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The rivalry between Wonder Woman and Ivan was short-lived. Almost simultaneously, they relinquished their weapons and exchanged powerful fist blows. Ivan, having anticipated the confrontation, harnessed his supernatural abilities to absorb some of Wonder Woman's strength, sustaining injuries in the process. However, Wonder Woman, despite her Amazonian warrior background, received a direct punch to the eyes from Ivan and was sent flying and screaming.
Displaying her remarkable willpower, Wonder Woman swiftly halted her retreat and stabilized herself. Ivan, now admiring Wonder Woman, couldn't help but feel a twinge of embarrassment recalling the earlier situation where he was headbutted and in pain.
As they locked eyes, the intensity between them flared. This marked the second occasion where Wonder Woman found herself at a disadvantage against Ivan. Reflecting on her numerous battles, Wonder Woman, accustomed to victory, found it difficult to accept defeat twice in a row—first against Ivan, and now, despite her increased strength after a decade of hard work.
The confrontation continued, the atmosphere growing increasingly solemn. The invisible clash between them was palpable. Both were visibly fatigued, the previous intense battle taking a toll on their bodies.
After a tense pause, they simultaneously moved, running a few steps, leaping high into the air, and colliding mid-air. Wonder Woman seized Ivan's knife, and Ivan grabbed her fist. Competing in mid-air, they descended together. Ivan, calculating swiftly, twisted in the air, propelling Wonder Woman and causing them to spin.
At a rapid pace, Ivan manipulated the angle, and just before landing, he forcefully shook his arm, tossing Wonder Woman away. With a resounding
"Boom! Boom!" they landed, but Wonder Woman crashed onto a massive reef, scattering rocks, rendering her temporarily immobile.
Meanwhile, Ivan landed on a softer beach, sustaining minor injuries but quickly recovering. Striding toward Wonder Woman, he wore a triumphant smile. Despite witnessing her struggles, Wonder Woman, determined, rose unsteadily, her body betraying signs of rebellion.
Acknowledging her unfavorable state, Wonder Woman, refusing to concede defeat, gritted her silver teeth. Summoning her last reserves of strength, she crossed her hands and violently slammed her two bracers together, unleashing a powerful lightning bolt at Ivan.
Ivan, confidently embracing the attack, effortlessly tamed the violent lightning. Gradually compressing it into a sphere, he inhaled the electric energy into his body with a display of control.
"Last time, I was injured by your lightning. I realized its extraordinary power, a divine force that even I struggled to absorb. However, now it has no impact on me. Not only is my ability stronger, but I've also parsed and can easily transform your divine lightning. How could it harm me..."
Despite Wonder Woman's inherent nature of resilience, she felt a sense of despair. Yet, she refused to surrender, clinging to hope. Nevertheless, her body endured excruciating pain as she managed to punch Ivan in the face.
Facing Wonder Woman's flawed and uncontrollable attacks, Ivan effortlessly dodged a punch and countered with a swift kick to her stomach.
"Ouch"
Despite her magical resilience, some instincts were unavoidable. Ivan tactically inflicted visceral damage through the vibrations, causing Wonder Woman to collapse, retch, and lose her strength.
"How does it feel? Unpleasant, right? Will you admit defeat?" Ivan taunted Wonder Woman, relishing the opportunity to turn the tables after enduring her earlier assaults.
Though still retching and unable to speak, Wonder Woman's eyes reflected stubbornness and a refusal to concede defeat. Yet, a sense of shame welled within her, fueling her anger. Suppressing her physical instincts, she mustered the strength to stand and attack Ivan once more.
"Huh, you truly have a short memory" Ivan seized Wonder Woman's wrist, slamming her on the ground before tossing her aside like a rag. Collapsed on the beach, Wonder Woman struggled to rise again, spared from mortal danger but unable to stand.
Ivan, pondering Wonder Woman's resilience, remarked,
"Is it so hard for you to admit defeat? Winning or losing is normal, everyone faces failure...."
Mid-sentence, Ivan's expression changed as he sensed something amiss. Turning towards the submarine, he discovered through his powerful mental powers that Shaw, his father, was on the brink of death, his vitality rapidly fading, and consciousness dissipating.
Astounded, Ivan questioned how this could happen, given Shaw's enhanced strength and well-armed state. Determined to investigate, Ivan vanished from Wonder Woman's presence and reappeared in the submarine.
To his disbelief, Shaw lay on the ground, blood oozing from his mouth, with an apparent fatal injury. Eric stood nearby, and Ivan, detecting a metal strip penetrating Shaw's brain, realized it was an incurable injury even for someone of his abilities.
Turning his gaze to Eric, Ivan's eyes emitted a cold light, brimming with a murderous aura.
...
Advancing in time, Eric recounted defeating the rapids, diving into the submarine's depths, and, under Charles's guidance, shutting down the nuclear reactor. Despite an exhaustive search for Shaw's whereabouts, he found no trace until Shaw chose to reveal himself.
"Eric, what a surprise. Can I ask you a question? Why are you on their side? Why fight for a race on the brink of extinction? Once humans realize their vitality is waning, they'll seek to exterminate us..."
Shaw intended to use this moment to share that his mother was alive and reconcile their differences. However, Eric, consumed by thoughts of revenge, ignored Shaw's words and punched him directly.
Noting Eric's unstable mentality, Shaw decided to impart a lasting lesson to his heir. Throwing Eric against a wall, he initiated a brutal training session.
"I apologize for what happened in the concentration camp. But it's all for you, to unlock your abilities..."
Despite the words, Shaw continued to beat Eric relentlessly. Hanged and battered, Eric fought back by condensing surrounding metal, attempting to strike Shaw. Unfortunately, all efforts were futile; Shaw easily absorbed the power without harm.
Finally, Eric found himself pressed against the wall, powerless. Shaw remarked, "You still have a long way to go. Initially, you could only twist an iron gate. Now, you've grown more powerful. I feel reassured..."
Observing with Eric's eyes, Charles noticed Shaw's helmet, suspecting it blocked their mental connection. He covertly communicated with Eric, instructing him to remove the helmet. Seizing an opportunity, Charles manipulated a metal bar to grab the helmet from behind Shaw.
Just as Shaw spoke, he felt a chill on his head as the helmet was snatched away. Instinctively, he reached out to grab it, but a strange force invaded his mind. Planning to resist, Shaw decided to feign being controlled, standing motionless.
Thinking he had the upper hand, Eric revealed his true purpose, disregarding Charles's protests and cutting off the connection after putting on the helmet.