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*****
"One ability, one bullet?"
Gwen's mind raced as she processed the realization. So, for every shot Little Lamb fired, was he permanently losing one of his powers? Was that why the previous bullet had been potent enough to wound the Phoenix? Because he had compressed the entirety of a supernatural ability into a single projectile?
While Gwen was awestruck by the sheer scale of Lamb's potential, her maternal instincts flared with worry.
"Don't worry, just watch," Mike said with a calm smile, noticing her tension. "I'm keeping a close eye on his condition."
Mike wouldn't have let his youngest face the Phoenix if he wasn't certain of the boy's safety.
Gwen nodded slowly. "I understand." Even so, her gaze remained fixed on the small figure in the sky.
The closer Little Lamb got to the Phoenix, the more a strange, icy calm settled over him. Despite his burning desire to give the woman a "proper thrashing," his focus was razor-sharp.
The Phoenix hovered opposite him, wisps of Phoenix Force dancing at her fingertips like flickering, sentient flames. She felt a profound sense of absurdity. She had battled gods, cosmic entities, and world-class heroes, yet now she felt a genuine, prickling threat coming from a toddler.
She watched as Lamb leveled the muzzle of his gun at her. Her pride as the most powerful being in this world wouldn't allow her to strike first against a child, but she braced her defenses nonetheless.
It was a moment of hesitation she would immediately regret.
With a series of crisp cracks, multiple bullets tore through the air, approaching from several impossible, "tricky" angles. Because each bullet represented a different ability, they trailed behind them a kaleidoscope of magnificent colors, leaving vivid streaks across the sky like a localized aurora.
This time, however, the Phoenix was prepared. Having already acknowledged Lamb's bullets as a lethal threat, she unleashed the Phoenix Force directly. A ring of golden fire expanded outward, vaporizing the incoming projectiles.
But before she could even draw a breath, Lamb's form blurred. In an instant, the sky seemed to be filled with hundreds of Little Lambs, completely surrounding her in a perfect sphere.
The next second, a torrential rain of rainbow-colored bullets converged on the Phoenix. It looked like a multi-colored nebula collapsing inward, a storm of vibrant destruction. It was beautiful, but Gwen—who knew exactly what those colors represented—could only stare with her mouth agape.
"Dad... just how many abilities does Lamb have?"
Ten? Twenty? No, there had to be at least two more zeros at the end of that number. In a single heartbeat, Lamb had stripped away and fired scores of powers as if they were common lead.
Even Mike's expression became slightly complex. He knew Lamb had awakened many powers, but the sheer volume was staggering. The rate at which the boy was "burning" through his abilities was starting to rival the speed at which Mike went through his own card deck.
"Truly my son," Mike murmured with a hint of pride.
"Won't he run out?" Gwen asked, her voice trembling with concern.
"Impossible," Mike replied firmly. "Lamb isn't a fool. If this barrage was enough to deplete him, he wouldn't be using it this way."
The more likely reality was that Lamb possessed a reservoir of power so deep that this level of expenditure was merely scratching the surface.
As they spoke, the onslaught continued. The bullets pounded against the Phoenix's barriers. Due to their varied origins, the impacts carried bizarre properties: some warped the space they touched, others shattered the very air, and some sought to devour or dissolve the Phoenix's energy.
The explosions of clashing powers created a cacophony of thunderous booms, and the resulting flashes of light and smoke obscured everyone's vision. The Phoenix was completely submerged in the attack.
Little Lamb let out a small, determined huff and slammed the heels of his two revolvers together. Instantly, the twin "Death" pistols fused, transforming into a sleek, imposing sniper rifle—Destruction.
Looking down at the area where the Phoenix was pinned, Lamb pulled the trigger without a moment's hesitation.
Energy condensed at the muzzle before a spinning bullet, encased in a howling hurricane of force, plummeted from the sky.
BOOM!
