Ch-22: To England

'Here we go,' he thought, peering into the chamber to see the results of his daring experiment.

Ethan saw a blob of slime before him. At first glance, it wasn't much different from the smaller blobs he had put in before, except now it was a single, larger mass.

He picked it up and willed some mana into it, establishing a connection. As his mana entered the blob, he felt the changes brought about by [SCP-914].

The [Slime] responded instantly to his will, able to take any shape or form he desired, limited only by his imagination.

Additionally, the [Slime] could expand and increase its size by 50% more than its original mass when supplied with mana. Its mana-conducting property allowed him to use {Sharpen} without any fear of decreasing its durability.

Additionally, the [Slime] was now incredibly durable, especially when infused with mana. Although Ethan hadn't tested it yet, he could sense its resilience through their connection.

'This is perfect,' Ethan thought, feeling a rush of satisfaction. 'A versatile item that compliments my skills flawlessly.'

Without wasting a moment, he willed the [Slime] to cover his body in a full-body suit and helmet. The [Slime] moved swiftly, enveloping him in less than a second. The suit felt like a second skin, flexible yet protective.

Then he added some details to the suit, making it look more like being made from normal materials than slime. He also added holsters and a utility belt for grenades and other miscellaneous items.

Thinking some more, he decided to give the suit a more modern look by adding dynamic armor panels on shoulders and chest.

And of course, the whole suit and helmet were black in color to complement the aesthetics of his powers.

Ethan turned to Alfred, a hint of excitement in his voice, "How do I look, Alfred?"

Alfred studied him with a critical eye, then nodded appreciatively. "Quite formidable, sir. If I may say so, you look ready to take on an army."

Ethan smiled under his helmet, feeling a surge of confidence. He then turned his attention to The Clockworks, carefully taking it back into his inventory. With the final preparations complete, he felt a sense of readiness settle over him.

'Everything's set,' Ethan thought, his mind turning to the mission ahead. 'Now, it's time to join the war.'

.

.

.

[Third person POV]

[Two days Later]

Ethan sat in the study, the flickering flames in his eye sockets casting an eerie blue glow on the walls as he reviewed his plans. The door creaked open, and Alfred entered with a stoic look on his face.

"Master Ethan, I've gathered intel on the Nazi's concentration camps. The largest one is Auschwitz, in Poland," Alfred announced, his voice steady.

Ethan looked up and the intensity of his blue flames flared slightly, "Excellent, I had been waiting for you. What's the layout of Auschwitz, Alfred?"

Alfred stepped closer, pulling out a folded map from his coat pocket and held it out towards Ethan, "I've managed to acquire a rough map from a reliable source. It shows the main camp, Birkenau, and the surrounding subcamps."

Ethan took the map with his gloves hand, his flames flickering with interest as he studied it intently. "Good. That's a great start. I'll need to study it carefully."

Looking up, he asked, "How did you get this exactly?"

Alfred's eyes met Ethan's, a glint of pride in them. "I have a Polish contact who has provided valuable insights into the Nazi's operations in Europe."

Ethan leaned back in his chair, the blue flames in his eyes softening momentarily. "That's quite a feat, Alfred. How did you manage to establish contact with the Polish Resistance? "

"Well, Master Ethan, I've had dealings with various businessmen and investors according to your instructions. And one of them, a Polish entrepreneur, has connections with the Resistance. He's been providing me with valuable intel," Alfred explained, his voice calm and composed.

Ethan's eye flames flared slightly, his tone slightly more calm as he spoke. "I see. And this entrepreneur, is he trustworthy?"

Alfred nodded, his expression somber. "As trustworthy as anyone in this line of work, Master Ethan. Let's just say he has a vested interest in seeing the Nazis defeated. He's lost family members to their brutality."

Ethan's flames flickered again as he nodded slightly, "I understand."

Then he remembered, "By the way, what about Max Eisendhart? Have you found anything on the kid?"

Alfred sighed, his head dropping down slightly. Then, he shook his head as he spoke, "I'm afraid not, Master Ethan. Finding information about a single child in a war-torn area is like looking for a needle in a haystack. I've tried every avenue, but so far, nothing has turned up."

Ethan leaned back, a small sigh escaping his maw, "I expected as much, but I had to try."

"I'm sorry, Master Ethan…"

Alfred looked up, "Although, I have found something about a certain Nathaniel Essex you spoke of."

Although quite intrigued, Ethan remained calm, "Oh, tell me what you found."

Alfred pulled out a folder, filled with yellowed papers and faded ink. "Nathaniel Essex...a fascinating individual, Master Ethan. Born into nobility in 19th century England, he showed a keen interest in science and prediction from a young age. His work at Oxford University was groundbreaking, but his obsession with evolution and mutation led him down a dangerous path."

Ethan listened calmly as Alfred continued, "He spoke of 'Essex Factors' and talked about the emergence of a new race of humans, but his unorthodox methods got him ousted from the Royal Society."

Ethan joined his palms, his fingers crossing together in front of him as he leaned forward intrigued, "And what of his personal life, Alfred?"

"Tragedy struck when his son Adam passed away at a young age. Dr. Essex's grief drove him deeper into his work, but it also led to his downfall. His wife, Rebecca, tried to keep him grounded, but his obsession consumed him," Alfred's expression was stoic as detailed the tragedy.

