Several people were thrown back by the force of the explosion, and the scene descended into chaos. The room that had sheltered them moments ago began to collapse, chunks of debris falling at any second.
"Move! Get out!" Darwin shouted, taking the lead as he carried the immobile Pietro out.
"Let's go too." Hank grabbed Raven's arm, and the others followed, fleeing the area—including Shaw's men.
Rumble!
The moment they escaped, the entire structure collapsed, burying Renzo beneath the rubble with no chance to get out.
Now that Pietro was safe, no one paid attention to Renzo's fate. Their only concern was surviving Shaw.
"You can choose your side again," Shaw said calmly. "I'll pretend what just happened never occurred."
As he spoke, his gaze lingered on Alex. That kind of destructive power had genuinely impressed him—rare, even among mutants.
"No, Alex…" Sean clutched Alex's clothes, his voice trembling as he begged him not to go.
Alex stood there, torn. He didn't want to die, but he didn't want to join Shaw either. He had always been a peaceful mutant—so why was he constantly dragged into this kind of suffering?
His fists tightened. He glared at Shaw, then slowly stepped back.
"Hah… seems you've made your choice." Shaw chuckled.
Just as he was about to strike them down, a large group of heavily armed soldiers rushed onto the scene, rifles raised and aimed at Shaw and his group.
"Fire!" the heavyset commander ordered.
Gunfire erupted instantly. The deafening roar filled the air as bullets poured down like rain, explosions following one after another. Every shot struck Shaw directly.
"No!" Pietro shouted. They didn't understand Shaw's power. This kind of attack would only make him stronger.
"Hahaha!"
Distorted afterimages flickered around Shaw as red and golden energy surged across his body. His form twisted and split, then reformed again and again—
Until everything stilled.
Shaw stood there, smiling faintly.
Seeing this, the Red Devil and Riptide silently retreated. They knew what was coming.
"I only wish you could live to see the mutant empire," Shaw said.
Before he could finish—
A golden beam tore through the ruins like sunlight, striking Shaw and forcing him back two steps, interrupting his attack.
"Sebastian Shaw!"
A golden figure burst from the rubble, as if clad in divine armor. Flames flickered within his eyes as he roared.
Renzo descended slowly, his entire body glowing with radiant golden light. His gaze locked onto Shaw with cold intensity.
Shaw's energy blast had restored his system and replenished his reserves. Even the Black Lantern Ring pulsed with renewed energy, emitting a deep, devouring darkness as if consuming the light around it.
At that moment, Renzo resembled a being in a dual-star state—his body radiating overwhelming power.
He stood before the young mutants, facing Shaw alone.
"Well, that's impressive," Shaw said with a chuckle. Despite sensing the immense energy within Renzo, his arrogance remained unshaken. To him, no mutant could surpass him.
Renzo didn't waste words.
The Mind Stone on his forehead flared, unleashing a beam of energy. He first targeted the Red Devil, blasting him away to remove his mobility advantage.
Riptide moved to intervene, but Shaw raised a hand to stop him.
"I'll handle this. Go."
"You'll be the first fuel for my Black Lantern Ring," Renzo said coldly.
To him, Sebastian Shaw was nothing more than a fanatic—a supremacist who sought to build a mutant empire and crown himself its ruler. In Shaw's eyes, humans were no different from livestock—lives to be crushed without a second thought.
Renzo had no intention of letting such a man exist.
A vortex opened behind him as he used the Space Stone's power to teleport.
Riptide felt a chill run down his spine—
Renzo appeared behind him instantly.
"Wha—?!" Before he could react, Renzo seized his throat.
The Black Lantern Ring spread like viscous black liquid, creeping up Renzo's arm and engulfing Riptide's body. It swallowed him whole, feeding on his emotional energy.
Riptide struggled, his eyes filling with terror as darkness consumed him. For a brief moment, hesitation flickered in Renzo's eyes—
Then vanished.
This was the first person he had killed with his own hands. Before, it had been machines… or actions taken by others.
Without him, Riptide might have lived longer.
But not anymore.
"Uh…!" Riptide's voice faded. Within seconds, his strong body withered into a pale, hollow shell. He collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
Renzo exhaled slowly, staring at the Black Lantern Ring now brimming with renewed energy. A dark film covered his once-bright pupils.
The corpse twitched—then rose.
Under the ring's control, Riptide stood again as a Black Lantern construct.
Renzo raised his arm, his expression solemn, and recited the oath he knew all too well:
"The blackest night falls from the skies,
The darkness grows as all light dies,
We crave your hearts and take your soul,
By my black hand—the dead shall rise!"
Endless darkness surged.
The golden, green, and red light around Renzo vanished, swallowed by pure black.
Shaw's expression finally shifted. Even he couldn't hide his shock.
He had just watched his subordinate drained dry—and then resurrected as something unnatural.
The Red Devil stared at Renzo in horror and fury. His comrade had been killed before his eyes, without the slightest chance to fight back. Instinct screamed at him to flee.
Shaw didn't hesitate.
Light and heat erupted from his body. The kinetic energy from the bullets and the thermal energy from the explosions condensed into a blazing sphere, which he hurled toward Renzo without restraint.
Renzo didn't move.
Black energy spread from his hands, forming a thick, viscous barrier like living tar, shielding both himself and the young mutants behind him.
"Go!" Shaw barked at the Red Devil.
This wasn't the time for a drawn-out fight. His goal was to ignite war—not waste everything here.
The Red Devil grabbed Shaw's arm, preparing to teleport—
A violent vortex split them apart.
In Shaw's stunned gaze, the Red Devil vanished alone.
Behind him, the resurrected Riptide spun into motion, creating a powerful storm that trapped Shaw at its center.
A pitch-black beam struck Shaw head-on, sending him flying.
In the next instant, Renzo appeared before him, seized his throat, and lifted him into the air.
__________________________________________
You can read early chapters on Patr*on. If you enjoy my work and would like to support me, consider becoming a patron. My Patr*on username is Renzo28557.