There was no action taken after Arthur's bold statement. The world merely froze from the rising tension. The Red Tigers present were not going to act without the command from their boss first. Meanwhile, their boss found himself hesitating.
It seemed that there was another facet of Arthur's deceit left undiscovered. The damn bastard was an esper, one of a higher rank than Wilson no less. Had this scene unfolded a few days back, before encountering the mysterious individual who calls himself: Ciel Adams, then Wilson would have been ignorant to the true power of a Third Stage Esper.
Not only was Arthur's spirituality far more in sheer quantity, but the applications it granted him were more insidious than what Wilson could unleash.
So by all accounts, Wilson needed to back down. After all, had it not been to avoid dangers caused by ignorance that he welcomed Ciel Adams to begin with?
However, Wilson was a man of pride too. He came here to break the established agreeable stance between him and Arthur, not for vengeance. He was wise enough to recognize the foolishness of discarding such a valuable tool due to his rage.
Yet, Arthur had taken that peaceful approach away.
Wilson now was left with the certainty of losing this valuable asset regardless of him acting upon his rage or not. It was that certainty that opened a path for indulgence.
Wilson wanted vengeance, his pride demanded it. Moreover, nothing held him from obtaining it anymore.
Letting go of a more rational approach, or even the apprehension of facing a more powerful foe, his eyes locked onto Arthur's calm gaze which was now glowing with a blue radiance. Wilson curled his lips into a furious grin as he barked his order.
"Kill him!"
The moment he did, pandemonium erupted within the main area of the underground lab…
*****
Arthur Cole felt calm, even as weapons aimed his way from all directions. His expression was aloof and he could feel the familiar flow of his spirituality engulf the area. With that there Arthur had a multitude of ways to rain tyranny upon those threatening his life.
He waited however— For Wilson to declare war upon him.
He knew that it was inevitable, an understanding sourced from his observations of the Red Tiger Gang boss thus far. That was why he had already begun using the ions of his nervous system to forge electric might beneath his skin.
"Kill him!"
When the anticipated words finally arrived, Arthur immediately acted.
The subtle current surged beneath his flesh, some of its fury spreading out in all directions, but most of its power rushed upon his hands. Unlike those of Second Stage Espers, or even Advance-Grade weaponry, Arthur's electric output was akin to that of the heavens. To lightning.
As the Red Tigers rushed to pull their triggers, Arthur already beat them to it. The electric frenzy shot forth like an explosion of thunder. The room was illuminated by a blinding blue flash as bolts of lightning rampaged in all directions. At the same time, Arthur raised his hands, aiming the most powerful of his lightning right onto Wilson Francis.
Within an instant, it struck Wilson's chest and sent him flying back from its sizzling impact. Seeing Wilson's elegant temperament falter to agony brought relish to Arthur's heart. He grinned.
"Pathetic."
Now then, should I have some fun for a bit?
Thinking with rising mirth, Arthur's glowing blue gaze shifted towards the startled figure not far from where Wilson stood moments prior.
*****
"Kill him!"
The moment Dominic heard that order, chaos erupted. He saw the already glowing blue eyes of Arthur Cole flash brightly before his body became engulfed by a blue radiance that turned his skin translucent for a split second.
However, with that radiance came powerful bolts of lightning that engulfed the entire lab. It was a terror that the Red Tigers were unable to avoid, much less react. Many immediately fell back with cries of agony. The crackle of raging lightning masked most of their groans, but it could not hide the distinct scent of scorched flesh which permeated the air.
A few pulled their triggers reflexively, sending forth aimless blasts in all directions. Those that escaped the worst of Arthur's attack still fell back a few steps as a result of temporary shock to their muscles and the burning of their flesh.
Dominic immediately understood the gravity of the situation. As they were now, the Red Tigers were easy prey. Him and Wilson would need to enter an offensive to allow them time for recovery. However, just as that thought emerged, his boss was struck by a powerful lightning attack and was sent flying back.
Dominic failed to register what occurred, before he at last realized that he alone was left standing. His boss was twitching violently as he fought against the agony that overcame him, and the Red Tigers too were still recovering. Dominic had only received a few burns from grazes with scattering lightning bolts, yet his flesh was already healing and the pain was miniscule.
I need to attack!
