Chapter 16: Wails and Flight
"Come and go as you please? Did you ask my permission?"
Du Wa was surrounded by several xenomorphs, his expression impassive.
Originally, he could have quietly implanted a xenomorph in Abomination to build up his strength and wouldn't have had to reveal his power so soon.
But then, the ill-intentioned Ikaris just had to show up.
"Since you're already here, you might as well stay."
If possible, Du Wa would be more than happy to make Ikaris a part of his brood.
Possessing a poor man's version of a Superman-Xenomorph would also give his combat power a massive boost.
Although it would be incredibly difficult—he didn't currently possess the strength to defeat Ikaris, and it would be very hard to find an opportunity for implantation.
Ikaris would not be as easy a target as Abomination.
Rip!
Ikaris was finally injured.
His opponent didn't just have two arms and two legs, but also a formidable tail and, even more unexpectedly, the terrifyingly lethal... Inner Jaw!
The Abomination-Xenomorph suddenly shot out its Inner Jaw, tearing a piece of flesh from Ikaris's face.
Ikaris's eyes widened. He touched his own bleeding face in disbelief, his eyes instantly turning red.
It wasn't just extreme rage welling up inside him, but also an unprecedented anxiety.
After all, he wasn't the Superman from next door. He could be injured, he could flee, and he would consider the value of a battle—whether it was worth exposing himself and risking his life like this.
Most importantly, Ikaris had no idea where the Abomination-Xenomorph's limits were. The longer they fought, the stronger it became. It was completely messing with his head.
Ikaris roared repeatedly, smashing a fist into the Abomination-Xenomorph's face. He lunged forward, hammering punch after punch onto its head.
The movement speed of the two figures easily broke the sound barrier, and the shockwaves they generated were comparable to bombs, spreading out in visible ripples.
Tanks opened fire one after another, and numerous armed helicopters also launched missiles.
With the fight reaching this stage, the losses were too great. If the Military didn't do something, they would be in an untenable position.
General Ross stood in a helicopter, his eyes vacant as he watched the chaos unfold before him.
If it were just Abomination versus Hulk, there might have been a chance to salvage the situation. But now? Forget it. He was definitely going to be court-martialed.
"Who the hell is this flying guy?! And who is he fighting?!" General Ross couldn't hold back any longer. "Target both of them! Fire!"
Ikaris was hit by a few artillery shells. He turned and swept the area with a blast of heat vision, destroying all the helicopters, including Ross's.
It looked as though General Ross was about to die on the spot.
Iron Man returned, taking the brunt of the explosion with his back. He grabbed Ross with one hand and accelerated, flying to the top of a tall building.
"I don't like you, but if you died here, that would be a real joke," Tony said.
"Tony Stark! You should have let those two monsters kill me."
"You're right. That would have forced the Government to deal with those two, and your super-soldier program could have continued." Tony tossed out the cold words and flew high into the sky, heading back to the scene.
To be honest, he also felt that getting involved like this would lead to a gruesome death. The Mark III armor couldn't block their fists, but he had no other choice.
Just then, perhaps by chance, the Abomination-Xenomorph was taking a continuous beating. Its head was cracked open, and highly corrosive blood splattered out.
Ikaris's eyes lit up. He was about to kill his opponent—at least, that's what normal logic would dictate. But the next second, the corrosive fluid splashed onto his face, and he let out a wail that scarcely sounded human.
Ikaris was stunned. He could physically feel his face "melting"!!
"Aaaaargh!!!"
Ikaris let out a shrill, miserable howl and clutched his face, though this action only caused his hands to become contaminated with the blood, and they too began to dissolve bit by bit.
"Is this a Deviant?" No, this creature was countless times more terrifying than the Deviants. When injured, it became even more dangerous, capable of inflicting even more horrific damage on him!
The Abomination-Xenomorph's ferocity surged. Ignoring its own rapidly healing injuries, it suddenly clasped its two giant hands together and hammered them down on Ikaris.
Ikaris was sent smashing through a dozen skyscrapers by this terrifying force. He was inwardly horrified. Although he still felt deep down that he would be the one to win if the fight continued, facing an enemy that only sprayed more of its terrifying blood and dealt heavier damage the more gravely injured it became... continuing to fight was a losing proposition!
Ikaris weighed the pros and cons and decided to use the momentum to flee!
Flee at all costs!
Fighting to the death with an enemy that wasn't even a Deviant was meaningless. Even if that human possessed extraordinary knowledge and seemed to know many secrets, Ikaris could no longer be bothered with such trivial details.
Finally, Ikaris violently smashed through the attic of a skyscraper from below, precisely hitting the person in his way—General Ross—and turning him into a strange red mist that scattered in all directions.
At that moment, Ikaris didn't even pause. Bathed in gore, letting the streaks of flesh mixed with blood drip from his body, he shot straight into the night sky, disappearing from sight.
As for Ross? Apologies, but no matter how powerful the general was, Ikaris couldn't care less about such an ordinary person. He just wanted to escape to a safe place and clean off this potent acid that had already corroded down to his bones!
Only Tony Stark, who had been rushing to the battlefield just seconds before, hovered in the air in silence for a long moment before dejectedly flying back, looking down at the bloodstains and damage on the rooftop.
"If I said Ross's death had nothing to do with me, that I didn't mean to leave him here, and that it was a pure accident... Jarvis, do you think the judges would believe me?"
"Hard to say, sir. Based on my calculations of your situation, they most likely will not, but they have no conclusive evidence."
"Good. Jarvis, let's get our story straight. Don't let anything slip. If they ask us whether it was on purpose or an accident—"
For the first time, Tony felt that being a superhero was not an easy job.
A death was already trouble, especially when the deceased had a special status and died because Tony had intentionally left him there...
This is tragic.
Don't get me wrong, Tony wasn't saying Ross's fate was tragic. The shady things Ross did behind the scenes couldn't see the light of day. After what happened tonight, even if Ross had lived, the best outcome for him would have been life imprisonment.
Tony felt that *his* situation was tragic. He'd run into something like this so soon after his debut.
Tonight's events had truly taught him a harsh lesson. Abomination and Hulk were one thing, but the two powerful monsters that appeared afterward fought with even more reckless abandon. Their destructive power was astounding, and the psychological shock to the public was even more staggering.
For the first time, people truly realized that these superhumans were living among them, and if they fought without restraint, they could easily create a massive disaster.
Who could deal with people like this? The Military's planes and cannons?
Apparently not. High-powered weapons couldn't just be used anytime and anywhere, and even if they were, they might not be effective.
Tony turned his attention to the Abomination-Xenomorph and quickly followed it, finally landing fifty meters in front of Du Wa.
The incredibly berserk Abomination-Xenomorph's bulging muscles were now slowly retracting. It stood quietly beside Du Wa, showing none of the madness or terror from before.
"Beautiful. Just like a well-behaved little girl. Though I'm guessing it doesn't have a gender."
Tony flew in front of Du Wa, speaking while rapidly reading all the information Jarvis had uploaded about him.
"Tony Stark, it's a pleasure to meet you under these circumstances," Du Wa said with a friendly expression.
"You're celebrating too soon. More trouble will be knocking on your door shortly," Tony said. "Buddy, do you have any idea what a stir these creatures of yours have caused worldwide?"
(end of chapter)