Above the Louvre square, the afternoon sun was shattered by an invisible, tense standoff.
Ladybug and Cat Noir hadn't yet recovered from the double shock of the name "Peacock" and the brooch that shouldn't have been there.
Beside them, Bunnyx, who was from the future and had seen much, could no longer suppress the turmoil in her heart.
"Wait!" She took a step forward, her eyes, hidden by blue goggles, fixed on the elegant figure at the top of the pyramid. Her voice was full of confusion and doubt: "Who exactly are you? In my future, the power of 'Peacock'... is not held by you at all!"
His words were impactful.
At the same time, at the other end of the pure white "Rabbit Hole," a sound came from the future.
"Bunnyx , what's going on? Bring Chris back first!" A more mature and steady female voice spoke; it was the adult version of the future Ladybug.
"Wait, Ladybug" Bunnyx didn't turn around, shouting towards the entrance: "The situation has changed! Someone here possesses the peacock miraculous, but that person... is not the one we know at all!"
"Don't worry about that for now!" The voice of the future Cat Noir followed closely: "We heard the conversation just now, that guy's target is Chris! Bring him back first!"
"I understand!" Bunnyx agreed, then turned to the still bewildered adult Chris and said, "Quick, go in first!"
She thought it would be simple, but the most bizarre scene suddenly occurred. Chris obediently walked towards the "Rabbit Hole" emitting a soft white light, but just as he was about to step in, he hit an invisible, transparent wall with a "thud," and was forcefully bounced back, landing on his bottom.
"Ouch! What happened?" Chris covered his bumped forehead, looking utterly confused.
"What?" Everyone present was stunned. This stable passage, opened by Bunnyx and connecting two points in time, had just allowed her to pass through freely. Why couldn't Chris—an ordinary person without superpowers—enter?
"Am I playing tricks?" The elegant and clear voice came from the top of the pyramid again, with a knowing smile, "You guessed it."
Before the words finished, the mysterious young man calling himself "Peacock" moved. Without any tools, his body slightly tilted, and he floated gracefully from the top of the glass pyramid, dozens of meters high, like a weightless feather.
His deep blue, magnificent attire unfurled in the wind, like the splendid tail feathers of a peacock, the entire process filled with a breathtaking theatrical beauty.
Finally, his feet landed steadily on the stone bricks in the center of the square, without a sound.
"Speaking of which, the power of this 'emotional monster' is really useful."
He smiled, looking at the wary Bunnyx, his tone as relaxed as if discussing the weather:
"Now, Rabbit, no matter how many 'time holes' you open, it's useless. Because he can't pass through."
"Nonsense!"
Bunnyx couldn't comprehend this illogical situation. She defiantly opened several "Rabbit Holes" in a row and tried it herself—she easily stepped into one hole and exited from another, completely unhindered.
"Alarmist!" She pointed at the mysterious young man and said sharply, then turned and shouted to Chris: "Try again, Chris! Charge straight in!"
Though Chris hesitated, he obediently walked towards the entrance. This time he was smarter, first carefully touching the white light curtain with his hand, but his fingers were still blocked by the invisible barrier. No matter how much force he used, he couldn't advance an inch further.
"How... how could this be..." Chris was completely bewildered.
"Didn't you hear what I just said?"
A hint of impatience entered Peacock's voice, as if admonishing an inattentive student: "Rabbit, you can go back. But this person... he must stay."
"Who exactly are you?!" This time, it was the "present" Ladybug who asked.
She and Cat Noir guarded Chris from either side, their gazes like torches fixed on the mysterious enemy: "How do you have the peacock miraculous?! That thing... it should be in Hawk Moth's hands!"
"Oh? You mean this." The young man elegantly raised his hand, his fingertips lightly brushing the magnificent brooch on his chest, revealing an innocent smile, as if sharing an interesting secret: "Hawk Moth gave it to me."
