in his mind restless, as if it can't wait to rush out, grab the Time Stone, and greedily devour its power.
The urge is so intense it tempts even Zhou Mo, but he gives it up—there isn't enough time.
Fighting Ancient One, once she uses the Time Stone's power the battle could stretch indefinitely. If the time-stop doesn't include Wanda, by the time the fight ends he might be arranging Wanda's seventh-day memorial.
He's already confirmed the Time Stone is the key to unlocking Clock King; he can do that later. But his designated top-wife Wanda has only one life—miss it and it's gone forever.
As Zhou Mo laments not being able to unlock Clock Kingright now—BOOM!—the lightning slams into the magicshield, the blazing flash briefly lighting up the night sky.
As the explosions faded, the Sanctum Sanctorumcollapsed into rubble—only the study on the ground floor, where a handful of them stood, clung to its original shape under Ancient One's protection.
Relief at having survived had barely let Stephen exhale when he saw Ancient One's face turn deathly pale, a thread of blood seeping from the corner of her mouth.
The sight struck like lightning to the crown of his skull; Stephen froze, his mind buzzing.
Sorcerer Ancient One… spitting blood?!
Gooseflesh surged like an electric current from his heels to the nape of his neck. Frantically, Stephen rubbed his eyes.
For Stephen—personally chosen first disciple of Ancient One—the impact of this scene far outstripped watching Electric Lizard absorb two divine forces. How could Sorcerer Ancient One cough blood?!
When his vision cleared, he saw Ancient One press a hand to her chest, gaze lifted toward distant Electric Lizard, and spit a mouthful of dark blood.
Stephen nearly screamed in horror.
No—impossible! How could Sorcerer Ancient One be struck to the point of vomiting blood? Realization struck; Stephen jerked his gaze skyward, then—unable to see as far as Ancient One—snapped back to the projection.
Inside the projection, Electric Lizard still looked regretful that he couldn't unlock Clock King right now.
That regret nearly scattered Stephen's soul; he shuddered and crashed into blank stupefaction. From the creature's reaction it was clear—this blow hadn't been full strength, more like a casual flick. Yet… the side-effect of that casual flick made Sorcerer Ancient One cough blood?? Stephensuspected Zhou Mo was toying with him.
Ancient One's magic shield had clearly blocked the strike; only the backlash—just the damn backlash—had still made Sorcerer Ancient One cough blood. How the hell was that possible?!
Only Gwen—Spider-Gwen—sidestepped the thin currents crackling past her boots, patting her chest in relief. As expected, Zhou Mo's attack had deliberately spared her. Asgard fell silent; Odin's face darkened, saying nothing, only tightening his grip on the Eternal Spear. When Thor glanced over he saw the All-Father's clenched fist trembling.
Involuntarily, Thor's mouth half-opened, words unspoken. Odin's son could not fathom why earths guardian—having successfully blocked Zhou Mo's attack—mere spitting of blood would leave his father's hands shaking.
Odin, heart surging, neither knew nor cared what Thorthought. Had he sensed it, he would have roared: "Look—your own damn hands are shaking too!"
Others might not know, but he did—earths guardian was a powerhouse of his own tier.
Having seen Crystal Warrior absorb energy and strike, Odin was certain—Zhou Mo had not used full force. That certainty was why fear made his hands tremble.
Against Electric Lizard's casual strike, a Father-Classguardian who had successfully parried still coughed two mouthfuls of blood—who wouldn't shake?!
If any Father-Class powerhouse could watch and stay calm, Odin figured their brain was broken.
Why?
Because if Electric Lizard struck with full power, blocked or not—you'd simply be gone.
A Father-Class powerhouse.
One hit.
Erased.
…What?!!
And—even giving the wildest concession—if that had been his full strength, two more such blows and no one could stand.
His offensive power matched his absorption—outrageous. Staring at Electric Lizard, Odin felt exhausted; every feeling distilled to one line: Where did this freak come from?!
Like Ancient One, Odin stared, face paling, speechless.
In truth, the situation gave Thor no chance to speak. As the final Sanctum Sanctorum fell and everyone reeled from the aftermath, endless dark energy flooded the sky.
Night grew darker.
"Warm a cup of wine for me."
Hearing Zhou Mo's voice, Wanda—gazing at the night—nodded instinctively; only when he flew off did she notice he had switched back to Energon King Kong.
Facing the night, Energon King Kong snorted: "Dormammu, here I freaking come!"
Just before diving into the Dark Dimension, Zhou Moyelled excitedly: "That last form was Electric Lizard—this one's Energon King Kong! Quit slapping random nicknames on me!"
With those words, Energon King Kong plunged into the Dark Dimension.
The shout rang clearly in Stark's ears; he blinked, bewildered. "Everything Zhou Mo did was for this Dormammu… so why switch to that clunky robot instead of staying with the stronger Electric Lizard?"
"A robot… right, Energon King Kong probably can't beat Dormammu?" Stark murmured, doubtful.
Having seen Energon King Kong's might, Stark wasn't dismissing him—on the contrary, he knew the form was formidable.
But after witnessing Electric Lizard's terror, he believed Energon King Kong simply couldn't compare.
Under his breath Stark's words reached Energon King Kong, nearly twisting the robot's nose in rage.
