Ch: 156-165
Chapter 156: War (1)
Sensing this situation, Whirlwind immediately asked the director beside him with a serious expression, "What's going on? Didn't I tell you to arrange a memory sequence to confuse his will and disrupt his mind?"
"What's happening now? He was clearly loosening up just a moment ago, so why has he suddenly strengthened again?"
Hearing Whirlwind's question, the director also said with a bitter expression, "Big brother, his mental strength is very powerful, okay?"
"I've been trying my best, but I can't fully control him."
"I can only give him some guidance, making him recall some painful memories."
"I didn't expect things to turn out this way."
Hearing the director's explanation, Whirlwind also said helplessly, "How is this kid different from ordinary people? Not only did he not collapse, but he actually became stronger."
The two black-clothed bodyguards beside him also remained silent, but their eyes clearly expressed the same emotions as Whirlwind.
They also couldn't understand the current situation. They were clearly just responsible for being bodyguards for their leader and completing a mission, but somehow it turned into this.
Before they could discuss much longer, the gravity pressing down on them intensified a few more times, and Liu Xiu, who was floating in the sky, had already opened his eyes.
His eyes were cold, looking at the four people prostrate on the ground as if they were corpses.
He spoke coldly, "I will let you know what it feels like to have your bones break inch by inch."
After speaking, Liu Xiu waved his hands, then increased the force pressing down on them.
Among the four Inhumanss on the ground, only the director had the weakest physical constitution because his ability leaned towards mental power.
Therefore, under the current gravity suppression, his body was the first to give out.
At this moment, the director was completely pressed to the ground, and even the ground began to show indentations from his weight.
Using such a powerful gravity ability was undoubtedly very physically demanding, but Liu Xiu was already enraged, and he no longer wanted to think so much.
At this moment, he only wanted to use all his strength to crush these people into a pulp, no matter how much stamina he would consume, and no matter if he could endure it.
Just then, Meng Ran, who had already dealt with Lightning, instantly teleported to this area.
Looking at the four struggling individuals on the ground, and Liu Xiu in the air with a cold face, gritting his teeth and waving his hands, Meng Ran felt that something was not quite right.
He teleported into the air, then continuously used teleportation to stay by Liu Xiu's side.
Meng Ran asked Liu Xiu softly, "Xiu'er, what happened? Calm down."
"If you use your ability like this, you'll lose all your stamina before they even die."
Liu Xiu did not answer Meng Ran's words, only maintaining his maximum gravity suppression.
Meng Ran waited for a moment but received no reply from Liu Xiu.
Then he changed his approach. He looked at the pale Liu Xiu and gently comforted him, "Xiu'er, what exactly happened? Tell older brother."
"We are family, so whatever happens, we'll solve it together, and bear it together, okay?"
Finally, hearing Meng Ran's words, Liu Xiu's expression was no longer like a thousand-year-old ice.
He lowered his eyes and said in a somewhat muffled tone, "One of the Inhumanss has a very strange ability. He made me see some very sad memories, so I lost my composure a bit. I'm sorry, older brother."
Meng Ran immediately understood after hearing Liu Xiu's words. He patted Liu Xiu's shoulder and then said softly, "Older brother will take care of them for you. You rest for a bit. Using your ability like this is very exhausting."
After hearing Meng Ran's words, Liu Xiu first nodded, then shook his head. He said softly, "It's okay, older brother, I've calmed down."
"We'll deal with them together, especially that strange Inhumans who affected memories just now. I want to personally take care of him."
Meng Ran nodded after hearing Liu Xiu's words, and then the two of them landed on the ground together.
The several people prostrate on the ground saw that the 'demon' had returned, and immediately understood in their hearts.
"It seems Lightning might have..." Whirlwind said to the director in a low voice.
The director also didn't speak. He was now pressed firmly to the ground and felt very uncomfortable.
The two black-clothed bodyguards beside them exchanged glances. They both knew the situation was getting a bit dangerous.
One of the black-clothed bodyguards was no longer calm at this moment. He said to Whirlwind in a deep voice, "The situation is a bit dangerous now, we need to cooperate."
Whirlwind nodded upon hearing this and then said to him, "Cooperation is definitely necessary, but we are not familiar with each other right now, and we don't know what your abilities are."
"If everyone rushes in together, the effect might be worse than not cooperating at all."
The black-clothed bodyguard fell silent upon hearing Whirlwind's words. He knew that Whirlwindwas speaking the truth.
They had no prior combat experience together, and they weren't even very familiar with each other's abilities. Based on such a foundation, discussing facing the enemy together was indeed a bit unrealistic.
At this moment, another black-clothed bodyguard spoke up, "How about this, they have two people, and we have four. We'll go two against one."
"You and your teammate are familiar with each other, which will make it easier to fight and coordinate."
"We'll all try to resolve the battle as quickly as possible, and then go help the others after we're done."
"Moreover, if there's any spare capacity during the battle, we can also help each other at appropriate times, which will definitely catch them off guard."
Whirlwind and the other black-clothed man nodded in agreement after hearing this.
Subsequently, the first black-clothed man to speak quickly introduced their basic situation to Whirlwindand the director.
"I am Impact, and my ability is to emit Impact attacks with my fists."
"He is Solar Energy, and his ability, like his name, is to absorb Solar Energy and then emit rays or light waves from his hands."
After listening to the black-clothed man's introduction, Whirlwind nodded. He and the director's abilities had already been mentioned when Saike introduced them to Will earlier, and they were also present at the time, so there was no need to waste time repeating it.
At this moment, Meng Ran had finished communicating with Liu Xiu, and they each looked at two different people.
According to Liu Xiu's request, Meng Ran decided to let Liu Xiu deal with Whirlwind and the director, while he himself would deal with the two black-clothed men, Impact and Solar Energy.
Meng Ran had heard their abilities and names through his exceptional hearing.
The distance between their two groups of people was not very far, so Meng Ran heard their conversation clearly.
He had also heard about Lightning's teleportation ability when they were introducing themselves earlier.
However, because they hadn't mentioned the details during their introduction, Meng Ran had just spent some time verifying it himself.
Chapter 157: War (2)
Since their opponents had already been assigned, Meng Ran and Liu Xiu didn't hesitate and quickly rushed towards their respective foes.
At this moment, Liu Xiu was slowly retracting his gravity suppression.
Since he had decided to take on two opponents by himself, he needed to conserve his stamina for precise strikes.
Whirlwind and his companions also felt the pressure on them gradually lessen.
Upon seeing Evil Ghost and Black Armor charging towards them, they didn't hesitate and instantly scattered.
Whirlwind supported the panting Director while simultaneously flicking his hand, sending out several wind blades.
Sharp wind blades continuously assailed Liu Xiu, but they were all deflected back by the defensive shield Liu Xiu had conjured with his gravity.
The deflected wind blades struck the ground and ruins nearby, instantly cutting through the soil and stones.
Just as Liu Xiu and Whirlwind were locked in battle, Meng Ran had already engaged Impact and Solar Energy.
Meng Ran teleported, instantly appearing beside them, while Impact and Solar Energy, having anticipated this, stood back-to-back.
As soon as they saw Meng Ran appear, they fiercely attacked, unleashing a continuous barrage of assaults in Meng Ran's direction.
Impact threw a series of punches, and the force generated from his fists relentlessly pursued Meng Ran's teleporting trajectory, bombarding him all the way.
Solar Energy held up his hands, and two bowl-thick red light waves shot out from between his palms, continuously firing at the spots where Meng Ran appeared.
Facing such powerful and explosive attacks, Meng Ran dodged and weaved, all while marveling at their skills.
