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Chapter 316: Put the Crossbow Down
"Very clever, little brat. It almost makes me reluctant to kill you."
Sugita walked with heavy steps through the spreading mist, his eyes narrowed as he glanced left and right, trying to find Huntress through the thick steam.
"But in the end, you're still just a human with a crossbow. Humans have their limits; I realized that long ago. That's why I dedicated myself to the cause of a greater being and obtained this power!"
A blurry silhouette appeared in the white mist.
"Ha! Found you!"
Sugita locked onto the target and, without hesitation, raised his hand and blasted out an energy beam. The mist was pierced as super-heated energy roared out, seemingly striking Huntress directly.
However, the cruel scene he had imagined—where even her bones would be vaporized—didn't occur. The energy beam he fired seemed to pass right through her!
Sugita's pupils constricted.
*A miss? How is that possible? I aimed perfectly...* Right, the temperature!
He suddenly realized something. The high temperature he radiated heated the air, and the steam from the evaporated coolant also heated the gas, turning it into a non-uniform medium. And when light passes through a non-uniform medium... it bends!
It's just like the refraction of light between water and air, which makes underwater objects appear distorted.
Helena had used this very principle. She precisely controlled the distance between them, revealing just a silhouette to Sugita. But Sugita hadn't considered that what he was seeing was a refracted image.
This slight deviation caused him to miss.
Seizing the exact moment he missed, the instant his armored hand discharged its energy, Helena pulled the trigger.
The arrow pierced through the steam, striking the open energy port on Sugita's palm with perfect accuracy!
Through the scanning system built into her suit, she had noticed that the output node on Sugita's hand briefly opened each time he projected energy. While it was his armor's most powerful weapon, it was also its weakness.
If she could create an opportunity and seize that fleeting moment, she could inflict damage through that node. Just as she was doing now.
"A good try! I could almost applaud you!" Sugita roared as he yanked the arrow from his palm.
"But your efforts are futile! You schemed so meticulously, all for one meager arrow. My armor is indestructible! A single crossbow bolt can't possibly... possibly..."
He took two steps, then staggered, his body swaying like a drunkard's.
Immediately after, the force field-like, red-hot aura surrounding him began to dissipate. His massive frame also started to shrink, as if power was rapidly draining from his enormous body like a torrent of water.
Sugita's pupils shrank as he stared at his hands in terror.
"W-w-what did you do!?" he glared at Helena, shocked and furious. "My power... my power is disappearing! But how is this possible..."
"That last arrow shot a dose of neutron absorbent into your armor. I grabbed some from Karen's lab while the coolant was evaporating," Helena said calmly. "It captures the neutrons in your armor. As the neutron concentration decreases, the heavy nuclear fission reaction is suppressed, cutting off your power source."
"No, no, no! My power! I... you're just a human! How could I be defeated by a human..." Sugita still couldn't accept reality.
The next moment, a fierce look appeared on his face, his eyes churning with heat. "But I still have enough energy to kill you!"
With a roar, Sugita lunged forward like a cornered beast preparing for a final, desperate struggle. But Helena remained calm, standing her ground without flinching.
"Besides, even if this move didn't work, I've stalled for enough time..." she murmured.
The next instant, the nearby ruins exploded. A red-and-white blur shot out. Power Girl broke the sound barrier the moment she took off, landing a super-powered punch on Sugita's cheek.
With its energy levels greatly reduced, Sugita's armor no longer had enough power to counteract the impact. The punch cracked his faceplate, the fissure spreading across the heavy armor as metal fragments flew.
"That was for threatening my best friend!" Karen shouted, pressing her attack. Sugita roared in despair and swung his palm, but she dodged it with a mid-air sidestep before following up with a hook.
"This punch is for daring to target my lab!" The heavy punch created a transparent shockwave as a searing blast of air erupted. The force of the blow penetrated his energy field and armor, nearly giving Sugita a concussion and causing him to spit out a mouthful of blood.
"And this one..." Karen lifted him with one hand and drew back her other, charging it with power. Then, with a sound that tore through the air, she threw a fully charged straight punch. "...This is for the nuclear bath you just gave me!"
With a world-shattering punch, Sugita's armor finally couldn't take the strain and exploded. His body had long since become part of the armor; after the shell shattered, his flesh immediately transformed into red-hot energy and dissipated without a trace.
Karen flew back down beside her best friend, panting lightly.
"Thanks... I can't even remember how many times this has happened. I'm supposed to be the one with superpowers, yet somehow I always feel like I'm the one who owes you."
"You'll get used to it." Helena put away her crossbow.
"He wanted the equipment in your lab?"
"Yeah, some monster that came out of nowhere..." Karen mused for a moment, then said, "But no matter who it was, this project can't be stopped. The 'Quantum Tunnel.' It's the whole reason I founded this company in the first place."
