World Traveler Villain

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{Chapter: 324 Overheating and Explosion}

William tore through the sky like a missile, wind howling past him as he cut through the clouds with deadly purpose. His eyes were locked on the location provided by the White Queen—coordinates that led to a massive cargo ship drifting alone in the middle of the ocean.

Below him loomed a colossal black ship, its deck crawling with armed guards. The cold sea shimmered under the moonlight, but William's gaze was far colder.

"So this is it," he muttered, hovering above the ship like a silent executioner. A wicked grin twisted his lips. "I wonder if Stark will show up here too. Or did he die back in New York like a dog?"

He chuckled darkly. "Would be a pity if he did. I wanted to see if he'd beg."

Then his expression hardened. "Killian, you bastard… you dared to lay a finger on my woman. I'll make you understand what it means to live a life worse than death."

Without hesitation, William descended slowly, his body glowing faintly with crackling energy. His presence immediately triggered an uproar on the ship below.

On the steel deck, armed men raised their rifles, freezing in place the moment they saw the figure descending like a god of war.

"That's… that's William—the public enemy of mankind!" one of them shouted in terror.

"No way… Is that really him? The guy who destroyed an entire cities?" another murmured, his voice trembling.

The soldiers looked at one another, gripped by a fear they couldn't shake. None of them dared to raise their weapons. They had heard the stories—stories of entire armies reduced to ash, cities flattened in a single day. And now, the legend stood before them.

Inside the iron confinement deep in the ship, Pepper Potts stirred. She had been pacing restlessly, trying to calm her racing thoughts. At the sound of William's voice echoing from above, she froze mid-step.

"That voice…" she whispered, eyes widening with disbelief. "William?"

Her heart fluttered with a mix of hope and dread. She rushed to the small slit in the wall and strained to see. The sight of him descending from the sky hit her like a wave.

Killian, standing at the edge of the deck, raised his arms with a mocking smile. His usual arrogance never left his face.

"Mr. William. What an unexpected honor," Killian said coolly. "You finally came. I was beginning to think you were afraid."

William's eyes narrowed. "Cut the crap. Where's Pepper?"

"Tch. Straight to the point." Killian grinned. "You really are as intense as they say. That attitude—very fitting for a man who destroys what he loves to protect it."

"Three seconds," William said, voice like thunder. "Release her, and I'll let you crawl away with your life. Refuse, and I'll reduce this ship to splinters and pull her from the wreckage myself."

Killian's smile slowly faded. "Are you threatening me? Don't forget—Pepper's life is in my hands. I could snap my fingers and have her executed before you even blink."

"You can try," William said coolly, glowing eyes locked onto him. "But you won't get the chance."

With a clap of his hands, Killian signaled to his men. "Bring her out."

A pair of burly guards shoved open the iron door. Pepper stumbled into view, restrained, her wrists bound, her face pale but composed. Despite her situation, she held her head high.

"Let me go!" she snapped, struggling against their grip.

William's voice boomed across the ship, breaking through the noise. "Pepper!"

Her head turned sharply toward the sound. The moment her eyes met William's, her body froze. For a heartbeat, the fear vanished—and her eyes lit up.

"William!" she cried out, her voice cracking with emotion.

But almost immediately, she turned her head away, hiding her face beneath strands of disheveled hair. Her tone grew cold. "Why are you here?"

William floated closer, just above the deck now, the wind rippling his clothes. "What do you think? I'm here to take you back."

Pepper clenched her jaw. "I didn't ask for your help."

A flash of confusion crossed William's face. "You're my woman. I won't let anyone touch you. I don't need permission to protect what's mine."

"I'm not your woman!" she snapped, eyes narrowing—but her voice wavered, barely hiding the tremble underneath.

William smirked. "Keep telling yourself that."

Pepper turned her face away again, lips trembling. She hated how relieved she felt. Hated how her heart had leapt the moment she heard his voice. After everything, she couldn't let herself fall again. Not after the hurt, the chaos. Not when she knew he lived in a world of destruction and power—one she didn't belong to.

