Meanwhile, back on the Navy vessel, the scene was brimming with tension.

Val expertly sidestepped a vicious swing from Shaw, a punch that would've connected squarely with his face. In a fluid motion, he responded, his fist landing with a powerful thud against Shaw's gut.

* WHAM *

Swiftly, Val landed two more forceful blows on Shaw - one targeted at the vulnerable region of his liver and another aimed squarely at his ribs.

* WHAM *

* WHAM *

In the ensuing moments, Val deftly sprung back, creating some much-needed space between himself and Shaw. He didn't want to be within striking distance, allowing Shaw an easy opportunity to counterattack.

As he retreated, Val's gaze fell upon Shaw, specifically the areas on his body that bore the brunt of his blows. Those spots were emanating an ominous red glow. A few seconds passed and the glow gradually faded, leaving behind a grimacing Shaw nursing his injuries.

Val understood the mechanics at play - the unique ability that set Shaw apart. Shaw was absorbing the kinetic energy from Val's punches, transforming it into raw power to fortify himself. This characteristic made Shaw a difficult opponent for many, as each physical blow dealt against him only served to enhance his strength, rendering him nearly invincible.

Yet Val knew that Shaw wasn't invulnerable. The simplest route to defeating him, as shown in the film, was through psychic manipulation, seizing control of his body and ending his life. But Val had no intention of replicating that strategy. He had always believed that the film did not fully portray the extent of Shaw's power, that the character had been nerfed, so to speak. Now that he had the opportunity, he was keen to determine the true extent of Shaw's capabilities for himself.

Exhaling deeply, Shaw felt a surge of power coursing through his veins as he absorbed the kinetic energy from Val's attacks. Turning his gaze to Val, he said, "Your punches only serve to fuel my strength." A faint smirk danced on his lips as he added, "It appears you have some secrets of your own."

"You won't be around long enough to discover them," Val replied, lunging towards Shaw in a rush of movement. Shaw poised himself for the imminent attack, his fists raised defensively, ready for Val's offensive strike.

Unfazed, Val launched the first punch, targeting Shaw's chin. However, Shaw's enhanced speed served him well, allowing him to dodge Val's punch with ease. Without missing a beat, Shaw counterattacked, his fist hurtling towards Val's stomach.

* WHAM *

Shaw pressed his attack further, launching two more strikes in quick succession. One of his fists shot towards Val's ribs, while the other found its trajectory towards his face.

* WHAM *

* WHAM *

Without losing momentum, Shaw then sprang into the air, launching both of his legs in a powerful strike aimed directly at Val's chest.

* WHAM *

Shaw regained his footing as he landed while Val was sent reeling backward from the force of Shaw's kick.

Absorbing the kinetic energy in the air around him, Shaw advanced towards Val, confidence fueling his stride. His strength, enhanced to superhuman levels from the energy he'd absorbed from Val's punches and the prior explosion, suggested to him that Val should be nursing severe injuries by now.

If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

Yet, as he drew closer, Shaw was met with a surprise. In a blink, an after-image of Val flickered, then solidified into reality. In a swift motion, Val spun, landing a solid kick to Shaw's face, taking him off guard.

* WHAM *

The sheer force of the kick propelled Shaw through the air, and he landed with a thud several meters away on the deck.

Like a sponge soaking up water, he absorbed the kinetic energy from the impact, allowing him to rise to his feet effortlessly just moments later. As he turned around, he was met with the sight of Val, standing unperturbed and seemingly unhurt. Shaw narrowed his eyes in suspicion, the cogs in his mind turning rapidly as he contemplated the reason for Val's resilience.

His gaze focused on Val, he asked, "It seems you too possess the power to absorb energy, don't you?"

Val's lips curved into a knowing smile as he brushed off tiny fragments of metal that clung to his clothing. He replied while chuckling softly, "Well, you got at least something right."

With a sneer on his lips, Shaw coalesced his power into a concentrated sphere of red-hot energy. Holding it aloft like a threat, he challenged Val, "Then, absorb this," and hurled the radiant orb towards him.

