Earlier, with all those mutants outside, none of them ever dropped any "gear." Who would've thought an ordinary human could drop something so rare? This situation was different from when Herman ambushed the pipe-smoking mutant outside the pyramid.
Herman could sense that the mental defense imbued in the crystal pendant on the corpse was far stronger than the psychic barrier the pipe-smoking mutant had possessed.
"Such a tiny thing, yet it managed to block my attack."
Herman tugged the pendant from the corpse's neck.
It was an oval-shaped crystal, its inner energy swirling like liquid—an energy that could grant its bearer immunity to psychic and mental attacks.
Of course, that immunity had its limits. If Herman truly wanted to, he could break through the barrier with enough effort.
"Even so, this energy should be considered the nemesis of psychic power," Herman thought to himself.
His psychic strength was on par with Charles's level, far beyond that of normal psychics, making it impossible to use as a standard for comparison. For most others with mental abilities, this crystal would completely suppress their powers—a true bane to psychics.
"Doesn't seem like an Earth mineral."
He could see the energy flowing inside the crystal like liquid, an otherworldly sight. Perhaps that was why the Apocalypse Cultists had kept it close during their ritual—the crystal's very appearance gave off an extraordinary aura.
After a short examination, Herman grasped how the pendant worked.
When placed against the skin, the crystal's energy would form a protective film over the body's surface, effectively shielding the wearer from psychic influence—like wrapping oneself in an invisible layer of defense.
"In all the Marvel history I know, there's nothing like this. Maybe it's a product from the Dark Universe, the one tied to the Mummy series."
Herman wasn't as familiar with the Dark Universe as he was with the Marvel Universe. After all, the Dark Universe never properly took off—it was practically stillborn, with many of its concepts never revealed to the public through film.
The Dark Universe also featured psychic domination and mental attacks, so the existence of a mineral that could block psychic power wasn't far-fetched.
"A good item—but not a top-tier one."
Herman toyed with the pendant for a moment before storing it in his dimensional space. While an object that could block psychic power was rare, it wasn't what he'd call a true treasure.
After all, the Marvel Universe had plenty of methods to counter mental interference. Magneto's helmet material alone was enough to render Professor Charles powerless. And S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top agents carried special devices that could block psychic probing and mental attacks. If one searched carefully through the Marvel Universe, there were quite a few extraordinary items with similar effects.
What made this pendant different was that its defensive ability came from the energy contained within the crystal itself.
Herman planned to bring it back to his own time and have his scientists study it to see whether that energy could be artificially reproduced.
"What are you still standing around outside for? Didn't you want to see the ancients? I've already taken care of everything in here."
Herman called out toward the entrance, and a moment later, Evelyn—who had been hiding behind a stone statue—ran into the main hall.
"Oh my god… these people… they died so horribly."
Evelyn gasped, kicking aside a headless corpse in her way. Despite gagging repeatedly, curiosity drove her to approach the stone slab at the center of the hall.
Her fascination with ancient secrets clearly outweighed her disgust—this girl had a remarkably strong stomach.
"You're right, the scene's pretty bad."
Herman snapped his fingers, and the corpses on the floor crumbled into dust.
"Incredible! Is there anything your witchcraft can't do?"
Evelyn was visibly stunned by what she saw.
"If we're talking about things within your scope of understanding, then my 'witchcraft' could indeed be considered omnipotent."
Herman knew Evelyn's imagination was limited, so his words weren't mere boasting. Once someone reached a certain level of power, to those with a narrower view, they naturally appeared almost godlike.
"You're not the least bit modest."
Evelyn gave Herman a thumbs-up, then jogged over to the stone slab and stood beside him.
"Quick, let me see the ancient mutant!"
Evelyn gazed at the "Apocalypse" figure engraved on the stone slab—a massive, muscular body nearly two meters tall, adorned with exquisite ornaments. Just looking at it radiated an air of decadence.
Such an image perfectly matched the tyrant figure Evelyn had pictured in her mind from Herman's descriptions. Any despotic ruler from any era would have indulged in such extravagance.
"Good heavens, he's blue! And so incredibly tall... Is this because of mutation, or were the ancient Egyptians actually this color?"
