Show less"This is a real zombie attack!" exclaimed Xavier, decapitating three zombies at once with a katana he held in his right hand. The katana was black and white, but aside from that, it looked like a high-quality Japanese blade.
"We were right to come back!" said Ajax with a grin, crushing the head of a disgusting, ugly zombie under his foot.
Both were zombie game fanatics and being in a sort of zombie apocalypse was one of their dreams.
"We're not here to have fun, guys…" Yoko said, sighing as she swung a large black and white hammer, smashing it into the head of a zombie, which exploded like a watermelon from the impact.
The hammer was courtesy of Xavier, so Yoko wouldn't have to touch the repulsive undead with her hands. It weighed over 30 kilograms, but Yoko wielded it one-handed as if it were nothing.
"This way," Enid said, sniffing the air and walking through the school grounds. The group had to fight their way through the zombies. Luckily, the teachers handled the larger hordes, so they didn't lose much time.
"Can your sense of smell work with all this rotting stench?" Divina asked, covering her nose with a disgusted expression.
"The Hyde's stench is just as strong as the zombies'. It can't fool me," Enid responded as she hurried along.
A werewolf's sense of smell couldn't be underestimated. Enid had plenty of time to catch the Hyde's scent when he fought against Luke and Wednesday months ago. She wouldn't forget it easily.
The group continued their march, killing a zombie or two that crossed their path along the way.
"That's the greenhouse…" Ajax remarked, looking at the distant building where they used to have botany classes, which had been canceled after the professor suddenly left.
The greenhouse looked gloomier than usual due to the reddish light of the moon. The glass and metal structure reflected the crimson glow.
"He's in there. And he's not alone," Enid said before dashing toward the greenhouse doors without hesitation.
Xavier, Yoko, Ajax, and Divina had no choice but to run after Enid and enter the greenhouse, where they witnessed a strange scene unfolding.
Tyler, fully transformed into his Hyde form, had his back to them. He was in a pit that seemed to have been dug by his own hands. His enormous, sharp claws kept tearing through the earth at an astonishing speed, scattering chunks of dirt and roots all around him.
From their position, the others could only see the monster's massive back and the few messy strands of hair that swayed with every movement it made.
Sitting lazily on a desk with her legs crossed, Amaranth was looking at her dark red painted nails. A few meters away stood Deacon, leaning against the blackboard. It was impossible to tell where he was looking since he had no eyes, and his hood concealed his featureless face.
The two hooded figures turned toward the unexpected guests. The Hyde also stopped what he was doing and looked back at them with eyes full of murderous intent.
The place fell into an uncomfortable silence. The only sound was the low growl of the Hyde, who was showing great restraint by not lunging at the new enemies.
"White hair and a faceless one… They must be Amaranth and Deacon," Xavier remarked seriously, breaking the silence. Luke had told Xavier everything. It wasn't a secret anymore, as the evidence had been presented, and it was only a matter of time before it all came to light.
"Luke Poe is quite the detective, huh? He gathered so much information, and we didn't even notice. Must be a Sherlock Holmes fan," Amaranth said, lowering her hood to reveal her stunning face, white hair, and reddish eyes.
Xavier, Ajax, Divina, and Yoko were momentarily speechless, shocked by Amaranth's beauty. They couldn't say a word for a few moments.
The only one who kept the same impatient expression was Enid, who, without a word, began to transform. She no longer held back. Tonight's blood moon was the perfect occasion to unleash all her instincts.
Her delicate body started trembling and changing, gaining height, weight, muscle, and fur. In just a few breaths, her transformation was complete. She now stood as tall as the Hyde, even slightly surpassing him in height. Her fangs were sharp and long. Her eyes gleamed with a fierce instinct, fixed on the Hyde, who watched her with equal intensity.
With her transformation finished, Enid didn't wait a second longer. With a roar, she leaped with immense force, covering the distance of several meters that separated her from the Hyde.