"Energon King Kong weaker than Electric Lizard? Are you freaking kidding me?!"
"Electric Lizard is top combat strength under the three phantasmal gods, but do you even know what being one of the three phantasmal gods—second only to Superman X—means for Energon King Kong?!"
Chapter 97 – Stark: Using only Energon King Kongagainst Dormammu? Is Zhou Mo courting death?!
Energon King Kong flew into the Dark Dimension; his purpose was self-evident—Dormammu!
The Ancient One's feelings were the most tangled; after centuries of entanglement, Dormammu was her arch-nemesis. Now, with Dormammu facing Zhou Mo, although the former was still a single-Universe-level being stronger than herself, the outcome was obvious. Just the Electric Lizard's energy-absorption ability could suck Dormammu until his soul scattered, leaving him powerless to resist!
Staring in the direction Zhou Mo had vanished, the Ancient One's thoughts were complex. After a moment she waved a hand, sending a thread of magic into the Dark Dimension to observe the situation inside. The previous projection vanished, replaced by a new one.
Odin of Asgard did likewise; he wanted to see if a turn for the better might occur. After all, no matter what, Dormammu was still a single-Universe-level entity, and this was his home ground of the Dark Dimension—perhaps he could win?
The thought flashed and died; Odin's eyes dimmed again. He realized that the current Zhou Mo carried countless buffs: the Power Stone, Chaos Magic, and the Phoenix Force, plus the Electric Lizard and his ability to use two powers simultaneously… even Odin felt despair on Dormammu's behalf!
Probably even the mighty Dormammu never imagined that one day he would suffer a dimensional-level beat-down.
The instant the projection appeared, they saw Energon King Kong—boosted by Shapeshifter and Venom—land with a huff. Facing the silence, he shouted, "Dormammu, I've come to negotiate!"
Outside the Dark Dimension, Stephen drew a sharp breath; for some reason the line felt eerily familiar. Sweeping his gaze over Energon King Kong, Stephennodded to himself.
Yep, next Dormammu will pop out of nowhere and blast straight through his body.
And, for no clear reason, Stephen was certain things would unfold that way.
As if answering the summons, Dormammu came flying in with his colossal form. Contrary to Stephen's expectation, he seemed far more cautious, keeping his distance from Energon King Kong and not attacking right away.
"You sought me—what for?" Dormammu stared at Energon King Kong, his tone still cold and domineering. Yet in his eyes, Energon King Kong—amped by Venomand Shapeshifter—was a walking mountain of terrifying energy!
Even merely looking at it, Dormammu instinctively felt fear.
Changing tack, Energon King Kong said, "First I want to ask you something: why are you so hell-bent on invading my body?"
Zhou Mo was genuinely curious about this.
Thinking it harmless to answer, Dormammu spoke in a low voice, hiding his dread: "Because I discovered your body's endurance far exceeds that of any other human."
"You are unique."
That's it? Zhou Mo clicked his tongue in disdain and said no more. Energon King Kong shifted into a combat stance. "Looks like only one of us can walk away. Fine—let's do this!"
Sensing the terrifying energy surge, Dormammu's heart clenched; he dared not speak.
Neither moved; the scene froze in awkward silence.
Outside, Stark watched in bewilderment. He still couldn't understand why Zhou Mo wasn't using the Electric Lizard—one good absorption could drain the colossus dry! He had a sure-win method—why not use it?
Equally puzzled, Gwen's eyes held only worry. She, too, couldn't fathom why Zhou Mo would forgo the safer option.
Suddenly recalling that Zhou Mo had slept with Wanda—and that Wanda had just held his hand—Gwen clenched her teeth and instantly rebranded him.
"That bastard! Is he acting stupid again? I told him over and over not to take risks—why won't he listen?!"
…It must be Wanda's fault! As his girlfriend, why didn't she remind him? In a flash Gwen shifted her resentment to Wanda, deciding that teaching the idiot not to be stupid was her job… In the silence, Energon King Kongsuddenly exclaimed, "Ah, how could I forget that!"
Under Zhou Mo's control, Energon King Kong exited his Venom state. To Dormammu's senses, the monstrous energy emanating from him diminished slightly.
Right after, the Shapeshifter was dispelled as well. Now, Dormammu was shocked to discover that Energon King Kong's terrifying energy had dropped by more than half! He thought in secret: "That last black liquid gave him such a huge boost?"
He cancelled every buff, leaving only Energon King Kong. The robot flexed, then re-entered a combat stance: "Before I came, I was juggling two of the three primordial cosmic powers, so I needed their help. Forgot to cancel them on the way here—sorry about that~"
"Didn't scare you, did it?"
At Energon King Kong's concern, Dormammu froze for a second, then let out a sneer. Taking on two of the three primordial powers alone? Hah—was Zhou Mo cracking jokes now?
Bit by bit, a sharp glint gathered in Dormammu's eyes; the fear inside him vanished as he sized Energon King Kong up anew.
Outside, Gwen's body tensed; she stood almost ramrod-straight. Zhou Mo's move had literally stunned her into silence! He must have caught a terminal case of stupidity!
Not using Electric Lizard to guarantee victory against this monster named Dormammu was worrying enough, and now he'd stripped Energon King Kong of its two extra forms? Was the disease incurable?
