Crack—!
The red shock wave struck the invisible barrier in front of Harry. Red light scattered wildly in all directions, churning up a violent current.
"So much force."
Although the protective field shielded him from harm, the impact of Cyclops' optic blast still sent Harry sliding backward through the air — far enough that he was now completely separated from the blue energy sphere.
Ding Dong.
"A total of seventy points has been obtained from this conversion."
"Host's remaining points: 130."
Counting the ten points from Cyclops' visor and the seventy from this energy, Harry now had a total of 130 points.
After checking his total, Harry pushed forward with both hands, hardening his stance into a solid shield. Using the momentary pause from the blast, he redirected the force beneath his feet and rocketed toward the Statue of Liberty — toward the ability he had come for.
"That guy dodged my beam. Jean, can you see who he is?" Cyclops said grimly, still holding his fingers against the side of his visor as he scanned the figure flying toward them.
"All right." Jean Gray pressed her fingers to her temples, activating her telepathy to try and connect with the approaching figure.
"No good. He's got something like Magneto's helmet — it's blocking psychic contact." Jean dropped her hands, shaking her head helplessly.
Harry could feel a faint mental pressure brushing against his invisible field, but it failed to penetrate.
"It seems this invisible stance really is formed from mental energy," Harry mused. "If it can block Jean's telepathy, that's proof enough. Still, I doubt it could stop Professor X — her power hasn't yet reached his level."
He continued flying forward without slowing.
"He's coming. Should I stop him?" Storm asked Cyclops, eyes beginning to glow with white light.
"No. I can see him now," Scott said quietly, lowering his hand from his visor. His sharp mutant eyesight had already recognized the man.
"It's Harry Osborn," Cyclops confirmed.
"Oh, it's him? Then there's nothing to worry about," Storm said with a smile of relief. The light faded from her eyes as she relaxed. She'd had a positive impression of Harry ever since their last cooperation.
"Not necessarily," Jean frowned. Something about Harry unsettled her. It wasn't disgust — more like instinctive resistance.
"It seems Miss Jean Gray doesn't have a very good opinion of me," Harry said with a light smile, descending above the Statue of Liberty to face them.
"Bastard!"
A furious roar came from below.
Harry looked down to see a wild figure leaping toward him — three sharp adamantium claws glinting coldly in the moonlight.
Name: Logan (James Howlett)
Age: 174
Condition: Healthy
Abilities: Rapid Healing (50), Claws (10), Beast Sense (30)
Item: Adamantium Skeleton (50)
"Ha! That's smooth."
Harry turned slightly, sidestepping Wolverine's claws, catching his wrist, and using his superior strength to whirl Logan around and hurl him backward.
With a thunderous boom, Wolverine hit the ground beside Magneto.
"Hey, you'd better check on that girl first — and trust me, you can't beat me."
Harry activated his magnetic field, effortlessly stopping Wolverine in mid-charge, then released him with a casual wave as his gaze shifted to the unconscious Rogue.
"Marie!"
Logan shot Harry a glare, then sprinted toward the girl instead.
Harry curled his lip slightly and landed beside them. He glanced at Rogue lying pale and weak on the ground, then turned his eyes to the strange machine beside her — the one designed to mutate humans into mutants.
Name: Anna Marie
Condition: Critical (Severe vitality loss)
Ability: Absorption (80)
Item: None
Rogue's absorption power made Harry take notice, though he knew better than to touch her. For now, he would leave it — there would be a better time to acquire it later.
"She's barely breathing. You'd better hurry," Harry said, watching Logan work, while placing one hand on the machine.
Ding Dong.
"Unclaimed item detected — Genetic Mutation Device (incomplete) (40). Convert to points?"
"Just as I expected," Harry thought. Though Mister Fantastic could probably repair it for more value, there was no way Harry could smuggle the device away under the government's watchful eyes.
"Forty it is," Harry shrugged.
"Convert."
At his command, the oddly shaped machine vanished instantly.
"Conversion complete. Host's remaining points: 170."
"Huh? What did you just do?" Wolverine asked weakly, though most of his energy was being drained by Rogue as she absorbed his vitality. The only one who clearly noticed was Magneto, staring at Harry in stunned silence.
"What did I do?" Harry said innocently, spreading his hands.
"Hmph!" Magneto snorted, realizing Harry wouldn't answer, and collapsed powerlessly to the ground.
"Well then—down you go."
Harry chuckled, shaping his magnetic field into a sphere that enclosed Magneto, then kicked him off the ledge.
"Don't worry, I'm coming right after!" Harry called out, then descended toward the three X-Men below with a calm smile.
"Mr. Osborn, why are you here?" Jean asked seriously as he landed.
"Ah, that." Harry raised an eyebrow, completely unbothered by her tone. "I came to attend the summit, saw something strange, and came up to check it out. A blue light ball flew toward me — then, boom, an energy wave."
He cast a brief, cutting glance at Cyclops. Scott's stern expression faltered into embarrassment, and Harry let it drop with a smirk.
"All right then — Miss Jean Gray, Miss Ororo — I've got something else to do, so I'll be off."
He floated upward, pausing midair.
"Oh, and those two up there are fine. Go check on them."
With that, Harry descended smoothly toward the ground.
"Mr. Osborn seems like a good man," Storm said, watching him go.
"Maybe," Jean replied quietly, turning to fly back toward the top of the Statue of Liberty.
"What's with her?" Storm muttered, puzzled, glancing at Scott.
Scott didn't answer — he just stared silently after Jean's retreating figure.
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A/N: Advanced Chapters Have Been Uploaded On My Patreon
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