The tension between the two Eleos thickened as the mysterious doppelganger smiled wickedly, pointing at the 'R' on Eleo's neck.

“That mark,” the other Eleo sneered, “If anyone spots it, you’re either dead or locked up immediately. And if it’s the Supreme Council, well… they’ll handle you personally.”

Eleo rubbed the back of his neck, frowning. “Come on, man. Just tell me what it means. What harm could it do?”

The other Eleo’s smirk deepened. “It means you have a chance… a chance at becoming the strongest.”

Eleo’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

“Yes.”

“Really really?” Eleo grinned.

The other Eleo, clearly getting annoyed, muttered, “Yes.”

“Really really really?”

The clone’s face twisted in frustration. “For the love of—yes!”

Eleo laughed, excited. “Man, I can’t wait to tell the others!”

The other Eleo’s expression darkened. “Nuh uh.”

Eleo tilted his head, confused. “What do you mean, ‘nuh uh’?”

The other Eleo crossed his arms, eyes gleaming with intent. “There can only be one of us.”

“Why?” Eleo asked, a mix of curiosity and suspicion in his tone.

“Because,” the other Eleo growled, “what’s the point of having a clone?”

Eleo burst into laughter, pointing at the clone. “Uh, buddy, you’re the clone.”

The other Eleo grinned sinisterly. “Nope. I’m Tleo.”

Eleo, still chuckling, replied, “Well, I guess we’ll have to fig—”

Before either could make a move, a loud *boom* echoed from the other side of the city, causing them both to pause and turn their heads toward the sound. A plume of smoke began rising into the sky.

Meanwhile, Tony, who was not far from Eleo, heard the explosion as well. His brow furrowed as he muttered, “I hope that wasn’t Kenji or Olorun fighting right now.”

Lucian, who had been nearby enjoying a mini apple pie, overheard Tony and spoke up, his tone casual but dangerous. “Eleo.”

Tony glanced over his shoulder at Lucian. “You know him?”

Lucian, still calmly chewing, nodded. “Not only do I know him, but I’m after him. Him and his team—they’re on the list.” He eyed Tony up and down. “And you’re Tony, right?”

Tony didn’t flinch, his expression unfazed. “Yes, I am.”

Lucian's smile widened as he stretched his left arm to the side, summoning a shimmering sword made of pure light. He began to circle Tony like a predator stalking its prey. “Mr. Bone, I suggest you and your team come quietly. No one has to die.”

Tony remained firm, his voice steady. “I won’t be doing that.”

Lucian’s smile twisted into a dark grin. “Heh. I was really hoping you wouldn’t listen.”

In an instant, Lucian dashed toward Tony at light speed, his sword cutting through the air. Tony barely had time to react, blocking Lucian’s strike, but the sheer force of the blow sent Tony flying back. He crashed into the ground, skidding across the street, but quickly dug his feet in, bringing himself to a stop.

Onlookers screamed, scrambling to get out of the way. The chaotic scene only seemed to amuse Tony, who stood up, brushing the dirt from his clothes. “Good job. That tickled.”

Lucian’s golden eyes flashed, his grin returning. “Stop lying to yourself. We both know that had to hurt. And I’m only holding back.”

Tony didn’t respond. Instead, he calmly activated his aura, the air around him darkening as his body became enveloped in a menacing blackened glow. He raised his hands, necrotic energy swirling around him.

“Aura Necroblast.”

A dense sphere of black energy formed between Tony’s palms, growing larger with each passing second, radiating destructive power. He thrust his hands forward, and the necrotic blast surged toward Lucian, tearing through the air. The energy crackled ominously, disintegrating everything in its path.

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

Lucian’s eyes widened, and he quickly dodged to the air, narrowly avoiding the blast. The attack obliterated the street where Lucian had stood, leaving a smoldering crater in its wake. But Lucian wasn’t finished. He retaliated with a barrage of light beams, each one moving faster than the last, cutting through the air like scorching hot lasers.

Tony raised his arms, blocking as many as he could, but a few beams slipped past his defenses, striking him dead-on. The force of the beams caused a massive explosion that rocked the entire block, shaking nearby buildings and sending debris flying in every direction.

When the dust settled, both Tony and Lucian stood amidst the chaos, glaring at each other.

Lucian smirked, impressed by Tony’s resilience. “I’m impressed,” he said, tossing his mini gun made of light to the ground, watching it dissolve. “You survived my attack.”

Tony was breathing heavily, his body battered and torn. “Yeah… because I’m not weak.”

Lucian’s smile didn’t falter. “That has yet to be seen.” With a flick of his wrist, he summoned a mini gun made entirely of light, its barrel gleaming with intense energy. He pointed it directly at Tony.

Tony’s eyes widened. “W-What the hell is that thing?”

Lucian chuckled. “I met a cowboy from World 2. He told me and the Supreme Council about guns. Some of us decided to use our abilities to create them. Let’s see if you can survive this.”

Before Tony could respond, Lucian opened fire. A barrage of mini light bullets shot toward Tony at blinding speed. Tony raised his arms to block, but the relentless assault pushed him back, the bullets tearing through the air, sending him flying as he struggled to shield himself. Each hit chipped away at him, causing cracks in his skeletal body.

