Magneto left in a towering rage. He struggled to piece together his fragmented recent memories and suddenly recalled that the Sentry... Robert Reynolds... was the person Adam had asked Professor X to locate during the joint summit.
An utterly ordinary person. What had Adam done to turn him into such a powerful being? It was like a modern retelling of the Treasure Island story.
Magneto couldn't resist glancing back once more. Seeing the outline of a grand building rising, he felt his blood pressure spike. He forcefully turned away and vanished into the distance.
Sensing Professor X's bio-magnetic field, he looked up at the sky, casually crushed several surveillance satellites in orbit, and located Professor X and the others at a mountain stronghold.
"Erik, good thing you came back. We were starting to think Adam had you under control." The four-thousand-year-old Nightcrawler studied Magneto with a mischievous, low chuckle.
As a demonic mutant, he loved stirring up trouble. The great cause of mutants was secondary to him. After all, no matter how powerful Magneto was, could he really surpass Apocalypse from back in the day?
"Azazel, you should brush your teeth and clean that mouth of yours. Otherwise, how could you say something like that?" Mystique looked at the red-skinned man with disgust. She had once borne a child with him... the Blue Devil.
Mystique... Raven... also had a Xenomorph embryo inside her. The moment Magneto approached, her expression became extremely interesting. She sensed another Xenomorph on him.
Nightcrawler chuckled softly. "We can confirm one good thing: Erik's head is fine now. He won't go berserk again."
"This was Stryker's scheme. His son is an extremely powerful mutant. He bypassed your defenses and stimulated my brain."
Magneto glanced at Mystique, walked straight past her, and approached the unconscious Professor X.
Wolverine moved to block this dangerous man, but Magneto simply waved a hand and hurled the adamantium-skeletoned Wolverine dozens of meters away.
"Charles still hasn't woken up?" Magneto's face was grim, but he noticed Professor X looked even worse... like an ordinary elderly man tormented by illness.
Professor X was ultimately still a being of mortal flesh. This time, the damage to his brain had been a severe blow to his body.
"Soon. He's improving." Jean stood beside Professor X, her face expressionless.
Magneto gave Jean Grey a surprised look. He keenly sensed something off about the doctor's state... far too calm. He suspected the Dark Phoenix power inside her was stirring, but having just gone mad himself, he hardly had the right to criticize her.
"When Charles wakes up, I'll have him talk with you properly. It would be best to awaken your potential as soon as possible." Magneto said.
Jean Grey shook her head gently under the puzzled gazes around her.
Cyclops kept his fingers pressed to his temples, ready to fire optic blasts at Magneto at any moment. "You're now the world's most dangerous terrorist... the mastermind behind countless deaths. Don't expect us to treat you as a friend."
"Friend? I just heard Adam spout that nonsense. It made me sick." Magneto felt the throbbing in his chest and his expression darkened further. "Once Charles wakes up, the Brotherhood and X-Men will formally merge. We'll join forces to find Stryker and kill him."
"Aren't you afraid of being controlled by Stryker again?" Nightcrawler smirked, clearly enjoying the show. With his long lifespan and teleportation, if he faced a strong enemy, he could instantly flee to the other side of the Earth, hide for a few hundred or thousand years, outlast the foe, then come out bouncing again.
"Mastermind is dead. I don't believe Stryker has a second mutant capable of creating illusions. Even if he did…" Magneto frowned and fell silent.
Everyone except Mystique looked at him in confusion, growing wary and suspecting Magneto had slipped back into madness. Fortunately, he hadn't.
"Rest for another day. Azazel, bring some strong members of the Brotherhood over. Also transport some food and water." Magneto ordered.
Nightcrawler, dressed sharply in a suit, bowed elegantly. "At your service, leader."
He vanished in a puff of smoke.
They waited. Others were busy.
"Dammit, Magneto destroyed the satellites and caused at least a hundred million dollars in losses!"
"He looks extremely angry. His energy levels remain consistently high... about thirty percent of what they were in Westchester!"
"Ha, how ironic. What is this, the butcher's rage? Unless he goes mad again and slaughters another few hundred thousand! What we need to know is whether he's under Adam's control! If so, has he broken with Adam? Did they fight? Why the hell is he building a building for Adam?!"
"Adam turned a thief like Robert Reynolds into an incredibly terrifying host. Even if we could use public opinion to deal with Reynolds, we'd still have to face the Xenomorph that bursts from his chest."
Reynolds was ultimately human. But if the Xenomorph inside him chest-bursted, anyone could guess it would be far harder to deal with and have even fewer weaknesses.
