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Ivan held Wonder Woman's sword in both hands, adopting a half-teasing, half-persuading tone. "As a woman, especially a beautiful one, it's better to be gentle. Avoid unnecessary bloodshed on the battlefield, or else, the admirers may lose their admiration."
Unimpressed, Wonder Woman recoiled like an agitated wildcat, growling lowly. "I'm going to defeat you"
Feeling the increasing force from Wonder Woman's sword, Ivan instinctively accelerated his energy absorption.
Fortunately, the female hero of today wasn't as formidable as the Superman or Doomsday he'd face later, who rivaled even Superman. With Ivan's current energy absorption speed, dealing with them could be an entirely different challenge.
Ivan couldn't afford to drag the fight further. He released the absorbed energy through his hands, applying a strong push. Wonder Woman was struck in the chest by the sword hilt, sending her flying backward.
After a couple of rolls on the ground, Wonder Woman rose to her feet. Although she appeared disheveled and disarrayed, her injuries were minimal. As the daughter of Zeus, a demigod with a physical prowess surpassing some divine weapons, she could endure substantial damage.
However, the inner turmoil and anger within Wonder Woman were immeasurable. When had she suffered such a significant defeat since her battle with Ares, the god of war? Today, she had been thrashed twice, and by a mortal, the Queen of the Amazons and the heir of Paradise Island, she had never been so humiliated. This disgrace would be repaid in blood.
Amazonian warriors were never known for retreating. No matter the adversary, they pressed forward courageously, growing braver with each battle. Though she had sustained losses, she showed no signs of stepping back. She charged forward again, one hand holding a shield and the other wielding her sword. This time, she had learned from her previous mistakes and chose not to engage in confrontation. Instead, she circled Ivan swiftly, launching a series of rapid sword slashes.
The seasoned Amazon warrior promptly identified his weakness.
Indeed, Ivan had previously withstood Wonder Woman's attacks, causing her significant discomfort. However, this had been due to his energy absorption ability.
In reality, Ivan's physical prowess was far from Wonder Woman's, even with his energy absorption to compensate. Speed was a different matter altogether.
Amid Wonder Woman's relentless assault, Ivan could only defend himself passively. He had no strength left to retaliate. Luckily, Ivan's mental acumen allowed him to predict the trajectory of Wonder Woman's strikes, helping him prepare for the incoming blows. Nevertheless, the battle was demanding, and Ivan had to make the most of his abilities to counter the force of Wonder Woman's sword. Occasionally, the pain would shoot through him as he absorbed the energy.
While Ivan remained unhurt, he knew that the high-intensity operation of his abilities was unsustainable. Prolonged engagement would undoubtedly lead to his defeat. Unfortunately, Ivan had been overconfident earlier and asked Red Devil to assist elsewhere. Calling him back now would be a matter of pride, so he continued to stall, brainstorming solutions.
Amid the intense duel between Ivan and Wonder Woman, the Red Devil displayed exceptional prowess. At some point, he materialized a set of short knives in his hands, along with a peculiar tail-like appendage. As he moved, enemy combatants fell one after another.
From a distance, the Red Devil exhibited extraordinary agility as he weaved through the enemy ranks. Whenever he neared an opponent, his short knives dispatched them with ease. The enemies clutched their throats and fell to their knees, silenced. Occasionally, someone tried to launch a surprise attack from behind, but the Red Devil consistently outmaneuvered them, driving the triangular tip at the end of his tail through their hearts.
The Red Devil continued to eliminate the opposition, eventually reaching Kroenen, who remained pinned against the wall by Wonder Woman. The Red Devil seized a steel bar and exerted all his strength to extract Kroenen from the wall. Originally, the Red Devil intended to save Kroenen and join forces with him and Ivan to confront Wonder Woman. However, his aspirations were quickly thwarted.
At this point, Kroenen's condition was dire. Yellow sand oozed continuously from his wounds, equivalent to his blood. While Kroenen was immortal and could contend with lesser foes, challenging a powerhouse like Wonder Woman was an entirely different matter.
Faced with no other options, the Red Devil did his best to dispatch enemies. As soon as their numbers reached a certain threshold, they retreated. At that point, it would no longer be a one-on-one battle against Wonder Woman.
With the addition of two formidable allies, the Red Devil and Kroenen, the Allied assault team was forced to withdraw. Professor Bloom took the lead, rallying the team to mount an attack on the dark wizard Rasputin at the altar. Kroenen understood Rasputin's significance to the plan and was tasked with his protection. The Red Devil, on the other hand, was suppressed by the Confederate soldiers' firepower. With their continued advance, they would resort to long-range firearms, making it difficult to determine a victor quickly.
