Chapter 176: Weakness

Behind the fake, Hugh was Aric who stood there with his arms protruding from the monster's stomach.

*SHHRKK*

Aric pulled out his hands from the monster and green blood immediately started to gush out. The monster's innards were destroyed as Aric used his black fire to freeze and disintegrate most of them.

There was no other way that he could have damaged the creature. This was the only time where the creature was vulnerable.

He needed to take a chance when the creature could not phase through his attacks. And that time only came when the creature was attacking.

Aric only figured this out as Jane was fighting the creature. He saw that when the creature had its leg inside and stuck on the floor, it could not move, or else it would be attacked by Jane's attacks.

The only way that it could escape from the trap was to dodge away from Jane's attack and use his phasing skill to get his leg out of the wall.

"GRAAGHHH!" the creature yelled as green blood strayed to spill on the ground.

It felt immense pain, and it could no longer maintain the facade of imitating Hugh. Soon after, Hugh's fade started to meld and bend into weird shapes.

Then, the creature finally returned to its original state. It became the faceless clay man again, but this time, there was a gaping hole in its stomach, courtesy of Aric.

"GREAAAGHH!" the creature yelled at Aric, clearly mad at him for being able to hurt him.

Then, the creature stopped moving. It stared at Aric as if it was wishing Aric to be dead.

Then, its face started to change and meld into another form again. Aric and Jane both steeled themselves as to who the creature would copy next.

Was it Serena? Professor Kain? Who?

The creature gained more height as it continued to change its face. From what Jane and Aric could tell, the creature already had a frightening aura.

As the creature's face solidified, Aric's heart continued to beat at a higher pace. He recognized this face before.

"Aric, let's kill this thing before it can transform again," Jane said as she got ready to attack the creature along with Aric.

However, Aric did not respond to her. Aric remained silent as he looked on in horror at the creature's face.

Concerned, Jane looked over at Aric. Then, she saw Aric's face full of incredulity and surprise. However, Aric's eyes were red from being emotional.

Then, Aric balled up his fists in anger. Even though he had no memory of the creature's face, it erupted deep and great anger in him that he could not ignore.

"Aric? What's wrong?" Jane asked, seeing his distress.

She put her hand on his shoulders, and she could feel that Aric's whole body was shivering in cold. Aric was afraid of this creature's face.

"Aric? Aric?!" Jane continued to shake Aric's shoulders to take him out of his confusion, but Aric would not wake up. He continued to stare into the air.

"Tsk," Jane said as she realized that she had to deal with the creature on her own.

She had to finish off the creature before it could go through another transformation. If it continued on this path, Jane was not sure if she could fight the monster.

Jane steeled her heart and rushed over to the creature. She used her air pressure to greatly increase her speeds and her power.

As she reached the creature, she aimed directly at the creature's face.

Then, just as her fist was about to hit the creature's face, Jane's fist phased out, rendering her attack useless.

However, Jane predicted this. She had prepared an invisible air pressure knife on her elbow, and now, she used to stab it towards the creature's heart.

Then, Jane watched as her invisible air pressure knife hit the physical body of the creature.

Jane was overjoyed to see this. With just a bit more pressure, then she could stab the creature's heart and kill it for real.

However, when she pushed her knife deeper, it would not do as she wanted it to. It was as if the creature's skin was impenetrable.

Jane frowned as she used her other hand and coated it with spikes of air pressure. This was her most lethal attack.

However, the outcome was the same as before. Even though her attack had hit, it could not pierce any deeper than the skin.

Jane was surprised. If the creature could phase through attacks, then he was almost invincible.

However, even if Jane was able to attack the physical body of the creature, she could not cut the creature's skin.

The creature was invincible, to say the least.

Jane realized the threat that she was currently in. She quickly tried to get out of the creature's space, but something had grabbed her waist.

Then, she looked down, the creature had wrapped its hands around her waist. Then, she felt an inordinate amount of pressure on her waist, almost crushing her to death.

"Gaahhh!" Jane groaned as her oxygen was squeezed out of her body.

Then, the creature stopped torturing Jane, giving her time to breathe normally. However, the creature's grip was still on her waist, preventing her from escaping.

Then, Jane heard the creature speak.

"Ahh…Aric," the creature said.

Jane was surprised to know that the creature knew Aric personally. This meant that whoever the creature copied must have had some connection to Aric.

"You are still the wimp that you were born to be," the creature said as it ridiculed Aric.

However, Aric just stood there and took the insult like it was nothing. However, Jane could see that Aric's whole body was trembling. She did not know if it was from fear or anger or maybe both.

"I did not raise you to be this way, son," the creature said.

Aric flinched as he heard that. It was uncanny. This was the voice, the body, and the words of his father, Maverick. This was the person they had a grudge against, the person he wanted to kill.

Aric could no longer hold in his anger as he enveloped himself in black fire and charged towards Maverick.

In a blink, Aric reached Maverick. With a swift kick to the head, Aric used his strongest attack.

However, Maverick did not move. He looked at Aric's attack with ridicule as if he did not see Aric as a threat.

*DUGG*

Aric's feet hit Maverick's head, but nothing happened. Maverick's head continued to be immovable, and Aric felt a pain in his feet.

It was as if he kicked an immovable wall. He only hurt himself in his attack.

"Hahaha…," Maverick chuckled as he saw Aric struggling. "Try your best."

Maverick continued to stay unguarded from Aric's attack. Even though he was being barraged with punches, kicks, tackles, but nothing worked.

"Have you done nothing to train yourself?" Maverick taunted Aric once again.

Aric continued his attacks, but nothing worked. Soon, his attacks got less and less intense as if he was losing steam.

Even after his knuckles and his feet got bloodied, Maverick's body was still untouched. There was nary a scratch on his body. He was truly invincible.

"Let me give you a hint," Maverick said with a smile. "My weakness is my heart."

Maverick pointed at his heart. However, there was something there blocking Maverick's chest. It was Jane.

Jane was still held by Maverick. She could not move or escape, and she had become the last line of defense for Maverick.

"What do you think?" Maverick asked as he pointed at Jane. "The only way you'll kill me is if you kill her as well."

Jane frowned, mad her face was full of anxiousness. She was being used as armor, and she could do nothing about it. It was the worst way to die.

Aric frowned and looked at Maverick. His eyes were hidden from his disheveled hair, and his body stopped trembling.

Jane did not want to die, not in this place. However, it seemed that Aric was willing to sacrifice her life.

From what she could tell, this creature had Aric's father's face. She could also guess that there was a grudge between them that could not be settled.

From what Jane saw earlier, Aric would do everything to kill Maverick. She was sure that Aric would not mind sacrificing Jane just to kill Maverick.

However, this was not the real Maverick. This was only his face and body. Aric was being tricked.

"Aric, no!" Jane shouted at Aric. She was trying to wake him up from doing something rash.

"This is not him. You are being played!" Jane tried to stop Aric, but Aric just remained silent.

Then, Jane saw Aric approach them. Aric's footsteps were prominent as if he was confident and assured of his decision.

Jane got more and more anxious as she saw Aric approach. Was this the end for her? She would die under the hands of one of her classmates?

Then, Aric leaned into Jane's ears and whispered something to her ears.

Then, Aric raised his fist and dug it deep into his own chest, killing himself.