Facing a mighty foe and weakening himself again and again… Zhou Mo, what on Earth are you planning?!
Her heart pounded frantically; Gwen instinctively looked toward Wanda. The magical projection was gone—she couldn't see Wanda, but that didn't stop her from blaming her.
Boys in love are hopeless! He's sick on top of sick! Why did you date him? It's all your fault, Wanda—full responsibility!
After cursing Wanda in her heart, Gwen suddenly felt like crying.
Wanda, why did you fall in love with him? And—*sob*—you even slept with him! …How could you do that? Waaah.
As the situation flipped, Spider-Man sank into worry for Zhou Mo, yet the Ancient One's once-desperate eyes slowly lit up, the corners of her mouth curving in delighted surprise. She almost wondered if she were trapped in an illusion.
"Hmm?!" Like a miser spotting treasure, the Ancient One's gaze sharpened.
She'd believed Dormammu was already dead! With Electric Lizard, the Power Stone, and both the Chaos and Phoenix Forces, even Universe-level Dormammu couldn't stand against him.
Yet now Zhou Mo hadn't used a single one of those terrifying buffs—he was actively weakening himself. What else could this be but a miracle?!
Holding her breath, the Ancient One stared at the projection without blinking, her heart thumping in anticipation.
Odin of Asgard had the same reaction; he was so excited he could barely sit still!
Whether it was he or earths guardian, they could only repel Dormammu, never kill him. Now Zhou Mo, without those horrific enhancements, was facing Dormammu in nothing but this robot form—hope had appeared!
Maybe… Dormammu could actually kill him! Odin deemed it very possible—after all, a single-Universe being could still destroy the Universe.
Right now Zhou Mo dared to raze the Sanctum Sanctorum, free Dormammu, and throw Earth's safety to the wind. Who knew what outrageous act he might commit next? For the sake of cosmic order, this unstable element had best vanish quickly.
Settling back, Odin chuckled in delight: "This robot's weakening itself—he's giving Dormammu a real chance to smash him to bits."
"Uh…" Thor cautioned, "Father, Zhou Mo said the robot's name is Energon King Kong."
Odin's grin froze; he turned his head and barked, "I'll call him robot if I want to!"
"…You sure you want to face me in that state?" Dormammu asked, sounding provocative while burying his doubts.
He was evil, not stupid. Zhou Mo had dropped those two forms—what if he reapplied them the instant battle began? Dormammu had to plan for that. He'd heard a little about the Venom species, but that other black liquid felt alien, and that unknown was why he feared it.
Energon King Kong nodded. "Yes—only in this form."
Hearing that, Stark's pupils shrank; it felt like lightning had blasted straight through his skull.
Using Energon King Kong only? You're asking to die!
This robot definitely isn't as strong as Electric Lizard!
Facing Dormammu, Zhou Mo really intends to rely on Energon King Kong alone!
Chapter 098 – Energon King Kong: Dormammu? Odinand Ancient One? I'm in a hurry—come at me together.
First, Ominous Incidents were piling up around him; to be safe, Zhou Mo needed to master Energon King Kong's fighting style so he could face whatever terror the future hurled at him.
Second… one Energon King Kong is more than enough to beat Dormammu.
Dormammu was still sizing Energon King Kong up. From every angle, he found Zhou Mo's claim hard to swallow. Between glances, his gaze kept drifting to the Dark Dimension exit behind the mecha.
He'd wanted to possess Zhou Mo because of Earth; now the long-craved Planet was right in front of him. Whether he possessed Zhou Mo no longer mattered in the least.
If Energon King Kong hadn't planted itself in his path with an aura of fight-to-the-death, he'd have dived straight for Earth.
"I ask only one thing," Energon King Kong said. "Last a few extra moves so I can enjoy a real fight."
Focusing on the biggest problem in front of him—Energon King Kong—Dormammu's eyes glittered with mocking amusement. Last a few extra moves? Hah. Who do you think you are? Odin and Ancient One wouldn't dare talk to me like that.
He reined in his expression, studying Zhou Mo with newfound caution. Everyone acts with purpose; what was this man after? He'd offended Ancient One, destroyed the Sanctum Sanctorum, stripped Earth of its protection, and opened it to the Dark Dimension.
He could have killed me outright moments ago, yet chose to weaken himself… all just for a brawl? Hah, impossible. Dormammu wasn't a fool; he wouldn't stumble into Zhou Mo's trap—there had to be a scheme.
After two seconds of silence Dormammu thought of something and spoke. "Are you trying to erase the mark on that girl? If so, you've already succeeded."
The instant the words left his mouth, Dormammu willed it and the black Pentagram on Wanda's wrist vanished of its own accord.
"I guarantee: if you wish, you will never again see the Dark Dimension Sigil."
Zhou Mo scanned with his senses; sure enough, the pattern on Wanda's wrist was gone, and she was staring at her hand in shock. He silently gave Dormammu a nod of approval.
"Hey, you're damn efficient, bastard."
"Naturally." Dormammu leaned closer, his Planet-sized head inching forward, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "If you like, I can gift you rulership of Earth."
"All you need do… is kneel to me."
