Chapter 74

In the Atlantic Ocean, on an island occupied by the Brotherhood of Mutants.

More than twenty years ago, under Magneto's leadership, the Brotherhood was brimming with enthusiasm, eager to overturn the existing world order, shatter the chains binding mutants, and crush all discrimination and injustice. However, every plan for an all-out assault was thwarted by his old friend, Professor Charles Xavier. The once-close friends had become bitter enemies, each becoming an obstacle to the other's goals.

Their divergent paths were determined by their backgrounds. Magneto spent most of his childhood in a concentration camp, where his mother was killed to force him to awaken his powers. Professor Xavier, on the other hand, was born into privilege, graduating from prestigious schools and inheriting a vast fortune and estate at a young age. The vast difference in their upbringings destined them for conflict. Magneto, hardened by suffering and loss, grew up disillusioned with society, while Xavier, wealthy and influential, preferred to serve as a bridge between mutants and humans, preserving the status quo.

These irreconcilable differences had fueled their long-standing feud.

Now, as the aged Magneto witnessed a new mutant star rising—Su Chen, who was rapidly ascending to the pinnacle—he was filled with a mixture of admiration and envy. Su Chen had achieved everything Magneto had ever dreamed of. But Magneto couldn't help but ask why it wasn't him in that position.

Dressed in a black suit and iron helmet, Magneto watched the approaching entourage from the island. With a hum, Su Chen, accompanied by Emma Frost and several other mutants, emerged from spatial ripples.

"It's him! The top mutant himself," murmured the gathering mutants, eyes wide with curiosity and reverence. Su Chen had become a symbol of hope for their kind, the savior of mutants.

"So, you've come to kill me yourself?" Magneto asked coolly, scrutinizing the young man before him. Su Chen, tall, slender, and handsome, exuded an aura of cold indifference that made him seem unapproachable. His emotionless gaze sent a chill through those who met it.

Magneto saw in Su Chen a reflection of his younger self—a ruthless, solitary figure shaped by a harsh world. This realization made Magneto smile, albeit bitterly.

"Fate has been cruel to me," Magneto lamented. "Why did you awaken your powers in a lab while I was powerless in a concentration camp?"

He seethed with resentment, recalling how his mother was killed to trigger his mutant abilities. Had he possessed enough power then, he might have rewritten history. The memory of his mother's murder at the hands of his tormentors had driven him into the abyss, fueling his vow to upend the world. But his powers had been too weak at the time, and he had been used and abused.

Hatred had consumed him for so long.

Seeing the young Su Chen, who had escaped a lab and crushed every injustice, tipped the balance of Magneto's emotions. Su Chen, unbothered by Magneto's anguish, issued an ultimatum: "Surrender or die!"

Magneto laughed, impressed by Su Chen's merciless resolve. This was the kind of leader the mutants needed—someone who could face the world with unyielding strength, unlike himself, who had grown old and retreated to an island, awaiting judgment.

But surrender was not an option for Magneto. "Very well," he said, his magnetic powers flaring as he prepared for battle. "Let's fight to the death. If you kill me, it will prove you are worthy to lead the mutants. If I kill you, you will have died unworthy of the cause."

"If I die," Magneto continued, his resolve firm, "the Brotherhood will submit to you. You will be their king."

With each word, Magneto seemed to shed years, his vigor returning as he prepared for one final, glorious battle. "Promise me this, young man: if you win, show no mercy. Conquer or destroy the world. Only then will they not rise again."

"This is an old man's advice to the next generation."

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