Chapter 45: Silent Whispers

Chapter 45: Silent Whispers

whoosh, whoosh—

The anti-world within the confines of the Dark Avengers' stronghold

There was a quiet, but rhythmic whooshing sound.

Hawkeye, Clint Barton, skillfully handled his longbow, its bowstring humming with tension.

With a swift motion, Clint released an arrow from between his fingers, its flight through the air punctuated by a crisp sound as it found its mark on the target's body.

However, despite witnessing the successful hit, Clint's eyes remained devoid of any joy.

Colin stood motionless, allowing the feathered arrows to strike his body, producing a resounding clang with each impact.

"This is precisely why I dislike engaging adversaries like you," Hawkeye nonchalantly voiced his complaint, though his hands continued their unwavering movements.

He reached out to retrieve another arrow, deftly attaching a specialized arrowhead from the quiver on his back. Taking aim at Colin, positioned across from him, Clint nonchalantly released the arrow.

His's feathered arrow sliced through the void, unerringly finding its mark on Colin's body once again.

Hawkeye released his fingers indifferently—such distances posed no challenge for him as a seasoned sharpshooter.

Moreover, Colin, the intended target, made no effort to evade the attacks whatsoever.

Observing the arrows ricochet off his body once more, Colin gained a deeper appreciation for his unlocked ability, "Super Defense." Undeniably, this ability proved invaluable, particularly in head-on confrontations.

Colin shook his head, preparing to utter a retort, but before he could speak, a deafening boom erupted. In an instant, the arrow that had fallen to the ground exploded in a raging inferno, completely engulfing Colin.

As a member of the Dark Avengers, Clint had grown accustomed to combating opponents with extraordinary abilities. It was worth noting that Luke Cage, a member of the Thunderbolt team, possessed invulnerability as well.

To counteract this characteristic of Luke Cage, Hawkeye had collaborated with Howard to devise a series of specially crafted arrows.

Naturally, the present skirmish did not entail a life-or-death struggle. Consequently, Clint had intentionally adjusted the explosive power and damage of the arrows to reduce their impact.

As expected, a few seconds later, the dissipating smoke revealed Colin, unscathed.

"Alright, let's call it a day," Colin exhaled deeply, clenching his fists.

Just as Colin prepared to employ his "Flight" ability to resume the fight, Hawkeye on the opposite side took the initiative to lower his longbow, signaling an end to the battle.

"At this point, it can be reasonably inferred that conventional weaponry no longer poses significant harm to you," Clint remarked.

Folding his longbow into the size of a palm and stowing it away, he pondered, "While this ability can undoubtedly help you evade numerous dangers and injuries, it is not impervious.

Therefore, you must remain vigilant, particularly if you opt to remain stationary as you did during our previous engagement..."

"Unless, of course, you possess unwavering confidence in your defense's ability to withstand any form of harm."

[Ability - Super Defense (Black Iron)]

Ability Description: Ordinary bullets and artillery are rendered ineffective against Superman due to his newly unlocked ability, Super Defense (Black Iron). Only powerful, specialized military weapons can penetrate his skin.

Upon hearing this, Colin glanced at the notes in the text and acknowledged the information. It was clear that his recent attainment of the Black Iron level of Super Defense was insufficient to disregard attacks, especially in a world where advanced technology continually emerges, such as the anti-world.

"Then, you must exercise caution and refrain from easily revealing your abilities. It might be prudent to consider acquiring some combat skills to enhance your fighting capabilities, rather than passively becoming a target in the face of an attack," he suggested.

Learning to Fight.

Upon hearing this, Colin couldn't help but reflect deeply. Hawkeye's advice rang true, as learning to fight would be a wise choice in both the anti-world and the real world.

The former would enhance his combat abilities, while the latter would provide greater safety during times of crisis.

Superman might not require combat skills, but Colin did. After all, he had only just recently condensed the Black Iron Mark and was still far from being a true Superman.

"If you're interested, you can approach Nick. I believe he will make the necessary arrangements for you. Of course, that is on the condition that you are prepared to become a Dark Avenger," Clint suggested.

As he spoke, Clint's expression turned solemn, and he looked directly at Colin, emphasizing each word, "Be prepared for the possibility of sacrificing your life in battle."

...

[Touching the Distorted Time Node, collecting a small amount of Time Fragments × 1]

After concluding his discussion with Hawkeye, Colin returned to his temporary residence within the base. He discarded his tattered clothes and, simultaneously, a faint line of text appeared before his eyes.

Was that truly the case?

Examining the displayed content, Colin could reasonably deduce that interacting more frequently with Distorted Time Nodes would lead to obtaining Time Fragments. Lost in thought, he looked at the Time Fragment (Clint Barton) before him.

Within the fragmented glass, the figure of Hawkeye could be seen intermittently. He was dressed in a sleek uniform and skillfully fired arrows amidst the cheers of the crowd.

There's something that feels elusive about what I'm seeing.

As Colin continued to observe the flickering images within the Time Fragments, a perplexed expression adorned his face. The information presented in the fragments made it difficult for him to connect with the Clint he had just engaged in combat with at the base.

Shaking his head, he pushed aside the mental images that had surfaced.

Taking a deep breath, Colin focused his attention and activated his Super Hearing ability.

"... How are you feeling, Kling..."

"...Latest report from New York..."

"My dear, please listen to me, things are not as they seem..."

Numerous clamorous and chaotic voices filled his ears.

"Howard Stark, Howard Stark..."

Despite the interference caused by these voices, Colin furrowed his brow, adjusted his breathing, and concentrated on his innermost thoughts.

"...Report the situation, Tony."

"According to the battle data analysis, Colin Looper's physical capabilities surpass those of ordinary individuals. Furthermore, in comparison to Luke Cage, he possesses additional abilities such as invisibility and flight... which may offer valuable experimental data and blueprints for future research... perhaps you should..."

"Continue collecting data..."

Gradually, the cacophony of noise subsided, replaced by Howard's raspy voice.

Over time, Colin had become adept at using his Super Hearing ability, even in the anti world, through practice in the real world.

It was with the help of this ability that he discovered Howard's endeavor: collecting combat data via the base's artificial intelligence, Tony.

Although Colin harbored some doubts regarding Howard's actions, he maintained a calm demeanor on the surface, cooperating with their arrangement in order to obtain more Time Fragments.

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