WebNovels

Chapter 403 - Chapter 403: The Juggernaut Bitch (2)

[Third Person Pov] 

"Focus, doofus—and try not to be a creep," Gwen scolded, playfully smacking the back of Peter's head. There was no real bite behind it, just familiar exasperation mixed with fond amusement. She then turned toward Colossus, offering him an apologetic smile as she gestured vaguely in Peter's direction. "Sorry about him. He's… a bit special."

"Hey, that's just uncalled for," Peter muttered under his breath, rubbing the spot she'd hit as his mask lenses narrowed indignantly.

Nearby, the Juggernaut stood frozen in place, staring down at his own feet in utter confusion. His massive legs continued to pump forward with unstoppable force, yet somehow he wasn't gaining any distance at all. The ground groaned beneath his weight, but he remained trapped in a bizarre stalemate.

A sudden shift in the air announced Storm and Jean as they descended gracefully from above, landing with practiced ease near the others. Moments later, Cyclops and Wolverine jogged in from the side, slowing to a stop as they took in the situation. Wolverine's claws stayed retracted—for now—but his posture was tense, ready.

"Let's not waste time," Cyclops said sharply, his tone firm and all business as his visor tilted toward Peter and Gwen. "Your assistance will be invaluable if we're going to stop the Juggernaut."

Peter tilted his head slightly, glancing from the immobilized behemoth back to Cyclops. "Sounds to me like you already have a plan in mind," he said casually. "So let's hear it."

Cyclops blinked in mild surprise, though he was quick to mask it. He'd been fully prepared for resistance—especially from Spider-Man of all people. Given their reputations, arrogance and impulsiveness would've been the expected response. It wasn't that he thought poorly of them, but experience had taught him that power and fame often came with ego.

Instead, Spider-Man was cooperative. Thoughtful, even.

With his opinion of Peter improving by the second, Cyclops didn't hesitate. "The source of the Juggernaut's power originates from another dimension," he began, gesturing toward their enemy. "In addition to granting him unstoppable momentum, that power manifests as a force field surrounding his body. It makes him nearly invulnerable to both physical and mystical attacks."

He emphasized the next part. "Keyword: Nearly. If we can manage to break through that force field, we can remove his helmet. That helmet is what shields him from psychic intrusion. Once it's off, Jean—or one of your psychic allies—can incapacitate him mentally and bring this to an end."

Peter nodded slowly, absorbing the information. "Alright. That tracks." He paused for a moment, then lifted a finger as an idea clicked into place. "In that case, we should divide everyone into three distinct roles."

He pointed as he spoke, clearly slipping into strategist mode. "First, the strongmen. Chrome dude, Hulk, and She-Hulk—they'll focus on keeping the Juggernaut pinned down and applying constant pressure."

He shifted his hand. "Second, support. Jean, Scarlet, Kat, and Arachnid—you guys stay back, coordinate, move people around if you see that the situation demands it and be ready to hit hard the moment the helmet comes off."

Finally, he gestured to the rest of the assembled heroes. "Everyone else will be midfielders. We'll adapt as needed—either engaging him head-on or providing ranged assistance depending on how the fight shifts."

Cyclops nodded in agreement, his expression firm as he weighed the strategy. It was flexible, adaptable, and—most importantly—gave them room to respond to whatever chaos the Juggernaut inevitably unleashed. No rigid formations, no tunnel vision. Exactly what they needed against an opponent like this.

Peter cocked his arms back, palms spreading wide as he shifted into a ready stance. "Like I said," he declared with confidence, "this is gonna be the team-up of the century. Let's go stop the Juggernaut."

Cyclops couldn't help the smirk that tugged at the corner of his mouth. His open palm rose from below just as Peter's came down from above.

"Let's go stop the Juggernaut," he echoed.

Their hands met in a sharp, powerful smack that cracked through the air like a starting gun, the sound echoing across the street.

The Juggernaut watched the exchange, his massive frame trembling as fury surged through him. Veins bulged along his neck as his teeth ground together. "How arrogant do you have to be," he roared, "to stand there and plan right in front of me?!"

A violent crimson aura ignited around his body, flaring wildly as his rage and thirst for destruction boiled over. "I am the Juggernaut!" he thundered. "And the Juggernaut demands fear—and respect!"

He slammed his fist into the ground with earth-shattering force. The mystical energy surrounding him detonated outward in a brutal explosion, a shockwave of red light and pulverized stone ripping through the area. The ground beneath his feet shattered and collapsed, momentarily disrupting the momentum that had been driving him forward as dust and debris billowed skyward.

"Everyone already knows their roles!" Cyclops barked, his voice cutting cleanly through the chaos. "Stick to the plan and we'll be fine!"

The Juggernaut burst free from the smoking crater he'd created, leaping forward with unstoppable force as chunks of concrete rained down behind him.

"X-Men!"

"Spider-Family!"

Cyclops and Spider-Man called out at the exact same time. They both paused, glanced at one another, and grinned beneath visor and mask alike before shouting together—

"Move out!!"

