Even after the video finished playing, the discussions in the conference room showed no signs of stopping. Low murmurs surged like a tide through the solemn space, and an indescribable tension hung in the air, as if even the lights had dimmed.
One of the 72 Pillars of Solomon—recorded in legends for millennia—had actually manifested in the real world. That bombshell hit everyone like a freight train.
And that appearance... a childlike figure riding a vicious two-headed dragon... matched the mythological descriptions almost perfectly, bringing an incredibly visceral sense of recognition.
Just looking at its form, no one could've guessed this eerie entity was Valac, the demon of prophecy and secrets from ancient lore.
What made demons most terrifying wasn't their raw power—it was their instinct to deceive and disguise. For mortals with flesh-and-blood bodies and weak individual combat capabilities, this was almost a death sentence.
Once approached or attacked by such beings, regular people had virtually no chance to even struggle. At that point, advanced thermal weapons or even world-ending nuclear explosions wouldn't matter.
If the people were gone, what good was any of it?
Even more terrifying, ancient records explicitly stated that demons excelled at corrupting hearts and tempting souls to fall. One wrong step and you could become their puppet, losing your free will entirely. When that happened, all the wealth and status human society offered meant absolutely nothing.
"That concludes the full details of this incident."
The Pope's voice rang out again, steady and carrying undeniable weight.
He scanned the virtual assembly and continued slowly. "And I must emphasize one critical point—hell is real. According to the Vatican's secret texts, Mephisto, a lord of hell, has set foot on Earth multiple times. He's an extremely dangerous being. Fortunately, Earth also has its guardians who've managed to restrain him."
"What's been said today is everything we know. I hope you'll all seriously consider the far-reaching implications this incident may bring..."
Just then—
Tap, tap, tap.
Clear footsteps echoed from outside the door, unhurried yet instantly capturing everyone's attention.
The door swung open, and a tall figure entered the conference room. Black hair, black eyes, a calm expression. His white robe with gold trim enhanced his extraordinary presence, as if he was wrapped in an inviolable aura.
Adrian. The Mutant representative the Vatican had recently brought to the forefront.
Nearly every gaze locked onto him. The astonishing combat power he'd displayed in the video—standing toe-to-toe with a demon—was still seared into everyone's minds.
Without question, his individual strength stood at the absolute pinnacle of the planet, with only a handful of others who could rival him.
"Among the Mutants... another remarkable individual has emerged," someone murmured, inevitably thinking of Magneto Erik and Professor X Charles—the two Mutant leaders who'd dominated global affairs for decades.
Those two had haunted the minds of high-ranking officials and financial magnates for years, like thorns lodged deep in their backs. And now that same deterrent power was resurfacing in Adrian, taking a different form.
Adrian walked to the front, his gaze calmly sweeping over the assembled faces.
"Taking this opportunity, I'd like to say a few more things."
His voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears with crystal clarity, carrying an invisible weight.
"Everyone here holds either power or wealth. Mutants and humans have never been two separate groups—we're intertwined, coexisting in this world. There's never been an irreconcilable blood feud between us. The so-called conflicts? They're usually driven by people's ambition to seize extraordinary power, to covet immortality, leading to greed for Mutant abilities."
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle.
"And today, I want to tell you something important. According to information I've obtained, Mutant power can be traced back to the Creator of the universe—it's a gift bestowed by God. It's just that this gift... isn't stable in form."
"Now myths are returning, and the truth is gradually emerging. I hope you'll stop clinging to internal conflicts that'll only result in mutual destruction, ultimately giving those covetous otherworldly beings an opportunity to strike."
Adrian's tone remained calm throughout, with minimal emotional fluctuation, but the powerful sense of authority seemed to penetrate the screens, reaching deep into every attendee's heart.
When his words fell silent, the conference room plunged into a long, heavy quiet.
Everyone was processing what he'd said, calculating pros and cons and possibilities.
Adrian didn't care what they were specifically thinking. His objective was achieved.
The Pope, standing nearby, nodded slightly and gestured to the side.
Click.
With a soft sound, all video connections cut simultaneously. Screens dimmed one by one.
"Well done," the Pope said, stepping forward to gently pat Adrian's shoulder. His eyes shone with admiration. "Too much is as bad as too little. Those old foxes are all shrewd. If you'd directly proposed controlling Mutant abilities or targeting the Rockefeller family right off the bat, you would've exposed your intentions and made people suspect the Vatican wanted to dominate by force."
He paused, then continued. "Instead, you approached it from the perspective of group survival and external threats. A few words, combined with the power you displayed, made your argument incredibly persuasive. Especially attributing the origin of Mutant power to the Creator... a brilliant stroke. It can't be verified, yet no one dares easily deny it."
Indeed—since demons had already appeared, who could confidently assert that Mutants weren't messengers left by the Creator to protect the human world?
Maybe myths had simply faded, history had been distorted, and the truth forgotten.
The impact of this meeting far exceeded expectations and continued to ferment in the weeks that followed.
Many powerful and influential figures began secretly searching for and screening Mutants. Those with outstanding abilities who were willing to serve for money and power were recruited, becoming unprecedented protective forces beside important figures.
The situation for Mutants was quietly changing.
Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters
Professor X Charles stared at the latest intelligence report in his hand, a momentary trance flickering in his eyes.
"He did it better than me," he murmured.
He was acutely aware of how the outside world had shifted over the past month. Even within his own school, a few students had been lured away by attractive offers from the outside.
The Mutant community had elevated its status by several levels in just one month.
And the turning point for all of it? Adrian's battle with the demon Valac.
Charles hadn't anticipated that mythical creatures actually existed...
Another Secret Base
Magneto Erik wore a complex expression, clutching briefing materials about Adrian alongside several invitation letters from different financial conglomerates.
These past few days, people had been contacting him nonstop. He—the notorious Magneto, once wanted by multiple countries—had suddenly become a hot commodity in the eyes of certain powerful figures.
"Adrian..." Erik spoke the name softly.
They'd never met, but the other man had invisibly helped turn the gears of fate in his favor.
He'd heard Charles went to see Adrian once. No one knew what they'd discussed, but the outcome was clearly unsatisfactory.
This young man definitely wasn't on the same path as him or Charles.
He was changing the situation for Mutants in this world through his own stubborn approach.
Of course, not everyone was happy about it.
"Damn it! Damn it all!"
In some dark corners, irrepressible roars erupted.
"Mutants are heretics! They're monsters stealing divine power! They shouldn't exist in this world at all!"
"What demon? How many divisions does a demon have?!"
Extremist anti-Mutant factions were furious. Decades of suppression and exclusion were beginning to loosen in just one month? This was absolutely unacceptable.
Even if only a small number of Mutants were currently being recognized, the trend alone was enough to spark panic and rage.
Meanwhile, in corners all around the world, many ordinary Mutants who'd been living in constant fear also vaguely sensed a subtle shift in the atmosphere.
Though high-level pursuits hadn't completely stopped, the intensity was clearly not as strong as before.
They asked each other, confused and uncertain: What the hell is happening to this world?
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