→ 250 POWER STONES= 1 BONUS CHAPTER
→ 450 POWER STONES= 2nd BONUS CHAPTER
→ 600 POWER STONES = 1 SIDE STORY
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– FIRST OBJECTIVE:- 310/250 P.S ✓
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– THIRD OBJECTIVE- /600 P.S
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Congratulations readers, you have completed our second weekly objective. This is the bonus chapter.
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After a few seconds of quiet, Nova casually asked, "So... anyone interested in making a trade?"
The group exchanged glances, uncertain. A few shifted awkwardly, but in the end, they all shook their heads. Jean seemed like she wanted to say something — her lips parted briefly — but after a moment of hesitation, she simply shook her head too, looking a little conflicted.
Seeing this, Nova gave a small shrug.
Maybe they're too shy to negotiate trades out in the open, he thought. Or maybe they don't trust each other enough yet.
He was about to move on when Shaw suddenly spoke up, his voice cutting through the stillness.
"Wait. I want to issue a quest."
Nova raised an eyebrow, intrigued, and gestured for him to continue.
Shaw leaned forward, folding his hands together. "Magneto and Emma probably told you about the extermination event that happened, right?"
Nova gave a small nod. His expression didn't change, but inwardly he was already on alert.
Seeing that, Shaw continued, his voice grim. "Because of that... a lot of powerful groups — corporations, labs, paramilitary units — realized how vulnerable they were. So they started pouring resources into countermeasures. Psychic shielding tech, mind-proof facilities, anti-telepathy fields — it's all out there now. And with those protections in place, they think they can operate in the shadows again."
Shaw paused, letting the weight of his words settle. Then he added, "I believe many of them have resumed experimenting on mutants. Some might never have stopped at all — but now they're bolder, hidden behind layers of defenses that even the strongest telepaths can't easily breach."
Nova frowned, his mind racing. He wasn't surprised. In fact, he had anticipated this kind of fallout.
History had already shown him how human fear and greed could spiral. In another timeline, the fear of mutants had led to the creation of Sentinels — machines that were supposed to protect humanity, but ended up becoming exterminators of anyone carrying even a dormant X-gene.
The extermination event had been a wake-up call for many. But for others, it had been an opportunity.
An opportunity to double down on control, cruelty, and survival — no matter the cost.
Nova stayed silent for a moment, his mind running through possibilities. He had no illusions about the cruelty of the world they lived in — especially now, when fear still gripped humanity tighter than reason ever could.
Finally, he leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees.
"What exactly do you want, Shaw?" he asked, voice calm but edged with steel.
Shaw smiled faintly, as if he'd been waiting for that question. "Simple. I want to issue a quest—to find proof. Hard evidence — names, locations, operations. Something we can expose or... deal with ourselves."
Nova nodded slowly. "A quest, huh?"
Without another word, he flicked his wrist, tapping a command on his system interface. A faint hum filled the air as a translucent screen materialized in front of him, expanding and shimmering with vibrant energy.
Everyone leaned forward slightly as golden letters began to carve themselves into existence across the screen.
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QUEST
Quest Title: Shadows Beneath the Surface
Quest Type: Investigation / Countermeasure
Primary Objectives:
→ Identify and infiltrate hidden facilities conducting illegal mutant experimentation.
→ Secure irrefutable evidence: classified documents, digital records, witness testimonies. Also if possible find the behind the scene operator's.
Optional Objectives:
→ Rescue any detained or exploited mutants.
→ Sabotage infrastructure to prevent future experimentation.
Rewards: Yet to be negotiated.
Failure Penalties:
→ Mutant community quests decrease.
→ Increased hostility from Corporate and Government Black Ops Divisions.
→ Potential personal targeting by unknown forces.
----
After studying the quest, Shaw nodded and Nova sealed the quest and uploaded it on the quest tab.
Taking a slow breath, Nova leaned back slightly, his fingers loosely interlaced. His voice was steady, carrying a weight that pressed down on the room.
"You know," he said, glancing at the faces around him, "even if you destroy every hidden lab, every facility, every underground bunker — experiments on mutants won't stop. You all realize that, right?"
For a few heartbeats, no one answered. The members of the room — some of the strongest mutants alive — shifted uncomfortably.
Wanda narrowed her eyes slightly. Scott crossed his arms across his chest. Pietro looked away, tapping his foot in silent agitation. Even Logan, usually the first to bark back, stayed silent, his jaw tight.
It was Magneto who finally broke the silence. He rose halfway from his seat, his voice cold, resolute, and full of a lifetime's worth of pain.
"It doesn't matter," he said firmly, his eyes gleaming with a familiar fire. "We will destroy them. Every time they build one, we will tear it down. Brick by brick, wall by wall."
Nova met his gaze without flinching and shook his head slowly, almost sadly.
"Then what happens after you three die?" he asked, his voice calm but cutting. "Sure, others can step up. Maybe even wield your names like banners. But can they guarantee the future? Can they survive long enough, be strong enough, wise enough, united enough to protect what matters?"
