Chapter 38: Arc 1: Chapter 35: The End

"Shwa"

The Winter Soldier thrusts the knife in his hand into Merlin's heart, but there was no feeling of the knife piercing the flesh as if he just punched at smoke.

In front of him, Merlin also didn't show any emotion towards the knife hit, he simply raised his fist and continued punching towards the Winter Soldier's face.

Merlin's combat technique was trash.

At least for Betsy, who was spectating from the side; Merlin was not systematically trained in combat, he was simply punching, yet it was very effective when mixed with his strange ability.

The Winter Soldier that was feared in the mercenary world took a straight punch to the face by Merlin at full force and staggered backward.

The Super-Soldier serum Merlin had injected himself with was half and a little more of the regular dosage, his body was enhanced through the support of his dark powers, yet it was not enough for him to become a Super-Soldier like Captain America.

His strength was still lacking in front of the Winter Soldier.

But the serum did enhance Merlin's strength, five senses, and agility, even restoring his weakened body to its healthiest state. Merlin had tested his strength before coming here as Betsy requested, the weight of his full-force punch could reach 800 pounds, what did this mean?

A cow with an excellent bloodline was at most 1000 pounds.

Simply put, Merlin punching someone with full force was equivalent to being hit by a charging bull.

But this was nothing when compared to Captain America's pure strength of 1200-pound bench presses.

"Kack"

A bone in the Winter Soldier cracks, his jaw was dislocated by Merlin's punch.

But the super killer had way more combat instinct than Merlin since he didn't forget to defend himself even as he was punched backward.

He places his mechanical arm in front of him, the electric discharge forces Merlin backward. High electric discharges were still lethal to him as he was but mortal.

But the Winter Soldier's electric attacks were limited to his right arm, which gave Merlin a chance.

He stretched his left hand outwards, turned his palm into black fog, and slammed it towards the Winter Soldier's face, covering his face like a piece of paper.

As soon as the Winter Soldier breathed, the black fog would enter his lungs.

And in a few minutes, he would suffocate to death.

In this perilous situation, the Winter Soldier throws the last gravity bomb he had onto the ground.

This guy was truly ruthless, both to others and himself; as Merlin backed away from the explosion, the Winter Soldier raised his metal arm to block himself from the gravitational explosion.

His entire body was sent flying once more, and after the gravity bomb contracted, Merlin could see the harsh cuts in his abdomen.

But the wounds he got from Merlin's black storm had begun to heal.

Merlin frowned, not only did this guy have superhuman strength and hearing, but he also had superhuman regeneration! How he was still combat effective even with all the wounds he's received after such a lengthy battle meant that he must also have superhuman tenacity.

He picks up the black combat knife the Winter Soldier had dropped with his hand.

Merlin turns into black fog again and begins spreading in the abandoned factory.

He can't fight a protracted fight against the Winter Soldier anymore, he will kill him...with this one final hit!

On the other side of Merlin's death battle with the Winter Soldier, Betsy taps on the near-dead warrior Okoye on the ground with her sheath, the cold sensation causes the near-dead warrior to open her eyes and begin struggling.

"Hey, take it easy!"

Betsy squats down and tells the female warrior with sincerity:

"You're in very bad shape and you need help. If you can give me the priceless vibranium spear and armor, I'll take you to a doctor's place."

Yep, this experienced mercenary was very knowledgeable.

She saw through the base material of Okoye's weapon and armor; Vibranium was highly sought after in the black market on a global scale ever since WWII.

Vibranium was known as the toughest metal Humans could find, and well-constructed vibranium could even tank a nuclear explosion head-on!

The most widely known legendary hero, Captain America Steve Rogers' shield was made of vibranium and some other raw materials. Captain America had not only once blocked a shot from a tank or bazooka with his shield in WWII.

"Help...help me."

The female warrior senses her weakness, Betsy helps her sit up and lean against the wall on the edge of the abandoned factory.

She watches the battle between Merlin and the Winter Soldier.

As Wakanda's best warrior, Okoye could tell from a glance that while Merlin was holding an advantage, he was only forcibly suppressing the wounded Winter Soldier with his ability to turn into fog.

And with the Winter Soldier's regeneration and tenacity, along with his beastly battle instincts, he was slowly turning the tide.

Okoye was not worried that Merlin would lose, she was worried that the Winter Soldier might escape after regaining his stamina.

This guy was not a pure warrior, he was just a cunning assassin who was being mind-controlled, he would not fight to the death in a battle without a chance of success.

And Okoye cannot let him escape!

The Winter Soldier had killed a prince of Wakanda, albeit he had lost his influence and decided to enter self-exile, but the noble bloodline he had was not something that could be erased so simply.

She will fulfill the mission that his majesty the Black Panther had given her, it was her sole duty as a member of the Dora Milaje; to die for her duty was a warriors' honor.

"Kack Kack"

With two light snaps, the two beads in Okoye's hands were activated, the flashing red lights meant that it had entered the state of preparatory explosion.

The female warrior who had her face burnt and her body stained with blood turns around with difficulty and tells Betsy:

"Run!"

"The glory of Bast will shine once more."

When Betsy looks down at the blinking red beads in Okoye's hands, her eyes grew wide.

At the same time, Merlin was still battling the Winter Soldier.

"Bam"

The wounded Winter Soldier raisesmhis electro charged fist and smashes it onto Merlin's chest; Merlin turns into fog before the punch could land and enshrouds the Winter Soldier's body.

