Telepathic abilities were normally invisible forces. They moved silently through the mind and left the physical world untouched, intangible and impossible to perceive with ordinary senses.
But the situation now was entirely different.
Two Level-4 mutants had joined forces, and their psychic energy was being amplified through the massive Cerebro mainframe system. When that combined power focused entirely on Ethan Voss, the normally invisible mental force transformed into something terrifying.
It felt like standing in the path of a colossal ocean wave during a storm.
The concrete platform beneath Ethan's feet cracked instantly as the crushing psychic pressure slammed into him. Fine fractures spread outward in every direction, and his boots sank nearly three inches into the reinforced surface.
Fortunately, Stryker had not cut corners when building the facility. Even though the concrete layer was shattering under the pressure, the dense steel reinforcement bars embedded inside the structure still held the platform together.
Ethan immediately realized he had overestimated himself this time.
Pain exploded through his skull as the psychic force hammered against his defenses from every direction. His mental shield had not been broken yet, but the overwhelming pressure was already causing intense pain throughout his body.
His face felt as though invisible blades were slicing across his skin.
That wasn't even the worst part.
The real problem was that he couldn't move.
The psychic force had locked him in place like a giant invisible vise. The confrontation had turned into a complete stalemate, with neither side able to gain a decisive advantage.
And time was something they absolutely did not have.
The dam structure surrounding the base was already on the verge of collapse. Remaining here to test their psychic endurance was the last thing they could afford to do.
At that critical moment, two familiar figures finally appeared.
Jean Grey and Cyclops rushed into the chamber together, Scott having finally broken free from the illusionary control that had trapped him earlier.
Ethan felt a surge of irritation rising inside him.
At least they showed up eventually, he thought coldly. If this lovey-dovey couple had taken any longer, they'd have arrived just in time to collect the professor's corpse.
Meanwhile Storm, Mystique, and the others had recovered from the earlier psychic assault. They immediately joined forces and began attacking the Master of Illusions, hoping to disrupt his control.
But the Master of Illusions reacted instantly.
Through his manipulation of Professor Xavier's mind, he redirected part of the overwhelming psychic power toward the group.
The pressure surged again.
Fortunately Jean reacted immediately.
She raised her hands and erected a powerful mental barrier around everyone present. Though her abilities had not fully awakened yet, the strength of her psychic power was already remarkable.
Her telepathic ability alone was formidable, and she also possessed tremendous raw psychic energy.
Ethan immediately felt some of the pressure around him lessen.
Even so, he still found it extremely difficult to move.
And as the psychic shield expanded outward, Jean herself became trapped in the same situation Ethan had been facing moments earlier. The tremendous force froze her in place, leaving her unable to move.
Inside the protective barrier Storm's eyes rolled back as she unleashed her powers.
Lightning erupted across the massive chamber.
Brilliant arcs of electricity flashed through the air and slammed into the walls housing the Cerebro machinery. The explosions of power instantly damaged several of the mainframe components, sending sparks and smoke pouring from shattered consoles.
At that exact moment Ethan suddenly realized something.
The Master of Illusions had a weakness.
Cold.
He immediately shouted toward Storm.
"Cold… that's his weakness!"
Whether Storm heard Ethan's voice or simply read his lips through the chaos, she reacted instantly. The lightning disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.
In its place the air temperature began dropping rapidly.
A freezing wind swept through the chamber, filling the massive room with biting cold. Frost began forming along the metal surfaces of the machinery as the temperature plunged.
Almost immediately Ethan felt the surging psychic energy around him begin to weaken.
The crushing pressure dissipated.
Just then a single drop of water fell from the ceiling and struck Ethan on the forehead.
He looked upward.
The sight above him made his expression darken.
The ceiling was covered in enormous cracks as thick as a human arm. Through those fractures powerful jets of water were already pouring down from above.
It seemed that the tremendous psychic energy moments earlier had accidentally stabilized the chamber's structure. Now that the force had vanished, the entire chamber had begun collapsing.
Only seconds later the inevitable happened.
A massive chunk of concrete finally gave way.
An enormous torrent of lake water crashed down through the broken ceiling like a waterfall.
At that critical moment Jean Grey suddenly raised both hands high above her head.
Her psychic power erupted outward.
An enormous invisible dome formed above them, forcibly supporting the collapsing structure and holding back the raging floodwaters.
Her red hair floated wildly as though blown by invisible winds. Dark shadows surrounded her eyes, and the intensity of her gaze was almost frightening.
Through clenched teeth she forced out a desperate command.
"Quick… go!"
The sheer power she was displaying was astonishing.
Compared to her, Ethan's own psychic strength—limited to barely half a meter beyond his body—looked insignificant.
There was no time to waste.
Ethan immediately opened a portal.
