Chapter 2356 - Ch: 121-130

Chapter 121: The Bet: Killing Apocalypse in Exchange for the Professor's Rebirth

The powerful aura radiating from his entire body was so strong that even the dark night could not hide his brilliance.

With just this one look, Storm, Ororo Munroe, was stunned; she realized that she had misunderstood this man far too deeply in the past.

There was no demonic wickedness about him at all; she couldn't even sense the slightest hint of hypocrisy.

Clean, sunny, and sincere.

No wonder those two proud women, Raven and Psylocke, had fallen for him.

"New York can't take any more chaos. If Apocalypseinvades New York, the entire city will be reduced to ruins. Even if you win, the cost would be too high."

Storm, Ororo Munroe's thoughts were clear; at this moment, her heart was surprisingly calm, and all distracting thoughts had vanished.

"Apocalypse is indeed a trouble, but he is only a trouble. He doesn't threaten my life; at most, he might disrupt my living environment and threaten the people around me."

"As long as I am stationed in New York, they will be absolutely safe, and New York will remain unharmed."

Ethan's words carried a sense of supreme self-confidence.

In this instant, Storm seemed to see a guardian deity standing atop his mortal divine domain.

Divine light spilled down, protecting this land.

Not because the land was precious, but because people special to him lived on it.

He was simply protecting his family.

As soon as this thought emerged, Ororo Munroe herself could hardly believe it.

But her intuition told her it was the truth.

...

"Apocalypse is no fool. He won't just walk into your trap. He will create every favorable condition and won't strike until the final moment. By the time you see him, Earth will probably be half-rotten, turned into his wasteland playground."

Storm was still trying to persuade him.

"Give me a reason to leave New York and take a risk."

Ethan's tone was indifferent.

"Iceman sent a message. Apocalypse found him."

Ororo Munroe's expression became extremely grave.

"Today?"

"Yes, today!"

"Where is Iceman?"

"Africa, Cape of Good Hope."

"And then?"

"And then communication was lost."

Ororo Munroe's voice was trembling.

"In the past, you would have definitely gathered all the X-Men to rescue him. But now, you can only dismiss the school's students on vacation and guard the empty school like a janitor."

Ethan's gaze was as sharp as a knife, seemingly piercing through Storm's mental defenses.

"The Xavier School needs me."

Ororo Munroe raised her head stubbornly.

The once-mighty X-Men had now dwindled into a third-rate organization.

With Professor X dead, people's hearts had scattered, and the team was hard to lead.

Everyone had fled to all parts of the World, afraid to stay in the U.S.

Just to evade the government's endless pursuit.

"Take off your clothes."

Ethan heard the bitterness in Storm's heart and suddenly changed the subject.

Ororo Munroe's whole body stiffened, thinking she had misheard.

"Let me see your sincerity."

The smile on Ethan's face remained warm.

But in Storm's eyes, this smile was now full of dominance and aggression.

"By the way, you're right. The Professor is indeed still in the school, but his Soul state will only grow weaker. Osborn has the top technology to extract his genes and build a cloned body for him."

The bargaining chips were on the table.

It depended on whether she was willing to place her bet.

Storm's expression changed several times before finally settling into calmness.

She gritted her teeth and, in front of Ethan, reached out and unzipped her leather jacket.

As her clothes slid off, her body, full of wild beauty, was revealed confidently and boldly to the air.

Ethan admired it quietly, his eyes clear.

He didn't make any moves.

"Put your clothes on."

After a few seconds, Ethan said indifferently.

"What do you mean?"

Ororo Munroe felt deeply humiliated, and anger instantly flared in her eyes.

"I've seen your sincerity; now it's time to show mine."

Ethan's tone was calm. "I'll give you a chance to back out. Until Apocalypse is dead, you can refuse to crawl into my bed."

"Are you so sure I won't back out?!!"

Ororo Munroe was so angry her hands were shaking as she quickly put her clothes back on.

"Breaking the contract would be your moral issue, but since I've agreed, I will definitely fulfill it. This is my promise: kill Apocalypse and resurrect Charles Xavier."

Ethan paused. "Now Osborn is managed by Raven. Take my words to her; she will mobilize all the company's resources to create the clone. You might not trust me, but you should at least trust Raven."

Ororo Munroe didn't want to stay for another moment and turned to leave.

As soon as she stepped out, she saw Psylocke waiting for her at the door with her arms crossed.

Seeing her come out, Psylocke gave a meaningful smile.

As if saying: Welcome to the pit.

This expression made Ororo Munroe extremely frustrated.

"Look on the bright side. That guy is young, rich, handsome, and as strong as a god. Sleeping with him is a win for you no matter how you look at it. After all, top-tier eye candy like him isn't easy to find."

"Do you really want to resurrect Charles?"

Raven had walked over at some point and asked in a low voice.

Ethan nodded. "Charles's resurrection does us more good than harm. At least we won't have to constantly guard against him wandering around the human mental network. With a Physical Body, he might not be able to use Telepathy as recklessly as he does now."

The Physical Body is a shackle.

A Charles without a Physical Body is practically a bug, just like the female lead in 'Lucy'.

Once his mind gets corrupted or blackened in the future, it would be a massive problem.

"We need to get Charles's genetic samples from the school, and Cloning takes a lot of time. The success rate is also uncertain."

Raven was actually unsure herself.

"Just do your best. Success depends on fate. If he dares to cause trouble after being resurrected, I'll kill him before he can make a move."

When Ethan said this, a chilling Killing Intent emanated from him.

Raven fell silent.

At least she didn't oppose the proposal.

After saying goodbye to Mystique, Ethan teleported directly back to the Villa's bedroom.

Gwen had already changed into a black-and-white ballet-style Ghost-Spider suit and crawled into his bed like a lazy kitten.

"Honey, did you miss me?"

On Gwen's youthful face, a fervent love bloomed.

"Of course."

Ethan didn't waste any words.

He went straight to it, roughly tearing apart the spider suit.

This was his favorite recurring program.

After returning to the Xavier School, Ororo Munroe kept a tight lip about everything that happened at the Oscorp Tower today.

But facing the deserted campus, she was in a daze, feeling like she was about to break.

This place used to be a Mutant Eden. Now, with the Professor's passing, the school was in jeopardy, relying solely on a few of them old-timers to hold on.

Chapter 122: Apocalypse Possesses Iceman, Professor's Emergency Rescue

Now even Iceman has gone missing.

Ten to one, he's fallen into the hands of Apocalypse.

This was the key reason why Storm, Ororo Munroe, finally chose to compromise.

They had to find Apocalypse and rescue Iceman.

But this task was as difficult as reaching the heavens.

Ever since Jean disappeared, no one in the X-Men could stand against Apocalypse.

The remaining Professor, in his Soul state, couldn't take direct action either.

As the oldest and most perfect Mutant, Apocalypse's Shadow had permeated every corner of human history.

"Ororo, you look troubled. Did Ethan agree?"

Professor X's aged voice echoed in her mind.

"He will take action. Moreover, he promised to use cloning technology to create a new body for you, to free you from this ghostly state."

Storm, Ororo, forced a faint smile.

"That's a good thing. So why are you still so worried?"

"Professor, that Ice Demon is too strong. If we ever turn against him in the future, it will definitely be our doom."

Storm, Ororo Munroe, voiced the concerns in her heart.

"Whether you worry or not, he is that strong. If he truly becomes irredeemable, it won't be too late for us to risk our lives then. But for now, compared to Apocalypse, the Ice Demon's threat is actually smaller. He has no interest in the Carnage of humanity, and he doesn't even bother to spare a glance at ordinary people, so we don't need to scare ourselves for the time being."

Charles Xavier was quite open-minded about it.

"In that case, I'll have to trouble the Professor to find a way to locate Apocalypse's whereabouts. That guy is too cunning and has hidden himself away. But since he captured Iceman, Professor, you should be able to follow the trail and find Iceman's location, right?!"

To find someone, they still had to rely on the Professor, the human radar.

With current technological means, trying to find a deliberately hiding Apocalypse was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

"I'll try, but it will take time, and I must be careful not to be discovered by Apocalypse. That guy has mastered spatial abilities; once alerted, he can transfer to any corner of the Earth at any time."

The Professor's tone was serious.

Storm, Ororo, nodded.

"Child, your ability actually possesses infinite potential. But now, it seems your understanding of your own power is too one-sided; you haven't unleashed its true might at all."

Inside a pyramid buried deep underground.

Apocalypse stood with his hands behind his back, coldly looking at the trapped Iceman, Robert.

"I've heard your stories. I hadn't joined the X-Men back then. If you think a few words can trick me into joining you, you're daydreaming."

Although Iceman Robert had become a prisoner, he remained stubborn.

"No, I don't plan to persuade you. I only give you two paths: one is to kneel and submit, and I will help you develop your potential; the other is for me to forcibly take your power and transfer my consciousness into you. Only because you are a Mutant am I giving you this chance to choose."

Apocalypse looked down at Robert expressionlessly.

At this moment, Iceman was locked down tight by a special superpower suppressor, unable to even produce a single shard of ice.

"I am an X-Men, I am Iceman Robert. You want me to be your dog? Dream on!"

Iceman Robert's heart was harder than his ice.