Dormammu resumed his temptation. Zhou Mo grew annoyed. "Are we fighting or not?"
Dormammu's smile froze, his heart skipping. "…Could this lunatic's entire purpose really be just to pick a fight with me?!"
…At the ruins of the Sanctum Sanctorum, Ancient One, eyes locked on the projection, no longer wondered why Zhou Mo had voluntarily weakened himself. Every ounce of her focus was now on the screen; through the magical aura she could clearly sense that Energon King Kong was far weaker than moments before.
By Ancient One's estimate, the mecha's current power was roughly on par with Dormammu's—both at the single-Universe level. Once they clashed, the scene would be extraordinarily horrific and…
…bloody!
To Ancient One, it echoed the old Eastern saying: when dogs fight, sit on the mountain and watch tigers brawl.
Whichever side died was fine—both were threats to Earth.
Of course, her preferred casualty was Zhou Mo, the unstable factor. She could rebuild Earth's defenses to bar Dormammu, but she had no answer for Zhou Mo.
Forget the earlier Electric Lizard; even the current Energon King Kong plus Shapeshifter exuded a magical aura that filled her with despair. How could she pass up this perfect chance to kill him?
As Gwen watched the screen, worry brimming in her eyes, unable to fathom why Zhou Mo had weakened himself, Stark suddenly spoke coldly. "Wait!"
Gwen turned and saw Stark's stare was not aimed at her.
Stark stepped forward, raising a hand. "Sorceress, why do I sense murderous intent coming from you?!" His peripheral vision caught Ancient One's naturally hanging hand, fingers pressed tight into a blade.
Coupled with her icy stare fixed on Energon King Kong, the desire to kill was obvious to anyone paying attention—Ancient One meant to seize the chance to slay Zhou Mo.
Stark clenched his teeth, a low growl escaping. Energy already flickered in his armored palm; he would stop Ancient One. The whole situation was… absurd.
Zhou Mo had saved the World more than once—facts Stark had seen with his own eyes, beyond dispute. Yet this so-called guardian of Earth had ignored every crisis, turning a blind eye to the lives of billions.
Now, faced with Dormammu—blatantly evil, openly claiming he would rule Earth—she again chose to look away, even planning to help him kill Zhou Mo.
Stark had never encountered anything so preposterous in his life. Was this truly earths guardian?
"I don't think that's what earths guardian should be doing!"
Gwen's and Stephen's attention had been on the projection, puzzled by Zhou Mo weakening himself. Stark's sharp words snapped them back; realizing Ancient One's intent, they paled in shock.
Gwen erupted in fury almost instantly. "What do you think you're doing?!"
The Ancient One still spoke with that same calm voice, yet this time Stark felt her serene opening line was downright punch-worthy.
"Zhou Mo must be erased."
The placid words slipped into Stephen's ears and straight to his heart, churning up a storm of shock. Starkinstinctively stepped forward in agitation; Stephenrecoiled in fear.
Strange—Stephen suddenly realized with dread—Sorcerer Ancient One felt utterly unfamiliar.
Emotions surging, Gwen clenched her fists and strode forward. After the brief respite her body had only regained basic mobility—nowhere near combat-ready—but she wouldn't let Zhou Mo face danger again.
"I won't let you!"
Her raised foot froze mid-air; Gwen's voice cut off. Eyes wide in horror, she found her body locked in place.
A cold sweat broke across Stephen's back; his heart skipped a beat. The Time Stone—Ancient One was using the Time Stone just to find a chance to kill Zhou Mo?!
In the silence Stark's furious roar rang out, deafening against the hush.
"So the scheme succeeds!" Picking up where Spider-Manhad left off, Stark's palm cannon erupted. Rage drove him, yet reason remained; the blast was meant only to disable Ancient One, not to kill.
But Ancient One didn't even glance, eyelids never lifting.
Before the energy flash cleared, Stark's face twisted, eyes rolled back, body hurled away. He smashed into a ruined wall with a thunderous clang.
A wet cough—blood splattered inside his mask. Struggling to rise, he found every bone unresponsive, strength gone.
Friday's voice chimed: "Sir, all bones fractured. Shall I summon an ambulance?"
Watching it unfold, Stephen paled, stumbling back. Staring at Ancient One's back, he felt a fist crush his heart—pain, no breath.
Stark had only meant to stop her—yet Ancient Oneshattered every bone in his body with a single strike?!
Cold sweat drenched him; his pupils quivered, on the verge of tears.
Was this still the Ancient One he knew? Stephen prayed her actions were Dormammu's doing, not her true self.
Sensing his terror without looking, Ancient One turned, eyes suddenly tender.
"Stephen, don't be afraid. When you become earths guardian, you'll understand my choice."
Not wanting to haunt him, she forced a gentle smile, then turned back to Energon King Kong, murderous intent reborn.
In Asgard, Odin rose with the same resolve; power surged as he slammed Eternal Spear down, a beam of magic whisking him away.
In an instant he stood within the Dark Dimension—Thorgaped at the display.
Watching the projection, Thor saw his father hovering behind Dormammu, regal and unchallengeable, and pride swelled: "Truly my father!"
Thor clenched a fist. "He's going to face Dormammu!"
