Although Richard didn't fully understand what Sebastian Shaw meant by the "pinnacle of genetic engineering," he could now make an educated guess based on what he was witnessing.
From the current situation, these so-called "Hunters" weren't merely mutant clones—they were enhanced versions, modified and strengthened through advanced genetic engineering based on the original mutants' DNA.
"Isn't the Hellfire Club opposed to the Mutant Restriction Act?" Richard asked, his voice calm despite the tension. "You're fighting against the Act on one hand while cooperating with the Department of Mutant Affairs on the other. Quite the contradiction, wouldn't you say?"
Despite failing to freeze the enhanced clone Sebastian Shaw had called a "Hunter" with his telepathy, Richard remained composed. Their Mental Shielding ability made them immune to his mental attacks, but that wasn't cause for concern.
Except for Magneto's enhanced clone, the other two enhanced clones posed no real threat to him. An elemental water-man and a body engulfed in high-temperature flames weren't particularly challenging mutant powers to counter.
The only ones he needed to worry about were Sebastian Shaw himself and the Magneto clone.
"There are no eternal enemies, only eternal interests!" Shaw responded with a smug smile. "I should thank you, actually. If you hadn't slaughtered so many people at the Los Angeles branch, making the Department of Mutant Affairs realize their Sentinel robots aren't as reliable as they thought, they wouldn't have approached me for cooperation."
Shaw's eyes narrowed as he studied Richard. "You're undeniably powerful, but even your strength has its limits. I can forgive you for killing Azazel. Since we're all mutants, I'll give you another chance to join the Hellfire Club."
He extended his hand in a theatrical gesture. "Join us, and the position of 'White King' is yours—second only to mine in the entire organization." His expression hardened slightly. "Of course, the condition is that you undo whatever you did to Emma."
Although Sebastian Shaw didn't know exactly what Richard had done to Emma Frost, he was certain of one thing: Richard must have manipulated her somehow. Otherwise, White Queen wouldn't have so easily "surrendered" to the man who had killed Azazel. After all, Emma had been with them for several years—her sudden betrayal made no sense.
After hearing Shaw's proposal, Richard immediately replied with a mocking tone, "Only below you? How generous of you!"
A dangerous smile spread across Richard's face. "By the way, Emma told me something interesting this afternoon. She mentioned how you've always wanted her in your bed, but you're too hypocritical and prudish to be direct about it."
Richard took a step forward, his voice dropping to a taunting whisper. "Besides, you're incredibly greedy—wanting both her body and her service. So you resort to sweet talking her, hoping she'll willingly climb into your bed."
Shaw's face darkened as Richard continued, "Unfortunately for you, she never agreed to your advances, so you still don't know what it's like to be with her." Richard's smile turned vicious. "Since you're being so generous, let me satisfy your curiosity... Emma, she's... very moist."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Richard raised his Masamune and swung it with deadly precision.
Swish!
As the blade cut through the air, seven or eight crescent-shaped energy waves—each more than a meter long, purple on the outside and white on the inside—flew toward Sebastian Shaw and his group with lightning speed.
Without hesitation, Sebastian Shaw activated his energy absorption power.
Simultaneously, Magneto's clone created a defensive force field of super-concentrated magnetic energy to protect himself and the other two mutants.
The crescent-shaped energy waves aimed at Sebastian Shaw collapsed instantly upon approaching within a few dozen centimeters of him, transforming into pure energy that his body absorbed.
Chi-chi-chi...
The remaining energy crescents slashed through Riptide's body, cutting the motionless mutant, who stood like a wax figure, into several pieces.
The other portion struck the force field created by Magneto's clone and exploded with a thunderous bang!
Plunder!
Though he had only killed Riptide, Richard immediately activated his Plunder ability.
[Gain new ability: Control Whirlwind!]
[Controlling the Whirlwind can enhance the skill Aeroga. Do you want to enhance it?] ...
After seeing the system's information, Richard decisively chose "Yes."
[Skill Aeroga is enhanced!]
While Riptide's Controlled Whirlwind wouldn't likely upgrade Aeroga by a full level, any enhancement was better than none. Compared to controlling whirlwinds, Aeroga had a wider range of applications and wasn't vulnerable to X-gene suppression methods.
After witnessing Richard kill Riptide, Sebastian Shaw's expression turned glacial.
Although he wasn't the type of leader to sacrifice himself for subordinates, Riptide had been a core member of the Hellfire Club. More importantly, Riptide had been loyal to a fault. It would be unnatural for Shaw not to react when a capable and obedient subordinate was slaughtered before his eyes.
"Since you're so eager to die, I'll gladly oblige," Sebastian Shaw declared, his face twisted with murderous intent.
"You want to kill me?" Richard replied calmly. "You're not nearly qualified enough."
Shaw's energy absorption was indeed a formidable power, but far from invincible. If Richard didn't want Shaw to get close to him, Sebastian Shaw wouldn't be able to reach him regardless of how much energy he absorbed—unless he possessed teleportation abilities as well.
After hearing Richard's dismissive response, Sebastian Shaw didn't waste time with further threats. Instead, he commanded the three enhanced clones behind him:
"Number Seven, Number Eight—stop him. Number Three, channel your energy to me."
On the surface, these enhanced clones that Shaw called "Hunters" appeared no different from ordinary humans. Yet Richard noticed something unsettling about them—they didn't seem particularly "intelligent."
More accurately, they gave the impression of lacking independent thought. Although they wielded their mutant powers with precision, they hadn't uttered a single word since their appearance. Their faces remained expressionless, devoid of any emotion.
Whether they were attacked by energy blades or witnessed violent death, they stood emotionlessly behind Sebastian Shaw like robots—no feelings, no self-awareness.
Recognizing this, Richard was reminded of X-24 from the film Logan. Being "ripened" through genetic engineering, X-24's emotional range had been severely limited, reduced to primarily anger. Yet even with only rage as his emotion, X-24 had seemed more human than these three enhanced clones. At least X-24 could feel something.
The moment Sebastian Shaw finished speaking, Number Seven—engulfed in flames—and Number Eight—resembling a humanoid water construct—advanced toward Richard.
Number Three, the Magneto clone, generated an ultra-high intensity magnetic field that completely enveloped Sebastian Shaw. Once surrounded by this magnetic cocoon, Shaw immediately began absorbing its energy.
Simultaneously, Numbers Seven and Eight launched their attack. Seven raised his arms, unleashing twin streams of orange-red flames like industrial flamethrowers directly at Richard. Eight transformed into a spinning water tornado and hurled himself toward Richard with devastating force.
Teleportation!
Without hesitation, Richard activated his teleportation ability, avoiding the combined assault and instantly reappearing on the sun deck outside.
He raised his right hand, conjuring a small dark energy sphere resembling a miniature black hole above his palm.
Black Materia!
Upon seeing the dark energy ball in Richard's hand, Sebastian Shaw immediately realized his intention.
"Get off the yacht now!" Shaw shouted desperately.
But his warning came too late. Even as the words left his mouth, a green beam of light descended from the sky onto the yacht.
More than a hundred meters above them, a massive meteorite—over ten meters in diameter and wreathed in flames—hurtled toward the yacht at speeds exceeding a hundred meters per second.
BOOM!
The enormous meteorite, appearing out of nowhere, struck the yacht with the precision of a cruise missile, hitting precisely where the restaurant was located.
The flaming celestial projectile split the yacht in half before crashing into the sea. The catastrophic impact generated waves twenty to thirty meters high, scattering the yacht's wreckage across the water's surface.
...
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