"Then that's a pity. I have been observing you all these years; you are just one of them. Since you have rejected my mercy, I can only initiate the backup plan."

Not a single ripple could be heard in Apocalypse's voice.

"You're afraid of the Ice Demon, aren't you? That's why you want to steal my body, to use my ice to counter his?!"

Iceman Robert suddenly began to sneer.

"Child, you have no idea where the upper limit of your power lies. Your weak physical body and low-level methods of application are simply a waste of a gift. I admit, I underestimated you juniors who control the forces of nature before; any ability practiced to the extreme can destroy the heavens and the Earth."

A strange red light flickered in Apocalypse's eyes.

"Cyclops?! Impossible!!!"

Iceman Robert cried out in surprise.

"Death is not the end, Robert."

Apocalypse revealed a cruel smile.

"Is it to deal with Jean?"

"The Phoenix Force does not belong to Earth. Aside from those two stones from the Battle of New York, there is nothing on Earth that can contend with it!!!"

Apocalypse deliberately lowered his voice, unable to hide his inner fanaticism.

His ambition had long since expanded to the limit.

The secrets he had peered into far exceeded ordinary people's imagination.

He had set his sights on the Infinity Stones.

Unfortunately, now that his identity was exposed, it was difficult even to return to the United States.

He knew the Ice Demon too well; as long as he dared to step into the United States, that madman would definitely hunt him down at all costs.

This was the so-called "kings do not meet."

Everyone was used to being overbearing; no one wanted to leave a hidden danger that could threaten their life.

Apocalypse knew his only advantage was the variety of superpowers he possessed, which could be combined in countless ways.

But after witnessing Ethan's unreasonable freezing power, Apocalypse realized that if he didn't solve the resistance issue, he might really be frozen to death.

To counter ice, the best way was to become ice.

To be completely immune to frost damage.

Iceman Robert grit his teeth: "You will definitely be killed by the Ice Demon. You don't understand how strong he is. He is the Dominator of ice. Even if you steal my body, you won't win against him!!!"

Apocalypse shook his head: "With your body, I can negate his freezing control. As long as I'm not controlled, I have plenty of ways to kill him."

Apocalypse waved his hand.

Countless tiny grains of sand crawled up his trouser legs like a living swarm of insects, firmly binding Robert's limbs as a massive sacrificial altar slowly rose in the center.

Apocalypse began to pour energy into Iceman Robert's body.

Soon, Robert's consciousness fell into a deep sleep.

"Finally, a new Reincarnation begins."

The Twelve Apostles of Apocalypse stood guard strictly at the entrance of the pyramid.

Apocalypse did not hesitate and directly initiated the consciousness transfer ritual.

Every time he changed bodies, he could pack up and take all his previously accumulated superpowers with him.

So he wasn't worried at all about his strength dropping.

Iceman Robert felt himself falling into endless darkness.

Suddenly, a familiar voice woke him up.

"Robert, tell me your current location."

"Professor? Is it really you?"

"Don't talk nonsense, find a way to locate yourself quickly. Apocalypse is performing a Possession on your body. What you need to do now is use all your strength to freeze yourself, protect your consciousness, and then tell us where you are!"

Charles Xavier's voice was urgent and serious.

Just then.

The mental world suddenly turned an eerie purple, and a terrifying power spread instantly.

"Is it you? Charles! Your power truly fascinates me. You actually managed to achieve spiritual immortality and omnipresence; this is the Realm I've always dreamed of."

Apocalypse attempted to follow the Telepathy link to directly counter-invade Charles's base.

Chapter 123: The Infighting Within S.H.I.E.L.D. Begins

But an even more overbearing power surged from the depths of the darkness.

A man in a suit walked through the Void Realm, as dazzling as a scorching sun, instantly illuminating Robert's mental World.

"You can't stop me!"

Apocalypse roared, unleashing a staggering mental shock that directly shattered Robert's mental defenses.

The mental connection between Charles and Ethan was forcibly severed.

In the bedroom, Ethan abruptly pushed Gwen aside and sat up from the bed.

His movements were very light, not waking the sleeping girl.

That brief confrontation just now made him realize how troublesome Apocalypse was.

Strength isn't something you can win with by simply stacking skills.

Apocalypse is a Quasi-Skyfather level powerhouse.

His methods are too numerous and varied; even an average Skyfather level would find him a headache to deal with.

"Iceman Robert... he's beyond saving."

It was already too late.

Ethan shook his head helplessly.

The Marvel plot of this World had been fanned into something unrecognizable by him, the butterfly.

"It's certain that Apocalypse is in Africa."

"And that guy, to guard against Telepathy, specifically mixed some kind of shielding metal into the underground Base, making it like a turtle shell."

"I only saw a vast expanse of desert just now."

Without precise coordinates, there's no way to teleport there to save him.

Over at the Xavier School, the X-Men assembled once again.

Their target was pointed straight at the Cape of Good Hope in Africa.

Although they hadn't found the specific location, they had managed to find some clues.

Ethan put this matter aside for the time being.

An old fox like Apocalypse is truly hard to catch when he's intent on hiding.

His gaze turned toward S.H.I.E.L.D.

After the Battle of New York, things had also changed within S.H.I.E.L.D.

That one-eyed Nick Fury eventually approved Project Insight after all.

"Project Insight is coming even earlier than I imagined."

Ethan's face darkened.

Several Space-based carriers hanging overhead.

As long as a list is input, they can perform precise targeted eliminations on a global scale.

For the sake of hegemony, HYDRA would definitely prioritize clearing away all stumbling blocks.

And he himself was definitely at the top of the death list.

"Those lunatics will very likely use nuclear weapons to come after me."

Ethan pondered.

This was their only chance of winning.

He could still dodge a conventional nuclear strike, but if they dropped a nuke directly from outer space, hitting at twenty times the speed of sound, the reaction time left for him would only be a few seconds.

Nick Fury certainly wouldn't let HYDRA send nukes into the sky.

But Fury would soon discover that if he didn't take a hard hand against HYDRA, HYDRA would take a lethal hand against him.

As long as Fury dies, no one can stop the activation of Project Insight.

Although Ethan didn't like that bald head.

But if he croaked, this game wouldn't be fun anymore.

"Baron Strucker has already taken the Mind Stone. I wonder when he'll manage to churn out the Scarlet Witch!!!"

Ethan muttered to himself.

He had to find a way to lead the Scarlet Witch onto the Righteous Path and not let her go on a crazy killing spree.

As for Vision, don't even think about being born in this lifetime.

That retarded AI Ultron also had to be strangled in the cradle.

Washington D.C.

Nick Fury was sitting in his black Chevrolet.

Suddenly, several ill-intentioned motorcycles appeared in the rearview mirror.

Before he could react, a dense rain of bullets poured over.

Nick Fury coldly watched the heavily armed gunmen outside the car window.

His ride was S.H.I.E.L.D. black technology, even more durable than the President's "Beast."

"Finally couldn't resist making a move on me?"

"I haven't been guarding against you guys for just a day or two."

Nick Fury calmly pulled out his phone: "Hawkeye, Natasha, Captain, get to work!!!"

He was never one to sit and wait for death.

But this time, with the advancement of Project Insight, he smelled an extremely dangerous scent.

But he didn't call a halt to the project.

In his view, this was exactly an opportunity to lure the snake out of its hole and dig out the rotten meat inside S.H.I.E.L.D. all at once.

Since being reminded several times by Ethan, this old fox had long since prepared back-up plans.

HYDRA—this was the biggest tumor within S.H.I.E.L.D.

These two enemies had been fighting for over half a century.

It hadn't stopped since World War II.

The meaning of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s existence was to take down HYDRA.

And HYDRA was like a parasite, tightly entwined with S.H.I.E.L.D. and refusing to let go.

The moment HYDRA dropped the pretense and made its move, Nick Fury understood that an invisible war had already begun.

Only the winner could truly control the World's intelligence hub.

His situation within S.H.I.E.L.D. was like walking a tightrope.

"Officer, copy that."

The roar of the engine was torn apart by sudden gunfire, and several hideous spider-web patterns of white flowers instantly bloomed on the specialized bulletproof glass.

"Officer, I have to say, you do look a bit pathetic in your current state."

Natasha teased with a playful smile at the corner of her mouth while changing her magazine.

At the same time, Captain Steve's Vibranium shield carved a sharp arc through the air, accompanied by the dull sound of cracking bones as it ruthlessly smashed the skulls of several gunmen.

The bowstring in Hawkeye's hand vibrated, and the specialized arrows were as if they had eyes, each arrow accurately taking a life.

This wave of fierce gunmen was cleared out in the blink of an eye.

For the battle-hardened Nick Fury, an attack of this level didn't even count as a warm-up.

"Officer, threat cleared. Any further instructions?"

"At a time like this, of course, we show our trump card directly."

Cold light flickered in Nick Fury's single eye, his tone bone-chillingly cold.

Holding the trump card of the Avengers in his hand, he didn't intend to give HYDRA any room to breathe at all.

"This is destined to be a tough battle; it won't be easy."

Captain Steve retrieved his shield, his gaze like a torch and his voice low.

"That's exactly why I kept you by my side. If you could beat HYDRA back in World War II, you can trample them under your feet today as well."

