It took a full second for the giant to process Robert’s comment. Then the man’s expression changed. Looking down on his nude body with a hairy bush in the groin area and his hanging pride, the superhero turned his eyes toward the undressed figure of Rob. However, the difference was that Robert had a black codpiece, protecting the precious place for every man. The fact seemed to cause a short circuit in the giant’s brain, leaving him speechless. It allowed Rob to hit him more.
“Do you know what is modesty, hero? You know, the kids may be watching,” pointing to the flying helicopter with media signs, Robert smiled innocently. However, his mind, on the contrary, was running on full power. His first clash against the local forces was not even ten minutes ago, but the whole area looked to be prepared for the sudden battle. Way too prepared as if everyone knew about what was coming.
From the moment of his appearance in this realm, the attack seemed to be already ongoing. However, the group of scientists looked quite surprised after the first explosion, even scared, getting caught in the middle of their experiment. That couldn’t be said about the agents outside. To gather so many people, to place snipers, to put police barriers – everything took time. Therefore, they knew and were ready to repel the potential assault, simultaneously hiding an insane number of preparations. That could explain the number of superheroes and the need to search Robert through the data as it looked like not everyone knew who took part in the action. Unfortunately, it also led to the obvious treatment of the enemy, and the only ones who could explain Rob’s origin were the scientists, who ran away after the first signs of fighting.
That kid might be one of the attackers… But I don’t see any signs of others.
Not that it changed anything as by this moment the blood was spilled. At least such preparations helped to avoid civilian casualties during the confrontation. Robert still noticed some onlookers, who were observing the fight through the windows on high floors, often using smartphones to film everything. The same went with a few smaller drones flying between the buildings. Together with a helicopter from the media, it only provided his initial thought – there was no way he could get away from those freaks in Halloween costumes. Multiple cameras on every corner nullified any chances, considering Robert’s appearance and no connection to any other parties, who might help him to hide during a guaranteed chase.
However, his past experience of being hunted and later put into the museum as a motionless statue caused any thought of being put into the cage again absolutely intolerable. To live through the same horror again was beyond his mental strength. It left no option but to fight till the end, leaving the only question where to do it. Robert could break through the police barriers into the city, causing even more destruction and using innocent as a shield. But a single reminder about the possibility of hurting children made him abandon the plan. It wasn’t a problem for him to kill, but he still wished to keep some inner rules in his chaotic life, filled with violence to the brim. So, the situations of potential threat to children were out of the question. It left him with a single option – to fight in this area until either the opponents would halt their attacks, breaking after the huge number of losses, or die trying.
Okay, till the end! No one lives forever! Bring it on!
In the next moment, a huge fist smashed his body and sent it flying, despite his weight. Rolling on the ground before crashing into the nearest car, Robert smiled. The strike felt like some kind of confirmation akin to a huge point in his resolution. As if the universe itself decided to sign the agreement, sending its physical signal through the gigantic nude bodybuilder. Therefore, grinning like a madman, Rob raised himself from the remnants of the car before standing to face the superhero.
Pushing the obsidian steel inside his body to form the additional rib cage, Robert left thin layers on the outer part of the fists, forming something akin to fingerless gloves. Covered with destructive energy, they could still become a formidable weapon even without a sharp blade or noticeable weight. His reasoning was simple – Rob needed to stay alive to keep fighting, so the protection of his weak spot was crucial. Especially considering the insane power of the sniper bullets that tore through his metallic body as if it were ordinary flesh. Moreover, there was another idea behind such a tactic – Robert desperately needed to release his emotions. The brutal beating of someone hostile into a pulp was a perfect way to do it. So, clenching his fists and making them glow, Rob made a first step toward an approaching giant.
“Do you what I was told just a few minutes ago? The bigger you are, the bigger your balls… or something like that,” the giant widened his eyes at the realization, instinctively covering his groin area with one of the hands, but Robert was already moving.