Countless people desperately wanted to learn Adam's method. They too wanted to control a powerhouse like the Sentry. Unfortunately, they didn't know the Sentry's miracle couldn't be replicated.
Fury was swamped, staring at the mountain of documents and constantly ringing inquiry calls.
The Westchester battle had shaken the entire world. The deaths of hundreds of thousands were merely the collateral damage from two superhumans clashing.
It laid bare the terrifying power of superhumans for all to see. Many were realizing for the first time that when top-tier superhumans went all out, the result was no less devastating than a major war.
And this was just one battle. What if there was someone with immense power who truly intended to destroy the world?
Such a person would be a walking nuclear warhead... far more flexible and reusable than any actual nuke!
S.H.I.E.L.D.'s status skyrocketed in a very short time. They received unlimited funding and personnel for one purpose only: to cultivate their own superhumans capable of taking down Magneto!
Fury looked at these demands and felt his temples throb. These people were truly delusional.
How many beings on Magneto or Sentry's level existed in the entire world? If there were many, they would have dealt with Magneto long ago.
"Power, power. Don't I know how important it is? But mastering Magneto-level strength and cultivating the next Robert Reynolds... how could that be so simple?" Fury's face was cold as he bore the immense pressure.
He replayed the recorded footage of the Sentry versus Magneto battle over and over. Though dust clouds, storm fronts, and shockwaves frequently obscured the satellite images, the sheer terror and danger of the fight were unmistakable.
This battle had shattered global norms, raised the standard of "safety" to an extreme, and left the worldviews of billions in ruins.
"Adam is an absolute exception. I've combed through historical records repeatedly and found no second person like him. His rise was too fast, his power compounded too dramatically, and he always strikes from angles no one can predict."
Coulson arrived carrying another stack of new files, placed them before Fury, and said, "But we can be optimistic. Magneto might not be parasitized by Adam."
"How do we confirm that, Coulson? Find Magneto, draw some blood from the old man, and check for corrosiveness?" Fury shook his head.
Coulson studied the man before him. If he remembered correctly, Fury was actually older than Magneto. He pondered for a moment. "I don't think so. Magneto didn't return to the Brotherhood. He went to Professor X instead. The great mutant alliance is now inevitable. We lack the power to stop it. We can only try to sow internal conflicts and dismantle them from within."
S.H.I.E.L.D. had no real way to deal with someone like Magneto. Even knowing he was the mastermind behind hundreds of thousands of deaths, what could they do? Issue an even higher-level warrant? Add a colored notice to the Red Notice?
Don't joke. The files related to Magneto's warrants could be stacked from Earth to the Moon. No one had ever taken them seriously.
"I have a new discovery regarding the cause of Magneto's rampage."
Coulson pulled out two files and placed them before Fury.
The first detailed Stryker's military operation against Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.
"The interesting part is the second file. Stryker once had a happy family... a beautiful wife and outstanding son. Until a terrible fire broke out. The cause was never determined. His wife died horribly, and his son disappeared... at least from public records."
Fury immediately understood Coulson's meaning. "But when firefighters arrived, there was no fire. You're saying Stryker's son?"
"Many have speculated that Stryker's son was a mutant who awakened his powers and caused the tragedy. But after so many years, no one mentioned it anymore. Until Stryker attacked Xavier's School and Magneto inexplicably went mad. I think his missing son is the reason."
"Have we found his son, Jason Stryker?"
"Not even a body. He might have been destroyed along with Westchester. People skilled in mental manipulation generally don't have strong physiques."
Coulson tapped on the electronic display, opening a virtual world map dotted with flickering red points. The vast majority were concentrated across the Americas.
"The Xenomorphs show a trend of continued concentration. I originally thought he would intensify retaliation against dark sorcerers, but it seems not. Adam is willing to go to war with the military to deal with Stryker. Should we notify Stryker?" Coulson asked.
Fury slowly shook his head. "No need. Both the mutants and Adam want him dead. Let him die."
"Understood. That's the fate of adventurers. The tiny few who succeed enjoy flowers and applause, but far more serve as foundation stones, dying quietly." Coulson showed understanding.
"Heh. Stryker should feel gratified. He won't die quietly. His end will be grand and spectacular."
Stryker was beyond saving, but Fury placed great importance on the valuable data he possessed.
He sent Stryker a letter bluntly demanding all of Stryker's research成果 and promising revenge. Of course, a spymaster's promise was worthless... something to hear and forget.