Nick Fury adjusted his messy trench coat, his tone certain.

Natasha chimed in at this moment: "Don't let your guard down. Intelligence shows that the Winter Soldier has already infiltrated the Washington D.C. area. Officers, he's a truly tough character."

At the mention of this name, a flicker of wariness flashed in her eyes.

Nick Fury's face darkened slightly, and he slowly nodded.

"It's basically confirmed that the Winter Soldier is HYDRA's work, the finished super soldier product they've dreamed of for years through their experiments."

For S.H.I.E.L.D., such an unknown powerful enemy was indeed a major concern.

"Since he's a super soldier, then I'd really like to test myself against him."

Captain Steve clenched his fist, a confident smile appearing on his face.

"Alright, enough reminiscing. Back to headquarters. Notify Hill to prepare for battle."

Agent Hill was a hidden card in Nick Fury's hand that had yet to be turned over.

Having been injected with the serum, Hill's combat power was now off the charts. Looking at the entire Bureau, perhaps only the Captain could fight her to a draw.

Nick Fury knew in his heart that the serum produced by Osborn had undergone multiple iterative improvements.

The stuff was divided into models, and the one Hill used was undoubtedly the top-of-the-line version.

Inside her seemingly delicate body, a power like crashing waves was surging at this moment.

Chapter 124: Omega Beams Finally Reach the Peak

"Officer, everything is ready. We can strike at any time."

Agent Hill's calm and efficient voice came through the communication channel.

The net around HYDRA had tightened, reaching the final closing stage.

To deal with such a behemoth, the only way was to strike with thunderous force and decapitate them before they could react.

Project Purge has officially begun.

That top-secret HYDRA sleeper list had been almost completely unearthed by them.

Hearing Hill's confident voice, a strange ripple of emotion rose in Natasha's heart as she suddenly thought of Ethan.

That man had once suggested that she also be injected with the super soldier serum.

It was just that she had been busy with missions and hadn't found the time to go to the Osborn Group in New York to have Raven arrange it.

Looking at it now, as the enemies grew stronger, her Mortal body really couldn't keep up with the pace of these monsters.

Although she was also from the Black Widow program and had undergone modifications, the gap was still visibly massive compared to a cheat-tier individual like the Captain.

Natasha bit her red lips, her thoughts becoming active.

Next time she went to New York, she would pester Ethan for this favor no matter what; she had to increase her strength.

Who would refuse such a good thing as becoming stronger easily without paying a painful price?

The current Natasha was very willing to make changes for the sake of power.

The entire Avengers assembled and aggressively charged toward the S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters in Washington D.C.

This internal purge was destined to be a bloodbath, incredibly cruel.

But the determination for victory was written all over their faces.

The scene shifts to New York.

The top floor of the towering Oscorp Tower.

Ethan was enjoying a leisurely time at work.

Gwen had gone back to school for classes, and without his little girlfriend by his side, he seemed a bit idle.

The Osborn Group was currently very busy, and Ravenwished she could split herself into eight pieces.

There were many factions within the group, and those scientific geniuses were all extremely arrogant and looked down on everyone.

But as long as a great Buddha like Ethan was present, no one dared to utter a single word of dissent.

After all, their big boss was globally recognized as the most terrifying existence; only someone tired of living would dare to act up.

After several months of adjustment, Raven's methods had become more sophisticated, and her control over the group was far greater than before.

Ethan was flirting with his little secretary Julia when Raven pushed the door open, her expression looking quite bad.

"Are you here about Iceman Robert?"

Ethan put away his joking expression and looked up at Raven.

"Has Apocalypse already made a move on him?"

Raven asked anxiously.

Ethan nodded slightly. "Last night, Charles and I teamed up to infiltrate Robert's mental World to try and intercept, but we were underprepared and got blasted out by that old geezer Apocalypse. Now, Robert's consciousness has completely vanished."

"Robert was a good prospect, originally expected to take over as the next generation's leader. I didn't expect..."

Regret and heartache were written all over Raven's face.

She was also an old acquaintance of Iceman Robert; seeing a friend meet with disaster made her feel terrible.

"Apocalypse has an appalling number of abilities, and he's an expert in Telepathy as well. Although he doesn't have the wide-area coverage like Charles, his mental defenses are practically impregnable."

Ethan recalled the brief clash from last night and gave his evaluation.

"If... I mean if you really had to face him head-on, are you confident you can win?"

Raven stared fixedly into Ethan's eyes.

"I will slaughter him until not even a speck remains."

A trace of violent killing intent flashed in Ethan's eyes.

"With those words, I'm at ease. That Apocalypse is indeed ridiculously strong, but we aren't pushovers either."

Raven let out a long sigh.

"Apocalypse is indeed a troublesome opponent, but as long as he dares to show his face, I have plenty of ways to kill him."

Ethan glanced at his System panel.

In the skill bar, [Omega Beams] was emitting a dangerous light.

Even if it was only at the Entry-Level, this skill was still unreasonably strong.

All it took was spending money to become infinitely stronger.

Just how powerful are the Omega Beams?

It's the extreme explosion of the Mera Mera no Mi, plus Superman's Heat Vision, fused with the pressure of the Mind Dominator and the speed of the Glint-Glint Fruit!

This is the ultimate Fusion of multiple top-tier abilities.

Even at just the Entry-Level, it's already a trump card.

It's time to max this thing out.

"I will use every resource and dig three feet into the ground if I have to, just to find Apocalypse's hiding place."

Raven gritted her teeth, a look of fury appearing on her face.

Apocalypse's existence was like a sword hanging over her head, making it hard for her to eat or sleep in peace.

Moreover, Magneto Erik died at the hands of Apocalypse; Raven had never forgotten this blood feud.

Regardless, he was one of the spiritual leaders of the Mutants.

"Are there any new clues?"

Ethan suddenly asked.

Raven lowered her voice. "Intelligence shows that besides Robert, many powerful Mutants in Africa have gone missing. Apocalypse is frantically hunting his own kind, plundering their abilities to strengthen himself."

"I know. After all this trouble he's going through, his ultimate goal is to kill me."

Ethan grinned, revealing a row of forest-white teeth.

With prey of this level coming to his door, life won't be too lonely.

"So we must strike first. Apocalypse is at his weakest during the Transference Ritual, and even if it's completed, there will definitely be flaws at the beginning."

Raven's eyes sparkled with sharp light.

"Any movement at the existing pyramids would be discovered immediately, so that old fox will definitely build a new lair in a no-man's land."

Ethan's eyes lit up, his thoughts instantly opening up.

"Have Friday cooperate with you to call up all satellite resources and comb through the African desert for me. There will definitely be a surprise."

Raven nodded and turned to leave with swift decisiveness.

Julia, who had been hiding under the desk all along, crawled out, tidied her hair with a flushed face, gave her boss a reproachful look, and hurried away as well.

Raven hadn't noticed that someone else was hidden in the room the entire time.

This was naturally because Ethan had used his abilities to shield her perception.

Ethan closed his eyes and awakened the System in his mind.

"System, add points for me. Upgrade Omega Beams!"

[Consumed 90 million wealth points. Omega Beamsupgraded to Proficient-Level!]

Ethan felt a burning sensation in his eyes, as if lava were flowing through them.

A massive amount of usage techniques and insights instantly poured into his mind.

"Not enough, keep adding!"

[Deducted 900 million wealth points. Omega Beamsupgraded to Dominator-Level!]

[Hint: To upgrade to the Peak level, the following prerequisites must be met: Mera Mera no Mi and Glint-Glint Fruit must reach Third-Order Peak, and Mind Dominator must break through its existing limits.]

Listening to the System's prompt, Ethan's mouth twitched. This profiteer System really had a lot of nonsense.

"Fine, fine, fine, upgrade them all! Max out the Glint-Glint, Mera Mera, and Ice-Ice Fruits!"

[Deducted 16 billion wealth points. The abilities of the three fruit series have been upgraded to Third-Order Peak!]

Terrifying elemental power surged within his body; Ethan felt as if he were touching the edges of the Law.

He was only one step away from the Fourth-Order.

"System, break the limits of Mind Dominator!"

His current level of Mind Immunity was no longer enough; in last night's clash, he clearly felt that both Apocalypseand Charles were at this level.

To crush them, he had to go one step further.

[Deducted 30 million desire points. Mind Dominatorpromoted to — Divine Dominator!]

Boom!

An invisible Holy Light exploded in his Sea of Consciousness.

His Mental Energy underwent a qualitative change, and his Soul began to sublimate, as if a brilliant Godhead Crystalhad condensed within him.

Divine Dominator!

At this moment, the entirety of New York seemed to be under his gaze.

This omniscient and omnipotent God's-eye view made Ethan feel so good his scalp tingled.

"Final step, max out the Omega Beams for me!" Ethansuppressed the agitation in his heart.

[Deducted 9 billion wealth points. Omega Beamspromoted to the Peak level!]

Glancing at his balance, which had shrunk by more than half, Ethan felt a pang of heartache.

This was a major expenditure; he had burned through over 26 billion.

Although his earning speed wasn't slow, he spent money like water; even a landlord's family wouldn't have surplus grain at this rate.

Unless he took Osborn or the energy company public to harvest "leeks," the wealth points would still grow too slowly.

