The light cannon was powered by energy crystals, making it an ideal choice in a situation where all surrounding elements were under Avery's control. This was Gregori's hidden card.
Without hesitation, he fired the first shot. Volkhv who is standing nearby, feared the cannon's shockwaves might harm their own group, so he quickly conjured protective barriers around them.
Boom!
A massive shockwave rippled outward as the projectile struck the water dragon squarely in the head. In an instant, the dragon began to disintegrate, its form crumbling into droplets that scattered like rain.
The ensuing blast sent towering waves—hundreds of meters high—crashing over the surrounding ocean. The waves surged toward the shore, threatening to engulf coastal structures in their path.
The battle had now escalated to a catastrophic level, with Gotham's fate hanging by a thread.
Seeing this unfold, Avery couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. Perhaps he wasn't entirely surprised by today's events. Ever since he discovered a human-tech chip embedded in the minds of their organization's members—combined with magical restrictions designed to prevent the leakage of sensitive information—he had suspected that this hybrid of technology and magic might yield such results.
The weapon's effectiveness was indeed astonishing, capable of shattering his spell directly.
Avery lightly tapped his staff, calming the towering waves. As he did so, he noticed out of the corner of his eye that the enemy was already aiming for another attack. There wasn't enough time to stop them. Considering the city of Gotham behind him, he hesitated for only a moment before decisively raising his hand to conjure a vast curtain of water. The shimmering barrier encircled both him and the city behind him.
Through the targeting scope, Gregori observed this unexpected move. Seeing Avery include the city within his protective circle, Gregori froze for a moment before a cold smile crept across his lips. "How arrogant. Does he really think he can get out of this unscathed?"
Just as Gregori's finger tightened on the trigger, a sudden, searing pain shot through his wrist, paralyzing his hand. A tremendous force wrenched his fingers away from the trigger.
"No, such a dangerous weapon shouldn't be used so recklessly," a calm voice announced.
Gregori turned toward the source of the voice, his eyes widening. A man clad in a blue bodysuit with a red cape, an iconic "S" emblazoned on his chest, and a single curl of dark hair dangling over his forehead stood there, his expression severe.
How could this man be here? Gregori's heart sank. The commotion had clearly drawn attention, and worse, more people might follow.
Instantly recognizing the newcomer, Gregori silently cursed.
With the attack interrupted, Avery wasted no time. In the blink of an eye, he teleported over to the scene.
"Well, well. So, this is one of the results of your years of research? Not bad," Avery said with a light chuckle. Without hesitation, he turned to the still-stunned Gregory, stretched out his hand, and pressed it firmly onto the man's head.
In mere seconds, Gregory's body began to wither visibly. His skin dried and cracked as if all the moisture had been sucked out of him. Within moments, he was reduced to a lifeless husk.
With a flick of his fingers, Avery turned the shriveled corpse into a fine dust that scattered into the sea.
Clark Kent who is known as Superman, stared at the scene in stunned disbelief. He had never witnessed such brutality. His eyes locked onto Avery—a white-robed figure with flowing silver hair who exuded an air of mystique and elegance. Yet the same man had just effortlessly ended a life with chilling detachment.
Superman struggled to find words.
Not far away in the water, a muscular, golden-haired man with strikingly handsome features exchanged a bewildered glance with a fish that had surfaced nearby. He began to reassess his view of the situation—and of Avery.
Back in Gotham, Batman sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he watched the events unfold. The nearby hostages, bound and immobilized, were visibly terrified, clearly fearing they might be next.
In the Batcave, Dick Grayson turned toward Alfred in a daze. Once again, he couldn't resist asking the butler how on earth he had raised such a merciless son.
Alfred, ever composed, showed no reaction. As a former spy, he was no stranger to eliminating threats to public safety and had no qualms about taking lives when necessary. However...
The older man's brow furrowed slightly. Even he had to admit this particular act was excessively ruthless—especially in front of Bruce. While Batman wasn't one to obsess over every death, Avery's unflinching brutality might strain their relationship moving forward.
Returning to the battlefield, Superman finally found his voice, though he was still visibly shaken. Avery, unfazed, gave him a warm smile. "Might I trouble you to leave him to me?"
His tone was gentle and polite, radiating friendliness.
But as Superman recalled the horrific scene he'd just witnessed...
Superman: "…"
Superman didn't immediately voice an opinion. Unaware of the full context, he decided to ask first, "Can you tell me what they've done? Otherwise, I can't just hand him over to you."
Avery's expression flickered slightly, but he replied, "I'm sorry, but that's not convenient to explain. However, leaving him alive would definitely be a disaster."
Avery adhered to the principle of eliminating threats at their root. Leaving an enemy alive meant the possibility of them reappearing one day to strike back, potentially endangering not just him but those around him. Therefore, this man had to die.
However, his explanation felt too flimsy. At the very least, it wasn't enough to convince Superman, who was meeting Avery for the first time and already wary of his ruthless methods. Yet, thinking about how the captured man had nearly unleashed a weapon powerful enough to obliterate an entire city, Superman couldn't entirely dismiss Avery's reasoning. A threat of that magnitude was undeniable—surely, the man had known the catastrophic consequences his actions could bring.
As Superman mulled over a solution, he suddenly heard a voice whisper in his ear, "Turn around."