If he had these two abilities, he would surely use them more effectively than they did.
"I just wonder if this Solar Energy ray can be fired from the eyes."
"If it could, that would be fun; I could cosplay as Superman."
Meng Ran thought to himself while waving his hand, sending out streaks of blade light towards the two.
Impact and Solar Energy reacted swiftly upon seeing Meng Ran's blade light.
They used their abilities to shatter all these attacks.
Meng Ran saw this, but he didn't care; these attacks were merely insignificant appetizers.
Now was his time to perform.
Meng Ran waved his blade light, letting them block it, then instantly vanished from his spot.
The next second, he appeared directly beside Impact and Solar Energy, who were still standing back-to-back.
Then, he brought down a hand-blade strike on the two, accompanied by crackling lightning sounds.
With the dazzling lightning, Impact and Solar Energy were forcibly separated by Meng Ran, then, their bodies paralyzed, they were blasted flying in opposite directions.
Hearing the two being blasted away, a faint smile appeared on Meng Ran's lips, then he vanished from his spot again.
The joy brought by teleportation is truly unimaginable; Impact was still flying in the air, not yet having landed.
But Meng Ran had already appeared on the ground where Impact was about to fall, then he raised his leg and kicked the falling Impact.
"Crack!" Accompanied by the crisp sound of bone, Impact's spine was instantly broken.
He coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood, then weakly tumbled to the ground.
The intense pain in his back covered him in cold sweat, and his broken spine caused him to lose control of his lower body.
Just as he lay on the ground, groaning in pain and gasping for air, Evil Ghost's ghostly figure suddenly reappeared before him.
"Tsk tsk tsk, how pitiful," Meng Ran said in a hoarse voice, mocking the paralyzed Impact.
After mocking him, Meng Ran walked over and stomped on Impact's limbs, breaking them.
By the time he had broken Impact's legs and before he could break his arms, Impact had already fainted.
After doing all this, Meng Ran paid no mind to the unconscious Impact, instantly disappearing from his spot with another teleportation.
At this moment, Solar Energy had already landed on the ground and stood up again.
Just as he stood up and looked towards Impact's direction...
Meng Ran was in the process of breaking Impact's limbs, and the tragic wails instantly made Solar Energy's eyes burn with fury.
He and Impact had been good friends for many years; they often went on missions together and sought entertainment, sharing a bond forged in life-and-death situations, their relationship incredibly strong.
Seeing Impact treated in such a manner, Solar Energy's rage erupted.
"Ah!!! Die! You monster!"
Solar Energy clasped his hands together, then shot a Solar Energy light wave, condensed with all his might, at Meng Ran, who had suddenly appeared before him.
Accompanied by his roar, the crimson light wave shot straight towards Meng Ran.
This full-power Solar Energy light wave was thick and long, and incredibly fast; Meng Ran, who had just finished teleporting, hadn't even seen this attack when he felt a strong warning signal in his mind.
Feeling the danger, he hastily put up a defense, transforming the venom in his hand into a shield to block in front of him.
Just as the shield appeared, a thick, long red light beam struck it.
The immense force that came with it forced Meng Ran, who was holding the shield, to retreat by a meter.
It must be said, this kind of all-out, desperate ultimate skill indeed possessed formidable power.
"Damn it! This scoundrel's timing is too coincidental!"
Meng Ran felt the intense energy coming from the shield and cursed inwardly.
Just then, Venom's face emerged from behind the shield.
He opened his large mouth and, baring his fangs, said to Meng Ran, "At critical moments, it's still up to this great one to act. You just output from behind this great one without worry."
"Don't worry, with this great one covering you, absolutely nothing will happen. (`)"
Venom had indeed become quite arrogant after maxing out his fire resistance.
One of his two innate weaknesses had been removed, and now his defensive capabilities were truly top-tier.
Seeing Venom arrogantly praising himself, Meng Ran couldn't help but laugh and scold, "Oh, look at you, so impressive. So, if there's a sonic attack next time, will you cover me too?"
Hearing Meng Ran's words, Venom instantly dropped his arrogant facade and chuckled foolishly a few times.
After laughing, he mumbled something, then retreated back into the shield.
Meng Ran wasn't actually afraid of the power of this ray attack; the reason he adopted a defensive stance was that he didn't want to be blasted away by the ray.
The power of this ray was indeed immense; if he had been hit just now, he didn't know how far he would have been knocked back.
Currently, his teleportation range was only 10 meters at most, and returning to the battlefield would take several seconds, no matter what.
On the battlefield, a few seconds can determine the outcome of a battle.
For example, if Meng Ran was blasted away and left the battlefield for a few seconds.
Then, during those few seconds, Solar Energy, in cooperation with Whirlwind, might ambush Liu Xiu.
One must know that Liu Xiu's defense was not as strong as Meng Ran's; what Meng Ran could defend against, Liu Xiu might not be able to.
Therefore, this was also the reason why Meng Ran had to withstand this blow.
Chapter 158: War (3)
Solar Energy's attack didn't last long, stopping after a few seconds.
The moment the red light wave disappeared, Meng Ran immediately put away his shield, then teleported in front of Solar Energy and kicked him to the ground.
Kicked to the ground, Solar Energy didn't even have time to resist before he let out another agonizing scream.
Because Meng Ran had already quickly stomped and broken his limbs.
He screamed violently while glaring fiercely at the demon in front of him.
If looks could kill, Solar Energy would have devoured Meng Ran alive by now.
Meng Ran stepped on Solar Energy's chest and then looked into his eyes, saying coldly, "No need to look at me with such eyes, friend."
"When you joined the monsters and became a Inhumans, you should have been mentally prepared for such an outcome."
Hearing Meng Ran's words, Solar Energy showed no reaction; he continued to glare fiercely at Meng Ran.
Seeing this, Meng Ran shrugged and prepared to check on Liu Xiu's situation.
Just then, Solar Energy's eyes instantly turned crimson, and two red lasers shot out from his eyes, aiming directly at Meng Ran's face.
It turned out that Solar Energy's silence was him charging up for this attack; he wanted his final blow to be a sneak attack on the demon.
Upon sensing the danger, Meng Ran immediately dodged according to his subconscious instincts.
He tilted his head away at the crucial moment, and at the same time, the two red lasers just grazed past his head.
These two red lasers emitted from his eyes lasted for a very short time; after only two seconds, his attack stopped.
After seeing the attack disappear, Meng Ran looked down at Solar Energy's eyes.
At this moment, his eyes had been completely melted by the previous high temperature, becoming two charred holes.
"So, eyes can also release energy, but his eyes aren't strong enough; they can't withstand this power."
After seeing Solar Energy's appearance, Meng Ran gained a better understanding of his abilities.
Then Meng Ran teleported away again; in less than a minute in total, Solar Energy and Impact had already been dealt with.
Now he needed to fight alongside Xiu'er and quickly eliminate the remaining two A-ranks.
At this moment, Liu Xiu was also fully suppressing his opponent.
Liu Xiu controlled countless nearby gravel and rocks, throwing them towards Whirlwind and the Director.
Whirlwind constantly swung his hands, and sharp blades whistled out from them, shredding the incoming gravel into dust.
Seizing this opportunity, Liu Xiu also boldly launched a mental assault.
Feeling this mental assault, Whirlwind and the Director immediately clutched their heads in pain.
But to prevent a sneak attack, Whirlwind could only endure the pain and then fully unleashed a tornado.
A massive whirlwind appeared in front of Whirlwind, then, with a push of his single hand, it spun and roared, sweeping towards Liu Xiu.
Seeing this, Liu Xiu merely squeezed his hand in the air towards the whirlwind, and under the effect of gravity, the whirlwind instantly dissipated without a trace.
