Hearing the playful chatter from inside the RV, Leon smirked. "These kids are really optimistic."
Keisha began to explain, "Based on human genetics and personality analysis—" but Leon quickly cut her off. "Okay, enough. The old guy's losing his patience."
Whoosh!
Golden arcs sliced through the night as black tattered fabric fluttered in the wind. The old man, standing at the edge of the road, frowned as he reached up and removed his black round hat—now sliced in half. He let the ruined hat fall to the ground and turned his focus to the tall, muscular young man in front of him. In both of his hands, Sumarokov held two blades, connected by chains, with red handles and golden swords gleaming ominously.
Before the old man could speak, he noticed something strange: the air around him was filled with a red, chaotic energy. In the distance, a figure was hurtling toward him at supersonic speed.
The target was clear: him.
Before he could react, Pietro's fist collided with his face with a deafening boom, like thunder erupting in the night. The sheer force of the blow distorted the old man's skin, and his body was sent spiraling backward uncontrollably.
Waiting for him in midair was Sumarokov.
Inhaling deeply, his muscles tensed as he gripped the twin blades. With a flash of golden steel, he swung the swords in an intricate cross pattern. The old man's body flew straight into it, and in an instant, his form disintegrated—shattered into thousands of tiny pieces.
Sumarokov had swung his blades thousands of times in a second, effortlessly slicing the old man apart.
As the pieces of the old man's body scattered across the wet ground, Pietro, having just unleashed his sonic punch, shook his head. "That was brutal."
Sumarokov grinned. "My double sword technique isn't for the faint of heart."
Anyone witnessing such a scene would be filled with terror. Swinging a blade thousands of times in a single second is beyond human capability. Even Wolverine, with his regenerative powers, would be reduced to shredded flesh by Sumarokov's relentless strikes.
If Sergei was a well-rounded warrior, Sumarokov was a genius in his own right, with talents that far exceeded even Sergei's. His speed and extraordinary hearing set him apart. Sumarokov's hearing was far superior to ordinary people, allowing him to develop a unique combat style—sound breathing. His technique was perfectly tailored to his abilities, rivaling even the famous thunder breathing in power, perhaps even surpassing it.
Wanda approached, her attention focused on the remains of the disintegrated corpse in front of her. She spoke softly, "Something's not right."
Pietro and Sumarokov raised their eyebrows. "Something's wrong?" Pietro asked.
Wanda nodded. "I can feel it... he—or whatever that thing is—it's not dead yet."
Without hesitation, Wanda extended her right hand. The chaotic energy of her magic flared to life, swirling violently as she focused on the remains. With a sharp gesture, she clenched her fist.
Boom!
The space in front of them, spanning hundreds of meters, suddenly collapsed under the immense force of her chaos magic. Everything in that space—rain, gravel, soil, and even the scattered pieces of the corpse—was crushed into nothingness.
Pietro and Sumarokov exchanged glances, knowing full well just how overwhelming Wanda's chaos magic could be. As members of the same family, they had seen her unleash this kind of power before.
It could be said that, aside from Leon, Wanda was unquestionably the most powerful in the entire family. Pietro, while formidable with his incredible speed, was still outmatched by Wanda's chaos magic. Pietro's speed was impressive, but it paled in comparison to the raw, terrifying power of her abilities. However, it was rare to see Wanda unleash her chaos magic to its fullest potential, so few fully grasped the extent of her strength.
Now, feeling the weight of Wanda's power firsthand, Pietro and Sumarokov exchanged uneasy glances. The cold determination on Wanda's face left them both swallowing nervously. They silently vowed never to show off in front of her again—one misstep, and she could crush their internal organs without a second thought.
Just as they were contemplating Wanda's terrifying abilities, an ominous and suffocating presence suddenly erupted from the front. It felt like a monstrous force from the depths of hell, cold and overwhelmingly powerful. The atmosphere around them shifted; time and space seemed to freeze.
A low, hoarse voice echoed, "You are more powerful than I thought. Before, I was bound by the contract. But now, even if it means offending that person, I will drag your souls to hell."
The ground began to tremble violently, cracks forming across the highway, while the torrential rain was forced back into the sky under the immense pressure of this dark force.
Wanda, Pietro, and Sumarokov stood their ground like unyielding pillars, unaffected by the chaos around them. Despite the earth shaking beneath them, they remained still, their focus locked on the terrifying sight ahead.
In the space that Wanda had crushed with her chaos magic, something even more horrifying was happening—the blood and remnants of the figure began to reform, taking on a human shape.
A new figure emerged, vastly different from the previous image of the gentlemanly old man. This creature stood tall, with red skin, a thin and grotesque body, and a face twisted with ugliness.
His sharp teeth gleamed, and his eyes radiated violence and greed. Behind him, a devilish, slender tail flicked back and forth, while a tattered, bright red cloak clung to his bare upper body.
The pouring rain and the oppressive aura surrounding him felt like a mountain pressing down on Wanda, Pietro, and Sumarokov.
The sheer power of this monster exceeded their expectations, filling all three of them with a palpable sense of danger. It was a chilling realization: they were facing a true life-or-death crisis.
As they squared off against the monster, Jeff and the others had retreated several kilometers back in their RV. Armed with high-precision night vision binoculars, they watched the unfolding scene in awe. Their jaws dropped, shock evident on everyone's faces.
"Look! I knew it! Now there's some kind of ugly monster!" Adam excitedly slapped his friend's shoulder, his voice loud with excitement. "Wanda and Pietro must've noticed the creature, which is why they told us to stay in the car!"
"Yeah... looks like you were right, Adam. You're amazing," Lena responded absentmindedly, her eyes glued to the binoculars. But as she watched the unfolding battle, her heart raced. The fantasy playing out before her felt almost surreal. It was as if her wildest dreams had come to life—and only she could fully appreciate it.