Adam had no way of knowing what was happening inside Kamar-Taj, but he could guess that the Ancient One was probably discussing him with Wong and the others.
He didn't believe the Ancient One was unaware of his existence. After all, she was the guardian of Earth who possessed the Time Stone and could observe countless possible futures through it.
"I wonder if this universe's Ancient One is the male or female version..."
The thought flashed through Adam's mind. He chuckled softly and quickly put it aside.
Whichever version it was, the Ancient One's future looked bright... either returning to the Vishanti or wandering the cosmos with Eternity.
That was the advantage of having powerful backers. Even in death, you didn't have to worry about losing your prospects, which made it easier to face life and death with equanimity.
By comparison, Adam knew he had to work harder. Unlike the Ancient One, he didn't have multiversal-level support... and more than one at that. He could only rely on himself.
"The attempt to let the Xenomorphs steal black magic has failed. There won't be another chance like that in the future."
Adam placed one hand on the Xenomorph born from a chestburster that had tried to channel black magic and carefully sensed its condition.
For now, he could only try to siphon power from Dormammu. He couldn't target anyone else. No matter how furiously Dormammu raged, the Ancient One stood in the way, so there were no immediate consequences to fear.
Besides, it wasn't as if Dormammu would abandon his plan to devour Earth just because Adam didn't provoke him.
"So, the magic route is off the table."
Adam muttered to himself, though he didn't feel particularly disappointed. He hadn't held out much hope from the start. Relying on borrowed power was never a long-term solution.
Mystique sauntered over with a swaying stride, her movements graceful as she set a cup of scalding water on the table with a heavy thud. "Magic? You already have a unique power of your own, yet you're still coveting magic? I don't understand what you're thinking at all."
"Magic is still very useful. Those sorcerers..." Elektra began to defend Adam.
"Listen to who's talking. A Stockholm syndrome patient who was captured not long ago and is already speaking up for someone else? Or a rookie who just learned there's a place called Kamar-Taj?"
Elektra's face twisted in anger. This old woman was always good at seizing every opportunity to mock and ridicule.
"Pay her no mind, Elektra. She's about the same age as Erik and Charles, but her menopause has been extended," Adam said soothingly.
"How touching. You're really good at comforting people." Mystique was clearly rattled and imitated Elektra's voice.
Adam picked up the cup and drained it in one go, then wiped his mouth with a napkin.
"It seems you really don't understand anything. Of course, that's not your fault. You only need to focus on the power of your X-gene. I can't do that."
"A man saying he can't?"
"On a small scale, I'm the commander of an army. On a larger scale, I'm the leader of an entire species. That's the biggest difference between us," Adam said.
While everyone else was focused on the wonder and strength of the Xenomorphs, Adam's sights were already set on a much more distant future.
Getting drunk on low-level superhuman power led nowhere. You never knew when some visitor from beyond the universe might appear with strength Adam couldn't yet counter.
That was why he had long been quietly formulating plans to elevate the Xenomorphs!
From planetary life forms to cosmic ones!
At the very least, they needed to survive in the vacuum of space instead of perishing the moment they fell into it, like in the movies.
Admittedly, many famous figures didn't qualify as true cosmic beings either... people like Iron Man or Star-Lord required high-tech suits for space combat.
That didn't stop them from showcasing their talents, and no one dared look down on them.
But if there was an opportunity to elevate the entire species' life form, why not take it?
At the moment, since the magic path was blocked, Adam refused to tie the foundation of the Xenomorphs' evolution to any multiversal entity.
"...Would it require constantly adjusting the genetic structure of the entire Xenomorph society? Continuous parasitism and chestbursters, eventually creating a universal starting point capable of surviving all kinds of harsh environments?"
Like the Kryptonians next door, who could absorb yellow sunlight from birth and grow stronger from it... a power derived from their racial genetics.
Adam pondered deeply, his gaze sweeping over the many Xenomorphs clustered around him.
After parasitizing the ten additional Deviants Magneto had sent, the total number of Xenomorphs had risen to forty-seven on the surface. In the underground caves, there were still sixty unhatched eggs. If Adam didn't issue the command, those eggs could remain dormant for over a century without needing external nutrients!
It wasn't that he couldn't have more Xenomorphs and eggs. With insufficient top-tier combat power, reckless expansion... parasitizing countless animals and so on... would only accelerate a united assault from Earth's major factions, harming long-term development.
"The numbers are still not enough. We currently have only one peak fighter in the Abomination Xenomorph, fifteen Deviant strains, and the rest are mostly blood Xenomorphs..."
A bold idea surfaced in Adam's mind. By his calculations, it was nearly time for Thor to arrive on Earth.
Thor himself wasn't the target. Odin was still alive, and parasitizing his son would surely provoke the All-Father's wrath.
Though Adam greatly coveted Odin's body... sometimes thinking that since the old man would die in a few years anyway, such fine flesh might as well go to him... Odin was not someone he could touch right now.
Adam needed to think smarter. He had to choose promising paths and stop lingering on Earth hunting vampires.
"Let me see... May 8th, New Mexico. Yeah, by the dates, I can actually start moving now." Adam made his decision and immediately set things in motion.
Mystique was full of confusion about Adam's actions. In truth, she had never figured out his secrets. She didn't know where he got his information, whether he had created the Xenomorphs, or the logic behind his next moves.
"What are you thinking now? If I were you, I'd stay put here, wait for Erik to bring in more mutants, hunt enough vampires, and steadily expand the Xenomorph numbers." Mystique couldn't help speaking up.
Even counting just the blood Xenomorphs, she saw no limit to a Queen's egg production or to Adam's control over them. Naturally, the more Xenomorphs he had, the better.
When Adam had only a few, others saw him as a mad scientist. With dozens, they viewed him as a troublesome superhuman.
What if he had hundreds?
Even the weakest blood Xenomorphs possessed combat strength far beyond ordinary humans and low-level mutants. They could ignore most firearms, with perfect obedience and utility. Once they reached sufficient scale, they would become an unimaginable asset to the Brotherhood!
Imagine every Brotherhood member assigned one Xenomorph... or three to five? The power boost would be terrifying!
Even Magneto would be tempted.
Mystique's reason for staying with Adam had shifted from simply acting as a hostage and gathering intelligence to actively trying to recruit him.
But Adam's mind wasn't on the old woman at all. He had noticed her little schemes but paid them no attention.
He set out with his forces.
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