"Friday, are the scanning results from Africa out yet?"

Ethan asked the air.

A holographic projection instantly expanded, and [Friday's] voice sounded.

"I've hacked into the Stark satellite network. Borrowing Tony's eyes, we've discovered an anomaly in the heart of the Sahara Desert."

In the image, yellow sand filled the sky.

"There's a high-energy signature here. Scans show a giant architectural structure underground; it's indeed a pyramid."

A topographical map instantly spread out before Ethan's eyes.

"Apocalypse, that old brat, really knows how to pick a spot. The middle of a desolate desert is indeed a good place to hide."

"With no human activity, it's hard for Telepathy to scan that far."

"However, he clearly underestimated the power of modern technology."

To provide global navigation for his armors, Tony Stark had filled space with satellites; it was practically a Heavenly Eye.

Ethan looked at the screen, his smile deepening.

He toyed with the Space Ring on his finger, which was the carrier of the Space Stone.

Apocalypse can also teleport?

"It's not yet time to use the Infinity Stones."

Ethan muttered confidently to himself.

He still had two trump cards in his hand.

One was freezing time and space.

The second was that certain-hit Omega Beam; as long as it locked on, you'd be dead even if you fled to the ends of the earth.

"Boss, is the location confirmed?!"

Raven, dressed in tight-fitting gear, rushed in with a fully armed Psylocke.

Domino, Inez, and Sandy followed behind them, each looking as excited as if they were going on a picnic.

"This is the debut of our 'Osborn Five Beauties.' Just thinking about it is exciting!"

Inez laughed wildly while wiping her weapon.

Domino smiled like a little fox. "That's a must. The legendary Mutant Progenitor... I'll go and see if my luck can curse him to death."

Sandy spread her hands helplessly. "Boss, I couldn't stop them. These crazy women all want to go."

Although Raven frowned, she didn't object; the old concept of strength in numbers still remained.

Psylocke was full of Battle Intent, the light blade in her hand flickering. "Since we've found it, let's kill our way over. I want to cut off his head with my own hands!"

As a former member of the Four Horsemen of Apocalypse, she felt nothing but hatred for that old monster.

Chapter 125: Time-Space Freeze, Instakilling Apocalypse

Seeing the World about to fall into crisis again, she couldn't just sit idly by.

Ethan looked at this group of high-spirited beauties but remained silent.

"Boss, you're not thinking of soloing this, are you?"

"I will take action, but bringing you along is a problem."

Ethan's expression darkened slightly.

The women fell silent instantly, like elementary school students who had done something wrong.

"I definitely won't hold you back!" Psylocke puffed out her chest. "Staying in the company every day is making me go soft, you must take me with you!"

"This is a 1v1 between me and Apocalypse. Bringing you along would only distract me. What if that old fox finds a loophole and escapes?"

Ethan explained helplessly.

"But someone has to help you clear the mobs, right?" Inezsaid defiantly.

"No, you need to stay and guard New York. HYDRA is causing trouble now. What if they get desperate and try to raid our base? Osborn's technology is a prime target."

Ethan's tone was firm and left no room for doubt.

"Only with you guarding the home can I go all out."

These words completely shut down their thoughts of coming along.

"Also, we need to watch out for a sneak attack from Apocalypse. That guy's spatial abilities aren't weak. If he makes a feint and attacks the headquarters, you need to hold him off for those few seconds."

Ethan looked at his watch.

"It's about time. The longer we wait, the more variables there are."

After saying that, he raised his hand and drew a circle. Golden sparks sliced a portal in the air, revealing the rolling sands of the Sahara on the other side.

Without giving the women time to react, Ethan stepped through, and the portal closed behind him.

In the desert, wild winds howled, and a sandstorm blotted out the Sun.

"This damn weather really is giving me a warm welcome."

Ethan squinted, looking through the wind and sand at the tip of a pyramid emerging from the center of the Storm.

Suddenly, the gale stopped.

A terrifying chill erupted instantly, freezing the yellow sand within a radius of several kilometers into ice sculptures.

Apocalypse slowly walked down from the altar.

"Finally... it's complete."

He felt the new power within his body, his eyes flashing with sharp light.

"A pity. Although this body has potential, it's still lacking something."

Apocalypse looked at Robert, who lay at his feet like a dead dog.

By now, Iceman's abilities had been completely drained, leaving him a total cripple.

Robert panted weakly, "Kill me... quickly..."

"I originally wanted to keep you as bait for Charles, but since you want to die so badly..."

Apocalypse shook his head as he watched Robert, who had bitten off his tongue in an attempt to commit suicide.

"Then I shall grant your wish."

He With a casual wave, Robert instantly turned into a dried corpse and merged into the Earth.

"The blizzard has dissipated. It seems I'm a step too late."

Ethan sighed helplessly as he watched this scene.

At this moment, dark clouds rolled in the sky, and thunder roared.

A black fighter jet tore through the air, and accompanied by lightning, Storm, Ororo, descended like a goddess.

"Ororo, leave the rest to me."

Ethan's voice echoed in the wind.

Inside the pyramid, Apocalypse's expression changed, and he looked up at the sky.

He hadn't expected that traitor Storm to actually find him.

"Since you're here, it saves me the trouble of going to New York to find you."

Apocalypse's killing intent flared as he tore through space and teleported onto the desert.

Facing the sky full of thunder, he sneered repeatedly, "Just with you ants?"

Just then, a figure walked across the sand toward him with a leisurely pace.

Dressed in a crisp sky-blue suit, he looked out of place amidst the swirling sands, yet he was as dazzling as a Sungod descending to Earth.

"She was right; they really can't handle you. So the best arrangement is for them to stand aside and cheer."

Ethan gave Apocalypse a brilliant smile.

Apocalypse snapped his head around, his expression instantly becoming solemn.

"The Ice Demon? No... the heat coming from you is like a star! It would be more appropriate to call you the Son of the Sun!"

Apocalypse tried to see through him, but his eyes felt a stinging pain.

Instinct told him: Run!

"Don't bother opening a portal. Once I've set my sights on you, your only way out is to beat me. If you dare show me your back, you'll die a very ugly death."

As if reading his mind, Ethan directly exposed Apocalypse's intention.

Apocalypse was terrified.

Such powerful telepathy! It's even stronger than yesterday!

But he didn't listen and forcibly activated his ability, trying to blink away.

The next second.

Apocalypse felt the World turn black and white.

Heaven and Earth fell into a deathly silence.

All things were frozen.

Even time seemed to stagnate at this moment.

Mahapadma!

These were the last few syllables Apocalypse heard.

Immediately after, his body became completely rigid.

His consciousness was still racing, but his physical body no longer obeyed him.

Even though he had stolen Iceman's abilities, he still seemed so insignificant before this absolute power that froze time and space.

This freezing transcended matter and touched upon the rules.

Fear crept into Apocalypse's heart for the first time.

But he was, after all, an old monster who had lived for thousands of years; in a desperate situation, he put everything on the line.

Since his body couldn't move, he would fight with his spirit!

Apocalypse's consciousness turned into a torrent, slamming hard against Ethan's mental defenses.

A spiritual entity like a god or demon forcibly descended into Ethan's Sea of Consciousness.

"Ever since I suffered a setback with Charles last time, I've been guarding against this move!"

Apocalypse looked at Ethan's spiritual World and laughed wildly.

Here, physical constraints no longer existed.

As long as he devoured Ethan's Soul, this perfect body would be his!

"You think this is your turning point? Actually, this is the grave I dug for you."

Ethan's consciousness manifested with an expression like he was looking at a fool.

"You think you can just enter my mental World whenever you want?"

"I was afraid I wouldn't kill you thoroughly enough and that your 'three-burrow rabbit' consciousness would escape. Now that you've delivered yourself to my door, I'll weld it shut and see where you can run!"

Ethan laughed.

What a joke. As a newly upgraded Divine Dominator, he was just looking for a place to test his blade.

"Arrogant! I have lived for three thousand years; what Storms have I not seen!"

Apocalypse roared, and purple Mental Energy erupted like a tsunami.

However, the next second, endless golden light instantly submerged everything.

A golden giant condensed from pure divinity rose from the ground, its pressure like that of a True God descending.

A large golden hand grabbed Apocalypse's tiny spiritual body, like crushing an ant.

"No—!!!"

Accompanied by a scream, golden flames rose across the sky.

The mental power Apocalypse was so proud of was burned to ash in an instant, with not even a speck remaining.

Outside.

Ethan slowly opened his eyes.

He looked at the frozen World before him.

Storm and the X-Men were frozen in mid-air with terrified expressions, and even the fighter jet was suspended in a state as if it were about to crash.

The light in Apocalypse's eyes had completely gone out.

In the next instant, two golden beams of light erupted from Ethan's eyes.

Pfft!

The beams instantly pierced Apocalypse's skull, then refracted strangely in the air and charged into the pyramid.

Those twelve so-called Apostles didn't even have time to scream before they were strangled to death by the death light.

Finally, the Omega Beams returned with an aura of destruction, completely vaporizing Apocalypse's remains.

Having done all this, Ethan snapped his fingers.

Mahapadma deactivated.

Time began to flow again.

A deep sense of fatigue washed over him. Even with his Superman Physique, the consumption of this "Time-Space Freeze" move was staggering.

