At this moment, Phelan and Nathan joined them. Phelan spoke:“We’ll leave half our party here to help guard the kid. The rest will accompany me to assist in the search for our lost people.”His offer surprised Canis: “You are under no obligation...”“Nay, don’t say that.” Nathan interjected with resolution: “We, the Edwards family, are prepared to extend help, be it small or large, in the future.”Phelan affirmed Nathan’s promise: “You’ve saved Nathan, the sole remaining heir of the Edwards family. So, our debt to you is far greater than one life. And, since he is my wife, I am in your debt too. I pledge my allegiance to the Wang family and vow to serve them with utmost dedication.”Taken aback, Canis found himself at a loss for words. But Phelan insisted again: “Henceforth, aiding the Wang family is our utmost priority.”Canis forcedly smiled, knowing he couldn’t sway Phelan or Nathan’s decision: “In that case, the Wang family is indeed privileged.”“Not at all. It’s our duty.”“Ha h
Typically, Hubert's training sessions with Winston never resulted in such distress. Therefore, the only plausible explanation was his resentment towards anyone impersonating Theodore. He despised the thought of someone using Theodore's identity to get close to him. Clenching his fist tightly, Hubert demanded,"Enough of this nonsense. Who are you, and why are you pretending to be my brother?"With his Superpower activated and ready for a fight, the imposter didn't exhibit fear. Instead, he switched the subject,"Seems like my impersonation of that mutt has got under your skin, hasn't it?"Ignoring the jab, Hubert lunged forward to strike, but his opponent dodged with remarkable ease. He sidestepped Hubert's move lightly, thwarting the attack, then laughed derisively."Is that all you've got? So, it seems that not only does the mutt care about you, but you also care about him, don't you? If I captured you now, maybe he'd come running this way. That's a possibility, isn't it?"Hubert, co
Instead of a response, a peculiar sequence of "scritch, scritch" sounds rang out. From within the thick foliage, tens of ivy-like tendrils shot out. They coiled around the man in a blink, trapping him in a cage of creeping vine. Each stem boasted several small holes, ceaselessly ejecting a nauseatingly greenish-black liquid. Every time this liquid touched the ground, it sizzled and smoked - it was acid. "Hubert!" A call echoed in the ether, followed by Caradoc descending from above, half aided by Phelan's "wind blade" and half by Gideon's "wind wing." Landing next to Hubert, Caradoc couldn't help but brag before Hubert could speak. "I've leveled up to 4. What do you think? Pretty impressive, isn't it?" Following Caradoc's finger, Hubert could see the entangled vine, endlessly spinning and keeping the man caged. Given the continuous spray of acid, even if paid, the man wouldn't dare approach. Having absorbed the energy ring and core of the mutated ivy, Caradoc had reached level 4, t
This was Hubert speaking, whose alternate plan was a spontaneous idea. If they couldn't penetrate that man's consciousness sea, they could still use the Superpower energy he emitted to determine his direction. This was because when Superpower is used, the energy disperses into the air, so locating Hadley's team's and others' whereabouts was relatively easy. Thinking thus, Hubert instantly sent a message to Baron through his thoughts: "Can you use your psychic ability to sense the Superpower of that bastard?" Standing quite far away, Baron was startled when he suddenly heard the mental communication. He looked around suspiciously until he realized a few minutes later that Hubert had signaled him. He replied: "I can." As soon as Hubert got the confirmation, he sprung into action, and that's when Baron activated his psychic Superpower to probe. On their side, the psychic Superhuman was still making smug remarks: "You brats must be writhing in pain in my illusion now, begging for dea
"No one intends to harm your master. Release my friend." No sooner had Hubert finished speaking, the metal thread loosened its grip around Canis's wrist, leaving behind distinct marks that looked like they could sever at any moment. "It has a strong protective instinct towards its master." "This is a mutation of superpower, born from the primary superpower of a superhuman. They share an absolute connection with the original body, or in other words, it is an extension of this person's 'life'." As Hubert carried the young man, he spoke, gauging from his looks and physique that his age was likely close to Lancelot Anthony's. The mention of Lancelot strangely reminded Hubert of his similarity to this young man. From height to body shape, only the face was different. Hubert brought the young man over to a nearby rocky area and laid him down. His body was only shielded by a coat and exposed to the open air. Quite toned indeed, his arms, his abs, all were muscular. Hubert swallowed, c
As if afraid that Canis didn't understand, Gideon repeated, emphasizing even more:"Energy sources and energy supplied by Superpower are two different things, my young Canis!""I was just looking at you. What are you explaining?"Canis pursed his lips and turned back to Lancelot to ask,"Can I interpret it as you originally being a twin-element Superpower, but in the end, only one element was active, while the other was dormant, resulting in the surplus energy?"Although it sounded perplexing, Canis thought it was the most plausible explanation. Lancelot, however, merely pondered without giving an immediate answer. Then Hubert chimed in,"I also thought similarly, but it's not because the second energy source became dormant. Rather, one of the Superpower elements disappeared."Lancelot's heart pounded at Hubert's words. He was right; he could implant the metal core because he had lost one type of Superpower.After being impaled by Hubert in the chest, the circulation of power within h
