Hu~ hu~
The plane flew steadily through the air. Renzo and the others fastened their seat belts, sitting upright as they looked out the windows.
"Is Cairo… destroyed?"
Charles's eyes widened as he stared at the ruins below. There should have been a small town there—people living modest but stable lives—but now…
"A lot of people died." Eric couldn't bear the sight. Severed limbs were scattered everywhere. Most bodies were buried beneath the rubble, while some lay exposed under the scorching sun. The stench of decay rose into the air, drawing vultures that circled patiently, waiting for danger to pass before descending to feed.
Houses had collapsed one after another. Mud and concrete structures lay stripped bare. Steel-reinforced buildings had been twisted into mangled shapes, strewn across dirt roads. Around them lay lifeless bodies—flesh and bone exposed.
"Apocalypse…"
Tears welled in Renzo's eyes as a deep fury surged from within him. Though Sokovia had suffered even greater destruction, the scene before him was far more visceral. These were innocent civilians.
They posed no threat to anyone. Many of them couldn't even guarantee their next meal. They had lived in broken homes, exposed to the elements—and now they lay dead in the dirt.
"Is there a plan?" Azazel asked. His left eye still throbbed—a reminder of his humiliation. He was determined to take revenge with his own hands.
"I'll deal with Apocalypse. You handle the captured mutants. That's the plan."
Renzo spoke in a low, steady voice. He was the only one here capable of facing Apocalypse. Even Charles and Eric, twenty years in the future, wouldn't be able to defeat him easily—let alone now, against an even stronger version.
If they could last ten minutes, that would already be impressive.
Boom!
"Enemy attack!" Hank shouted as an energy blast struck toward the jet. Thankfully, his piloting skills were exceptional—he swerved just in time to avoid it.
"Shaw!" Eric roared, his hatred igniting instantly. Without hesitation, he unbuckled his seat belt, opened the hatch, and jumped out.
"Did he bring a parachute?"
"… "
Eric landed like a meteor, kicking up a cloud of dust. "Sebastian Shaw!" he shouted angrily as he strode toward the pyramid.
Apocalypse emerged slowly from within, eight mutants following behind him. He stood opposite Eric, and the air itself seemed to thicken with killing intent.
"Eric, don't be impulsive!" Renzo landed beside him. One by one, the rest of the X-Men disembarked, their eyes fixed on the towering figure before them. The younger ones couldn't hide the thin sheen of sweat forming on their foreheads.
"I'll give you one more chance," Apocalypse said, raising his hands. His hoarse, grating voice carried a strange, seductive power. "Join me… and become my servants."
The voice seemed to seep into their minds. Several of the younger mutants involuntarily stepped forward, as if being pulled.
A golden light flashed.
The dazed expressions vanished instantly. Everyone snapped back to their senses, staring in shock. The voice they had just heard had felt irresistible—like the overwhelming authority of a father in childhood, impossible to defy.
"It's a psychic attack—don't fall for it!" Charles reacted immediately, warning the others, though he himself struggled against the intrusion.
Fortunately, the Mind Stone embedded in Renzo's forehead emitted a faint golden glow, shielding them from the mental assault—and even striking back at Apocalypse.
"Hm… interesting." Apocalypse was briefly caught off guard. He had assumed only Charles possessed telepathic abilities—but clearly, there was someone stronger.
Still, it didn't matter. With a slight wave of his hand, his followers immediately understood.
Victor grinned savagely, his fangs bared. His gaze locked onto the red-skinned devil—Azazel. He had escaped once, but not this time.
Logan, though unwilling, was driven forward by the control placed upon him. The force within him stirred his feral instincts.
"Roar!"
Logan leapt down from the pyramid alongside his brother Victor, both attacking on all fours like beasts.
Eric's eyes narrowed. A strange sense of familiarity stirred within him. He raised his hands, activating his magnetism—
The two brothers were instantly sent flying.
Their metal-laced bodies were no match for Eric. Like twin meteors, they shot through the sky and vanished into the distance.
Apocalypse's expression darkened. Before the battle had even begun, he had already lost two fighters.
"Let's go!"
Eric's display ignited the team's morale. The enemy didn't seem invincible after all. Renzo took the lead, surging forward and targeting only the figure atop the pyramid.
John and Mortimer(Toad) tried to intercept him, launching attacks that passed straight through his body—leaving them stunned.
"Roar!"
A beastly howl echoed. Mortimer turned just in time to see a blue, fur-covered figure slam him to the ground.
Hank roared as he pinned him down. The two clashed head-on.
John moved to assist, only to be blasted in the face by a stream of fire, forcing a pained scream from him.
Salvador, her insect-like wings buzzing, darted through the air to intercept him—alternating between flames and venom. But John recovered quickly, activating his powers to evade her attacks.
Eric charged straight toward Shaw, only to be blocked by a massive red figure.
"I'm going to shove your head up your ass!" Cain's rough voice echoed from beneath his helmet. His enormous frame radiated raw power, each step shaking the ground.
"Move!" Eric snapped, unwilling to waste time. He seized control of the metal on Cain's body, attempting to fling him away like Logan.
"Ah!" Cain resisted through sheer weight, but the metal constricted around him, tightening his breathing. His face flushed deep red as he struggled, roaring as he tore the metal apart with brute force, stripping it off like paper before charging forward bare-chested.
"I won't make that mistake again," Eric muttered grimly.
