Even if her body had turned into solid diamond, Emma couldn't withstand Ryuuto's fist.
Ryuuto—already equipped with Tsunade's data packet—knew exactly what he was doing. The moment he sensed Emma's mind intrusion, he channeled chakra directly into his punch, aiming to crush her in a single strike.
If Emma hardened herself into diamond, she'd only make it worse. One crack, one break—and she would die instantly. Maybe even Hulk couldn't smash diamond-Emma, but Ryuuto's bizarre abilities? Yeah, he was that scary.
But before his fist could connect… she vanished.
Teleportation? Ridiculous! Emma didn't have that kind of ability… did she?
Ryuuto froze, his mind still partially invaded by hers. Worse, his mental defenses weren't strong enough to fight back effectively, and controlling his body became a struggle. Mutants who attack mentally were truly a nightmare.
His head felt heavier by the second, as if sleep itself was dragging him under. He bit his lip hard, tasting blood—pain jolting him awake. But… where had she gone? How could he purge her influence?
Meanwhile, Emma had retreated to an adjacent room, standing beside a red-skinned, bearded brute: the Red Devil. Teleportation, lethal tail, daggers—he was a walking nightmare of mobility and precision. Just moments ago, when Ryuuto's fist swung, the Red Devil had snatched Emma from the path of destruction. Half a second slower, and she would have shattered.
Even so, the punch's speed created enough wind to chip the diamond surface of her chest. Tiny cracks spider-webbed across her torso.
Emma's eyes flicked toward the damage, a smirk playing on her lips.
"You… can hurt me with just your bare hands," she whispered. "Ryuuto, you're really something."
She continued, her voice calm and calculating.
"Black King already warned us not to underestimate him. Seems you didn't listen. I know his mental strength is lower than mine, so I can manipulate him… which is why he looked so uncomfortable just now. Best not to ignore it; otherwise, it wouldn't be pretty."
Her gaze narrowed. "Don't bother me. He's trying to shake off my control."
The Red Devil shifted aside, standing ready. Even with a wall between him and Ryuuto, he was primed to teleport at a moment's notice if things went south.
While Ryuuto fought against Emma's intrusion, Lucien "Black King" and Jiliu reached the gates of Xville Genius Youth School.
Lucien—the Black King of the Hellfire Club, helmeted like Magneto—strode in confidently. Energy-absorbing, close-combat master, a walking arsenal. Electricity, heat, kinetic energy—all converted into his own lethal strength. Attack him repeatedly, and his power doubled.
Torrent, at his side, rotated his body at terrifying speeds, drawing in everything nearby. Bones calcified into lethal projectiles, hurricanes summoned at will. Together, they were chaos incarnate.
Why were they here? The recent mutant riots weren't random—they were bait. Everyone knew Ryuuto was nearly the strongest mutant around. Emma had orchestrated this. The Red Devil had teleported Lucien and Torrent straight to the school, then returned to the ranch to safeguard Emma. Her job: control Ryuuto. Their job: clean up the mutant school.
Oh, and about Lucien being "dead"? Not exactly. Thirty years ago, Charles Magneto's strike had damaged his brain but didn't kill him. Charles, feeling the pain, released control, thinking Lucien was dead. Emma rescued him, hiding him away with the Hellfire Club. Now, with Ryuuto's arrival shaking the balance, it was time for a comeback.
Because Lucien's helmet blocked telepathy, Charles never detected him—just the torrent of energy. Ten minutes prior, Charles had taken control of everyone in the school using telepathy.
When Lucien and Torrent entered, the enemy lineup appeared: Charles, Susan, Katie Dee, Natasha Romanoff, Jean Grey, Arlo, Cyclops, Steel. Wolverine? Off doing her own thing. Juggernaut? Long gone—Ryuuto had deemed him unfit for the X-Men.
A hundred meters apart, Lucien adjusted his helmet and spoke, mimicking Magneto's tone.
"Charles… didn't expect you to get so old, and still stuck in that wheelchair."