"Big brother, now is not the time to be lecturing. Our enemy hasn't yet appeared, and we're already tearing each other apart." "What do you understand about tearing each other apart, you little lunatic?" "Au... it hurts, it hurts!" Furious, Canis jabbed Hubert in the stomach, making him cry in pain. At that moment, the unusual movement began to stir from all directions. "Baron, assess the situation." Hubert turned to Baron, and then, waiting for him to use his psychic superpower to scan the surroundings, he turned to Bella: "You're in charge of the underground search." "Yes." Bella nodded and started using her earth superpower to search for the enemy if it should come in contact with the ground. Phelan and Nathan were also gathering their energies, ready to launch an attack. Gideon, Enda, and Caradoc trio had already split to check different directions. Seeing everyone prepared for battle, Hubert called out to Lancelot: "Leander, reduce the range, don't rush. The denser the we
Those who had fainted were gradually regaining consciousness. Lancelot, the first to awaken, saw Hubert standing still and approached him with a question."Did it hurt you?"Hubert shook his head, withdrawing his Superpower and knife. The turbulent emotions from earlier had subsided. At this moment, a Superpower light circle and core appeared from the weasel's corpse. Only Baron could absorb this illusion-related Superpower. As if recalling something, Hubert picked up the body and approached the Superhuman who had trapped him in the illusion, asking him:"Do you want it?"As he asked, Hubert tossed the core in front of him, then added a few more words:"Consider this me repaying a debt on behalf of my brother. In this apocalyptic age, if it weren't my brother who killed your family, someone else would have. Mental Superpower cores are rare, so think it over."The man was still lying on the ground, glancing from Hubert to the rolling core. After a long pause as if weighing his options,
But what they hadn't anticipated was the very moment Hubert fell into a state of energy seclusion, disturbances began to ripple outside.The squadron led by Wayne and the wind-aspected Superhuman began to inch their way towards where Hubert sat. Now, with the absorption of the Energy Stone, no protective energy sphere enveloped the scene. Only a few protective mages were there to ensure the upgrade process remained uninterrupted. Everyone understood the dire consequences if the upgrade failed."What do you want?""Isn't it obvious? To abduct the subject and seize the Energy Stone. Right now, you've lost one Superhuman of level 6 quota mid, and your most potent Superhuman is mid-upgrade. How could you possibly fend us off now?""Toby, don't waste words on them. The longer we stall, the more likely Hubert will complete the absorption, leaving us at a disadvantage."Wayne urged, the wind-aspected Superhuman accompanying him was Toby, a man with pure offensive abilities. Their squadron, i
He had traversed time four times. The first was to the moment he claimed Hubert from the fragments of time. He tried being more conciliatory, gentler. But he couldn't change his controlling nature, and once again, Hubert slipped away. But one couldn't stay in a timeline more than thrice, so he chose the future where Hubert had traveled. Hubert had failed in his mission to save Raymond, deciding to leap 500 years ahead, and Domi followed suit. In this era, Raymond had lost his memory and Hubert was exploiting it for a happier existence. Unwilling to witness this, Domi returned to the present with a plan to make Hubert end Raymond himself, eliminating him entirely.But the truth unveiled itself in a tale of sorrow, proving his failure, and he had indeed lost Hubert. What's more, he'd forsaken his chance of survival - a misfortune that had not befallen him during his second traverse through time. Perhaps now, Hubert was utterly beyond his grasp; his past, his future, and even the present
The dark energy within Hubert surged powerfully, overwhelming those around him in no time. This force clearly embodied Raymond’s essence and grew alongside him. The zombie king's energy was not to be trifled with, so Superhumans below level 6 felt dizzy, nauseous, and experienced a pressure akin to diving deep underwater."It's... hard to breathe!""What monstrous energy is this?"They all knew Hubert was a Level 6 Superhuman, but to possess such overwhelming energy was exceedingly rare. Moreover, the kind of energy that could oppress them to the point of feeling as if their lungs were being torn apart could only be that of a zombie's. It was as if they couldn't believe their own thoughts, or more precisely, they were terrified. For a Superhuman to carry zombie energy without being assimilated or controlled was extremely peculiar. And Hubert was that very anomaly!The atmosphere seemed to have stagnated, suffocating not just the Superhumans but Hubert himself. That dark force seemed t
"If we are to hunt Superhumans together, I must address you properly. Surely, I can't just call you 'this zombie' or 'that zombie,' can I?" But Raymond never responded. Never before had he felt so dismissed, so insulted. Yet, he persisted in his quest for Raymond's name. Until, irked by Clunky's persistence, Raymond finally said: "My surname is Raymond Joshua." "And your first name? Speak it!" "Annoying!" "What?" "I said, 'You're annoying.'" Though meant as a reprimand, Clunky responded: "I am nameless. But if you find me annoying, I shall name myself 'Clunky.' I will take your surname, and serve under you, the true zombie king. What say you?" ... Raymond never replied. Clunky initially thought Raymond would maintain that initial distance, but later, every time Raymond hunted, he would share with him any mutated Water Energy Stones he found. Clunky realized that zombies typically lacked emotional depth, yet as a high-level sentient zombie, his thoughts mirrored that of humans.