As the dust and debris from the attack settled, Tony stood, barely holding himself together. His clothes were ripped to shreds, his bone head cracked open with deep fractures running along his skeleton. His once-imposing form looked battered and on the verge of collapse.

Lucian smiled wickedly. “Just look at you… still standing. I have to give you credit.”

Tony struggled to keep his footing, his breaths labored. “You’ll… have to try… harder than that.” Each word came out strained, as if he was fighting to stay conscious.

Lucian shrugged. “Ok, ok. Let me stop holding back.”

With that, Lucian summoned a massive ball of light in his hands, its brilliance illuminating the entire area. The sheer energy radiating from it was enough to make the ground tremble. Tony, knowing he couldn’t move in time, simply stood his ground, accepting what was about to happen.

As Lucian prepared to hurl the light ball at Tony, a sudden blur of motion came from the side. Before Lucian could react, he was kicked hard, sending him flying across the battlefield. He managed to recover mid-air, his wings of light flickering as he stabilized himself, hovering above the ground.

“What the—who the fuck did that?” Lucian snarled, scanning the area.

His eyes landed on a figure standing calmly in the distance—a sleek, purple-furred cat with piercing eyes. It was **Koshkin**, his tail flicking back and forth as he stood confidently.

Lucian's expression twisted into one of annoyance and intrigue. "So, you’re the one who interfered. What’s a cat doing in a fight like this?”

Koshkin’s eyes narrowed as he stepped forward. “This fight is getting messy. I don’t like messes.”

Lucian’s golden eyes flared, his light aura intensifying. “You just made the wrong enemy, cat.”

Koshkin cracked his neck, unimpressed. “Let’s see if that light of yours can keep up with me.”

Koshkin stood tall, watching the chaotic battlefield unfold. He turned to Tony, who was barely holding himself together. “It seems you’re having a tough time with him,” Koshkin remarked, his voice laced with concern but also a hint of curiosity.

Tony, grimacing from the pain and exhaustion, nodded. “Yeah, his speed is light speed. I can’t keep up with him.”

Koshkin’s eyes glinted with interest. “Good to know.”

Tony, still catching his breath, squinted at Koshkin. “Wait, I remember you.”

Koshkin’s smirk widened. “Yep, and I’m interested in meeting that bunny kid.”

Without further delay, Koshkin stepped toward Lucian, his demeanor shifting from casual to focused. “Lucian, let me test my ability on you.”

Lucian, brushing off the challenge with a confident smile, replied, “Go ahead. Your ability won’t even scratch me.”

Koshkin’s smile remained, a glint of determination in his eyes. “Oh, we’ll see about that.”

With a fluid motion, Koshkin raised his head, and from his mouth, he shot a series of venomous projectiles. Each projectile glowed with a toxic sheen as it cut through the air, aimed directly at Lucian.

Lucian’s eyes widened momentarily before he shifted into action, his body blurring as he evaded the projectiles with ease. “Come on now,” he taunted, “I’m ten times faster than you.”

Koshkin, unimpressed by Lucian’s bravado, turned to Tony. “Tony, why don’t you head out?”

Tony, nodding gratefully despite his battered state, said, “Thank you. I’ll catch up later.”

As Tony limped away, Lucian’s frustration peaked. “Oh no, you don’t!” he shouted, his voice filled with anger. He charged up a powerful light beam, its intensity illuminating the surrounding area. He aimed it directly at Tony’s retreating figure, his eyes burning with fierce determination.

Just as Lucian prepared to fire, Koshkin’s form shifted. His body expanded and morphed, transforming into his Imperfect Form: Basic Venomous Cat. The transformation was both swift and seamless. The purple cat now had toxic stripes running down its body, and its eyes glowed with an eerie, poisonous light.

Koshkin’s transformation was not just a change in appearance; it was an enhancement of his abilities. The light beam shot toward Tony, but as it neared, Koshkin leaped into the path of the beam.

Lucian’s eyes widened in shock. “What the hell?”

The light beam hit Koshkin, but the cat’s new form absorbed the impact. The beam dissipated against his venomous, shimmering skin. Koshkin stood unscathed, his glowing eyes narrowing at Lucian.

The scene was chaotic, with debris and smoke from the beam’s explosion swirling around. Lucian stared in disbelief. “Impossible. How did you—?”

Koshkin cut him off, his voice a low growl. “Looks like your light beams didn't’t work on me. But then again, I wasn’t planning on being an easy target.”

Lucian, visibly shaken but not backing down, recalibrated his approach. “You think you’re tough, but don’t get too cocky. I’m still the fastest, and I’ll take you down.”

Koshkin’s eyes remained sharp, his focus entirely on Lucian. “Bring it on. I’m more than ready.”

The battlefield was now set for an intense confrontation between Koshkin and Lucian. The air was charged with tension as both prepared for their next moves. Koshkin, in his powerful transformed state, stood as a formidable opponent, while Lucian, with his speed and light-based attacks, was determined to prove his superiority. The fight was far from over, and each combatant was ready to push their limits.