"And here I thought it was for the endless cash and mansions," Helena said.
"Well... that's part of the reason," Karen nodded seriously. "Being a celebrity is pretty fun... But seriously, this is our way home. We can't give up on it."
"Of course, Karen. And we will succeed. Definitely," Helena said. "But it's rare to see someone who can actually hurt you."
Karen shrugged. "You can hurt me."
"But that's because I'm me, Batman's daughter," Helena said matter-of-factly. "Theoretically, not many people can hurt you. Do you think he was from Apokolips?"
"Not everything is related to Apokolips, Helena. You might be overthinking things."
"I get it from my father. I consider it a virtue," Helena said seriously. "No one in this world should know our secret. We have to be careful..."
She stopped abruptly, her expression changing slightly. The next moment, she spun around, drew her crossbow, and aimed it behind them. "Who's there?"
"Don't be nervous." Orin Vale appeared silently behind them and smiled.
"You can put your crossbow down. I'm not an enemy."
"I'll be the judge of that," Helena said coldly. "Now, talk. Who are you?"
But before Orin Vale could reply, Karen whispered from the side.
"Uh... Helena, I think... you'd better listen to him."
"Huh?"
Helena gave her best friend a strange look.
"Just put the crossbow down for now..." Karen gestured frantically with her eyes. "...You don't want to fight him."
Helena: "?"
Long-awaited Promo Time.
Book Title: I'm Really Not a Succubus
Synopsis: Ninth-Rank Succubus: Besides being handsome enough to topple nations, you are a thief. You can steal not only others' wealth but also their energy, memories, thoughts, and even their fate.
Eighth-Rank Succubus: You've become even more handsome and a better thief. You're also a master of deceit; any lie you speak becomes reality.
Seventh-Rank Succubus: You've become a robber. Whether others are willing or not, you can forcibly take anything you desire from them.
Sixth-Rank Succubus: You've become an arsonist of hearts. Your natural scent can make any living creature fall into a daze, captivated and intoxicated. Regardless of gender, age, or species—be they bird or beast—all will submit before you.
...
Third-Rank Succubus: You are a catastrophe in male form. The entire world is plunged into chaos because of you. Promotion Ritual: Steal the throne of an empire.
...
First-Rank Succubus: You have finally become a true succubus. The laws and authorities of the entire world are infatuated with you. You fool all of creation, transcending time, space, and fate. Promotion Ritual: Charm all living beings and turn the universe upside down.
(end of chapter )
"Very clever, little brat. It almost makes me reluctant to kill you."
Sugita walked with heavy steps through the spreading mist, his eyes narrowed as he glanced left and right, trying to find Huntress through the thick steam.
"But in the end, you're still just a human with a crossbow. Humans have their limits; I realized that long ago. That's why I dedicated myself to the cause of a greater being and obtained this power!"
A blurry silhouette appeared in the white mist.
"Ha! Found you!"
Sugita locked onto the target and, without hesitation, raised his hand and blasted out an energy beam. The mist was pierced as super-heated energy roared out, seemingly striking Huntress directly.
However, the cruel scene he had imagined—where even her bones would be vaporized—didn't occur. The energy beam he fired seemed to pass right through her!
Sugita's pupils constricted.
*A miss? How is that possible? I aimed perfectly...* Right, the temperature!
He suddenly realized something. The high temperature he radiated heated the air, and the steam from the evaporated coolant also heated the gas, turning it into a non-uniform medium. And when light passes through a non-uniform medium... it bends!
It's just like the refraction of light between water and air, which makes underwater objects appear distorted.
Helena had used this very principle. She precisely controlled the distance between them, revealing just a silhouette to Sugita. But Sugita hadn't considered that what he was seeing was a refracted image.
This slight deviation caused him to miss.
Seizing the exact moment he missed, the instant his armored hand discharged its energy, Helena pulled the trigger.
The arrow pierced through the steam, striking the open energy port on Sugita's palm with perfect accuracy!
Through the scanning system built into her suit, she had noticed that the output node on Sugita's hand briefly opened each time he projected energy. While it was his armor's most powerful weapon, it was also its weakness.
If she could create an opportunity and seize that fleeting moment, she could inflict damage through that node. Just as she was doing now.
"A good try! I could almost applaud you!" Sugita roared as he yanked the arrow from his palm.
"But your efforts are futile! You schemed so meticulously, all for one meager arrow. My armor is indestructible! A single crossbow bolt can't possibly... possibly..."
He took two steps, then staggered, his body swaying like a drunkard's.
Immediately after, the force field-like, red-hot aura surrounding him began to dissipate. His massive frame also started to shrink, as if power was rapidly draining from his enormous body like a torrent of water.
Sugita's pupils shrank as he stared at his hands in terror.
"W-w-what did you do!?" he glared at Helena, shocked and furious. "My power... my power is disappearing! But how is this possible..."
