"When the time comes, don't even think about surviving yourself!"
Ryan's stern warning rang out.
"Stop dawdling and start already!"
"Open the pressure valve…"
"Radiation burst throughout the entire reaction chamber…"
Colin's consciousness was already beginning to blur. His entire body burned as if it were being scorched alive. Ryan's voice still reached his ears, but it was nothing more than broken fragments.
"The pressure valve!"
Glancing at the progress bar,already at sixty percent,Colin reached out with difficulty and gripped the red valve without hesitation.
"Yes, yes, yes, exactly like that…"
Ryan finally let out a sigh of relief and picked up a steaming cup of coffee.
But in the next instant,
Colin's action nearly made him jump out of his skin.
The coffee spilled across the floor.
"No! No!"
"That's the pressure valve! What are you doing? Stop it!"
"Colin Israel! Has your brain been fried? Do you want to kill everyone here?!"
"Doctor."
Colin looked toward the monitor from a distance.
His eyes were bright,clear blue like a lake,but at this moment, they were cold… utterly cold.
"Among the people in this base of yours… how many don't deserve to die?"
Memories flooded his mind.
A clean, sterile laboratory.
His body strapped tightly to an operating table.
Blades cutting into his flesh.
Bones cracked open to extract marrow.
His broken body stitched back together like discarded material.
A dim, suffocating cell.
Ryan, younger then, silently wiping tears as he watched Colin struggle to breathe.
Each memory was like a blade.
Thinking about them hurt.
Living through them… was far worse.
"Colin, calm down!"
"We can give you whatever you want!"
"Calm down!"
Amid the desperate pleas, Colin's lips curled into a mocking smile.
Then,
He pulled the valve down.
BOOM!
The moment the pressurizer reached full power, the entire facility trembled.
A deafening roar echoed through the chamber.
Strange noises erupted from the reaction vessels. Seconds later, cracks began to spread.
Then,
A massive hiss.
Radiation exploded outward.
The alarms screamed.
"It's over! It's all over!"
"This madman!"
Watching the monitors distort, Ryan's face twisted in terror.
"No… I can't stay here."
"Let the Military and Stryker deal with this."
Without hesitation, he grabbed a hard drive containing experimental data and rushed to the elevator.
Even deep underground, the radiation would eventually reach the surface.
This place was doomed.
Meanwhile,
Colin stood in the storm.
"Come on…"
"Let the radiation come even more fiercely!"
His condition worsened.
Ignoring everything, he tore off his protective suit.
His bare flesh was exposed.
Radiation flooded into his body.
But instead of pain,
Warmth.
The titan codex appeared before his eyes.
His body heated up again, but this time…
There was no agony.
It felt like soaking in a hot spring.
Every cell relaxed.
Every bit of discomfort vanished.
Then came hunger.
An overwhelming, uncontrollable hunger.
Radiation… became food.
His body devoured everything.
The progress surged:
70%,80% ,90% ,100%
A roar erupted.
Ancient.
Terrifying.
As if it had echoed across millions of years.
A vision appeared.
A massive beast floated upon the ocean.
Its size was incomprehensible.
A 200-meter submarine looked like a toy beside it.
Its dorsal plates glowed blue.
Then,
Atomic Breath erupted from its mouth, splitting the sky itself.
Legendary Godzilla.
With enough energy…
It could pierce the Earth's core.
The vision faded.
The codex was complete.
Godzilla… fully awakened.
"I lack nothing now…"
Colin casually tore off the X-Gene suppression collar.
Like scrap metal.
He spread his arms.
Radiation surged around him.
His body transformed.
Muscles reshaped.
His frame grew stronger, taller.
Scars faded.
Skin healed.
Everything… perfected.
Outside,
Voices echoed.
"I just got word from Dr. Ryan,the leak has been handled."
"That Lizard-man, Colin, is still inside."
"As his primary researcher, this is a good chance to observe his regeneration under radiation."
Two researchers arrived with armed soldiers.