After dispelling the whirlwind, Liu Xiu stomped the ground and then, using gravity, rapidly rushed towards the two.
In the blink of an eye, Liu Xiu rushed in front of Whirlwind, who was clutching his head in agony.
This mental assault was not a wide-ranging wave, but a continuous effect targeting only a few individuals.
So, at this moment, Whirlwind and the Director were still in excruciating pain, stirred by the mental assault.
After rushing in front of Whirlwind, Liu Xiu began a continuous barrage of blows; it should be known that his combat skills before awakening his ability were the strongest in the Six-pointed Star Alliance, second only to Meng Ran.
"Kabakaba!"
"Ah!"
Accompanied by the sound of breaking bones and Whirlwind's screams, Liu Xiu broke the bones in Whirlwind's limbs into several pieces.
"Boom!" Whirlwind was kicked by Liu Xiu into a nearby pile of ruins and then passed out.
"Now only you are left." After kicking Whirlwind away, Liu Xiu looked coldly at the Director, who was clutching his head and constantly retreating.
The Director quickly retreated while enduring the pain and calculating his countermeasures.
"Please, spare me, I was wrong~"
"Please let me go~"
The Director suddenly knelt on the ground with a thud, then pleaded for mercy from Liu Xiu with trepidation.
Liu Xiu looked at the Director, who was snotting and crying in front of him, with no ripple in his heart, only a feeling of disgust.
He raised one hand, preparing to apply gravity, to fulfill his previous promise; he had just said he would crush this person's bones inch by inch.
Just then, the Director, who was kneeling on the ground and constantly begging for mercy, suddenly had a sharp look in his eyes.
He mobilized all his mental power, preparing to leave some unforgettable memories for this damned guy in front of him.
A subtle wave swept towards Liu Xiu, and in an instant, it entered his body.
Liu Xiu, who was about to release gravity to suppress, suddenly felt the scenery in front of him change again, and the enemy in front of him began to disappear.
However, he showed no surprised reaction this time, as if everything was within his expectations.
Just as the scenery in front began to intertwine and transform, preparing to bring forth scenes of memories and stories, Liu Xiu snorted coldly, and a powerful mental force swept out from his mind, fiercely shaking this space repeatedly.
His mental power was like waves on the sea, each wave stronger than the last, and in just two or three instances, he shattered the void space in front of him.
In the real world, after seeing his technique succeed, the Director crawled up from the ground and pulled out a knife.
He was preparing to let this guy in front of him die silently, immersed in memories.
Just as he stood up and pulled out the knife, Liu Xiu suddenly released several surging mental powers and then opened his eyes.
Seeing Liu Xiu's consciousness suddenly return to reality, the Director's hand trembled in shock, almost dropping the knife he was holding.
He hadn't expected Liu Xiu to break free from the memories he wove so quickly; this amount of time probably meant the show ended before it even began.
As Liu Xiu opened his eyes, that familiar gravity suddenly pressed down on the Director again.
The Director once again prostrated himself on the ground, making intimate contact with the earth.
At this moment, Meng Ran also arrived beside Liu Xiu; he was about to make a move when he saw the Director's skill successfully released, but before he could act, Liu Xiu broke free on his own.
Seeing Meng Ran walk over, Liu Xiu also said softly to him, "It seems big brother has already dealt with the enemy; I'll be done here soon too."
Meng Ran nodded at his words, then patted Liu Xiu's shoulder and said, "You continue, remember not to kill him, and then later, help me bring those other guys over here."
"I'll go check on Gwen and the others."
Liu Xiu also nodded at Meng Ran's words, then refocused his attention on the Director, who was prostrate on the ground in front of him.
He continuously increased the intensity of the gravity suppression, making the Director's contact with the earth increasingly tight.
Some parts of the Director's body were already unable to bear the weight and began to emit cracking sounds.
Chapter 159 Harvest
At this moment, Meng Ran had already sensed Gwen and their location, and he quickly moved in the corresponding direction.
Harry and Peter's battle had just ended, and only Gwen was left, repeatedly punching a silver-armored Iron Man.
Meng Ran stood not far from the battlefield and did not participate, but watched Gwen fight.
Gwen's other two opponents were already lying on the ground unconscious, with only this incredibly durable Iron Man still struggling.
Meng Ran watched the battle on the field; he could clearly feel that Gwen was thoroughly enraged.
Gwen continuously and flexibly dodged the Iron Man's various attacks, while simultaneously delivering heavy punches to the Iron Man.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!" Gwen's punches grew heavier with each strike, and every punch that landed on the Iron Man produced a loud thud.
It should be known that Gwen's strength is measured in tons, and under such continuous heavy blows, even with the Iron Man's excellent defense, he was still bleeding from the corner of his mouth.
The Iron Man was merely a B-Class Inhumans; his steel could only protect his exterior.
Although his internal organs had also been somewhat enhanced by his ability, they could not withstand the constant heavy impacts and vibrations.
"Bang!"
Finally, after Gwen's last punch landed on the Iron Man's stomach, he spat out a mouthful of blood and then fainted on the ground.
The Iron Man's originally silvery-white skin returned to its normal color after he fainted.
"Hoo~" Gwen let out a long breath when she saw the Iron Man fall.
"This person's defense is truly abnormal; my hands hurt from hitting him," Gwen thought to herself, rubbing her fists.
At this point, Meng Ran, along with Peter and Harry, who had finished their battles, also arrived next to Gwen.
The group exchanged stories about their battles while leading the surviving B-Class Inhumanss towards Liu Xiu.
Gwen had just fought three B-Class Inhumanss, while Peter and Harry each dealt with two.
Besides the Iron Man, Gwen also dealt with a Inhumans who released sound waves and a Inhumanswho could manifest various weapons with telekinesis.
According to Gwen's description, this B-Class sound wave Inhumans was not as strong as the previous A-Class Singer.
However, Meng Ran estimated that with this Inhumans, Venom's sound wave resistance could finally be maxed out.
The two Inhumanss Peter fought included one who flung sharp flying knives with his fingernails and another who used heavy punches and sharp claws.
He felt no pressure fighting these two Mutants; he could easily dodge the fingernail flying knives with his flexible movements.
As for the other Inhumans with heavy punches and sharp claws, could his heavy punches be heavier than Spider-Man's? It should be known that Spider-Man's punches were much heavier than his.
So, among these abilities, only the sharp claws might pose some threat to him, but it wasn't a big problem.
The two Inhumanss Harry fought included one with steel wings that he could use for flight, to fling sharp steel feathers, or for defense.
The other could spit fireballs that could also explode.
Speaking of which, this Inhumans was somewhat similar to the Burst Fireball ability user from the Blackwater B5 squad that Meng Ran encountered for the first time.
However, their methods of releasing abilities differed: one used his hands, the other used his mouth.
At this point, Harry suddenly looked at Meng Ran apologetically and said, "I'm really sorry, that fireball Inhumans was accidentally killed by me."
"I was flying in the air, fighting them, and then I threw a pumpkin bomb down."
"But I didn't expect the bomb to land right in his open mouth, and after it exploded, it blew him to pieces."
Meng Ran laughed when he heard Harry's words, "What's there to be sorry about? I just said that your safety is more important than the abilities."
"But I didn't notice your throwing ability before."
Hearing Meng Ran's words, Harry also laughed, "Haha, you wouldn't know this, but I used to be the top pitcher on the baseball team."
"It's just that I studied abroad for a while, and then I've been very busy, so I haven't played baseball for a long time, but it seems my touch is still good today."
Hearing Harry's words, Meng Ran suddenly realized; he indeed didn't know that Harry had such accomplishments in baseball.
