Cryptomining Supervillain

Chapter 180 180: 180 BLOCKED ON THE ROAD

180 BLOCKED ON THE ROAD

The van crawled through a narrow alley — the only access route to the private airstrip where Cyara's plane was waiting. Flames licked the streets ahead; several vehicles were overturned, burning fiercely and blocking the path.

"Several cars are overturned in front of us. They're blocking the road," Dorin reported.

"I'll go clear the way for you to pass," Damen said, stepping out.

He moved cautiously toward the wrecks. The air felt wrong — heavy, and tense. He knew the feeling.

Without warning, he kicked one of the burning cars; it flew across the street and smashed into a nearby building.

Screams erupted from the walls above as people tumbled down amid the debris.

"Wow! That was so cool," Cyara said through the comms.

"Cool? You just killed innocent people!" Dorin snapped. "The city's a mess, but that doesn't mean we can go around killin…"

"They're not innocent," Damen cut him off. "They're here to ambush us."

"What?" Dorin said, stunned.

Another vehicle lifted off the ground and slammed into the opposite building. Fire roared, and explosions rippled down the alley as people rained from the walls.

They landed hard, surrounding Damen.

They were relatively unharmed by the fire and explosion though. These were Meta-soldiers and Meta-humans. Normal flames wouldn't touch them.

"Are you serious? Who would ambush us?" Dorin demanded.

A figure appeared through the smoke at the far end of the alley. Damen's eyes narrowed at the sight.

He knew that face.

"Shawn Zetheris," he muttered.

"Wait…Shawn Zetheris? Why is he here?" Lander asked.

Cyara hesitated. "Uh… I called him. My plane's in his airstrip, and I needed him to prep for takeoff."

Dorin's voice sharpened. "Then why is your friend blocking our way?"

"I… I don't know," Cyara whispered, her voice trembling.

"Did you tell him Damen is coming?" Lander pressed. "He's Damen's enemy you know, Cyara."

"I… We had to notify customs in Silver City before the plane could land," she stammered. "So, I gave them our names… I didn't think he'd dare to pull something like this."

Dorin groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Great. Now we'll be late for our flight."

Lander shot him a look. "Late for our flight? We might not even make it to the airstrip if this keeps up."

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Shawn didn't come alone this time.

An entire platoon followed him — meta soldiers and meta-humans, their auras flaring with Rank C and D energy. Damen swept his gaze over them, calculating.

"Are you looking to die, Shawn?" he shouted.

Shawn grinned. "Die? You're the one who's dying today."

Damen snapped his fingers.

In the past week, he'd learned something new … his Lightning didn't need a full punch to activate anymore.

Just a snap would activate the fusion skill.

"Snap Lightning!"

A sharp crack echoed.

Lightning burst from his fingertips, striking the nearest soldier whose body dropped to the ground with smoke rising from his charred remains.

Shawn's eyes widened. "You… how did you get this strong?"

In Shawn's mind, Damen was strong, but he was only a student… he was stronger than him but…this… this was the power of a superhero.

"I was always this strong. I just didn't bother to show my strength to scums like you?" Damen smirked.

"Everyone—charge him!" Shawn roared.

More than fifty fighters surged forward.

"Fall back to the van for cover! There are too many of them," Dorin yelled over the comms.

Damen chuckled. "Run from these pests? No way."

He closed his eyes for a heartbeat, feeling the hum of energy rise within him. There was a way to deal with a crowd.

He activated his Core of Echo.

"Core of Echo Level 2 activated: 2/3."

Another snap.

This time, five bolts erupted one after another echoing out from the single snap. The alley became a storm of light as the lightning chained across the attackers.

"Snap Lightning Chain — Echo Out!"

The attackers screamed as lightning carved through them.

Usually, meta skills acquired from meta chips could be improved at most to Rank D, their power wouldn't be able to defeat these Rank C and D's so easily.

But Damen's meta skill was imbued by the Core of Electricity Level 4. That would advance his meagre skill by three or four ranks…. Reaching possibly a Rank B and above.

"Wow Damen! That's so cool!" Cyara cried, practically bouncing in her seat.

Lander and Dorin, however, could only stare in horror.

A year ago, Damen could barely summon his meta energy. Now he looked unstoppable — something far beyond human.

"How did you grow so strong? That kind of power… even the patriarchs of families couldn't be this powerful…at this age," Dorin whispered through the comms.

"I'm not hiding anymore. I was always this strong since I awakened," Damen said calmly. "I am born this way. I will only grow stronger."

Lander frowned thoughtfully. "No wonder… his growth is so unnatural. He's not just gifted …. he's something else entirely. His overpowered strength is not due to training or circumstances. He's a natural born hero."

"At this rate, he might actually become a Superhero," Dorin murmured.

"My boyfriend is a Superhero…" Cyara sighed dreamily.

The battlefield went silent.

Only a few of Shawn's men were still standing — though they were trembling, burned, and broken. Realizing the futility of the fight against an overpowered monster they turned and fled.

"Cowards!" Shawn roared at their retreating backs.

Damen's smirk returned.

He raised his hand, fingers ready to snap again. "Now… it's your turn."

Shawn stared down at his fallen men, his lips thin. "This Damen is… very wrong. This isn't something a student is capable of doing," he muttered.

"Now… it's your time," Damen snarled.

Shawn's composure cracked. "Come out all of you. Don't stay and watch me die…"

Suddenly a group of meta-humans materialized behind him — they were the Atheris meta humans: Thrynn, Orya, and Nymeris.

Damen's stomach clenched at the sight of them.

"These scums again?"

He recognized them immediately… they were the artificial meta human from the Atheris family.

"Had the Atheris revived them? Again? How many times must I kill them?" he murmured.

These Atheris heroes died at Damen's hand more than once before but each time, they came back. The Atheris were reviving them after death or… they were simply clones that could be created again and again.

But not everyone was afraid of the Atheris heroes.

"We're safe now," Cyara said, folding down the van window. She climbed partly out and waved, her voice bright with relief. "Come on …. we have a flight to catch."

Lander eased the van forward until the armored figures flanked them. The Atheris units inclined their heads to Cyara.

"Yes, Miss Atheris. The plane is ready," Thrynn said, his voice metallic, and precise.

Cyara nodded and pointed at Damen. "He's with me."

For a heartbeat it looked like they would let him board. Then Shawn barked, "No … you cannot let him on. Kill him."

Thrynn's expression didn't change. "That is not our mission. We are here only to escort Miss Atheris."

Shawn's voice went raw. "He killed my father."

Thrynn hesitated but he held the line. The death of Garius Zetheris doesn't concern them. Neither were Shawn's instructions.

The Zetheris family have no right to command them.

"Sorry sir, we have no authorization to follow your orders", Thrynn replied to him.

Shawn, sensing panic, pushed harder. But there was no way these meta humans would obey him.

"Think…" he murmured. Then he found a reason to move the meta humans …. he lied.

"He's Black Halo. He murdered your friend Umbros."

The name landed in the alley like a thrown stone.

Damen's jaw tightened.

Cyara went still.

Thrynn's head tilted for a microsecond as conflict flickered behind his synthetic calm.

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