Cyclops, his head bowed low, watched as Simbaâs steps drew closer. His eyes had long lost their vigor and hope; only an empty, deathly stillness remained.
He knew he was doomed.
Once again, Simba lashed out with his claws, this time tearing through Cyclopsâs stomach. Cyclopsâs intestines began to spill out from the wound.
Cyclops lay on the ground, unable to even muster the strength to get up, his eyes staring blankly at the pitch-black sky.
Wen Yu shivered as he watched from the sidelines.
This could be the fate he himself would face next: to be brutally abused, all hope extinguished, before finally being killed and eaten. Simba had succeeded; the fate Wen Yu was now imagining was exactly what Simba wanted.
Simba slowly approached Cyclops. Seeing him collapsed on the ground, his eyes devoid of any hope for life, Simba couldnât help but feel a stirring of boredom.
Too weak. He canât take a hit anymore,
Simba thought.
This âchickenâ no longer has any value,
Simba felt. He decided not to harm Cyclops further. Instead, he just nudged Cyclopsâs head with his large forepaws. Seeing Cyclops remain as still as a corpse, Simba shook his head in disappointment, then opened his massive maw and began to eat the protruding intestines.
The tug on his intestines made Cyclopsâs body tremble, and a substantial amount of blood gushed from the wound on his stomach.
Cyclops turned his head slightly. He saw Simba, head buried in his abdomen, chewing. The constant pain wracking his body stimulated him, and his one remaining eye, fixed on Simba, suddenly glinted with renewed fervor.
Simba didnât notice this gaze, but Wen Yu, watching from not far away, did. It was the courage born of desperation, a murderous intent that defied all odds. The raw fury in Cyclopsâs eyes sent a chill down Wen Yuâs spine.
This was the struggle of the weak in a desperate situation, the final burst of courage from one who knew death was certain. This was the counterattack of the weak! Its sole purpose: to prove that anyone who wished to humiliate him, play with him, or eat him, *had* to pay a price!!
S-class ability, Mortal Combat, activated.
The grievous wound brought a significant increase in power. Wen Yu didnât know how much power this ability could boost, nor did he understand the skillâs potential, but Cyclops did.
Under Simbaâs claws, he had been injured time and time again, knocked down repeatedly. Simultaneously, his strength had also grown with each blow. Now, when all hope was lost, Cyclops finally possessed the power to harm Simba. Although this power wasnât enough for him to escape the park or Simbaâs clutches, it was enough to give Simba an unforgettable memory.
The hideous dog head lunged, sinking its teeth into Simbaâs neck. The violent movement caused more blood to gush from the wound in Cyclopsâs stomach. He could even feel his organs shifting, but Cyclops no longer cared. The only target in his sight now was Simbaâs neck.
With immense power, Cyclopsâs sharp teeth sank deep into Simbaâs neck like nails, then clenched down hard. At the same time, Cyclops thrashed his head violently, ripping and tearing, creating a larger wound and drawing more blood.
ROARâ! Simbaâs agonized roar suddenly echoed. He hadnât expected his prey to still possess the courage and ability to harm him. Moreover, the damage wasnât light.
The Steel Protective Armor hadnât blocked Cyclopsâs sharp teeth, which bit deeply into Simbaâs neck. Simba could even feel his artery tear. Scorching blood instantly soaked his mane. The immense pain caused Simba to struggle violently, simultaneously ripping at Cyclopsâs body with his forepaws.
Cyclopsâs already battered body was torn open, but his strong Life force didnât let him die immediately. The power granted by Mortal Combat made him stronger the more he fought. His hind legs were useless, but it didnât matter; his forelimbs could still inflict damage on Simba.
His forelimbs furiously clawed at Simbaâs face, gouging a huge wound on Simbaâs nose. Then, with even greater force, Cyclopsâs jaws tore open Simbaâs neck, revealing the bones within. His teeth ripped out a large chunk of flesh and blood.
Simba roared wildly. The wound on his neck, while not fatal given the Life force of a Third-level mutant beast, was definitely severe. The injury made Simba utterly enraged.
He immediately bit into Cyclopsâs midsection. His terrifying bite force, clearly superior to Cyclopsâs, snapped Cyclopsâs spine. Then, a red light flickered in Simbaâs mouth as a torrent of Flame Flow gathered, threatening to engulf Cyclops.
Ignoring all repercussions, Cyclops had long since disregarded his own life and death. Without the support of his severed lower body, and with heavy blood loss rapidly draining his Life force, he barely propped himself up on his forelimbs. With his last ounce of strength, he bit hard onto Simbaâs forepaw.
The huge canine teeth shattered Simbaâs arm bone. A sickening CRUNCH echoed, followed by Simbaâs roar of pain. His foreleg, suddenly injured, could no longer support his weight, and he crashed heavily onto his side. The Flame Flow erupting from his mouth went wide.
)
Cyclops bit down with all his might, but the strength in his jaws was waning, and his vision began to darken. The glimmer in his eyes gradually faded until he could no longer maintain his grip on Simba. Cyclops slowly released his hold, falling to the ground, convulsing uncontrollably.
Simba relentlessly battered Cyclopsâs broken body with his intact forelimb. He continued until he felt Cyclopsâs bite strength weaken and finally disappear. Only then did Simba pull his arm from Cyclopsâs mouth. Watching Cyclops cling to his last breath, the murderous intent in Simbaâs eyes reached its peak.
He hadnât expected this weakling, whom he had never taken seriously, to inflict such massive damage. One of his paws was fractured, and copious amounts of blood still flowed from the wound on his neck. The sight made Simba even more savage. He turned his head and glared fiercely at Wen Yu, who was not far away. The simple movement sent a jolt of severe pain through Simba. When he saw Wen Yu make no move, Simba let out a ferocious roar as scorching magma gathered in his mouth.
Simba decided to use Flame Flow to incinerate Cyclops, to burn him to ashes.
A scorching torrent of magma gushed out. Simba opened his massive maw and fiercely unleashed the Flame Flow at the spot where Cyclops lay. But the Cyclops who should have been there had vanished. The Flame Flow struck nothing but empty ground.
Simba looked around and immediately spotted his two prey.
That Human, seizing the moment Simba had raised his head, had grabbed the dead dog and was already fleeing into the distance.