Killian, watching the exchange with amused detachment, chuckled.

"Well, well," he said. "It's like I'm watching a live-action drama. So much tension… so many unresolved feelings. How romantic."

His mocking tone earned him a deadly glare from William.

"You'll be laughing less when I rip out your spine," William said, voice like ice.

"And you stop interrupting?" William said coldly, his voice laced with annoyance as his eyes remained fixed on Pepper.

"I didn't mean to offend," Killian replied smoothly, his smirk never fading. "Actually, I wanted to share something interesting—Pepper still looked quite thrilled the moment she heard your voice. Her heartbeat practically doubled."

"No," Pepper suddenly snapped, her voice sharp, as if trying to shut down her own reaction more than his words.

Killian chuckled, clearly amused. "Oh my… it seems there's some unresolved tension between you two. A lover's quarrel, perhaps?"

William's gaze hardened as he turned toward Killian. "Killian, right?"

"Yes," Killian nodded with mock politeness. "Aldrich Killian. I must say, it's an honor to have someone as infamous as you, Mr. William, personally address me. A living legend—public enemy number one. Quite the title, huh?"

William's lip curled into a dark smile. "I've prepared a thousand ways to kill you. I'm curious… which one would you prefer?"

Instantly, Killian's men raised their weapons, fingers twitching over triggers, nerves taut.

"What are you doing?!" Killian barked. "Do you have any idea who this is? This is William! The nightmare of the entire world. The idol of radicals. If he wanted, your guns wouldn't be enough to slow him down. Stand down!"

The tension crackled in the air. Then suddenly, one of Killian's men sprang forward from the steel scaffolding above. He launched himself toward William like a missile.

"Let me test this so-called legend," the man roared. His arm turned deep orange, glowing with searing heat like molten steel pulled from a forge.

"Be careful!" Pepper cried out involuntarily before catching herself, guilt flashing across her face. She turned her face away again, jaw clenched.

William didn't flinch. He caught the man's blazing red arm with a single hand and smiled calmly. "So this is the power of the Extremis virus? Fascinating. But do you really think this level is enough to impress me?"

The attacker snarled, plunging his burning arm forward. In response, William shifted his stance and, with brutal precision, brought his left hand down like a guillotine—slicing through the man's bicep.

A sickening crack rang out.

"AAAAH—!" The man screamed as his arm was severed cleanly at the muscle. He stumbled back, half-collapsing under the pain.

His body crackled and hissed with heat. Cracks appeared along his chest and shoulders, radiating like veins of molten lava. From his severed stump, something horrifying began to emerge—a writhing, magma-like substance began shaping itself into a new limb.

William raised an eyebrow. "Regeneration through Extremis… impressive. But your body temperature is unstable. You're overheating."

The man trembled violently, foam and fire fizzling from his lips. "AHHH! If I'm dying, I'll take you with me!"

He lunged forward, wrapping his arms around William like a living bomb.

"Charming offer," William muttered. "But no thanks."

He made no effort to struggle.

BOOM!

The resulting explosion was deafening. A massive wave of fire and debris erupted outward, scorching the deck and ripping apart steel frames. Shattered pipes and twisted beams rained down like falling meteors.

"William!" Pepper cried out, her voice raw with panic as she pushed against her guards. Her hands trembled, and her breath caught in her throat.

Killian shielded his eyes with one hand, shaking his head with mock sorrow. "What a shame. The infamous William, undone by his own arrogance. So tragic. So… anticlimactic."

But just as the smoke began to clear, a familiar voice rang out.

"How could I disappoint you that easily?"

Through the curling flames, a silhouette emerged. William stood, suspended midair, the lower half of his shirt scorched and torn away. His chest was bare, skin marred only by soot—completely unscathed.

Pepper's lips parted in relief. Her eyes locked on him, but she quickly looked away as if she had seen something she wasn't ready to accept. Her heart was pounding, not from fear—but from something far more dangerous.

Relief? Admiration? Hope?

No. She couldn't afford to feel those things.

Not again.

*****

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