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*Boom!*
Lucien's massive body slammed into the ground like a meteor, sending cracks spidering through the asphalt and shaking the earth beneath him. The air was thick with dust and debris, shrouding the scene in a haze of destruction.
"Urgh…" A guttural groan escaped his lips as he tried to push himself upright, his body protesting with sharp jolts of pain. For all his enhanced strength and durability, this single strike had rattled him to his core. His ribs felt like they'd been fractured, and his vision blurred for a moment as the world seemed to spin around him.
'What… the hell was that?' His mind reeled, desperately trying to make sense of what had just happened.
Lucien wasn't used to this—being overpowered, being forced to taste the sting of vulnerability. It was maddening. His claws dug into the cracked pavement beneath him as he forced himself back to his feet, his crimson eyes blazing with a mix of confusion and growing fury.
'Impossible!' he thought bitterly. 'Who the hell has the power to send me flying like that?'
His gaze shot toward the figure standing a few yards away. Even through the dust cloud, Lucien could see the faint ripples of transformation still lingering on his attacker's body—the faint glimmer of claws, the predatory gleam in their sharp eyes, and the feral aura that radiated off them in waves. It wasn't a full transformation, but it was enough to make his blood run cold.
"A Devil Fruit user…" Lucien muttered under his breath, his voice tinged with disbelief. The realization hit him like a second punch.
He glared at his opponent, his thoughts racing. He'd been untouchable for days, laughing in the face of the authorities and cutting down anyone who dared to stand against him. No cop, soldier, or agent had been able to lay a finger on him. He had thought himself invincible.
But this? This was different.
Lucien straightened, his towering frame casting an imposing shadow even as pain radiated through his body. His wings unfurled slightly, giving him an even more menacing presence as he fixed his opponent with a deadly glare.
"You're a Zoan-type Devil Fruit user, too, aren't you?" he growled, his voice low and dangerous. The words felt like venom on his tongue. For the first time in a long time, he felt something he hadn't experienced in years—fear, not of humans or their pitiful weapons, but of those who stood on the same evolutionary tier as him.
His mind began working overtime, trying to assess his opponent. This wasn't just any Zoan-type user—this was someone skilled, someone stronger than Lucien had expected. Their casual dominance over him spoke volumes.
Wiping a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth, Lucien's snarl curved into a crooked grin, though his eyes betrayed the storm of frustration and anger brewing within him.
"Looks like I arrived just in time," Clint said coolly.
He didn't even glance at Lucien, keeping his focus on Natasha. Without hesitation, he offered her a hand.
"You just had to wait until I was completely wrecked before swooping in, huh?" Natasha muttered, rolling her eyes as she accepted the help. He easily pulled her to her feet, the faintest smirk tugging at his lips.
Lucien's jaw tightened, his irritation bubbling to the surface. Not only was this new, dangerous opponent clearly siding with the red-haired nuisance, but the familiarity between the two grated on him even more.
"This just keeps getting better," Lucien muttered to himself, his voice unnervingly calm despite the storm brewing within him. His crimson gaze flicked between the two as his mind churned, sizing them up, calculating.
"Well, isn't this a small world?" he said aloud, his tone carrying a mockery of politeness. His smile was thin and strained, the kind that didn't reach his eyes. "Another Devil Fruit user. I honestly didn't think I'd bump into one of you so soon."
He took a slow, deliberate breath, raising his hands as though in surrender. "Alright, listen," he began, his voice carefully measured. "Maybe I've been a little… overzealous these past few days. I'll admit it. I've caused some trouble, ruffled some feathers."
His lips twisted into a crooked grin that barely masked the tension in his posture. "But I'm willing to walk away. No harm, no foul. I'll lay low, keep my nose clean, and pretend this whole thing never happened. You two can do the same. Deal?"
The silence that followed was heavy.
Clint's eyes narrowed as he studied Lucien, his expression unreadable but his presence imposing. Then, his voice cut through the tension, sharp and unyielding. "Do you really think you're in a position to negotiate?"
The words hit like a hammer. Lucien's smile faltered, and his hands dropped to his sides. The air around him seemed to shift, his forced composure giving way to a dark intensity.
"I'm warning you…" Lucien said quietly, his tone dropping into a low, menacing growl. "Don't fucking push me."
The crimson glow in his eyes seemed to burn brighter as his aura grew heavier. "You know what we're capable of. You're a Devil Fruit user, too. You know how far this can go."
He took a step forward, his wings partially unfurling behind him. His voice turned icy and venomous. "You might think you've got me cornered, but if you force my hand, you won't like what happens next."
His gaze flicked to Natasha and then briefly toward the surrounding city, a cruel smirk tugging at his lips. "Maybe I can't kill you two, but what about them?" He tilted his head toward the distant sounds of civilians—people blissfully unaware of the chaos unfolding just blocks away. "If you want to test me, fine. But I promise you'll regret it."
Clint remained unfazed, his stance steady, his eyes cold and calculating. He'd faced plenty of egotistical, overconfident enemies before, but Lucien was something else entirely—a volatile mix of power, desperation, and arrogance.
But Lucien wasn't entirely wrong either. If he escaped, he would become a massive threat. There was no telling what kind of chaos he would unleash in retaliation.
That couldn't happen.
And Clint wasn't about to let it.
This ends here.
"That's not going to happen," Clint said firmly, his voice steady and unyielding. His sharp gaze locked onto Lucien as if daring him to try. "You're not leaving."
