A new chapter is up.
Come in, get comfortable, and let’s see what kind of trouble waits this time ❤️ ✦ Boom.
An invisible shockwave burst through the air.
Their eyes met.
Sparks seemed to clash between them.
This was not a metaphor.
It was actually happening.
Cyclops’s activated power fired two beams of optic force.
If Captain America’s reactions had been even a little slower, if he had not lifted the vibranium shield in time, the first exchange would have sent him flying.
Guided by Jean, the X-Men had run straight into Steve Rogers while he explored the back alleys.
A lucky encounter with a competitor was worth testing.
The Captain’s strength would determine how they acted next.
They went from sizing each other up to fighting in seconds.
Snikt.
Logan’s claws came out, and he charged straight into a brutal close-range fight with Captain America.
Chaos erupted in the alley.
“An encounter battle…” Nick Fury’s brow tightened into a hard line.
On the surface, the fight looked even.
But Logan still had teammates who had not fully entered the fight.
They were X-Men too, and their powers were far from weak.
Steve was already struggling to deal with Logan alone.
If the others joined in…
Fury shook his head.
In his eyes, Captain America was almost certain to lose.
“Beautiful!” Storm jumped in excitement.
Logan was matching Captain America.
With his healing factor and adamantium defenses, a battle of endurance would favor him sooner or later.
And behind Logan, the rest of the team was waiting.
“With this lineup, how are they supposed to compete with us?” “The reward is ours.” “I wonder what this mission’s reward will be.” “Who cares?
As long as it isn’t worse than last time.” The X-Men were all smiling now.
The air around them felt almost cheerful.
They had already started treating the reward as theirs.
They were not the only ones.
Even Professor X, usually so restrained, let a faint smile appear.
“Not bad.” Ever since the invasion system appeared, the situation had changed by the moment and grown more complicated.
The pressure on him had become heavier and heavier.
After so much bad news, a good piece of news had finally arrived.
This time, the advantage might finally be theirs.
A super-soldier, a delusional man with a hammer, and on the mutant side, a full X-Men team.
With that lineup, how could they lose?
…
“Damn it!” “Why is fate so kind to mutants?” “This should belong to the nation!” Someone in the military nearly lost control, eyes bloodshot with anger.
They had gathered elite soldiers with so much effort, and not one had been selected.
Mutants, meanwhile, casually entered in a group.
The reward was practically being handed to Xavier’s people.
Captain America was the only success of the super-soldier program, but expecting him to fight an entire X-Men squad alone was too much.
And the other recruit?
Please.
What could a delusional cosplayer do?
If he were truly powerful, America’s intelligence network would have records on him.
As the self-appointed world police, they had confidence in that.
Whispers spread below the stage.
The arrogance in them quickly found agreement.
“A delusional case.
Ignore him,” a senior military official said with a dismissive wave.
“The real question is what to do about the reward that is about to fall into mutant hands.” “What can we do?” “Gentlemen, are we going to watch the glory that belongs to this country get taken by freaks?” An army lieutenant general spoke with barely contained fury.
“No need to rush.” An elderly general spoke slowly.
He wore the calm confidence of a man who already considered the mutants captured.
To him, they were assets waiting to be claimed.
If they could not easily pressure Tony Stark, a weapons tycoon, could they not handle a group of mutant freaks?
“Professor X wants peace.
He wants to maintain relations between mutants and us, doesn’t he?” If someone offered you leverage, you used it.
That one sentence made everyone below him smile.
The meaning was obvious.
Their eyes shifted as schemes began forming.
“Looks like we’ll be collecting our prize soon.” …
“A winner, huh.” Nick Fury shook his head.
He also believed the mission reward would most likely go to Logan’s group.
But Fury’s mindset was not as frantic as the military’s.
After all, S.H.I.E.L.D.
still had Rokushiki as a bargaining chip.
“If the reward is good, perhaps we can trade with the physical techniques we’ve analyzed.” Fury’s gaze flickered.
With the world growing more chaotic, he had instinctively begun searching for allies.
Xavier’s school was obviously a useful option.
…
In an abandoned hidden base, Mystique clicked her tongue in irritation.
“They were beaten to it by those soft-hearted moderates.” The others looked no better.
They had been ready for action, but none of them had been chosen.
Their rivals, the X-Men, had stumbled into the mission and now seemed likely to win it.
Even as enemies, they did not think a super-soldier and a delusional fool could stop Logan from taking the treasure.
“Annoying,” someone said through clenched teeth.
“Enough.” Magneto’s low voice cut through the room.
“They are only one step ahead.” “There will be more chances.
Prepare yourselves.
The next reward will belong to us.” Magneto half closed his eyes, already certain how this round would end.
…
Hell.
“Heh heh heh…” “Interesting things are happening in the human world.” “Such rich disturbances in their souls.
Human emotion really is delicious.” Mephisto slowly opened his eyes, satisfaction written across his face.
A projection had possessed a human, hiding behind mortal flesh while his true self watched from hell.
…
“So the winner will be the mutants?” “At least they are Xavier’s moderate faction.” Batman relaxed slightly.
He knew enough about the X-Men.
They were barely on the side of justice, maintaining stability between humans and mutants.
At the very least, they were better than Magneto’s extremists.
On the surface, the X-Men team had an overwhelming advantage.
This mission looked like their field.
That became the consensus almost everywhere.
Except in Asgard.
CREATORS’ THOUGHTS AuroraVale Thank you for reading.
I hope this chapter pulled you a little deeper into the story.
Stay close, because things are only getting more interesting.