Chapter 130: Zombie
Chapter 130: Zombie
Hugh's steaming body was standing in place, with a calm expression. The freezing temperature around him only served to increase the amount of steam that was flowing out of his body.
After a while, Marshak could not even see Hugh's body due to the amount of steam covering him. Marshal quickly realized that Hugh had disappeared from his sight.
Right when he realized that, it was already too late. Hugh suddenly appeared right beside him with a calm expression.
Hugh raised his arm and punched Marshal's body. Marshal was not a bad fighter, and he was able to avoid Hugh hitting his vital organs.
Marshal rolled out of the way, but he was not able to completely come out unscathed. Hugh's punch was now directed right at his arm.
The two arms made contact, and Marshal's arm was subjected to tremendous amounts of force. The force was so strong that Marshal heard a bone break from his arm.
Hugh's arm did not stop there. He exerted more energy in his punch, and Marshal's arm was completely wrangled by the attack.
The tension was in the air, and Marshal's arm bent like it was not supposed to. Like a vulnerable tree, Marshal's arm snapped like a twig.
Marshal's arm was now like a broken mess. It was bent in the opposite direction, and there was a bone sticking out of his skin. It was hard to look at, but both of them seemed not to be bothered by it.
Hugh's transformed state was as cool as a cucumber, so he was not worried by a little blood. However, it was weird that Marshal himself did not seem like he was affected by the severe injury.
Marshal's face did not even look like he was hurt one bit. Hugh watched as Marshal took his other hand and straightened the injured arm by himself.
Like a piece of puzzle completing, the bone snapped back into place. Marshal's arm was as good as it was, except for the slight blood and cut from the bone sticking out.
"Humans are so weak."
Marshal spoke as if he was just kidding around with Hugh. Hugh gathered that the invader does not feel pain at all even though his host was severely injured.
"There's more where that came from."
Hugh attacked again, making sure that he would target the injured arm again. His speed was almost too fast to see, but Marshal was taking good use of his Desire.
Marshal stepped on the pavement, and a huge ice crystal appeared right beneath Hugh's body. Hugh dodged away as dynamic and versatile as water.
He did not forget to put in a few punches at Marshal, but Marshal returned with his protective ice in kind. The two of the exchanged attacks consisting of punches and kicks.
Hugh's powers were of a melee kind, but Marshal's powers were more suited to long-range. For Hugh to have the upper hand, he had to stick with Marshal for the whole fight.
With Hugh's speed and his reaction time, he was able to keep up with Marshal. Hugh waited for the right time to counterattack and finish Marshal once and for all.
Hugh attacked Marshal's injured arm and severed it from Marshal's body. The dismembered arm flew outwards and landed a few feet away from the both of them.
Marshal's stump started to bleed, but he quickly froze the cut and prevented blood from seeping out. With just one hand to perform his attacks, Hugh started to have the advantage in the fight.
Hugh was starting to corner Marshal in the wall. He kicked and punched his way towards Marshal, and he was finally able to land a punch to the face.
As Hugh's punch landed on Marshal's face, he suddenly felt a cold searing pain. He quickly tried to take out his arm, but he realized that he was too late.
He looked at his knuckles and saw that Marshal's freezing ability had reached his skin. Marshal saw this and took this opportunity to retreat away from Hugh.
As Hugh looked at his fist, he realized that the freezing effect was not spreading to the other parts of his skin. Just as the cold would spread, Hugh's internal body heat would thaw it out.
The other parts of his body would not be affected, but his knuckles would be out of the play for now. He quickly scanned the room to see where Marshal had gone to and saw that Marshal picked up his severed limb.
Marshal quickly put the piece of the arm back into his shoulder like it was a piece of toy. With the power of his freezing Desire, he froze the limb back into place.
Then, Marshal stretched his arm like it was as good as new. Hugh did not know the logistics of that action, but it seemed to have worked.
"You cannot defeat me. I am immortal."
Marshal spread his arms like he had the world in his hands. As of what Hugh witnessed, it truly did seem like Marshal was immortal. He did not feel any pain, and he could restore any part of his broken body.
Hugh realized that he would have to take drastic measures. If he were to treat Marshal as a zombie, then he would have to crush Marshal's brain and heart.
With this decision, Hugh did not waist for any more time. He dashed through the freezing ice pavement and reached Marshal's body.
When Hugh slightly raised his arm, he was able to perform a feint on Marshal. Marshal quickly covered his injured arm thinking that Hugh would attack it.
However, Hugh did not do that. He activated his fire ability and started to burn through Marshal's body defenses. Marshal was taken aback by this sudden attack.
Throughout their fight, Hugh had never used his fire. He had intentionally hidden it so that he would be able to catch Marshal off guard. It seemed to have worked.
With Marshal's defenses down, Hugh was able to pierce towards his chest and break through the skin and bones to reach the heart.
With a tight grip, Hugh pulled out Marshal's heart and took it out in the air. It was still beating and bleeding, but with a tighter grip, it was crushed into a mushy substance.
To make things sure, Hugh burned the rest of the heart. For a normal person, this would be the end. However, this was not a normal person. This was an invader.
Marshal gripped his heart. He suddenly started to heave, and tumble backward. Marshal felt like he would fall any second, but he didn't.
"Just kidding."
After Marshal said those words, he stood up as nothing happened. Blood was still flowing out from the cavity in his chest, but Marshal was still standing.
Hugh furrowed his eyebrows. If obliterating Marshal's heart would not kill him, then what will?
Hugh did not stop there. He quickly attacked Marshal again and barraged him with attacks. Hugh would use every bit of his strength to put some damage in Marshal's body.
To add the cherry on the cake, Hugh straightened his fist and attacked Marshal's head. Hugh's fist was like a javelin that thrust towards Marshal's brain.
Hugh could feel the mushy substance in his hands, and he was sure that he had destroyed Marshal's brain matter. Hugh retracted his hands.
Marshal's face was now semi-destroyed. The upper part of his head had a giant gaping hole that was leaking brain matter.
Without his head, Hugh was sure that Marshal would not be able to move anymore. Marshal stopped in place as his brain got destroyed.
To seal the deal, Hugh severed Marshal's head. It rolled onto the ground with Marshal's deadpan expression still etched for eternity.
After a few seconds of waiting, Hugh was sure that he was finally done. He thought that he had killed the invader. However, he suddenly felt movement behind him.
He looked behind him and saw that Marshal's severed head was rolling in the ground. It took his attention away from Marshal's body.
When Hugh returned his vision to Marshal's body, he suddenly saw a man's arm coming towards his face. It took him by surprise and he could only catch Marshal's fist in his hands.
However, Marshal used his freezing Desire to freeze Hugh's hands. Hugh quickly tried to pull away, but his hands were now frozen together with Marshal's fist.
Their arms were now frozen together, and Hugh was at a vulnerable position. Marshal tried to kick Hugh's nether regions, but Hugh was able to block it with his other hand.
Hugh quickly used his fire to defrost his arms and he was able to escape Marshal's grip. Hugh stepped away for a few feet to reassess the situation.
Marshal should be treated like a zombie. However, killing its brain and its heart did not kill it. He truly did seem like he was immortal.
Hugh realized that the only way to kill the invader was to obtain its nucleus.