Yaan National Forest Park was usually a place where you could walk for half a day without seeing another soul.
But today, the silence of the park was broken by the roar of engines and the sound of boots on dirt.
"Damn it, this brat is doing it on purpose. He's trying to lure us here. What the hell does he want?"
Natasha Romanoff's voice was low and edged with irritation as she followed behind the others.
"Wait." One of the Brotherhood members narrowed his eyes. "This guy's got a sharp sense of smell. No matter what he's planning, the Brotherhood won't let him have it all to himself."
"Colossus, follow him and see what he wants," Professor Charles Xavier instructed calmly from the X-Mansion, using Cerebro to remotely monitor everything.
Screech!
Leo braked sharply and stepped out of the car. He leaned casually against the door, his gaze steady and unhurried as the others arrived.
The people tailing him got out of their vehicles, slightly taken aback by his composure.
He wasn't just calm—he was unshakably calm. His eyes didn't show fear or caution… only the detached gaze of a hunter staring down prey.
Natasha and Charles were the only ones experienced enough to read the nuance in his eyes.
That look carried a strange superiority—something they couldn't quite describe—as if they weren't even standing on the same dimension.
And beneath it all… was pity.
The feeling made their skin prickle. Why would he look at them like that?
Of course, Leo did feel that way.
In his eyes, they were nothing more than NPCs and wild mobs—sources of EXP to level up. He was the only player with a system.
His gaze didn't come from arrogance but from detachment. He hadn't fully integrated into this universe yet.
When you look at the world from a God's perspective—and already know how everything plays out—how could you not look down on it?
Leo swept his gaze over them one last time before finally speaking.
"Hey. Besides the blonde with the big b**b, shouldn't the rest of you introduce yourselves? I don't know any of you."
His words made Natasha's brow twitch. Of course he singled her out. Everyone else was just a bunch of familiar but nameless faces.
This attitude pissed her off. So, I'm the only one exposed, huh? She crossed her arms and kept quiet, deciding to let the others handle it.
"Colossus, find a chance to ask him why he killed Pyro," Charles instructed telepathically.
"Understood, Professor," Colossus replied silently.
He stepped forward, wearing a polite smile. "Hello, powerful one. How should I address you?"
"Leo," the man replied coolly.
A Dragon Country name. They'd suspected it already. The way he carried himself—unshakable confidence—wasn't something ordinary.
Before they could speculate further, Leo's words cut through their thoughts.
"So… did your Professor X give you any instructions?"
"What?"
He knew Professor X?
This wasn't some random wild Mutant. He understood their structure, their strategy… he even predicted Charles's involvement.
Colossus was caught off guard. This guy clearly had inside knowledge, while they knew nothing about him.
He forced a calm tone. "Professor X wants to know why you killed Pyro. Mutants are rare enough as it is. We shouldn't be fighting each other. We should unite."
Yeah… that sounds like Charles, Leo thought. Peaceful, idealistic, stubborn.
"Wanna know?" Leo raised his hand casually. "Then shake my hand first."
The entire group stared at him in confusion.
What kind of move is that?
What kind of hobby is this?
Still, Colossus extended his hand.
[Ding! Detected plot character: Colossus. Do you want to extract his ability? This extraction requires 50,000 points.]
[Extract.]
[Ding! 50,000 points deducted. Successfully extracted Carbon Steel Body ability. Do you want to integrate it now?]
[No. Save it for later.]
Leo smirked slightly. The steel skin wasn't bad. Not adamantium or vibranium, but still damn durable.
His gaze shifted to Iceman.
"Alright, your turn. Shake my hand."
"Me?" Bobby Drake pointed at himself in surprise.
"Yeah. You."
"Fine," he sighed. "It's just a handshake."
They clasped hands.
[Ding! Detected plot character: Iceman Bobby Drake. Do you want to extract his ability? This extraction requires 3,000,000 points.]
[Extract.]
Omega-level Mutant ability? Hell yes.
Iceman's peak potential wasn't something movie CGI could do justice to.
In the comics, he could freeze the entire Milky Way. Even time and space weren't safe from his power.
[Ding! 3,000,000 points deducted. Successfully extracted Omega-Level Ice Element ability. Integrate now?]
[No. Not yet.]
Leo couldn't help but grin. An Omega-level power in his back pocket? That was a jackpot.
But his grin didn't go unnoticed.
What's so funny about a handshake? the Brotherhood muttered.
Toad leaned toward Red Devil nervously. "Boss… maybe we should retreat. This guy's… weird."
"If this pervert killed Pyro, it makes sense. Perverts don't need reasons," Toad added in a low voice.
He wasn't strong, his powers were gross, and his self-esteem was paper thin. People like Leo terrified him.
Leo raised a brow at the group.
"And what about the rest of you?" he asked with that same strange smile. "Wanna shake hands too?"