"This is practically like getting the pause remote for the real World."

Looking at the words [Mahapadma · Entry+] on the panel, Ethan smiled with satisfaction.

This is a divine skill!

It's the perfect cure for all kinds of fancy tricks.

If I encounter someone like Kang the Conqueror who plays with time in the future, I'll definitely have to teach him a lesson.

In mid-air, the X-Jet lost its frozen support and sank suddenly, nearly crashing out of control.

With a thought from Ethan, an invisible biological force field supported the jet.

Storm also stabilized herself and slowly drifted to the ground.

"I thought... it would be a hard-fought battle."

Ororo looked at the human-shaped pile of ash on the ground with a complex expression.

"When masters clash, how can there be so many rounds? It's either you die or I do; it's a matter of an instant."

Ethan said nonchalantly.

"Sorry, Robert couldn't be saved. But don't be too sad; Charles will have a way. As for our previous agreement..."

A mischievous grin tugged at the corner of Ethan's mouth as he turned and sliced open a space portal.

He didn't need a sling ring at all; with the Space Stone in hand, he could go wherever he wanted.

"I will keep my promise."

Ororo's face reddened slightly, but her tone was firm.

"Ha, don't make it sound like going to the execution ground. Maybe you'll fall in love with the feeling."

Ethan laughed and stepped into the light portal, vanishing.

At this time, Wolverine, Beast, and the others climbed out of the jet in a disheveled state.

"Was that guy just now the legendary Ice Demon?"

Logan puffed on his cigar, his eyes full of wariness.

"Logan, take my advice and stay away from him."

Ororo took a deep breath and gave her advice.

"He's different from any enemy we've encountered before. In front of him, even God has to take a detour."

...

News of Apocalypse's fall spread as if it had wings.

The ancestor of the Mutants was erased just like that by the Ice Demon in such an understated manner.

In the shadows, countless greedy and evil eyes focused on the Osborn Group once again.

"I heard that Osborn's Genetic Serum is now perfect."

"Even a collective entity like Apocalypse was defeated. The secrets on that Ice Demon..."

"If we can get Osborn's technology, we can create a new god!"

In the darkness, a conspiracy was brewing, and a larger net targeting Ethan was quietly spreading.

Those high-ranking power-holders were finally willing to take a proper look at this newly risen extraordinary being.

In the past, they always felt that Ethan was just a show-off.

No matter how strong he appeared, he was just bullying nobodies in low-level matches.

In the eyes of the strong who truly stood at the top of the pyramid, he was always a minor character who couldn't make it to the big stage.

But Apocalypse was different; he was a terrifying demon god who had nearly turned the Earth into a wasteland decades ago.

If the X-Men hadn't risked their lives to stop him back then...

Today's human society would probably have long since become the Mutants' back garden.

"Report the progress. Our Sentinel Program is currently about sixty percent complete."

General Ross stood straight, appearing exceptionally cautious in front of the big shot before him who controlled the discourse in Congress.

"That guy called the Ice Demon killed Apocalypse. This level of combat power is completely outside our assessment model. Originally, we only worried he would fight to the death for survival, but now, he poses a substantive threat of destruction."

The Senator sitting in the leather chair said in a cold tone, his fingers lightly tapping the table.

General Ross's face instantly darkened a few shades, as if he had swallowed a fly.

"Don't be so dejected. This wasn't a tactical command error; your plan was perfect. It's just that no one expected an interloper to appear out of nowhere."

The Senator changed his posture, and his tone became a bit more relaxed, as if soothing this sharp military blade.

"We need to take a long-term view and plan for the future. The core of the Sentinel Program lies in replication. As long as we can get even a tiny bit of the Ice Demon's living cells, we can reverse-engineer his power source and even take it for ourselves."

Chapter 126: Kang's Conspiracy and Ethan's Return

Hearing this, General Ross furrowed his brows deeply.

"I will supervise the Sentinel Program day and night to ensure it goes online as soon as possible. However, trying to scrape some genetic samples from Ethan is as difficult as ascending to the heavens. You should be very clear about the level of mental control someone like Charles possesses, right?"

"Of course, he is an old acquaintance of ours."

The senator's lips curled into a meaningful arc.

"Are you saying that this Ice Demon has also mastered psychic abilities similar to Charles'?"

"Absolutely, Senator Kang."

General Ross helplessly lowered his proud head.

"That is indeed a headache-inducing ability. It's made me afraid to even step out of this specially shielded room by half a step."

Senator Kang's smile became playful, and his eyes glinted with the light of a hunter spotting its prey.

"Rest assured, I will allocate my top team of scientists to assist you and ensure the Sentinel Program is implemented as soon as possible."

"Thank you very much, Senator Kang. Your generosity will be a blessing for humanity!"

Ross looked up sharply, the flames of hope reigniting in his eyes.

"Just don't disappoint me. To push this project forward, I had to talk until my lips were worn out with those old fogies at the White House and paid a huge political price to get this pass. Moreover, the security clearance has been raised to the highest level."

Senator Kang slowly stood up and walked into the shadows.

"The rise of Mutants might be an inevitable trend, but that is absolutely no reason for them to ride roughshod over us."

In the darkness, his faintly glowing black skin was partially visible, accompanied by a wicked and arrogant smile.

Even General Ross, who had spent his life in the military and killed countless people, couldn't help but feel a chill down his spine and break into a cold sweat at this moment.

"As long as you are in charge, the word 'failure' will not exist in our dictionary."

General Ross's eyes gradually became fanatical, as if he were worshipping a True God.

"Hmm, I think so too."

Senator Kang enjoyed this feeling of being worshipped, a look of satisfaction appearing in his eyes.

"I've scoured Ethan's file and found that this Chineseman isn't invincible. He's a very emotional person, yet he's an orphan with no attachments. How can that be?"

Senator Kang suddenly changed the subject and posed a sharp question.

"Since he cares about those around him, we'll create bonds for him. We'll build a perfect 'gentle trap' for him and lock his energy into family trivialities. As the number of family members increases, the Ice Demon's weaknesses will naturally multiply."

General Ross stroked his chin, falling into deep thought.

"Brilliant move. I heard the kid is a lecher? That one-eyed Nick from S.H.I.E.L.D. certainly knows how to play the game, stuffing Agent Hill and Natasha into his arms."

At the mention of S.H.I.E.L.D., a trace of mockery appeared on Senator Kang's face, as if he were looking at a bunch of clowns.

In the desolately long river of time, countless Avengers had died at his hands.

Although these so-called superheroes could cause him some minor trouble...

...the final outcome, without exception, was always them surrendering at his feet.

"I see. The future Ice Demon will surely have a house full of children and grandchildren; I'll help him 'expand his family tree' properly."

The smile on General Ross's face became bright yet sinister.

The bugle of war has sounded.

He would never allow Ethan to single-handedly trample the USA's hegemony under his feet.

"Emotional bonds are always the most effective poison for breaking an invincible powerhouse."

Kang's voice was cold, without a hint of warmth.

His eyes seemed to transcend the limits of dimensions, piercing through the barriers of time and space.

He peered at every node of the Universe's evolution on this timeline.

But Kang knew better than anyone that among the countless timelines he had conquered, this one was so eerie it startled him.

He had crossed over from the distant Multiverse.

Attempting to return to the past and establish an absolute advantage in advance.

Only to discover a despairing fact.

He was tightly trapped in this cage of time and space.

All the plot developments seemed unchanged.

But the details appeared completely unrecognizable.

An unknown, terrifyingly great power had solidified the entire timeline like glue.

Any outsider shouldn't think they can easily pluck the strings of this timeline.

It has a set past and a happening present, but only the future is unclear.

Everything in the future must be built bit by bit from what is happening now.

The butterfly effect caused by the Ice Demon was a hundred times more exaggerated than he had anticipated.

Having wandered the endless Multiverse for so long, he had never encountered such a troublesome opponent.

Nor had he ever seen such an unreasonable superhuman.

To be honest, Senator Kang was even a bit intimidated and didn't dare to confront Ethan directly.

He suspected that when he escaped into this timeline, he had accidentally touched some key node, leading to the birth of this variable.

Just like a Beyonder suddenly popping up in some parallel Universe.

This Universe also seemed to be nurturing a brand-new Beyonder.

This made Kang feel like he had a fishbone stuck in his throat, unable to sit or stand still.

"The good news is, the location of the Ten Rings has been confirmed."

This was the only thing that could give Kang the Conqueror a bit of solace.

The bad news was that the useless Wenwu was dead.

The Ten Rings had fallen into the hands of the Ice Demon.

That was a Divine Artifact with infinite energy, the core component for repairing his time machine.

Now it had become someone else's trophy, left to gather dust in some corner.

"No rush. Haste makes waste. In this game of chess across time and space, patience is the key to victory."

"Learning to endure is also a rare and valuable quality."

Kang the Conqueror decided to continue hiding in the shadows.

Until the time machine was repaired.

He had to find other powerful forces to arm himself to the teeth.

"The prelude to the Battle of New York opening means the universal-level event—the Battle for the Infinity Stones—has officially begun."

"This is simply a godsend."

Kang the Conqueror smiled exceptionally brightly, as if he could already see the dawn of victory.

