It is well known.
The years that Mutant Apocalypse has lived through are long, relying on the mutant ability of 'consciousness transfer' to not know how many bodies have been replaced or how many mutant abilities have been plundered over the past thousands of years.
These mutant abilities are strange and varied, each different.
But...
None of these mutant abilities are weak.
Mutant abilities of Epsilon and Delta levels, Apocalypse couldn't even be bothered to look at.
The same goes for Gamma and Beta levels.
Mutant abilities that can catch Apocalypse's eye start at least at the Alpha level, but more often are Omega level mutant abilities.
Indeed, from a certain perspective.
Nowadays, the scarcity of Omega and Alpha level mutants is entirely due to Mutant Apocalypse.
During the years Apocalypse ruled Egypt, these two levels of mutant abilities were plundered without restraint by Apocalypse, which is the main reason why top-tier and high-level mutant combat power is so scarce today.
But that's not the main point.
The main point is, among the mutant abilities plundered by Apocalypse, there is an Omega level mutant ability of 'traveling through time to kill you'.
This mutant ability allows the user to pass through the enemy's timeline and kill the current enemy by killing their past.
Hawk's timeline is indeed completely contracted, and no enemy can mess with his timeline without Hawk detecting it.
But Hawk is right here now.
The most important point.
"Your timeline is too flawed."
After Apocalypse extracted Hawk's time using the mutant ability of 'Time Retrospection', he looked at the Time Galaxy unique to Hawk revealed above the altar and closed his eyes, feeling Hawk's time: "I sense countless vulnerabilities inside it."
Completely bound, with only his head exposed, Hawk remained silent.
Yes.
His timeline is contracted, but it's also filled with loopholes. Enemies not proficient in 'time' might not be able to see it, but to enemies who are, his contracted timeline indeed resembles a house full of leaks.
The reason is simple.
Hawk contracted his timeline by relying on the 'Time Gemstone'.
Again,
For a newly awakened Saint Warrior to advance to the level of a Golden Saint Warrior, the time required is immense.
And this is based on the premise that each Saint Warrior is considered outstanding among people.
But how long did Hawk take?
One or two years after awakening his Little Cosmos, and within five or six years, he has walked a path that other Saint Warriors might not complete in a lifetime, and he continues to forge ahead.
Why this is so, Hawk knows very well.
He cheated.
First, he used the 'Mind Gemstone' to significantly enhance his psychic world, then used the 'Time Gemstone' to contract his timeline...
This is also why the main multiverse, as soon as it perceives Hawk's attempt to transcend, becomes so furious and will stop at nothing to prevent him.
Because in the eyes of the main multiverse, your strength is entirely due to us, and instead of giving back, you're trying to break away and be independent?
What's that called?
Traitor?
Turncoat?
Anyway, Hawk used the 'Time Gemstone' to contract his timeline, not relying on himself to contract it. Although, after contracting his timeline, he constantly patches the numerous loopholes in his timeline.
He patched many loopholes, yet there are still numerous loopholes on his timeline.
Just like the Time Galaxy currently appearing above the altar.
His time has indeed been contracted into a Time Galaxy unique to him, but it's entwined with countless protruding lines.
These countless protruding lines are the loopholes existing on his Time Galaxy.
However!
Even if Hawk's Time Galaxy is riddled with numerous loopholes, it still doesn't change a fact.
His timeline has already been contracted.
Once again.
A collapsed house is called ruins, but a house that is still standing, despite leaks, is still called a house.
So—
"The lines protruding from my Time Galaxy are indeed the wounds on my time."
"And you can indeed enter my time through these wounds."
"But no matter how many wounds my time has, so what."
Hawk looked at Apocalypse, smiling softly: "It still doesn't change the fact that my time is contracted. You can go in, but it will also destroy you."
There's a saying.
A broken ship still has three thousand nails; similarly, the time full of flaws contracted by external force is still contracted time.
Apocalypse may be able to enter his time through the wounds on it.
But the outcome of doing so is only one.
"If you dare to enter, my time stream will also kill you and burn you to ashes!"