A boy's first hero is his father—Thor even more so. Who wouldn't admire the All-Father who shields the Nine Realms?
Thor grinned as the projection showed Odin raising Eternal Spear toward Dormammu.
His heart pounded—here it came: his father would subdue Dormammu!
But the next instant Thor stared, horrified, as the All-Father's terrible energy poured through Eternal Spear—straight into Dormammu.
The World seemed to mute; light faded from Thor's eyes.
"...?"
Among Sanctum Sanctorum ruins, Stark lay broken against a wall, only his eyes able to move.
At the sight, despair crushed him—what the hell are you people doing?
earths guardian wants Zhou Mo dead; All-Father Odinpersonally empowers Dormammu? You're the mightiest of the good guys—what are you doing?
Do you all want Zhou Mo dead that badly?
Stark swore: if Zhou Mo could hear him, he would pay any price.
Forget that damn robot—turn into Electric Lizard now, or their tag-team will finish you off!
Maybe Zhou Mo did hear; Stark caught Energon King Kong's fists slam together in the projection, followed by eager urging.
"Hurry, hurry—yes! All of you, come at me—I can't wait!"
Stark gaped—excited? What the hell are you excited about?
Dormammu plus Odin plus earths guardian—what can that little robot do? They'll scrap you! Just change!
Shift back to Electric Lizard—it's the only way you'll live.
Chapter 099 – Energon King Kong: I showed up, one-punched him, end of story.
Seeing no sign of Zhou Mo switching back to Electric Lizard, Stark sank deeper into despair.
Admittedly, Energon King Kong's nuclear-blast ability terrified Stark—but Stark knew he was human; to humans it was horrifying!
Dormammu's single head was already the size of a Planet! A nuke might threaten him, but would it endanger Odin who protects the Nine Realms, or the magic-wielding earths guardian?
No matter how Stark ran the numbers, Energon King Kong was fine against humans; against beings this mighty, only Electric Lizard would do.
…Knowing he couldn't reach Earth without getting past Energon King Kong, Dormammu sized him up while covertly siphoning power from the Dark Dimension, pushing himself to peak condition.
Mid-feed, Dormammu suddenly felt a torrent of mighty energy flood into him and froze in shock. He knew that familiar signature—his old foe Odin. But why would Odinhelp him?
Snapping alert, Dormammu swept his gaze across the Dark Dimension and mused: "After all this time, the Ancient One still hasn't shown."
Turning back to Energon King Kong, Dormammu guessed the truth and laughed without restraint: "Looks like they're joining forces to kill you."
Energon King Kong couldn't be bothered with chatter: "Ready yet? I want the best version of you to fight."
A frigid smile burst across Dormammu's face; he jutted his head forward, eyes glinting frigid triumph: "How about accepting my bargain? Just say you submit to me, and I'll grant you immortality and dominion over Earth."
"And!" He paused deliberately, the corners of his mouth stretching as if his jaws would split: "I'll kill those two bastards, Odin and the Ancient One. How's that?"
Hearing those words, Stark's heart sank; he cursed inwardly—damn it, this script again?
So the so-called good guys Odin and Earth's… oh right, her name's Ancient One.
Not only did Odin and the Ancient One ignore the crisis, they wanted Zhou Mo dead! Meanwhile the villain Dormammu offered Zhou Mo immortality, Earth's throne, and promised to slaughter Odin and the Ancient One?!
Stark realized, to his dismay, that for a split second he'd been tempted—immortality and rulership of Earth! All for saying "I submit to you" to Dormammu. Was there ever a better investment?
Sacrifice the two schemers Odin and the Ancient One, and Zhou Mo—now Earth's ruler—could keep the Planetintact and peaceful.
As he thought this, Stark noticed Odin's projected form visibly flinch at the words—clearly the offer to kill both him and the Ancient One caught Odin off guard.
Yet Stark's temptation lasted only an instant; trusting a villain's word violated every superhero instinct. Who knew if Dormammu would backstab and kill Zhou Motoo?
This time, though, Dormammu was sincere—he truly wanted to recruit Zhou Mo as a perpetual spearhead for invasion.
Energon King Kong planted his fists on his hips and puffed out his chest: "Cybertronians never bow!"
The out-of-context declaration left Dormammu briefly bewildered—what nonsense was this? He quickly wiped away all amusement, leaving only cold menace: "So you refuse. I hope you're ready to die."
Outside the Dark Dimension, the Ancient One exhaled in quiet relief; as expected, Zhou Mo had refused. She didn't know his reasoning, but at every crossroads he unhesitatingly rejected evil.
Since Dormammu and Zhou Mo would fight to the death, the Ancient One raised a hand and released a surge of energy that shot through the Dark Dimension straight into Dormammu.
Unlike Odin, she held back, reserving plenty of strength for the crucial moment when she would finish Zhou Moherself. Yet even that small boost thrilled Dormammu.
Absorbing Dark Dimension energy had merely restored his peak; now, with power from both Odin and the Ancient One, he broke past his own ceiling and grew even stronger.
His aura hadn't reached a new tier, but it already surpassed the single-Universe level; a mere wisp of that terror made even Odin and the Ancient One shudder.
What monster had they created? Both sighed in weary unison, arriving at the same grim conclusion: once Zhou Mo was dead, driving Dormammu back would be a nightmare.
