Marcus grinned as a disc flew from his hand. Mid-flight, the device deployed, sheath retracting as a war blade extended from its core.
Void energy surged beneath his feet as he followed the trajectory, swinging his energy-enhanced blade toward Shaw.
Clang!
Facing Marcus's flying weapon, Shaw reacted with utmost caution. He swung the metal rod in his hand, deflecting the war blade.
As the weapon spun away, Shaw noticed the marks left on his metal rod—thin slices where the blade had nearly cut through during their split-second contact.
Seeing these marks, Shaw inhaled sharply. His defensive instinct had been correct.
If he hadn't blocked with the rod, Marcus's disc-like weapon would surely have taken his life.
But Shaw had prepared specifically for Marcus's nullifying ability. The nuclear energy he'd absorbed wasn't just for triggering global war—it was also meant to counter this formidable opponent.
Nuclear energy radiated throughout Shaw's body, causing the metal rod in his hand to emit a faint blue glow.
"GO TO HELL!!!"
With a primal roar, Shaw swung the energized rod, carving a blue arc through the air as it swept toward Marcus.
The tremendous force generated a shockwave, demonstrating to everyone present his determination to kill his adversary.
"So this is the power of absorbed nuclear energy?" Marcus asked, his energy blade glowing brighter. "Let's see how it stands against my attack!"
The blade slashed several times in rapid succession, each strike precisely cutting the sweeping rod into sections.
With the final swing, Marcus released a concentrated wave of energy from his blade.
Simultaneously, the war blade that had returned to his hand was thrown again, continuing the assault on Shaw.
Facing this relentless barrage, Shaw made a split-second decision. He bent his legs and pushed off with tremendous force, creating a crater beneath his feet as he leapt skyward to avoid the attacks.
Seeing Shaw airborne, Erik could no longer restrain himself. He extended his hands, magnetically controlling countless submarine fragments to converge on his lifelong enemy.
Metal debris surged toward Shaw from all directions, seemingly engulfing him completely.
But for someone with energy-absorption abilities, these attacks were merely fuel. Shaw smiled as the metal approached.
Observing the incoming metal storm, Shaw swung his fist with devastating force. The impact created a concussive blast that instantly repelled Erik's attack, scattering debris in all directions.
As the metal fragments dispersed, Shaw grabbed several steel bars. Using his nuclear-enhanced strength, he hurled them like javelins toward Marcus.
The moment he released them, they shot forward with the velocity of artillery shells.
Shaw's nuclear-infused strength generated truly overwhelming force. Even Marcus's nullifier field couldn't stop such raw physical power.
He had no choice but to envelop himself in void energy and teleport away.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
One after another, the steel projectiles struck the ground, their terrifying kinetic energy creating deep impact craters.
This display of power forced everyone to retreat. They now faced an enemy beyond their capabilities. Even Erik had to acknowledge that compared to Shaw's current power, his own abilities seemed insignificant.
The dying Riptide, witnessing the destruction Shaw had unleashed, managed a faint smile. With tremendous effort, he raised his hand, attempting to form one final whirlwind in his palm.
Shink!
Three bone claws pierced his chest. As they slowly withdrew, blood poured from the wounds.
"You're already dying. Just stay down," Logan advised coldly, cigar clenched between his teeth as he wiped blood from his claws.
Riptide had proven himself worthy of Shaw's trust—loyal to the end despite his critical condition.
With his heart and lungs shredded by Logan's claws, Riptide finally succumbed, his body slumping against the submarine wreckage.
On another front, Azazel found himself in an increasingly precarious position. Initially, he had the upper hand against Alex's team, but after Sean and Angel joined the battle, the situation had shifted dramatically.
Unlike Shaw, Azazel lacked energy absorption powers, and facing Sean's long-range sonic attacks left him struggling to maintain his ground.
However, after witnessing Shaw's devastating display of power, Azazel's morale surged. He launched a renewed counteroffensive against Alex and the others.
While these battles raged across the beach, Marcus and Shaw remained locked in stalemate.
No matter how Marcus attacked, Shaw maintained a safe distance. Having experienced the nullifier's effects firsthand, Shaw preferred engaging Marcus at medium range rather than allowing him to get close again.
Shaw had essentially transformed into a human artillery battery, launching various improvised projectiles with nuclear-enhanced strength.
Everything that left his hands moved with incredible velocity—even the slightest impact capable of pulverizing whatever it struck.
Marcus found himself increasingly frustrated. Unable to counter such widespread destruction, he could only use his void powers to dodge continually.
After catching his returning war blade once more, Marcus decided to end this war of attrition. He channeled void energy into the blade, preparing to finish Shaw with a devastating explosion.
The weapon flew from his hand toward Shaw at incredible speed. Simultaneously, Marcus unleashed his void energy at full capacity, generating a barrage of energy slashes that streaked toward his opponent.
Surrounded by his own energy attacks, Marcus charged forward. All objects Shaw hurled were sliced apart by the energy waves before they could reach their target.
Seeing Marcus's all-out assault, Shaw intensified his own attacks. When he struck the flying war blade with a steel bar, the blade—which should have returned to Marcus—exploded instantly.
A concentrated wave of void energy expanded rapidly, forming a sphere that engulfed Shaw.
As his abilities were suppressed by the void field, Shaw was simultaneously blasted backward by the explosion's concussive force. Before he could land, Marcus's energy blade pierced his heart.
"Looks like I won," Marcus declared, as he stood over Shaw.
"Ugh..." Shaw looked down at his chest, his legs weakening as he fell to his knees. He turned toward Erik. "What happened years ago... I'm sorry... But everything I did... was for—"
"This conversation is over," Marcus interrupted.
Before Shaw could finish, Marcus swung his energy blade, severing Shaw's head from his body.
But the moment Shaw died, a terrible premonition swept through Marcus.
"EVERYONE RUN!!!"
Marcus shouted to the others as he enveloped himself in void energy and attempted to flee.
As he moved, Shaw's headless body behind him began to expand rapidly, signaling an imminent explosion.
"It's over now!"
Marcus was instantly engulfed by the terrifying blast, his body seemingly disintegrated within the explosion.
Shaw had prepared for potential defeat. A bomb linked to his heart had been implanted in his chest.
Upon his death, the device detonated, combining with his nuclear-saturated body to create a miniature nuclear explosion, designed to ensure that anyone who killed him would join him in death.
Though small by nuclear standards, the blast was still devastatingly powerful. The horrific explosion appeared to consume Marcus completely. Even the void energy surrounding his body couldn't withstand such force.
Yet at the moment of Marcus's apparent destruction, an unprecedented surge of void energy erupted, mysteriously containing the nuclear explosion.