"Coulson, the fact that you're standing here means you already have a response plan, doesn't it? I'd like to hear it." Fury fixed his one fierce eye on the refined man before him.
Coulson rummaged through the stack of files he'd brought and smiled. "Yes, Director. I do have preparations. I have at least three plans to counter Adam's threat."
"I hope it's not some nonsense about suing for peace. We are S.H.I.E.L.D., a major organization. We cannot bow to a superhuman who wields power based on emotion and mood. That would be a disaster for the world."
Institutions were more reliable than capricious individuals. That was Nick Fury's logic. An institution represented the sum of many people and could always make wise decisions. Individuals could not. One bad day, feeling their dignity slighted, and they might unleash slaughter relying on their power... an unstable factor for global stability.
Coulson pointed at the many red dots on the screen and said confidently, "First plan: Initiate the Mother Mold Project! This plan accounts for Adam himself, along with large numbers of Xenomorphs and mutants."
"Second plan: I've already found a powerful ally with special psychic abilities. He can permanently solve Adam's control over the Xenomorphs and even convert that power into something under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s command. In theory, even the Sentry would be affected because of the Xenomorph inside him."
Special psychic abilities?
Fury was very interested. He keenly realized this might be highly targeted psychic power... perhaps specifically effective against non-human beings like Xenomorphs?
"The third plan involves that black dragon…" Coulson suddenly lowered his voice.
Fury recalled unpleasant past events.
"I'll handle the Mother Mold Project. We'll build a super factory at the edge of the sun. It was originally the ultimate plan against mutants. I didn't expect Xenomorphs to be added to the list of targets."
Fury looked at Coulson with appreciation. This man was sharp and capable. "You handle the second plan. If you make progress, you'll be a Level Ten agent. You should also know that you must find a way to control your ally. I don't want a second Adam."
Coulson nodded with understanding.
"We have the chance to see S.H.I.E.L.D. incorporate all the Xenomorphs. Just thinking about that scene is comforting. Earth's safety will be guaranteed to the greatest extent." Coulson's face was full of longing.
…
New York suburbs.
This was a super skyscraper standing 620 meters tall with 120 floors, like a blade piercing the sky and gleaming under sunlight.
It had truly sprung up overnight.
The entire construction process had been recorded, but no one could replicate it.
After all, this was a building led by Magneto. Were they supposed to send a subordinate to beat Magneto down and drag him back too?
Having Magneto build architecture was an operation that seemed utterly bizarre no matter how one looked at it.
Around the skyscraper's perimeter, fearless people gathered, drawn by its reputation. A few were crazed reporters, but most were fervent crowds.
They worshipped Adam's power. Stimulated by the Westchester battle, they sought to grasp power for themselves and become superhuman.
In this world, who was more trustworthy than Adam?
"Where's the Xenomorph Master? Which floor? I think I saw him!"
"What Xenomorph Master? That nickname sucks. We all call him Brain Demon online! Listen... Brain Demon! The leader who commands the Xenomorph legion, the devil who controls monsters to hunt monsters. You don't believe in vampires, but I do. Adam wiped them out and protected our nights."
"Shut up. I remember he's never publicly responded to online arguments or disputes, nor has he ever announced what nickname he accepts!"
"Great Adam, perfect Xenomorphs... ah, just thinking about a Xenomorph's form makes me tremble so much I can't stand… Let me become one of them!"
"The chest-bursting kind?"
"No, of course without chest-bursting! Dammit, why would you want to be chest-bursted? It should be like the Sentry. Look, that golden figure flying out of the skyscraper... isn't that the Sentry? He's here!… And he flew back."
"He flew out again!"
"I'm a Westchester survivor. I long to join the Xenomorph legion. I have a strong enough body to carry a great Xenomorph! I want powerful strength to protect my family!"
More and more people gathered. Seeing Adam didn't respond and the Xenomorphs occasionally flashing by the skyscraper made no move to attack the crowd a hundred meters away, some began shouting fanatically. Soon police arrived to set up barricades.
"These idiots. If we didn't stop them, they'd charge over and get torn to pieces by the Xenomorphs without mercy!" one officer grumbled.
George Stacy, recently promoted to commissioner, said gravely, "They're terrified. They're following instinct to seek safety. In all of New York, where is safer than here? Even the powerhouse who defeated Magneto belongs to Adam. Magneto even built a base for him."
That's right... George had been promoted again. The heroic former commissioner had been caught in the Westchester battle and reduced to nothing. George Stacy, only deputy commissioner for two months, had tearfully taken the top job.
