From the edge of the ruined forest, Sabertooth staggered upright, his massive frame leaning heavily against a slab of upturned earth. Blood streaked down the side of his face, mixing with dirt and soot as his healing factor worked to mend his shattered eye and bruised skull. He groaned, clutching at his ribs before limping toward the larger of the two smoking craters. As he reached its edge, he caught sight of the towering form within.
Juggernaut.
Sabertooth blinked hard, wiping blood from his brow. "Cain? You're not supposed to be here yet... Have you forgotten the plan?"
The X-Men nearby froze in horror. Storm, having just used a gust of wind to carry Jubilee's unconscious body to safety, felt her stomach drop. One enemy was bad enough. But the Brotherhood and Juggernaut together?
"This is bad," she muttered, her voice nearly drowned by the crackling of fire and the groans of the wounded. Her eyes scanned the field. "Where the hell is Logan?"
Reaching out to the telepath, she found Jean. 'Storm?'
'We need to unclasp the helmet Juggernaut is wearing. That's the only way Charles or you can get into his head. Tell everyone. Now.'
Jean relayed the plan quickly across the team's shared telepathic link. Though battered and bruised, each X-Man slowly pulled themselves back into formation.
Juggernaut looked down at Sabertooth. "Hmph. I got bored. Decided to do things my way. Mystique can go suck on that plan of hers. I'm here for my brother."
Sabertooth growled, "Wait…"
But Cain's massive fist was already in motion. The blur of red slammed into Sabertooth's gut with bone-crushing force. The beast man's body folded inward as the air shot from his lungs, blood and spittle erupting violently from his mouth. His ribs shattered. His heart and lungs compressed. The impact turned his spine to powder as he hurtled backward like a ragdoll launched from a cannon, crashing through the trees and disappearing in a cloud of debris.
The Brotherhood watched in stunned silence.
Pietro opened his mouth. "I—"
"Don't be fucking stupid," Lance snapped. "You may be fast, but he'll kill you before you blink."
Even Pyro nodded, as they retreated back.
Scott's optic beam blasted the dirt at Juggernaut's feet, kicking up clouds of dust that obscured his view. Rogue sprinted across the battlefield toward Toad's unconscious form. Her mind raced. 'I hate this. I hate this so much.' She knelt beside him and placed a hand on his arm. The usual nausea of forced absorption twisted her gut, but she could feel his strength flow into her. 'Anything to help.'
Bobby unleashed a stream of ice, coating Juggernaut's massive frame in a glacial shell. As the beast's movement slowed, Scott redirected his beams, aiming for the clasps on Juggernaut's helmet.
The ice shattered instantly as Juggernaut flexed.
He clapped his hands together.
The resulting shockwave erupted outward like a bomb. X-Men and Brotherhood alike were hurled backward. Kurt teleported mid-air to catch Rogue, making sure his arms wrapped around her waist, avoiding skin contact. Kitty phased through the ground, catching Beast who got hit with the brunt of the force and was now unconscious and passing him through her intangible body. Bobby caught himself with an ice-slide, barely halting his momentum. Jean held strong, her telekinetic shield sheltering both herself and Scott.
Lightning cracked the sky.
Ororo's eyes were white with fury as thunder boomed. A bolt screamed down from the heavens, striking Juggernaut squarely.
Smoke rose from the point of impact but as it began to fade away they saw him as he stood there. Unburned and unaffected.
"What..." Storm whispered.
"Jean!" she barked.
With a nod, Jean pushed her power outward. Together, wind and psychic force slammed into Juggernaut but nothing happened as he was rooted in his spot.
He chuckled.
"Is that it? That your best shot? I've had wet farts hit harder. This is the mighty X-Men? Pathetic!"
That's when the growl echoed across the field.
Logan.
"Why don't you pick on someone your own size?"
Juggernaut turned. Scoffed. "Oh look, a mutt with claws. Cute."
Logan didn't wait.
He launched forward, claws slicing through the air. Sparks burst as adamantium scraped Juggernaut's armor but it turned out to be useless. Cain didn't budge.
Logan backed off, eyes narrowing. But Juggernaut moved faster. He caught Logan by the leg, lifted him, and slammed him into the ground like a hammer to a nail.
Logan's breath caught in a ragged scream as Cain planted a foot on his back, pressing him into the dirt.
Then he yanked him up by the leg.
"Catch!" Cain bellowed.
He hurled Logan like a javelin straight into the path of Scott's next optic blast that was fired at his.
BOOOOM!
The blast collided mid-air, sending Logan spiraling, smoke trailing from his newly cauterized throat.
And Juggernaut just stood there, laughing.
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