The person who stepped out was none other than Victor, who had been hiding off to the side since the beginning. Now, he had undergone some changes—his nails and teeth shimmered with a metallic hue, and his courage surged. Facing Melin, who he once thought only of fleeing from, he now felt no fear. His eyes were full of battle intent, exuding an aura of invincibility.
"Congratulations, you've obtained the adamantium you always dreamed of," Melin said calmly.
"Thanks to you, actually. If you hadn't injured me so badly, Stryker wouldn't have agreed to let me get injected with adamantium. So, in return, I'll snap your neck with my own hands!" Victor grinned viciously.
"Don't even think about it, Victor. Your opponent is me!" Logan popped his claws and stood beside Melin. Melin had helped him so much—there was no way he'd stand by and watch. Besides, killing Victor himself had been a long-standing grudge.
"Don't worry, Jimmy. I won't let you off either. You're the main course—he's just the dessert," Victor sneered.
Logan paused, his expression turning strange. From Victor's tone… did he look down on Melin? Thought he was weaker?
That was the funniest joke he'd ever heard.
"Who exactly are you?" asked Stryker, who had been silent all this time.
Over the years, he had been gathering intel on mutants—especially powerful ones. In order to create stronger Weapon X candidates, he would never let such a person slip by.
...
...
Moreover, according to his research, it was generally impossible for mutants to possess multiple abilities. At most, two, and usually one strong and one weak—or even both weak.
But Melin had already demonstrated three powers: telekinetic control over ammunition, either teleportation or super speed, and something like a laser beam.
Stryker wasn't sure if Melin had even more abilities yet to be revealed.
Such a mutant should absolutely not be missing from his intelligence network.
"Even John could guess my identity, and you still don't know?" Melin's expression grew odd.
"John… you're…"
"Oh right, I forgot I rarely show my face." Melin suddenly remembered that John had guessed his identity only because he'd stated his name—there was no way others could recognize him by appearance alone.
"You…"
"My name is Melin, from Greece… the Sanctuary."
"You! You!"
If the name "Melin" merely triggered a sense of familiarity for John and Victor, then the words "Greek Sanctuary" completely awoke their memories.
Especially Stryker. Unlike Victor, whose battle intent surged, his heart was filled with terror.
Back then, high-level military officials and all laboratory heads had been gathered to discuss how to deal with the Saints of the Sanctuary.
But once they saw the secret footage of the Saints in action—especially the satellite-captured battle between Deathmask and Sebastian Shaw—the room fell into shock.
Even the rival Dove and Hawk factions immediately united, agreeing that such power should not exist in the world. It must either be destroyed—or harnessed for themselves.
The intelligence chief reported all their failed attempts at capturing a Saint for research—assassinations, poisoning, kidnapping… every dirty trick in the book had been tried. All useless. In fact, their operatives were detected from far away, and any ill intent was immediately punished by death.
Poisoning? Laughable. After years of cultivating their Cosmos, their bodies had long since become immune. Without divine power, no poison could touch them.
Someone proposed recruiting them, but the Saints were seen as fanatical devotees. Unless the goddess of Sanctuary herself agreed, no Saint would be swayed by money, women, or power—they simply didn't care.
After this, the whole room fell silent. Even the loudest generals had no words left. Their underhanded tactics had failed, and they had no hope of winning a direct confrontation. The battle power shown in the footage suggested even full military mobilization would be futile.
Someone suggested using the A-bomb, but the idea was instantly rejected.
The issue was too complex—especially using it abroad. One misstep, and the "Beautiful Nation" would become the next Germany.
Besides, if the Saints were that powerful, what about the deity they served? Would an A-bomb even work?
Stryker, who had been among the crowd at the time, once suspected the Saints were just mutants with different powers. Still, he never dared provoke the Sanctuary, not even thinking of capturing one.
The Sanctuary's strength was simply too overwhelming—his hand was too weak to bear their wrath. Still, he never gave up on the idea of studying a Saint. Once Weapon X was completed, he was confident he could confront the Saints—maybe even slay gods.
But now…
That god everyone speculated about was standing in front of him—like a friendly neighbor.
Before knowing his identity, Stryker felt nothing. But once he learned it, his subconscious filled with awe and dread. Facing Melin, his feelings tangled: reverence, fear, and confusion.
"You're not bad," Melin turned his gaze to Victor with a note of praise.
The name of a god is more than just a name. It carries a silent magic. Simply knowing it plants a seed of reverence in the subconscious. Once a person learns that a divine name belongs to someone before them, the seed sprouts. Unless one has exceptional willpower, one cannot help but feel reverence and fear, suppressing all thoughts of resistance.
Stryker, whose mind was consumed by hatred, was not a strong-willed man. As for Victor… even after learning Melin was the God of the Earth, he still burned with fighting spirit. Not just strong-willed, but wild.
"Your praise won't make me spare you. I'll just slow down my claws so you die more painfully," Victor bared his teeth.
"You won't get the chance. But before that, let's free these children."
As Melin spoke, Victor, Stryker, and the nearby researchers all found themselves frozen, unable to move. Melin walked slowly toward the lab's many cryogenic chambers.