The only reason they kept pumping power in was that Dormammu's target remained—Zhou Mo.
"Blame your own stupidity and arrogance," the Ancient One whispered, steeling herself to strike Zhou Mo at the critical instant.
If Zhou Mo had summoned the Electric Lizard right away or simply stayed in his original state, she would never have gotten this chance. But Zhou Mo voluntarily weakened himself and left an opening—how could the Ancient One let such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity slip?!
…Seeing the sinister glint in Dormammu's eyes, Energon King Kong's fighting spirit flared. He grinned. "Looks like you've hit peak condition."
Exhaling slowly, Dormammu entered combat mode. "You refused me; the only way I can enter Earth now is to kill you."
"Good!" Energon King Kong clenched both fists. "Next up, Master Yuan here is gonna try to slice right through your center line."
The nonsensical remark left Dormammu at a loss for words again, so he simply stayed silent, focusing entirely on Energon King Kong, searching for openings. Energon King Kong's figure appeared in his mind like a 3-D projection—every move crystal-clear.
Under the constant buffs from Odin and the Ancient One, his power now exceeded ordinary single-Universe tier by more than twenty percent! Dormammu was confident he could slay the robot in front of him!
Even so, Dormammu remained cautious.
"hamina! hamina!" His aura shifted; with two forceful grunts, Energon King Kong bent his legs to store power, then shot toward Dormammu. Mid-dash, he clenched his left fist and pulled the arm back to charge the punch.
Hmm? Dormammu's senses prickled and his brows knit; he detected no other movement from Energon King Kong. So the robot intends to attack with just a fist?
A disdainful cold laugh echoed in his mind. With a thought, endless dark energy poured from the pocket space within him, barreling straight at Energon King Kong. The dark mass was so vast the robot looked like a lone man charging into a tsunami.
Outside the Dark Dimension, Wanda—just healed by magic—tentatively extended a tendril of sorcery inside. The moment she saw this scene she despaired. Having met Dormammu before, she now found that a single glance at him made her very soul tremble in terror.
And Energon King Kong was still charging straight at Dormammu!
"Mr. Zhou Mo has thrown himself into certain death to save me…"
Gwen, watching through the Ancient One's magical projection, didn't feel that terror, yet her mind went blank. She couldn't understand—was Zhou Mo kicked in the head by a donkey?
They'd already decided on a fight to the death, so why announce exactly where he planned to strike before attacking? Why, Zhou Mo, why?!!
Stark, unable to move, stared at the Ancient One with eyes that turned icy, his face so grim it looked ready to drip water.
"I won't forget—you, earths guardian, and Odin together murdered Zhou Mo!" Rage ignited Stark's mind with thoughts of revenge.
Stark nearly ground his teeth to dust; he was sure the Ancient One sensed his fury. He also knew she didn't care—he could even picture her trembling with excitement at the prospect of killing Zhou Mo.
The Ancient One's poised knife-hand confirmed Stark's suspicion. Though barely perceptible, the mech detected it quivering slightly.
Eyes alight with anticipation, the Ancient One drew a deep breath. As always, blame Zhou Mo's own stupidity.
"Boom!"
When she saw Energon King Kong punch through the dark aura and land the blow on Dormammu, the Ancient One was ready. She herself didn't notice that after centuries of life her heart now raced with expectation.
"So the moment Dormammu counter-attacks, I'll pinpoint Zhou Mo's weakness!" Eyes fixed on the scene, she whispered, her knife-hand poised to stab Zhou Mothrough the heart from behind.
Yet in the next instant—
"Splurt-splurt!" Dormammu's body exploded into chunks of shredded flesh.
The gory fragments rained down amid a shower of blood.
Meanwhile the crack of shattering rang out without end as the Dark Dimension itself collapsed at an impossible speed.
"Ptoo!" Another sound—Odin spat a mouthful of blood, lost consciousness, and was flung backward.
At that moment, even without the Time Stone, the Ancient One felt as though time had frozen.
She stared, motionless.
Two seconds later, like a soulless husk, she blinked vacantly and muttered, "A single punch from an un-buffed Energon King Kong… shattered beyond-single-Universe-tier Dormammu and the entire Dark Dimension space?"
The instant that vacant murmur ended, the Ancient One's face changed drastically.
The force of Energon King Kong's punch rebounded through the magic she'd been channeling to Dormammu!
With a wet cough she spewed blood, clutched her chest, and stumbled several steps back.
At last the World sank into true silence.
Wanda: "…"
Gwen: "…??"
Stark: "????!!!"
Stark's face twisted violently. "WTF??!"
Chapter 100: The Energon King Kong Who Didn't Use His Full Strength. Clock King: I want to play too, it's my turn, it's my turn
Stark's pupils constricted into pinpricks! His gaze rapidly switched between the Ancient One, who had been sent flying far away but managed to stabilize herself, and the projection. He just wanted to know what had happened?!
Stark's expression, twisted by shock, featured wide eyes and an open mouth, his Adam's apple bobbing, yet he couldn't utter a sound.
Catching sight of the Ancient One, who had barely stabilized herself, clutching her chest and looking up at the night sky in horror, Stark finally couldn't hold back and let out a gasp: "What the hell! What exactly happened?!"