The group chatted and laughed, and soon arrived at Liu Xiu's previous location.
Liu Xiu had also just gathered the others, including Whirlwind and Impact, nearby.
Seeing Meng Ran approach, he put down these people and walked towards the group.
"Brother, these people have all been gathered by me; they are still alive, but they fainted due to severe injuries," Liu Xiu reported to Meng Ran.
Meng Ran nodded at the words, then picked up the B-Class Inhumanss that Gwen and the others had dealt with and placed them next to these people.
After he finished, Meng Ran nodded to Gwen and the others, signaling that he was about to begin the possession work.
Gwen and the others understood, then spread out to guard the perimeter of the area.
Once Meng Ran was ready, he extended his hands towards the people lying on the ground.
Viscous Venom dripped from Meng Ran's hands, then merged into the bodies of these eleven people, enveloping them all in black cocoons.
After about a few minutes, the black cocoons slowly receded, and the Venom returned to Meng Ran's body.
As the Venom returned, Meng Ran immersed his mind, and the system prompt sounds began to ring continuously in his head.
"Congratulations, host, you have gained new abilities!"
"Obtained Wind Manipulation ability! Can create Wind Blades, small Whirlwind, tornadoes, and hurricanes!"
"Obtained Teleportation ability! Can instantly move to any place within sight."
"Obtained Illusion Creation ability! Can use mental energy to weave and deploy illusions against enemies!"
"Obtained Energy Ray ability! Can absorb Solar Energy and convert it into energy rays! Currently, release points include both hands and eyes."
"Congratulations on obtaining the Punch Impact ability! By swinging your fists, you can release Impactof varying intensities!"
The above five abilities were the new abilities Meng Ran obtained from these five A-Class Inhumanss.
Next, he obtained different abilities from the six B-Class Inhumanss.
These abilities included transforming into Iron Man, manifesting various weapons with telekinesis, sharp claws and heavy punches, fingernail flying knives, and steel wings.
Another sound wave ability, just like before, was directly used by Meng Ran to increase Venom's sound wave resistance.
Through this enhancement, Venom's sound wave resistance was now maxed out, which meant his only weakness had also disappeared.
Chapter 160 Follow-up
After understanding all the abilities he had gained from possession, Meng Ran also opened his eyes.
Seeing him open his eyes, Gwen and the others gathered around to ask about the situation.
"Now that these people are dealt with, we still need to find computers and other things under the ruins so Xiaobai can tear open a small hole to access the networks of Blackwater and Monster Company," Meng Ran told them.
After nodding, everyone dispersed to search.
Soon after, they found an undamaged and largely intact computer under the ruins.
After obtaining the computer, Meng Ran took out a USB drive and plugged it in, and then Xiaobai took control of the computer through the USB drive.
"That's it. Xiaobai and I will crack the defenses as quickly as possible and then enter Blackwater's network," Mary Jane's voice came through the earpiece.
After finishing these tasks, the members of the Six-pointed Star Alliance boarded the plane with the Inhumanss and the large cocoons containing Saike and Will.
Saike and Will were kept to extract information from them.
The Inhumanss who had been possessed were kept for experiments on how to sever the chips in their brains.
Meng Ran had been troubled by this chip for a long time because its existence prevented him from fully extracting the memories of Blackwater and Monster Company's people each time.
If he could successfully research a method to sever the chips in their brains, then even if Will and Saikedidn't speak, he would still know about Blackwater and Monster Company, and in much greater detail.
After less than an hour of flying, they returned to the Six-pointed Star Alliance's base.
Counting the round-trip flight time, their operation against Blackwater took a total of less than two and a half hours.
Upon returning to the base, Meng Ran first expanded the base's prison, as so many new people needed to be properly accommodated.
After they were settled, everyone could finally relax for a while.
The cracking work was left to Xiaobai; it was estimated to take some more time according to the current progress.
According to Xiaobai's feedback, Blackwater and Monster Company's information defense system seemed to have an AI similar to him behind it.
Moreover, this AI was based on Monster Company's massive servers, making its computing power even stronger than Xiaobai's.
Currently, Xiaobai's cracking work had hit a small bottleneck and might need some time to proceed to the next stage.
Just as they were chatting, an emergency news flash suddenly interrupted the base's television broadcast.
"This morning, Iron Man Tony Stark's mansion was attacked by terrorists."
"Iron Man Tony Stark is still missing!"
Seeing the news flash on TV, everyone in the base looked at each other.
Tony Stark was missing again. He had disappeared once two years ago and then returned with a big announcement.
After a few seconds of silence, Peter suddenly remembered something and said, "Recently, a terrorist named Mandarin has been particularly rampant."
"Tony even declared war on him directly during a live media interview and even gave out his home address."
Harry, hearing Peter's words, chimed in, "Who challenges someone by giving out their home address? Now look, his home is gone."
Meng Ran did not join the group chat; he just listened to the news and their discussion, then searched his memories.
Tony's disappearance this time was not a major issue, and it was precisely this crisis that truly made him Iron Man, so Meng Ran did not intend to intervene in this matter.
He wasn't thinking about Tony right now, but about another person who would appear around this time.
If the plot he remembered developed as it should, Thor would soon engage in battle with the Dark Elves over the Aether, which is the Reality Stone.
Their final battle would be on Earth, specifically in the United Kingdom.
Meng Ran planned to find Thor then and ask him for a small favor.
Since the Iron Man 3 plot had already appeared, Thor 2's Dark Elves invasion should not be far off.
"So, are we still buying Stark Industries stock this time?" Peter suddenly asked, looking at the news broadcast.
Meng Ran, hearing this, snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Peter with some surprise.
Peter, seeing Meng Ran's gaze, said somewhat puzzled, "Why are you looking at me like that? Didn't we do this before?"
Meng Ran chuckled and said, "Nothing, I just didn't expect your reaction to be so quick this time. I hadn't even thought of that."
"However, this incident was sudden, and we didn't sell the stock when the price was high before, so if we want to continue investing, we can only keep buying."
Hearing Meng Ran's words, Peter said without hesitation, "Then let's keep buying. I've saved up some money, and I still have a lot of untouched dividends from Stark Industries from before. This time, it will come in handy."
"OK, then we'll do as you say." Meng Ran readily agreed to Peter's words, then instructed Xiaobai to handle the subsequent procedures.
For the next few days, everyone returned to their normal lives, though with a few more things to research than before.
Meng Ran, Liu Xiu, and Peter were researching how to remove the chips from the brains of Blackwater's people, Mary Jane and Xiaobai were fully engaged in cracking Blackwater's information defense system, and Harry and Gwen were performing their daily patrols in their stead.
After a few days, one morning, Stark Industries held another press conference.
This time, Tony Stark also made an appearance, returning to the public eye. Aside from the scars on his face, his return this time was quite a pleasant surprise.
At the press conference, he briefly recounted his battle with the terrorists, and he once again stated that he would continue his work of protecting world peace.
Finally, under extensive media coverage, Stark Industries' stock price once again began to surge after its fall.
And Meng Ran and the others made a small profit from this, though of course, these were small sums, not worth mentioning.
In the following days, everyone continued their daily research and patrols.
Finally, a few days later, Meng Ran's long-awaited news about Thor arrived.
That afternoon, Xiaobai suddenly reported news about Thor to Meng Ran.
"Abnormal energy fluctuations detected in Greenwich, United Kingdom!"
"Target individual Thor also detected!"
Upon hearing Xiaobai's report, Meng Ran immediately became alert.
"He's finally here! I've waited so long!"
