Chapter 251– When Wolves Hunt Wolves
The turning point came on the wind.
Logan felt it before he heard it — a tremor through the ground, a shift in scents, a rumbling echo under the chaos. His nostrils flared. He shoved Sabretooth aside with a snarl.
"We got company, folks!"
The others barely reacted before—
WHOOOOOM!
The earth cratered as Blob dropped from the sky like a meteor, the entire ground shaking beneath his massive form. Dust and rock exploded upward like a wave.
Standing atop Blob's broad back — the Freedom Force.
Mystique, blue skin and yellow eyes scanning the fray.
Avalanche, fingers flexing eagerly.
Pyro, a fire-dance teasing his palms.
Destiny, still and silent — because she didn't need sight to see.
Nightcrawler froze — a heartbeat of shock slashing across his features.
"Mutter…"
Mystique's eyes locked onto Rogue — the focus sharp enough to cut glass.
"Come with me, Rogue," she called. "I'm giving you the chance to do this peacefully."
Rogue spat blood, wiping her mouth with the back of her glove.
"Ah'm with the X-Men now. Ya'll need to understand that."
Mystique sighed — exhaustion turning to steel.
"Then you've made your choice. Freedom Force! We assist the Marauders — then we take them when the outlaws fall!"
The air broke open with Pandemonium.
Avalanche wasted no time — he slammed his palms down.
The ground bucked violently beneath Storm's boots — a manmade earthquake tearing through the fragile terrain.
Ororo staggered, breath catching.
Knew… powers were off… but still…
Scrambler laughed again. "Still just a human in a fancy outfit!"
Storm's knuckles tightened — sweat streaking through dust as she moved on instinct. Blocks, parries — dodging rock spikes that Avalanche kept tearing from the ground.
He shouted over the frenzy: "Let's bury the weather witch!"
Storm's eyes hardened. "If the earth wishes to swallow me, it will need a bigger appetite!"
Kurt landed near Mystique — heart twisting with questions he didn't have time to ask.
"I need answers."
Mystique morphed into his own form — mocking grin and all.
"And i don't have them."
She moved just like him.
Nightcrawler attacked with his tail, hurt flashing in his eyes.
BAMF
And they vanished in a cloud of brimstone.
Fire danced around them — pyrokinetic whips striking close enough to scorch Dazzler's suit.
Pyro spun flames like ribbons: "Lights and fire — let's make a show!"
Dazzler rolled behind a half-destroyed boulder, panting.
"Yeah? I always hated improvisational theater."
She kicked her portable speaker — turning static feedback into fuel — and unleashed a prism blast that turned Pyro's fire into a dazzling supernova.
He shielded his face, blinded.
"Not fair—!"
"Darling," she winked, "I'm a performer. Stage presence is the job."
Piotr's fists hammered into Blob's stomach — denting metal instead of flesh. Blob chuckled — no real harm done.
"You hit like a kitten made of tin foil!"
Colossus frowned. "Yet still, you move slower than a wall."
"I ain't movin' anywhere!" Blob barked. "Nothin' moves me!"
Piotr dug his heels in — straining — the ground cracking beneath Blob's feet as he attempted the impossible.
"Then I must be something else," Piotr growled, lifting with every fiber of metal might—
Blob didn't budge.
He laughed even harder.
Kitty phased as Vertigo's waves ripped through the battlefield — nausea turning to clarity every time she flickered intangible.
Destiny merely stood still, speaking calmly:
"You can't hide from the inevitable, Katherine. I have already seen you fall."
Kitty's jaw tightened.
"I don't care what you saw. I fight anyway."
Vertigo grinned, stepping closer.
"Well then—let's bring you down!"
Kitty sprinted straight toward them—
Vertigo unleashed her mental distortion—
Kitty phased through the shockwave—
and struck Vertigo's temple with a phased fist, knocking her out cold.
Destiny sighed.
"Exactly as it had to happen."
Kitty blinked.
"Wait—what—?".
Pyro, still half-blinded, sent a wild pillar of flame across Rogue's path, forcing her to leap backward.
Rogue smirked.
Inside — her thoughts slammed like a storm:
Mother on that side… family fightin' me…
But ah ain't that scared girl runnin' from home anymore.
Alex dodged a seismic wave but took a spear to the shoulder — electricity ripping through nerves. He dropped to one knee — teeth clamped in agony.
Harpoon stalked closer. "Round two, Summers."
Havok gasped..
"No," Havok hissed through clenched teeth.
"MY round."
Riptide, recovered, spun razors again — but Psylocke met the cyclone with a psychic shield that sliced the storm in half, then slammed her psychic blade into his consciousness while holding Malice with her psychic powers.
Riptide collapsed — twitching like a puppet with broken strings.
Betsy wiped blood off her nose with elegance.
"I tire of whirlwinds."
Sabretooth lunged again — Logan blocked with one claw, slashing across Creed's cheek.
Blood sprayed — Creed licked it with a grin.
"You can smell the fear comin' off your friends."
Logan snarled — animal low.
"I smell a dead man talkin', bub."
Then Blob slammed Logan like a battering ram, sending him tumbling across jagged rubble.
Sabretooth stalked toward him, Eclipse shadows painting him a demon.
Logan rose — burned, bloodied — healing factor steaming the blood off his skin.
Storm staggered. Colossus groaned. Rogue gritted her teeth, surrounded again. Kitty struggled to move Destiny. Nightcrawler's teleports slowed — fatigue clinging to every jump.
The battlefield was turning against them.
Logan's lungs burned
He spat blood and grinned like a devil finally excited.
"Alright," Logan growled, claws gleaming.
"Round three it is."
Sabretooth cracked his neck. "Thought you'd never catch up."
---
Arclight sent building-sized shockwaves ripping through terrain, Avalanche split the earth into jagged maws, Pyro filled the sky with burning serpents, Blob crushed the field under tons of unstoppable weight, Sabretooth carved toward Logan like a beast unleashed, Mystique hunted Nightcrawler with lethal purpose, Malice/Polaris held Havok suspended like a trophy.
The X-Men —bled
But none of them broke.
Storm ducked under Scrambler's strike — countered with a headbutt.
"I am storm-born," she rasped. "And even without wind… I rise."
Nightcrawler locked Mystique's knife arm with his tail — eyes shining sorrow.
"Family does not bleed family."
She whispered, pained:
"We do when it's necessary."
Colossus wrapped his arms around Blob again — refusing to let him crush the others — refusing to let his body stop fighting.
Kitty shielded Dazzler as fire roared past them.
Betsy fought — because honor mattered.
Rogue — breathless — bruised — still smiling.
"Come on! Ah ain't done!"
And Logan —
Logan inhaled the entire battlefield into his senses.
Heartbeats like war drums.
Fear. Rage. Hope. Blood. Pheromones thick as smoke.