Enid collided with both paws with brutal strength. Despite his size and power, the Hyde was hurled backward with great force. He flew through the air, crashing through the greenhouse wall with a tremendous crash, shattering glass and metal beams as if they were nothing before continuing his flight outside.
Enid began running on all fours toward the Hyde. She completely ignored Amaranth and Deacon, who, like the Hyde, didn't even have time to react.
"Werewolves are going all out tonight…" Amaranth said with an unusually serious expression. She had been given a mission and had to complete it. They couldn't afford to lose the Book of Shadows, which could bring Crackstone back from hell.
"Let's finish them off, then complete our mission," Deacon said as he moved to stand beside his companion, glancing briefly at the pit the Hyde had dug.
'Still needs a bit more digging,' Deacon thought.
"Hey, they've got quite the numerical advantage. Do Nevermore students always fight this dirty?" Amaranth asked with a smile, looking at Xavier and the others, who had also taken their combat stances.
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Luke was flying at great speed, his grip tightened around Atlas's neck. After leaving the quad, he began to ascend higher and higher, reaching fifty meters and climbing.
'Now,' Luke thought, hurling Atlas downward with tremendous force, aiming for the forest surrounding Nevermore.
Atlas shot toward the ground like a human projectile, his body slicing through the air as he plummeted.
With a brutal impact, Atlas collided with the treetops. The branches creaked and snapped under the force of the blow. His body crashed through several layers of branches before hitting the ground with a dull thud, sending up a cloud of dirt and leaves.
Luke landed near the large crater where the gorgon should have been. He looked at his hand, the one that had gripped Atlas's neck. He felt pain in the tips of his fingers.
He knew that gorgons had superior resilience compared to many other outcasts. The shell of their eggs was made of an extremely strong compound that formed a kind of polymer scale covering their bodies, granting them remarkable durability.
'His body is incredibly tough,' Luke thought as he watched Atlas emerge from the crater in the ground. The impact he had received didn't seem to have caused him the slightest bit of harm. With a single leap, Atlas landed just a few meters away from him, completely unscathed, though the hood that had concealed his face was gone.
Atlas's head was large and round, covered in scars. His skin was stretched tight over his skull, giving him a cadaverous appearance. His eyes were small and sunken, a milky white color, as if he were blind, yet his vision was exceptional.
"That was a nice massage," Atlas said in a monotone voice, devoid of emotion. As he spoke, he tilted his neck to one side, producing a cracking sound that echoed in Luke's ears like the bending of steel.
"Are you the man of steel or something?" Luke asked with a grimace.
"Steel? Ha," Atlas scoffed with disdain in his tone.
"Gorgon bronze. They call it mythical bronze. Tougher than steel," commented Edgar, who was floating nearby, ready to be a front-row spectator for this fight.
[Isn't it only a few gorgons that have that mythical bronze?] Luke asked mentally, an expression rarely seen on his face, though his eyes were hidden by the black bandage.
"Seems like during my absence, that damn old man managed to get his hands on the mythical bronze skin," Edgar replied, his usual relaxed attitude gone.
[Tsch, I'll just beat that damn bronze until it dents,] Luke said, cracking his knuckles. His telekinetic waves were powerful. If he pummels him enough, he could deal both external and internal damage.
"Do you think you can fight properly with a bandage on, kid?" Atlas asked with a disdainful expression. Everyone feared his eyes, and he believed a bandage would make Luke's movements clumsy and slow. Although outcasts had heightened senses, being deprived of sight against a powerful opponent would only put him at a disadvantage, or so Atlas thought.
"We'll see, old man," Luke said with a slight smile, stretching his arms.
Atlas didn't wait any longer. Putting all his strength into his calves, he charged at Luke with incredible speed. His long strides closed the distance in a flash. In less than five seconds, he reached Luke and threw a punch aimed at his face.
Luke didn't seem fazed. Atlas was fast, but Wednesday's attacks had given him less time to react and came from multiple angles.
