Chapter 30 : Chains!

Carl's words served as a small source of comfort, slightly stabilizing the Mutant's mood.

Glancing at the chain around her neck, Carl remarked, "There's still a skirmish outside. Let me free you from this first, then we can discuss the rest."

The Mutant's blood-red eyes gleamed with defiance as she grinned, revealing a set of sharp teeth. Her voice rasped, "It's not that simple."

"I don't know what material this chain is made of. It's incredibly tough. I couldn't even make a dent in it with a sword."

"It's remarkably resilient," Carl remarked, a hint of surprise in his voice.

He was well aware of the Mutant's prowess with a blade. Under normal circumstances, ordinary steel should have been sliced through effortlessly.

"Allow me to inspect it."

Furrowing his brows, Carl approached the Mutant, his gaze meeting her crimson eyes. Carefully, he lifted the blood-stained silver iron ring that encircled her neck, finding it stubbornly resistant to his efforts.

The circumference of the iron ring matched precisely with the Mutant's neck, making it difficult to exert force.

Observing this, Carl shifted his attention to the chain attached to the wall behind them. It, too, was crafted from silver metal, as thick as chopsticks, stretching about five meters and anchored to the innermost wall of the room.

Grasping the chain with both hands, Carl took a deep breath. Muscles in his arms bulged as he applied over twenty tons of force, pulling with all his might.

Clang!

The iron chain straightened in Carl's grip, sparking against his palm. Yet, despite the strain, it showed no signs of breaking.

"...Impressive resilience," Carl murmured, a tinge of disappointment evident in his tone.

Nevertheless, he refused to admit defeat. Examining the chain once more, Carl noted the seamless connection of each link, leaving no room for weakness.

It seemed nearly impossible to tear it asunder without a point of vulnerability.

However... Carl's scrutiny revealed a flaw at the juncture where the iron ring around the Mutant's neck merged with the chain trailing behind her.

Although there was no visible gap, subtle differences in color indicated that the metal wasn't uniform. Carl noticed this immediately.

Pinching with two fingers, his thumb's nail pressed firmly against the interface. Carl applied pressure.

Instantly, the metal at the interface began to shift slightly, its hardness and toughness inferior to the surrounding metal.

It seemed that during the Mutant's application, welding the chain wasn't feasible, thus requiring a metal replacement.

A smile crept onto Carl's face. "You might feel a slight discomfort later. Please bear with it."

The intense red glow in the Mutant's eyes flickered as she hoarsely replied, "As long as it means freedom, I'll endure any pain."

"Good."

Carl gripped the iron ring around her neck with both hands.

With each struggle, the collar tore into the skin around her neck, flesh blurred, and Carl winced in sympathy.

This Mutant seemed merciless, both towards enemies and herselff.

Carl delicately adjusted his grip on the collar, minimizing any potential harm.

In contrast to Carl's focus, the female Mutant remained remarkably calm, suggesting the pain was inconsequential to her.

Finding the optimal point of leverage, Carl narrowed his eyes, activating his X gene power.

Boom!

An eruption of violent force surged from Carl's body, his hair dancing wildly like an awakened beast, emitting an intimidating aura.

This sudden surge of power startled the nearby Mutant, whose blood-red eyes fixated on Carl's stern yet handsome face.

Roar!

As Carl entered his transformed state, his muscle strength skyrocketed fivefold, reaching an astonishing grip strength of 100 tons.

With a deep growl, Carl tightened his grip on the collar with all his might. The muscles in his palms tensed, and the silver iron ring, pulled by his immense strength, creaked under the pressure.

Under the strain, the juncture where the iron ring and the chain interlocked began to morph, revealing fine cracks.

As Carl unleashed his power, a primal roar nearly engulfed the mutant's face, exuding untamed masculinity.

Yet amidst the chaos, both Carl and the mutant remained fixated on the iron ring encircling her neck.

Beneath Carl's formidable strength, the welding point of the silver iron ring contorted, fissured, and then abruptly gave way, freeing the mutant completely.

"Roar!! Congratulations, you're liberated," Carl gasped heavily, clutching the now-broken iron ring in his hand, a satisfied grin adorning his face.

"I'm free," the female mutant murmured, her fingers tracing her neck in disbelief, finally liberated from the iron ring's clutches.

"Alright, let's make our way out."

"Before we do, this needs to come with us." With determination, Carl strode to the opposite end of the chain and seized it firmly with both hands.

Recognizing the chain's durability and special material, Carl had no intention of leaving it behind.

With a resolute exhale, Carl exerted his strength, causing the chain to contort slightly, its steel clasps embedded in the wall creaking before the wall itself burst with a deafening bang.

The half-meter-long chain, entrenched in the concrete wall, was forcefully ripped out by Carl.

In the aftermath, Carl, emanating an explosive aura, wrapped the five-meter chain around his arms with satisfaction before gesturing for the mutant to follow.

"Let's go."

Observing Carl's back, the mutant silently retrieved the long sword from the ground and followed suit.

Outside, Shadowcat and Wolverine had successfully rescued all eight mutant children, ranging from eight to thirteen years old.

However, their attention was soon drawn to Carl, engulfed in swirling winds, his form bathed in blood, and the mutant by his side, wielding a long sword, appearing almost demonic.

The children all recoiled in fear.

Even Logan found himself startled by the intense murderous aura emanating from this Mutant.

Carl reassured them: "Don't be afraid. Just like you, she's also a Mutant with her own struggles."

With that, Carl turned to Wolverine. "Mr. Logan, everyone has been rescued."

Logan nodded. "Good, they're all accounted for."

"Alright, Kitty, Teacher Logan, I'll lead the way."

"My strength is formidable, my speed is swift, and I'm better suited for this." With determination, Carl, in an explosive burst of power, reached out and forcefully tore down the steel door of the adjacent room.

It was to be used as a shield.

Observing his prowess, Logan and Shadowcat remained silent.

They quickly arranged themselves, with Carl taking the lead, Wolverine at the rear, Shadowcat and the female Mutant in the middle.

Although the female Mutant insisted on accompanying Carl at the front, considering her frail condition, Carl declined.

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