All the while, Val's smile remained unbroken. He watched the ball of energy hurtling towards him with an air of tranquility. Just as it neared him, much to Shaw's stunned disbelief, Val reached out with a casual grace and took control of the energy ball, manipulating it as effortlessly as if it were a toy. The corner of his lips curled up into a smirk as he regarded Shaw, "It's a nice circus trick. Maybe useful for spooking kids, but not grown-ups like me."

Shaw's anger flared at Val's dismissive remarks, "Trick?! You call my power to a mere circus gimmick?! Now you shall witness my true strength," he declared. He conjured a larger, more potent sphere of energy, and with all his might, he flung it at Val.

Yet, once again, Val showcased his prowess by effortlessly subduing the larger energy sphere. Now, with an energy ball whirling in each hand, he looked at Shaw with a provoking smirk, "Is this all you've got? I had imagined you to be more powerful than this," he taunted.

Seething with anger, Shaw gritted his teeth and created another sphere of energy, this one larger and denser than the previous two. With a triumphant smirk, he said, "Try to absorbing this one," before catapulting the sphere towards Val.

Val, meanwhile, had already assimilated the previous energy balls into himself, bracing for the incoming attack. As the formidable sphere neared him, he once again exerted his control over it, deftly spinning it on his fingertip. He shot Shaw a teasing look and mocked, "So, this is the limit of your power? How weak!"

Shaw was incensed, the taunts of weakness reverberating through his mind like a cruel joke. 'Weak? Me - a weakling?!, he thought. Never in his life since discovering his abilities had he been called weak. This humiliation, this mockery of his powers on which he prided himself so much, was a bitter pill he could not swallow. Emotions swirled within him - helplessness, fury, vexation - converging on one singular, burning desire: to obliterate the insignificant creature he deemed Val to be. Deciding to pull no punches, he made his intentions clear.

"I'll show you who's truly weak here!", Shaw shouted and channeled all his accumulated energy into the creation of the most catastrophic energy sphere yet. But as he did so, he realized his reserves were dangerously close to depletion. Undeterred, he decided to absorb the kinetic energy swirling in the wind around him. Unbeknownst to him, he had unknowingly sealed his fate with this reckless maneuver.

As Shaw began absorbing the kinetic energy, something went awry. The once easily harnessed energy became volatile. It acted like it had a mind of its own, coursing through his veins and flooding his heart, sending his pulse racing to a frantic beat.

Shaw fought to regain control over the energy, but to no avail. Then, a chilling realization washed over him. This wasn't his doing. Someone else was pulling the strings. For the first time, a sensation he was unfamiliar with seized him: raw, unadulterated fear. He understood now - it was Val. Val was manipulating the energy infiltrating his body.

There was a certain delight in Val's eyes as he watched Shaw's fearful expression. "Stirb, Schlampe!", he declared, savoring each syllable. With a simple flick of his wrist, he sent an even greater wave of energy hurtling into Shaw's body.

Shaw felt the surge of energy intensifying within him, growing far beyond what he could absorb. He was rendered helpless, his power wrestled away from him. The uncontainable energy charged through his veins, relentlessly invading his heart. His pulse skyrocketed, hammering with dangerous force. Pumped full of raw, potent energy, his heart strained to its utmost limits until...

* SPLAT *

Shaw's heart ruptured inside his body. He instinctively clutched his chest, struggling for a breath that refused to come. Bloodshot eyes glared defiantly at Val, even as blood leaked from his nose and mouth.

Despite the agony, Shaw's fighting spirit endured. He raised his hand for a final assault on Val, but just as he was about to...

* SPLURT *

* BANG *

An array of metallic rods and fragments penetrated Shaw's body slicing through him. As Val watched, a diminutive coin punctured its way through Shaw's skull, a chilling conclusion to his life. Crumpling lifelessly onto the ground, Shaw's body exposed the figure standing triumphantly behind him. There, with hand extended in a silent testament to his victory, stood Magneto.