Using a telekinetic wave, Luke dodged the punch, which passed just inches from his right cheek. Atlas's face showed surprise at Luke's flawless evasion.
"Brace yourself, gorgon," Luke said, clenching his left fist and concentrating a large amount of telekinetic energy.
In a fluid movement, he threw his fist upward, landing a direct hit on Atlas's chin. The impact echoed like a hammer striking an anvil. The condensed telekinetic waves exploded upon contact, unleashing tremendous power.
Atlas was launched straight up, flying over ten meters into the air. Luke jumped, using his telekinesis to match Atlas's height.
Spinning quickly in midair, Luke delivered a kick to Atlas's stomach, sending him flying like a ragdoll. The kick was also charged with telekinetic waves, amplifying the force of the blow.
Atlas rocketed horizontally, his speed tearing through the trees in his path. Each tree he touched shattered under the force, and as he went, his velocity gradually decreased. Finally, he crashed into the trunk of a massive tree, where he lay motionless.
'How is this possible?' Atlas thought, wiping a bit of blood from his pale mouth. Despite the powerful attack, he had sustained only minor injuries—compared to what a normal human would have suffered, being utterly pulverized and unrecognizable.
He stood up, feeling a pain in his stomach, and began walking toward Luke, who was over thirty meters away.
Atlas was puzzled by Luke's ability to dodge his strike. Not even his boss's son, a genius, could replicate such a feat while blindfolded.
'No… Even an outcast adult would have a hard time having such reflections with a blindfold on. Only if he is someone very powerful could he dodge the attack. Unless… No, impossible…' Atlas thought, a new idea forming in his mind.
'A clairvoyant could replicate that feat, but the boss said he might possess a blue aura like his mother. Was the boss wrong? Yes, that must be it. He must have telekinesis and clairvoyance—there's no other explanation,' Atlas reasoned. That seemed like the most logical conclusion.
Thanks to clairvoyance, the boy had probably spotted them without them noticing. That would explain how Luke could fight with a blindfold, not needing his eyes and avoiding petrification. As for the evidence he gathered, Luke must have found a way somehow.
'Mm, the damage is better than before,' Luke thought, floating more than twenty meters away as he watched Atlas, who had stopped and was staring at him.
"What's wrong, old man? Worried about facing a dual aura user?" Luke asked with a wide smile.
'So, he possesses a clairvoyant aura, not a telepathic one like the boss thought. That clears things up,' Atlas thought, feeling more relieved. When his boss told him that Luke had his mother's blue aura, he took it as a truth, since his boss rarely makes mistakes.
"Your two auras are admirable, but they will only prolong your suffering," Atlas said, returning to his calm and indifferent demeanor.
Luke merely smiled faintly, preparing for the third round. He had already won two. His confidence was high. At last, he faced a worthy opponent against whom he could unleash all his power.
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lessLuke acted before Atlas. With his telekinesis, he controlled two uprooted trees and hovered above Atlas, aiming at him. These trees were fifteen meters tall and had a diameter of 50 cm. Each tree weighed approximately one ton. They were twice as large as the ones Luke had controlled in the past during his fights.
'Double aura, and he can lift two trees of that size. A terrifying talent,' Atlas thought, watching the trees floating about ten meters away.
Atlas was the servant, the right-hand man, of Elliot. He had watched him grow from a teenager into an adult and form his family. He had helped him in his fight against John, Luke's father. Not even his leader or John had that much power at Luke's age. He couldn't deny it was terrifying for a fifteen-year-old boy to have such strength.
'That's why eliminating him is the priority. He's a danger if he continues to grow,' Atlas thought, though he wasn't entirely sure how his boss knew about Luke's monstrous talent. He must have had secret methods to find out.
In an instant, the two trees were hurled at high speed toward Atlas—one from the right and the other from the left. The trees closed the distance to Atlas in just three seconds, traveling at over 3.33 meters per second with a combined kinetic energy of more than 11,000 joules.
