"What exactly has changed in me?"
Kurogai stood outside the ruins of the Hydra base, brows furrowed as he contemplated the strange sensation lingering in his body. That long, primal roar he'd released earlier… it had felt like something inside him had broken free.
A shackle? A boundary? A limit?
He couldn't be sure yet.
"I'll leave first… figure this out later."
Lifting his gaze to the smoldering wreckage behind him, Kurogai turned and walked away without hesitation. The explosion had been enormous—S.H.I.E.L.D. would definitely be on their way. And right now, Kurogai had no desire to get tangled with them.
While he possessed significant power now, he still had vulnerabilities. He wasn't foolish enough to wait around.
Without much effort, he mentally compelled a nearby driver to stop, entered the vehicle, and vanished from the scene.
---
Not long after, a sleek supersonic jet descended into the area. From it emerged a wheelchair-bound man in a tailored suit, accompanied by a young man in red-tinted sunglasses.
Professor Charles Xavier and Scott Summers—Cyclops.
They had arrived.
"Professor, this is the place you mentioned?"
Cyclops looked around the scorched earth, uncertainty in his voice.
"There's nothing left. Just rubble. Doesn't seem like anyone's here."
Professor X's eyes narrowed slightly as he focused his mental senses. "We're too late," he murmured. "He's gone. His presence has vanished—he must be some distance away by now."
Suddenly—thud, thud, thud!
A S.H.I.E.L.D. response team swept in, quickly surrounding the pair. Guns were raised, fingers steady on triggers. These were elite agents, clearly under strict orders.
From the front stepped Natasha Romanoff, calm and commanding.
"Professor Xavier, Director Fury wants a word."
She handed him a communicator.
Charles took it without resistance, calmly stating, "Charles Francis Xavier."
"Professor." Nick Fury's voice came through. "What's your business here? This is a restricted zone under S.H.I.E.L.D. jurisdiction."
Truthfully, Fury had intended to come himself—until he realized Professor X was involved. Fury's mind held too many secrets, and he'd already had one nasty brush with mind control… from Kurogai. He wasn't about to risk another.
"I came to locate a mutant," Charles replied. "That's all. Our objectives don't conflict."
There was a pause.
"A mutant? You mean…" Fury trailed off, putting the pieces together.
S.H.I.E.L.D. hadn't fully assessed what happened here, but Fury was no fool. The explosion, the link to Hydra, the presence of a powerful mutant… It could only be Kurogai.
"You know something, Director?" Professor X asked, picking up on Fury's hesitation.
"I have nothing to share." Fury's voice turned cold. "But I suggest you leave, Professor. This is delicate. We don't need unnecessary friction between mutants and humans."
It was a clear dismissal—and a thinly veiled warning.
Cyclops clenched his fists, clearly frustrated. He was about to respond when Charles raised a hand, stopping him.
"Thank you, Agent Romanoff," the Professor said with a polite smile, handing the communicator back.
"Let's go, Scott."
The S.H.I.E.L.D. agents stepped aside. Despite Fury's bravado, no one dared stop them. Professor X's very existence was enough to give even the most seasoned agents pause.
Once they were aboard the Blackbird and en route, Cyclops broke the silence.
"Professor… That was way out of line. They're trying to push us around. And how are we supposed to find this guy now?"
Charles exhaled softly. "Peace is always the priority, Scott. But don't worry—I got what I needed."
He glanced toward the horizon.
"While Fury was speaking, I briefly accessed Agent Romanoff's surface thoughts. I saw flashes—memories of what happened."
"And?" Cyclops leaned forward.
"One mutant. Young. Took down an entire Hydra cell. Controlled their minds. No hesitation."
Charles closed his eyes, troubled.
"He's powerful. Extremely powerful. But… what's more concerning is his mindset."
"What do you mean?"
Charles paused, then said gravely, "He's not like you or Jean. He's not guided by compassion. He's efficient. Cold. If he continues down this path, he could be… dangerous."
Cyclops went quiet, the weight of the statement settling over him.
Charles turned toward the window, his voice soft.
"This new mutant… Kurogai... isn't just gifted."
"He's terrifying."
---
"Enjoyed the chapters? Good. Now, cough up those Powerstones~ (＾▽＾)"