If reason failed, then perhaps the heart's tug might prevail. Since their encounter, Clunky had refrained from striking him, showcasing a surprising restraint. Coupled with the fact that Clunky had not lost his rationale, there was hope to sway him. Hubert implored,"Just pretend not to see us, allowing us passage to the asteroid's core. I'll do my utmost to prevent his self-destruction. You can assist with that, can't you?""Do you not comprehend the apocalypse that Raymond's existence might trigger?""I'm well aware." Hubert sighed: "but I wish to save both the world and him."Once more, Clunky lapsed into a contemplative silence. It was a long minute before he said: "Your recklessness astonishes me. Moreover, preventing his self-destruction might be inevitable. He can't explode if he loses his self-awareness. The event is imminent!"Rather than speculation, Clunky’s words felt like a forewarning. As if Raymond's loss of control was a foregone conclusion. Hubert queried,"Do you fat
Now, had it not been for Canis with his luminous superpowers, there probably would've been no means of separating Raymond's energy. Cautiously extending his arm, he sensed a familiar energy, through which he could trace the very existence of Raymond. Even more astonishing, he felt as though he could pinpoint Raymond's exact location.Raymond wasn't at the meteorite's core, but he was undoubtedly making his way there. This revelation meant there was no need to waste time seeking him. The very thing demanding his attention now roiled and seethed right before his very eyes.The ominous black pool belonging to Clunky seemed on the verge of erupting, its turmoil growing by the second. Ever since Hubert had siphoned off Raymond's energy, Clunky's own energy began to oscillate wildly. This clearly indicated that he had detected the essence of the Zombie King lingering around.Confusion must have gripped Clunky, for Raymond's scent manifested in two distinct locations: where Raymond truly was
If Clunky arrived a tad earlier, Phelan and Allan might have formed an alliance to restrain him, saving them much precious energy. Yet, if his arrival were any more belated, the ice barrier would have been wholly corroded by his sinister liquid. Hubert, gazing as the first shadow struck the ice barrier, realized that had he not been at Superhuman level 6 quota peak, that wall would have fallen long ago.Lost in contemplation, Hubert was startled by Stella’s sudden voice:"Hubert, have you forgotten about me? I am, after all, a pure Ice Superhuman.""And I am as well. Alone, your showy moves are more than enough."Lucia chimed in, her laughter tinged with a hint of mockery. Stella, with a hint of drama, channeled her Superpower, reinforcing Hubert's ice barrier. Almost as if dancing in tandem, Lucia followed suit. Thus, three magnificent ice walls, spanning over fifty meters, stood in unison, ensuring Clunky's water shadows could not break through. This feat could potentially buy them
Though he'd never directly clashed with him, Caradoc knew that Clunky was no pushover. His first encounter with the zombie was when Clunky was merely a level-5, losing a fight against Lancelot. But things had changed; the zombie had gained immense strength over the months, and even Caradoc, who had never fought him, felt a sense of dread.Hubert, too, ceased arguing at this moment. He walked closer to the black "river." stopping a mere five meters away. The heat emanating from it was palpable. Compared to Nathan's or Jacob's fire, Lancelot's was less hot, but it should not be underestimated.When he was merely at level 5, he could transform a high-ranking Superhuman into a mere skeleton in the blink of an eye. Now, the magnitude of his powers is beyond anyone's comprehension.Whoosh!Hubert unleashed a chunk of metal larger than a human head, hurling it into the heart of the river. The metallic mass immediately emitted a sound akin to boiling oil, followed by effervescent bubbles befo
Winston grabbed Hubert's hand and gave it two shakes, demanding his attention. The gesture did make Hubert shift his focus. He glanced at Winston, then back at the ringleader, and finally toward the heart of S city. He spoke deliberately:"Let's put today's matter aside for now. But don't assume that anyone who seeks to hunt the zombie king will be safe."Hubert withdrew his Superpower energy, his fists clenched as though prepared to decapitate anyone at a moment's notice. The ringleader, noticing Hubert's newfound composure, let out a sigh of relief, yet dared to probe further:"Why do you protect the zombie king? His existence threatens the lives of all humanity.""Indeed..."Hubert merely nodded in agreement, signaling his understanding that Raymond's existence was a peril to humankind. Yet, he voiced no further thoughts. More than anyone else, he understood the peril that Raymond's very being brought about, the specter of death that trailed behind him. But the very thought of witn