Despair

With a thunderous crash, both Apocalypse and Joss landed simultaneously, sending clouds of dust billowing into the air.

“How is it? Did we finish him off?” Little Black watched the haze warily.

“I’m not sure, but it seems quiet now,” Laura replied, her expression equally tense.

Throughout this battle, they’d seized the advantage at every turn, yet they still couldn’t find a way to defeat Apocalypse. The sword technique Joss had just unleashed was clearly his strongest move, though its origins were unknown. Undoubtedly, if even this couldn't take down their foe, their only recourse would be to escape.

As the dust slowly settled, the tension in their chests finally eased. At the center of the impact, two figures emerged—one upright, one collapsed. The fallen figure lay motionless, devoid of any sign of life. The standing man panted heavily, but his radiant sword shone like a beacon, allowing Laura and Little Black to instantly recognize him.

“Tch, so much for the oldest mutant—he doesn’t seem that impressive after all,” Little Black grinned.

Laura didn’t respond, but she retracted her claws, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly. Even the most inexperienced onlooker could see that Apocalypse was a terrifyingly powerful adversary. The three of them had managed to defeat him with their unrefined, haphazard teamwork—a feat worth celebrating.

“Hiss… Damn, that hurts…” Joss clutched his chest and limped forward. Apocalypse’s psychic shock had struck him during the final blow, but Joss had used his skills to negate the displacement effect, ensuring his attack landed true. However, while he could counter the movement, he still had to bear the brunt of the force, suffering even more than if he’d been knocked back by the impact. Thankfully, Apocalypse’s psychic blasts weren’t his primary tactic; otherwise, Joss’s internal organs would’ve been reduced to a pile of shattered fragments.

“Tch, if this were a cultivation or fantasy world, at least we could loot the corpse for equipment or materials. Worst case, the body could be used to craft something. Honestly, comics like these are so dull in this respect…”

After catching his breath, Joss’s mood soured. In the Marvel universe, there were no routine monster hunts for leveling up, nor many opportunities to claim treasures from vanquished foes. Most powerful characters relied on their own abilities or artifacts with absurd restrictions; in others’ hands, they were useless. Perhaps this fundamental setting made most comic book battles feel somewhat aimless.

In short, it was always “someone causes trouble, so the organization sends its members to fight, and the matter is resolved.” Such formulaic plots. Of course, these battles—having no real impact on the protagonist’s growth—often evolved into ideological showdowns in the end, but that was another matter.

Joss, with his system, was free from such worries. Even if he couldn’t wring anything out of Apocalypse, this fight wouldn’t be a total loss. Well, not a total loss, anyway. This time, they’d faced an enemy far stronger than anticipated. Apocalypse had only just awakened and was still groggy, yet he’d managed to suppress them single-handedly.

The apparent dominance of Joss’s group was only due to Little Black and Laura’s near-immortal bodies. With those two absorbing the enemy’s attention, Apocalypse’s sand manipulation and psychic attacks caused little actual harm. But if any other team had faced him—even with ten times their numbers—they’d have been wiped out long ago.

“You’re rambling about things I don’t get again. So what do we do now?” Laura asked, still skeptical of Joss’s claim that he’d sought out Apocalypse merely for amusement. She watched him curiously, eager to know his real intentions.

“Now… let me think…” Hearing Laura’s question, Joss realized he had no clear plan. He opened his system panel, intending to clear his debts first.

He’d been goofing off for more than three weeks now. Killing Apocalypse would net him twenty thousand points, enough to wipe out his previous debts after accounting for his earlier repayments.

“Hm? There are no points on the system panel… Wait?! Step back!” Joss's confidence evaporated instantly. He shouted a warning to Laura and Little Black while quickly retreating.

The task to defeat Apocalypse was still listed on his system panel—meaning the enemy wasn’t dead!

“Ah… this power… Not bad… It’s finally awakened me completely.”

A lifeless, inorganic voice issued from Apocalypse, still lying on the ground. Fine sand lifted his body, helping him rise, and his cold eyes fixed on the three of them.

Suddenly, Joss remembered: Apocalypse either had some issue with pain perception or was simply a masochist; he seemed to enjoy this routine in every fight.

“Damn it, beaten down first, then counterattack… Does he think he’s the protagonist?” Joss held his sword, watching Apocalypse warily, already plotting his escape.

Now, though Apocalypse lacked in attack methods, his nearly endless health bar was headache enough. Joss himself was nearly spent; if he didn’t run soon, he’d lose even the chance to flee.

“You are… impressive. Join me—become my knights. I will grant you greater power. Together, we will create a world for mutants only!”

“Heh.” Joss responded to Apocalypse’s invitation with a cold laugh, clearly unimpressed by his promises.

“Like hell… If I were a mutant, maybe I’d accept, but I’m not.” He had enough self-awareness. Apocalypse’s plan was for a mutant world; successful or not, even pretending to agree now was impossible. If Apocalypse realized he wasn’t a mutant, he’d be buried in sand in an instant.

“Little Black, Laura, time to initiate Plan B—Evacuate.”

Joss raised the Heavenly Cloud Sword before him, already resolved to retreat.

“You dare refuse…” Unexpectedly, Apocalypse raised both hands high and roared.

“Ehm! Angrri!”

Countless sands surged skyward, instantly shrouding the entire city in darkness.