Chapter 26

In the main control room of the base, William Stryker was furious.

"You don't even know who's attacking the base? Where are our guards?"

"Sir, the attackers might be mutants. Their speed and strength are beyond anything human. Our people are being slaughtered," a subordinate, seated at the monitor, stammered, his voice trembling with fear. He pointed shakily at the screen, which showed the carnage unfolding outside.

Even though he was a battle-hardened soldier, he had never witnessed anything like this. From the initial raid to the attack on the base, the efficiency was terrifying. It had taken less than three minutes for the intruders to tear through hundreds of soldiers. The firearms were utterly useless.

"Damn it," William growled, veins bulging on his forehead as he stared at the screen. The attackers were using nothing but cold weapons, yet their reflexes and speed were far from normal.

"Move!" William barked, turning to leave for Professor X. His steps faltered as he froze in shock.

Two figures stood in front of him—one tall man in a black windbreaker, the other a woman in a black, tight-fitting combat suit. Before William could react, the woman at his side, sensing danger, extended long, sharp steel claws from her hands. With the agility of a leopard, she lunged at the man.

But in the blink of an eye, a foot glowing with golden light slammed into her head.

Boom!

The force of the kick sent her crashing into the wall, her upper body embedded in the concrete. Her legs twitched uncontrollably as cracks spread across the wall, causing chunks of stone to crumble and fall.

The shockwave from the impact ruffled the hair of everyone present. William stood frozen in place, cold sweat dripping down his forehead as his body trembled with fear.

"Natasha..."

The one who had entered was none other than Leon. After swiftly dealing with the woman, he called out softly. Natasha nodded, acknowledging him. With long strides, she walked past William, who stood frozen in fear, not daring to move. As she entered the control room, she effortlessly snapped the necks of a few soldiers before sitting down at the computer to take control.

"Ugh..."

The woman, embedded in the wall from Leon's earlier kick, let out a faint groan as her body trembled, trying to move. Leon glanced at her, his expression indifferent. "Her healing ability is enviable," he remarked casually.

He then turned his icy gaze back to William, who stood paralyzed with fear. The cold intensity in Leon's eyes made William feel as though he were staring into the eyes of a predator, ready to tear him apart at any moment. His throat was dry, and he could sense the danger of the man standing before him.

Summoning whatever courage he had left, William tried to speak. "I know who you are, but I am a colonel in the U.S. military, and this is my base. What you've done here—"

"Shut up, trash!" Leon cut him off, his voice as cold as a winter storm. "Tell me, how many lives have you destroyed in your experiments?"

William's blood ran cold. He opened his mouth to defend himself, but before he could, Leon's voice cut through the air once more.

"Never mind. I already know. People like you are destined for only one place—hell."

William could only watch helplessly as Leon stretched out his finger, pointing it directly at him.

Weng!!

A strange sound echoed as a bright, cross-shaped light bloomed from Leon's fingertip. Despite its small size, it contained an overwhelming, terrifying energy.

"No! No! You can't kill me!" William screamed in desperation, his body trembling as he staggered backward. But it was too late. A brilliant golden beam shot out, and a burning pain pierced his heart. His entire body was instantly consumed by flames.

Within the inferno, he could barely make out Leon, who coldly turned away without a second glance. William wailed in agony, reaching out in a futile attempt to grab Leon's back. But the fire overwhelmed him, and he collapsed to his knees, his voice finally silenced.

The flames raged on until his body was reduced to ash.

Meanwhile, Natasha didn't even spare a look at the fallen William. She was focused on infiltrating the data center. The more she uncovered, the angrier she became. The screens displayed horrific images and data from cruel, inhumane experiments—each one costing lives. It was as if she could hear the screams echoing in her ears.

This place was nothing less than a massive slaughterhouse, systematically killing one innocent life after another.

Natasha glanced back at the charred corpse behind her. If he were still alive, she would have used her most brutal methods to punish this devil.

"You're lucky, you worthless trash," she muttered coldly.

In the detention area of the base, a group of imprisoned mutant children trembled in fear, yet hope stirred in their hearts as they listened to the commotion outside.

"Is the professor here to save us?" one asked.

"It must be. Maybe Teacher Ororo and the others are here too," another child whispered.

"Everyone, stay calm and don't cause any trouble for the teachers," a third encouraged, trying to keep everyone's spirits up.

Meanwhile, just outside the prison, Wanda, Pietro, and Sergei had found the place. But standing at the door was a man unlike the soldiers outside. His combat uniform was unfamiliar, and he wore red quartz glasses that hid his cold, expressionless face.

He looked strong.

"Ha, I'll take care of this," Pietro began, but before he could finish, Wanda raised her hand. A surge of red, chaotic energy exploded from her, slamming the man into a nearby machine with a heavy crash. Sparks flew as his body twitched among the wreckage of the broken machinery.

Pietro blinked, a little stunned. "Well... okay, that works."

Both Pietro and Sergei stood frozen, staring at Wanda's serious expression. They couldn't help but feel a shiver run down their spines.

They were scared.

Wanda, unfazed by their reactions, waved her hand again. The chaotic energy ripped through the metal wall, creating an opening. Without a word, she stepped through it with determined strides, leaving them to follow.