The Juggernaut charged, stampeding toward them like a living avalanche. The ground trembled violently beneath each thunderous step, windows rattling and cracks spiderwebbing through the pavement.

Everyone moved at once.

Colossus, Hulk, and Red She-Hulk surged forward without hesitation, charging straight into the Juggernaut's path for a direct, head-on confrontation. Their combined mass and power collided with his advance like an oncoming train.

Above them, those capable of flight—Storm, Jean, Firestar, and Aria—sprinted forward before their feet ever fully left the ground, then lifted smoothly into the air, streaking upward to take control of the skies.

The rest of the team scattered into coordinated positions with practiced precision. Those equipped with web-shooters fired lines toward nearby buildings, swinging into elevated vantage points and flanking routes. Others moved along the streets, taking cover or repositioning for ranged support.

Only Harry stayed grounded, sprinting alongside Cyclops at full speed, every step building kinetic energy within his body as he prepared to unleash it at the perfect moment.

The battlefield was set—and the clash had begun.

"Psychics, establish a link between all of us!" Peter ordered, his voice sharp and authoritative as the battlefield erupted into motion.

Hulk and Juggernaut met in the center like colliding meteors.

The moment their fists collided for the first time, Hulk realized—too late—that he had misjudged his opponent. He'd underestimated not only the Juggernaut's raw strength, but the sheer amount of momentum and force he had accumulated from his relentless charge.

The impact detonated.

With a single, devastating punch, Hulk was launched backward through the air like a cannonball, tearing through dust and debris before he could regain control. He would have slammed into the ground at full force if not for MJ, who reacted instantly. A glowing psionic safety net flared into existence beneath him, catching his massive body and bleeding off the momentum before he could crash.

She-Hulk wasn't about to repeat Hulk's mistake.

She ducked low, pivoted, and drove her shoulder into the Juggernaut's midsection with a full-body tackle. Her boots dug deep into the pavement as she pushed, asphalt cracking and exploding outward beneath her feet. Despite her strength, she was still forced backward, skidding across the street as Juggernaut resisted with brute force alone.

Before he could retaliate, Colossus leapt into the fray.

He interposed himself between She-Hulk and the incoming blow, bracing his steel frame as Juggernaut swung. The impact rang out like colliding wrecking balls, Colossus groaning as he held his ground by sheer determination.

Juggernaut snarled, unimpressed.

With a sudden burst of movement, he grabbed both Colossus and She-Hulk by the head and smashed them together with a thunderous thunk! The sound echoed across the street.

Hulk roared in fury at the sight.

"Ghost!" Felicia shouted over the chaos as optic blasts from Cyclops and crackling lightning from Storm rained down on Juggernaut. "Can't you slow his momentum down to zero with your powers?!"

Gwen's eyes narrowed. "Let's see."

She wove her hands together in a precise, intricate pattern, fingers tracing arcane sigils in the air. A glowing magical circle formed between her palms, runes spinning rapidly as she aimed it directly at Juggernaut.

She couldn't stop him completely—but she didn't need to.

The spell latched onto him for just a fraction of a second, distorting the flow of momentum around his body and slowing him down ever so slightly.

It was enough.

Hulk seized the opening.

With a deafening roar, he drove his fist into Juggernaut's side with cataclysmic force. The punch generated a violent wave of displaced air that rippled outward, shattering windows and tossing debris into the sky. The impact didn't stop Juggernaut—but it redirected him, forcing his massive body off course.

Juggernaut crashed headfirst into a nearby brick building, pulverizing the wall as he plowed straight through it.

At the same time, Peter extended his hands and twisted his wrists.

Reality warped.

The mirror dimension bent and folded around them, geometric patterns flashing into existence as buildings shifted and corridors reoriented themselves. Streets stretched, walls rotated, and allies were subtly repositioned into optimal angles without breaking their momentum.

As Juggernaut burst through yet another wall, he found Nightwing waiting for him.

Nightwing stood low and grounded, hands hovering near his waist as a luminous halo of stored kinetic energy wrapped around his forearms, glowing brighter by the second. His eyes locked onto the target.

Then he struck.

His fist shot forward with blinding speed, kinetic energy and chi erupting simultaneously. The air warped around his arm, and the moment of impact released a violent explosion of power—Fa Jin detonating outward in a shockwave of green-tinged energy.

The area erupted into a discharge of unstable force, lightning-like arcs of green energy crackling wildly through the air.

Juggernaut charged straight through it.

He emerged from the storm like an electrified juggernaut of destruction, crimson aura flaring as he reached out, seized Nightwing in one massive hand, and slammed his face into the ground. The street ruptured and caved beneath the impact.

Without slowing, Juggernaut hauled him up and charged forward, smashing him straight through a wall before finally hurling him aside like a discarded weapon.

Nightwing skidded across the ground before coming to a stop.

Thankfully, his suit and enhanced durability absorbed the worst of the assault. He groaned, then let out a shaky breath as he pushed himself up slightly.

"…Yeah," he muttered, wincing, "he's a lot scarier than I gave him credit for."

************************************************

+5 advance Chapters on: patreon.com/Shadow_D_Monarch3

More Chapters