Ducking under the hastily hit, and immediately stepping to the side, Rob elbowed the knee. The powerful hit led to the crack, but the giant still managed to catch his balance. A moment later Robert finished his spinning strike, smashing the back of his fist at the opposite side of the knee. Under the force the giant’s leg instantly bent, dropping him to the ground. Predicting such an outcome, Rob thrust his other fist upward, pushing it toward the falling superhero’s jaw, while simultaneously jumping. The clash was devastating. The sudden fall of the heavy body met the fast strike of the metallic body. Moreover, the destructive energy layer burned the flesh, causing even more damage and resulting in the giant being knocked out for a short frame of time.
Falling backward, the super bodybuilder failed to register what was happening when the world suddenly flashed with light. In the next moment his disoriented mind finally caught up with the awful reality that was painted in red… together with his testicles that simply exploded after a single hit from the villain. Any anger, courage, or desire for revenge died out on the spot, being overwhelmed by the horrible pain and literally “striking” realization of the unreversible ending. His consciousness attempted to keep him awake, but the surroundings started to fade, pulling him out of the gruesome reality.
I think I need to wash my hands… Yeah, sorry man, but I don’t have time for a proper boxing…
Stepping back and glancing at the roof, Robert noticed a blink. Dropping backward without a second thought, he barely dodged the bullet. However, the projectile didn’t miss, penetrating the “man’s penetrator” in an instant. Splashing blood everywhere, it caused another scream from the poor gigantic guy. Rob, on the other hand, winced from the terrifying sight, trying to erase the picture from his memory as fast as possible. Two following sniper shots partly helped with it, redirecting his attention to the process of saving his life.
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One of them gauged his cheek, leaving a deep mark. The last one hit his center of mass, exploding inside his chest and breaking his ribs. Shaking the reactor core, it caused something akin to a tiny leakage of energy, when the energy shield was broken for a fraction of an instant. The powerful stream that shot from inside simply evaporated his shoulder together with an arm. It took an awfully long couple of seconds to restore control of his energy source before proceeding with regeneration. And the fact that the enemies finally found his weak spot made Robert realize that he needed to change something, or else he would die under the bullets. Glancing around and not seeing anything remotely useful in his situation, Rob paused at the sight of the office building, which windows he broke not long ago.
I can take cover inside… Yes, let’s do it!
Sprinting toward the empty hall on the ground floor and abandoning a groaning giant, Robert was ten meters away from the entrance when he noticed another superhero, coming at him. This time the direction of the attack was unexpected, to say the least. Running downward on the wall as if it was the flat surface of the ground, the superhero made a jump. Rotating in the air as if gravity was constantly switching, the figure dressed like a white ninja adjusted its trajectory before launching itself toward Robert. The blade shining with silver was already slicing the air, aiming at Rob’s neck.
Robert reacted without a delay, hastily pushing the obsidian steel toward the incoming sharp edge. His body was also in motion, trying to avoid the hit. Alas, both were slightly too late. However, instead of beheading him with a single strike, the blade simply bounced off his skin, damaging itself in the process. Not pausing on that, the ninja tried to kick him in the face, but this time Rob anticipated it. Noticing the lack of strength from the opponent, Robert simply headbutted the feet, throwing the enemy off balance. Shooting forward with his hand and stepping forward, he almost caught the superhero, but the latter’s ability activated at the last moment.
Forming something akin to a gravitational pull, it pushed the figure out of the grip, propelling it through the air. Robert wanted to follow, but the snipers again reminded him about their presence, making him back away and hide inside the building. Noticing no signs of human presence and thus no threat, Rob turned around only to face the flying ninja once again. This time the figure swung to the side, seeing how Robert clenched his fist. Reaching the nearest column, it paused, squatting right on the vertical surface. On the other hand, it allowed him to observe the enemy.
