Lucien approached the facility with calm steps, his eyes taking in every detail of the structure before him.

The building was large and imposing, constructed from dark metal and concrete that seemed to absorb the surrounding forest's natural light. Most telling of all, the gates stood wide open—a clear invitation that screamed trap.

Five kilometers behind him, Natasha and her SHIELD team waited in position, ready to move at a moment's notice. The earpiece in his ear crackled softly with ambient noise, confirming that communications were still active.

But Lucien's attention was focused entirely on the figure seated at the center of the facility's main hall.

Nathaniel Essex sat in what could only be described as a throne—an ornate chair that looked like it had been carved from black stone and inlaid with silver.

He was exactly as Lucien remembered: pale skin, red eyes that seemed to glow in the dim light, and that same air of cold intellect mixed with barely contained madness.

"Welcome!" Nathaniel called out, his cultured voice echoing through the cavernous space.

Lucien activated his system's status viewing ability, the information appearing in his vision immediately. The readings confirmed what he'd expected—this was indeed the real Nathaniel Essex, not another holographic projection like last time.

Normally, Lucien would have rushed forward immediately, daggers drawn and ready to end the threat before it could fully materialize. But he'd learned patience, and he had a motive here. So, instead, he walked calmly across the threshold and into the facility proper.

"I thought you would pull off that same trick as last time and not be here in person," Lucien said, his voice carrying casual confidence.

Nathaniel's response was a sound of pure madness—maniacal laughter that bounced off the walls and seemed to come from everywhere at once.

"How could I miss this opportunity?" he said, his red eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Today, my favorite subject will be ripped to pieces!"

"I still don't like that word 'subject,'" Lucien replied evenly. "And ripped to pieces? You sure about that?"

"Indeed, I am," Nathaniel said with absolute certainty. "After all, I have prepared quite the party. Something that would give even the X-Men a run for their money."

Lucien looked around the hall. He had picked up movement in the shadows that lined the walls the moment he stepped into the hall.

There were figures hidden in the darkness—some human-shaped, others decidedly not.

Somewhere around two to three hundred.

The facility reeked of blood and monstrosities.

But, there was always a bigger monster, no matter in what shape or form, there always existed a superior one... and even with all these monsters Nathaniel had, he did not have that monster on his side.

"You know," Lucien said with a slight smirk, "if it was before, then this little group might have been a challenge. Heck, they might have been enough to kill me. But currently? You're only sending them to their deaths."

Nathaniel's smile widened at the apparent arrogance. "Well, well, aren't you confident? Let's see if you're still as confident when you meet my latest creations."

At some unseen signal, the figures in the darkness began to emerge, stepping into the pale light that filtered through the facility's windows.

The first group made Lucien's enhanced senses recoil in disgust. They had once been human, but now they were something else entirely—amalgamated beings that looked more beast than man.

Their limbs were wrong, stretched and twisted into unnatural configurations. Some had multiple arms, others had claws where hands should be, and all of them moved with the jerky, uncontrolled motions of creatures whose bodies had been forcibly reshaped.

"Meet my Chimeras," Nathaniel said with obvious pride. "I've used multiple X-genes to create them. Fighting one is like facing multiple X-Men at once."

The second group was perhaps even more disturbing. They appeared to be some kind of reptilian creature, but their scales had a silverish, metallic quality that reflected the light like mirrors.

Each one stood at least seven feet tall, with elongated limbs and heads that seemed designed purely for killing. There had to be fifty of them, all moving with predatory grace.

"Predator X units," Nathaniel continued his introduction. "Specifically designed mutant hunters. They can lock down any X-gene signature and counter it accordingly. But right now, they are locked down to your scent."

Finally, the third group stepped forward, and Lucien felt a flicker of recognition. They looked remarkably similar to Romulus and his followers—the same feral bearing, the same enhanced musculature, the same barely contained violence.

"And finally, the remaining members of the coven whose leader you so rudely killed," Nathaniel finished with false politeness.

The assembled army was impressive, Lucien had to admit.

Under normal circumstances, it would have been overwhelming. Dozens of enhanced beings, each designed specifically to counter mutant abilities, all working in coordination. Even the X-Men would have struggled against numbers like these.

"Let's see how you deal with them," Nathaniel said, settling back in his throne with obvious anticipation.

"Deal with them?" Lucien replied, his voice carrying genuine amusement. "Nah, that's not worth my time anymore."

He began walking slowly toward the center of the hall, seemingly unconcerned by the army surrounding him.

"The only reason I've even talked to you this long is because I wanted to see something specific."

Nathaniel tilted his head, confusion replacing some of his earlier confidence. "See what?"

Lucien's smile widened, becoming something cold and predatory.

"See your confident face turn to one of utter despair."

Nathaniel stared at him for a moment, then let out another laugh. "Confident, huh? I like that. It makes this so much more entertaining."

He raised his hand and gestured toward his assembled creatures. "Attack!"

The response was immediate and chaotic. The hybrid beings rushed forward in a wild charge, their movements a blur of claws, fangs, and unnatural limbs. The Predator X units moved with predatory grace, their silver scales gleaming as they bounded across the floor. The Chimeras followed behind, their amalgamated forms creating a nightmare parade of genetic horror.

Lucien remained perfectly still, sitting calmly in place as hundreds of killers bore down on him. The sound of their approach was deafening—claws scratching against concrete, inhuman roars echoing through the hall, the heavy thudding of feet and paws against the ground.

When they were just a few meters away from him, close enough that he could see the hunger in their eyes and smell the scent of violence on their breath, Lucien spoke a single word.

"Arise."

Dark swords erupted from the ground around him, black blades that seemed to be made of shadow itself.

They pierced through the charging creatures' bodies, some catching the monsters mid-leap, others rising to meet claws and fangs with steel that cut through flesh like paper.

But the swords were just the beginning. With each blade that rose from the ground came a knight—armed figure wreathed in shadow, their purple eyes burning with ethereal fire.

They materialized as if stepping through doorways between dimensions, each one wielding weapons that crackled with dark energy.

The charging monsters crashed into the wall of shadow knights like a wave breaking against rocks. Claws met steel, fangs met shields, and the sounds of battle filled the hall.

Nathaniel's confident smile vanished completely as he stared at the shadow creatures. His red eyes widened with confusion and something that might have been fear.

"What are these?" he demanded, his cultured voice cracking slightly.

"Curious?" Lucien replied, his tone casual despite the chaos erupting around him. "Well, I'll let you die with that curiosity of yours—the same curiosity that has caused suffering to countless mutants and humans alike."

Nathaniel looked annoyed at the dismissal. "Come on, don't be like that. Tell me what they are."

Lucien's lips twitched at Nathaniel's blatant disregard for the threat in front of him. Even surrounded by shadow warriors and watching his creatures die, Nathaniel was still treating this casually, rather than a life-or-death battle.

"Charge," Lucien said simply to his shadows.

.....

POWER STONE GOAL: 700 ( 1 Extra Chapter)

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