“I wish you were the popular one!” Qin Lun forced a bitter smile and rubbed his nose.
The three people facing him were not only old acquaintances, but also all held life-or-death grudges against him. The lean white man was Dr. Leo Robert, a biochemical expert for the Aryan Ark Corps during World War II. Thanks to a certain experiment accident, he gained the bloodline of a biochemical giant.
Leo himself was loyal to Germany, but his wife, Keller, became a traitor during the Casablanca battle and was ultimately killed by Qin Lun. That itself might not have been deserving of blame, but Qin Lun—or rather, Joey—at the time had acted too despicably. He not only tricked Leo into acting as cannon fodder to cover his retreat with lies, but also broke his promise, using Keller as a human shield.
This act seared hatred into Leo’s heart. That’s why he abandoned his Avenger companions amid the River of Death riot to seek revenge against Qin Lun.
As for the other two beauties, they were Little Red Riding Hood Liv Gorman and Black Queen Mira from the old Fairy Tale Girls Team. Although they didn’t bear a direct grudge like the death of a wife, their hatred was no less profound.
Their mentor, the Green Huntress Kathleen, was killed by Qin Lun in Casablanca. Of course, people like Liv and Mira had long since become indifferent to life and death on the battlefield; Kathleen’s death shouldn’t have sparked such fierce hatred. But Joey, driven by his grotesque artistic tastes, beheaded Kathleen and placed her head in an amniotic tank. Right before the eyes of the Allied superhumans, he turned it into an “artwork” resembling a crystal bonsai while she was still alive. It was equivalent to deploying a massive taunt, deepening the hatred between both sides beyond measure.
This went far beyond battlefield enmity, evolving into purely personal vengeance between the Green Huntress faction and him. After the River of Death riot, the Fairy Tale Girls Team, much like Leo, sensed Qin Lun’s presence. That’s why, even while intercepting Alucard, they risked splitting their forces, sending two members after revenge.
“I wonder how Monica is!” Before leaping down the slope, a flash of worry crossed Qin Lun’s mind.
The Queen of Sandstorm outside might have missed some details, but she couldn’t possibly let three superhumans sneak right beside Qin Lun without reacting at all. More likely than not, she too had encountered unforeseen trouble.
Firstly, his skin now had a milky white sheen, like polished marble. Secondly, his muscles were sharply defined; his shoulder muscles were so protuberant they almost swallowed his neck, while his back muscles formed the eerie shape of a human face. His arms hung past his knees like an ape’s.
A single glance revealed immense power coiled within this body. But the most dramatic change was in his eyes. The White Giant’s eyes were now utterly inhuman: pure white orbs without irises or pupils, frightening to look at.
Seeing Qin Lun move, the others stopped talking and sprang towards their chosen opponents. Grant charged at the former Little Red Riding Hood, Liv, with a fierce grin. Luke flicked his wrists, and a military dagger appeared in each hand as he rushed at Black Queen Mira.
Lieutenant Lieber, not adept at close combat, executed a backward roll, his musket in hand, vanishing behind the slope of earth. The current terrain was unsuitable for sniping; she needed to put some distance between herself and the battle to join effectively from afar.
Liv and Mira exchanged a glance; instantly understanding their partner’s intent. Their steps shifted, moving in alternating advances, weaving erratically to meet Grant and Luke.
The Fairy Tale Girls Team from Grimm Academy spanned two generations now. Their combat styles complemented each other perfectly, allowing them to fight much more effectively when paired.
Although they had appeared simultaneously with the White Giant, they hadn’t actually communicated beforehand and were unaware of each other’s presence. While they personally desired to clash with Qin Lun, having the White Giant tangled up in a chaotic melee would hinder their fighting style. Their only choice was to deal with Grant and Luke first.
“Hmph, an unripe little apple has turned into a ripe, sweet peach. Its value as a collectible rose for sure.” Grant swiftly swiped a hand over his face, already wearing the Human Skin Mask. A cold glint flashed in his eyes.
Superhumans lived far longer than ordinary humans. Liv and Mira were now at the peak of their youth and power. Grant, who had fought them before, might sound flippant, but he dared not be careless in the slightest. He immediately donned the mask.
“Mira, be careful. This one’s ability is somewhat similar to mine,” Liv cautioned her companion cautiously, watching Grant charge towards them. She shook the rotary machine gun in her hands; the weapon instantly unfolded, morphing into a blood-red Death Scythe. She met Grant head-on.
However, Little Red Riding Hood’s judgment here was mistaken. When Grant fought her last time, it was only the third Quest World for him. Although he possessed the Virus Bloodline, his physical attributes were weak, and he hadn’t undergone Class Change. Being unable to match Liv’s speed, he had been forced to adapt by simulating a form like that. Now, as the Joker’s power had grown, he no longer needed to deliberately imitate anyone else.
Clang! Grant’s fist, shimmering with a golden light, collided with the Death Scythe, producing a metallic clang.
Little Red Riding Hood felt an irresistible force surge through the scythe. Her body was hurled backward with even greater speed than her advance, as if struck by a typhoon.