"This world is crazy. Two people destroyed Westchester, yet one is a criminal and the other a hero." An officer complained. "So what do we do? What if Adam really recruits from these people?"
George Stacy felt troubled too. He knew the inside story: Adam had been capturing vampires and sending them to fight on alien battlefields. It was utterly insane. Predictably, if Adam really recruited ordinary people, they would surely be sent to war against aliens too.
At the top floor of the skyscraper, Adam looked up, gazing at the rising sun.
"Reynolds, stop flying around. I can hear those poor people's voices going hoarse down there." Adam pointed at the sun in the sky. "Do you feel anything special?"
"I'm extremely excited, as long as there are their cheers and shouts." Reynolds completely failed to grasp what Adam meant. He always wanted to fly before the crowds and bask in their adoration.
If ordinary people ignored him, Reynolds would become angry and dejected. He was someone who greatly valued public support.
Adam didn't mind this addiction of his. Such minor quirks were perfectly acceptable. He turned to look at Elektra instead.
"I already know about your contact with the people from Kamar-Taj. There's no need to get too close to them, but you can cooperate on hunting dark sorcerers. Anyone who offends us should either be eliminated physically or captured and made one of us. But dark sorcerers are not qualified to be hosts."
Whenever Adam thought of Kaecilius, he felt it was best to eliminate the man as soon as possible. Now was indeed a good opportunity.
"Kaecilius has paid a price that black magic cannot repair. Elektra, if you truly encounter him, I'll send Reynolds to help you. Make sure to kill that dog of dark magic."
Adam glanced at Elektra's slowly regenerating shoulder. Dealing with dark sorcerers was always far more dangerous.
"I can go right now! I have super speed... " Reynolds grew excited. He couldn't wait to find more enemies and receive people's cheers.
Reynolds had only to open his super-hearing to catch countless prayers... many from those who had lost family and friends in the Westchester battle.
The deaths of hundreds of thousands were enough to plunge the city into prolonged grief and fear.
At times like this, the great Sentry needed to descend bathed in sacred golden light to bring comfort to the world. That was how Reynolds saw it.
Especially since Reynolds realized his master Adam was an extremely generous and magnanimous person who never criticized him over personal hobbies or private matters. This greatly boosted Reynolds's confidence.
Adam glanced up at Reynolds. "Don't go alone. With your intelligence, Kaecilius would banish you in an instant. Your combat style isn't exactly a secret."
"What about the fervent believers outside? They crave becoming yours, gaining power and safety from you." Elektra said.
At that moment, Mister Blue, who had been quietly reviewing various experimental data, looked up. "You can hand them to me. I'll conduct live experiments. Many projects could use them, such as live embryo extraction."
Adam ignored him.
"No need to pay them any attention. If shouting a few times could grant superhuman power, that power would be too cheap. Isn't this an abandoned industrial zone? Anyone who wants to live here will naturally receive protection. Who knows... in a few years, this area might become a brand-new prosperous district. The strongest and safest." Adam didn't take these ordinary people to heart.
Joking aside, if he had time to select ordinary citizens, he would rather spend it hunting more vampires. Vampires were far superior to these ordinary people.
Xenomorph Drones born from parasitizing ordinary humans weren't much stronger than basic Messenger Xenomorphs. Sent to Asgard as soldiers, they would end up as cannon fodder.
Unless it reached a truly critical moment... like Earth facing destruction and needing vast numbers of troops to feed into a meat grinder battlefield.
However, Adam was somewhat surprised by his surging popularity. He had never paid these New York citizens any mind, yet through one action after another, he had unknowingly earned their fervent adoration.
It seemed no matter where, overwhelming strength always came first. With strength came followers.
"So, the base is complete. It's time to deal with Stryker. I did promise Professor X, after all." Adam's mind stirred, and a Speed Xenomorph instantly raced before everyone.
"Stern, you stay behind. Complete the relevant research for Weyland Corporation, then register the patents with the authorities. We can't keep scraping by. We need to properly establish Weyland's operations."
"You were serious? I always thought you founded Weyland Corporation just to legally secure territory while you were still weak." Mister Blue looked at him with an odd expression.
Adam couldn't be bothered to address the man's jabs. Mister Blue's speculation was somewhat correct anyway.
Suddenly, he sensed something. His expression shifted with interest as he looked south.
"What is it? Which Xenomorph caught your attention?"
"No, just an interesting little episode happening in South America. Don't worry about it."
The next second, Speed Xenomorphs began rapidly transporting troops, sending Adam's forces toward their destination.
