"I remember there's a secret passage in the X-Mansion that leads outside."
Looking at the now-empty X-Mansion, Kurogai murmured to himself.
He vaguely recalled that in the future, after Magneto stirred up trouble and was captured, William Stryker obtained the mansion's location from him and launched an attack. At that time, Logan, Iceman, and a few others had escaped through a hidden passage.
"A shame," Kurogai chuckled softly. "Even if Storm buys them time, it won't matter. They won't escape me. And this is a perfect chance to test the power I just acquired."
With that thought, his eyes shifted, the crimson glow of his three-tomoe Sharingan rotating and then transforming into the Mangekyō Sharingan, resembling Obito Uchiha's pattern.
Mangekyō: Kamui, activated.
In an instant, the space around him twisted, swirling like a vortex converging at the center of his eye. His figure distorted and vanished from the real world.
---
In a dense forest, hidden behind a pile of rubble, a concealed cave lay undisturbed. Suddenly, several figures hurried out of the narrow opening.
Among them were young children, barely five or six years old, and teenagers in their early and late teens. Leading them was a man in sunglasses and a woman still wearing her white lab coat — Cyclops and Jean Grey.
They had been urgently summoned by Professor Xavier to evacuate the younger students.
"What happened back there? Why did the Professor order us to get the kids out?" Jean muttered, concern etched on her face. She hadn't asked Cyclops, knowing he was as much in the dark as she was.
Not long ago, the Professor's voice had echoed telepathically in their minds, issuing a strict evacuation order. No explanations, no time to hesitate.
Jean carried out the instructions without question, though unease lingered in her heart. Only two people had remained behind — Kurogai and the Professor. She feared they might have clashed, and the implications for the safety of every mutant weighed heavily on her mind.
Her inner conflict grew. Under normal circumstances, she would side with the mansion, her home. But the inexplicable feelings she harbored for Kurogai made her hesitate.
At that moment, space warped in front of the group, and a figure emerged, standing tall and composed.
"It's you… What are you doing here? Where's the Professor? Where's Ororo?" Cyclops shouted, anger surging through him. He hadn't forgotten how Kurogai had bested him before, leaving him unconscious.
Seeing his adversary again reignited that fury.
"As for Professor X and Storm," Kurogai said with a cold smile, "you'll see for yourself soon enough. But I came here for one thing — you."
Glancing around, Kurogai noted that most of the X-Mansion's remaining mutants were gathered here. He grinned, pleased that he wouldn't need to go hunting for them individually.
"What are you planning?" Cyclops demanded, his posture defensive.
"You? Nothing. But the others…" Kurogai's crimson eyes gleamed. "I've come for your lives."
He didn't bother sparing Cyclops a glance. He'd already taken his blood — it was the others he was after now.
"Kurogai… are you really this far gone? Tell me… tell me this isn't who you are," Jean finally spoke, her voice tinged with sorrow. This wasn't the confrontation she'd hoped for.
"Jean, this is something I must do," Kurogai replied steadily, his words simple yet resolute.
He did hold some fondness for Jean, born both from the Phoenix Force's influence and his own genuine feelings. But none of that could derail him from his path. Strength was everything, and sentiment couldn't stand in the way. Though, in the depths of his heart, he planned to treat Jean differently when the time came.
"Jean, stop wasting time!" Cyclops barked. "We'll take him down and find the Professor."
Without hesitation, Cyclops ripped off his glasses. A powerful optic blast shot directly at Kurogai — stronger than any he'd fired before.
His frustrations from their last encounter, his jealousy over Jean's conflicted feelings, and his anger boiled over into this single attack.
But Kurogai didn't even flinch. The laser beam passed harmlessly through his figure, as though he weren't really there.
"You're not even worth the effort, Cyclops," Kurogai said flatly.
Cyclops, growing desperate, called out, "Everyone, hit him with everything you've got!"
The students and teachers unleashed their powers — fireballs, ice blasts, telekinetic strikes, lightning, and more. Yet none of it made contact. What stood before them was merely a projection from Kamui, unaffected by their attacks.
"I've had enough of your arrogance. Time to quiet down," Kurogai muttered, his crimson eyes narrowing.
He knew killing intent well, and Cyclops's earlier attack had been meant to kill. There was no longer any reason to spare him.
A shimmering mirror-like barrier appeared in Kurogai's hand. As Cyclops fired another optic blast, the barrier reflected it straight back — this time, striking Cyclops squarely in the chest.
Cyclops's expression froze in shock, his eyes wide in disbelief as he collapsed lifeless to the ground.
The sudden turn of events sent the gathered students into a panic, fear written on every face as they realized they had nowhere to run.
"You'll move only when I say you can," Kurogai commanded.
The Kamui's pattern in his eyes shifted, transforming into the sigil of Geass, and he unleashed Absolute Command.
In an instant, every mutant present — students and teachers alike — froze in place, their bodies no longer responding to their will.
They were completely at Kurogai's mercy.
---
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