He answered casually and matter-of-factly, as if saying, "Today's bread is free," but to Ladybug and Cat Noir, these words were nothing short of a thunderbolt.
"He gave it to you?!"
Cat Noir's voice changed pitch, "Don't you know that thing is broken?! If you use it, your life will be in danger!"
"Exactly!" Ladybug echoed, trying to awaken the seemingly deluded young man before them:
"Hawk Moth is just using you! He wants you to bear the backlash from that power for him!"
But facing their earnest persuasion, the young man simply listened quietly, his smile completely unchanged.
Only after they finished speaking did he slowly nod, saying in an almost innocent tone: "Of course I know that."
"Then you're still going to use it?!" Cat Noir cried out, completely unable to understand his logic.
"Why not use it?"
The young man tilted his head slightly, his dark eyes sparkling with a childlike purity of curiosity, but behind this curiosity lay a chilling logic:
"Someone is willing to put power into my hands, and I couldn't be more eager for it, so why should I refuse it?"
His voice became deep and magnetic, as if carrying an enchanting magic:
"Even if this power... itself carries some small, harmless 'detriments.'"
"But power is power. Isn't it?"
He took two steps forward, his gaze sweeping over everyone present: "As for those so-called 'detriments'... we'll talk about them when they actually become a problem."
"And..." His tone suddenly shifted, taking on a hint of forced helplessness, but his eyes behind the mask instantly flashed with an extremely dangerous cold light.
"Just now, Mr. Hawk Moth personally said that someone here had played a trick on him. Although this guy in front of me isn't the mastermind, he is, after all, the fuse."
"And since I took his things, I naturally have to do his bidding."
He spread his hands, adopting a "I can't help myself" posture, but the gradually spreading, cold and powerful aura made everyone present feel a bone-chilling coldness.
Ladybug and Cat Noir's hearts sank—this person before them was far more complex and dangerous than he appeared.
"Don't be so overconfident!"
Bunnyx, who had been silent, finally couldn't hold back and sharply shouted, pointing at the young man calling himself "Peacock":
"Don't think you're so great just because you have a few tricks! We have three superheroes here!"
She paused, her tone full of pride from the future: "And do you know how many other heroes are connected through the 'Rabbit Hole' behind me?"
But in the face of the threat, the young man simply watched her quietly, slowly and gently shaking his head, his dark eyes even carrying a hint of pity: "Three heroes?"
He repeated softly, as if hearing an amusing joke: "Let me count."
His gaze first fell on Ladybug and Cat Noir: "Two... who just used their ultimate moves, their earrings and rings are flashing, and they'll turn back into ordinary people in a few minutes."
Then, his gaze shifted to Bunnyx: "And one more... who was just beaten helplessly by a low-level Akumatized Person and can barely stand now... a 'Rabbit.'"
With each sentence he spoke, the expressions of the three heroes grew uglier—everything he said was true.
"May I ask..." He smiled, spreading his hands, and retorted with an extremely innocent tone:
"What do I have to be afraid of?"
He looked around, as if waiting for an answer, but there was only dead silence.
"As for the heroes of the future..." He glanced at the still-sealed "Rabbit Hole," "If they could really come over, they would have already, wouldn't they?"
His implication was that future assistance was nothing to fear.
These words completely shattered Bunnyx's last psychological defense.
She trembled with anger but couldn't refute a single word. Jaden no longer paid attention to them; he felt that the verbal confrontation was sufficient.
Now, it was time to display true "power."
"And... quantity... is it really certain that you have the advantage?"
He slowly raised his right hand, and a magnificent folding fan woven from deep blue peacock feathers appeared out of thin air.
He elegantly unfolded it, gently fanned it, and then, with his left index and middle fingers, lightly plucked a few feathers shimmering with a faint blue light from the fan's surface, a movement like plucking petals.
"Sense my emotions..."
