Gwen glared at the massive reptilian monster.
"Dr. Connors! I'm taking you down this time!"
Spider-Gwen launched her attack. Though the Lizard's strength could shatter concrete pillars, against the agile Spider-Woman, he could only endure her strikes.
But while Gwen's attacks landed consistently, they caused minimal damage.
The Lizard possessed thick scales and regenerative abilities. Even blows that would kill an ordinary person barely fazed him.
Minor injuries healed almost instantly.
Gwen's fury amplified her strength, but also burned through her stamina. Soon she was gasping for breath.
As exhaustion set in, her speed and power declined. Gradually, she lost her advantage.
Suddenly, the Lizard caught an opening. He seized one of her legs and hurled her away. She crashed into a crumbling wall with tremendous force, leaving a body-shaped crater.
Having only recently gained her powers, Gwen couldn't recover from such devastating impact. Intense pain overwhelmed her.
She struggled to rise, but the terrifying green figure already loomed above, blocking the dim streetlights, casting her in shadow.
A vicious sound tore through the air. The Lizard's kick sent her flying again. This time, she completely lost the ability to resist.
Heavy footsteps approached. Gwen tried desperately to lift her head, to stand, but her body refused to obey.
She stared in despair at the Lizard advancing slowly. The shadow of death enveloped her.
Dr. Connors, transformed into this monster, had lost all humanity. She didn't believe he'd show mercy.
Is this it? I just gained these powers... and now I'm going to die?
No. I don't want to die!
But the agony radiating through her body and her unresponsive limbs told her she had no strength left to resist.
She would sink into death's abyss, just like that man moments ago!
Then, impossibly, a voice called from the distance. The owner of that voice should be dead—making Gwen think she was hallucinating.
But when the Lizard stopped and turned, she realized she'd heard correctly.
The gentleman from before... he's alive!
How was that possible?!
The voice confirmed her impossible hope:
"Hey! Didn't you hear me? Ugly!"
As the Lizard turned toward him, Leon's mouth curved into a vicious arc.
"You attacked me directly. Did you think I was easy prey?"
The Lizard regarded Leon with confusion. Why was this insect alive again?
Professor Connors possessed exceptional intelligence, but his transformation reduced him to a low-intelligence monster driven more by destructive instinct than rational thought.
After a moment's pause at seeing Leon alive, the Lizard immediately charged, intent on tearing this pest apart!
Witnessing this, Gwen didn't understand how the gentleman had survived, but she knew he couldn't match the Lizard!
She shouted a warning:
"Run!"
But what happened next made her eyes widen in disbelief.
ROAR!
The Lizard bellowed and rushed Leon.
Despite his bulky appearance, the Lizard moved fast. His apparent clumsiness only existed in comparison to Spider-Woman's agility.
In truth, his speed, reflexes, and agility matched hers—his massive frame merely traded velocity for devastating power.
Charging at Leon, he resembled a freight truck barreling forward at full speed.
But it was just a truck.
Leon extended one hand. Space itself began layering, overlapping infinitely, making it impossible for any object to reach him.
The Limitless Technique.
Under Gwen's horrified gaze, the massive Lizard was about to collide with the slender gentleman. With that thin frame, he'd surely be crushed to pulp!
She couldn't bear to watch what came next.
Yet the gentleman simply raised his hand, blocking the path. Against the enormous Lizard, that thin arm looked as fragile as a chopstick.
But that single slender arm stopped the Lizard completely.
What just happened?
What's wrong with this world? Why don't I recognize it anymore?
Questions exploded through Gwen's mind!
Watching the Lizard struggle futilely, unable to advance a single inch, Leon smiled brightly.
"Come on, try harder! Maybe if you really push yourself, you'll actually touch me!"
Unable to endure such mockery, the Lizard erupted with even greater force. Muscles knotted across his entire body as he unleashed his most powerful strike.
But...
Still nothing.
That gap of mere centimeters might as well have been the distance between worlds.
After toying with the Lizard briefly, Leon's patience expired. He converted stored energy into pure cursed energy, flooding his entire body.
Time to end this.
At his current fusion level, even with cursed energy enhancement, Leon couldn't match the Lizard's raw strength.
But with the Six Eyes' guidance, the Lizard was merely an oversized punching bag.
The Limitless barrier remained active. The Lizard couldn't touch Leon at all, but Leon could strike the Lizard at will.
Each attack, amplified by cursed energy, landed with devastating effect. In Gwen's shocked eyes, the seemingly thin gentleman beat the Lizard down, completely dominating him!
Like a master martial artist, every one of Leon's movements combined elegance with lethality.
CRACK!
His foot collided with the Lizard's chest. The creature flew backward, smashing through several walls before crashing to the ground.
But immediately, he rose again. Though Leon's attack had caused significant damage, the Lizard's terrifying regeneration restored him instantly.
Gwen's momentarily hopeful eyes dimmed once more.
That was how she'd lost—this horrifying regenerative ability. Even if the gentleman possessed surprising strength, he'd be exhausted to death if he couldn't inflict fatal damage faster than the Lizard could heal.
She called out to him:
"Sir! The Lizard has incredibly strong regeneration! If you can't defeat him in one decisive blow, he'll wear you down!
Your damage output needs to exceed his healing speed!"
Leon ignored Spider-Woman, focusing instead on the increasingly savage Lizard. Once his injuries healed, the creature charged again.
A cold smile crossed Leon's features. He looked at the monster and sneered:
"Did you really think I couldn't finish you?"
He extended his palm, slender fingers curling slightly inward. His voice turned glacial:
"Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue!"