"Get out of here–now!" Clark told them.
"R-right!" The man said, picking up his daughter and running.
Noticing this, Noah casually raised his hand as lightning coiled around his arm, shooting a lethal bolt towards the man and his frightened daughter, "I'm still here, you know–"
Before it could reach the civilians, the bolt was intercepted as the broad, stalwart figure of Clark somehow appeared in its path, deflecting it with his fist. The blonde-haired man's expression didn't falter when casually subverting lightning itself, staring Noah down.
What's this? Something's different about him, Noah thought.
["Assess"]
[Clark]
[Level: 85]
[...]
[Level: 90]
[...]
[Level: 95]
It was a surprise to Noah's eyes, finding the man's level continuously rising before his eyes before stopping: [Level: 98]
"How did you–"
As Noah began to pose his question, there was no mercy from the wounded hero as Clark flew forward with superspeed that riled up the rubble on the street, beginning to slam his fists towards his enemy.
["Absolute Enhancement: Bullet Time"]
Having to enhance his reflexes to keep up with the heightened speed of the man, Noah weaved through the blows, flying backward as he found not only the swiftness of Clark to be increased, but each blow rang the wind like a bell, slicing by his eardrums.
[Superhero System: Innate Ability: "Pillar of Hope"]
Forced into the skies, Noah could no longer simply dodge through the explosive punches thrown towards him, having not to deflect them and counter while Clark relentlessly pursued him with newfound aggression.
Still, even with his ["Godstrength"], the physical abilities possessed by a type like the Sentinel before him was the embodiment of such raw power, honed to a ludicrous degree as each blow echoed through the skies like a heroic anthem. Each impact reverberated through the marrow of Noah's bones as he found simply guarding to be ineffective.
["Absolute Barrier: Perfect Bracers"]
He summoned chromatic shields that covered his lower arms, allowing him to safely guard against the mighty blows.
As he finally broke through the relentless assault of the wounded hero, he was met by a flash of heat vision unlike any before as Clark screamed out, unleashing a kinetic blast of crimson energy directly against Noah's chest.
"--!" Noah's eyes widened from the unexpected attack.
A flash of gleaming red filled the night sky as the crowds of people watching in anticipation cheered on Clark.
Revealing himself from the smoke, Noah caught his breath as his sweater and shirt beneath had been reduced to dust, leaving his bare chest on display. His torso had been badly bruised by the impact.
["Absolute Recovery"]
To his surprise, the healing was mitigated, working slower than usual as the pain still throbbed in his chest.
What?! Is this a new effect of his heat vision?! Noah questioned.
"I know that's not enough to take you down!" Clark roared, flying forward, "--You're a virus–a cockroach that thrives on misdeeds and the torment of others! I am the cure for that! I will stop you!"
Angered by this development, Noah clenched his fist and screamed out as his magical energy output skyrocketed with a swirl of mystical light giving off from him, "--Just come and try, you wannabe hero! I'll show the world that fakers like you don't last!"
["Absolute Enhancement: Shadow"]
The dark hair he had turned to an even darker black, swaying as if not made of hair, but of shadows; his gray eyes shifted to an absolute darkness as well with a swirl of shadows armoring his fists and legs.
["Absolute Freeze"]
As he dragged time to a still, he raced forward like a jet of darkness through the night sky, using his mastery over the shadows to conjure a spear forged of malignant nothingness before slamming it directly against Clark's chest.
Allowing time to resume, the impact created an explosion of dark forces, though it failed to pierce past Clark's skin as his muscles endured the piercing abyss.
"Tch," Noah clicked his tongue, "You're hard to break."
"I'm their last hope," Clark responded, catching his breath.
Still, none of it perturbed Noah as he continued unleashing an array of spells from his grimoire:
["Tyrants of The Eternal Flame"]
Summoned around the superhero Sentinel were colossuses formed of primordial flames, wielding weapons forged of such heat before unleashing gargantuan attacks against the man that exploded into explosions of fire.
"Ngh!" Clark grunted.
Once more, that evolved heat vision of his was put on display as it carved miles through the sky in an instant, sweeping through the clouds like a ray of decimation as it did away with the flame-born manifestations.
