While the Broadway incident was still unresolved and organizations worldwide scrambled to contain the surge in superhuman crime, another piece of news shook every major power on Earth.
The Brotherhood of Mutants, led by Magneto, had suddenly appeared in Alaska and engaged a powerful enemy. They had apparently been ambushed by a group of mysterious assailants and suffered devastating losses... including several key members killed.
It was the kind of development that sent ripples through the entire underworld. Magneto wasn't some amateur; he was a seasoned operator who had spent decades building his cause, honing his abilities into a lethal arsenal. He was the mutant leader who was either in prison or on his way back to one... someone humans could capture but rarely dared to kill.
Who would dare move against Magneto?
And who had the strength to make him bleed and cripple the Brotherhood so badly?
On the dark web, countless conflicting reports spread like wildfire. Rumors flew in every direction, making it impossible to separate truth from fiction.
Anyone with even modest influence wanted answers... at the very least, they needed to know what kind of enemy had managed to hurt Magneto.
Who on Earth possessed that kind of power?
---
In a rundown building owned by Weyland, Adam lounged on the sofa, idly swirling a glass in his hand. It contained nothing more than water.
His eyes scanned the computer screen, taking in the flood of messages circulating across the dark web.
"So that's what happened. Magneto took a beating?" Adam murmured. "Ikaris alone clearly doesn't have that kind of strength. If anything, he'd be lucky not to get beaten to death. The fight probably woke the Deviants frozen in the lake."
He considered the possibility that other Eternals had joined the battle. He recalled that among the eleven Eternals, one possessed superhuman speed... something like the Flash from the other universe... capable of rapidly transporting allies to the front lines. It was an elite support ability, second only to spatial teleportation.
Facing unfamiliar Eternals and Deviants at the same time without knowing their combat style would make a heavy loss for the Brotherhood perfectly plausible.
"Magneto is such a hardcore extremist. I wonder what his face will look like when he realizes Ikaris isn't one of his 'kin' after all... and that the 'ancestors' he identifies with are actually a bunch of giant black crawling beasts."
Adam slumped deeper into the sofa, chuckling softly, clearly in an excellent mood.
Around him, a cluster of Xenomorphs and one human formed a protective perimeter.
Inside the entire building, only the Queen in the underground cavern held more importance than Adam himself.
"You did this on purpose, didn't you? You fed Magneto the fake information?" Elektra's face was tight. Despite her efforts to control her emotions, flashes of anger still broke through. She was constantly calculating escape routes, fantasizing about the day she regained her freedom and carving beautiful scars across that calm, annoyingly handsome face with her blades.
Elektra wasn't worried about the mutants' plight. She was furious that her own life and actions were now under Adam's control.
"Why would you say that, rookie assassin?" Adam replied casually. "I only chatted with a few S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. You didn't even understand what was going on... how would Magneto?"
"What exactly do I have to do to satisfy you?" Elektra asked. She desperately wanted to kill the man in front of her, but every time the thought crossed her mind, the parasite in her chest writhed... a clear and terrifying warning.
The sensation was deeply unsettling, yet it had also granted her Xenomorph-enhanced gifts: superior strength, speed, and rapid healing. Her power had skyrocketed, lifting her beyond ordinary humanity. Part of her was thrilled. Another part hated it.
Adam raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think you'll ever walk away from me alive? Or do you really prefer working for an outfit like the Hand over me? At least I've generously boosted your strength and extended your lifespan."
Elektra opened her full red lips, but no words came out.
In a twisted way, he wasn't wrong. Between two bad options, she seemed forced to pick the lesser evil.
"What do you need me to do, new boss?" she asked, head lowered as if all the fight had drained out of her.
"Just stay by my side. I can't do everything myself. For example, when I eventually decide to wipe out the Hand." Adam spoke offhandedly.
Elektra looked puzzled. "You might not understand how powerful the Hand really is. Just you and these Xenomorphs…"
"Oh, I understand perfectly. I also know exactly who their true masters are... nasty little things from beyond Earth. Their fate is already sealed." Adam said calmly.
As they spoke, one of the Xenomorphs moved behind Adam. There was nothing unusual about it... they weren't statues, and guarding him didn't mean standing motionless.
The instant that Xenomorph struck...
Elektra, who had looked resentful and defeated only seconds earlier, moved on pure instinct. She drew her blade in a flash, positioning it protectively in front of Adam's throat.
A sharp clang rang out.
She blocked the lethal claw aimed at Adam's neck.
At the same moment, the other Xenomorphs sprang into action with perfect coordination. They swiftly crippled the attacker's limbs, pierced its shoulders with their tails, and hoisted it into the air.
"I was wondering how long you could hold out. Turns out it wasn't very long at all," Adam said, turning around calmly.
The Xenomorph's form began to shift, eventually resolving into a human shape.
Mystique. Raven Darkhölme.
"You knew from the beginning?" Mystique stared at him intently.
"Of course. I share an unbreakable psychic link with every single one of my Xenomorphs. Imagine my surprise when one turned out to be you. It's like biting into a delicious batch of egg tarts and suddenly tasting curry-flavored vegetable pie. Extremely awkward."
Adam sighed and patted Mystique's cheek. The texture was excellent. He gave it a firm squeeze for good measure.
Mystique's expression remained unchanged. This level of contact meant nothing to her; it wouldn't stir even the slightest emotional reaction.
If she hadn't confirmed that the man was obsessed with his Xenomorphs, she might have tried seducing him. But she ultimately decided a man this composed probably wouldn't fall for it, so she never bothered.
"Why?" Mystique pressed. "Why spread fake information and use me to strike at the Brotherhood? You might even be a mutant yourself... your abilities could come from the X-gene…"
"True, that's theoretically possible. I could also be working for Professor Xavier's side, sent to weaken you." Adam shrugged. "But I never gave you any concrete confirmation. You chose to believe what you wanted to believe. You're the one who got your people killed... not me."
Mystique frowned, staring hard at him. After a moment, the device on her arm vibrated. "Erik wants to speak with you."
Adam ordered one of the Xenomorphs to release her arm.
Mystique didn't attempt anything foolish like a desperate attack for freedom. Instead, she switched the device to speaker mode.
"If this was your invitation from the very beginning, I have to admit... you succeeded. It was an effective trick."
Magneto's voice came through clearly. "Kid, let's talk. About the real Deviants. In return, I'll give you what you want... those filthy lowlife crawling reptiles that crawled out of the lake and ambushed us!!"
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