"That's right! When this monkey demon shows up, victory's a given! Even if your so-called God came down, he'd still eat a few sticks first!"
With a wild grin, Ryuuto spun the King Kong Ruyi Staff in one hand, its metal humming like thunder. He leapt forward like a war god wrapped in flames, charging straight for Beast and Seraph. The shockwave from his step alone made the ground crack.
Above them, Magneto frowned from his hovering craft. Even he could feel that rising pressure.
"Tony, you sure he'll be fine?" Banner muttered, his fists already twitching. "One guy taking on two mutants like that—"
"Relax," Tony said, still scanning the air for magnetic fluctuations. "Let the kid show off a little. We'll have our turn soon enough."
While Magneto's allies — Lauf and the Destroyer — tried to patch themselves up, Tony and Hulk used the lull to recover their own energy. Meanwhile, Gwen secretly relayed a distress signal to Susan and Natasha. Reinforcements were on the way. Once they arrived, not even Magneto's ego could save him.
And down below, the storm broke.
"Eat. My. Stick!"
Ryuuto swung the King Kong Ruyi Staff, and it extended like lightning — ten thousand meters in a blink. The ground split apart as it smashed toward Beast and Seraph. Both barely dodged, the sheer force of the swing sending shockwaves through the city block.
Magneto's ship tilted slightly as he pulled his craft back, brows tightening.
"Stop running, you cowards!" Ryuuto taunted, spinning the staff and slamming it into the pavement. "Stand still and take your beating like men!"
Seraph's eyes flashed. "You think a glorified pole can beat us?"
He stomped once — the asphalt cracked. Then, muscles bulging, he caught the descending staff barehanded. Metal screeched as he dug his heels in, sliding back meters before he finally stopped it, arms trembling.
"Got him! Beast, move!" Seraph roared.
"On it!"
In a blur, Beast vanished, reappearing behind Ryuuto. His claws gleamed black as obsidian. "Let's see that smirk when I rip your heart out!"
He plunged his claws forward — straight into Ryuuto's chest.
Blood sprayed.
"Ha! Got him!" Beast snarled, grinning wide.
Lauf cheered from the sidelines. "Finally! Make soup outta that smug punk!"
But Magneto didn't move, his expression unreadable.
Then — Boom.
The "body" Beast had impaled dissolved into mist, leaving only a cracked wooden stake.
Ryuuto's voice rang out from above. "Yo, blue boy. Missed me."
Beast froze. "What—"
"Take this! Monkey King Fist!"
Ryuuto's shadow dropped from the sky, his Summoning Clone bursting beside him — a massive ape spirit roaring to life. The ape slammed its colossal fist down on Seraph, cratering the ground and sending dust spiraling into the air.
"Dammit, a clone?! What is he, some ninja from Japan?!" Beast shouted, panic rising.
"Got it in one," Ryuuto smirked.
The next instant, the ground under Beast's feet exploded. Ryuuto erupted upward like a crimson rocket, fist blazing with chakra.
"Say cheese."
Bang!
His punch cracked Beast's jaw, sending him airborne with a spray of blood.
"Thought I was done? Nah. I'm just getting warmed up!"
He dashed after Beast, chakra flaring.
"Leaf Great Whirlwind!"
A devastating kick slammed into Beast's abdomen, folding him in half.
Then came the barrage —
"Shadow Dance Leaf!"
A flurry of blows rained down, blurring into one continuous motion. Beast curled up, covering his head, his roar turning into a groan of pure agony.
On the sidelines, Lauf's expression twisted. "Tch! Useless mutants! Destroyer, we're going in before that brat wipes them out!"
"Fine! Let's crush him!"
The two leapt forward, energy flaring.
"Shameless," Banner growled. "Four-on-one?! Tony, come on!"
Tony held out a hand, stopping him. "Wait. Look at him. The kid's smiling. He's still got this."
Gwen nodded, her eyes sharp with faith. "Ryuuto's not the one who breaks under pressure. He's the one who becomes pressure."
...
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