Escanor(Marvel)

Without hesitation, I began approaching him. He was completely absorbed in crushing the car and didn't notice me right away. With each step, I felt the solar energy filling my body, igniting the power that had been lying dormant within me. Gradually, I grew taller until I matched his height. My muscles swelled with strength, veins bulging like thick ropes. I could feel the might of the sun coursing through my veins.

Power Level: 20,000.

"Who the hell are you?" he growled, abruptly tossing the crumpled car aside like a toy.

We stood face to face like two titans ready to clash.

"I'm the one who's going to stop you," I said firmly.

"Nothing stops the Juggernaut!" he roared and without hesitation delivered a crushing blow to my chest. I was thrown back but only a few steps.

"You just haven't met me yet," I smirked, clenching my fist and striking his helmet.

The metallic clang echoed through the street. He didn't even flinch. My fist trembled from the impact, but Juggernaut only chuckled.

"Hah! You're even dumber than the others!" he laughed, looking at me with undisguised contempt. "I'm invulnerable to physical attacks!"

His fist flashed through the air before slamming into my head with a thunderous crash. The force sent me flying several meters, crashing into a building and turning bricks to dust.

Rising from the debris, I brushed off the dust and concrete fragments.

"Not bad," I smirked.

The air around us instantly grew scorching, as if the world itself was holding its breath before the storm. The heat became unbearable. My shirt couldn't withstand it and tore apart with a loud rip. Well, no point in holding back now.

Power Level: 40,000.

Juggernaut charged at me with a furious roar, and I met him head-on. Our fists collided with an explosion like thunder, sending a shockwave rippling through the surroundings. Cars, shattered buildings, and debris were lifted into the air, breaking apart. The ground trembled, forming a deep crater at the point of impact.

I swiftly lashed out with my leg, striking his knee. A loud crack echoed, and he dropped to one knee. Wasting no time, I clasped my hands together and brought them down with all my might on his helmet, slamming his head into the ground. The earth cracked, but Juggernaut was tougher.

With a deafening roar, he grabbed my leg and yanked me downward. My vision spun for a brief second before his fist smashed into my jaw from below, drawing a few drops of blood.

"I'll tear you in half!" he snarled, wrapping his massive arms around me. His grip tightened like steel clamps, crushing the air from my lungs.

I struggled to break free, but he was too strong. So I changed tactics. My body began to heat up, the temperature rising relentlessly. My eyes burned with an intense, blinding fire.

"Then you'll burn in my flames," I hissed, feeling all my power concentrate in my palm.

A small sun began to form in my hand a bright sphere, glowing white-hot. The heat became unbearable. Metal around us melted, asphalt beneath our feet bubbled, and the air filled with the hiss of evaporating moisture.

Let's see how you handle the temperature, Juggernaut.

"AAARRRGH!" A piercing scream of pain tore from his throat. His massive fingers loosened, and I slipped free from his grip.

Wasting no time, I lowered the intensity of the sun to prevent destruction that could harm the civilians. Quickly scanning my surroundings, I lifted my gaze to the sky. The sun was almost at its zenith, its rays filling me with renewed energy.

"You claim to be invulnerable to physical attacks?" I said, locking eyes with him. "Then I'll show you a power that can break through any defense."

Power Level: 80,000.

Gathering all my energy, I focused it into my fist. Time seemed to slow. The sound of air being torn apart by the speed of my strike whistled in my ears. My fist shot forward, slamming into Juggernaut's metal helmet.

The impact was devastating. The metal dented, struggling to withstand the force, but the helmet remained intact. Juggernaut crashed into the ground, hitting with such force that his body sank deep into the earth. The ground trembled, cracks spreading in all directions, while a shockwave erupted around us, scattering stones and chunks of asphalt. The city shuddered as if from a small earthquake.

Slowly, he rose from the newly formed crater. His rage-filled eyes locked onto me. There was a dent in his helmet barely noticeable, but enough to wound his pride.

"You've pissed me off," he growled, spitting out a glob of blood. "I'll turn you into dust!"

With a roar, he lunged at me again.

His attacks grew more brutal. Blocking one of his punches sent a sharp pain through my arms, as if his strength was increasing. My strategy had to change. I switched to quick strikes to his torso, keeping my distance and dodging his massive swings.

"ARGH! Stop dodging and fight me!" he bellowed. Before I could react, his hand caught my fist.

