mtl008 Chapter 4708 X Royal Clash (4)
Chapter 4708 X Royal Clash (4)
Chapter 4708 X Royal Family: Fierce Battle (Fourteen)
Apocalypse's offensive was unexpectedly swift and fierce; the oldest mutant is more than just a name. Although Apocalypse has performed poorly in many comics, his performance in "Royal Family X" can be considered a rare highlight. He possesses both wisdom and strength, making him one of the strongest Apocalypses in the multiverse.
Thor had fought him before, and even defeated him, but for some reason, this time he found it difficult to gain the upper hand against Apocalypse. He swung his hammer, smashing it down on Apocalypse, but instead of sending him flying, he took another punch himself. He had to summon lightning to force Apocalypse back with the help of electricity.
On the other side, Doctor Strange also encountered a formidable foe. His title as the Omega-level mutant is entirely due to his all-around abilities; he not only possesses powerful psychic abilities, but also a psionic shield, super speed, etherealization, shockwaves, and super healing factor.
But having all that doesn't necessarily qualify him as an Omega-level powerhouse. More importantly, he possesses a superhuman-like ability with an even higher ceiling. That ability is: the more confident he is in himself, the stronger he becomes; and the more others trust him, the stronger he becomes.
After Scarlet Witch proclaimed "There will be no more mutants," Chase was one of the very few who did not lose his mutant abilities. This was because he did not believe he was without superpowers, nor did he believe that mutants had no future. Relying solely on this idealistic power, he even became completely immune to Scarlet Witch's causal weapons, demonstrating his immense strength.
Now, he was incredibly confident in himself. Furthermore, Clarkia's success filled him with confidence in the future of mutants, greatly enhancing his abilities. With this added power, he shattered Doctor Strange's shield with a single punch.
This caught everyone off guard, even the mutants, as few had ever seen Professor X in action. Almost simultaneously, a mental storm swept through the entire Hongmen Ran factory; everyone assumed it was Professor X, but the brainwaves were far more aggressive. All the Avengers felt a momentary dizziness and a sharp headache.
"Ugh!!!" The local Iron Man screamed, nearly falling to the ground. His vision went black, almost causing him to lose control of the mech, but he quickly recovered.
He knew these mutants were difficult to deal with, but he hadn't expected them to be this strong. Fortunately, they had already joined forces with the main universe. The local Iron Man, after connecting to the communication channel, said, "Come quick, we're about to lose them."
"So fast?!" The main universe's Iron Man was still fiddling with the systems at the Redgate Orchid factory, trying to find the mutants, but he didn't expect the local Avengers to be unable to hold him off for even this short time. He could only respond and hurriedly rushed over there.
In fact, his search was effective. The mutant consciousnesses inside the system now sensed an intrusion, but they were not sure if it was someone coming to rescue them. They were worried that it was another trap set by the Mother Model's security system, so they did not dare to show themselves.
When Magneto arrived, he happened to find a ready-made solution. He directly input his brainwave data into the system, and Cyclops Scott was the first to discover it.
“It’s Magneto,” Cyclops said. They were all in a phantom state now, somewhat like a converted stream of information.
"They really came to rescue us?!" Wolverine said in disbelief. "What was Magneto thinking?! This will kill a lot of people!"
“We need to find a way to make contact with him,” Laser Eye said.
"What about the previous plan?" Phoenix asked. "We're almost at the core of the Mother Model. Once we can control it, we can turn the superweapons created by humans to target mutants against us..."
“That’s right,” Mystique said. “If we just leave like this, the Nimrod will be produced, and mutants will be wiped out just the same.”
Cyclops bit his lip, then said in an unquestionable tone, "You go, I'll stay."
"What?! No way!" Wolverine was the first to object. "Either we come together, or we all stay. How can we leave you here alone?!"
“I’m the captain, listen to me,” Cyclops said, leaving no room for argument. “If you leave here, you can rebuild the core strength of the mutants as quickly as possible and continue to fight for the mutant nation. I’ll stay and see if we can infiltrate the Mother Model and give the mutants a chance to survive.”
Before Wolverine could say anything more, Mystique stopped him. She stepped forward and looked at Cyclops, but Cyclops was wearing an eyepatch, so Mystique couldn't see his eyes clearly.
"Have you thought this through, Scott? You have almost no chance of controlling the master model on your own, and you may never be able to return to Earth."
“I know.” Cyclops’ tone became calm. “Give my regards to the professor and tell him that I have never regretted it for a moment. Even if death comes, I will still be proud of what we did.”
“Scott!” Phoenix stepped forward to dissuade him, “Since it’s almost impossible to stop him, why don’t we go together…”
“Jean, I’m not just the leader of the raiding squad, but also the leader of the X-Men, and a role model for mutants. If I can’t lead by example and fight for the survival of mutants, how can I expect others to risk their lives to defend our country?”