Meng Ran pondered inwardly while quickly heading to the hangar to prepare to pilot a plane to Greenwich.
Chapter 161 The Traces of Thundergod
Just as Meng Ran was happily flying towards Greenwich, halfway through his journey, Xiaobai reported the latest situation to him.
"The battle in Greenwich has ended, the target, Thor, has disappeared, and his companions are on their way back to New Mexico."
Upon hearing Xiaobai's report, Meng Ran was instantly bewildered. What's going on? It's over already? They just left after finishing?
"Xiaobai, use the companions' phones and computers to eavesdrop and find out the target's movements," Meng Ran ordered Xiaobai. He wanted to see where Thor had gone.
"Received!" Xiaobai began working after receiving Meng Ran's order.
Meanwhile, on a plane from Greenwich, England, to New Mexico, USA, Jane was chatting with her companions.
Daisy looked at the distracted Jane and softly comforted her, "Don't worry, he'll be back, even though he was gone for two years last time."
"But I think this time he won't be like last time."
Daisy spoke while winking at Dr. Selvig next to her, signaling him to also offer comfort.
Daisy felt her words were clumsy; they didn't sound comforting at all, and Jane seemed even more dejected after hearing them.
After receiving Daisy's signal, Dr. Selvig subtly gave her an OK gesture, indicating he had received it.
Then he cleared his throat and softly asked Jane, "Did he say anything when he left?"
Jane thought for a moment after hearing Dr. Selvig's question, then softly said, "He said he had to discuss some things with his father, after all, he ran away after committing treason."
"I didn't press for specific details, and he didn't say."
Dr. Selvig then let out a soft "Oh~" and after pondering for a moment, he said, "This time, Thor saved the entire universe."
"Surely the Allfather Odin won't punish him for his previous treason."
"After all, he was trying to save the entire universe at the time, and the final outcome was indeed that he succeeded."
After hearing Dr. Selvig's words, Jane also fell into contemplation.
A moment later, she looked up at the window and gently clenched her fist.
Then, as if comforting herself, she softly said, "That's right, he saved the entire universe."
"He will definitely come back; he promised me."
Just as Jane was chatting with her companions, Meng Ran also heard their conversation through their phones.
On the plane, Meng Ran had already told Xiaobai to turn back. Since Thor wasn't in Greenwich, there was no need for him to make another trip.
After hearing Jane and her companions' conversation, he understood.
"So Thor went back to Asgard first to discuss some things with Odin."
"Oh, right, I remember now, he returned to Earth later."
Meng Ran stroked his chin, thinking to himself.
"I remember Odin was impersonated by Loki around this time, and the real Odin was banished to Earth by Loki."
Thinking of this, Meng Ran couldn't help but click his tongue, "Tsk tsk tsk, what a filial family."
Odin only had three children, and none of them were easy to deal with.
His eldest daughter, Hela, the Goddess of Death, was incredibly powerful, but her ideology clashed with Odin's, and he suppressed her in the underworld with all his power.
His eldest son, Thor, was kind-hearted, but a bit reckless, with a higher proportion of muscle in his brain.
As for his adopted second son, Loki, there's even less to say; he was truly 'filial' to a powerful extent.
First, he colluded with the Frost Giants to disrupt Thor's coronation ceremony, then he used Thor's lack of brains to get him banished to Earth.
Later, he caused the Bifrost Bridge to go out of control, forcing Thor to destroy it, and finally, he allied with the Chitauri to cause trouble on Earth.
One must know that without the Bifrost Bridge, Odin would have to mobilize an unknown amount of dark energy to send Thor to Earth.
This series of actions undoubtedly exacerbated Odin's already declining power and life, which was like a candle in the wind.
Then there was the recent Dark Elves incident, in which Loki also seemed to have played a part, resulting in the unfortunate death of Odin's wife, Frigga.
Regardless of whether Loki regretted it later, he undoubtedly played a trick on his beloved mother.
Meng Ran thought about Odin's family while flying back to New York.
"Although every family has its own difficulties, Odin's family seems to have a particularly tough one."
After returning to New York, Meng Ran kept Xiaobai monitoring Jane and her companions' movements, and also eavesdropping on their calls, to ensure he would know as soon as Thor appeared.
Two days had passed since the battle between Thor and the Dark Elves in Greenwich, and there was still no news of Thor.
That morning, Jane, Daisy, and the others were having breakfast as usual.
Jane's hair was a bit messy, and dark circles were faintly visible under her eyes.
Although she believed Thor would definitely come back for her, she couldn't help but feel a little anxious.
This anxiety had prevented her from sleeping well these past few days; her mind was completely filled with thoughts of Thor, and she couldn't even conduct her research normally.
Daisy pushed a cup of coffee towards Jane and softly said to her, "Foster, have some coffee. You didn't sleep well last night again, did you?"
Looking at Jane's haggard face, Daisy couldn't help but frown, while also cursing inwardly.
"Why isn't that damn Thor back yet? If he doesn't come back soon, I'll start to worry that Jane might suddenly drop dead one day."
Jane didn't know what Daisy was thinking; she just mechanically took the coffee Daisy offered and softly said thank you.
Then she continued to absently nibble on her sandwich and drink her coffee.
Dr. Selvig sighed inwardly upon seeing Jane's haggard expression.
To be honest, he was also very worried about Jane's condition, but there was no other way to alleviate her symptoms.
After all, this was a matter of the heart, and not something an astrophysicist like him could solve.
Dr. Selvig shook his head slightly and kept muttering to himself, "Thor, please come back quickly!"
Just as everyone was absentmindedly eating breakfast, a loud roar suddenly sounded outside.
The originally listless Jane's eyes widened upon hearing the sound, and their sparkle returned.
She quickly put down her sandwich and coffee, then turned and ran outside.
Dr. Selvig, Daisy, and the intern next to her also followed, jogging out.
When they ran outside, they saw a strong light slowly dissipating, and standing in front of this light were Thor and Jane.
The two were tightly embracing each other, Jane's head resting against Thor's strong chest, a joyful smile on her face.
"I knew you would come back."
Chapter 162 Thunder God
Thor also tightly embraced Jane at this moment, a relieved smile on his face; he could finally live with his beloved.
Smelling the faint fragrance from Jane's hair, Thor gently stroked her head and softly said, "Now I can stay with you."
After he finished speaking, the two couldn't help but kiss each other.
Daisy and Selvig, who were at the door, immediately felt awkward when they saw their actions.
Their presence felt somewhat superfluous.
At this time, Meng Ran had already received a timely report from Xiaobai; he had boarded his aircraft again and was on his way to New Mexico.
Meng Ran sat on the plane, feeling a bit anxious, unsure if Thor would agree to help him with this favor.
His purpose for this trip was actually to ask Thor to take him to the Dwarven Realm.
During his previous battle with that S-class brute of a monster, the blade of Qieyun was damaged, and Meng Ran had since developed the idea of forging a personalized weapon for himself.
Qieyun was a treasured blade he had previously exchanged from the system; although it could cut through iron like mud and was extremely sharp.
However, given the current situation with the frequent emergence of Inhumanss and Meng Ran's significant increase in combat power, Qieyun could no longer satisfy him.
That's why Meng Ran set his sights on Thor; he wanted Thor to take him to the Dwarven Realm to forge a personalized weapon for himself.
If Meng Ran were to go alone and ask them to forge a weapon, they might not even pay him any attention.
But if Thor could step forward, the King of the Dwarves would definitely give him face, and then the matter could be handled smoothly.
After all, Asgard and the Dwarven Realm had maintained good relations for a long time, and the Dwarven Realm was also under the protection of Asgard.