"Sekishiki Meikai Ha."
Blue energy wrapped around his fingers, gathering at the tip like a tiny door. Inside each chamber, the frozen mutants' bodies glowed the same blue. Their souls drifted out, surrounding the door before slipping through it and vanishing completely.
At the same time, red lights lit up across all the chambers. Life monitors blared—every mutant inside was declared dead.
"What… what did you do?" Stryker stammered as he regained movement.
"Sent them to the underworld for reincarnation. Oh, and you guys—I haven't forgotten." Melin grinned.
What was normally a warm, kind smile now seemed more terrifying than the devil's to Stryker and the researchers.
"No!"
"Run!"
...
Just as they regained control of their bodies and tried to flee, an invisible fist slammed into their minds. Their spirits shattered. The light in their eyes faded. They forgot to run, forgot to beg—left only walking corpses.
"What did you do?" Logan asked, shocked by the sudden shift.
"Just destroyed their minds. Pretty merciful, don't you think?" Melin replied.
A chill ran down Logan's spine. He shivered uncontrollably. Even though Melin was an ally, he couldn't help but feel fear.
From start to finish, Melin's expression never changed—calmly committing horrifying acts.
Truly merciful—no one was killed. But also the cruelest punishment—they would live like the dead from now on.
Victor, once brimming with confidence, now deflated. Melin's powers were too strange. With no visible action, he had broken so many minds. Victor didn't believe he could withstand that.
"No need to be nervous, Victor. Like I said, you're Logan's."
"Really? So even if I kill him, you won't interfere?"
"Of course, assuming you can."
"Sir… may I ask you…" Silver began, hoping Melin would save her sister.
But before she could finish, Melin interrupted her.
"John went to save them. He's bringing them out now."
"Really?"
"Yes. Leave this place to Logan. I'll take you—"
Melin's ever-calm smile vanished. His face turned serious as he sharply turned his head.
"What is it?" Logan asked, frowning. This was the first time he had seen Melin like this.
"Leave now. Get as far away as you can," Melin said.
"What happened?"
"An old friends' reunion." Melin grinned, then vanished.
Logan, Victor, and Silver were stunned. They didn't know what to do—fight or flee?
...
Elsewhere in the base, John was leading dozens of rescued mutants toward the exit. Just as they neared it, the main gate was torn open.
"Oh? Let's see—a bunch of fascinating humans. A new form of evolution. Not training, not divine blessing—mutation from the source. Interesting. Very interesting." Sebastian Shaw laughed maniacally.
He radiated a crazed aura completely out of character, clad in orange-red armor, wielding a spear in one hand and a shield in the other.
Beside him stood a black-haired woman in a lace dress, face covered by a veil. Her figure was alluring, and her eyes glowed with seductive charm.
"What a lovely smell, Ares. Why not let me have them?"
"Mind your tongue, mortal! You're not worthy to speak my name!"
"Oh my, how hurtful. But haven't we had such a pleasant time together, Ares?"
"Serving me is an honor! A divine blessing! Understand?"
"Oh, then I'm truly honored."
"Sorry to interrupt your flirting," John cut in. "This isn't a masquerade ball, and we're in a bit of a rush. Could you move aside?" He prepared for battle. Just looking at them made his skin crawl—these were no friends.
"Silence!"
A thunderous roar hit them like a wave. John couldn't move. He felt like he would die in the next second.
Just then, Melin appeared in front of him, waving the pressure away.
"Any later, and you'd have missed me," John panted, trying to shake off the feeling of death.
"Take them and go. As far as possible."
John then noticed Melin's smile was gone. He now wore a rainbow-colored armor—divine and solemn. The twin swords at his waist glowed so brightly it hurt to look at them.
"…Got it."
Knowing he couldn't handle the enemies ahead, John left with the rescued mutants.
Only when they were out of sight did Melin speak.
"Well well, Ares. Congrats on taking over that body."
"Melin! You again… why do you always stand in my way!?"
Compared to Melin's serious jest, Ares was seething. It was because of Melin that he had ended up like this—relying on a broken soul to possess a mortal body.
"Can't help it. Athena loves this land and the people on it. Since you love destroying it, I'll always oppose you."
"Athena, that traitor! She dares call herself a god! I'll kill you now, and when she reincarnates, I'll kill her too!"
"Speaking of Athena in front of me… you really have a death wish, Ares." As Ares mentioned Athena, Melin's face turned ice-cold.
"Hmph, don't think I don't know you're still injured! And I'm not alone!" Ares declared proudly.
"Oh? Black Queen Selene—Mephisto's emissary. Collaborating with Hell now, huh? How cowardly of you, Ares."
"As long as I can kill you and Athena, I don't care if I work with Hell!"
"You've really fallen, Ares. Too bad. Your plan's not bad, just a bit naive. Did you think Mephisto's emissary could show up without consequences?"
"What are you—"
Before he could finish, Ares' pupils shrank.
A golden circle opened beside Melin. From it stepped the Ancient One.
From her, Ares felt an overwhelming threat—and from the necklace on her chest, a primal urge to flee.
"Selene, you've finally shown yourself," she said.
"Ancient One!"