Dominic steeled his resolve to face Arthur, yet his body froze when Arthur turned his glowing blue gaze upon him, a vicious grin etched to his lips.
That was not all, Arthur's right arm squirmed as his fingers seemed to merge while its frame grew longer and thicker. Then from his elbow down a blade forged from bone with jagged edges tore out of his flesh. The bone sword had a slight curve near its tip, and was long enough to reach past his knees. Its white surface was drenched by crimson.
Arthur had turned his very arm into a lethal weapon, a sight which brought utter terror to Dominic's heart. He had never seen such an application of bone manipulation.
Oh no!
Before he could even hesitate, Arthur exploded forth at an inhuman speed.
SWOOSH!
The air whistled, then Arthur appeared next to Dominic, his sword-hand already falling. Dominic could only raise his hand in protest. He increased his bone's thickness and used up some spirituality to form as much new layers of muscles as he could before the blade reached him.
"Arck!"
A pain groan escaped his lips as the bloody sword made contact, instantly tearing past his defences with frightening ease. His hand was entirely severed, yet before it could fall to the ground, Dominic had already bulged the muscles of his free hand and sent a fist forth.
Arthur made no effort to dodge, taking the blow directly and being made to stumble back a few steps. A grin was still etched to his lips.
Dominic meanwhile felt the pain of losing his arm. He gritted his teeth as he spared his stump a glance. Its surface was squirming, his esper healing abilities already racing to forge him a new appendage. However, it would not be fast enough.
"You're weak, all first stages are… But more than anything, you're a simple minded novice who lacks wit."
Arthur said, his tone full of ridicule. He took a step forward, then exploded towards Dominic once more.
His blade of bone shot forth like a reaper's call of death, however, with it this time was sparks of electric frenzy dancing upon its surface. Dominic jolted his head back, dodging the blade's lethal touch. He did not escape the lightning though— It jumped off the swinging blade and pierced the entire left side of Dominic's face.
His eye popped, his flesh scorched, his nerves fried, and his pained cry failed to escape his throat before an electric fury ravaged his mouth.
Dominic desperately stumbled back, disoriented, but Arthur did not relent.
He stepped forward once more… Then—
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
Before Arthur could unleash another attack upon Dominic, shots from both Regular-Grade and Advance-Grade weaponry reverberated. It seemed that some of the Red Tigers had recovered enough to come to his aid.
The mundane bullets did little to harm Arthur, merely bouncing off his skin with slight red bruises left behind as the sole proof of their touch.
The charge blasts fared far better. Their incinerating power tore past his hardened skin and flesh, yet failed to damage anymore beyond that. The impact made Arthur stumble. The bone blade cut the alloy ground in an attempt to help recover his stance.
He spared the Red Tigers a dissatisfied glare.
"Annoying."
His eyes flashed as he raised his left arm forth. Then, before another round of shots could be fired, the weapons held by the Red Tigers imploded and were sent flying away from their grasp. The injured Red Tigers donned looks of terror.
Arthur readied to finish them off from where he stood, but once more he was interrupted.
This time both Dominic and two cybernetic armor wearing Red Tigers approached, each moving at inhuman speeds. Arthur matched them with an equal velocity.
His bone-blade slashed with electric frenzy while his free left hand grew vicious claws that reached out to tear at everything with lethal sharpness. The two Red Tigers wearing cybernetic armors had pulled out swords of flowing metal which began vibrating its particles so rapidly that it formed an effect akin to that of a chainsaw, however far more deadly.
Arthur felt them bite into his flesh, paying with blood for every successful strike of his claws and sword of bone.
Then there was Dominic who had muscles so exaggerated, bones so hardened that he appeared like a miniature hulk. Moreover, his missing arm had almost fully returned.
At first Arthur managed to keep them at bay despite the number disadvantage, yet the moment the Red Tigers he disarmed prior collected the weaponry of their fallen comrades, things truly turned dire for him even as a Third Stage Esper.
However, such a statement was only true due to a simple fact… He had yet to fully show the might of a Third Stage Esper.
It was as he was assaulted from distant shots, close sword strikes, and physical impacts, that the already cool temperature of the lab began to fall rapidly. Beyond that, the scattered steel desks and untouched equipment which rested within his expanded field began to tremble.