"Ahhh!" Cain charged like a runaway truck, his eyes locked onto Eric. With a roar, he leapt into the air, aiming to crush him.
"Damn it!" Eric braced himself, crossing his arms.
…
The impact never came.
Eric looked up in surprise. Cain hung frozen mid-air, his expression twisted with rage. His veins bulged, his eyes bloodshot—yet he couldn't move.
"Go! I'll hold him!" Charles clutched his head, his face strained with effort.
Understanding instantly, Eric nodded and rushed toward Shaw.
"Cain! Long time no see. How's your mother?" Charles forced a strained smile.
"I'm sorry. I know you can't respond—but you'll have to stay here."
"Ugh…" Cain forced out a few broken syllables through clenched teeth. "F… you…"
"Pietro!"
Alex hurled a beam of energy toward Pietro's path, trying to slow him down.
"Hey, man, you've got to break my legs!" Pietro shouted—but before the words fully left his mouth, he vanished.
A blur of silver flashed. Alex was struck by a tremendous force and sent crashing into a collapsed building, losing consciousness instantly.
"Damn it! Someone break my legs!" Pietro yelled as he ran uncontrollably, his body attacking friend and foe alike.
Aman was knocked to the ground by a sudden blow, unable to even track Pietro's movements.
Boom!
Sean's charred body was tossed aside by Shaw, landing heavily on the ground. He looked as if he could die at any moment.
"You overestimate yourself," Shaw said coldly as he strode forward. Emma followed closely, using her telepathy to disrupt the X-Men's minds.
Renzo had no time to worry about the battlefield. Ignoring the stone giants, he floated upward until he stood before Apocalypse.
"You… are not a mutant?" Apocalypse asked, confused. In his worldview, all beings with extraordinary power were mutants. Yet he could neither invade Renzo's mind nor sense any familiar aura—no mutant signature, not even the vitality of a living being.
Renzo didn't bother answering.
His body shrank instantly, dodging the sudden surge of plant growth. Apocalypse's sneak attack failed—and in the next instant, a powerful punch struck his chin.
Apocalypse staggered, surprised. Their previous encounter had led him to believe he understood Renzo's strength—but clearly, there was more.
No matter.
His jaw reset itself with a crack. His eyes turned white as he searched for Renzo's position.
"Meteor Fist!"
"Above!" Apocalypse reacted instantly, raising his hand to block—only to feel something solid. His fingers tightened as he grabbed Renzo.
Heat surged through his hand, the temperature spiking to over a thousand degrees Celsius. He intended to melt Renzo alive.
"…Hm?"
A brilliant golden light erupted from within his grip. The violent energy tore through his hand, severing it at the wrist. Renzo seized the moment to escape, returning to normal size.
"I feel… limitless energy," Apocalypse murmured, staring at the charred stump. A strange force lingered there, preventing immediate regeneration.
"This guy… is insanely strong," Renzo thought. Apocalypse's power felt comparable to his own—even with two Infinity Stones.
A low incantation slipped from Apocalypse's lips. Under Renzo's watchful gaze, his severed hand regenerated instantly.
His attention shifted to the gem embedded in Renzo's forehead.
"That one…?"
He extended his hand. Dark magic coiled outward, forming a black, rope-like construct that lashed toward Renzo.
"The Crimson Bands of Cyttorak? You're copying Doctor Strange now?" Renzo didn't dare take it lightly. If he were bound, the battle would likely be over.
Magic defied logic. Even if it couldn't harm his body directly, it could target his soul.
And the stone giants were still interfering—each swing of their massive fists disrupting his movement.
"Your turn," Renzo thought just as a giant fist slammed him into the ground.
Apocalypse watched the impact, but his expression shifted. A darker, more ominous force was emerging—something even more sinister than his own magic.
Cracks spread across the stone giant's arm. Then its entire body fractured, as if weathered by time.
Boom!
The giant collapsed into dust, crumbling like shattered porcelain.
Black liquid seeped from the crater below, thick and viscous, carrying a nauseating stench. It spread across the ground, staining everything it touched. The golden stone turned pitch black, forming a void-like expanse that seemed to swallow light itself.
A figure rose from within it.
Renzo emerged—his body shrouded in pure darkness. The once-radiant gem on his forehead had turned black, crackling with dark lightning. The Space Stone was now embedded in his chest, its power warping the space around him.
Apocalypse's expression finally changed. He rose from his throne, now truly recognizing Renzo as a threat.
Another stone giant formed at his command, sand and rock gathering into a towering armored figure.
Renzo glanced at it indifferently.
The giant grew to thirty meters, forming a massive sword of sand before swinging it down.
"Tear—!"
Renzo raised his hand. Space warped violently, forming a vortex that sliced the giant clean in half. Its upper body vanished into a swirling void.
Apocalypse didn't hesitate. More giants rose at his command, attempting to overwhelm Renzo through sheer numbers.
But—
Vortices erupted within their cores, tearing them apart before they could fully form.
Apocalypse suddenly looked around.
From the blackened ground below, a pale, lifeless figure emerged—Riptide. Renzo had hidden him within the Black Lantern Ring, waiting for the perfect moment.
Renzo's dark gaze flicked toward Apocalypse.
"No—!" Apocalypse's pupils shrank.
In the next instant, Renzo was already in front of him.
A single punch—
—and the pyramid wall exploded outward, blasted open by the force.
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