{Chapter: 350 X Human Form}
William knelt on one knee, his body trembling under the weight of the transformation taking place within him. His face contorted in agony, and from time to time, a pale green light flickered in his pupils like an unstable energy surge. His breathing was shallow, ragged—every inhalation felt like dragging broken glass into his lungs.
He gritted his teeth and whispered to himself, "Just a little more… just hold on, damn it."
The pain wasn't just physical—it was cellular, molecular. Before the battle had reached this stage, William had taken a calculated risk. He'd injected himself with the experimental X Serum. This was the reason for all his stalling tactics earlier; he needed time—not for some clever trick, but for the serum to fully integrate with his cellular structure. Every moment bought was another inch closer to victory.
As simulated by the White Queen's projections, the X Serum followed a complex route in his body. First, it attempted to merge with his blood—but the hyper-aggressive T cells rejected it outright. Then it tried to burrow into his bones, but even there, the deformed meta-cells struck it down like foreign invaders. It was only when it reached the dermal layers—the very edge of his biological territory—that the serum found a temporary truce.
In a desperate act of preservation, the serum began to merge with the skin cells, rewriting their function on a genetic level. His skin morphed, cell by cell, into a translucent light green as if absorbing energy directly from another dimension. The sensation was unbearable—like being skinned alive from the inside out.
A tortured scream burst from William's throat as his back arched and veins pulsed unnaturally beneath his glowing skin.
Outside the arena, Jane Foster's hands shot to her mouth, her eyes wide with horror. "No—no, William!" she cried, unable to take her eyes off him. "Please, don't die. I can't… I can't lose you again…"
"Such foolish attachment," Odin muttered from his throne, stroking his beard. His expression was grim, yet tinged with satisfaction. "He should never have stood against Asgard. His fate was sealed the moment he entered the ring."
Sif clenched her fists at Odin's words. She glanced at Jane, then back to William, her storm-grey eyes conflicted. "He's reckless… arrogant… but why… why does it hurt to watch him fall?" she whispered, trembling. "He's not supposed to matter to me."
The golden-armored Mangog, now standing at eight meters tall, loomed over the kneeling William. With a roar that shook the air, he raised his enormous war axe high into the sky. "Everything… for the glory of Asgard!" he bellowed, bringing the axe down with divine fury.
"All of Asgard!" the crowd chanted in unison, voices echoing like a tidal wave. "Kill him! Kill him! Kill—"
"NO!" Jane screamed, stepping forward before Heimdall gently blocked her path with his staff. Her tears fell freely. "You can't take him from me!"
Sif turned her face away from the strike, her heart hammering with dread. "It's over," she muttered. "He's gone."
Odin leaned forward on his throne and said coldly, "For peace to exist across the Nine Realms… sacrifices must be made."
But then— Boom!
The axe collided with nothing but air, smashing a crater deep into the earth. William had vanished, his form flickering away like a specter.
Mangog snarled, whipping his head around. "Damn you! You slippery little rat, you think you can escape judgment?!"
Ten meters away, William reappeared—standing tall. Steam rose from his shoulders, and his skin still shimmered faintly with light green hues.
Mangog narrowed his eyes. "You should have died from that strike."
William chuckled softly and turned to face his enemy. "You're not the first who's tried… and you won't be the last."
From the stands, Jane's knees gave way and she dropped to the ground in relief. Her chest heaved as she clutched her hands together in silent thanks. "He's alive… he's really alive…"
Sif's breath caught in her throat. "He dodged… That bastard actually survived. Why does my heart… feel lighter?" Her knuckles turned white as she tightened her grip on her sword. "No. I hate him. I should hate him."
Yet deep inside, buried under years of loyalty, duty, and Asgardian pride… something stirred.
In the Arena
A storm of tension loomed in the air. The arena, a coliseum of gods and warriors, held its collective breath as the Mangog—an ancient monster of wrath—stood fuming in the center of the battlefield.
Mangog snarled, his voice trembling with rage. "Impossible! I missed?!" His heavy steps cracked the stone beneath him as he turned back toward William. "In front of the All-Father… before all of Asgard… I missed?! Damn it all!"