Moreover, after this invasion by the Dark Elves, Thor, who resolved this crisis, became even more renowned throughout the Nine Realms.
Meng Ran's thoughts swirled in his mind throughout the journey, and finally, after flying for several tens of minutes, he arrived in New Mexico.
Stepping onto this land once again, he was filled with mixed emotions; both times he had come here were because of Thor.
After putting aside his complex thoughts, Meng Ran ordered Xiaobai, "Xiaobai, locate Thor and plan a route for me."
Xiaobai quickly replied, "Received, planning your route now."
Soon, Xiaobai displayed the planned route before Meng Ran's eyes.
Just as Meng Ran was about to set off according to the planned route, Xiaobai spoke up again to remind him, "Based on the monitoring results and common sense analysis, it may not be advisable to disturb him at this time."
"???" Meng Ran felt a bit confused after hearing Xiaobai's prompt. What did he monitor? And why is it not advisable to disturb him now?
Could it be?
"Play the monitoring or surveillance footage," Meng Ran ordered Xiaobai, whose thoughtful reminder had piqued his curiosity.
"Received!"
So, in the next second, the large screen in the aircraft displayed the surveillance footage.
He saw two figures entangled on a bed in a simply furnished yet exquisite room.
From this camera angle, the surveillance at this time should have been conducted through the computer camera on the table.
(The author also reminds all readers here not to do anything bad in front of a computer camera.)
At this moment in the aircraft, Venom also poked his head out from Meng Ran's shoulder, then intently watched the computer screen in front of him.
As he watched the footage playing on the screen, he commented in a hoarse voice, "Wow~ this female human's flexibility is really good; her knees can even touch her shoulders."
"This alien's body is also good; you can tell by the female human's reaction that she is very satisfied."
"They cooperate well too; they've already changed quite a few positions."
"This human must have practiced yoga, WOWOWO~, look at this pose, this pose is not something an ordinary person can do."
As Venom watched, he also tugged at Meng Ran's shoulder, sharing his insights with him.
Meng Ran, on the other hand, was speechless, his face full of black lines; he hadn't expected Thor to start doing this so soon after returning, and it was daytime! What a beast!
Just like that, four hours passed, and it was already afternoon.
Meng Ran was currently sitting cross-legged in the cabin, meditating, while only Venom remained meticulous and focused, watching the screen in front of the computer, occasionally letting out exclamations.
Thor's stamina was indeed very good, and Jane's stamina was also quite impressive; one could work continuously for four hours, and the other could remain moisturized for four hours.
Indeed, the saying that women are made of water is absolutely true.
Finally, after another hour, the two figures on the screen finally quieted down.
Seeing that the exciting scene had ended, Venom, while commenting, ran to wake Meng Ran from his meditation.
Feeling Venom's awakening, Meng Ran also exhaled a mouthful of stale air, then opened his eyes and asked, "How long has it been? Are they done?"
He had waited for a while at first, but later realized he didn't know how much longer it would take to finish, so he went to meditate.
Venom replied, "Let me think, about 5 hours, I guess."
Meng Ran was instantly speechless; how could Thor be so inconsiderate? Wasn't he afraid of overworking the land?
One must know that Jane was just an ordinary human, not like him, who possessed a divine body.
Thinking of this, Meng Ran also asked Venom, "Nothing bad happened, right? Is she alright?".
"What could happen?" Venom didn't immediately react to the question.
After a few seconds, he realized what Meng Ran meant and then said, "Nothing happened, it's just that the female human seems a bit too tired; she barely had the strength to speak just now and fell asleep directly."
"Oh, and the alien went to take a shower; he's probably almost done now. Should we make our move?"
"Yes, let's go now," Meng Ran said, then stood up and waved at Venom.
After Venom returned to his body, Meng Ran exited the aircraft.
After retracting the aircraft, he proceeded according to the route Xiaobai had just planned.
At this time, Thor had also finished washing up; after gently kissing the sleeping Jane, he went out and walked aimlessly down the street.
His feelings at this moment were complex: there was the pain of losing his mother and brother, the relief of stepping down from the throne of Asgard, and finally, the joy of being able to live on Earth with his beloved Jane.
All these feelings intertwined in his heart, stirring a surge of inexplicable emotion within him.
Just then, a familiar black figure suddenly appeared before him.
"Long time no see, Thor."
Chapter 163 Let's Fight
Looking at the familiar black figure in front of him, Thor also smiled, "Oh, it's you. It has been a long time indeed."
Meng Ran looked at Thor and also smiled, "After all, you travel through the Nine Realms, so it's not easy to see you even if one wants to."
After speaking, Meng Ran lifted the bag in his hand and continued to say to Thor, "Do you have time for a drink? There are some things I need to tell you."
"OK, of course." Hearing Meng Ran's suggestion, Thor readily agreed. He was also looking forward to a drink.
Meng Ran then led Thor to an open space, started a bonfire to roast meat, and they chatted while drinking.
After some small talk, Thor put down his drink and asked Meng Ran, "So, is there something you need me for?"
Hearing Thor's words, Meng Ran also put down the rabbit he was roasting over the fire and said, "I want to ask you for a favor."
"Of course, as long as it's within my capabilities." Thor took a sip of beer after hearing Meng Ran's words and then said.
He and the Evil Ghost were comrades who had fought side by side, so he certainly wouldn't mind if there was something he needed help with.
Hearing Thor's words, Meng Ran's favorable impression of him grew even more.
To be honest, aside from being a bit reckless, Thor was truly exemplary when it came to friends and family.
Meng Ran gave Thor one of the roasted rabbits from the fire and said, "Some time ago, my weapon was accidentally damaged."
"So, I want to ask the Dwarven craftsmen to help me repair it or forge a new weapon."
At this point, Meng Ran looked at Thor again and continued with a smile, "However, I'm just an Earthling and have no connection with the Dwarves, so I can only ask you for this favor."
"I heard that Asgard is the guardian of the Nine Realms, and the Dwarven Realm has a good relationship with Asgard."
Hearing Meng Ran's words, Thor didn't say anything. He chewed on the rabbit meat in his hand while pondering.
If they were to go to the Dwarven Realm, he and the Evil Ghost would definitely need to use Asgard's Bifrost Bridge.
In the past, Meng Ran's request would have been nothing.
However, he had now refused the throne of Asgard and bid farewell to his father.
Returning at this point in time would be somewhat awkward.
He didn't think for long. After a moment of silence, Thor responded to Meng Ran, "No problem. Although returning to Asgard now might be a bit awkward for me, compared to your matter, it's nothing."
Meng Ran also knew what Thor meant by "awkward"; they had discussed their recent situations during their earlier chat.
Thinking of this, Meng Ran recalled that the current Odin was an illusion created by Loki, and the real Odin seemed to have been exiled to Earth by Loki, his whereabouts unknown.
He didn't know whether to tell Thor this news truthfully, but if he did, he couldn't explain the source of the information.
After a moment of thought, Meng Ran decided to wait a little longer.
He would remind Thor when Loki eventually revealed some weaknesses.
Hearing Thor's reply, Meng Ran was deeply moved. This person was truly dependable and helpful when needed.
"Thank you for helping me with this. I'll remember this favor. A toast to you." Meng Ran raised his beer and said solemnly to Thor.
Thor also smiled when he heard Meng Ran's words, "No need to be so polite. We are comrades who have fought side by side, aren't we?"
"Besides, I haven't made a request yet, have I?"
Meng Ran heard Thor's words and said seriously, "Tell me what you need. As long as I can do it, I definitely won't refuse."
Thor blinked at this and then smiled at Meng Ran, "It's not an excessive request. I just want to fight you."
