Chapter 14 : Energy Collision

Scott had been overwhelmingly dominant in his previous punch, instantly suppressing Carl.

Under the fiery breath of the laser beams, Carl maneuvered around the arena, leaving afterimages in his wake, skillfully using ice and other obstacles to evade Scott's attacks.

Every time Carl attempted to close in on Scott with bursts of speed, he found himself pushed back by a barrage of laser beams.

The closest he had gotten was about ten meters.

Despite Scott's lack of speed compared to Carl, he could now simply stand his ground and launch attacks with precision, without the need to dodge or chase.

"This isn't right. Wasn't Cyclops supposed to have slow reaction times and be vulnerable?" Carl muttered to himself as he reflexively dodged a sweeping laser beam.

He couldn't help but recall how Cyclops was often portrayed in the movies—vulnerable and easily defeated, either caught off guard, knocked out, or controlled.

But now, Cyclops was displaying an entirely different level of combat prowess.

Not only had he endured Carl's 20-ton punch without injury, but he also showcased remarkable control over his laser beams.

The strength of the beams could be adjusted at will, stopped and fired on command, and swept with precision to create formidable fire suppression.

Furthermore, Cyclops exhibited remarkable durability, limiting the destruction within the arena. Whenever a beam threatened to breach the arena and hit the distant walls, it dissipated instantly.

Despite the intense battle, the audience watched with excitement, free from the worry of accidental injuries.

Although it seemed that Carl was constantly being suppressed, he wasn't without gains. He continued to push his abilities to the limit, deepening his understanding of Energy Berserk.

For instance, the energy emanating from his body not only looked impressive but also possessed a repelling effect.

During combat, when beams exploded close to the ground, the shockwaves and fiery blasts were blocked by the energy surrounding his body.

With each explosion, his X-gene became more active, gradually intensifying the eruption of violent energy.

This enhanced his physical strength marginally.

However, this boost only increased muscle explosiveness; the speed enhancement was negligible. Otherwise, with the increased power, he would have already surpassed supersonic speeds.

As Carl fought and felt the evolution of his abilities, Scott, Orolo, and others observed from a distance to understand his power profile.

Suddenly, the laser beams ceased, and Cyclops spoke in a low voice from afar, "West, I'll reduce the beam's power slightly."

"You're using your ability to block head-on, testing the limit of your defensive capability."

"Alright."

Carl didn't decline, understanding that the other person was helping him assess his abilities.

Understanding every aspect of your ability is crucial to playing your best role in battle and avoiding accidents due to misjudgment.

As Scott adjusted the intensity, a much weaker beam burst out from his eyes in an instant.

The beam began expanding the moment it left his eyes.

By the time it reached Carl, more than 20 meters away, the two beams had widened to the thickness of a fist, radiating intense heat.

This time, Carl didn't dodge. Instead, he crossed his arms to block, and a transparent energy erupted from his entire body, forming a shield in front of him.

Boom!

When the beam struck Carl, it collided with the half-meter-thick energy shield, compressing it to twenty centimeters under the powerful and scorching shockwave.

Meanwhile, the laser beam continued advancing slowly, the two opposing forces colliding and canceling each other out, emitting dazzling arcs of light, forming a circle of brilliant halos.

Simultaneously, a powerful impact force penetrated the energy shield, exerting pressure on Carl, attempting to push him back.

However, this impact couldn't shake Carl's stance.

For a moment, both sides were at a stalemate.

At that moment, Scott, controlling the laser's power from a distance, shouted, "West, I'm going to increase the power. Remember to stop me when you can't hold on."

"Got it, Teacher."

Boom!

As Carl's voice faded, the continuous barrage of laser beams suddenly doubled in intensity, surging with blazing energy and impact.

Under this immense force, the pressure on Carl soared.

The energy layer in front of him was instantly compressed to five centimeters, while the energy emanating from other parts of his body weakened.

When the two energies collided, a resounding buzz filled the air, and the emitted light became even more dazzling, illuminating the entire training room.

The faces of the students who had descended from the observation platform were filled with surprise. They hadn't expected Carl to not only possess formidable physical strength but also demonstrate considerable prowess in his X Gene Ability.

Mutants derive their abilities from the X-gene within their bodies, which consumes stamina upon usage and casting.

Physical strength, in essence, is yet another form of energy.

At that moment, Carl, with his Susceptive Perception, realized that his physical prowess had been greatly depleted.

Nevertheless, his physical attribute had soared past 400. Not only was his strength formidable, but his resilience was also remarkable, hence these depletions weren't as swift as his recovery.

However, despite the absence of any issues with his physical strength, he already sensed he was nearing his limit.

In comparison to his ability's explosive energy, Scott's laser beam power was more destructive; a mere hint of the laser's force could obliterate tenfold its initial potency.

A slightly amplified laser beam was all that was required to persist for a while longer, and the energy shield encompassing him would crumble.

Thus, Carl decisively exclaimed, "Teacher, it's enough."

Instantly, Scott's gaze dimmed, causing the laser beam to vanish.

Simultaneously, Carl dispersed the volatile energy surrounding his body, gasping for breath, a facade of considerable exhaustion evident on his face.

"Roar, Roar! Great job, Teacher. I barely managed to hold on for a bit longer, but it felt like I was about to give in," Carl weakly uttered, panting.

Scott shook his head. "No, West, your performance today was commendable."

"Alright, let's conclude today's combat training," Storm interjected as she rose from her seat, cutting off Scott, who was about to speak.

"After exerting our abilities, everyone's stamina is depleted. We'll disband here and now. Return and rest," she declared.

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