Chapter 168: Pull Yourself Together, Like a Man
Boom!
With an earth-shattering crash, a massive crater was blasted open from beneath the rubble as Doom exploded upward, panting as he stood tall again. It was clear—Gene’s previous strike hadn’t just launched him through a skyscraper. The lingering magical energy continued to wreak havoc within Doom’s body, disrupting the flow of his internal magic.
He gritted his teeth, one hand pressed to his side—it was obvious he’d taken serious damage.
Gene walked toward him with that same calm, composed demeanor. He looked completely unscathed, his aura conveying a quiet message: "We have all the time in the world. Let’s take it slow."
Doom’s eyes narrowed as his fists clenched tightly.
Why?
Why was it that even after all he had achieved, he still couldn’t surpass Gene Mason?
He thought that after embracing the power of the dark dimension, his strength had undergone a qualitative leap—power that he could never have imagined before. But now, the man before him was far more powerful than he had anticipated.
He suddenly recalled that moment in the hell dimension, when he had stood before the demonic lord Mephisto—small and helpless, with no clue how to resist. It had been Gene who appeared in time, wielding a perfect blend of magic and technology. As a mere mortal, he battled Mephisto for what seemed like hundreds of rounds.
And Mephisto... was a true god.
That day, Doom had made up his mind: he would become just as strong as Gene.