22.

Rogue, already attached to the device, felt a surge of Magneto's power mingling with her own. Her hair floated around her as if lifted by an unseen wind, and the energy within her crackled with intensity. Magneto's abilities coursed through her veins, making her feel both powerful and terrified.

Fisk's eyes darted between Magneto and Rogue, calculating his next move. The machine roared to life, its lights flickering as it tapped into Rogue's newfound power. The room vibrated with raw energy, and Rogue felt herself becoming the conduit for something far greater than she had ever imagined.

Unlike Magneto's powers, which he could barely manage to turn a single person into a mutant, Rogue's power seemed almost unfathomable. Despite being unconscious, she released a wave of power that even Magneto didn't think was possible. The entire room was bathed in the radiation from the machine, and the visible white aura began to cover everyone's bodies, mutating their cells by the second.

Magneto and Toad, being mutants, were unaffected. But for the rest, the aura enveloped them, transforming their genetic makeup. The henchmen gasped in shock and horror as their bodies began to change.

Fisk's eyes widened in alarm, his earlier bravado slipping away. "What is happening?" he demanded, looking at Magneto.

Magneto's expression was one of grim satisfaction. "Rogue's power, combined with my machine, is achieving what I could not alone. We are creating a new dawn for mutants."

"It seems we have no time for test runs," Magneto's mocking voice cut through the chaos, laden with grim satisfaction. The sight of his adversaries writhing under the influence of the powerful mutation wave filled him with a dark sense of accomplishment.

Fisk's face contorted with a mix of horror and fascination. The aura's light intensified, and the mutation process accelerated, leaving the room filled with cries of agony and disbelief. His bravado was all but gone, replaced by a desperate need to understand and control the situation.

Rogue, despite her unconscious state, continued to emit waves of power. The energy crackled around her, growing more intense with each passing moment. Her hair floated wildly, and the machine's lights flickered in tandem with her pulsating aura.

Magneto, still struggling to stand, took a moment to steady himself. He glanced at Rogue, a mixture of pride and empathy in his eyes. "This is the future," he said softly, almost to himself. "A world where mutants no longer have to hide."

Fisk's attention snapped back to Magneto, his eyes narrowing. "You promised me power," he growled, his voice trembling with barely contained rage. "You didn't tell me it would come at such a cost."

Magneto's lips curled into a sardonic smile. "Power always comes at a cost, Mr. Fisk. I would have thought a man of your stature would understand that."

Before Fisk could respond, the guns Magneto had levitated moments earlier remained poised, a constant reminder of the fragile balance of power in the room. The tension was palpable, and the air seemed to vibrate with potential violence.

Suddenly, one of Fisk's henchmen, now fully mutated and in a state of panic, lunged towards Rogue, perhaps hoping to end the torrent of energy. But before he could get close, one of the floating guns fired, the bullet finding its mark with deadly precision. The henchman fell to the ground, lifeless, his body still crackling with residual energy.

Fisk's eyes blazed with fury. "This wasn't part of our agreement!"

Magneto's expression hardened. "Our agreement was to ensure the survival and dominance of mutants and in turn for me to help you achieve power beyond your means. Rogue is the key to that vision. If you cannot see the greater picture, then perhaps you are not as indispensable as you think."

The aura around Rogue continued to grow, the mutation wave now a blinding light filling the entire room. The transformation of Fisk's men reached its climax, their screams fading into stunned silence as they struggled to comprehend their new forms.

Magneto, feeling the toll of the power transfer, sank back into his chair, his strength waning. "We are on the precipice of a new era," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "An era where mutants are no longer the hunted but the hunters."

Fisk, realizing the full scope of what was happening, took a step back, his mind racing. The alliance with Magneto had always been a means to an end, but now he faced a reality he hadn't fully anticipated.

But it was true, magneto had indeed held his end of the bargain.

He looked around the now quiet room, his men transformed into all sorts of mutants with abilities beyond his comprehension. He could see some men playing with the electric sparks in their hands, some being transformed into having pure metallic bodies, whereas others emitted bright lights out of their hands and a few of them even had new mutated body parts from wings, to extra pairs of arms and eyes. Each one was unique and each one more interesting than the rest.

Fisk stared at his own hand unsure of what powers he had acquired, when he felt his legs growing heavy as slowly the heaviness slowly spread throughout his body, turning him into a humanoid-looking rock. Fisk gulped as he took a heavy step forward, launching a jab at the wall, and without breaking a sweat he managed to

shatter the solid concrete with ease. The sheer force behind his punch sent shockwaves through the room, causing dust and debris to rain down from the ceiling. Fisk looked at his rocky fist, a mixture of amazement and satisfaction on his face. The transformation had given him an unimaginable strength, a power he had craved for so long.

Magneto watched the scene unfold, a faint smile playing on his lips. "As you can see, Mr. Fisk, our partnership has yielded the desired results. You and your men now possess powers beyond your wildest dreams. Together, we can reshape this world."

Fisk, still marveling at his newfound abilities, turned to Magneto with a renewed sense of respect. "It seems you have indeed kept your promise, Magneto. This power... it's extraordinary."

Magneto nodded, though the exertion was clearly taking its toll on him. "Remember, Mr. Fisk, with great power comes great responsibility. We must use these gifts wisely to create a world where mutants can thrive."

Rogue, still unconscious, continued to emit waves of energy. The machine hummed with power, its lights flickering in a hypnotic dance. The aura around her began to stabilize, the blinding light slowly dimming to a more bearable glow.

Magneto gestured to Toad, who had been standing guard. "Get her out of the machine. We need her alive and well for the next phase."

Toad moved quickly, carefully disconnecting Rogue from the device. As soon as she was free, the room seemed to breathe a collective sigh of relief. The intense energy that had filled the space began to dissipate, leaving behind a charged, expectant silence.

Fisk's mutated henchmen, now acclimating to their new forms, looked to their leader for guidance. Fisk, his rocky form imposing and powerful, addressed them with a commanding presence. "We have been given a gift, a chance to rise above our previous limitations. Let's make sure we use this power to its fullest potential and finish what he aimed to do."

Magneto, regaining some of his composure, stood tall despite his exhaustion. "This man you're looking for, I am sure you can subdue him now, but before we do, we need to rescue my people..."