The three greatest geniuses of the Solar System stood in shock as they stared at one figure in mortifying silence.
Their eyes showed a myriad of emotions, disbelief clouding all of them.
“D-Didn’t ..ehk, expect me?” Charles grinned widely, as he spoke with intermittent coughs.
Despite his grin, Charles body was in a terrible condition.
His left hand was cut from the wrist. There were irregular cavities all over his tattered clothes.
Even though the cavities weren’t bleeding, the trio could tell those injuries were actually bitten off flesh by sharp teeth.
“Kuh! Kuh!” Charles slowly limped forward as he cackled.
“Kekeke.” He covered his mouth and threw his head back as his shoulders trembled.
Despite his attempts, he couldn’t stop laughing.
“Hahaha!”
His lips distorted into a savage smile and his eyes emitted a fierce glint.
Ashtarh wanted to attack Charles but held back because of Sarah. Sarah was the same.
On the other hand, Xavier silently slipped away with no intention of attacking Charles.
Somehow, his intuition was screaming at him.
Xavier trusted his brain more than his body and he decided to watch out what Charles had in store.
Charles sensed Xavier’s presence diminishing before it disappeared altogether, but he didn’t mind.
He looked at Ashtarh and was about to clap. But realizing that he didn’t have his left hand, he paused and instead just clenched and released his right hand at quick speed.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
The wind was compressed under his palms and was blown away when he released.
“This is my applause to you, Ashtarh. You taught me a very valuable lesson, today.” Charles said with a serene smile.
If someone else saw his face, they’d think he held no grudges at all and didn’t laugh like a madman a few seconds ago.
“….” Ashtarh frowned at Charles’ words, but asked something else. “Are you perhaps the one who orchestrated the beast tide?”
Sarah’s gaze also condensed as she looked at Charles with a serious expression.
Since it had come to this, the three of them would need to fight Charles anyway. But what if the person who orchestrated the beast tide wasn’t Charles?
“Huh? What tide?” Charles raised a brow in surprise and then shrugged. “I asked all my messengers to leave, how could I know?”
‘He doesn’t seem to be lying.’ Xavier’s voice sounded in their minds, deepening Ashtarh’s and Sarah’s frowns.
“You two don’t look too worried.” Charles’ smile slowly receded. Except Xavier, these two were just frowning and seemed to be thinking of something.
Charles stretched his body and said. “Did you think I was too injured and you three can easily defeat me?”
As he said those words, his aura erupted and like fierce waves, hit them.
Ashtarh’s eyes turned cold when he sensed the power in the aura. It was nowhere close to Charles’ peak or even their peak.
But…it was significantly powerful than their current power.
In other words…
“I’m badly injured, but I can still beat you all.” A bright light flashed and Charles transformed into a huge white were-wolf.
He still had those horrible injuries on his body, but even then, he was stronger than any of them.
Charles’ scarlet eyes glowed with rage as he spat. “Show your greatness! Geniuses”
Boom!
His body disappeared and the next moment, his large fist loomed over Ashtarh.
Ashtarh raised his arms in defense and right before the large white fist struck him, an ice wall appeared in the middle.
Ka!
Ka!
The ice shattered in an instant, but managed to take off some momentum from the fist before it connected with Ashtarh’s arms.
Boom!
Ashtarh felt like he was hit by a truck and the next thing he knew, he was already in mid-air.
His bones creaked and if not for Sarah’s last minute intervention, he might have broken a bone or two.
“Xavier, cooperate. If we can’t fight together, everyone will lose.” Sarah yelled and raised her hand, creating an ice phoenix.
“Screech!” The elemental bird rivaled Charles in size and immediately shot at him with full speed.
‘I know!’ Xavier’s voice sounded in her mind.
“Sarah, I think the Heaven’s Will did the right thing by making you a Dual Awakener. After all, a Sovereign like you will be horrib—”
“Shut up!” Sarah yelled and clenched her fist.
The Ice Phoenix sped and was about to pierce Charles’ neck.
“Hmph!” Charles raised his hand to slap the creature.
Right then, a mental force struck him and he immediately felt the familiar pain.
His brain seemed to pierced by sharp, ice needles and he felt dizzy, almost forcing him to stop.
At the same time, the mental force tried to control his arm that was about to slap the Ice Phoenix.
“Pathetic!” Charles muttered and his hand slapped at the creature with a lowered, but still tremendous speed.
Boom!
Kak!
The Ice Phoenix broke the moment Charles’ palm touched it, but before it did, it let out a screech and pecked his palm with all its strength.
“Guh!”
Blood gushed out of the new injury, and formed a pool of the warm liquid.
Charles sneered, and was about to attack Sarah, but suddenly, he raised his arm.
Boom!
Ashtarh’s body reached Charles’ head like a bullet and he kicked down at Charles’ throat.
Having sensed him already, Charles’ raised his arm in defense.
Boom!
Like an asteroid crashing, Ashtarh’s whole momentum was transferred to his feet and shook Charles’ arm.
Ka! Ka!
Crackling sounds reverberated across the field as blood spewed out of Charles’ arm.
Sarah and Xavier realized it clearly that the difference between them and Charles wasn’t unsurmountable.
With hope came pursuit and right when Charles was about to slap off Ashtarh, Xavier and Sarah attacked the giant Demi-human at the same time.
“Not this time.” Charles said through gritted teeth and persisted the mental attack and bore the ice spears as he slapped away Ashtarh.
Boom!
Ashtarh crashed to the ground and spewed out blood like a fountain. He didn’t even know how many bones he broke now.
But his strength was quickly falling.
“Argh!” Ashtarh staggered onto his feet as his chest heaved up and down.
By then, Sarah and Xavier were already in a brutal fight with Charles.