"That last arrow shot a dose of neutron absorbent into your armor. I grabbed some from Karen's lab while the coolant was evaporating," Helena said calmly. "It captures the neutrons in your armor. As the neutron concentration decreases, the heavy nuclear fission reaction is suppressed, cutting off your power source."
"No, no, no! My power! I... you're just a human! How could I be defeated by a human..." Sugita still couldn't accept reality.
The next moment, a fierce look appeared on his face, his eyes churning with heat. "But I still have enough energy to kill you!"
With a roar, Sugita lunged forward like a cornered beast preparing for a final, desperate struggle. But Helena remained calm, standing her ground without flinching.
"Besides, even if this move didn't work, I've stalled for enough time..." she murmured.
The next instant, the nearby ruins exploded. A red-and-white blur shot out. Power Girl broke the sound barrier the moment she took off, landing a super-powered punch on Sugita's cheek.
With its energy levels greatly reduced, Sugita's armor no longer had enough power to counteract the impact. The punch cracked his faceplate, the fissure spreading across the heavy armor as metal fragments flew.
"That was for threatening my best friend!" Karen shouted, pressing her attack. Sugita roared in despair and swung his palm, but she dodged it with a mid-air sidestep before following up with a hook.
"This punch is for daring to target my lab!" The heavy punch created a transparent shockwave as a searing blast of air erupted. The force of the blow penetrated his energy field and armor, nearly giving Sugita a concussion and causing him to spit out a mouthful of blood.
"And this one..." Karen lifted him with one hand and drew back her other, charging it with power. Then, with a sound that tore through the air, she threw a fully charged straight punch. "...This is for the nuclear bath you just gave me!"
With a world-shattering punch, Sugita's armor finally couldn't take the strain and exploded. His body had long since become part of the armor; after the shell shattered, his flesh immediately transformed into red-hot energy and dissipated without a trace.
Karen flew back down beside her best friend, panting lightly.
"Thanks... I can't even remember how many times this has happened. I'm supposed to be the one with superpowers, yet somehow I always feel like I'm the one who owes you."
"You'll get used to it." Helena put away her crossbow.
"He wanted the equipment in your lab?"
"Yeah, some monster that came out of nowhere..." Karen mused for a moment, then said, "But no matter who it was, this project can't be stopped. The 'Quantum Tunnel.' It's the whole reason I founded this company in the first place."
"And here I thought it was for the endless cash and mansions," Helena said.
"Well... that's part of the reason," Karen nodded seriously. "Being a celebrity is pretty fun... But seriously, this is our way home. We can't give up on it."
"Of course, Karen. And we will succeed. Definitely," Helena said. "But it's rare to see someone who can actually hurt you."
Karen shrugged. "You can hurt me."
"But that's because I'm me, Batman's daughter," Helena said matter-of-factly. "Theoretically, not many people can hurt you. Do you think he was from Apokolips?"
"Not everything is related to Apokolips, Helena. You might be overthinking things."
"I get it from my father. I consider it a virtue," Helena said seriously. "No one in this world should know our secret. We have to be careful..."
She stopped abruptly, her expression changing slightly. The next moment, she spun around, drew her crossbow, and aimed it behind them. "Who's there?"
"Don't be nervous." Orin Vale appeared silently behind them and smiled.
"You can put your crossbow down. I'm not an enemy."
"I'll be the judge of that," Helena said coldly. "Now, talk. Who are you?"
But before Orin Vale could reply, Karen whispered from the side.
"Uh... Helena, I think... you'd better listen to him."
"Huh?"
Helena gave her best friend a strange look.
"Just put the crossbow down for now..." Karen gestured frantically with her eyes. "...You don't want to fight him."
Helena: "?"
Long-awaited Promo Time.
Book Title: I'm Really Not a Succubus
Synopsis: Ninth-Rank Succubus: Besides being handsome enough to topple nations, you are a thief. You can steal not only others' wealth but also their energy, memories, thoughts, and even their fate.
Eighth-Rank Succubus: You've become even more handsome and a better thief. You're also a master of deceit; any lie you speak becomes reality.
Seventh-Rank Succubus: You've become a robber. Whether others are willing or not, you can forcibly take anything you desire from them.
Sixth-Rank Succubus: You've become an arsonist of hearts. Your natural scent can make any living creature fall into a daze, captivated and intoxicated. Regardless of gender, age, or species—be they bird or beast—all will submit before you.
...
Third-Rank Succubus: You are a catastrophe in male form. The entire world is plunged into chaos because of you. Promotion Ritual: Steal the throne of an empire.
...
First-Rank Succubus: You have finally become a true succubus. The laws and authorities of the entire world are infatuated with you. You fool all of creation, transcending time, space, and fate. Promotion Ritual: Charm all living beings and turn the universe upside down.
(end of chapter )
