Chapter 33 : Weaknesses!
The atmosphere was tense as both sides prepared to reconcile. Carl glanced around and inquired, "Mr. Scott, what about Professor Orolo?"
Scott adjusted his glasses and replied in a hushed tone, "She was handling a Mutant threat. Peter and I intervened to prevent additional pressure on you."
"Are all the others safe? Any injuries?" Scott scanned the group after speaking.
Shadowcat nodded, "Everyone Is accounted for and unharmed."
A faint smile graced Scott's lips. "That's a relief."
At that moment, Logan interjected solemnly, "There's something off about this place. It's not your typical Mutant Institute. We should leave, and fast."
Scott nodded in agreement. They had dealt with Mutant Labs before, but this one was different. Most labs were simple affairs, but this one was heavily guarded, reminiscent of the Stryker facility they'd encountered years ago.
As they made their exit, Colossus and Carl led the way, Cyclops and Shadowcat in the middle, and Logan bringing up the rear to ensure no surprises.
Fortunately, their departure went smoothly.
Upon reaching the surface, they found Orolo waiting by the entrance of the basement. Nearby lay the charred remains of her adversary, evidence of the intense battle that had taken place.
"You made it out," Orolo remarked, visibly relieved to see them unscathed.
From the onset of the conflict to their escape, barely twenty minutes had passed.
Most of that time had been spent navigating the facility with the rescued Mutants.
In a display of Mutant power, they, a mere handful of individuals, had overcome a well-armed research institute manned by ex-special forces, gang members, and lab personnel.
This was the strength of Mutants — rendering ordinary humans powerless, unless confronted by an equally formidable force.
As flames licked the night sky, the roar of fighter plane engines signaled their escape. With a thunderous ascent, they vanished into the darkness, leaving behind only ruins.
It didn't take long for numerous vehicles to arrive in the distant city.
...
"The trial mission is complete. Congratulations to the host, you have earned 1 Origin Point."
"Congratulations to the host, you have acquired new permissions. The virtual battlefield is now accessible."
Inside the Blackbird fighter plane, while the mutant children gazed around with curiosity and the X-Men took a moment to rest, a system prompt echoed in Carl's mind.
The origin point reward for completing the task wasn't unexpected, but the new permission caught him by surprise.
"System, what is the virtual battlefield?" Carl inquired.
In response to Carl's query, a flood of information rushed into his mind, prompting a pensive expression to grace his features.
The virtual battlefield is a novel feature of the system, requiring mental energy to initiate and sustain. Upon activation, one's consciousness enters a simulated space where opponents can be selected for combat training, thereby enhancing practical combat proficiency.
Nevertheless, despite being labeled as a virtual space, it is purportedly indistinguishable from reality.
"This function is formidable," Carl remarked, his eyes narrowing as he evaluated it.
Reflecting on the recent rescue mission, while it appeared they had swiftly and effortlessly completed the task, Carl discerned numerous shortcomings.
For instance, they had overlooked the presence of the demon mutant in their intelligence gathering. Had Shadowcat been present, she might have fallen prey to the devil-horned mutant.
Moreover, even Wolverine might not necessarily match the devil-horned mutant in combat prowess.
Mutants, in terms of strength, were no less formidable than himself, with some even surpassing Wolverine in speed.
The combination of the devil-horned mutant's razor-sharp long sword and its unique power posed a severe threat, capable of inflicting serious injuries even through Adamantium claws.
Additionally, various mutants exhibited flaws in their abilities.
Cyclops and Storm, for example, were primarily suited for large-scale, long-range attacks and destruction. However, their abilities were severely restricted within confined spaces or buildings, rendering them less effective.
If encountering speedster foes, mutants with rapid movements can prove problematic once their reflexes fall short.
Regarding Shadowcat, it's evident that her Phasing Ability stands as unique. Moreover, her offensive capabilities resemble those of an ordinary specialized soldier, serving specific purposes alone.
In contrast, Colossus presents a somewhat average profile but lacks significant weaknesses across the board.
In offense, he packs a punch surpassing that of ordinary individuals, while in defense, he stands unfazed against standard light and heavy firearms, boasting significantly enhanced speed.
Furthermore, upon assuming his tempered state, he displays formidable resistance against various attributes, remaining impervious to blade cuts, flooding, toxic gases, corrosion, and extreme temperatures.
Upon assessing everyone, Carl acknowledges his own shortcomings.
He realizes his deficiency in large-scale destructive attacks compared to Storm and Cyclops and his inferior defense compared to Colossus. Hence, he refrains from confronting submachine gun bullets head-on, mindful of his vulnerability as mere flesh and blood.
Carl estimates his current body density only affords resistance against low-power pistols, submachine guns, and automatic rifles, bullets that can still penetrate his skin.
Moreover, his attack repertoire seems overly simplistic, relying solely on fists or feet.
While ordinary individuals may crumble under his blows, what if confronted by a mutant with formidable defense and offensive prowess, such as Wolverine?
In direct combat, Carl now surpasses Logan in strength, agility, and reaction time. Overall, he should outmatch him.
However, Logan's self-healing ability and Adamantium-laced bones can endure Carl's barrage, yet Carl cannot withstand Logan's lethal claws in return.'
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