["Devil Thunder"]
Ominous clouds closed in quickly, swirling above Clark's head as he looked up to immediately find himself attacked by bolts of dark lightning, striking against him mercilessly.
"Arghh…Enough!" Clark shouted, breaking past the electric barrage and pushing forward.
How is he doing this?! He's shrugging off everything! Noah questioned.
As he looked around, Noah found that there were multiple news helicopters in the air, broadcasting the battle as well as vans parked on the streets–it was being spread not only nationwide, but across the world.
[NEWS REPORTER #1: I-it's finally happening! Somebody able to stand up to the tyrant "Noir" is here! Please, send your prayers for this brave hero!]
[NEWS REPORTER #2: If the police have failed, and the army has been wiped out, this is our last hope! Everybody at home, believe in this unknown caped crusader!]
Noticing this, a theory popped into Noah's mind as he used ["Assess'] once more on Clark, coming to a jarring realization and confirming his suspicion:
[Clark]
[Level: 105]
The man had surpassed his own level, now possessing an unequivocal level of brute strength. What was the reasoning for this that Noah deduced?
Belief, Noah thought, that Superhero System of his grants him strength based on the belief people have in him, and how he fights for them! What bullshit!
As he reached this conclusion, he was struck at speed that surpassed the stratifications of lightning that aimed towards Clark, surpassing the boundaries of physical matter. Through his constant growth when fighting for the sake of humanity, Clark had reached a new height: the speed of light.
Backed with such velocity, and in turn, strength, the collision of the hero's fist against Noah's cheek caused his neck to harshly spin to the side, cracking.
"...Gh–!" Noah spit out.
For a brief moment, his irises disappeared as his brain bounced off of his skull rapidly with his spine being fractured by the echo of such a blow.
By all means, such injuries would be fatal to a normal being. However, Noah was an exception.
In that moment, tasting the bitterness of death on his tongue as blood seeped from his pores, he had awakened.
["Dormant Skill: Unsacred Evolution | ACTIVATED"]
[Level Limit Broken]
A new level was reached once being pushed against a corner–that limitation once hardset had shattered like the chains on an ungodly beast.
["Absolute Death Defiance"]
Even though he had the clear advantage in that moment, Clark sensed an unmatched level of animosity pouring from the man, instead retreating back just as a massive reservoir of darkness cascaded off of Noah's body.
Once again, his entire physique altered itself as his skeleton expanded against his skin, bulging against his flesh before his body grew to adjust. What was once the body of a nineteen-year-old turned into that of a mid-twenties man bodybuilder.
In the wake of this mystical growth, the hurricane of darkness swirling around his position, which caused Clark to raise his arms to not be scratched by the malignant winds, it vanished in an instant.
Rather, all of that surplus power was condensed, squeezed into Noah's new body before an aura of irreverent darkness clad his form.
"What happened…?" Clark muttered.
Instead of waiting around, the hero was the type to charge in with reckless abandon, circling around the city in an instant to flank the reborn figure, sending his fist towards the back of Noah's head with his light speed punch before–
It was stopped.
"What?!" Clark let out.
The man's fist had been caught in Noah's hand, who didn't even turn to look at him, instead treating him like a pest as he casually placed his attention elsewhere.
"System," Noah commanded.
[Level: 250]
[Strength: 40000]
[Constitution: 40000]
[Agility: 40000]
[Mana: 500000]
"Interesting," Noah commented to himself, seeing his improved stats.
It seemed I had a secret ability in the event I was pushed this far? That settles it, then; I am meant to do what I'm doing, Noah surmised.
Struggling to withdraw his fist, Clark grunted, trying to pull away though the grip belonging to the matured figure didn't budge.
"Grgh–!" Clark strained.
Hearing the struggles, Noah finally turned to face the hero with a look of boredom in his eyes, "You're no longer a threat."
Those words were an undeniable truth with the utter authority in which they left Noah's lips. Still, Clark rebelled, attempting to throw another punch, though was countered before his knuckles could reach the man:
["Howl of The Abyss"]
The source of this c𝐨ntent is fre𝒆w(e)bn(o)vel