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"Die"
Wonder Woman, could no longer bear it. Her body moved like a phantom, and she threw a punch at Ivan.
Ivan didn't evade; instead, he bowed and greeted her. This time, Wonder Woman refrained from using her weapon, and Ivan abstained from employing his energy absorption ability. They exchanged a fist bump.
"Boom"
Wonder Woman, a descendant of the gods, possessed a formidable divine body. However, Ivan's body had been strengthened by the energy converted over ten years by an energy converter. The collision sent them both staggering backward. Wonder Woman took three steps back and halted, while Ivan retreated five or six steps before barely regaining his balance.
This outcome did not surprise Ivan. He had been using energy converters crafted from magical bones left by suspected Celestial for shorter durations than Wonder Woman had been harnessing her divine blood and talent. He knew he lagged behind a bit, but Ivan's body strengthening was a work in progress, destined to surpass Wonder Woman eventually.
As Wonder Woman stabilized herself after the three steps, she wasted no time and threw another punch at Ivan.
This time, Ivan skillfully evaded the full force of the blow, stepping back and moving with the wind. Swiftly, he reached out, grabbed Wonder Woman's arm, then swung her around, throwing her forcefully.
Without waiting for Ivan to land, he pursued her like a cyclone, aiming to capitalize on Wonder Woman's momentary vulnerability.
However, Wonder Woman wasn't one to be underestimated. Twisting in mid-air, she half-knelt upon landing, quickly stabilizing herself. She then willingly engaged Ivan, colliding, fighting, and tearing through the air. Rumbling sounds echoed sporadically, but their incredible speed made it impossible for onlookers to decipher the intensity of the battle, only inferring it through the displaced sand and stones.
Wonder Woman and Ivan deliberately avoided populated areas, ensuring their skirmish wouldn't accidentally harm bystanders.
Ivan's combat prowess astonished the X-Men, who nervously sweated at the prospect of facing him. Fortunately, the mysterious woman managed to halt Ivan, preventing the X-Men from becoming his victims.
"Act quickly. I sensed their intentions. Shaw is transforming himself into a nuclear bomb by absorbing energy in the submarine. We must stop him," Charles's voice suddenly rang in the ears of the X-Men, spurring them into immediate action. The consequences of a nuclear bomb's energy release would be catastrophic, and they couldn't afford to hesitate.
Hank the Beast, Magneto, and Alex the Havok all converged on the submarine simultaneously, with Red Devil and Riptide following suit.
Red Devil, exhibiting incredible speed, teleported behind the Beast and attempted a swift knife strike. The Beast, who had previously concocted a drug using the genes of Raven, hoped to become an ordinary person but instead became more beast-like. Reacting with primal instincts, he sensed the threat and skillfully avoided Red Devil's knife, catching it with his claws.
Surprised by the Beast's quick response, Red Devil transformed into a virtual form, and the claw seemingly swiped through empty air without making contact.
Meanwhile, Alex unleashed a red shock wave towards Red Devil, but once again, it passed through him as if he were a phantom. Unfazed, Red Devil advanced toward the Beast, ignoring the shock waves, and aimed to incapacitate him with a knife strike to the shoulder.
The Beast, perplexed by the lack of a strong threat, speculated if Red Devil was merely a phantom. As the dagger approached, just 30 centimeters from the Beast, a sudden surge of danger jolted the Beast. Ignoring evasion, he caught Red Devil's knife with his claw, intending to take down his opponent in the process.
Realizing the unfavorable situation, Red Devil, unable to maintain the advantage, decided to retreat. The Beast, bewildered by the sudden change in dynamics, wondered why Red Devil, who seemed invulnerable before, now opted to escape.
Unaware that Red Devil had concealed himself in a different space earlier, projecting only an illusion, the Beast grappled with the confusion. In this alternate dimension, Red Devil's attacks were ineffectual, but he could be harmed when he struck. Facing this lose-lose scenario, Red Devil chose a temporary retreat.
Despite the Beast's seemingly bestial appearance, Hank demonstrated exceptional intelligence, being one of the world's top scientists. Although unsure of Red Devil's specific abilities, Hank deduced a strategy.
"Alex, keep an eye on him. He likely reveals his true form when attacking, giving us a chance to counter," Hank instructed.
Understanding the plan, Havok positioned themselves back-to-back, preparing to thwart Red Devil's next move. Undeterred, Red Devil altered his tactics, teleporting between them and thrusting his knife at the Beast, Hank.
The Beast's reflexes were swift as he reached out, grabbing Red Devil's arm just as the Havok regained focus. However, Red Devil countered by wrapping his slender tail around Havok's neck, utilizing teleportation to shift positions. They appeared and disappeared in a blur, making it challenging for the trio to keep up.
Conversely, the aerial battle unfolded between the Angel and the Sonic. The Angel displayed agility and versatility with dragonfly wings and long-range acid attacks. Sonic, relying on body wings for flight, had to emit sonic waves to stay airborne. Despite the airborne nature of their conflict, Sonic was more adept at ground combat due to his reliance on both sound waves and hand-controlled wings.
The Angel's acid attacks became less accurate over time, allowing Sonic to dodge and retaliate with ultrasonic waves, knocking the Angel back. The dynamic shifted as they took turns chasing each other, injecting an element of amusement into their confrontation.
Meanwhile, Eric and Riptide engaged in a renewed battle. In their prior encounter, Riptide fell victim to the X-Men's tactics, but with Ivan's intervention, the situation changed. Transforming into a tornado, Riptide surged towards Eric, who responded by defensively wielding a piece of iron torn from the submarine. Eric sprinted toward the submarine, aiming for Shaw, the mastermind behind the nuclear reactor disturbance.
As Shaw absorbed energy from the reactor, Riptide increased the wind force to prevent Eric from reaching the submarine. Despite Riptide's efforts, Eric successfully dragged the submarine from the seabed, using the massive iron piece under his control. Regardless of the intensified wind, Eric pressed forward and infiltrated the submarine.
Riptide found himself in a dilemma. Aware of Eric's formidable abilities and recognizing his disadvantage in confined spaces, he hesitated about entering the submarine. However, letting Ivan act and disrupting Shaw's plan would undoubtedly bring repercussions. After contemplation, Riptide gritted his teeth, dismissed his reservations, and decided to approach the submarine.
Just as Riptide neared the submarine, a piece of iron detached and struck him down, pinning him to the ground. Though the beach's soft surface spared him from severe injury, he found himself temporarily immobilized. The situation hung in suspense as events continued to unfold.