"Everyone move!" he shouted. "Blonsky, bring the Master of Illusions with you!"
The group moved with desperate urgency.
Storm pushed the unconscious Professor Xavier toward the portal while Blonsky dragged the unconscious illusionist along with him.
One by one they passed through the gateway.
As the final people entered the portal, Ethan waved his hand sharply. The portal shifted position instantly, sliding across the chamber like a living creature.
It swallowed Jean Grey next.
Finally, just as the collapsing ceiling and raging floodwaters were about to crush him, Ethan leaped through the portal himself.
—
In the small town of Noah, the evening sun painted the sky with brilliant colors.
A gentle breeze drifted through the air, carrying the soft fragrance of blooming flowers. The peaceful atmosphere stood in stark contrast to the catastrophic disaster they had just escaped.
The group had barely survived.
But before anyone could fully process the relief of still being alive, Jean Grey suddenly collapsed to the ground.
Scott rushed forward immediately.
"Jean!"
Ethan sensed something unusual the moment she fell.
An immense power was radiating from Jean's body.
Even within the perception of his divine domain, the energy burned like a miniature sun.
He had never sensed this kind of power from her before.
Which meant only one thing.
The Dark Phoenix personality had awakened.
The Phoenix Force was one of the most powerful entities in the entire Marvel universe.
According to ancient cosmic lore, the Phoenix Force originated from the primordial universe itself. It was born at the beginning of existence, a chaotic yet eternal cosmic entity representing life and spiritual power.
It symbolized emotion, rebirth, and destruction.
The Phoenix Force could travel across time and space, alter reality itself, and even erase entire parallel universes.
Yet what Ethan sensed now was different.
The overwhelming cosmic power described in the legends was not present.
The energy he felt was powerful, yes—but fragmented.
Incomplete.
Jean Grey had always been considered the primary host of the Phoenix Force.
Ethan quickly formed a theory.
For some unknown reason, the Phoenix Force had shattered long ago. One fragment of that immense power had fused with Jean's psyche, giving birth to the being known as the Dark Phoenix.
Ethan could sense that he had no way of replicating such a force.
But extracting it?
That might be possible.
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully but decided not to act immediately.
Professor Xavier was clearly aware of the power hidden within Jean. The mental prison he had constructed in her mind was designed to suppress the destructive side of that power.
There was no need to rush.
Let the situation unfold a little longer.
Scott was kneeling beside Jean, completely unaware of the terrifying truth.
"Jean, can you hear me?" he asked anxiously. "What happened?"
The poor guy had no idea that the woman in his arms possessed a power capable of destroying worlds.
Ethan stepped forward.
Under Scott's suspicious gaze, he placed his palm gently against Jean's forehead.
"In my domain," Ethan explained calmly, "my abilities are far stronger."
Using the amplified telepathic power granted by the divine realm, Ethan reconstructed the mental prison Professor Xavier had once built inside Jean's mind.
However, the Dark Phoenix had already awakened.
It would never willingly remain sealed forever.
At best, this was only a temporary solution.
Gradually Jean's breathing stabilized.
Her complexion returned to normal, and she looked as though she had simply fallen asleep.
Scott let out a relieved breath.
He looked up at Ethan nervously. "Mr. Voss… how is she?"
"She's stable for now," Ethan replied calmly. "As for the details… we should wait until the professor wakes up before discussing it."
By then the residents of Noah had already arrived after hearing about the explosion and chaos near the dam.
They quickly carried the unconscious mutants toward the town hospital. Other mutants who heard the news soon rushed over as well.
Ethan did not follow them.
The situation was far from finished.
The dam had collapsed, and he now needed to figure out how to explain the disaster to the President—and how to report Stryker's crimes properly.
On the hillside overlooking the town, piles of evidence had already been gathered.
Bullseye had organized all the data related to Stryker's operations. Documents, recordings, and witness testimonies were being compiled nonstop.
Witness interviews were continuing late into the night.
Ethan sighed quietly.
Convincing the President tomorrow would not be easy.
Tonight was going to be a sleepless one.
He picked up a document and began reading, but suddenly paused.
Wait.
It felt like he had forgotten something.
Ah.
The Master of Illusions.
If the man woke up, controlling him would become extremely troublesome.
Ethan focused his senses.
Even from this distance he quickly located Jason—the illusionist—lying unconscious in the hospital.
After a moment's thought, Ethan silently shut down Jason's consciousness again, ensuring he would remain asleep.
As he withdrew his telepathic perception, another thought occurred to him.
Mystique.
He extended his senses once more and quickly found her inside the town's tavern.
After quietly examining her thoughts, Ethan discovered that her mind was currently filled only with shock and disbelief.
She wasn't planning anything—at least not yet.
Ethan summoned Bullseye.
"Assign people to keep a close eye on Mystique," he ordered calmly.
.....
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