"Pathetic brat! You dare trick me?!" Apocalypse's veins bulged as his composure cracked. The ancient mutant's fury twisted his features red—like a god embarrassed before an insect.
Ryuuto didn't flinch. His right hand pulsed with blue chakra, the Great Spiraling Sphere spinning like a condensed storm in his palm.
"Yeah? Then go cry to someone who cares."
The sphere slammed into Apocalypse's chest with a deafening boom! The air shook. Even the sky seemed to flinch.
"Y–You think you can defeat me so easily?" Apocalypse bellowed, forcing the very space around him to ripple. He drew on every ounce of energy, tearing power from the ground, the air—anything—to drain Ryuuto's attack.
Too bad. The kid's chakra felt endless. Like an ocean laughing at a thirsty man.
"No… impossible! You're just—!" Apocalypse's scream dissolved into panic.
Ryuuto's smirk widened, his eyes gleaming like molten gold. "Having a bad day, old man? Lemme help you end it properly."
He chugged a handful of glowing potions—dozens of them—like a gamer spamming healing items mid-boss fight. The Spiraling Sphere ballooned monstrously, turning white-hot, then swallowed Apocalypse whole in a blaze of light.
"Boy! I'll return for you!" Apocalypse's voice echoed through the roar—then cut short. His body vaporized like shattered glass.
BOOM.
The explosion rippled across the wasteland. A perfect crater scarred the earth, smoke coiling like dragon breath. What remained of Apocalypse was a smear of red across blackened rock.
Ryuuto stretched his arms behind his head and sighed. "Well, that's that. Try resurrecting from that, you overgrown pharaoh."
From behind him, the massive serpent Ten Thousand Snakes hissed in irritation, swallowing the last of Apocalypse's monstrous creations.
"These creatures taste awful. You owe me a proper feast later, brat."
Ryuuto snapped his fingers. "Next time, maybe. I'm still your master, remember?"
Before the snake could complain, he released the summoning seal, vanishing the beast in a puff of smoke.
A moment later, the system's voice echoed sweetly in his head—lazy, smug, and just a bit teasing.
[Ding! Hidden Mission Complete!
Target Eliminated: Apocalypse
Reward: 12,000 System Experience Points!]
Ryuuto grinned. "Hah. Didn't expect a bonus drop."
"Alright, Shion, tell me my current XP total."
[Current System Experience: 280,000 points. 220,000 more until the next upgrade.]
"And what's the next tier again?"
[You're currently Silver Level 3. Next stop—Gold Level 1. New skills, stronger loot, and a higher drop rate for character data packets. Depends on your performance, though, Master~]
Ryuuto sighed, rubbing his temple. "So basically, still a grind. Figures."
Despite the complaint, his grin returned—sharp and sure. He was going to rise higher. Stronger. Until every world knew his name.
Before he could bask in victory, two familiar figures landed beside him.
"Ryuuto! Finally found you!" Iron Man's voice rang with a mix of relief and exasperation. Behind him, the Hulk loomed, arms crossed and grin wide.
Ryuuto blinked. "Tony? Banner? What's up? You guys don't usually drop by unless the world's ending."
Tony gave him the kind of look that screamed 'you have no idea'. "We've got a lead—on Loki."
Banner cracked his knuckles with excitement. "This time, we finish it. No more running."
Ryuuto snorted, then clapped them both on the shoulder. "Fine. But you'll need a speed buff. You two move like snails."
He formed rapid hand seals. Earth Style: Light-Heavy Rock Technique!
Their bodies lightened instantly.
"Whoa! This is insane!" Tony whooped as he nearly lifted off the ground. Banner's laughter thundered through the valley.
"Don't get used to it," Ryuuto said, already leaping forward. "Let's hunt ourselves a trickster god."
The three blurred into streaks of light, tearing through the ruined horizon.
Meanwhile, at a half-collapsed subway station, three shadowed figures stood waiting. Loki's eyes narrowed as a strange chill ran through him.
"Cable, are you sure? You're not imagining things?" he muttered, his voice low beneath a thick coat. Only his eyes gleamed, sharp and wary.
Somewhere above them, a red flare cut across the night sky.
The hunt had begun.