Charlie, now fully engaged with the game, controlled Iron Spider as he confronted Ophelia. She lay in the pit, seemingly dazed from the previous assault, when the air around her began to twist and spiral. With a subtle wave of her hand, a storm whipped up around her, sending two powerful currents blasting out like invisible projectiles aimed at Spider-Man and Iron Man.
Charlie's perspective was from within the Iron Spider suit. Although the trajectory of the incoming attack was invisible, the "spidey-sense" flared up, the warning sign flashing across his screen. Reacting instinctively, he pressed the dodge button. On screen, Iron Spider vaulted with an acrobatic double flip, his legs tucking under as he narrowly escaped the rushing blast.
As he landed, he watched in shock as the air cannon tore through the space he'd just vacated, ripping through the parked vehicle behind him. Metal, glass, and upholstery were shredded, leaving a gaping, jagged hole. Everything the cyclone touched disintegrated as if slashed by countless unseen blades.
Iron Man wasn't as lucky. Without the spider-sense or any player control, he was caught directly by the air cannon, his armor sent flying backward down the street. Sparks erupted from his impact with the pavement, a brilliant trail illuminating the night as he skidded to a halt.
"Friday, what just hit us?" Charlie asked, guiding Spider-Man into a defensive stance as he scanned the area.
After a brief pause, Friday responded. "Sir, analysis indicates the attack is a pressurized air projectile—extremely compressed air formed into a powerful shell."
"That's… a lot more destructive than regular wind," Charlie muttered, observing the aftermath.
"Yes, the armor can withstand a few rounds of it," Friday added, "but I wouldn't recommend testing the limits."
With a quick recalibration, Spider-Man spun back toward Ophelia, a quip on his virtual lips. "Hey, trying to blow us away? Not cool."
Springing into action, Spider-Man performed a quick somersault. The three golden, mechanical spider legs extended from his back with a sharp, metallic snap, stabilizing him mid-air. The visual was striking, resembling his old enemy Doctor Octopus, but Spider-Man's agile movements made it uniquely his own. In a smooth, practiced move, he angled his wrist, firing a line of spider webbing toward Ophelia.
The webbing unfurled as it sped toward her, a sticky, silken net aiming to ensnare her. But before it could reach her, another concentrated cyclone burst from her fingertips, diverting the webbing with a powerful gust that blew it off course. It landed with a sticky splat on the nearby asphalt.
Charlie's eyes narrowed as Ophelia rose slowly, her gaze meeting his with an unsettling calm. With a single motion, she lifted her arm, condensing the air around her into a razor-sharp blade of wind. The blade sliced through the night, aimed directly at Iron Spider's torso.
Without hesitation, Charlie executed a quick dodge. His character, Spider-Man, leaped sideways, the powerful wind blade just grazing past him. Behind him, the edge of a nearby building bore the brunt, chunks of concrete exploding outward in a rain of debris.
Meanwhile, Iron Man had regained his balance, his thrusters flaring as he rose back into the air. Hovering, he unleashed two rapid repulsor blasts in Ophelia's direction. But instead of dodging conventionally, Ophelia simply floated backward, her feet barely leaving the ground as the wind itself carried her. Each repulsor blast hit the spot she'd previously occupied, leaving fresh craters in the cracked pavement.
Charlie raised an eyebrow, impressed and slightly alarmed.
Friday chimed in, her tone informative. "She's using localized wind manipulation to 'fly' or at least move with precision. The control over wind speed and direction is quite remarkable."
Though Leila, another Elder, was known as the "Sky Master" due to her unrivaled flight abilities, Ophelia's air manipulation allowed her a form of gliding, albeit not as elegantly. However, she more than made up for it with deadly precision in her wind-based attacks.
Charlie watched as Ophelia shifted positions, effortlessly keeping her distance. While she possessed physical strength, he could tell from her movements she wasn't skilled in close combat, relying on her wind manipulation to maintain space between herself and her opponents.
The moment she landed, two thick strands of spider web shot out from opposite sides, anchoring to the ground on either side of her. Spider-Man yanked hard, the tension of the web propelling him downward like a slingshot, angling him into a diving kick aimed directly at Ophelia.
Ophelia had only just gained her footing when she saw the incoming attack. Realizing she had no time to dodge, she planted herself, her expression calm but intent. Raising her arm, she summoned the Tis Shield, the ancient defense structure of her people.
But this wasn't an ordinary Tis Shield. With a low hum, an invisible energy seemed to gather around her arm. The air itself swirled, coalescing around the shield, adding an extra layer of defense.
Charlie noticed the subtle glow as she prepared, and his curiosity was piqued. She had combined her airflow manipulation with the Tis Shield, creating a fortified exoskeleton structure over her arm. It was more than a simple defense; it was as though she had created an ancient form of powered armor.
Ophelia, as a master of wind, specialized in slicing and shredding attacks. This fusion of Tis Shield and wind manipulation formed an intricate, layered armor over her arm, enhancing her offensive and defensive capabilities.
With her arm raised, she braced herself, meeting Spider-Man's downward momentum head-on.
Her mind was calm as she felt the Tis Shield strengthen, certain it could withstand any attack a human could deliver—especially something as basic as a diving kick.
CRACK!
The impact of metal against her Tis Shield was louder than thunder. Iron Spider's titanium alloy boot collided with her shielded arm, the force echoing through the night. The blast of energy was instant and violent, ripping through the layered shield as if it were made of paper.
A surge of force shot down her arm, shattering the layers of her shield and continuing through her body. Her eyes widened in shock as the unexpected power coursed through her, piercing the intricate defenses she'd crafted.
Her mind blanked, and in the next instant, her feet left the ground. She was sent flying backward, hurtling through the air, her body limp and stunned.
Time seemed to slow as she flew, her thoughts fragmented with disbelief.
How… how could my shield break? How could a human shatter it with a kick?