"Fight?" Meng Ran was stunned by Thor's request. He had thought Thor would ask for something else, but he never expected it was just to fight.
Thor continued, "That's right, that's it. As a warrior, it's normal to want to fight a strong opponent."
"Speaking of which, 500 years ago, I specifically went to fight a giant beast. At the time, Loki said I definitely wouldn't be its match, and I felt very unconvinced, so I went to specifically fight it."
"Finally, I threw the head of that giant beast in front of Loki, but when I saw the mocking smile on his face, I realized he had tricked me. Now that I think about it, I was really a bit foolish."
At this point, a look of recollection appeared on Thor's face. When he mentioned Loki, he smiled, but then a hint of sadness appeared.
Meng Ran knew he was feeling sad thinking about Loki. He wondered how Thor would feel when he found out that Loki was not only alive but had also thrown his father, Odin, onto Earth.
Thor's sadness didn't last long. He quickly regained his composure and asked Meng Ran, "How about it? Let's have a fight."
Thor greatly respected the strength the Evil Ghost had displayed last time, which was also why he wanted to fight him.
Hearing Thor's challenge, Meng Ran didn't hesitate for long this time and nodded in agreement.
To be honest, he was also very interested in having a fight with Thor.
He wondered whose lightning would be stronger, his or Thor's.
Moreover, Meng Ran believed that when Thor saw that there was someone else besides him who could also wield the power of lightning, his expression would surely be very interesting.
Seeing the Evil Ghost agree to the fight, Thor also showed a happy smile.
He downed the drink in his hand, then stood up and said to Meng Ran, "Then let's start now. I can't wait."
Meng Ran saw the eager Thor, put down his drink, and said to him, "No problem, but you'll have to wait for me to find a suitable place."
The aftermath of their fight would surely be immense, so he had to find a secluded place where there were no people around.
After speaking, Meng Ran closed his eyes and spread his senses completely.
His mental power instantly spread outwards from him as its center.
A moment later, Meng Ran, having finished sensing, opened his eyes and said to Thor, "We can leave now. I've found a suitable place."
After speaking, Meng Ran led Thor to a certain direction at full speed.
A minute later, the two arrived at a desolate, uninhabited area, where there was no sign of human habitation for miles around.
After finding the spot, the two stood a distance apart, facing each other from afar.
"Are you ready?" Thor shouted at Meng Ran from across the way.
Meng Ran nodded at Thor's voice.
Then, Thor raised his right hand, and Meow-Meow Hammer sped from afar into his hand.
Accompanied by dazzling lightning, Thor, dressed in plain clothes, instantly changed into his armor.
Chapter 164: Fighting Thunder God
In an instant, the atmosphere in the arena became Stern.
Meng Ran also held his Quieting Cloud in his hand. Although it had a small dent, it was at least better than having no weapon.
Thor raised Meow-Meow Hammer in his hand and drew down a bolt of lightning from the sky.
With a crackling sound, the lightning whistled towards Meng Ran.
Seeing the lightning strike, Meng Ran immediately gripped Quieting Cloud with both hands and slashed upwards to meet it.
Then, at the moment of contact with the lightning, Meng Ran flicked his blade to his side, and the lightning also flew towards the empty ground beside him.
"Boom!" With a loud bang, the lightning blasted a large pit in the empty ground nearby.
"Woah! Not a bad attack!" Meng Ran spun Quieting Cloud in his hand, then smiled at Thor who was rushing towards him.
Thor laughed heartily upon hearing Meng Ran's words: "Hahaha, there's even better to come!"
With that, he raised the hammer in his hand and smashed it down on Meng Ran in front of him.
Seeing this, Meng Ran instantly retracted Quieting Cloud, clenched his right fist, and punched towards the descending Mjolnir.
He knew he couldn't clash Quieting Cloud head-on with Mjolnir, otherwise Quieting Cloud would shatter on the spot in the next second.
He also wanted to test the power of Mjolnir, so he clenched his iron fist and clashed with Thor.
"Bang!"
Meng Ran's iron fist collided with Thor's Mjolnir, immediately producing a violent clang like metal striking metal.
Accompanying the loud noise, a wave of air surged outwards from the center of the fist and hammer's collision.
For a moment, the dust on the ground became like a wave, swirling around in all directions. From a distance, it looked as if a sudden ripple had appeared in the middle of a Gobi Desert.
Seeing Meng Ran take his full-power blow with just his fist, Thor looked at his hammer with surprise, then back at Meng Ran.
To be honest, having lived for 5000 years, he had never seen anyone who could take his hammer with their bare fist.
The last one who tried was a rock giant, but he was blasted to smithereens by the lightning power attached to the hammer before he even made contact.
"Don't be so surprised, this is just the opening signal." Meng Ran smiled, noticing the astonishment on Thor's face.
"Interesting! You've got me excited!" Thor grinned, hearing the demon's words.
After speaking, Thor took his hammer and engaged Meng Ran in close-quarters combat.
For a time, "bang bang bang" sounds continuously echoed, these were the sounds of Thor and Meng Ran colliding during their exchange.
Thor had a set of combat techniques he had developed that complemented his hammer.
Meng Ran also wielded his thick and sharp claws. Without a weapon, relying solely on his claws, he fought Thor to a standstill with his superb combat skills.
Thor had fought for Asgard for a thousand years, defeating countless opponents, so his combat awareness and skill were, of course, first-rate.
Meng Ran, on the other hand, had upgraded all his original skills to the highest level through two years of system purchases and exchanges, which, of course, included his combat skills.
Looking at the demon who, despite having no weapon, was fighting him to a draw, Thor's surprise grew deeper.
After continuing their fierce battle for a moment, Thor raised his leg and kicked at Meng Ran. Seeing this, Meng Ran also raised his arms to block.
Using that force, Thor retreated, then spun his hammer and flew into the sky.
He held his hammer, his entire body wreathed in blue electrical arcs, and his eyes glowed with dazzling electric light.
At the same time, the entire sky turned a deep, inky black, with electrical arcs flickering in and out of sight within the clouds.
With a crackling sound, the electric light surged through the clouds like a coiling dragon.
"Next, let me show you the power of the God of Thunder!" Thor shouted loudly from the sky.
After speaking, he roared and then, wielding Mjolnir, controlled the lightning in the sky to fiercely strike Meng Ran on the ground.
This attack was not like the small warm-up at the beginning.
This bolt of lightning was immense in its power; just by its size, it was much thicker than the previous one.
And this thick bolt of lightning was accompanied by countless electrical arcs, just like the ones at the beginning.
"Boom!" A huge roar sounded as the lightning struck the ground.
Compared to this thick bolt of lightning, Meng Ran seemed like a weak and pitiful little wretch.
The dazzling electric light surged on the ground, completely engulfing his figure within it.
At this moment, Thor also descended from the sky. He looked at the ball of electric light with some concern, secretly worrying: "Damn it, I got a little too excited just now, it went to my head."
"I usually don't use this lightning strike much; it costs me almost half my stamina."
"The demon won't be roasted, will he?"
Thinking that his newly befriended friend was now possibly dead or alive from his lightning attack, Thor scratched his head in annoyance.
"Are you worried I'd be killed?"
"While that's heartwarming, I feel a bit underestimated."
Hearing this familiar hoarse voice, Thor immediately looked up and forward.
As the voice came, the dazzling electric light on the ground gradually dispersed.
The demon's familiar black figure was revealed, only now he looked significantly larger than before.
If the demon before looked like a normal human size, now he had become like a small giant, about two meters tall.
And it wasn't just his height that changed, but his overall physique as well.
At this moment, the demon looked as if he had trained in a gym for 10 years before going out, appearing robust and fierce.
