Chapter 13: The Brotherhood
2022-10-19 Author: Great Demon Spirit
Clanking and grinding sounds rang out as the new Optimus Prime slowly assembled. Numerous new parts took shape, covering Optimus Prime's body.
Tony had entrusted S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel to perform simple repairs on Optimus Prime. For unknown reasons, S.H.I.E.L.D. merely ensured Optimus Prime's parts were complete, taking no further action.
Optimus Prime had already detected them when S.H.I.E.L.D. made contact, but he merely observed in silence. After the simple repairs, S.H.I.E.L.D. left him alone, either out of concern for Tony or because they had obtained valuable intelligence and saw no need to provoke Tony.
Optimus Prime shed his dilapidated appearance. After integrating with a motorcycle, he faced the world with a new body.
Tony was about to unleash a massacre.
The waters of this Universe were too deep, and he didn't have the time to bicker with a host of major and minor powers. It would be better to thoroughly crush them in one battle, making the insignificant minor organizations completely give up hope.
Two Gatlings assembled, their muzzles seeming to emit a chilling aura as they pointed at the pursuers. People seemed to see countless Lost Souls wailing within them.
"Kill him quickly!"
Someone screamed in terror, raising a gun and firing.
Optimus Prime activated the two Gatlings, firing wildly. Like the whisper of the Grim Reaper, he mercilessly shed the blood of all beings. Anyone standing in his way was sent to their demise; no one was spared.
A deafening roar erupted.
Every bullet created splendid Blood Blossoms, flying through the air like dazzling flowers, accompanied by agonized screams and the sneer of death.
People tried to fight back, but they couldn't take down Optimus Prime and ultimately fell.
The alley became a slaughterhouse, filled with corpses and blood. Its narrow confines led many to their doom. Unable to charge forward, yet unable to flee. Some Mutants who had mixed in along the way were purged before they could even unleash their powers, dying helplessly.
The towering Blood Qi lingered for a long time, swaying lightly with the wind, driving the Vampires lurking in the shadows to near madness, causing them to emit ravenous roars!
But they feared Sunlight and dared not expose themselves, or they would turn to ash. They could only stir restlessly in the darkness.
The ground was covered in mutilated corpses; it was hard to find a single intact body.
*Clap! Clap clap!*
Someone slowly walked out, clapping his hands, a hint of amusement and appreciation in his gaze. He had gained a true understanding of Tony's ruthlessness. Such a person was exactly what they needed.
"Who are you?"
Tony was panting. The excessive exertion not only strained his body, but the stabbing pain in his head almost drove him mad.
"You can call me Azazel. I have been sent to retrieve you," the man said, emerging from the shadows. His striking red skin was eye-catching, evoking the image of a demon from hell.
The name Azazel was truly fitting.
Tony frowned, controlling Optimus Prime to take a warning step forward; he didn't trust Azazel.
"Magneto sent you? I thought Professor X would be the first to approach me," Tony said.
"You were born to be on our side, there's no doubt about that," Azazel said. "Charles is too cautious. He was among the first to discover you and among the first to help you, but not the first to directly contact you. He's too cautious; it seems your personality made him harbor doubts."
Tony remained silent, watching Azazel warily, seizing the time to recover the Allspark.
Azazel smiled and said frankly, "Professor X discovered you when your Power Awakening occurred. You, with your Level Four Mutant potential, alarmed him. He contacted S.H.I.E.L.D. and had them save you. He also warned them not to casually interfere with you."
However, Professor X's status dictated that he couldn't act freely. The streets of New York were the center of the battlefield, the focal point of concern for The Authorities and the Military. If Professor X were to intervene without authorization and take Tony away, it would be tantamount to declaring war on the government, breaking the unspoken agreement, and interfering in the internal affairs of the government as a Mutant leader.
Not to mention, all parties would not permit him to have another Level Four Mutant in his hands. The threat was too great, exceeding the limits of everyone's tolerance.
Tony fell silent. For a moment, he somewhat understood the thoughts of certain organizations.
Just how strong were Professor X and Magneto? In truth, many people, including internal members of both major factions, understood their strength only to be "very powerful." As for exactly how strong?
Many were unclear, but in any case, they must be quite formidable, much more powerful than Level Three.
Tony knew best, better than anyone else in this world, that these two were unreasonably powerful.
Professor X possessed Psychic Abilities, a power nearly equivalent to a Deity's.
Mental Power could easily modify and implant memories in certain individuals, turning some into loyal slaves until death. If combined with specific equipment, he could even instantly wipe out half of Earth's Human population!
The Authorities directly defined Professor X's brain as a weapon of mass extinction, because this single small brain was ridiculously powerful, leaving people perplexed and terrified.
Magneto, as one of the Mutant Dual Poles, possessed the ability to control all Magnetic Fields, which was enough to turn the entire Earth into his personal backyard. The current achievements of Human society were nothing but a joke before Magneto. Guns, cannons, missiles, and even nuclear bombs—anything related to metal was merely a toy in Magneto's hands.
It seemed Magneto was more likely to be targeted than Professor X. But Magneto, controlling the global Magnetic Field, could overturn a continent, cause a massive global tsunami, and rewrite Human history.
The Mutant Dual Poles were unimaginably strong. It was a power that could shake a civilization, instilling fear in countless people, and inspiring worship and fanaticism in countless others. This led to the emergence of numerous organizations dedicated to studying Mutants, attempting to decipher the secrets of Mutants and become Gods themselves.
Fortunately, Professor X and Magneto were adversaries. One was a moderate who protected the world and maintained good relations with The Authorities, the other a hardliner who sought to exterminate ordinary Humans and establish a Mutant world. The two factions were sharply opposed, maintaining a balance that offered a sigh of relief.
Tony needed to leverage the power of these Dual Poles to disguise himself and deter his enemies.
To be honest, Tony truly didn't want to get involved in the game between these two titans at this point. No matter which side he joined, he would be utterly powerless against the other.
Could he contend with Professor X's Telepathy? He would be easily crushed into dust.
As for Magneto? That was even more terrifying.
Tony's Allspark ability was the Creation of Transformers. Although they were Metal Constructs firmly controlled by him, if he was lucky enough to contend for the Mind Stone or other items in the future, he would undoubtedly ascend to become a Creator, bestowing Transformers with wisdom and Soul. But that was still a long way off.
Bringing a pile of Metal Constructs to flaunt before Magneto? Perhaps if Tony uncovered new potential of the Allspark, he might have a chance to counter Magneto, but currently, he would simply be offering himself as a sacrifice. Crushing him would be far too easy.
"What is your choice?" Azazel asked.
"I want to know where Magneto is," Tony was in a difficult position, forcing himself to speak.
Azazel smiled: "Erik personally led people to intercept Professor X. Normally, the people looking for you now should be the X-Men, not me."
Azazel was forcing him to decide.
Tony understood instantly.
"Then... I'll check out your side first," Tony slowly said. "I just want to talk to Erik."
Azazel smiled without speaking, reached out and pressed Tony's shoulder. His other hand touched Optimus Prime, who had transformed back into a pickup truck, and he activated his Spatial Abilities. With a whoosh, the two vanished.
(end of chapter)