Magneto, a man who had long since abandoned the notion of shared humanity with ordinary people, regarded their concerns as trivial. To him, humans who had not awakened as mutants were not his kin. They were obstacles, enemies, and expendable in the pursuit of his vision. From his radical perspective, why should he waste even a moment considering their point of view?
Yet for the X-Men, who had always walked the line between humanity and mutants, things were not so simple. They continued to view themselves as part of the human race, clinging to their moral compass and the conviction that both species could coexist. For them, Magneto's reasoning created a profound dilemma.
"I won't participate in your plan," Ororo said firmly after a long pause. She shook her head, her white hair catching the faint glow of the laboratory lights. "I'll tell the Professor and let him make the decision."
Magneto's eyes narrowed. He slowly withdrew the hand he had half-extended toward her. His tone carried an icy edge as he spoke. "Even if you don't wish to join me, I hope you won't stand in my way. If you do, Ororo, I cannot promise I will be as merciful as I was before."
"Heh," Ororo scoffed, rolling her eyes with defiance. The X-Men had tangled with Magneto far too often for her to be intimidated by such threats. It was true he had spared her more than once, but that mercy had always stemmed from his own sense of superiority. She had never allowed it to burden her with fear. If anything, her confidence and the constant victories of the X-Men gave her a psychological advantage.
While the tension simmered, Shin quietly surveyed the lab. His sharp gaze swept across the equipment and instruments. At first, he suspected that someone within Wakanda had willingly allied themselves with Magneto, betraying their kingdom's secrecy. Yet the more he observed, the clearer it became that Wakanda's core had not truly changed. There were no signs of upheaval, no white apes declaring themselves kings, no alternate rulers stepping into the Black Panther's stead.
What caught Shin's attention, however, was the absence of Mystique. Normally, she shadowed Magneto's side like his most trusted lieutenant. Here, she was nowhere to be seen.
Or had she simply blended into Wakandan society, wearing another face? Shin considered the possibility but pushed it aside. If she truly was impersonating someone of royal standing, such as the king, it was Wakanda's problem, not his. Magneto had not unleashed any massacres or upheavals, at least not yet. Shin decided he would not dwell on matters that did not directly concern him.
Besides, a deal with Magneto might prove useful. Perhaps even a supply of vibranium could come of it.
His curiosity drew him toward Magneto's research. Shin leaned closer to one of the computer consoles, eyes flicking over data scrolling across the screens. Though not a scientific prodigy, he was far from ignorant. His experience with advanced research, particularly the groundbreaking reports of Vegapunk, gave him the tools to grasp what Magneto was attempting.
Compared to Vegapunk, Wakanda's brilliance and even the Brotherhood's technological edge seemed almost primitive. Shin could not help but view Magneto's project as simplistic, bordering on childish.
Still, the principle was clear. Like Xavier's Cerebro, the research revolved around amplification. Magneto sought to combine Apocalypse's genetic enhancement ability with his own mastery of magnetic fields. Using his powers as the energy driver, he would build a device to amplify Apocalypse's gift across an entire city.
If the device succeeded, Magneto could awaken dormant X-genes en masse. A few dozen uses of the machine could shift the balance of population worldwide, creating a majority of mutants. It was, at least in theory, revolutionary.
But Shin knew one glaring problem remained.
"How do you plan to get Apocalypse to cooperate with you?" Shin asked, smirking. "Your machine requires him to willingly use his power. And knowing Apocalypse, that is far from guaranteed."
He folded his arms, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Let me think. His mental defenses are formidable. Controlling him telepathically is impossible. Convincing him to cooperate? Even less likely. The moment you release him, he'll recruit your Brotherhood as pawns for his own agenda. He has never cared about mutants as a people. Only power."
Shin's eyes gleamed as he added one final jab. "So… are you planning to abduct the Great Illusionist (Jason Stryker) from the X-Men instead?"
The air in the lab grew tense. Magneto's face darkened instantly, his expression twisted by anger. Storm's glare sharpened, her body taut with hostility.
The Great Illusionist was a tragic figure, his own father had lobotomized him, leaving his mind in a near-vegetative state. Though Jean Grey and later the Phoenix Force had helped him regain fragments of functionality, he had never progressed beyond the level of a child. Despite his fragile state, his powers were dangerously unstable. Professor Xavier and the X-Men kept him confined for his own safety and the world's. Magneto's rumored desire to use him was nothing short of monstrous.
"Do not speak of this so lightly," Magneto hissed, his voice heavy with restrained fury.
Shin shrugged casually, his smile infuriatingly calm. "This is not a matter for all mutants, Erik. You may believe you speak for them, but you don't. Still, I admire your determination. Perhaps you'll succeed one day."
The mocking words stung, but Shin's tone was strangely genuine. Unlike the others, he had little to fear from Magneto's vision. His X-gene was already enhanced by Apocalypse's power, fused with other abilities thanks to Vegapunk's grotesque yet brilliant experiments. Magneto's machine could offer him nothing he did not already possess.
Turning away from the argument, Shin gestured toward Wanda and Pietro. "But this isn't why we came. Let Wanda and Pietro speak with you directly."
Wanda's crimson eyes softened slightly, and Pietro shifted uncomfortably at the sudden focus. The real purpose of their visit finally rose to the surface.
Magneto's attention flicked to the siblings. His hardened features betrayed a flicker of curiosity, even apprehension. "What is it?" he asked.
Wanda spoke softly but with unwavering resolve. "There's a chance… that Pietro and I are your children."
For a moment, the mighty Master of Magnetism seemed almost human. His composure cracked, and his expression twisted with disbelief, shock, and a fleeting spark of hope. Magneto, who had weathered countless battles and carried the weight of endless crusades, suddenly looked vulnerable.
"What?" His voice trembled. "You could be… my children?"
The siblings explained their vague past, speaking of their adoptive parents and the lack of details about their biological origins. It was far from definitive, but the possibility existed.
Shin raised a brow, cutting in dryly. "It's just a possibility. Nothing more."
Magneto's eyes burned with intensity as he questioned them further. He traced timelines, connections, and circumstances in his mind. The more he calculated, the more plausible it seemed.
Fortunately, the laboratory they stood in was no ordinary facility. It was equipped with the latest genetic technology, more than capable of performing a DNA test.
"Then we shall know the truth," Magneto said finally, his voice steadying as he turned toward the equipment.
Whether or not Wanda and Pietro were truly his children, Shin noticed something else in Magneto's gaze. The man was already invested. Like Xavier, he had a habit of collecting promising young mutants, nurturing them, guiding them, or using them to further his ideals. Children or not, the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver had already caught his attention.
It was not unlike his fixation on Jean Grey years ago. Both he and Xavier had seen her as a prodigy, a powerful flame to be claimed or guided. Xavier had won that battle, but the scars of Magneto's loss lingered.
Now, another opportunity stood before him.
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Now available - Chapter 626: Shin Makes a Move