Meanwhile, Ethan stepped through a blue space-time portal and into the luxurious office of the Osborn Group.

Raven was sitting on the sofa, her fingers unconsciously twisted together.

Her face was full of anxiety and unease.

Psylocke, on the other hand, was boredly occupying Ethan's boss chair, her long legs swinging back and forth, showing off her amazing flexibility.

Both women's hearts were in their throats; after all, the opponent was the legendary Apocalypse.

With Ethan going to the meeting alone, how could they not be worried?

It wasn't until they saw the familiar energy fluctuations and that familiar figure walking out intact that Raven and Psylocke felt the heavy stone in their hearts finally drop.

"Boss, how was it? Did you find that old monster?"

Raven rushed up immediately and asked with concern.

Chapter 127: The Phoenix Returns from the Dead

This was too fast; it felt like Ethan had just left and was already back.

"Apocalypse? I've already taken care of him."

Ethan's tone was flat, as if he had just gone downstairs to buy a coffee.

Raven and Psylocke looked at each other and breathed a long sigh of relief. Although waves of shock crashed through them, they felt more of the joy of surviving a disaster.

"It's dawn; there's still work to do."

Raven was a straightforward person. Knowing everything was fine, she stood up and left with swift decisiveness.

Psylocke licked her rosy lips, her eyes lingering with an intensely seductive gaze fixed on Ethan.

"Boss, could you tell me how you killed a monster like Apocalypse?"

Ethan gave a smile that any man would understand: "Want to know? Then you'll have to handle a few of my moves first."

...

Egypt, the ruins of the Pyramids.

"This isn't Robert himself; it's just an empty shell left behind after Apocalypse used his body for reincarnation."

Wolverine Logan dug the body of the Iceman named Robert out of the ruins.

Beast looked at the corpse and sighed helplessly.

"He's gone, but this body is a big problem. Since it was used as a vessel by Apocalypse, the residual energy on it is very unstable and must be handled with caution."

Storm's voice was cold, with a hint of sorrow in her eyes.

He was her fellow mutant, but for the sake of the bigger picture, she had to harden her heart.

"Burn it and be done with it."

Wolverine Logan bit down on his cigar and exhaled a thick cloud of smoke, his voice sounding weathered.

Over the years, his old comrades had left one by one.

He even began to doubt himself, wondering if killing Jean in the past had been a mistake.

If Jean were still here, Apocalypse wouldn't have dared to lay a hand on Robert even if he had ten times the courage.

Unfortunately, there was no medicine for regret in this world.

"Who's there?!"

Beast's sharp senses suddenly detected something unusual, and he snapped his head toward the entrance.

A graceful figure in red slowly drifted down, like a goddess reborn in flames.

The cigar in Wolverine Logan's mouth fell to the ground with a thud, sparks flying.

He trembled all over, as excited as a child.

That was Jean, the woman he had loved but could never have in this life.

At this moment, she had actually crawled back from Hell.

Storm fell into silence.

This wasn't quite the script she had envisioned; the atmosphere was a bit awkward.

"I sensed a powerful burst of energy here. I happened to be nearby clearing my head, so I stopped by to take a look."

Jean Grey's tone was indifferent, as if she were speaking of a trivial matter that had nothing to do with her.

Her gaze swept over these old teammates she had once fought alongside.

To say she had completely forgotten would be a lie; after all, the memories were still there.

"Jean, are you really alive? How is this possible? We buried you in the ground with our own hands!!!"

Beast's eyes nearly bulged out of his head, his face full of disbelief.

Wolverine Logan was about to rush forward to give Jean a big hug.

But he was blocked three meters away by an invisible Telekinetic wall, unable to move an inch.

"Jean, I'm sorry. Back then, I..."

"It wasn't your fault, Logan. Don't blame yourself."

Jean Grey interrupted him, her voice still icy.

"Beast, Storm, Nightcrawler, long time no see."

"That's right."

"I am still alive."

"Someone dug me out of my coffin."

"And gave me the right to breathe again."

Jean Grey looked around at the traces of the brutal battle.

"It seems I am no longer needed here."

The Phoenix's Rebirth brought tears of excitement to the eyes of the remaining X-Men.

Although everyone knew it was Jean who lost control and killed Professor Charles.

But at that time, she was controlled by the Dark Phoenixpersona and was not herself.

The world-destroying Phoenix Force within her was an existence that no one dared to provoke.

"Jean, it was the Ice Demon who dealt with Apocalypse."

Storm was the only one who knew the inside story—that it was Ethan who had resurrected Jean.

So she appeared relatively calm.

With just that brief mention, Jean Grey immediately understood the cause and effect.

"That man's power... is as formidable as ever, driving one to despair."

There was a hint of a compliment in Jean Grey's words.

In the past, she could slightly suppress Ethan by unleashing the Phoenix Force. But looking at the exaggerated destruction of the battlefield before her, she knew in her heart that the current Ethan had evolved to a new level.

Unless she could completely tame and fuse all the Phoenix fragments, she wouldn't even stand a chance.

Wolverine Logan also snapped back to his senses.

He keenly sensed Jean's distance from him.

It was even a kind of instinctive resistance.

This was completely different from before.

It was as if an invisible chasm had opened between them.

His heart stung sharply at that moment.

"Jean, no matter what, it's enough that you're alive."

Wolverine Logan silently comforted himself.

At the same time, he caught the keyword—Jean had mentioned "him."

This "him" referred to the Ice Demon, right?

When did Jean get involved with that bringer of calamity?

"The Ice Demon is indeed ridiculously strong. Apocalypsewas like a baby before him, killed instantly without even a chance to fight back. Shields, super-regeneration, teleportation—they were all useless."

Storm couldn't help but marvel.

"That moment was too eerie. We couldn't even feel the passage of time. Our consciousness could clearly see the Ice Demon's movements, but our bodies were as heavy as lead, unable to move, as if we were sealed in a corner of time for Eternity."

Beast also hurried to share his personal experience with Jean.

This was his way of subtly warning Jean that if she ever faced the Ice Demon, she had to be wary of this time-freezing-like sneak attack.

Apocalypse had suffered because of this, dying without even knowing why.

He couldn't react at all.

Jean Grey nodded, a faint smile playing on her lips. "This should be a high-level application of the Ice Law. Robertdid have this potential, which is why that old fossil Apocalypse targeted him. Sorry, I didn't know Apocalypsewas still alive, or I would have cleaned house long ago."

Her gaze suddenly turned toward Storm.

Storm's heart skipped a beat, and she instantly became nervous.

She was terrified that Jean would use Telepathy to peer into the secrets of her heart.

"Relax, Ororo. The Ice Demon isn't as bad as you think; he's just too lazy to explain his bad reputation."

The unspeakable relationship between Jean Grey and Ethan was an absolute secret.

This also allowed her to understand Ethan's true character better than anyone.

"I will keep my promise."

Storm Ororo nodded seriously.

Jean smiled slightly, her charm radiating.

Based on this point alone, it was impossible for Jean to truly fall in love with Ethan.

The pride in her bones would not allow her to share a man with other women.

Chapter 128: the cure is a Scam; The Professor's Consciousness Remains

But ever since experiencing that ultimate sensation brought by Ethan, other men really seemed no different from pieces of wood in her eyes.

"By the way, I appeared this time because I have some extremely urgent news to tell you."

Jean Grey's expression suddenly became serious.

"That so-called 'cure' is a scam. It can't eliminate the Mutant gene at all; it only suppresses it temporarily. After a while, the abilities will bounce back. You'd better be mentally prepared; there's definitely a massive conspiracy behind this."

Storm, Wolverine, and Beast's faces darkened upon hearing this.

Nightcrawler huddled in the corner, not even daring to breathe loudly.

"Are you saying the authorities might be using the guise of 'curing a disease' to make us lose our ability to resist, then round us all up to be imprisoned or sliced up?"

Ororo's voice was low, carrying a suppressed rage.

"It's very likely. I've noticed that many children who were injected with the cure have mysteriously disappeared. Clearly, someone is hunting in the shadows."

Phoenix issued a warning.

"I understand, Jean. I'll use my channels to get to the bottom of this."

Beast nodded with a solemn expression.

After all, he still held a high-level government position.

He was even the head of the Department of Mutant Affairs.

He was the only remaining bridge of communication between humans and Mutants.

If it was truly as Jean said,

and the cure was ineffective,

then the compatriots who had injected the cure to live ordinary lives would become lambs to the slaughter, completely defenseless.

"The original purpose of establishing the X-Men was to fight for a chance of survival for Mutants, but now it seems this path might have gone astray from the very beginning."

Phoenix analyzed the situation calmly.

"We will lose all our armed forces and become meat on the chopping block."

Wolverine Logan finally spoke.

That raspy, smoky voice echoed within the empty pyramid, carrying a sense of desolation.

"We must recall all the children who left the school. While we can still move, we must protect them first. As for the fate of other Mutants... ever since Erik died, they have become a pile of loose sand."

Ororo forced herself to calm down.

The children were the hope for the future; nothing must happen to them.

"Then stop talking nonsense and get back to New Yorkimmediately. Every minute we delay is another minute of danger for the children."

Wolverine Logan took the lead and rushed out of the pyramid.

The X-Men followed suit one after another.

Only Jean remained in place, unmoving.