The words hit harder than any attack. There was no escaping the truth in them.
Across the room, Jean lowered her gaze, her fingers clenching briefly around the armrest of her chair. Storm exhaled quietly through her nose, the elegant calm she always carried now cracked with something almost like grief. Even Charles Xavier, the eternal optimist, looked down, his features drawn and weary.
Wanda, arms crossed, stared at Nova with a frown. "There's always someone," she said, though her voice lacked its usual certainty. "Mutants are survivors. Someone will rise."
"Maybe," Nova allowed, inclining his head slightly. "Or maybe history repeats itself again. Humanity has short memories. Fear never forgets. How many times must mutantkind be hunted to near extinction before survival isn't enough anymore?"
Mystique leaned forward, her smile sharp and bitter. "You speak as if there's another option. If there was a better way, don't you think we'd have tried it already?"
Emma Frost, who had been silent until now, gave a soft, almost imperceptible sigh. She tilted her head, studying Nova through narrowed eyes.
She said coolly, " He has a point. Constant warfare, constant retaliation... it's a war of attrition. And in the end, exhaustion always wins."
Logan let out a low, humorless laugh, his arms still folded across his chest. "And what? You expect us to just play nice? Shake hands and trust they'll stop putting bullets in our kids?"
Nova gave a faint, humorless smile.
"No. I expect you to stop reacting. And start building."
Jean lifted her head, her voice quiet but steady. "Building what?"
Nova rose from his seat, pacing slowly in front of them, every step deliberate.
"A homeland," he said simply. "A sanctuary. A mutant paradise. A place that belongs to mutants — where you don't have to hide. Where you don't just survive, but thrive."
He stopped and turned to face them. His gaze was piercing, the sheer belief in his words almost tangible.
Storm exchanged a glance with Charles before speaking carefully. "We have dreamed of such a place. We spoke of Genosha... But dreams are fragile. They shatter under the weight of fear."
Nova nodded slowly.
"They shatter because you built them without enough protection. Dreams need power to survive. Fear must be met with something that forces even the most hate-filled fool to think twice before raising a hand."
Charles steepled his fingers under his chin, his brow furrowed in deep thought.
"And how do you propose we defend such a nation?"
Nova's smile sharpened slightly, almost predatory.
"Deterrence," he said simply. "It's why human nations don't dare to start wars against each other anymore. Not because they suddenly became wise — but because of nuclear weapons."
He turned and pointed deliberately.
First at Charles.
Then at Shaw.
Then at Magneto.
"You already have your own nuclear weapons — right here. Powerful enough that no government would dare attack mutantkind directly. But..."
He let the word hang in the air like a guillotine.
"You are mortal. Eventually, time — or a well-placed bullet, or an enemy you never see coming — will claim you. Sooner or later, nature will do what fear and hatred couldn't."
A grim ripple passed through the room. Even those with the most pride — Magneto, Mystique, Shaw — could not deny the truth of those words.
"And when that happens," Nova continued, his voice lower, harsher, "what then? When the world knows the 'nuclear option' is gone? When the predators smell blood and see weakness?"
Pietro muttered under his breath, just loud enough for everyone to hear, "Sounds like you're saying we need to build a bomb."
"Not a bomb," Nova corrected smoothly. " A shield. A sword. Something — someone — that will have nuclear weapon level deterrence, for a very very long period of time."
Emma's voice was cool and precise.
"And you think you know how to build this... deterrence?"
Nova gave a small shrug, full of infuriating casual confidence. "I am a trader, I can help lay the foundation. Guide you to the possibilities and help with all the mess for a right price ofcourse. What you do with it? That will be your choice."
Mystique leaned forward, suspicion radiating off her."And why help us? What do you want out of this?"
Nova met her gaze directly. "Because I am also a mutant. What happens if my descendants are also mutant? I don't want them to be discriminated against it, I don't want to leave their future in somebody else's hands."
The room quitened down as everybody started thinking about their own future and descendants.
After a while, Sebestian Shaw spoke," Your idea do have merit but we cannot execute it immediately. If others got to know that we are going to build a nation, then.... Besides on which land we can create our nation?".
Nova nodded," Indeed, they will prepare for war even if we started building a nation. As for the land, earth is very big and have a lot of islands and places that are unaccessible by humans."
Charles frowned," Unaccessible places?"
Nova nodded," Indeed, places like spatial pocket. Human cannot directly enter these spatial pockets without someone guiding them in or without magical spells etc."
Hearing this Emma raised her eyebrows," So you are saying that we need to search for these spatial spaces/pockets?"
Nova nodded," Indeed you can but spatial spaces cannot be found easily. You need people with spatial abilities."
Magneto frowned," But people with spaital abilities are rare and them finding these spatial pockets will take lot of time."
Nova shrugged," You can take your time, besides you can create stronghold on islands, which can serve as smokescreen for your actual sanctuary in the future."
XxxxX
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