Evelyn gasped repeatedly, stunned by Apocalypse's appearance—it hardly resembled anything human.
"Of course it's due to genetic mutation."
Herman paid little attention to the body on the stone slab. He crouched down and began examining the small pyramid reactor beneath it, his fingers brushing over strange runes that glowed with a mysterious light.
"I believe you now—mutants really are alien experiments. This is insane. This guy doesn't even look like an Earthling."
"If we took this thing out and claimed it was an alien we discovered, I bet no one would doubt us."
Evelyn recalled Herman's earlier explanation of the mutant origin theory. Staring at the blue figure on the slab, she couldn't help but feel the world had become completely absurd.
"Maybe I could take a sample of his blood... see if it's blue too."
Evelyn circled the blue body, chattering excitedly. Her expression was full of energy, her mind racing. So focused on the slab, she failed to notice that Herman hadn't responded for quite some time—he was lost in studying the power within the miniature pyramid reactor.
"Such a complex force..."
Herman could sense the underlying laws within it and knew he wouldn't decipher them anytime soon.
Of course, complex or not, this miniature pyramid reactor was without question a true treasure—its quality and power far surpassed that of the pendant from before. Apocalypse's immense strength came entirely from this device; it was the foundation of his dominance in the ancient world.
At first, Apocalypse had been nothing more than an ordinary mutant with a single ability. It was only after discovering the small pyramid reactor that he began his path of devouring others' powers, rising to become a being who ruled like a dragon among men.
"Who would've thought something like this could turn an ordinary mutant into the ruler of an entire era?"
Herman's eyes lingered on the runes etched across the miniature reactor, filled with curiosity. He knew that if he could unlock the laws contained within it, he might uncover the secret behind the source of mutant power itself.
Even setting aside the mutants back "home"—Wanda and Quicksilver among them—who could both grow stronger by harnessing such law-based power, Herman himself would gain immense benefit from mastering one more kind of law.
At his level, the contest was always about whose laws were stronger—and how many one could command.
"This is also a chance to reach the level of a single-universe entity."
The foundation Herman had gained through his identity as the [Raven Emissary] made it easier for him to comprehend laws than most others. He was confident that, given enough time, he could gradually decipher the law-based energy sealed within the miniature reactor.
Exploring the Law of Death might lead him to that single-universe tier, but studying the reactor's laws offered an equally viable path forward.
"By the way, didn't you say this Apocalypse was still alive? Why can't I sense any breath from him? Even his heart seems to have stopped."
Evelyn pulled out a stethoscope from somewhere—perhaps she'd tucked a first-aid kit taken from a camel into her loose clothes.
"Hey, what's wrong with you? Why are you crouching there in a daze? Don't scare me like that..."
Seeing that Herman hadn't answered for a while, Evelyn cautiously stepped closer and gave him a small shake, worry flickering across her face. Could he have been cursed?
Her heart pounded with anxiety, but thankfully Herman didn't go mad as she feared. He simply raised his head and looked at her.
"I was thinking... Apocalypse is still alive. It's just that the one on this slab isn't him."
Herman had heard everything she said.
"Huh?"
Evelyn blinked, confused.
"A decoy? Or some kind of illusion? I know tombs in the East sometimes use deceptive... But you said this mutant wasn't dead yet?"
Evelyn looked utterly puzzled, her brow furrowed as she stared at the massive figure on the slab again and again.
Such luxurious attire—no matter how she looked at it, it seemed like the real thing. If not a monarch himself, who else could possibly deserve such grandeur?
"No, strictly speaking, this is actually a body discarded by Apocalypse—a vessel that had lost all value in his eyes."
Herman approached the stone slab. Though the corpse lying upon it was tall, the aged features and withered skin were unmistakable.
In ancient times, mutant genetics hadn't yet developed much diversity, and the number of mutants was small. For a long time, Apocalypse was unable to find a mutant with the ability of longevity. His so-called immortality relied entirely on constantly switching bodies.
The miniature pyramid reactor allowed him to continuously transfer his soul into other people's bodies, taking over their younger forms.
That was also why Apocalypse possessed so many powers. After switching bodies, he retained all of his previous abilities while seizing those of his new host. Even in the world of power fantasy novels, this kind of ability would be considered the ultimate cheat.
