"This guy doesn't seem human," Wanda murmured, eyes glowing with a brighter red as she studied the old man amid the violent wind and rain.
She turned decisively to Pietro. "Kill him. He's not ordinary."
In Leon's family, there was no room for chivalry or mercy toward enemies. If someone posed a threat, no matter how worthy of respect, they had to die. If a group attack was the best option, they would take it—unless the enemy was too weak to warrant it.
As soon as Wanda spoke, she raised her hands.
Boom!
A surge of red energy exploded in every direction, whipping her hair and coat around her. She was enveloped in the crimson power of chaotic magic, radiating an almost divine presence. Like a scarlet goddess, she extended her hand toward the old man in the sky and clenched her fist.
Instantly, the chaotic energy coalesced into two massive scarlet hands. Wanda knew from experience that once those hands closed around their target, escape was nearly impossible. She was confident the old man, no matter who he was, would meet the same fate.
The old man sensed the danger. Despite his earlier arrogance, his cunning nature kept him wary. After all, this wasn't his real body, and he was operating at less than 1% of his true strength. Chaos magic posed a genuine threat.
Whoosh!
Just as the two scarlet hands lunged toward him, the old man vanished. He reappeared a hundred meters away, behind Sumarokov, his gloved hand reaching out like a devil's claw toward Sumarokov's neck.
But Sumarokov had already activated his Observation Haki. The moment the old man disappeared, Sumarokov sensed his move. In an instant, he twisted his waist, launching a powerful punch backward.
His black-gold fist collided hard with the old man's hand, sparks flying from the impact.
Boom!!
The unimaginable force from the punch made the old man's expression shift, but he still managed to withstand it. The clash between their powers sent shockwaves outward, centering on them as the air erupted in a violent blast. The road beneath their feet cracked and caved in, sending a spray of gravel and rainwater flying in all directions.
Although the old man had expected Sumarokov to be strong, this level of power exceeded even his previous expectations. With his vast experience, he quickly identified the technique Sumarokov used to generate such force and the strange, steel-like energy coursing through his arms. His eyes gleamed like a devil's, his pupils shrinking, and an unsettling grin crept onto his face. He leaned forward slightly, the pressure around him intensifying.
"Such an intriguing power," the old man said, his voice dripping with mock curiosity. "And reactions beyond mere instinct. I'm curious—care to share how you learned this?"
Sumarokov's gaze sharpened, and he let out a cold snort. "Maybe I'll tell you after I crush your skull and sit back enjoying a fruit salad."
Without hesitation, Sumarokov shifted his weight, stepping back with his right leg and removing the power from his right fist. In an explosive burst of strength, he launched another devastating blow, aiming straight for the old man's head.
The old man, with agility that belied his age, dodged by leaning back just in time. With a swift counter, he swung his staff, aiming to strike Sumarokov's cheek.
Sumarokov blocked it easily, and the two combatants immediately became locked in a brutal, close-quarters fight.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Each punch and kick from the two combatants, both of whom possessed power far beyond human capability, was explosive. In the span of just two seconds, they collided with each other hundreds of times at speeds that were nearly impossible to follow with the naked eye.
From hundreds of meters away, one could barely make out two figures darting back and forth on the road, moving at impossible speeds. Shockwaves exploded from their clashes, sending rippling circles of air that tore up the ground in a radius of thousands of meters. Pits of all sizes littered the terrain.
Jeff and the group in the RV, now retreating to a safe distance, watched through high-precision night vision binoculars. Their expressions were frozen in disbelief, as if they were trapped in a surreal dream.
"Damn, what am I seeing?" Jeff cried out, clutching his head in horror. "That old guy just flipped over ten times in mid-air like a stuntman and jumped more than ten meters in one leap. Is this even real?"
He shook his head. "And Sumarokov—he's beating the crap out of that old man! Why did I invite him into the car? He's dangerous!"
"Come on, Jeff, quit joking. Let's figure out who's on the right side here," said Adam Chubbock, another boy in the RV, rolling his eyes. He stroked his chin, feigning deep thought. "We don't know who that old guy is, but based on how Wanda's been acting, I'm pretty sure she's on the good side."
"So that means the old man is the bad guy," Adam concluded.
"OMG," groaned Siri, a girl in the group, covering her face at their oversimplified reasoning. "You call that an analysis?"
Unexpectedly, Lena and Sylvia nodded in agreement. "It makes sense to me," Lena said. "Wanda, Pietro, and Sumarokov have been kind and gentle with us this whole time. If they can get along with us, they can't be bad people."
Jeff shrugged. "So now that we know who's good and bad, are we supposed to pull out the gun I got from my uncle and shoot the old man?"
Adam shook his head. "Trust me, that won't work. Even if you manage to hit him, that guy is probably a hundred times stronger than a rhino. His skin's gotta be impenetrable."
"Great," Jeff said, throwing up his hands. "Are we seriously debating whether we can penetrate his skin? I say we back off another 1000 meters!"
"My dear Mr. Jeff," Lena interrupted, "you're sitting in the driver's seat."
Jeff snapped his fingers. "That's why I respect you, Lena."
"Thanks, but what we need now is for you to actually drive. If we could back off half the planet, I'd be all for it!" she urged.
"Alright, alright, I'm on it," Jeff grumbled as he started reversing the RV again.