Amidst the intense conflict, nobody noticed a small red creature emerging from a spatial portal in the sky. It bore two horns, a tail, and peculiarly robust arms. If Ivan had observed it, he would have recognized it as the renowned Hellboy, albeit in juvenile form. It would take several decades for this Hellboy to reach maturity.
Even though Rasputin had been stolen by the space wormhole, he could still sense the presence of the creature. The moment Hellboy appeared, Rasputin knew that his plan had succeeded. As he relaxed, he couldn't help but get sucked into the small space wormhole.
"Ah..." A piercing scream echoed as the space wormhole was too narrow for an adult to pass through. Rasputin's body was crushed and drawn into the vortex.
Simultaneously, due to the blocked space wormhole, the energy conversion device automatically increased its energy output. It began to tremble and eventually reached its limit before exploding with a deafening blast. Shrapnel from the machine scattered in all directions, and Kroenen, who was closest, bore the brunt. Several fragments struck him, opening several new wounds and causing yellow sand to flow.
Now, with Rasputin sucked in, the Nazis believed their plan had failed and began to flee. Kroenen managed to rise to his feet, and with the assistance of Rasputin's blonde lover, he joined the retreating ranks.
Upon witnessing Kroenen's escape, the Red Devil turned back and hurried to rejoin Ivan, intending to assist in confronting Wonder Woman. However, upon reaching the battlefield, he found himself fully entrenched in the ongoing combat. With no opportunity to engage, he could only watch Ivan standing in place, throwing punches and kicks relentlessly, while Wonder Woman's figure darted around him, remaining hidden and reappearing intermittently. Red Devil felt helpless in his urgency.
The battle between Ivan and Wonder Woman escalated. After changing her tactics, Wonder Woman consistently held the upper hand. However, Ivan, under immense pressure, seemed to develop a unique skill. He could preemptively predict the trajectory of his opponent's attacks. Occasionally, Wonder Woman had to retract her sword halfway through her strike, as continuing her attack would result in Ivan's counterattack. This unusual dynamic left Wonder Woman feeling extremely uncomfortable.
After a prolonged standoff, Wonder Woman finally reached her limit. She leaped forward, took the opportunity to secure her sword and shield on her back, and uncoiled a golden rope from her waist. With a strong pull, she directed it at Ivan.
Ivan could have evaded the rope by contorting his body, but it seemed to possess a life of its own, curving and wrapping around Ivan's hands. Wonder Woman yanked with all her might, attempting to pull Ivan toward her, but he reacted swiftly. By bending his legs and assuming a horse stance, he used his energy absorption ability to withstand the pull. Though Wonder Woman possessed tremendous strength, she increased her power several times, to no avail—Ivan's energy absorption remained unyielding, and they remained at a standstill.
"Who are you? Or rather, what are you? A mere mortal could not possibly possess such power," Wonder Woman inquired.
"I'm Ivan Shaw, the chief scientist of the German research department," Ivan replied. He had originally intended to be evasive and flirtatious, but he found himself compelled to tell the truth as he spoke due to the rope's unique properties.
Ivan was startled. Using his superlative brain-sensing abilities, he detected a peculiar force acting on the rope, coercing him to reveal the truth involuntarily.
This was the Lasso of Truth, Ivan suddenly recollected the origins of the golden rope—the legendary artifact bestowed upon the Amazon queen by the gods. Anyone ensnared by it would be unable to speak anything but the truth.
Anxiety gripped Ivan as he pondered the situation. His mind teemed with countless secrets, particularly regarding the identity of the transmigrator. This information could not be revealed easily.
Ivan's mind raced, and he swiftly devised a plan. He invoked his mental strength, looped the rope around his neck, and conjured a fictitious persona while shielding his consciousness. His face bore no emotion, his eyes appeared vacant, and his response was calculated.
"Reveal all your secrets," Wonder Woman demanded.
As she sensed that Ivan was now confined by the Lasso of Truth, she sought to extract valuable information from him. However, she was met with a disconcerting turn of events.
"You are a hideous creature, water flows uphill, fire is frigid, mantras shatter..." Ivan began speaking complete nonsense. He was ensnared by the truth, and his virtual personality had been meticulously constructed, leading him to believe that everything he said was genuine. He aimed to deceive the truth and misdirect Wonder Woman.