Not surprisingly, such a nimble figure belonged to the woman. At least that was what two small hills on the chest suggested so. Her face was covered in a full mask, leaving only sapphire eyes visible. But it changed nothing for Robert. Maybe even made things worse as an agile opponent was too hard to deal with. Fortunately, it worked in both ways. The flying shuriken that the woman threw toward his face didn’t even scratch his skin. Running on the ceiling outside Rob’s reach, the heroine tried to accelerate herself to gain enough power for her blade to impale his heart. The end result was a deep cut in his chest and the stuck weapon that was caught by his flesh.
Breaking the blade in a single motion, Robert tried to grab the ninja, but she reacted in time, redirecting the gravity. The woman instantly fell down in the horizontal plane, dodging his fingers. However, her focus on Rob’s action made her miss the window behind her. Shattering the glass, she tried to stabilize her trajectory only to mess everything up before finally rolling on the ground after the cancelation of the ability. Lying breathless, the heroine attempted to hastily stand up, watching how Robert was approaching. However, in the next second, she relaxed, slowing down her movement as at this moment she was not alone anymore. Therefore, trying to keep her image as the cameras were still working, the woman acted as if it was nothing.
In the meantime, Robert was observing the group that appeared in front of the building. Halting on the spot as if trying to show off, the superheroes seemed to be waiting for something. Or they were giving time for the ninja to rise back on her feet to stand almost in a perfect line in the middle of the empty street. There were five of them, all different in their appearance but wearing the same trace of arrogance and overconfidence. Or maybe it was their attempt to brace themselves in front of a dangerous villain, who already took multiple lives. Especially, when the examples were lying not far from them, walling from pain, being out of consciousness, or even turning into a motionless corpse. If it was true, then their fake courage took a twisted image just to hide the worries and fear of death. Rob didn’t know, nor did he wish to know, gauging the potential abilities of the new enemies.
A floating armored figure in a bright pink technological suit with several actively working thrusters to keep them in the air. Shoulder guns and a huge rifle in their arms pointed to the nature of their offensive capabilities, but not their danger level as the difference between the sniper bullets and heavy machine guns on the APC seemed to be dramatic.
A teenage boy with a tiny brown mask, dressed in a wide T-shirt with a huge image of a smiling sunflower. Together with black shorts, he almost looked out of the place. However, the long green lianas that replaced all his limbs and raised him above the ground said otherwise. Covered with thorns, they seemed to live their own life, being in constant motion.
A real wizard in a pointy brown hat. Gray-haired, despite the middle age appearance, a raven-skinned man was holding a long staff with a big orb on the top. Tens of yellow sparks were flashing around it, possibly controlled by the man’s ability. A plain robe with a complex yellow pattern to match his magical skills. However, the most striking thing was his glowing eyes, visible from afar as if they were two supernatural lanterns.
A beastman that looked like a mixture of a dinosaur with a human. Short upper arms that struggled to bend had razor-sharp claws on the tip of each finger. A thick lizard tail to keep the balance. A greenish skin with quite a few long colorful feathers that were partly hidden under the wide coat. A wild toothy smile on a surprisingly handsome male face that somehow managed to keep its attractiveness despite the overall inhuman appearance.
The last, but possibly not least was the gloomy young man in a dark leather costume. Sickly pale, insanely thin almost to the point of having an anorexia, he was also floating slightly above the ground. Whole his body looked so weak and fragile that Robert even wondered if the unknown could even lift his arm. Alas, it seemed to be not needed at all as multiple metal pieces were spinning around his body, potentially carried by the telekinesis.
So, a techno suit, plant boy, a mage, a dino-man, a psionic… and a ninja, obviously, how could I forget? What a freak show… Heh, and I am not better – like a perfect fit for this idiocy.
“So, what are you waiting for, morons? An invitation? Or do…,” Rob’s shout was interrupted by a triple gunshot. The bullets reached him an instant later, simultaneously piercing his skull and exploding from the inside. His head popped up like a watermelon, splashing the remnants of the brain and blood all over the place. However, even before his body started to fall, all traces from the gruesome scene were dispersed, while his regeneration was already finishing to fix what seemed to be a mortal wound.
This is what I call a mind-blowing thought… Fucking snipers!