Apocalypse truly was the definition of someone blessed by fate. After all, not just anyone could achieve a one-hundred-percent success rate with the miniature pyramid reactor. His genetic structure happened to perfectly align with the reactor, granting him near-perfect compatibility. If any other mutant attempted to use it, the success rate would be pitifully low.
"A body discarded by Apocalypse? You mean... this mutant could seize other people's bodies?"
Evelyn was completely stunned. The image her mind conjured of such a horrific scene made her shiver, a chill crawling up her spine as a deep sense of dread settled over her.
That was... terrifying.
"Exactly. By constantly replacing his body, he stole others' life force. Even before being buried here, he was still in the process of doing so. It was only because of an accident that he was forced into slumber beneath the sands."
Herman recalled Apocalypse's historical background. Before he faced rebellion from the people, he had been in the midst of seizing the body of a long-lived being with a self-healing factor.
The ritual had been nearly complete—Apocalypse's consciousness had already transferred into the new body. All that remained was the final step: awakening.
That was why his cultists had gathered here to perform their ritual. Of course, they only knew they needed to awaken Apocalypse but had no idea how to actually do it. They mistakenly believed the process required performing some sacred ceremony around Apocalypse's abandoned body.
All one could say was... blind superstition can truly be fatal.
The reason Herman had remained so calm outside, and so composed after entering the pyramid, was because he knew their shamanistic rituals were pointless. To truly awaken Apocalypse, one would have to reactivate the miniature pyramid reactor itself.
"How do you know so much about ancient history? I'm starting to think you actually lived through that era yourself!"
Evelyn had been guessing at Herman's true identity for a while. Now, seeing how precisely he described the Apocalypse era—as if he had seen it all with his own eyes—she couldn't help but form an incredibly bold suspicion.
A sorcerer.
Someone who could live for thousands of years.
It sounded almost too logical.
After all, witchcraft didn't follow science or reason. For all anyone knew, it could very well grant someone a few thousand years of life.
For a moment, Evelyn's mind ran wild. She began imagining some fantastical tale from millennia ago, picturing Herman and Apocalypse locked in a legendary magical feud.
How should one even describe that?
Evelyn's imagination was clearly misplaced, though thankfully this era hadn't yet popularized fujoshi culture—otherwise, who knew what bizarre, forbidden stories she might have come up with.
"Hahaha."
Herman couldn't help but laugh at Evelyn's wild speculation.
"Actually, from a certain point of view, you're not entirely wrong."
He reached out and touched the stone slab holding Apocalypse's discarded body. The towering figure was nothing more than an empty shell—its power and X-Gene had long since been transferred through the miniature pyramid reactor into Apocalypse's new vessel.
"Over there."
Herman looked toward the subterranean extension beneath the small pyramid.
The grand hall was partially collapsed. The floor beneath their feet was, in fact, the fallen ceiling of the original chamber. The tip of the miniature pyramid reactor—and Apocalypse's new body—were both buried under the debris and fallen roof.
Yes.
The reason the small pyramid reactor could support a stone slab was because it had been inverted all along. The slab rested on its base.
"What do you mean, not completely wrong?"
Evelyn hadn't expected that she had actually guessed some of it correctly.
"At least one thing you said is true—I really don't belong to this time..."
Before Herman could finish his sentence, the pyramid suddenly began to shake violently. Using his X-ray vision, he quickly looked outward—and couldn't help but feel speechless.
What was this supposed to be?
Apocalypse's luck at work?
It wasn't that anyone was approaching the pyramid. Rather, the excavation had left the structure slightly tilted from the start. As digging continued, the angle had worsened. Now, without the construction crew's steel and concrete reinforcements, the poor-quality materials couldn't bear the strain. The increasing tilt had finally caused the pyramid to begin collapsing.
Cracks spread rapidly across the outer stone surface. Sunlight pierced through the fissures above the great hall, pouring into the chamber below.
As if activating some hidden mechanism, the runes etched across the small pyramid reactor flared to life under the sunlight, glowing like liquid as their radiance flowed downward at incredible speed.
"Rumble—"
The ground shook violently.
And from below, an immense surge of life force began to awaken.
...
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