Ethan's flames flickered, "I see. And what of his current whereabouts, Alfred?"

Alfred shook his head, "I couldn't find any information on his current activities, Master Ethan. After getting kicked out of the Royal Society, he seemed to have vanished from the face of earth and is now presumed dead."

Ethan parted his gloved hands, "Thanks a lot, Alfred. That was immensely helpful."

"You're welcome, Master Ethan."

Then Alfred looked at his wristwatch, seeing that it was now 9 o'clock. "Now, let's get you to England. Your ship awaits," Alfred said, a hint of urgency in his tone.

Ethan nodded, putting all the files in a briefcase before transferring it to his inventory. They walked out to the Lincoln Continental parked outside, the cool night air brushing against them.

Alfred drove them through the dimly lit streets of New York, heading towards the Brooklyn Piers.

[Ethan's POV]

As the car moved, Ethan's mind went through the implications of the information he got.

'So, Nathaniel Essex does exist in this universe. Then, Mr. Sinister must be the one performing experiments at Auschwitz and not Dr. Klaus Schmidt.' (A/N: Klaus Schmidt was the alias used by Sebastian Shaw in the X-Men movies.)

The scenery outside passed by as he thought further, 'If I am to rescue magneto, I would have to be careful. Sinister is quite powerful right now, although not as strong as in the future, he can still easily defeat me if I fight him head on…I will have to come up with a plan to take him on.'

The whole ride went by as Ethan thought of different ideas and ways he could combat Sinister along with the fact that there were characters from Marvel comics instead of just the movies made this world far more treacherous for him.

As Ethan didn't have much knowledge about the comics characters and timelines except for some famous ones.

'I need to become stronger as quickly as I can. Otherwise, I won't be able to survive.'

[Third person POV]

Soon, the car came to a stop at the harbor, the sound of the engine died down, and the only noise was the creaking of the ship's rigging and the distant lapping of waves against the shore.

Ethan opened the door and stepped out into the night air, the cool breeze carrying the salty scent of the ocean and the faint hint of diesel fuel. Alfred followed suit, his long coat billowing behind him like a dark cloud.

Alfred handed Ethan a neatly folded paper. "Your first-class ticket, Master Ethan," he said, his voice stoic as always. "You are booked under the name Austin Brooks. I have requested that you not be disturbed during the voyage, and food will be left outside your door."

Ethan took the ticket, his gloved hand closing around it with a soft rustle of paper. "Thank you, Alfred," Ethan replied.

Alfred's eyes gleamed in the dim light of the harbor lamps. "I have arranged for your privacy, Master Ethan and you should be able to slip aboard unnoticed with your abilities." He paused, his gaze flicking around the deserted harbor. "You will be able to travel to England in a week without interacting with anyone, as per your wish."

Ethan nodded, his blue flames flickering softly in the darkness. "I appreciate your efforts, Alfred."

"Master Ethan, just be careful. The journey ahead will be treacherous."

Ethan placed a hand on Alfred's shoulder, the blue flames in his eyes flickering softly. "I will. Thanks again for everything. You've been a true friend."

Alfred's stern facade softened slightly. "May God be with you, Master Ethan. May you return safely."

"Goodbye, Alfred," Ethan said, as he turned to walk towards the ship.

"Goodbye, Master Ethan," Alfred replied, watching as Ethan turned and walked towards the waiting ship.

[Ethan's POV]

Ethan moved towards the RMS Queen Mary, its towering presence dominating the harbor. The ship, a behemoth of maritime engineering, stretched out before him with its sleek, streamlined hull painted in navy and white.

Its three tall smokestacks reached skyward, and the numerous portholes glinted in the moonlight like a thousand watchful eyes. The vessel's deck, perched 20 meters above the dock and towering even higher above the waterline, seemed almost unreachable from his vantage point.

As he neared the colossal ship, Ethan activated {Dash}, his dark form a blur as he leapt high into the air. His newly upgraded [Slime] in form of suit, propelled him higher than ever before, but even with its assistance, he couldn't quite reach the deck in a single bound. When he was just a few meters shy of his target, Ethan raised his wrist and aimed his newly upgraded [Wrist Mounted Rope Dart].

The dart shot out with precision, the metallic wire trailing behind it, and wrapped securely around the guardrail. With the click of a button, the wire began to reel in, pulling Ethan rapidly towards the deck.

The night air whistled past him as he was drawn upwards, the rhythmic clanking of the reeling mechanism a stark contrast to the silent expanse of the darkened harbor.

As he neared the deck, Ethan flicked his wrist, causing the chord to release and retract. He landed gracefully on the deck in a superhero landing as the [Slime] seamlessly absorbed the impact.

"Who are you?" A deep and commanding voice rang out, cutting through the stillness of the night. "What is your business on this ship?"

Ethan turned towards the source of the voice, finding a man clad in a worn denim jacket with a faded Navy insignia on the sleeve. The man wore a crumpled white sailor's cap, and rugged canvas pants adorned with a subtle anchor emblem on the pocket. A faded black neckerchief was knotted loosely around his neck. His eyes, sharp and unyielding, were fixed intently on Ethan, and his hand rested tautly on a utility belt hidden beneath his jacket.