"Yes."
The blue metallic face of Mutant Apocalypse locked eyes with Hawk.
"Your time stream may kill me, but likewise, I can also destroy you."
"Once you enter my time, there's no way back. You will scatter along my timeline like confetti."
Hawk looked serious: "This is a strategy of mutual destruction. You destroy my timeline, but it will also kill you. You simply have no way to occupy my body."
Alright.
He indeed felt a bit baffled right now, not quite understanding how Apocalypse's mind worked.
Wasn't it supposed to be about slipping into his timeline, messing with it to kill him, and then possess his body?
But…
If you enter my timeline, you'll be instantly torn apart and scattered like confetti on my timeline.
So—
"What's the point?"
"To destroy you!"
Apocalypse's voice reverberated like a chant as he gazed at Hawk's countless protruding lines of the Time Galaxy. Like a song, it echoed in every corner of the pyramid, making it tremble. He spread his arms and then looked back at Hawk.
"I will exist on every timeline your life and soul reside, rewriting every moment of your past. I will turn every victory of yours into a miserable defeat. I will poison every friendship of yours. I can make every breath of yours excruciatingly painful."
"..."
Hawk heard Apocalypse's chant-like words, opened his mouth, feeling like he wanted to say something, but nothing came out.
Once again, their eyes met.
After a moment.
Hawk shook his head with a smile, looking at Apocalypse, his voice calm.
"I'm curious, what kind of reward did the person behind you promise to make you insist on perishing with me!"
"You're mistaken."
"What?"
"Entering your timeline, I will die!"
Apocalypse's voice was deep, and then suddenly, he turned, looking up with arms spread, his voice like thunder: "But my soul will attain immortality!"
Hearing this, Hawk's heart trembled.
At the same time.
As Apocalypse finished speaking, he took a deep breath, and his form suddenly rose, instantly expanding to a height of several dozen meters, aligning with Hawk's Time Galaxy in the sky, then glanced at Hawk's unique Time Galaxy.
The next second.
The moment his finger stretched out and touched Hawk's Time Galaxy, a second Apocalypse appeared beside him.
And then, a third Apocalypse, a fourth Apocalypse, a fifth Apocalypse…
In the blink of an eye.
Countless Apocalypses appeared inside the pyramid, manifestations of the time overflow when Apocalypse touched Hawk's Time Galaxy.
But these countless Apocalypses appeared quickly, and disappeared just as fast.
At the moment when the real Apocalypse's fingertip passed through Hawk's Time Galaxy, Apocalypse instantly vanished, followed by the many Apocalypses manifesting from Hawk's time overflow, who also vanished upon touching Hawk's Time Galaxy.
Boom!
And at the instant Apocalypse disappeared, the adamantium arms binding Hawk's limbs and body also fell away. Exposed, Hawk fell with a thud onto the metallic floor below.
The young version of Professor X also fell.
But…
Professor X's state at this moment was far better than Hawk's current state.
Because the moment Apocalypse sacrificed himself to enter Hawk's time, Hawk instantly felt incomparable, excruciating pain.
Hawk understood clearly that his time was being torn apart every moment.
This intense pain evoked a 'recollection of past sufferings and reflecting on present sweetness' feeling.
After all—
He could no longer remember how long it had been since he felt such pain.
Ever since Hawk awakened Little Cosmos, this was the first time he experienced such pain that made him feel alive.
Hawk lay silently on the icy, chilling metallic floor, looking at the pointed top of the pyramid.
His eyes vacant, motionless.
At this moment.
A head appeared in Hawk's vision.
The young Professor X, Xavier Charles, had regained his consciousness after Apocalypse entered Hawk's timeline.
Hawk watched the disabled body crawl beside him and attempt to place a finger on his nose, expressionless.
"What are you doing?"
"..."
Professor X was startled, then looked at Hawk, whose eyes were vacant a second ago but now pierced through him intensely: "You're not dead?"
Hawk took a deep breath, forcibly enduring the intensified pain, expressionless as he propped up his body against the wall behind him.
"Not yet, but soon!"
"..."