He murmured in a low voice, as if chanting an ancient spell. The moment he closed his eyes, an invisible, immense emotional power emanated from him—it wasn't anger or hatred, but a pure, cold "will," like a monarch looking down on everything.
This will poured entirely into the tiny feathers, making them emit an unprecedented, heart-pounding glow.
Next, he took out a few unremarkable ordinary gems from his embrace, and gently touched these gems with the "emotional feathers" infused with his will.
The moment the feathers touched the gems, they merged into them, and then, as if life was injected into the void,
Energy twisted, stretched, and reorganized, and within a few seconds, transformed into several creatures of various forms, composed of pure energy!
A sleek, jet-black panther, its body like solidified shadow, its golden eyes devoid of any emotion, only absolute obedience;
A giant python with metallic shimmering scales, coiled on the ground, silently flicking its tongue, each sway full of power;
And a majestic eagle with a wingspan of over three meters, its wings like blades, silently hovering mid-air, its sharp gaze fixed on all the heroes.
These "monsters" born from emotion were not living beings; they were more like soulless puppets controlled by strings, an absolute extension of Peacock's will.
Having done all this, he unhurriedly put the gems hosting the "emotional feathers" back into his embrace, and once again unfolded his fan to cover the lower half of his face, revealing only his smiling, dark eyes.
Looking at the three heroes whose faces were incredibly grim, he asked softly in a light tone, as if announcing the start of a game: "Now... you tell me. Whose side has more people?"
And Bunnyx looked at the three terrifying monsters before her, then at the "Peacock" who seemed nonchalant, as if he had merely created three works of art casually. Her lips moved, and she uttered a few words: "You... you're crazy..."
She could feel that this man before her was simultaneously controlling four powerful emotional monsters—
One used to seal time and space, three for combat.
The energy consumption for this was unimaginable.
For someone using a damaged miraculous, this was tantamount to suicide.
"Your body... your body won't last much longer!"
She couldn't help but shout, this was no longer a warning, but a primal horror at life itself.
Jaden heard her cry out and simply smiled faintly. He gently tapped the feather fan in his palm, his movements elegant and composed.
"Then I won't trouble you with my worries."
His voice remained calm, but beneath that calm lay a madness and confidence that sent shivers down the spines of all the heroes.
In the Louvre square, the sun was still bright, but it could no longer reach the heroes' hearts.
The shadows cast by the three giant emotional monsters, like solidified despair, enveloped them.
The jet-black panther crouched low, its muscles rippling like waves, a deep, predatory growl rumbling in its throat;
The metallic giant eagle spread its wings, its sharp gaze fixed on everyone, the edges of its wings reflecting a cold, metallic sheen;
And the giant python coiled its body, flicking its tongue, bringing with it a sweet, dangerous scent.
In Cat Noir's ear, the "beep beep" sound from the last paw print on his ring, like a death knell countdown, intertwined with his heartbeat, drumming against his taut nerves.
He turned his head, lowering his voice, and spoke rapidly, only audible to him and Ladybug: "Things are terrible, Ladybug.
Opposite us... there are three openly, and counting the one sealing time and space, that's four. Plus him... we're facing five enemies."
He swallowed, his voice carrying a hoarseness he hadn't even noticed:
"And, you and I have both just used our ultimate moves. Running out of energy is only a matter of time.
If we don't find a solution... I'm afraid we're really going to fall here today."
Ladybug didn't answer immediately. Her gaze was fixed on the leisurely Peacock,
Her brain working at an overloaded speed. Of course, she knew Cat Noir's analysis.
Fighting head-on was a dead end. Persuasion? The opponent's words had already proven his logic was that of a madman, completely ineffective. Escape? The "Rabbit Hole" was sealed, they had nowhere to retreat.
What to do? What to do?
Despair surged like a tide, almost drowning her.
But just then, a faint light pierced through the darkness.
She suddenly remembered what Peacock had said earlier—"I only want him, not you."
An extremely bold, almost gambling-like idea, frantically formed in her mind.
