The Ten Rings' immense influence and power stemmed from one man: the Mandarin.
And the Mandarin's own formidable strength came from the ten mystical rings adorning his fingers.
He had discovered these rings within the wreckage of an alien starship long ago, using them as the foundation to build his empire.
Each of these ten rings possessed a different, wondrous power, making them truly miraculous artifacts.
Coincidentally or perhaps not Clark was also an "extraterrestrial visitor." This made him inherently wary of so-called "alien products."
Uncertain of the rings' full capabilities, Clark had even taken the precaution of layering the Phoenix Force's flames over his left hand as a protective barrier during his initial probe.
An outer shell of Phoenix energy, with the body of Superman beneath.
Clark had come prepared. He had personally intercepted the ring's attack, testing its power firsthand.
As for the result…
Well, let's just say the ring's attack was… decent.
But that was all.
It could seriously injure an ordinary powerhouse, but against a super-soldier and supreme tank like Clark, it was barely more than an annoying tickle.
It was almost funny how cautious Clark had been, layering on extra protection with the Phoenix Force.
…
Clark crooked the fingers of his right hand, beckoning the Mandarin, then pointed to his own chest.
"Got any more of those? Come on, aim here. Let me get a better feel for your little rings."
Such an infuriating request was unheard of to the Mandarin.
But he was in no state to process the insult. He was utterly bewildered.
The Snake-Man suddenly appearing elsewhere could still be explained away by a spatial-type mutant.
But this? How did one explain this?
Could spatial manipulation also teleport away the magical attacks from his rings?
The Mandarin thought it over carefully and realized… it might actually be possible.
His knowledge of spatial-type mutants was limited, his understanding fragmentary.
Perhaps the ring's "Flame Blast" magic was simply countered by spatial abilities?
Suppressing his confusion, he activated the white ring on his left thumb.
"If you insist, I shall grant your wish! Electro-White Light!"
A magnetic attack in the form of an electromagnetic spectrum was unleashed through the white ring, possessing terrifying destructive and impact force!
Clark took it head-on. Aside from his ears feeling a bit noisy, he felt nothing else.
Clark was amused. He looked at the ten rings on the Mandarin's hands with growing interest.
"Again! Again! Don't stop. Let me have a proper look at the power of these ten rings. I think they're worthy of becoming part of my collection."
The Mandarin was enraged!
Since obtaining the rings and founding the Ten Rings, when had he ever encountered something like this?
Gritting his teeth, he activated the remaining rings one by one.
Due to the massive energy expenditure, his face instantly aged, looking much more haggard and weary.
"Lightning Storm!"
"Psychic Shock!"
"Molecular Disruption!"
"Black Ray!"
"Vortex!"
"Sonic Beam!"
"Disintegration!"
"Ice Blast!"
The eight remaining magical attacks from the ten rings were unleashed in sequence. With each activation, the Mandarin's despair grew threefold!
…
The significantly aged Mandarin watched as Clark calmly took every single one of these attacks without so much as flinching.
He was on the verge of losing his mind.
The current situation had far exceeded his comprehension.
He had encountered people who could withstand a ring's attack before.
But that was just blocking one magical assault. He had never seen anyone who could tank all ten attacks and still be hopping around alive!
He never believed such a person could exist!
But now, he was a believer.
And it filled his heart with utter despair.
The last shred of his rationality screamed that once his ten signature moves were exhausted and his opponent remained standing, he would be the one to die.
The many underlings of the Ten Rings also sensed the dire turn.
No one was a fool.
The once-majestic Mandarin was visibly weakening before their eyes. All of their leader's attacks had been completely nullified.
And the other guy, that infuriating school headmaster, was still alive and kicking the outcome was crystal clear.
Many felt their hearts sink, knowing the wisest choice now was to flee!
But looking left and right, they were met with despair.
The fifty-plus members of the Saint Kent security team had, unnoticed, formed a semi-circle around them. Escaping would inevitably mean a fight!
Before this, none of the Ten Rings members would have hesitated.
But now, with the Mandarin being toyed with so effortlessly by the unknown headmaster, the perceived strength of these security guards had also risen to become unfathomable in their minds.
Not a single one dared to make the first move.
Everyone in the Ten Rings, including the Mandarin, was filled with profound regret.
If they had known Saint Kent Academy was such a tough nut to crack, they would never have come!
Bitterness flooded the Mandarin's heart.
He had attacked S.H.I.E.L.D., successfully seized Shang-Chi the situation had been overwhelmingly in his favor.
So why, in that moment, had the thought to trouble Saint Kent Academy even crossed his mind?
Regret!
Nothing remained in his heart but regret!
At this moment, the Mandarin couldn't help but recall Sandman's words to him.
Sandman had told him he was no match for anyone sent by Saint Kent Academy.
The Mandarin had never believed him. But now he realized Sandman had been telling the truth all along!
But it was too late.
…
Clearing his throat awkwardly, the Mandarin took two unnatural steps back.
"Ahem… Sandman was a lieutenant of the Ten Rings. That means our sides are… connected. Fighting would be… unbecoming. I'll just take my men and leave…"
Clark brushed the dust off his clothes.
"You started the fight, hurled the insults, worked up your temper. You were all 'knock them out and take them,' and now you want to talk about connections?"
Clark straightened his sleeves and lifted his head.
"You think you're worthy of claiming a connection with me?"
"You got to test your rings on me. Now… it's my turn."
The Mandarin's guard was up to the maximum, bracing for the impending attack.
However, the speed of Clark's strike was far beyond what his old eyes could perceive.
In the next instant, the Mandarin only felt a sharp, bloody agony erupt from both his hands. When his vision cleared, he found the ten rings he had worn day and night were gone!
"MY RINGS!!!"
Anguish and sorrow made him shriek instantly!
Clark held the ten rings in his palm, lightly tossing them into the air a few times, deep in thought.
"Together, they weigh over a kilogram… That's not a weight suitable for rings meant for humans."
"The alien race that created these must have been large in stature, possessing both powerful magical energy and advanced technological prowess…"
Clark murmured softly, a possibility forming in his mind.
In his knowledge, one race fit that description quite well.
The race of that purple-skinned fool… the now-extinct Titan race.
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