Clint's body began to shift as the last word left his mouth. The transformation was smooth but powerful, his form becoming something more. His face stretched into a sharp, hooked beak, predatory and commanding. His fingers elongated and hardened, morphing into powerful talons that gleamed under the faint glow of the city lights. Then, with an audible
*Whoosh!*
A massive pair of wings unfurled from his back, their span casting an imposing shadow.
Lucien's eyes narrowed. He recognized the transformation for what it was. But there was no fear, only a flicker of annoyance.
Without warning, Lucien moved.
*Whoosh!*
A sudden blur of motion, faster than the eye could follow. Lucien had made his decision. The fight was inevitable. With a guttural snarl, he fully morphed into his bat hybrid form, his elongated fangs glinting as he lunged. His razor-sharp claws were aimed directly at Clint's throat, the attack carrying a feral, brutal intensity.
His speed was devastating, his claws cutting through the air with deadly precision. In the blink of an eye, he was upon his opponent.
Yet—
*CLAMP!*
Clint barely moved. With a single, fluid motion, he raised one clawed hand and intercepted Lucien's attack. His talons clamped down, stopping the massive bat mid-lunge.
Lucien's wings beat furiously, whipping up gusts of wind as he thrashed against Clint's grip. His entire body strained, his muscles rippling with the effort to break free. But no matter how much he pushed or pulled, Clint's hold didn't falter.
Clint stood there, unshaken, his grip like iron. His beady hawk-like eyes locked onto Lucien, their piercing gaze carrying an air of calm dominance.
"WHAT?!" The shock that surged through Lucien's mind was like a tidal wave crashing into him with relentless force.
He couldn't believe it. Even if Clint was a Zoan user like him, 'He shouldn't be this much stronger!'
And yet, the reality was undeniable—Clint wasn't just stronger; he was leagues ahead.
'Why?'
The question gnawed at him until, suddenly, it clicked.
Clint's Devil Fruit.
'Fuck that's the Bird-Bird Fruit Model: The Falcon'
Lucien's stomach dropped. That fruit wasn't just any Zoan—it was one of the most powerful in the Home of the Devil Fruits. He had dreamed of acquiring it once and had longed for its unparalleled abilities. But the truth was harsh—its price had placed it far beyond his reach.
And now, it belonged to this bastard.
Lucien clenched his teeth, his thoughts spiraling. He had always known that the Falcon Zoan would outclass his Bat Zoan. Its speed, its precision, its raw power—all of it was superior.
But this? He had never imagined the gap would be so vast.
*BOOM!*
Before he could react, Clint's talons slammed into his chest with brutal force.
Lucien's body was flung backward like a ragdoll, crashing hard into the pavement. Pain radiated through him, but it wasn't just the pain that left him paralyzed—it was the sheer humiliation.
For the first time in days, Lucien didn't dare to rise.
He lay there, breathing heavily, his mind racing. There was no winning this fight. He knew it now.
But there was one thing he could still do.
Escape.
Without a second thought, Lucien turned and launched himself into the air. His massive bat wings flapped desperately, each stroke driving him higher and faster.
He didn't look back. He didn't need to.
If he could just vanish into the night and lose himself in the darkness, he could live to fight another day. He could—
*Whoosh!*
A rush of wind, and Lucien's blood ran cold.
A shadow darted into the sky after him, moving impossibly fast.
Falconman soared through the air easily, his wings cutting through the night like blades. He moved precisely, his speed outstripping Lucien's desperate flight as if it were child's play.
From below, Natasha watched as the two figures raced across the sky, their forms silhouetted against the faint glow of the city lights.
Lucien was fast. But Clint?
He was faster.
And before the two figures vanished into the distance, Natasha saw it.
Clint had caught up.
*Clash!*
The collision in midair was nothing short of ferocious. Clint's talons clamped down on Lucien's wings with an unyielding grip, locking him in place like a predator seizing its prey.
"Fuck you!" Lucien roared, his voice thick with fury and desperation. He thrashed violently, pouring every ounce of strength into breaking free. His wings beat wildly against the falcon's vice-like hold, but it was hopeless.
In the skies, a bat was no match for a falcon.
*Whoosh!*
Clint didn't waste time. Still gripping Lucien tightly, he dived sharply, slicing through the air with effortless precision. Lucien's struggles only made the descent more punishing. The wind roared in his ears as they plummeted, Clint steering them toward an uninhabited area below.
Only when they were directly above the desolate ground did Clint release him.
*Boom!*
Lucien hit the ground like a meteor, the impact carving out a massive crater. Dust and debris exploded outward, forming a cloud around his crumpled form.
But even that wasn't enough to break Lucien's spirit—at least, not yet.
"I'LL KILL YOU!" he bellowed, his voice cracking with rage. He surged forward, his body trembling with exertion, his claws extended in one last desperate attack.
Clint didn't even flinch. With calm, calculated precision, he met Lucien head-on, his strikes swift and devastating.
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
Each blow was like thunder. Fists and talons rained down, unrelenting, each strike landing with brutal force.
Lucien fought back with everything he had, his claws swiping and his teeth gnashing, but it wasn't enough. His strength was fading, his movements slowing.
Clint wasn't just fighting him—he was dismantling him, piece by piece.
Finally, with a strained gasp, Lucien's battered body gave out.
He collapsed to the ground, bloodied and broken, his chest heaving as he struggled to draw breath. His wings drooped, limp and useless.
Then, as if accepting his defeat, his transformation faded.
The monstrous bat hybrid was gone, leaving behind a man—a beaten, powerless man.
Defeated.
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Next Chapter: Tony Stark's Fate Has Nothing to Do with Me
Next Next Chapter: Pepper Potts – Only a Devil Fruit User Can Save Stark
Next Next Next Chapter: The Formation of the Devil Fruit Task Force
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