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Inside the CIA building, Lancelot sat back on a plush, high-end sofa, watching the video feed before him with keen interest.
Bradley—the mutant under Lancelot's command—had already integrated the entire area surrounding the private club into a single control system.
Neither Professor X nor Magneto noticed that the streetlights above their heads concealed cameras silently observing their every move.
Even Lancelot himself had not expected that sending Mystique Raven to meet the Hellfire Club's Black King would allow him to obtain all of Sebastian Shaw's plans as a bonus.
What none of them anticipated was that this meeting would evolve into a three-way confrontation among the three great mutant powers.
The Hellfire Club.
The birthplace of the X-Men.
And the cradle of Lancelot's mutant evolution.
"How interesting," Lancelot murmured, tapping the table lightly.
"Is this the prelude to the first true war of mutants?"
"Raven, be careful," he reminded calmly, then continued watching in silence.
This was the first meeting of the three mutant giants—its significance was extraordinary.
At this moment, Mystique Raven—disguised as General Maxim Ivanov—sat in the VIP lounge, arms wrapped around dancers on both sides, reclining comfortably on the soft sofa, clearly enjoying herself.
Behind her stood several silent mutants—members of the House of Mutant Evolution.
"Where is Sebastian Shaw?"
Raven raised her head and snapped angrily at Salvador beside her.
"Tell him to come out and see me."
After playing the role of General Maxim for so long, Raven now carried an unmistakable air of authority. Even sitting still, she radiated pressure without a trace of anger.
"You dare speak the Black King's name so casually?!"
The Dragonfly Girl Salvador, already displeased with Raven, erupted in fury.
Just as Salvador was about to teach this so-called human general a lesson, a cloud of red smoke suddenly appeared.
From the smoke emerged Sebastian Shaw, Azazel, and Riptide.
"Enough, Salvador," Shaw said coldly, casting her a displeased glance.
"Do not neglect my honored guest."
"Yes, Black King," Salvador replied immediately, lowering her head in fear.
She knew all too well that while Shaw often spoke of mutant ideals, anyone who truly defied him would be crushed without mercy.
She still remembered questioning one of his plans—only to be sent flying with a single slap, bedridden for three days.
"General Maxim, it's been a long time,"
Shaw said with a smile, as if greeting an old friend.
"Sebastian Shaw, wipe that fake smile off your face," Raven snapped, slapping his arm away.
"You're nothing but a madman obsessed with destroying the world."
Although they were currently cooperating, Raven represented the Soviet Union. As long as the USSR chose restraint, World War III would never truly begin.
Because of this, Shaw had always treated "General Maxim" as someone he had to appease.
"Heh… General Maxim," Shaw said, his smile fading.
"You didn't come here just to mock me, did you?"
Anger burned in his eyes, but—just as Lancelot had predicted—Shaw swallowed his fury and maintained a false composure.
"All of you, leave," Raven ordered, waving the dancers away.
Only the mutants—and the human agent Moira—remained.
"Now talk," Raven said coldly.
"How exactly do you plan to start this war?"
"As you wish, General Maxim," Shaw replied, smiling again.
He glanced at Azazel, who instantly vanished into red mist. Moments later, he reappeared carrying several world maps.
"Our plan is simple," Shaw said, lifting a model ship.
"We will seize an unmarked vessel near Cuba and launch missiles at U.S. warships stationed there—the frontline of the Cold War."
He tossed the model ship onto the boundary line separating the two superpowers.
Raven watched without comment. She already understood the strategy—manufacture chaos at the border, make each side believe the other crossed the line, and war would be inevitable.
"If circumstances change," Shaw continued calmly,
"I'll have Azazel infiltrate an American nuclear submarine and launch the missiles himself."
"And at the same time," he went on,
"Riptide will generate massive oceanic vortexes—tornadoes, tsunamis—forcing both fleets into the boundary zone. Once the ships collide, even without orders, no one will hesitate. It will be a war born of uncertainty."
Shaw spoke endlessly.
Beside Raven, Moira broke out in a cold sweat. No matter what she did, she realized she was powerless to stop any of this.
In Shaw's plan, world war was inevitable.
"And if nuclear war still doesn't break out," Shaw said, red light flickering in his eyes,
"then I will personally unleash nuclear-level power and annihilate the U.S. fleet."
A violent surge of energy burst from him.
The room's furnishings lifted slightly, caught in near weightlessness.
"So this is Sebastian Shaw's power…"
Even Raven, well-traveled and battle-hardened, was momentarily stunned.
Then she calmly placed a document on the table.
"According to a directive from the Soviet high command," Raven said evenly,
"your plan must be delayed by fifteen days."
Shaw's expression darkened instantly.
"Why?"
He had planned this for years. To be told to wait now ignited his fury.
"Our intelligence indicates that the U.S. military possesses a special mutant unit—the X-Men," Raven continued.
"They are currently on high alert."
"And as far as we know," she added,
"they have only one target—you and the Hellfire Club."
"In other words, Sebastian Shaw," Raven said meaningfully,
"you're in serious trouble."
She glanced once at Shaw, once at Moira, then nodded to the mutants behind her.
"Stone, escort us out."
"X-Men…"
Shaw stared after Raven as she left, finally losing control. A blast of red energy shot from his hand, smashing into the wall and tearing open a massive hole.
"Don't let that old bastard Maxim escape," Shaw roared.
He intended to seize Raven and force the Soviets to cooperate.
Outside the club, Professor X's pupils contracted.
"Eric—I can see them now," he said quietly.
"Then move, Charles!"
Magneto raised his hands and lifted into the air.
"Just as I expected," Lancelot murmured from afar.
"Neither Shaw nor Magneto can hold back anymore."
"Perfect."
"I'll use this battle to test the strength of my mutant army."
Lancelot's ruby-red eyes grew deep and unfathomable as he watched the X-Men and Sebastian Shaw spiral toward open conflict.