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Deep beneath New York City, a secret laboratory unknown to the public lay hidden from the world above.
Cold electronic screens flickered in rows, their eerie blue light reflecting off the expressionless faces of every researcher working the late shift.
In stark contrast to the dazzling lights of Manhattan above ground, down here there was only the low hum of machinery and the faint clatter of keyboards—a heavy silence that was almost suffocating.
Ever since Duke Valac of Serpents, one of the 72 Pillars of Solomon, had appeared, the voices against Mutants had significantly decreased. Some powerful figures had even begun openly favoring them.
After being suppressed for so long, suddenly having the opportunity to walk openly on the streets? Many Mutants flocked to it, eager to finally step out of the shadows.
But this false harmony never dispelled the extreme anxieties festering in certain hearts.
The laboratory here was a product of that anxiety.
On the other side of the bulletproof glass, two crimson points of light suddenly flared to life in the dim space, like the eyes of a sleeping beast snapping open.
What followed was the sound of precise mechanical joints turning—smooth, calculated movements—as a ten-foot-tall humanoid robot slowly straightened its body. Its shell was made from a special composite ceramic material, gleaming with a pale, bone-like luster under the cold fluorescent lights.
A researcher pushed up his glasses, his voice devoid of any emotion.
"Third debugging sequence ready. Energy core output stable. Neural network synchronization rate at ninety-two percent."
Data streams scrolled rapidly across the main screen, far too complex for ordinary people to comprehend. After a moment, he let out a slight breath, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow.
"It's ready. Bug fixed. Movement coordination has improved by seventeen percentage points since the last test."
"It's still not enough."
An old, hoarse voice emerged from the shadows.
Bolivar Trask sat in a wheelchair, slowly pushed forward by his assistant to the glass window. His gaze burned like a torch, fixed on the gradually awakening mechanical creation.
"We're missing something crucial. It's not perfect enough."
The assistant responded in a low voice. "Boss, limited by existing materials, this is already our absolute limit. Over the years, we've analyzed countless Mutant genes and abilities. The Sentinel robots have undergone several iterations. But funding-wise..."
He didn't finish the sentence, but Trask understood perfectly.
As the government gradually cut the budget, his life's work—the Sentinel Project—was progressing with increasing difficulty.
Although the robot before them was the latest generation, it was still far from the power he'd envisioned.
Especially when facing the man who could control all metal.
Because of Magneto's existence, they'd been forced to abandon metal materials entirely and develop high-strength non-metallic composite alternatives instead.
But their defensive capabilities remained unsatisfactory. In several simulated combat tests, they'd still been easily torn apart by high-level Mutants.
"I'll solve the funding issue," Trask said, his eyes gleaming with obsession. "As for materials and Mutant samples... I already have targets."
He clutched information on several special Mutants—their abilities were the key to realizing his ultimate weapon.
"Demons? Mythical creatures? Ridiculous."
His voice dripped with contempt.
"Before science, all of these should bow down. Humans are actually deluding themselves into handing their fate over to Mutants—this is the most foolish choice imaginable!"
He let out a low, cold laugh.
His voice suddenly rose, and his withered fingers gripped the wheelchair's armrest. "We've suppressed and purged Mutants for decades. Once they gain real power, how could they not seek revenge? This is human nature! If that day truly comes... humanity will be reduced to nothing but slaves!"
The intense emotional surge brought waves of sharp pain to his head. He was old. His body was riddled with ailments. He only survived this long because of his wealth.
But he couldn't stop now.
"Some people even claim Mutant power comes from gods?" His voice rose with indignation. "Where are these gods then? Have they ever responded to the prayers of their followers?!"
A hint of imperceptible sorrow flickered in his eyes, immediately replaced by burning resolve.
He had to control the future. No matter the cost.
"Notify the action team." He handed two encrypted files to his assistant.
"Find these two Mutants. Capture them at all costs."
"Yes, boss."
The assistant respectfully took the documents without hesitation. He'd followed Trask for decades. They shared the same fear, the same unyielding belief.
Meanwhile, in the shadows on another side of the city, a different kind of tension permeated the Brotherhood of Mutants' stronghold.
The hideout was buried underground beneath an abandoned factory, its entrance cleverly disguised as a rusty hydraulic door. But inside? It was a world of its own.
Mystique Raven looked at Magneto, who stood silently by the window, a rare hesitation in her voice.
"Erik, should the plan still continue?"
She remembered her youth, many years ago, spent at Professor X's academy. Charles had treated her like family, but they'd ultimately gone separate ways.
Charles was born into privilege. His abilities were a gift to him, not a curse. He could never understand what Mutants who were homeless, persecuted, and feared truly experienced every single day.
So she'd chosen Erik Lehnsherr instead—chosen resistance over compromise.
"It must continue."
Magneto's voice was firm and resolute, without the slightest waver.
"No one can stop us, Raven. Whatever that guy Adrian did, whatever illusion he created for those in power... it's only temporary."
He turned around, his eyes holding an unextinguished flame.
"If Mutants don't fight, they'll be trampled at the bottom forever. And if they do fight? They'll face even more brutal suppression. This is an unsolvable deadlock."
His voice deepened, becoming even more resolute.
"The only way out is to turn all of humanity... into us."
"But you'll die!" Raven couldn't help but step forward, alarm breaking through her usual composure.
Erik's existence wasn't just leadership for the Brotherhood—he was a symbol. Losing him might mean losing all hope for their cause.
"Sacrifice is inevitable."
A flicker of pain crossed Magneto's eyes, but it instantly hardened into steel-like determination.
He raised his hand. A metal table nearby trembled slightly. Parts on the table levitated, forming the prototype of a complex device.
"I've found a way. With this enhancer, my abilities will be strong enough to cover all of New York. In just an instant, everyone will experience the same transformation we once went through."
Their plan had originally been nearing the execution phase but was forced into postponement due to Adrian's sudden emergence and the subtle shift in the overall situation.
But they couldn't wait any longer.
Several high-ranking council members who held tremendous power and openly despised Mutants... they were the targets Erik had chosen.
He wanted them to become the very thing they detested most.
He wondered what expression would cross their faces when they woke up and discovered they'd become Mutants.
Would it be joy at gaining power?
Or despair at becoming outcasts?
The answer was about to be revealed.
And the storm Adrian had set in motion... was far from over.
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