Black battle armor encased his strong muscles, forming a perfect, massive physique, accompanied by faint white lines shimmering on the black armor.
His still ferocious face and gaping maw became even more terrifying, his scarlet tongue dripping viscous saliva, and his narrow eyes stared intently at Thor in front of him.
At this moment, the demon's eyes contained not only coldness but also a burning fighting spirit.
Thor looked at the transformed demon, whose aura was even more evil and cold, and his worries dissipated with the wind.
However, after his worries vanished, a deeper sense of surprise and curiosity arose in his heart.
Thor had lived for 5000 years, and in his long life, it was nothing but battle after battle, so his combat experience was extremely rich, and his fighting power was also very strong.
Although not as renowned as Odin, the name of Thor was well-known throughout the Nine Realms.
The attack just now was something he rarely used, because this single strike would drain nearly half of his stamina.
Generally speaking, he didn't need such a powerful move to subdue an enemy.
But today, to show respect, he held nothing back and went straight for his ultimate move. Because of this, he was even worried that he might injure his friend.
But now, the demon stood before him completely unharmed, which made him doubt his own strength.
Chapter 165: Fighting the Thunder God (Part 2)
As the lightning dissipated, it kicked up dust from the ground, completely obscuring the fiend's figure.
Like the gates of hell opening and fierce ghosts pouring out, the fiend's figure emerged from the dust.
His black hood swayed slightly in the passing breeze, and the pale eyes beneath it stared at Thor in the distance, filled with fighting intent.
As his grotesque mouth opened and closed, a hoarse voice, like a wailing ghost, emanated from him.
"I have to say, this lightning is indeed very powerful. Every cell in my body is cheering, telling me they crave a more intense battle, and I feel the same way."
Feeling the fiend's strong fighting intent, Thor looked at him and laughed heartily, "OK, my friend, let's have a good fight!"
After Thor finished speaking, he weighed the hammer in his hand and then adopted a fighting stance.
Seeing this, Meng Ran interlaced his hands across his chest, and with a crisp 'clink!', a dull metallic sheen appeared on his hands.
Sharp claws slowly moved, glaring menacingly at Thor in the distance.
A gentle breeze caused pebbles nearby to roll. As a pebble rolled between the two, a silent signal seemed to be sounded, and the crackling of electricity and the whistling of claws cutting through the air erupted simultaneously.
Meng Ran raised his hands, his two claws interlacing in the air to form an 'X', then he suddenly swung them at Thor.
Instantly, as his claws swung out, an X-shaped formation of 10 wind blades in the air whistled forward.
This was Meng Ran's newly acquired Wind Control ability. These 10 wind blades seemed ordinary, but if even one hit, even with Thor's physical strength, he would be torn open.
Thor looked at the incoming wind blades, and years of combat experience made him instinctively feel a hint of danger.
He swung the hammer in his hand, smashing it down on the intersecting X-shaped wind blades.
With the power of thunder, the wind blades were instantly shattered by Mjolnir and then dissipated into the air.
The moment the wind blades were shattered, before Thor could react, two bright red rays shot from a distance, hitting him in the chest.
The immense force instantly sent Thor flying. Relying on his rich combat experience, he shot a lightning bolt at the ground, then used that force to land steadily.
Meng Ran, watching Thor's maneuver from a distance, couldn't help but inwardly praise, "As expected of Thor, the God of Thunder, his reactions are quick."
After the God of Thunder landed, he didn't look at his wound but stared intently at his opponent—the fiend.
Based on the pain in his chest and his body's natural reaction, Thor knew that although these two red lights had injured him, it wasn't that serious, at most leaving two shallow small holes.
At the same time, the red light in Meng Ran's eyes slowly faded. He raised his hand and then reminded the ready-for-battle Thor, "These next two won't be as small as the last ones, you know."
No sooner had Meng Ran finished speaking than two thick rays shot from his palms, heading towards Thor opposite him.
Facing the two thick red lights shooting towards him, Thor knew he couldn't be careless.
He quickly wielded Mjolnir in his hand, placing it in front of him to defend against the incoming attack.
The red lights did not break through Mjolnir's defense; they were dispersed by the spinning hammer onto the empty ground beside Thor.
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
With the sound of explosions, the red lights, broken into segments, struck the empty ground nearby, creating several sizable craters.
Meng Ran's hands were only raised for a moment before he lowered them again.
As the red light disappeared, he stomped heavily on the ground again, then used the recoil to charge towards the God of Thunder.
Seeing the fiend rushing towards him, Thor shifted the Mjolnir he was wielding to his side.
Just as the fiend swung his fist and attacked him, Thor also grasped the Mjolnir, which he had been holding in readiness, and smashed it down on the fist.
The moment Mjolnir touched the fiend's fist, a transparent Impact suddenly erupted from the fist.
This Impact even bounced back a portion of Mjolnir's power.
Thor hadn't expected this iron fist of the fiend to contain other hidden tricks, and he was instantly sent flying, man and hammer, by this force.
This time, he was directly sent flying over a hundred meters before he stabilized himself.
After regaining his footing, Thor looked at the fiend in the distance and then let out a hearty laugh.
"Hahahahaha, exhilarating!"
"I have to say, your fist is the most formidable I've ever seen!"
After laughing, Thor seriously said to Meng Ran, clearly praising him from the bottom of his heart.
Meng Ran smiled upon hearing Thor's praise, "Thank you for the compliment, but even so, I won't hold back."
"I have another move I'd like you to experience."
Thor heard Meng Ran's words, weighed his hammer, and then laughed, "Bring it on!"
Although a moment of carelessness had caused a minor injury to his chest, it was nothing serious, and he was still full of energy.
After Meng Ran finished speaking, a pair of black wings unfolded on his back. These wings were subtly radiant, possessing the dual beauty of mechanical and biological fusion.
With a gentle flap of his wings, Meng Ran ascended into the air.
He raised his right hand, his palm cupped as if an invisible force was being held within it.
The next second, accompanied by crackling sounds, countless lightning bolts swirled around Meng Ran, then surged towards his raised right hand.
Thor on the ground, seeing this scene, instantly widened his eyes.
"Th-this is lightning?"
"He actually also has the power to control lightning."
It was no wonder Thor was surprised; until now, he had indeed never seen a lightning controller other than himself. The fiend was the first.
In mid-air at this moment, the lightning gathered in Meng Ran's right hand gradually condensed into a dazzling orb of light.
As he continued to exert force with his right hand, the solidified blue orb of light gradually turned purple.
Just as the blue lightning orb transformed into the more violent and powerful purple lightning, Meng Ran pushed with his right hand, throwing the purple lightning orb into the deep, dark clouds above his head.
After doing all this, Meng Ran slowly lowered his raised hand.
Following his movement, bright purple lightning suddenly surged within the deep clouds in the sky.
A dragon's head, formed by purple lightning, extended downwards from the clouds.
After seeing this scene, the doubt in Thor's heart had completely turned into shock.
Compared to the blue lightning he controlled, this purple lightning was more violent and significantly more powerful.
Before he could marvel for long, the giant dragon in the clouds had already revealed its form.
It had a long, snake-like body with several giant claws on its sides. Using its claws to climb among the clouds, the giant dragon surged through the sea of clouds.
Compared to its somewhat ethereal body, its purple dragon head was solid and lifelike.
Dazzling, violent electric light flickered on its long, deer-like antlers, and long tendrils floated around its mouth, adding a touch of agility and grace to it.
Meng Ran flapped his wings in mid-air, looking at Thor on the ground, whose face showed deep shock. He grinned and asked,
"Friend, are you ready to experience the gift I've prepared for you?"