Zhou Mo winning was, of course, a good thing for Stark. But what the hell was up with only using one punch?
This robot... oh, wait! It's the Energon King Kong! Wasn't the Energon King Kong's most terrifying ability nuclear detonation? The kind where he just raises his hand and boom, boom, boom.
Now, how did he kill Dormammu, the most terrifying villain, with just one punch?
With wide eyes, Stark, realizing something, was scared out of his wits: "So! The Energon King Kong's most terrifying ability isn't his nuclear detonation?!"
After roaring that statement, Stark felt like he had fallen into a three-foot ice cave. Looking at the silhouette of the Energon King Kong, his back unconsciously seemed to be plummeting into the abyss.
It was as if he had entered a stress response; his brain was buzzing and vibrating as if trying to escape his skull. One punch, more terrifying than a six-million-ton yield nuclear explosion?!
Now Stark desperately wanted to roar at the Energon King Kong and ask: "Energon King Kong, what the hell kind of terrifying thing are you??!"
The gasp that broke the silence echoed around, answered only by two rapid breaths. At this moment, Gwen and Stephen also stared wide-eyed at the projection, unable to utter a single word.
A hint of confusion gradually emerged in the eyes behind the mask. Gwen blinked blankly and murmured as if half-asleep: "It looks like... it's over."
As her voice fell, a deafening "Boom!" erupted within the night sky. Looking up, one could clearly see the intense light generated by the explosion in the darkness. The glow directly illuminated the entire New York!
Observing the shattered fragments of the Dark Dimension rapidly dissolving into dust, Stephen stared blankly and added dazedly: "Yes, it's over. Dormammuand the Dark Dimension were smashed by the Energon King Kong's single punch..."
As his voice trailed off, Stephen's mind remained an endless blank, as if his soul had been ripped away, leaving him an empty shell. His normally restless heart entered an unprecedented state of calm.
Stephen was seriously wondering if he was dreaming.
Dormammu—the Earth's most terrifying threat, the target resisted by successive generations of earths guardians—and his terrifying Dark Dimension, were just... utterly destroyed by the Energon King Kong's single punch?
...Stabilizing herself, the Ancient One re-examined the magical aura, and when she confirmed that Dormammu's fate was exactly as she had seen, her body trembled violently, and she felt her scalp tingle!
Dormammu, a single-Universe Class powerhouse! Furthermore, operating in the Dark Dimension, his home turf, and empowered by the energy input from herself and Odin, he had achieved a breakthrough, surpassing the average single-Universe Class and even his former self.
Yet now... he was openly struck by the Energon King Kong's single punch and utterly annihilated?
The Ancient One quickly blinked her eyes, wanting to regain her composure, but she realized she seemed to have forgotten how to breathe.
Taking several clumsy, rapid gulps of air, her recovered breathing became shallow and quick. Looking up at the night sky, the Ancient One widened her eyes again. At this moment, she felt an intense, terrifying sensation of fear, making her soul tremble!
Instant kill of a Super Single Universe-level entity with one punch?!
Her train of thought stopped abruptly here; the Ancient One simply dared not continue thinking!
The Energon King Kong, without any form enhancement, instantly killed the Super Single Universe-levelDormammu, along with the entire Dark Dimension, with one punch. So what if he hadn't weakened his strength, but instead used the Shapeshifter's enhancement?!
What would happen if the Energon King Kong delivered a punch at full power?!
Just the thought made the Ancient One's hair stand up like a hedgehog's quills; she truly dared not think further. The image of the Energon King Kong lingered in her mind, and at this moment, the Ancient One's sanity was close to complete collapse.
She even felt a desperate urge to cry!
Energon King Kong, Energon King Kong... where the hell did this Energon King Kong come from?!
As the Dark Dimension perished, the Energon King Kong, who had been inside it, appeared in the night sky above Earth. With one hand on his hip and the other covering his forehead, he sighed regretfully while watching Dormammu's dissipating flesh: "Sigh, I waited for you to adjust yourself for so long, and this is all you got?"
"I even had expectations, thinking you could trade a few blows with me! Damn it!" Finally, just before a piece of flesh vanished, the Energon King Kong kicked it and cursed: "I didn't even use half my strength, did you know that? You disappointing piece of trash!"
Zhou Mo was truly frustrated inside. He had waited for Dormammu for so long and even honestly told him how he would attack him. This was all so he could better familiarize himself with the Energon King Kong's fighting style, preparing for stronger enemies later.
But he never expected that Dormammu, even with so many enhancements, would still be so vulnerable? Seriously, that's super lame!
The Energon King Kong frowned in disgust, put his hands on his hips, and kicked another piece of flesh, complaining: "Wait until you've adjusted, and the bros will wait for you to come back... Ah, forget it, you won't be adjusting anymore."
He originally intended to leave, but the more he thought about it, the angrier he got. The Energon King Kongstomped Dormammu's flesh into pieces in frustration. Accompanied by the squelching sound of shattering flesh, curses like "Why are you so disappointing?" and "You useless piece of trash!" were heard incessantly.