The impact shook the very foundations of the earth. Massive fissures spider-webbed across the ground like jagged scars, and sand began to flow into the gaps like waterfalls into an abyss. It didn't look like a bullet had hit the ground; it looked like a meteor had fallen from the heavens.
Smoke and dust billowed upward, and a sandstorm of the Phoenix's making swirled around the crater, turning the world into a hazy twilight. But Lamb didn't stop. He pulled the Destruction rifle apart, returning it to the dual-revolver "Death" mode, and unleashed another mesmerizing rain of bullets to finish the job.
Only then did he cease fire.
He activated his Super Vision to peer through the dust. When he saw the state of the Phoenix, he sucked in a sharp breath and immediately zipped back to Mike's side.
"Dad... it's scary. Did I... did I kill her?" Lamb looked at Mike, his eyes wide with a mix of fear and worry. He had never actually killed anyone before.
Gwen started to comfort him. "It's okay, Lamb, you—"
"You'll get used to it," Mike interrupted, ruffling Lamb's hair with a smile.
Gwen: "..." Is that really what a father should say?
Lamb nodded solemnly. "I'll work hard at it!"
Gwen: "!"
Suddenly, movement stirred at the center of the storm.
"Aaaaaah!"
A scream of pure, unadulterated rage tore through the air. Golden Phoenix Force erupted outward in a violent tide, erasing everything it touched. The wave expanded in a perfect circle, scouring the earth. The Phoenix had been beaten into a state of near-insanity by Lamb's relentless assault.
Mike patted Lamb's head again. "Give her two more heavy hits."
"Okay!"
Lamb complied. He fused the revolvers back into the Destruction sniper rifle. His eyes glowed with a dark, eerie light as a bullet radiating terrifying energy fluctuations manifested in the chamber.
Gwen couldn't help but ask, "Lamb, is it really okay to use your powers like this?"
Lamb's face flickered with a brief moment of calculation. "It is a bit of a problem," he murmured. "The speed at which I'm using them is starting to outpace the speed at which I wake up new ones. If I do another ten or so attacks like that, I'll be down to the powers I actually need to keep."
As he spoke, he ignored Gwen's speechless expression and fired two more heavy shots in rapid succession. Since Mike had asked for "two," he would provide exactly two—no more, no less.
Boom!
Amidst the violent explosions, the angry cry of the phoenix faltered. The expanding wall of energy suddenly stalled and then dissipated.
Gwen breathed a sigh of relief, while Lamb pursed his lips, his feelings complicated. He wanted the trouble to end, but he still wasn't mentally prepared to be a killer. Before today, he had barely even bruised anyone.
"Don't overthink it," Mike said, giving the boy's head a firm rub. "The Phoenix isn't that easy to kill."
Though the battlefield was a mess of dust and debris, Mike's Super Vision showed him the truth. The Phoenix was a wreck—covered in wounds, dotted with terrifying bullet holes, and afflicted by the lingering effects of specialized rounds. Curses, toxins, molecular splitting, and explosive ruptures were all taking their toll. By condensing an entire ability into a single point, Lamb had exponentially increased the potency of those powers.
Gascping for air, the Phoenix looked up. When she saw Little Lamb standing by Mike, patting his own chest with a look of relief that she wasn't dead, a fire began to burn in her soul. She was being consumed by a rage she had never known.
What is that expression? These two are insufferable!
Burning golden flames flowed over her skin like liquid, sealing her wounds and mending her flesh. However, she could feel the Phoenix Force itself becoming restless. It was becoming dissatisfied with her as a host.
At that moment, Mike rose into the air, flying toward her. Lamb had fulfilled his promise to protect Gwen and had given the Phoenix a thrashing. Now, it was time for Mike to end this.
The Phoenix's eyes narrowed as she saw him approach. Was Mike Kent finally going to show his hand? An expectant, almost manic excitement flickered across her face.
"The Phoenix Force..." Mike whispered as he slowed to a halt before her. "This is only a fragment of the True Phoenix Force, isn't it?"
