Chapter 235: Lucy's Spectacular Strength (2)
Gritting his teeth, he lifted his sword one final time, his voice hoarse as he shouted, "Iron Gale Strike!"
The shout echoed through the arena, drawing gasps and murmurs from the crowd. Varyn focused the swirling energy of his Iron Tempest into a single point, the blade of his sword glowing as the gathered force hummed with power.
"I\'ll end this!" Varyn roared, his face twisted in determination. With one swift, decisive motion, he unleashed the attack, sending a deadly, cutting strike hurtling toward Lucy, the very air screaming as it tore forward like a raging storm.
But Lucy—she didn\'t even flinch.
Instead, a twisted, merciless grin spread across her face, her eyes gleaming with a mix of amusement and cruelty. "That\'s it?" she said, her voice cold and mocking, as if Varyn\'s final attack was nothing more than a pathetic effort.
Without a hint of hesitation, Lucy raised her Volcanic Dragon Claw, flames dancing wickedly around her arm.
The heat radiating from her claw warped the air around her, but she stood calmly, completely unfazed. As the energy of Varyn\'s Iron Gale Strike neared her, Lucy moved in a blur, catching the full force of the attack with a single hand.
Varyn\'s eyes widened in shock. "Impossible…"
The full might of his Iron Tempest collided with Lucy\'s claw, but the storm that once raged so fiercely now faltered, the energy flickering weakly in her grasp.
Lucy\'s grip tightened, and with a slow, deliberate squeeze, she crushed the attack in her claw, reducing the once-powerful strike to nothing more than a puff of air.
"You call that power?" Lucy\'s voice was sharp, filled with dark amusement. Her grin widened as she took a slow step forward, her eyes never leaving Varyn\'s stunned face. "You\'re pathetic."
Before Varyn could even process what had happened, Lucy moved with inhuman speed, closing the distance between them in the blink of an eye. Her Volcanic Dragon Claw flared brighter, burning with fierce intensity, as she cocked her arm back for a punch.
Varyn tried to defend himself, raising his sword in a desperate attempt to block, but he was too slow. Far too slow.
Lucy\'s fist connected with his chest, and the force of the impact was so overwhelming that it felt like a meteor crashing into him. The heat from her claw scorched his armor, and the raw power behind the strike sent him hurtling backward.
His body slammed into the arena wall with a deafening crash, the stone cracking under the sheer force of the blow.
For a moment, the arena was silent, the crowd holding its breath as Varyn\'s limp body slid down the wall and crumpled onto the ground. His sword fell from his hand, clattering uselessly beside him.
Lucy slowly lowered her arm, her expression unchanging as she watched Varyn\'s unconscious form. "What a waste of time," she muttered under her breath, her tone dripping with disdain.
She glanced down at her burning claw, flexing her fingers. "Did you really think you stood a chance against me? You\'re not even worth killing."
Turning away from Varyn, she walked back toward the center of the arena, her grin fading into an expression of cold indifference.
The crowd, which had been roaring with excitement just moments before, now fell into an uneasy silence. The sight of her ruthless, overwhelming power left them speechless.
High above in the stands, Zeus watched the scene unfold below, his expression calm but thoughtful as he observed Lucy\'s brutal display of power. His eyes followed her every movement, analyzing each strike, each parry, as if he were studying an intricate piece of art.
"She\'s strong," Zeus murmured, a hint of pride in his voice, though his expression remained unreadable. His lips curled slightly into a smirk as he continued to watch, the glint of satisfaction clear in his gaze.
[Strong?] the system chimed in, its tone dripping with condescension. [Is that the best compliment you can come up with, oh mighty Zeus? She\'s not just strong, she\'s a walking disaster waiting to happen.]
There was a mocking pause before it added with a laugh, [And you haven\'t even seen her at full power yet! Talk about holding back, right?]
Zeus\'s smirk deepened, his eyes narrowing slightly as he responded, "Don\'t worry, she\'ll have her chance soon enough." His voice was low, almost as if he were savoring the thought of what was to come.
The system practically purred in delight at his response. [Oh, I know she will. And when she does, it\'s going to be glorious—nothing but ash and dust left behind,] it sneered, its tone brimming with shameless arrogance.
[But I must say, watching these weaklings crumble before her is quite amusing. Don\'t you think? It\'s like watching ants trying to fight a hurricane. Pathetic, really.]
Zeus chuckled softly, his gaze still locked on Lucy as she finished her fight, the unconscious form of Varyn crumpled against the arena wall. "Indeed," he said, his voice smooth, "they have no idea what they\'re truly up against."
[No idea at all,] the system echoed, its voice full of smug satisfaction. [But that\'s the beauty of it, isn\'t it? They come with their little swords, their flimsy techniques, thinking they can stand a chance.]
[And then—bam!—one strike, and they\'re done for. Watching their faces when they realize they\'ve bitten off more than they can chew... priceless.]
Zeus\'s smirk widened, a dangerous gleam flickering in his eyes. "She\'s still holding back," he said, his tone quiet but filled with anticipation. "When she unleashes her true strength..."
The system let out a shameless, gleeful laugh. [Oh, I\'m counting the seconds! And when it happens? Well, let\'s just say I wouldn\'t want to be in their shoes. Not that they\'ll have shoes left after she\'s done with them!]
Zeus chuckled again, the sound low and ominous. "They have no idea..." he whispered, his gaze never leaving Lucy, his thoughts already on the battles to come.