That's right, his target was only the adult Chris. The arrogance he revealed in his words seemed to disdain attacking others.
And the biggest problem now was this empty square, convenient for his "execution." What if... what if this place was no longer empty?
Take a gamble! They could only gamble!
A look of determination flashed in Ladybug's eyes.
She no longer hesitated, tossing the crumpled paper created by her Lucky Charm high into the sky.
The moment the paper reached its apex, she mustered all her strength and shouted the incantation that represented hope and rebirth:
"—Miraculous Restoration!"
Instantly, brilliant pink light erupted from the paper, transforming into billions of magical ladybugs, forming a dazzling torrent of light that swept in all directions!
They penetrated buildings, merged with the earth, and everywhere the light touched, everything was gently restored.
The next second, the entire city of Paris seemed to have had its "rewind" button pressed.
In the Louvre Square, the shattered paving stones, damaged by the battle, were now perfectly intact.
Even more astonishing, countless white lights flickered into existence in the square and on the surrounding streets.
The citizens, tourists, and police who had just been transported to different eras… at the same moment, with faces full of confusion and bewilderment, reappeared exactly where they had vanished.
The once-silent square was instantly filled with a clamor of human voices.
"Oh my goodness! I just… I think I just saw a mammoth!"
"What happened? I remember I was taking a picture..."
"Look! What's that! Is it a new supervillain?"
Cat Noir was stunned by this sudden turn of events, completely baffled as to why Ladybug would use the Miraculous Restoration at this moment.
Wouldn't that just put countless ordinary people back in danger?
However, Ladybug's objective was incredibly clear.
The moment the crowd appeared, and everyone's attention was drawn to the three ferocious monsters and the peacock miraculous,
she leaped backward without hesitation, using the cover of the crowd to disappear behind the shadow of a statue in a few bounds.
"Follow me!" Her voice came.
Although Cat Noir was full of questions, out of absolute trust in his partner, he immediately leaped up and followed closely, disappearing into the chaotic crowd.
In the square, only Bunnyx, little Alix, and Chris, who was slumped on the ground, remained, all stunned by the scene before them.
After the initial panic, the chaotic citizens quickly displayed the unique "gossip-loving" spirit of the Parisian people.
They all pulled out their phones, maintaining what they considered a safe distance, and frantically pressed their cameras, pointing them at the magnificent yet sinister Peacock King in the center,
as well as the three monsters beside him, creatures that only existed in nightmares.
"Click, click..."
Countless camera flashes, like annoying fireflies, flickered incessantly before Jaden's eyes.
The sounds of discussion, gasps, and camera shutters mixed together, completely destroying the solemn atmosphere of an "executioner" that he had meticulously cultivated.
He frowned slightly, a hint of displeasure appearing on his handsome face.
He slowly raised his eyes, his cold gaze sweeping over the crowd holding up their phones.
His voice was not loud, yet it carried an undeniable chill, as if from the depths of hell, clearly reaching everyone's ears:
"Come any closer... and die."
Before his words finished, the three emotional monsters beside him seemed to receive an order, simultaneously letting out roars filled with menace!
The low growl of the leopard, the shriek of the giant eagle, the hiss of the giant python—three sound waves filled with primal ferocity intertwined, fiercely impacting the eardrums and hearts of everyone present.
A chorus of screams erupted from the crowd.
The "war correspondents" who had just been so enthusiastic now turned pale, scrambling backward and instantly clearing a large area.
The world, at last, became a little quieter.
Jaden was satisfied with this.
He no longer paid attention to those ants, taking a step and slowly moving forward.
The monsters beside him, like loyal guards, followed his every move.
His pace was not fast, each step like a drumbeat on people's hearts, carrying an elegant sense of oppression.
His gaze fell upon Bunnyx, who was bravely holding her ground at the very front.
"I'll say it one last time, Rabbit."