Atlas extended his sharp claws, which were over five centimeters long and seemed exceptionally durable. With a quick motion, Atlas' claws sank into the wood of the trees rushing toward him.
Despite the hardness of the trunks and the kinetic force, Atlas' claws began slicing through the wood as if it were paper. Each swipe of his claws caused the trunk to fracture and splinter, sending pieces of wood flying in all directions.
'Is he Wolverine?' Luke thought with a grimace.
Although Atlas' claws weren't as long as Wolverine's, their hardness could easily rival Adamantium.
When Luke threw a 400 kg tree at Hyde at the same speed, the monster reacted similarly to Atlas, but the outcome was very different. Hyde's claws ended up shattered and bloody. In contrast, Atlas remained unscathed, and the attack was much more powerful.
Luke flew toward Atlas, reaching him in just one second—much faster than the trees. His smaller mass allowed him to achieve a greater speed than the one-ton trees.
Luke swung his right leg directly toward the gorgon's head.
With sharp reflexes, and now somewhat more accustomed to Luke's incredible speed, Atlas managed to dodge the kick, his face barely grazed by Luke's leg. Luke's right leg sliced through the empty air beside him.
Without wasting a second, Luke took advantage of his position and momentum. Focusing telekinetic waves, his left leg moved toward Atlas, who this time couldn't dodge the attack.
Luke's leg struck Atlas' face. The telekinetic waves were released, and Atlas was sent flying backward with impressive force. But as soon as he felt the ground under his feet, he used the momentum to dig himself into the earth. Although his movement was partially slowed, he still destroyed two trees in his path, leaving a trail of fallen trunks.
'Skin tougher than steel, five-ton strength, petrifying eyes... gorgons are broken,' Luke thought, watching Atlas kneeling on the ground, touching his nose, which was bleeding.
That's why Luke didn't try to immobilize the gorgon—it was an impossible task with his current telekinetic strength.
The psychokinetic force Luke generates is around two and a half tons. If an outcast generates more physical strength, they can break free, and Atlas falls into that category, having a strength of about five tons.
'He's like a tank. My advantage is speed,' Luke thought.
"Curse you, boy," Atlas said, frowning as he stood up and walked toward Luke with a furious glare. Despite his mythical bronze skin, the condensed telekinetic waves, when released, caused internal damage, even if his skin was harder than steel. Hence the blood at the corner of his mouth and on his nose.
'Hyde would already be half dead, but this bastard only has a little blood on his nose. Interesting,' Luke thought, smiling as he ran toward Atlas, who charged at him as well.
An intense fight began, illuminated by the reddish glow of the blood moon. Luke outmatched Atlas in speed thanks to his observation haki and telekinetic waves, which helped him dodge everything perfectly. This allowed him to pummel the gorgon, using him like a punching bag.
However, the strain he's under is immense. A single mistake and a deep slash from Atlas' claws could be fatal for him. His body isn't even as tough as steel. On the other hand, constantly concentrating telekinetic waves around his arms and legs and then releasing them is no easy task either. His forehead was beaded with sweat.
At one point, Luke barely dodged an attack from Atlas, but it ended up grazing his left shoulder, leaving a bloody wound and claw marks on his skin. Luckily, it wasn't too deep, but the claws tore through his skin as if it were nothing.
As for using heavy trees, Luke discarded the idea. The reason? The speed at which he could move them. It was fast, but not fast enough. Atlas could react in those two or three seconds. The tree's kinetic force upon impact would be great, causing internal injuries—if it wasn't destroyed by Atlas beforehand.
If he used smaller objects, he could move them faster, but their hardness was terrible. They would barely tickle Atlas' mythical bronze skin.
"Damn brat!" Atlas growled, standing up from the ground once again. The number of times he had been sent flying by Luke was countless. His clothes were in tatters, exposing his muscular arms and part of his torso. His skin was scaly, with a sickly pale color.