His grip was ironclad. He yanked me toward him, and his knee slammed into my stomach with such force that I was sent flying. I crashed through several buildings, shattering bricks and glass, before finally slamming into a bus parked at an intersection. The metal crumpled like paper.

I saw the passengers inside. Some of them had been hit by the impact. Fighting in the city was too dangerous. There were too many lives at stake.

It was time to take this battle somewhere else.

Juggernaut was already closing in, tearing through walls as he bulldozed toward me, leaving destruction in his wake. I rushed to the back of the bus and kicked it, pushing it toward safety. The wheels screeched as it rolled several dozen meters away, carrying the people out of harm's way.

I barely had time to turn before Juggernaut came crashing through the breach in the wall, landing right in front of me. His impact shattered the pavement, sending debris flying in all directions.

I was ready. A blazing fire swirled in my palm, condensing solar energy. Without hesitation, Juggernaut leaped forward, his fist raised for a crushing blow.

"This ends now," I said.

I thrust my palm toward him. The flames of the sun surged upward, engulfing his body and lifting him into the air. He roared, struggling against it, but the force was unstoppable. I kept pushing him higher and higher until he was nothing more than a tiny speck on the horizon.

Clenching my fist, I unleashed all my stored energy. The explosion lit up the sky, its brilliance blinding. A wave of fire tore across the heavens, scattering clouds and leaving a luminous trail in its wake.

Dust clouds rolled into the city, shattering windows and sending debris into the air. I looked around, feeling the weight of what had just happened. Guess everyone would have to replace their glass now.

I tensed my legs and leaped high into the sky. The wind howled past my ears as the buildings below shrank into tiny specks. Rising above New York, I quickly spotted the crater where Juggernaut had crashed. I hadn't managed to send him much farther, but at least he was outside the city limits. That was something.

As I approached, I saw him. Juggernaut was barely getting up, smoke rising from his body. His skin was red-hot, like molten metal. His iconic helmet was dented in new places, though still intact.

Power Level: 114,000.

"This is the end," I said, standing over him.

He was breathing heavily, struggling to rise. His eyes burned with rage, but before he could do anything, my fist struck. The impact drained the last of his strength, and he collapsed unconscious.

His massive chest rose and fell, but it was clear he wouldn't be waking up anytime soon. The fight was over. Reinforcements wouldn't be necessary I had handled it alone.

I scanned the area, taking in the destruction. After a moment, the distant wail of sirens reached my ears. Police cars and helicopters swarmed in, their flashing lights illuminating the battlefield.

"Hands in the air, or we will open fire!" a harsh voice blared from a loudspeaker.

The words made me smirk. Did they seriously believe they could stop me? Couldn't they see how close they had come to catastrophe? Push me too far, and I'd wipe them out in an instant.

A few minutes later, ground forces arrived, forming a tight perimeter around me, weapons locked on target. Their faces were a mix of fear and determination.

"Last warning! Surrender, or we shoot!" The voice wavered slightly this time.

I looked at them, unimpressed. Their attempt at intimidation was pathetic. Smiling, I said,

"You think you can detain me? Your weapons wouldn't even make me flinch."

The temperature around me started to rise. The asphalt beneath my feet softened, and the air shimmered with heatwaves.

The officers swallowed hard, sweat beading on their foreheads. The tension in the air was palpable. They knew their weapons were useless against me, but orders were orders.

Then, loud music erupted from the police cars' speakers, shattering the tense silence. The atmosphere shifted into something almost absurd.

Every head turned toward a trail of smoke approaching at high speed.

Not missiles. No, this smoke belonged to someone who loved making an entrance.

Moments later, a red and gold figure appeared on the horizon.

"You guys throw a party and don't even invite me?" came the unmistakable sarcastic tone of Tony Stark.

His Iron Man suit hovered effortlessly, repulsors aimed directly at me. Even his sudden arrival didn't faze me.

"You're late. It's already over," I said calmly, glancing at Juggernaut, still motionless.

"Is that so?" Stark raised an eyebrow behind his mask. "Because from where I'm standing, two giants just nearly leveled half the city. And, by the way, I have no idea who you are. So, you either surrender, or I take action."

His confidence made me grin.

"You?" I chuckled, stepping forward. "Your suit wouldn't last a second against me."

"Oh really?" Stark's voice carried a note of challenge. "Let's test that theory."

He fired instantly, a blast of energy lighting up the battlefield. The shot struck me dead center. I glanced down at the spot where it hit. A faint mark lingered, nothing more than the sting of touching a hot kettle.