His voice was very soft, even gentle, but its content was incredibly cruel,
"I only want him. You, and that little girl, I'm not interested in either of you. Go back to your own time, this doesn't concern you."
This was an arrogant act of charity, as if to say, I allow you to live.
"You… you wish!"
Bunnyx gritted her teeth; although her body was swaying precariously from the previous battle and energy depletion, the fighting spirit in her eyes had not dimmed.
She didn't understand Ladybug's plan, but she knew that as a hero, her duty was to protect the weak, and she absolutely could not retreat.
Jaden looked at her stubborn expression, gently shook his head, and a hint of regret appeared on his face, as if he felt sorry for her lack of foresight.
"In that case..." he said softly, "Let's be gentle."
He raised his hand and gave an order to the giant python, which was coiled on the ground.
The python received the command, and its massive body moved instantly.
But its movement was not a swift pounce; instead, it glided out silently, like a ghost.
Bunnyx immediately raised her umbrella vigilantly, ready to defend, but the python was too fast, and its goal was not to attack.
Its tail, thicker than an adult's thigh, wrapped and coiled around Bunnyx's body with uncanny dexterity, like a living thing.
The strength was just right, preventing her from breaking free without causing any crushing damage.
The python gently "lifted" her from the ground, suspending her in mid-air, completely depriving her of her ability to move.
Having dealt with the biggest obstacle, Jaden's gaze moved past the trapped Bunnyx and continued towards his target.
"You... you don't come any closer!"
A clear yet trembling voice rang out.
Little Alix, at this moment, spread her arms wide, using her small body to firmly block the space between Chris and Jaden.
Her legs were shaking uncontrollably, and her face was pale with fear, but in her blue eyes, an unyielding courage flickered.
Jaden stopped.
He looked at the little girl before him, who was clearly terrified to the extreme yet still mustered the courage to step forward, and a strange light flashed in his eyes.
He gave her a smile.
It was an extremely gentle smile, even carrying a hint of nostalgia and approval.
Beneath the magnificent and sinister exterior of the peacock miraculous, this smile seemed a little out of place, yet it strangely softened the cold killing intent around him.
Alix was momentarily stunned by the smile.
She felt... this smile, it was so familiar.
As if she had seen it somewhere before.
That look in his eyes, that curve of his lips...
She subconsciously wanted to see his face clearly, but it was obscured by the mask.
She tried hard to look into those bottomless black eyes, attempting to find a familiar shadow within them.
Is it... is it him? The one who was always lazy, liked to joke with friends, and would quietly help when everyone was in trouble... Jaden?
No... impossible.
Alix immediately shook her head, dismissing this absurd thought.
How could Jaden be such a terrifying villain? He was so good... This must just be an illusion.
Just as she was momentarily lost in thought, Jaden had already arrived in front of her.
He made no rough movements, simply reached out and very gently pushed her small body aside.
The action was less a push and more like "brushing aside" a leaf blocking the path.
"Watch her," he ordered the dark panther, "Don't let her move around."
The panther elegantly walked to Alix's side, squatted down, its golden vertical pupils fixed on her, its silent threat more oppressive than any roar.
Alix froze in place, no longer daring to move an inch.
Now, there was no longer any obstacle between Jaden and his final target.
He, accompanied by the giant eagle, walked step by step towards Chris, who was slumped on the ground, trembling like a leaf.
Chris looked up, his eyes filled with tears and endless terror.
He stared at the man who had descended before him like a deity, his lips trembling, unable to utter a single word.
He knew, it was all over.
Jaden knelt down in front of him, his gaze level with Chris'.
He did not look down on him, nor did he show any contempt.
His voice was as soft as a lover's whisper, carrying a soothing magic.
"Don't be afraid," he said slowly, "Death is not the end; it is merely a new beginning. I promise you, there will be no pain."
His tone was too sincere, too gentle, so much so that Chris's heart, consumed by fear, actually produced a ridiculous sense of calm.