"For someone over a hundred years old, you don't have much patience," Luke remarked with a slight smile. He, too, would be full of rage if he had only managed to land a scratch on his enemy after fighting at close range for over twenty minutes.
His method was working. Atlas was accumulating internal injuries from all the blows he had taken. He had already coughed up blood several times.
However, if Luke continued down this path, it would be a long and tedious fight. Plus, he couldn't risk taking another scratch—if it were deeper, it could be fatal.
'It's time to use my blue aura,' Luke thought, but just at that moment, Atlas' body began to change.
First, from his pale, bald head, snakes started to emerge, covering his scalp. Now he had a large mane of terrifying serpents.
But that wasn't the most striking change. The lower half of his body began to tremble and shift. The skin stretched and twisted. His legs, once robust and human, elongated and flattened, his muscles and bones transforming beneath the skin in an almost liquid manner.
His ankles rose, his knees fused into a single continuous segment. The texture of his skin changed, becoming a smooth, scaly surface of deep green with golden undertones. The scales gleamed with a subtle glow under the reddish light of the moon.
As the transformation progressed, Atlas' legs curved and flexed in a serpentine manner, adopting the form of a massive snake's tail.
'There they are, his snake hair and reptilian form…' Luke thought with a slight grimace. Things were only getting more complicated.
Atlas didn't utter a word. In his new serpentine form, he began to slither across the ground with imposing agility, his body undulating with far greater speed than before.
Luke raised both hands, aiming at the numerous snakes on Atlas' head—a faint smile formed at the corner of his mouth.
These snakes, while special and sinister in appearance, weren't made of the same tough material as the rest of his skin. Using his telekinesis, he began to rip the snakes from Atlas' head.
The snakes, unable to withstand the telekinetic force, started to detach one by one. In a second, Atlas was bald once again, and Luke crushed the snakes, squeezing them with his telekinesis.
Atlas growled in pain, feeling fresh blood on his head. It wasn't a pleasant sensation, but he continued advancing, more furious than ever.
Luke didn't stand still, watching as Atlas charged at him. Before Atlas could reach his position, Luke made a simple gesture with his extended index, middle, and thumb fingers.
'Shambles,' he thought and vanished from his spot. He reappeared not far away, behind Atlas, who now towered over 10 feet tall. Before Atlas could react, Luke placed his hand on the gorgon's bloody, bald head.
He did this in an instant, having disappeared and floated to reach the height of Atlas' head.
'Let's begin,' thought Luke, as he began using his blue aura to create a realistic telepathic illusion. To do this, he needed to make contact with his victim, and it was even better if he could touch the area near the brain.
To Atlas, he was still fighting Luke in a battle where he was slowly gaining the upper hand, and Luke couldn't keep up.
'An impenetrable skin, but an easy mind to infiltrate,' thought Luke with a slight smile.
If he were an advanced telepath, he could kill Atlas by manipulating his thought waves and creating an explosion in his mind, destroying his brain from the inside. Unfortunately, he didn't have that level of skill yet—and he wouldn't do it even if he could, because if the brain was destroyed, he wouldn't be able to read Atlas' thoughts, and he needed information.
"You, see? A three-aura user is incredibly powerful," commented Edgar, who had been watching the fight from start to finish. If Luke only had two auras, he might be able to fight on equal footing and have the advantage, but defeating Atlas would have been much harder. Killing him, even more so.
If Luke only had telekinesis, he'd be screwed, as he wouldn't be able to look Atlas in the eyes. And if he used a blindfold like he was now, he'd barely be able to dodge Atlas' quick attacks in his normal form. One hit from those claws, and it would be game over.
"Yes. It's time for this century-old gorgon to sleep forever," said Luke, as he stopped touching Atlas' head and stood about two meters in front of him.
'The illusion will last two more minutes. Let's see if my new technique can cut through mythical bronze,' Luke thought, preparing for a powerful attack.
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