Suddenly, a terrifying burst of telekinetic power erupted, and the entire grand pyramid turned into dust in an instant.

All traces of battle and fragments of corpses were wiped clean.

"You guy, always so forgetful, never liking to clean up the battlefield."

Phoenix flashed a helpless smile toward the void.

She did not choose to rejoin the team.

Instead, she vanished alone into the vast desert.

On the jet.

"Logan, don't take Jean's resurrection too much to heart."

Storm Ororo Munroe couldn't help but advise as she looked at the silent Logan.

Wolverine bit his cigar and forced a slight smile: "As long as she's alive, it's better than anything, isn't it? Our numbers are dwindling. If this keeps up, this family really is going to fall apart."

At this moment, Wolverine showed all the weariness and responsibility of a patriarch.

"There's one more thing: Professor Charles's spirit has not dissipated. His consciousness still remains in this World."

Ororo suddenly dropped a bombshell.

"What?!"

"Are you joking?"

"The Professor isn't fully dead?"

"How is that possible?"

The cabin instantly erupted into chaos, with exclamations rising one after another.

To them, Professor X was their faith, their spiritual pillar.

"Reviving the Professor is as difficult as reaching the heavens. However, the Osborn Group has promised to help. They plan to clone the Professor's Physical Body and then guide his consciousness back. This is the only way."

Ororo finally revealed the secret she had been keeping.

"What do we need to do?"

Beast asked urgently, his eyes fervent.

"Do nothing. I've already reached a back-room deal with the Osborn Group; they will do their best."

Ororo Munroe's gaze was firm; she was clearly prepared to pay the price.

Wolverine Logan looked at Storm with a face full of suspicion.

This was not like her usual way of doing things.

"Raven also hopes the Professor can come back to life."

Storm sighed, bringing up Mystique.

"Raven..."

Beast's expression became complicated.

He had known Raven longer than anyone else present.

It was the stirrings of their youthful years.

"Is it really reliable to bet everything on the Osborn Group? I mean, maybe there are other ways. If we can pull it off, we can bring Charles back ourselves without having to rely on others."

Wolverine Logan still harbored a grudge against that Ice Demon.

Perhaps because of Jean's attitude, he instinctively felt hostility toward that man.

"I'll figure something out. I'm an expert in this field, and I've had more contact with black tech than you guys."

Beast was a top-tier scientist himself.

In the field of scientific research, he wasn't much worse than Tony Stark.

The entire room full of equipment for the X-Men had been hand-built by him.

Since the Professor's Soul was still around, there was a lot of room to maneuver.

Beast suddenly looked in the direction where the pyramid had collapsed, hesitating to speak.

Apocalypse's reincarnation ritual, though evil, wasn't something that couldn't be learned from a technical perspective.

"Don't overthink it. With the Professor's personality, he would never agree to using that kind of dark art."

Storm saw right through Beast's thoughts and immediately threw cold water on them.

...

Germany.

A remote small village.

In the church's Underground Room sat an ice coffin emitting a cold mist.

Inside lay the withered corpse of an old man.

The next second, the corpse suddenly snapped its eyes open.

Immediately after, the shriveled skin began to fill out; the old man was becoming younger at a rate visible to the naked eye.

The reverse aging didn't stop until he reached a middle-aged appearance, his features freezing in time.

"Apocalypse, it seems our contract has taken effect."

Magneto Erik woke up from his long slumber.

He clenched his fist, feeling the power within him surging like a vast sea.

A look of satisfaction appeared on his face.

As one of the former Four Horsemen of Apocalypse,

he was actually a broken man when Apocalypse found him.

Although he could feel his abilities slowly recovering, he had pragmatically chosen to yield when faced with a god-like existence like Apocalypse.

He hadn't expected that Apocalypse wouldn't kill him.

Instead, he had given him enough respect.

"Erik, we are of the same kind. I've seen the efforts you've made for the Mutant cause over the years. Although you betrayed me in the end, it was because of emotion; I don't blame you."

In his memory, Apocalypse had looked down at him from above at that time.

His eyes carried a sort of pity, as if looking at a pathetic worm.

At that time, Magneto was indeed just an old man with one foot in the grave.

"Charles and I fought for a lifetime; we were both best friends and mortal enemies. But he saved my life; he was the only soulmate I had in this life."

Magneto Erik's heart had been like dead ashes then.

Phoenix had killed Charles.

This was an ending he had never expected.

It was even more of a nightmare he didn't want to face.

"Our disagreement lies in our ideologies. His disagreement with you was also ideology. Apocalypse, do what you will. Come at me with whatever you want; I'm a dying man anyway, there's nothing to fear."

At that time, Erik only sought death.

Chapter 129: Magneto's Nirvana and Rebirth

"You are wrong, child. Forgive my arrogance, but in my eyes, you are all my most outstanding children. Mutants have come to this point today; surely you have seen the ugly face of humanity clearly. My return to the World now is simply because I feel the time is ripe."

Apocalypse's tone was flat.

It was as if the secular grievances and hatreds of the Worldwere not worth mentioning in his eyes.

"So, what exactly are you after?"

Magneto, Erik, couldn't help but ask.

"I sense an unprecedented crisis; too many unspeakable things are lurking on this Earth. For these thirty years, I have been quietly watching the World like an observer. I have seen the end of Mutants, and I have seen the extinction of humanity—it is an endless destruction."

Apocalypse smiled brightly, yet it made one shiver.

"You know, I am a god. What I enjoy is the pleasure of ruling the World; this is my innate right."

"But if all humans die and all Mutants die, leaving me as a lone commander on Earth with nothing but the wind to whistle through my ears? What's the point in that?"

"A god needs the submission of the masses and the support of an army."

"You are all my subjects."

"How could I possibly stand by and watch you die?"

Apocalypse's emotional speech didn't stir much of a ripple in Magneto's heart.

For Erik...

His lifelong wish was to establish a nation where Mutants were the masters.

A utopia without oppression or discrimination.

"The utopia in your heart is precisely my ideal as well."

Apocalypse seemed to see through his thoughts and said slowly, "You should know that during the three thousand years I ruled, I established a super Empire that spanned Europe, Asia, and Africa. Although there were wars, they didn't add up to as many as humans have fought in these last two hundred years."

"Mutants of that era were regarded by Mortals as messengers of the gods."

"Awakening an ability was something that brought honor to one's ancestors; it was a supreme glory."

"But as you have seen, human greed is a bottomless pit. They shout about freedom while holding butcher knives, depriving outliers of their right to survive."

"I have always tried to transform my Empire into a true utopia. Charles once gave me a glimmer of hope, but unfortunately, he died. Erik, there are no more obstacles between us now. Let us join forces."

Listening to Apocalypse's Gu-like bewitchment, Magneto's dead heart actually ignited a spark of wildfire again.

"Apocalypse, I think you can find a more suitable candidate. Right now, I am just a useless person."

Magneto mocked himself.

"As you are now, you indeed won't do. But what I value is your heart, your will, and your ideals. Erik, you have never understood how to use your ability. You are the Dominatorof magnetic fields, not a craftsman playing with scrap metal."

"If you were willing to spend time studying advanced physics, you would find that your power is enough to make the gods tremble."

Apocalypse looked at Erik, his eyes full of appreciation.

"I can feel those footsteps getting closer. The death knell for Mutants has already sounded; I must do something. But this return may very well end in my fall."

Apocalypse's expression became more solemn than ever before.

"Who are you afraid of? That Ice Demon?"

"No, not just him. He came against the flow of time and space, his head full of conquest and ambition. In his eyes, all living beings are merely tools to vent his desires."

Apocalypse's wise gaze seemed to penetrate the mists of history.

"I have never seen such a freak; he doesn't even count as a Mutant."

"Besides that, I can feel a strange energy surging deep within the Earth's core. Perhaps the meaning of our existence is merely as nourishment for some other being."

"I am a god, the ancestor of Mutants."

"But before him, I feel as small as a grain of dust!!!"

A trace of anxiety actually appeared on Apocalypse's eternally unchanging poker face.

"I have noted your words, though I'm still a bit lost in the clouds right now."

Magneto Erik's expression was solemn.

Apocalypse was the strongest being he had ever seen, besides Jean.

At certain moments, even Jean might not necessarily be able to suppress Apocalypse.

Winning back then...

Was purely down to explosive luck, combined with the right time, place, and people.

"You don't need to understand, but I hope you will become my knight once more, my heir. If I should fall one day in the future, you must pull me back from the God of Death."

Apocalypse's tone was heavy, as if he were giving his final instructions.

"Do I even have a choice?"

Magneto Erik performed a standard knightly salute.

"You won't regret it. Having slept for thirty years, I've realized that a true leader doesn't rely on enslavement, but on uniting all forces that can be united to confront that dark future belonging to Mutants."

Apocalypse left a Soul imprint on Magneto.

And because of this, Magneto welcomed a Nirvana and Rebirth.

Escaping through a fake death, he reappeared in the World.

At this moment, that conversation constantly echoed in Magneto's mind.

"Apocalypse is dead after all."

"He foresaw death, foresaw the threat of the Conqueror, and foresaw unknown gods, yet he alone underestimated that demon's methods."

Magneto had a deep understanding of Ethan's terror.