A sharp gleam flashed in Grant’s eyes. An experienced fighter like himself wouldn’t pass up such an opening. His right foot stamped down, leaving behind a perfectly flat crater on the earth as if carved by axes. His massive form instantly closed the distance with Liv, swinging a vicious punch.
Startled, Liv swiftly brought the scythe horizontally across her chest to block.
“Got you!” Grant bared his teeth in a fierce grin. The golden light enveloping his fist intensified, blazing like a small, solid sun.
Just as the fist was about to strike Liv, a slender black shadow darted into his vision. Like a snake, it wrapped around his forearm and yanked it backward violently.
BOOM! An enormous explosion erupted in the area where they fought. Rising smoke obscured all figures. Rocks and debris shot out from the smoke, shredding the surrounding park plants into litter.
When the smoke cleared, the space occupied by the fighters was now a crater several meters wide. Grant, ignoring the bloody gash on his arm, stood in its center, shoulders held high.
The sudden slender shadow had been Mira’s weapon, the Blade Whip Blade WhipWhip. Externally, it looked like a broad-bladed shortsword, but it concealed a section of chain blades within. The thick scabbard, when folded with the blade, could also transform into a short-barreled double-barreled shotgun. Much like Liv’s Death Scythe, it boasted multiple weapon forms, another multi-functional Weapon Case Weapon CaseCasket. It was actually the inspiration for Qin Lun’s later conception of the Ayala Weapon Casket.
Liv and Mira stood side-by-side at the crater’s edge, their expressions grave as they surveyed the pit.
“Liv, he’s stronger now. His fighting style has changed significantly,” Mira frowned at the crater, a trace of wariness in her eyes. “This Kluge didn’t possess such punching power before. He clearly has abilities beyond just his Virus Bloodline.”
After Casablanca, the Allied forces and Grimm Academy, leveraging their familiarity, thoroughly combed the areas where superhumans had battled. They’d managed to secure blood samples from Qin Lun and Grant, gaining significant insight into their superhuman bloodlines.
“Captain Kluge, I…” Luke flickered into existence beside Grant, his head bowed slightly, looking awkward.
“Don’t worry. The Fairy Tale Girls Team Grimm Academy Fairy Tale Girls TeamFairy Tale Girls Team has fought alongside each other for years. Their teamwork and coordination are leagues beyond ours,” Grant said evenly. “I’ll take the lead in this fight. You act as the skirmisher, cause disruption.”
Grant maintained his cool exterior, but a heavy feeling settled in his heart. Though he had the Human Skin Mask on, the “Joker’s Gift” Joker’s Gift hadn’t met the necessary conditions to trigger. Besides, it was his final trump card, not to be played lightly.
In other words, the Big Bang Impact Big Bang Impact was his strongest attacking skill at this moment. He keenly sensed that he hadn’t seized their initial misjudgment of him—that focused opening where using the Big Bang Impact could have crippled one of them. That missed chance meant the fight ahead would be exceptionally tough.
“With Irene and Sheena by themselves fighting the River of Death River of Death, it’s too dangerous without us. We need to get back as soon as possible. Looks like we have to use… that thing!” Liv and Mira locked eyes, each reaching deep into their coats and pulling out a shard of crimson crystal.
In truth, the superpower system of the Green Hunters Green Hunters, cultivated by Grimm Academy Grimm Academy, differed greatly from that of America’s Avengers Avengers. Avengers like Captain America Captain America or the Incredible Hulk Incredible Hulk owed their evolutions predominantly to technology-driven bodily enhancements, further deepened by the influence from the Space-Time Rift Space-Time Rift.
Naturally, there were also tech-centric superhumans like Iron Man Iron Man, who relied on high-tech suits. However, Iron Man, due to his unique circumstances – the Beta Particle generator in his chest cavity subjecting his body to constant radiation – could no longer be considered ordinary human. His original frail physique couldn’t sustain the Iron Man suit otherwise.
Unlike the Avengers, whose evolutions resulted from various accidents, the development of Green Hunters Green Hunters was the result of intentional and directed mutation. While each Hunter developed unique superpowers SuperpowersSuperpowers, their origin was the same: they were all influenced by a substance known as Blood Crystal Blood Crystal.
A little over a hundred years ago, the Space-Time Rift Space-Time Rift first appeared in Earth’s stratosphere. In subsequent years, it slowly expanded, and unstable miniature Wormholes Wormholes began to emerge in remote corners of Eurasia.
Every time such a wormhole appeared, a small amount of Blood Crystal Blood Crystal would manifest in that region. This substance triggered mutations in local flora and fauna, transforming them into mindless wraiths driven solely by the urge to devour life. Grimm Academy Grimm Academy was established precisely to combat this threat.
Over decades of conflict, the Green Hunters Green Hunters delved deeper and deeper into research on the Blood Crystal Blood Crystal. This research propelled their own evolutionary paths, culminating in their diverse array of superpowers.
The Blood Crystal Blood Crystal not only caused slow biological mutations; it itself was an excellent source of fundamental energy. A Green Hunter Green Hunter could briefly unleash terrifying potential by absorbing the crystal directly, though the consequences were severe.