The True Phoenix Force would never be this limited.
The Phoenix froze. "How do you know that?"
She only knew that herself because she had communed with the entity after becoming its host. The True Phoenix Force was a multiversal constant, but it had been shattered in an accident, leaving it incomplete. She only held a piece of the puzzle.
Mike went silent for a moment before giving her a wry smile. "Take a guess."
The Phoenix stared at him, her eye twitching. "Fuck you!"
Mike: "!" Hey now! Is that any way for a lady to speak?
A card quietly appeared between Mike's fingertips.
The Phoenix sneered. "You should realize by now that those 'trash' summons you called earlier aren't my match. They're just a waste of time! Show me your real power, Mike Kent!"
Mike shrugged. "That is my power."
Creating cards was his innate ability. Whether it was the strength of a Kryptonian or any other manifestation, they were all just the "flavor" of his card abilities.
Fury flared in the Phoenix's eyes. "Then you can just die!"
She roared, and a massive shockwave in the shape of a phoenix—formed from the very essence of the Phoenix Force—soared toward Mike. This wasn't a telekinetic trick; it was the raw, primal energy of the host. Nothing she had encountered thus far had been able to withstand it.
Mike arched an eyebrow, and the card in his fingers dissolved into points of light.
This was a Fusion Card. Mike never knew exactly what the result would be before he activated one; some were duds, while others were world-shaking. This one, however, was one of his most successful creations—a card so perfect he wasn't sure if he could ever replicate the fusion.
As the light faded, a figure solidified in front of Mike.
The man wore black trousers and a matching top. His hair was silver-white, but a prominent tuft of green stood out at his forehead. Most strikingly, he carried three swords.
Anyone familiar with the world of One Piece would have noticed a striking resemblance to Roronoa Zoro, yet upon closer inspection, many details were different. This was the nature of card fusion.
In Mike's system, there were no limits to the number or type of cards that could be fused, though mixing too many disparate elements usually resulted in "junk" cards. This one had been a miracle.
Name: The True Sword Saint — Zoro Sparta Description: A Fused Character. Note: Slay.
The True Sword Saint.
That was the name Mike had given him. "Zoro Sparta" represented the two primary character cards used: Roronoa Zoro from One Piece and Vergil from Devil May Cry. Because the Zoro card had a higher enhancement level during the fusion, the physical appearance was dominated by his likeness.
Beyond those two, Mike had layered in countless other master swordsmen cards: Mihawk, Vista, Rayleigh, and even various masters from Wuxia worlds. This fusion character possessed a terrifying, transcendent understanding of the blade.
To top it off, Mike had added several legendary weapons—the Yamato and a Zanpakutō—and infused a Space Stone card to provide an infinite well of power.
Faced with the incoming Phoenix blast, the man Mike named Zoro Sparta gave it a disinterested glance. A crisp shing of steel echoed through the air.
Slash!
A streak of jet-black sword-light flashed.
In an instant, the Phoenix's primal shockwave was cleaved into pieces, dissolving into the air like a cloud of harmless fireflies.
The Phoenix's eyes bulged in shock. Mike nodded to himself. Not bad at all.
Zoro Sparta stood calmly, his blade sliding slowly back into its scabbard with a metallic click.
This is impossible! the Phoenix screamed internally.
Suddenly, she saw the man's figure flicker. He vanished from her sight.
Danger!
Following her instincts, the Phoenix blinked away from her current position. In the next microsecond, the space where she had just been standing was sliced into neat, black ribbons of void. Zoro Sparta appeared where she had been.
"Don't push your luck!" the Phoenix hissed.
She channeled the Phoenix Force to bolster her own innate abilities. Suddenly, a massive area fell under her absolute control. The earth, the air, and even the clouds in the sky transformed into lethal, razor-sharp blades under her command.
Zoro Sparta barely lifted his eyelids. His hands moved to the two swords at his waist.
(End of Chapter)