"Owen… that roar earlier came from underground," Sara said nervously.
"Not our problem," Owen replied coldly.
"Don't interfere with things that don't concern you."
After authentication, the chamber door unlocked.
"Move out!"
The soldiers rushed in.
Then,
A wave of white mist burst out.
Scorching heat followed.
The temperature skyrocketed.
"This… something's wrong."
A scream echoed.
Gunfire erupted.
Bones cracked.
Sara and Owen froze.
Without hesitation,
Owen slammed the door shut.
"What the hell is in there?"
"That roar… was it real?"
"Ryan screwed us!"
They turned and ran.
The silence behind them felt alive.
Like something was chasing them.
Watching them.
Waiting.
"Quick! Hurry up!"
"I told you not to rush me!"
Owen frantically pressed the elevator button.
Too slow.
Far too slow.
"Ding!"
The doors opened.
Relief flooded in,
Then,
A voice.
Calm.
Cold.
Right behind them.
"Where are you two going?
"Colin, you need to get here as soon as possible."
Jean's anxious voice still echoed in his mind as Colin turned and walked toward the Cerebro chamber, a faint smile on his face.
Despite Magneto gaining two powerful mutants, Colin wasn't too concerned.
Magneto and Professor X had known each other for decades. Their relationship was part friendship, part rivalry,but one thing was certain:
Magneto would never allow Charles's students to be killed.
Every clash between the X-Men and the Brotherhood looked intense, but in reality, both sides exercised restraint. After the fighting, they usually walked away with minimal casualties.
Otherwise, Scott and the others wouldn't have been able to send a report back at all.
In Magneto's own words, he still hoped that one day he and Charles could sit down peacefully, have tea, and play chess again.
Professor X understood this just as well.
The Intruder
When Colin arrived at the Cerebro chamber, the door was already open.
Inside, a figure lay on the circular platform, tinkering with something.
Hearing footsteps, the person paused briefly, then continued as if nothing had happened.
"Ms. Grey?" Colin called casually. "What are you doing?"
"It's you."
"Jean" stood up and waved dismissively.
"What are you doing here? Students aren't allowed in here. Leave."
Colin didn't move.
"Teacher… don't you recognize me?"
He slowly walked forward.
Before she could respond,
Colin vanished.
In the next instant, his hand clamped around her throat.
Mystique didn't even have time to react.
Her body lifted off the ground, struggling,but she couldn't move him at all.
"Let's see what you're really doing," Colin said with a grin.
As she struggled, a small bottle filled with dark green liquid caught his eye.
He picked it up and examined it.
"Planning to harm the Professor?"
After a moment, he shrugged and pocketed it.
Mystique stopped struggling.
Her skin rippled, returning to her true form,
Blue skin. Red hair. Golden eyes.
"You're Charles's new student?" she asked calmly.
"Something like that."
Colin loosened his grip and let her go.
"The Professor asked me not to hurt you," he said lightly.
"But you were planning to hurt him."
Mystique snorted and turned away.
Colin didn't push further.
After all, she was someone the Professor cared about,like family.
Rogue Taken
Colin pulled out a communicator and contacted Logan.
"Kid, what is it?" Logan's rough voice came through.
"How's it going over there?"
"…Not good."
Logan explained briefly:
"Rogue's been captured. Magneto threatened the Professor by taking civilians hostage. He had no choice but to let them go."
"We're heading back now. Did you catch the intruder?"
This time, it was the Professor's voice.
Before Colin could respond,
Mystique snatched the communicator.
"Yes," she said calmly. "I've been caught."
Colin stared at her, speechless.
Confrontation
Not long after, everyone returned.
The atmosphere was heavy.
The moment Logan saw Mystique,
His expression exploded with rage.
SNIKT!
Steel claws shot out as he lunged forward.
"You're the one who tricked Rogue?!"
"Logan!" the Professor shouted.
Logan stopped just short of her neck, then turned away with a snort, slamming his fist into the table.
