FOR MORE CHAPTER
patreon.com/Jackssparrow
Now, he removed his eyes, allowing the energy within them to erupt wantonly.
It resembled a colossal laser emitter. As the beam swept across the battlefield, every machine in its path was blasted apart in an instant.
But that wasn't the end.
Following this overwhelming attack, the Sentinels that had been lying dormant in the transport aircraft began to activate. The specialized materials making up their bodies started to shift and evolve rapidly.
In the blink of an eye, they adapted to the X-Men's attacks.
In retaliation, they launched a coordinated counterattack against Magneto and the others. Hundreds of crimson beams of light surged toward them all at once.
Magneto's expression shifted dramatically. His temples throbbed as he unleashed the full extent of his power. With a roar of effort, he manipulated metal from half the dam's structure, compressing it with terrifying force to form a massive shield in front of them.
At the same time—
A deafening sound, like a beast's roar, erupted from behind. The dam had ruptured, releasing the lake water from Alkali Lake in a torrential flood.
This was all within Magneto's calculations.
Knowing that they were no match for the Sentinels in a direct confrontation, he had planned to use the environment to his advantage, at least to scatter the robotic force.
He guided the metal, lifting the group into the sky.
The floodwaters surged forward with unstoppable momentum, sweeping through the battlefield with sheer force. Many Sentinels had just activated and didn't have time to react. They were engulfed by the deluge, dragged away by the raging current, their fate unknown.
Minutes passed before the torrent finally receded.
"Is it over?" Jean asked, her voice hesitant as she looked at Magneto.
"I'm afraid not," Magneto replied darkly.
As the water level dropped, red glows began to pierce through the surface. Dozens, then hundreds of scarlet lights appeared—each one marking the return of a Sentinel.
Despair settled over the Mutants.
This number... how could they possibly win?
The Sentinels were overwhelming in both quantity and power. The battle seemed hopeless. Could their only option be escape?
What they didn't know was that they weren't the only ones under attack.
The mastermind behind the Sentinels had orchestrated a deadly feint. While Magneto and his core team had been lured away, another wave of Sentinels launched a surprise attack on Mutant Academy.
The results were devastating.
Half of the Academy's teachers perished in the initial strike.
Nightcrawler, Impact, Psylocke, Bishop, Sabretooth—Mutants once renowned for their strength—were all mercilessly slaughtered by the enemy.
Even Professor X, whose psychic abilities had always provided a pillar of defense, could do little. The Sentinels' resistance to psychic damage rendered his powers nearly useless. Faced with the merciless assault, he was overwhelmed.
Suppressing his grief, Professor X focused on saving the remaining children. He used his mind to contact Blink across the battlefield.
"Blink, the Academy has been attacked!" his voice echoed in her mind. "Take the survivors and escape!!"
Blink's body trembled. The sudden mental message nearly caused her to collapse.
With tears in her eyes and her voice choked by emotion, she activated her powers. Purple energy shimmered in the air as a portal opened.
From it, Red Tank stumbled through.
His massive chest bore a gaping, bowl-sized wound. If not for his immense endurance, he would have already died.
Magneto's face turned grim at the sight.
"What happened!!" he demanded.
"They... attacked Mutant Academy. We suffered heavy losses..." Red Tank murmured, before collapsing unconscious.
"Professor? Where is Professor?!" Jean asked, eyes wide with panic.
Before Magneto could answer, Professor X emerged through the portal—only to collapse moments later. His wheelchair had been destroyed. A Sentinel followed closely, its single eye glowing crimson.
"No!!!!!!" Jean screamed, rushing forward.
Professor X used the last of his strength to project a mental barrier, halting her.
"Survive…" he said softly.
A beam of red light pierced through his body.
"PROFESSOR!!"
Cries of anguish erupted from the group. Grief distorted their faces, tears running unchecked. But in their sorrow, they failed to notice a change.
Jean's eyes had turned pitch black.
Her sclera was gone, consumed by darkness.
The portal vanished.
Those who remained at Alkali Lake were devastated.
Professor X—their mentor, their leader—was gone. And with his death, Mutant Academy had fallen.
Magneto stood still, overwhelmed with sorrow. Yet he forced himself to speak.
"This is not the time to mourn," he said coldly. "We are the last of our kind. We must preserve our strength."
"We retreat!"
He was decisive. They had never stood a chance against the Sentinels, and now, after suffering such loss, their strength had plummeted by eighty percent. Continuing the battle was suicide.
"I'm afraid we don't have the opportunity to retreat," Gambit said bitterly.
Even as they spoke, the Sentinels that had been swept away were now encircling them once again.
Scarlet light glowed ominously from their eyes.
They looked like demons crawling from the pits of hell.
Sunspot stepped forward.
Though often mistaken for Pyro, Sunspot's powers were vastly different. He could draw energy directly from the sun, converting it into destructive force. He didn't need an external fire source.
Streams of intense fire burst from his arms, orange-yellow flames like molten metal surged toward the nearest Sentinel.
The enemy was momentarily scorched, its surface glowing red from the intense heat.
But then, the transformation began.
The Sentinel's body adapted rapidly. Its metallic skin became lava-like, molten red and impervious. It had absorbed the heat and transformed its structure to counter it.
The devastating fire—enough to melt even the hardest steel—was now ineffective.
Sunspot gritted his teeth. Even his most powerful attack hadn't left a mark.
They were dealing with enemies that learned and evolved in real-time.
The situation was now more hopeless than ever.
And this was just the beginning.
FOR MORE CHAPTER
patreon.com/Jackssparrow