Tears welled in the eyes of the other mutants, but Cyclops's unwavering resolve left them helpless. Finally, Mystique sighed, placed her hand on Cyclops's shoulder, and said as if making a vow, "Whether the plan succeeds or not, if you live, we will do everything in our power to rescue you."
Cyclops's lips moved as if he wanted to refuse, but Mystique didn't give him the chance and turned to leave with the other mutants.
Magneto successfully received them. However, when they entered Magneto's mental domain, Magneto paused for a moment, then asked, "Where's Scott?"
“He refuses to leave,” Mystique explained simply.
Magneto's expression turned serious: "If he doesn't go back, I won't be able to explain it to the professor."
“Eric…”
"Scott Summers is the eldest son of the X-Men and Professor X's son. He is the child he has placed the most hopes on, the successor he has groomed, and one of the rulers of the mutant nation. We cannot let him die here."
Magneto looked up at the enormous Mother Model. He knew Cyclops had no hope of moving it; it was like an ant trying to shake a tree. But just like the questions he had raised when making this decision—ultimately, why can't mutants have a good ending?
Nimrod's arrival signifies yet another "no more mutants," and this time it will be even more devastating. They will be slaughtered, exterminated, and completely wiped from the homeland that rightfully belongs to them. Until then, any absurd or laughable attempt will be worthwhile. It represents hope, it represents their indomitable will.
Magneto took a deep breath and said to the consciousness in his mind, "I'm sorry, according to the plan I should take you away immediately, but I'm afraid we'll have to wait a while."
Magneto could hear his heartbeat growing increasingly rapid; something was breaking free of its cocoon, and a terrifying aura of threat was spreading. Retreat was still possible, but going back would only offer temporary safety; why cling to a life of ignominy?
Before this, Magneto still held onto hope that there might be other ways to deal with Nimrod. But after facing the Mother Model and feeling that indescribable sense of threat, he had given up all illusions.
None of the consciousnesses in his mind raised any questions. Wolverine said, "If I must die, then let me die here."
"Not necessarily." Magneto lowered his eyes, a bold, even insane, idea popping into his mind, but he knew it might be his only hope.
"Chase away," Magneto communicated with the psychic in his mind, "take away the consciousness in my mind, and then tell Apocalypse that the moment the Mother Model awakens, lead all mutants to evacuate."
Zhu Shuai had a bad feeling and wanted to say something, but Magneto had already severed the connection. Zhu Shuai's temper wasn't as good as Professor X's; he was about to force his way in, but unfortunately, Magneto had already put on his helmet.
The helmet seemed useless, but Zhu Shuai couldn't concentrate on attacking Magneto at this moment. Realizing the connection was lost, he had no choice but to give up and send a message to Apocalypse.
Apocalypse said nothing; he simply repelled the main universe's Iron Man once more, then turned to look at the original model bathed in light. Nine lifetimes had passed; success or failure hinged on this one moment.
He took a deep breath, suppressed his power, and looked at Iron Man opposite him, saying, "I advise you to leave now. The fate of mutants is not up to you."
“I also advise you to give up,” said the main universe Iron Man. “I will never allow the Redgate Orchid factory to fall into your hands.”
Apocalypse was not angry. In the sun's radiance, one side of everyone was illuminated brightly, while the other side sank into deep darkness. There were no shadows in space, but something else was illuminated with even greater magnificence.
"The strength of the enemy can only determine how great the heroes of a group are, what sacrifices they must make, and what glorious victories they can achieve."
"On a planet like Earth, struggle is the destiny of every race. Our enemy has never been just humanity, but fate itself, the rewriting of fate in this endless cycle. That is why, if we win, it will be a greatness you can never imagine."
Iron Man in the main universe never expected Apocalypse to say such a thing; it seemed like some kind of omen, or even a prophecy. Just as he was trying to understand these words, he suddenly felt something begin to tremble in the silent, still vacuum.
Not just the vacuum, but the entire Redgate Orchid factory trembled slightly, as if some force was on the verge of exploding. The main universe's Iron Man whirled around, but Magneto wasn't there. He immediately guessed what Magneto was planning.
"No!!!" The Iron Man of the main universe cried out in horror, "Stop!! Stop!!!"
The local Iron Man also looked shocked, but he didn't have time to shout. He roared at his teammates behind him, "Go!! Go now!!!"
Amidst the frantic rush of everyone, the massive factory began to move slowly, resolutely hurtling towards the sun. The violent magnetic field carrying the factory flowed like a rushing river, determinedly heading towards the sea.