"Professor."
Colin casually tossed the small bottle to Jean.
"She was about to put this into Cerebro."
Jean caught it, frowning.
"What is this?"
"It's something to make Charles rest for a while," Mystique said bluntly.
"No side effects. Just stops him from interfering."
"Plans?" the Professor pressed.
Ideology Clash
"Charles," Mystique said, staring straight at him, "why are you so stubborn?"
"Wouldn't it be a good thing if we had tens of millions more of our kind?"
Her voice sharpened.
"Our people have been hunted, experimented on, looked down on. Haven't you seen that?"
"Raven," the Professor replied firmly, "this will only deepen humanity's hatred."
"Have you thought about what happens when millions suddenly gain powers? How many will die in the chaos?"
"So what?" she shot back.
"If there's no sacrifice, how do we survive?"
Silence fell.
The Professor stared at her, stunned.
"You're too kind," Mystique said coldly.
Breaking News
The door burst open.
Storm rushed in.
"Professor… Senator Kelly is dead."
Everyone froze.
"He was turned into a mutant by Magneto," she continued.
"But his body… liquefied."
"He died in agony."
Silence.
Even Mystique's expression changed.
Colin's Insight
Colin, who had been quiet the whole time, suddenly spoke:
"Well… looks like Magneto's not planning to create a city of mutants."
He glanced at Mystique.
"More like a city of dead ones."
Mystique stiffened.
"Raven," the Professor said gravely, "this is no joke."
"When is Erik planning to act?"
His fingers slowly rose to his temples.
"I promised not to invade your mind… but I won't allow this to continue."
Mystique faltered.
"…Alright, stop asking."
A voice interrupted.
Colin.
He leaned lazily against the wall.
"I think I already know where he's going to strike."
The Plan
"Colin?" everyone turned.
"Do you remember the UN summit tonight?" he asked.
"If nothing unexpected happens, the Mutant Management Act will be passed."
Silence.
"So if Magneto moves," Colin continued,
"it will be now."
"And the location…"
His eyes narrowed.
"Liberty Island. The Statue of Liberty."
Logan frowned. "How can you be so sure?"
"Because it's symbolic," Colin replied instantly.
"The people pushing the Act will be there. Turning them into mutants is the most direct retaliation."
He smirked.
"And it's dramatic. That's Magneto's style."
Professor X nodded slowly.
"Colin is right."
Departure
"Then we move now," the Professor said.
"Destination: Liberty Island."
The basketball court split open.
The Blackbird jet rose and shot into the sky.
Battle Begins
Minutes later, they arrived near Liberty Island.
Fog rolled in.
The jet plunged into the ocean undetected.
Magneto's Side
At the top of the Statue of Liberty, Magneto stood calmly.
Behind him, a woman smiled faintly.
"I can feel Charles," said Emma Frost.
Magneto nodded.
"Then he's yours."
Psychic power erupted,
Clashing directly with Professor X.
Inside the jet, the Professor stiffened.
"The White Queen… she's here."
"We're in trouble."
Splitting the Team
Scott took command.
"Everyone, move out."
Then he turned,
"Colin, stay. Protect the Professor."
After a pause, Colin nodded.
"…Fine. Be careful."
Inside the Statue
Scott, Jean, Storm, and Logan moved in.
BEEP!
Logan triggered security.
"…Oops."
Too late.
A tongue lashed out,
Scott was dragged away instantly.
Nightcrawler appeared.
Both vanished.
Chaos
Toad attacked.
Jean restrained him,but lost focus.
Storm blasted him out.
Then Riptide arrived,
Overpowering her with a storm.
Logan Falls
Above,
Nightcrawler dropped Logan from the sky.
He plummeted.
Fast.
Too fast.
"AHHH,!"
Just before impact,
THWIP!
A web shot out.
Logan was yanked sideways and slammed safely to the ground.
A casual voice followed:
"Hey bro… you good?
End of Chapter