Alkali Lake.
Stryker sat calmly in his chair, watching the monitors showing Xenomorphs attacking the base. His face remained completely unchanged.
"Send all soldiers to intercept them. In areas they can't hold, detonate the bombs. Kill as many as you can." Stryker calmly issued the extremely cruel order, sending over two hundred soldiers in the base to their deaths.
He knew it was futile. So what? Besides regular soldiers, he also had a group of enslaved mutants.
Against regular soldiers, the Xenomorphs attacked with full force. Against mutants, however, they became very restrained, willing to spend extra time to ensure they captured these mutants alive.
Normally, Stryker could have delayed them for dozens of minutes. But with the Sentry and Speed Xenomorphs, defenses were easily destroyed.
From the start of the operation to reaching Stryker, it took only two minutes.
"A magnificent confrontation, Adam. Only after seeing the power you possess with my own eyes do I finally understand why others fear you so much."
Stryker looked at the straight-line corridor the Sentry had smashed through with his fists and couldn't help clapping.
Adam walked in with a calm expression, surveying the laboratory filled with various mutant and Xenomorph organs, before finally looking at Stryker. "You see yourself as the protagonist of a movie, wanting to deliver a stirring speech before death? Need me to record it for you?"
Whoosh!
From the ceiling, a woman in black leather suddenly dropped down. Her claws were incredibly long and sharp, flashing with cold light as they slashed toward Adam's neck.
But Adam didn't move. Reynolds stepped forward, blocking in front of him. He threw a punch, intending to turn the woman into pulp, but was shocked when he only shattered her flesh and sent her flying.
"Lady Deathstrike. Like Wolverine, she has adamantium implanted in her body." Adam glanced over and ordered, "Capture her."
Reynolds turned into a streak of light, smashing through several walls while carrying Lady Deathstrike.
"I see your Xenomorphs are wantonly capturing these mutants. That brings me great comfort. The dream I've fought for my entire life is about to be realized through you." A twisted pleasure bloomed on Stryker's sinister face.
Just seeing mutants suffer, about to become containers for Xenomorph chest-bursts, filled him with delight.
Adam shook his head. "Is it possible that I could have Xenomorphs parasitize mutants without chest-bursting? That way, mutants could continue reproducing normally, generation after generation."
"No! You can't do that!!" Stryker's expression changed drastically. He moved to charge angrily at Adam but was struck by a Xenomorph's tail that pierced his chest and lifted him up.
"Don't make me see you like this, Stryker. All your schemes are transparent before me. Trying to provoke my greed toward mutants? It's a good idea, but you won't live to see the future." Adam waved his hand.
Stryker opened his mouth unwillingly, wanting to say something. The next second, a Xenomorph twisted his head off.
Adam didn't even tell Stryker that killing him was merely incidental.
The dam's tremors grew more frequent. With constant explosions, it was collapsing rapidly.
Once the Xenomorphs had cleared out all the soldiers and captured every mutant, Reynolds returned carrying the unconscious Lady Deathstrike.
"This woman is truly remarkable. I couldn't even break her bones. I could only knock her out by attacking the head." Reynolds marveled at Lady Deathstrike's terrifying healing factor and ridiculous defenses.
"Even if you broke them, her adamantium bones would heal."
Beta adamantium was just that strong.
Lady Deathstrike was an enhanced version of Wolverine.
The surging waters finally breached the dam, roaring in. Nature's power was on full display.
When Magneto and his group arrived belatedly, they saw this scene resembling a massive flash flood. Endless waters converged, producing a deafening, terrifying roar.
"What's going on? Are you sure this is the right place? Stryker's base has been destroyed?" Wolverine removed his cigar, face full of shock.
At that moment, Professor X... who was working hard to recover from his brain injury... said, "It's Adam. I sense him and his Xenomorph army."
"Professor, try to use your powers as little as possible!"
"No need to worry about me, Jean. This level of psychic exertion won't have any effect." A trace of hope flashed in Professor X's eyes. "I also sense the minds of many mutant children. They're very frightened and scared. We should save them."
Magneto interrupted roughly. "No need. That guy has already brought them out."
Just as Adam and the mutant factions met once again.
In the distant South American rainforest.
Coulson had also found his target.
He led a large, well-trained special forces team, smiling at the young man before him. His gaze lingered especially on the Xenomorph beside the man, and his smile grew even wider.
"It seems you've already exerted psychic control over the Xenomorphs lurking in the rainforest. This behavior is dangerous, but we can help you."
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