The electricity's paralyzation made Merlin tremble, but he gritted his teeth and remanifests behind the Winter Soldier.

Merlin was in a weird posture right now.

His upper body had manifested physical form, but his lower body was constructed of black fog that entangled the Winter Soldier's body.

He looked like a genie from Aladdin; and while his posture was weird, it was effective,

Merlin held the combat knife with both hands, and with a deep growl, thrusts the knife into the heart of the Winter Soldier from behind.

"Pa"

Blood splattered utwards, yet Merlin could feel that the knife did not pierce into the Winter Soldier's heart and had been blocked by his tough bones.

Man his bones were hard!

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As Merlin pulls out the dagger and prepares to land a second blow, Betsy's voice resounds in his mind.

"Stop fighting! Let's go! That crazy lady warrior is about to blow this place sky high!"

Merlin looks back and sees Betsy running towards the window, as well as the flashing red lights in the near-dead female warrior Okoye's hands.

A dangerous premonition arises in his senses.

"Pu"

Merlin turns back and stabs the fatal hit into the Winter Soldier's heart, he then erupts his black fog and throws the Winter Solider up into the air.

He spreads into black fog and rushes towards Betsy.

He scoops the fleeing mercenary into his black fog and breaks out the window, going as far away from the blast zone as possible.

"Bam"

As the Winter Soldier falls onto the ground, he looks up and sees the female Wakandan warrior Okoye staring at him with cold stare like a hunter.

"Wakanda Forever!"

"KABOOM"

As the first flicker of fire jumps out of Okoye's hands, the Winter Soldier could only raise his metal arm in defense.

In less than a second, the two exploding beads release unimaginable energy that almost instantly covers the entie factory before spewing out lethal fire and exploding.

"Let me do it! Mr. 5-million dollars!"

In the air outside the factory, as the flames close in, Betsy who was carried by Merlin screamed and spreaded out both hands.

As Merlin watches, Betsy's crimson energy covers them like a gushing tide, shielding Merlin and Betsy from the flames in a round shield.

The destructive explosion as well as overwhelming heat could not even shake the shield Betsy had created. The entire sky had been devoured by the sea of fire, yet they were completely unharmed inside the shield.

After the explosion which had lasted nearly a minute, all buildings around Merlin had become nothing but ruin.

Merlin descends onto the still hot ruin and watches as Betsy waves off her crimson shield.

In the light of dawn, the crimson energy gathers behind Betsy and forms a set of crimson wings, making her look like a beautiful butterfly that had spread its wings to fly. Seeing Betsy's hair wave along the wind as well as the relaxed expression on her face, Merlin suddenly realizes the true power that the mutant Betsy had.

That was power he could not reach for...for now.

He also knows why Betsy had her nickname...

Betsy must not be her true name.

"Clap Clap"

Miss mercenary claps her hands and tells Merlin in a relaxed manner:

"Mission complete, I should go collect my payment now. Goodbye, Mr. 5-million dollars."

Finishing her words, she leaves no time for Merlin to say his goodbyes and while carrying her heavy samurai blade, she quickly disappears off into the distance like a flying butterfly. 

"See you next time."

Merlin bid farewell to the empty ruins in front of him, he then turns around and returns into the ruins with the combat knife in his hand.

He had to make sure that the Winter Soldier was actually dead.

Dozens of minutes later, Merlin carries the female warrior Okoye's armor and spear from the ruins; everything inside had been utterly destroyed, he even found the wreckage of what remained of the Winter Soldier's metal arm.

This made Merlin relieved, he was finally safe.

He looked at the spear in his hand somewhat speechlessly,the tip of the spear that could be dismantled into a dagger had gone missing; the fire of that scale didn't even leave a scratch on Okoye's armor, which meant that this type of metal was highly resistant to heat.

So someone must've taken the tip of the spear.

If Merlin had guessed right, it must be Betsy who snuck away this priceless item. This heavily affected the perfect image the female mercenary had in Merlin's mind.

Just as Merlin leaves the area devastated by the explosion, Merlin encounters another female warrior dressed exactly like Okoye at the edge of the battlefield.

She wore face paint and held a spear, seemingly waiting for Merlin.

She shouts with an unfamiliar English accent:

"Where is Okoye?"

Merlin has seen what these female warriors were capable of, and she had no intention of making an enemy out of them, he hands the armor and the tipless spear to her and says:

"She's dead, she brought her enemy down with her."

His words made grief appear in the female warriors' eyes, she carries her spear onto her back and takes the armor and weapon from Merlin's hands, she nods to Merlin as if thanking him.

She strokes the armor and asks:

"Did she die with honor?"

"She died with utmost honor."

Merlin answered:

"She was a true warrior, never backing down even at the very last moment."

"Good!"

The female warrior replied, but when she saw the tipless spear, her eyes became sharp. Merlin raised both hands and told her:

"I didn't take it, nor do I know where it went, this was all I found."

The female warrior stared at Merlin for a few seconds before swiftly turning around and leaving this far-from-home land with her companion's armor and weapon.

"Do not disclose about Wakanda. Everything you've been through, everything you've seen, keep it a secret. For the sake of you once fighting alongside Okoye."

The female warriors' warning resounds in his ear, Merlin nods and watches as she leaves.

Moments later, Merlin sees the odd oval-shaped ship fly into the air, turn invisible, and disappear off into the distance.

The fallen warrior has finally returned home.

 

 

 

 

 

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