"Not impressed," I said, brushing off my chest as if flicking away a speck of dust.

I was about to charge when I froze. Something had changed. Everything around me had suddenly stopped time itself seemed to have come to a halt. Soldiers, police officers, even Tony in his suit, all stood motionless like statues.

Slowly, I looked around. What the hell was going on?

Out of nowhere, the X-Jet materialized in the sky, emerging from invisibility. Its engines hummed as it descended smoothly. The ramp lowered, and familiar figures stepped out Professor Xavier and Storm.

The professor looked as composed as ever. Storm, on the other hand, stood behind him, her expression tense, as if struggling to contain a brewing storm inside herself.

"When we asked you to stop Juggernaut," Xavier said with a note of reproach, "we didn't mean for you to destroy half the city."

I barely suppressed a smirk and met his gaze.

"I did everything I could. Standing still and taking a beating isn't really my style," I replied, completely confident in my actions.

Xavier held his gaze for a moment before shaking his head.

"We'll discuss your methods later. For now, remove my brother's helmet."

His words caught me off guard. Brother? I glanced at the defeated Juggernaut, then back at Xavier. They were so different one an unstoppable giant, the other a calm strategist. I wondered what it would be like if Juggernaut's power was combined with Xavier's intellect.

Approaching the unconscious giant, I searched for the fastenings on his helmet. With effort, I pried it off, the metal still scorching hot to the touch.

Xavier pressed his fingers to his temple and closed his eyes.

"I'll keep him unconscious until he's returned to prison," he said with concentration.

"So how did he escape?" I asked, starting to question the reliability of those who had been holding him. "If he broke out once, what's stopping him from doing it again?"

Xavier opened his eyes briefly, as if considering my words.

"Magneto," he said calmly, though I could sense an underlying concern in his voice. "He attacked several government facilities, freeing dangerous mutants including Juggernaut."

Dangerous ones, indeed. Xavier's friend was Magneto, and his brother was Juggernaut. Who else was in his inner circle?

The frozen police officers slowly began to move again, their faces showing visible relief. In the air, Iron Man's helmet flickered back to life, and his suit's engines powered up.

"What? J.A.R.V.I.S., what do you mean I wasn't responding or moving for ten minutes?" Stark's irritated voice rang out.

Moments later, S.H.I.E.L.D. aircraft appeared in the sky. Their sleek, high-tech crafts moved with precision perhaps not as advanced as the X-Jet, but impressive nonetheless. Operatives descended swiftly, immediately securing the area. The police were quickly moved to a safe distance.

A small group of people gathered around Juggernaut's body, trying to move him, but their efforts were in vain.

I smirked, watching their futile attempts. Stepping closer, I grabbed Juggernaut with one hand and effortlessly carried him onto one of their ships.

As I walked back, I noticed Iron Man having an animated conversation with the Professor. It seemed like a difficult discussion.

Soon, Stark activated his suit's thrusters and, without a word, flew off, leaving behind only a bright trail of heated air.

"Escanor, it's time to go," the Professor informed me calmly.

"Kitty, Jubilee, Rogue, and Kurt are still in the city," I said, unwilling to leave my friends behind.

"They're already home. Kurt teleported them back," Professor Xavier replied. I nodded and, without another word, headed toward the ship.

Once everyone was on board, Storm took the pilot's seat. As always, the Professor watched me with an expression that suggested he saw more than I wished he did.

"What's troubling you? Share it with me," he said gently.

"I can't stay. The image of my parents' deaths is always in front of me. I'm stuck here, doing nothing, just waiting for some miracle from the heavens. Today, I almost killed a stranger just because he reminded me of their murderer. This can't go on. I won't rest until they're gone," I said, trying to keep the pain out of my voice.

The Professor looked at me with sympathy. His voice was soft yet firm.

"This is a heavy burden for someone your age. You know, I can help ease your pain, even just a little. All you have to do is ask."

I shook my head sharply.

"No. I won't stay in your home any longer. I'm setting out on my own path."

Xavier let out a heavy sigh, but his face remained calm.

"If that is your decision, I won't stop you. But I hope you will know when to stop before vengeance consumes you. Don't cross the line between justice and ruthless cruelty."

For a moment, silence filled the cabin. Storm, sitting at the controls, glanced back at me with concern. But, seemingly deciding it wasn't her place to interfere, she quickly returned her attention to flying the ship.