That young man's strength was like a bottomless pit.

He grew stronger every moment, breaking the limits of everyone's perception.

The nickname 'Ice Demon' was too fitting; looking only at his young and handsome face, one would often overlook his demon-like dangerous nature.

Magneto Erik understood this clearly in his heart.

"Raven has now become the president of Osborn, staying by that demon's side. This isn't a bad thing for me; at least I have someone on the inside."

Magneto Erik knew that abandoning Raven back then had already caused a total rift between them.

The Ice Demon had taken advantage of the situation to bring Raven under his command; he certainly wouldn't give Erik another chance to poach her.

"The most dangerous moment for Mutants has arrived. It's only a matter of time before something goes wrong with the cure, and that little boy who could produce the serumhas already been killed by Apocalypse."

"Just as Apocalypse prophesied, the darkest hour has descended. But the darkness before dawn often nurtures the first light. Then I shall lead the Mutants to carve out a path and establish our home."

Magneto Erik felt the seemingly infinite power within his body.

The legacy Apocalypse left him was too bountiful.

Although it was a transfer of abilities and did not belong to his original Mutant genes...

Now, he had completely mastered these powers.

He had even developed his magnetic control to a new height.

"Let those naive children see clearly how disgusting, dark, and hypocritical the human government is."

"Only when pushed to a dead end will they willingly accept the King of Mutants!!!"

Magneto Erik's body slowly floated into mid-air.

In the small village church, Mutants who had come for the pilgrimage were crowded together, countless pairs of eyes staring fixedly at that ice coffin.

Chapter 130: The Hell Lord Descends and is Counter-Killed

The return of Magneto allowed the crumbling Brotherhoodto find its backbone once again.

...

On the other side, Ethan finally sold off all the Stark Industries stocks in his hands.

Holding one hundred million shares, his cost price was only 6.75 dollars.

By the time he cleared his position, the stock price had soared to a sky-high 102 dollars.

Stark Industries also took the momentum to break through the trillion-dollar mark, becoming the global hegemon in market capitalization.

"In the blink of an eye, eight months have passed, and the Insight Project was halted by S.H.I.E.L.D."

"S.H.I.E.L.D. has finally ushered in the true era of Nick Fury!"

Ethan calculated silently in his heart.

These eight months had flown by.

He had also returned to the dull and unpretentious life of a tycoon.

The only thing that annoyed him a bit was that Storm, Ororo, was nagging him every single day to hurry up and clone Professor Charles.

[Host Panel]

wealth points: 191.54675 billion points (Can be used for ability upgrades)

desire points: 4.6379 billion points (Dedicated for Realm Breaking)

Bloodline: Kryptonian Bloodline (Second-stage genetic lock), Human Race Bloodline (Third-stage genetic lock)

Talents: Power of the Giant Elephant, Dragon Vein, Bio-electric Field

Abilities: Ice-Ice Fruit (Third-stage Origin Peak+), Mera Mera no Mi (Same as above), Glint-Glint Fruit (Same as above), Divine Dominator, Water Control Magic, Steel Body (Dominator Grade+), and a series of standard Superman features like X-ray vision, hearing, brain, etc.

Skills: Baji Mizong Fist (Transcendent), Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill (Thirteenth Layer), Omega Beams, etc.

Current Missions:

1. [ichisawa kaori]: Have some 'extra-friendship' relationships with female heroes, reward: blue blind box(stackable).

2. [Infinity Stones Collection]: Collect all six to summon the Dragon... oh wait, no, reward: black blind box. Current progress (1/6).

"Since completing Mission 3 and evolving the Steel Bodyinto a Divine Body, my strength has hit a Bottleneck."

"However, these desire points increased by 1.4 billion, and wealth points skyrocketed by 110 billion, so it wasn't a waste of effort!!"

Now, Ethan sat securely in his position of power.

Constantly monitoring every move of S.H.I.E.L.D.

For these eight months, S.H.I.E.L.D. had been hunting down HYDRA remnants across the globe like mad dogs.

"Based on the timeline, the plot of 'Thor: The Dark World' should be starting."

"Those unlucky bastards, the Dark Elves, are about to be summoned back."

"The Aether Particle is about to emerge."

But Ethan didn't plan on letting that Mortal, Jane Foster, touch the Aether Particle.

"Osborn's intelligence network has already spread out, and super Agents belonging to me are in every corner of the globe."

"With Raven and Psylocke as my capable assistants, I've managed to build a massive private army in this Marvel Universe!!"

"The Deep Cold Organization!"

And the Ice Demon was the absolute leader of this behemoth lurking deep beneath the sea.

On the surface, the whole World looked calm, excessively so in a strange way.

But with Ethan's current perception, he could clearly feel the undercurrents surging in the Underworld.

Many old-guard factions had moved their operations underground, playing a game of deep diving.

They were all intentionally or unintentionally avoiding the Osborn Group and the Deep Cold Organization.

More importantly, they were avoiding Ethan, this great deity.

"Playing hide-and-seek with me?"

"Heh, interesting."

"If I were the only one playing solo, it would be so boring."

"I just wonder if that Purple Sweet Potato Essence, Thanos, has started moving to collect the stones yet?"

Ethan closed his laptop.

Driving that incredibly flashy limited-edition sports car, he floored the accelerator to the entrance of Columbia University.

The blonde, youthfully radiant Gwen happened to be walking out of the campus.

Having entered university, Gwen had shed some of her youthful greenness and gained a bit more of an intellectual and graceful air.

Moreover, she wasn't the kind of little girl who clung to her boyfriend all day.

In these years, she still persisted in her vigilante life as the 'Friendly Neighborhood New Yorker'.

The title of Spider-Woman was a constant fixture on the newspaper headlines.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, honey."

Gwen pulled open the car door and delivered a hot, passionate kiss as soon as she got in.

This scene instantly caused the sound of countless broken hearts among the elite students of Columbia University.

Ethan didn't care about the looks from those jealous types.

He drove Gwen straight to his private estate in Long Island.

That was their vacation time.

"He is Ethan?"

"The legendary Ice Demon?"

"The demon who killed my beloved Johnny toy?"

"Tsk tsk, what a powerful Soul."

At the top of a skyscraper in the distance.

A middle-aged man stared through the floor-to-ceiling window, his gaze locked onto the speeding sports car from several kilometers away.

An expression of extreme interest appeared on his face.

He had once personally created a Ghost Rider.

His name was Johnny.

That Soul, which should have belonged to his collection in Hell, had been intercepted by someone.

Not even a scrap was left; the Soul had completely vanished.

This made him very furious.

As the monarch of the Hell dimension, Mephisto's majesty had never been so provoked.

This time his true form descended to the human World, originally intending to find the whereabouts of the Ghost Rider.

Unexpectedly, he discovered an even more interesting prey.

The demon who once challenged God and personally orchestrated the fall of the Ghost Rider was now greedily watching the human World.

The Lord of Hell felt a long-lost sense of excitement.

"If I can win that person over, the entire human World will become my backyard to graze at will!"

But he was actually very clear in his heart that the Ice Demon, who was powerful to a terrifying degree, most likely wouldn't agree to his alliance request.

In fact, the other party would very likely treat him as an intruder who didn't know the meaning of death.

Mephisto adjusted the sunglasses on the bridge of his nose, trying to hide the calculation in his eyes.

Just then, a cold gaze seemed to penetrate through dimensions, landing directly on him.

Mephisto's expression instantly became stiff.

Across the endless Void Realm, he saw a meaningful smile hanging on Ethan's face.

Clearly, he was exposed.

"Is this a silent warning to me?"

Mephisto suddenly felt that this game wasn't fun at all anymore.

His figure began to turn into smoke, preparing to slip away.

Although this was just a projection Incarnation, if it were lost here, it would be a significant loss for his main body.

"But even if you discovered me, what can you do to me across dimensions?"

While leaving the skies above New York, Mephisto was still stubbornly letting out a cold laugh.

However, in the next second, the face-slapping came too fast.

A brilliant golden light tore through the space-time barrier and accurately blasted into him.

Without giving him any time to react, this Incarnation was instantly pierced through.

His Soul let out a silent, shrill roar.

"Damn that Ice Demon!!!"

"I will definitely come back, and then I will make you pay a bloody price!"

The gates of Hell crashed open.

The battered Soul fled back to its lair in embarrassment.

In a certain dimension deep within Hell, the air was filled with the scent of sulfur and scorched Earth.

Mephisto's massive true body looked up to the sky and let out a deafening roar of rage.

He was unwilling to accept this.

The price to pay for descending to the human World across dimensions was simply too expensive.

And in the vast and boundless multiverse, trying to accurately locate that specific Earth was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

The Earth of every parallel Universe was very similar, and coordinates were extremely difficult to lock.

As the hellfire wrapped around the returning Soul to repair it, Mephisto's face suddenly turned even uglier.

That golden beam of light actually hadn't disappeared; instead, it had penetrated through space-time, chasing him into Hell.

It had locked onto his Soul Origin!

"Hmph!"

He snorted coldly, mobilizing a massive amount of dark energy to form a pitch-black protective shield around him.

Boom!

The pitch-black energy shield shattered instantly like glass.

The Omega Ray pierced through his chest without any hindrance, blowing his heart into powder.