He gave up struggling, gave up calling for help, merely staring blankly at the man before him, as if enchanted.
"Rest assured," Jaden said his final two words, then stood up.
He gave the final command to the bronze giant eagle.
The giant eagle let out a high-pitched cry, and its massive shadow completely enveloped Chris.
Its metallic claws, gleaming with cold light, rose high, aimed at the small, already surrendered figure on the ground, and with a whistling tear through the air, it slammed down!
Jaden turned away; he did not want to witness such a bloody scene firsthand.
That elegance and gentleness seemed to be only his final mercy to his prey.
However, the anticipated sound of flesh tearing did not ring out.
Instead, there was a crisp, loud clang of metal colliding with claws!
"—Clang!"
Jaden spun around abruptly, his pupils contracting.
He saw a silver-glowing metal staff, which had appeared beneath the giant eagle's talons at some unknown moment, firmly blocking the deadly blow that could crush steel!
The owner of the staff was none other than Cat Noir, who had returned and re-transformed!
A new energy glow shimmered around him, and in his green cat-like eyes, raging anger burned.
"You think you can hurt someone right in front of us?" Cat Noir gritted his teeth, strenuously resisting the immense force from the giant eagle, muscles bulging in his arms, "You're not worthy!"
"Cat Noir!"
Accompanied by a sweet shout, a red figure descended from the sky.
Ladybug, holding her yo-yo, swung it in mid-air, and the red and black rope, like a nimble snake emerging from its hole, precisely wrapped around the giant eagle's neck and wings, then pulled back sharply!
The giant eagle was yanked by this immense force, its body lost balance, and the power of its attack immediately dissipated, allowing Cat Noir to seize the opportunity to parry its talons.
"Nice job, Ladybug!" Cat Noir shouted.
Jaden looked at the two re-emerged heroes, and the calm on his face finally showed a crack.
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
"It seems your speed in replenishing 'energy' is faster than I imagined," he said indifferently.
"Enough talk!" Cat Noir had regained his footing.
He spun his metal staff once in his hand, pointing it directly at Jaden, "Your opponents are us!"
Without any hesitation, he raised his right hand high, fingers spread, and loudly shouted his most powerful move:
"—Cataclysm!"
A ominous mass of black destructive energy, as if capable of devouring all light, instantly condensed, swirled, and roared in his palm!
The giant eagle, restrained by the yo-yo, felt a fatal threat and began to struggle madly.
It let out piercing cries, its metallic feathers constantly flapping, trying to break free from its bonds.
"Trying to run?" Ladybug snorted coldly, pushing off the ground with her legs, increasing the pull of her yo-yo.
The rope bit deeply into the giant eagle's body, rendering it immobile.
"Now!" she shouted to Cat Noir.
Cat Noir's figure shot out like an arrow from a bow!
He bypassed the front of the giant eagle, came to its side, and without mercy, pressed the hand imbued with destructive energy onto the giant eagle's body!
There was no violent explosion, no earth-shattering sound.
At the point where Cat Noir's palm touched, feathers began to rapidly and silently disintegrate, collapsing into the smallest particles.
This disintegration spread like a plague, at a visible speed, across the giant eagle's entire body.
In just one second.
The majestic, terrifying giant eagle, in dead silence, completely turned into a handful of grey-black dust, scattering with the wind.
At the same time, in Jaden's suit inner pocket, the black gem housing the "blue feather" emitted a crisp "crack," its surface covered with spiderweb-like cracks, finally shattering completely.
An indigo feather floated out from it, and upon contact with the air, it too transformed into specks of light, vanishing without a trace.
"Phew..."
Cat Noir gasped, shaking the hand that still held the lingering power of destruction.
He looked at the monster turned to ash, then glanced at the unharmed Chris, a triumphant smile finally appearing on his face.
He gave Ladybug a thumbs-up, saying with a double meaning:
"Ultimates, one down."