The Energon King Kong appearing in the night sky made things easier for Stark. He didn't need to deliberately move his eyes to look; his helmet displayed everything before him. After nearly twenty seconds of recovery, Stark's ability to think came back online.
Reviewing the events in his mind, he still gasped in fear when thinking about the Energon King Kong's recent action: "The Energon King Kong has the ability to absorb nuclear radiation and release nuclear explosions. Now, this punch of his... Hiss~ Did he concentrate all the energy in his body into his fist?"
"Then the reason for the Ancient One, this Evil Sorceress, being injured is not hard to guess. The energy she injected into Dormammu created some kind of indirect connection with him. The power unleashed by the Energon King Kong's punch surged back into her body through that connection."
Mumbling this, Stark's mouth twitched, and he gasped again, thinking that the power of the Energon King Kong's single punch was absolutely ridiculous!
"What about Odin?" Stark narrowed his eyes, searching for Odin's figure. The Ancient One, intending to find an opportunity for a finishing blow, hadn't injected too much energy, leaving herself plenty of leeway. But Odin was different; he went all out from the start!
Stark really wanted to know his condition.
In the night sky, Odin looked as if he had aged ten thousand years overnight. He held the Eternal Spear in one hand and clutched his chest with the other. His body was bent nearly ninety degrees from the heavy damage sustained.
Quickly assessing his physical condition, Odin felt it could be summarized in one simple sentence.
Even without external damage, he was about to die. In front of Dormammu, his weakness briefly saved him. He could only transmit Father-Class energy to Dormammu at most, and the gap between Father-Class and Super Single Universe-level was precisely why Odin could barely cling to life now.
As an eyewitness, he had no doubt: if he had reached the single-Universe Class and transmitted energy to Dormammu at full power, the force surging back after Dormammu was instantly killed would have equally annihilated him!
To put it simply, the Energon King Kong's punch was the limit of what Dormammu could withstand, not the limit of the Energon King Kong! Forget one Dormammu; Odinhad reason to believe that even two or four Dormammus would be instantly killed by that single punch from the Energon King Kong!
However, neither his impending death nor the terrifying power unleashed by the Energon King Kong's punch was the reason for Odin's current level of fear.
Hearing the Energon King Kong's cursing directed at Dormammu's corpse, Odin's heart nearly stopped from fright. Enduring the agonizing chest pain, he roared internally: "He didn't use his full strength?!"
"What the hell does that sentence, 'I didn't even use half my strength,' mean?!"
Relying on the Eternal Spear, Odin struggled to remain standing. But the hand gripping the Eternal Spear was red, purple, and even bleeding!
Odin desperately wanted to know what the Energon King Kong meant by those words. The Energon King Kong, who instantly killed a Super Single Universe-level entity and caused such terrifying consequences, did it without even using his full strength?!
...Are you kidding me?!
Emotionally agitated, Odin cursed internally. The Energon King Kong, using only half his strength, or less! achieved this with one punch. If he used his full power, plus the previous status enhancements... wouldn't he destroy all parallel universes with a single punch?!
Odin stared eagerly at the Energon King Kong's back. He desperately hoped, even prayed, that the Energon King Kong was joking and that this punch had been his full-power strike.
But the sight of the Energon King Kong angrily stomping on Dormammu's corpse in frustration made everyone feel that he was genuinely angry... angry that Dormammudied after only taking one punch... It even resembled a child who hadn't finished playing being dragged away by a parent, now venting frustration by stomping on a soda can.
Considering Zhou Mo's previous crazy behavior, Odin's face stiffened, and his body suddenly tensed. He realized that the Energon King Kong seemed to be telling the damn truth... This terrifying unknown entity truly hadn't used its full strength... Odin: "I @￥#!@!"
...A smile of relief mixed with helplessness bloomed on the pretty face behind the Spider-Man mask. Gwencouldn't help but laugh: "So Zhou Mo wasn't stupid, just purely strong?... Fine."
Just as Gwen was feeling happy that Zhou Mo survived, she saw Wanda, equally joyful, quickly fly to the Energon King Kong's side. Watching from such a distance, without the aid of technology or magic, Gwen naturally couldn't hear what they were discussing.
However, seeing Wanda happily land next to the Energon King Kong was enough to make Gwen instantly grit her teeth.
"Zhou Mo survived? Bah! That surviving Dog Man!"
Wanda didn't interrupt Zhou Mo's venting. Looking at the city below, which had been ravaged into ruins by divine power, she gently tugged on one of the Energon King Kong's hands and quietly reminded him: "Mr. Otto, shouldn't we leave now? It wouldn't be good if someone found out."
As she finished speaking, the Energon King Kong stopped stomping, raised his hand, and cooperatively rubbed Wanda's head, saying gently: "You're right, but wait a moment. I still have a score to settle."
How could those two escape his perception? First, he turned his head and glanced up at Odin, then looked down at the Ancient One far away. The Energon King Kong narrowed his eyes into a smile: "You didn't think I didn't know what you two were just thinking, did you?"
Hearing this, both individuals' bodies instantly tensed up in fear, and their hair stood on end.
At the same time, when his gaze fell upon the Ancient One, Zhou Mo felt the figure of the Clock King in his mind trembling, seemingly protesting and saying:
It's my turn, it's my turn, I want to play too, hurry up and let me out!