High above, Odin narrowed his eyes, his jaw clenched. Beside him, Sif shifted uncomfortably, her hand twitching toward her sword's hilt even though she wasn't in the fight. She didn't know why.
William rose from the dust, eyes gleaming with mischief despite the cuts across his face. "Big idiot," he taunted, spitting blood to the side. "You've already lost. A new battle has begun… and I should thank you. You've given me exactly what I needed—time."
"You arrogant worm!" Mangog roared. "Then go to hell!"
With the speed and fury of a collapsing star, Mangog lunged. His golden axe, glowing with divine energy, whistled through the air toward William's head.
But at that moment, a blue shimmer erupted in front of William. A shield—sleek and hexagonal—materialized just in time to intercept the blow.
DUANG!
A visible shockwave radiated from the point of impact. William slid back across the ground, boots carving deep ruts into the stone, each footstep leaving behind a smoking crater. The crowd gasped.
"Haaaa!" Mangog roared again, his voice cracking with fury. He surged forward, slamming down the axe once more with monstrous strength.
This time, William was hurled like a broken puppet, sailing hundreds of meters across the arena before crashing into the energy barrier with a bone-shattering impact. The shield fizzled and disappeared.
He groaned, coughing violently, blood trickling down his lips. Mangog sneered, stalking forward like a lion ready to devour its prey. "You disappoint me. I thought you might be worthy of a real fight. Turns out you're just another pretender. There is no new battle."
From the dust, laughter emerged. Ragged, painful—but unmistakably amused.
"Haha… Hahaha…"
William stood slowly, ribs cracked, face bruised, and eyes still shining defiantly.
"Still laughing? I'll silence you myself!" Mangog charged with unnatural speed. In a blink, he closed the gap and swung down.
BANG!
William smashed into the energy barrier again, this time pinned by the divine axe. The wall rippled with pressure. His body was limp, motionless beneath the crushing force.
Jane, watching from the stands, fell to her knees. "William… no… please…" Her voice cracked with heartbreak, her hands trembling. "Don't leave me… I still haven't told you…"
Sif's eyes were wide, heart pounding against her chest. She muttered under her breath, "He's dead… it's over…" But the words felt hollow in her mouth. A part of her—a deep, buried part—ached.
Odin's expression was unreadable. "Justice has been done. The universe must be protected. Asgard has paid too high a price to tolerate threats any longer."
Mangog bellowed triumphantly. "I killed him! The devil is dead!" The crowd of Asgardians erupted into cheers.
But Mangog's grin faltered.
Because William's eyes opened.
Smiling.
His voice echoed with eerie calm, "Actually, I was just joking."
A blast of green light erupted from his body, his skin igniting in translucent green flames. His muscles convulsed, growing, swelling, tearing through his bloodied clothes. His scream pierced the skies as raw power strength from every pore.
"What's happening to him?!" Mangog stumbled back in disbelief.
Jane gasped. "He's… changing again?"
William threw his head back and roared to the sky. His eyes blazed like emerald stars, and green flame surged outward, shattering the ground beneath his feet into fragments. The shockwave blew back dust and spectators alike.
Veins bulged along his arms. His hair shimmered and rose skyward, spiking into a glowing, light-green mane—like a storm made solid. His entire body pulsed with rhythmical surges of power.
He was reborn.
The skin turned green.
"X-Human Form," William whispered, clenching his fists. With that motion, an invisible detonation burst from his body, cracking stone and lifting Mangog slightly off his feet.
Sif's lips parted in awe. "He's not supposed to have this kind of power… no human is."
Jane stood, tears still in her eyes. "You came back to me…" she whispered. "You promised."
"I'm still here, Jane," William said softly, without turning, his voice carried by the wind to her heart. "I couldn't leave you behind."
Mangog roared in defiance. "NO! I won't be overshadowed by a mortal! YOU ARE NOTHING!"
He leaped high, axe raised, aiming to cleave William from head to toe.
"Then come and try, faker," William growled.
With inhuman reflexes, William shot upward, intercepting the strike mid-air. His fist, wreathed in green flame, collided with the axe—stopping it cold.