The onslaught of Apocalypse was unexpectedly swift; the oldest mutant was not just a mere title. Although Apocalypse often underperformed in many comics, his performance in the X Royal Family was deemed to be a rare highlight, possessing both wisdom and strength, ranking among the strongest Apocalypses in the multiverse.
Thor had previously crossed paths with him and even defeated him once, but for some reason, he found it difficult to gain any advantage this time around. When he swung his hammer, smashing it violently onto Apocalypse's body, it didn't send him flying. Instead, Thor received a punch in return. He was forced to summon lightning, relying on it to push Apocalypse back.
Meanwhile, Doctor Strange encountered a formidable foe. General Chasing, known as an Omega-level mutant, had a comprehensive ability set. Not only did he possess strong psychic abilities, but also spiritual shields, super speed, nihilization, shock waves, and super healing abilities.
But these alone weren't enough to qualify him as Omega-level. More importantly, he possessed an ability similar to Superman's but with an even higher ceiling. The more confident he was in himself, the stronger his abilities became; likewise, the more others believed in him, the stronger he grew.
When Scarlet Witch proclaimed "No more mutants," General Chasing was among the few who didn't lose their mutant abilities because he didn't believe he lacked superpowers, nor did he believe there was no future for mutants. Through idealist power alone, he even became immune to Scarlet Witch's causality law weapon, showcasing his strength.
Now, undoubtedly confident and fueled by Clarkia's success, General Chasing was filled with confidence in the mutants' future, greatly amplifying his power. With this strength, he punched through Doctor Strange's shield in one blow.
This caught everyone off guard, including the mutants, as few had ever witnessed General Chasing in action. Almost simultaneously, a psy-storm swept through the Hongmen Orchid Factory. Everyone thought Professor X had arrived, but the brainwaves were far more aggressive. Every Avenger felt a sudden dizziness and a sharp headache.
"Ugh!!!" The local Iron Man let out a pained cry, nearly plummeting. His vision went black, almost losing control of his mecha, but fortunately, he quickly regained his composure.
He knew these mutants were tough to deal with, but he hadn't anticipated their strength. Thankfully, they had already allied with the Prime Universe. After connecting to the communication channel, the local Iron Man said, "Hurry, we can barely hold on."
"So fast?!" The Main Universe Iron Man was still fiddling with the Red Orchid Factory's system, trying to locate the mutants, but hadn't expected the local Avengers couldn't even buy this much time. He had no choice but to respond and rushed over hurriedly.
In fact, his search was effective; the mutant consciousness currently within the system felt an external intrusion. However, they couldn't be sure if it was a rescue or just another trap by the Mother Module's security system, so they were hesitant to reveal themselves.
When Magneto arrived, he seized the opportunity. He simply uploaded his brainwave data into the system; Laser Eye Scott was the first to notice it.
"It's Magneto," said Laser Eye. They were all in shadow form now, akin to a completed data stream conversion.
"Are they really here to save us?!" Wolverine asked incredulously, "What is Magneto thinking?! This could cost many lives!"
"We need to find a way to connect with him," said Laser Eye.
"What about the previous plan?" Phoenix asked, "We are already close to the Mother Module core. If we can control the Mother Module, we could turn the superweapons humans made against mutants..."
"Exactly," Mystique said, "If we leave now, and Nimrod Robots are produced, mutants will still face extinction."
Laser Eye bit his lip, then said in a tone allowing no refusal, "You all leave; I'll stay."
"What?! No way!" Wolverine was the first to jump in opposition, "Either we all leave, or we all stay. How can we leave you here alone?!"
"I'm the captain; listen to me," Laser Eye said with finality, "If you leave here, you can quickly rebuild the core strength of the mutants, continuing to fight for the Mutant Kingdom. I'll stay and see if I can infiltrate the Mother Module to buy mutants a chance at survival."
Wolverine wanted to say more, but Mystique stopped him. She stepped forward, looking at Laser Eye, but with his visor, Mystique couldn't see his eyes.
"Are you sure about this, Scott? You might never control the Mother Module on your own, and you might never return to Earth."
"I know," Laser Eye's tone became calm. "Give my regards to Professor, tell him I've never regretted a moment. Even if death comes, I am proud of what we are doing."
"Scott!" Phoenix also moved forward to dissuade him, "Since it's almost impossible to hold it off, why don't we just leave together..."
"Jean, I'm not just the strike team's captain; I'm also the leader of the X-Men, a model for all mutants. If I can't set an example and fight to give mutants a chance, how can I ask others to risk their lives to defend our nation?"
Tears filled the eyes of the other mutants, but Laser Eye's resolute determination left them with no choice. Finally, Mystique sighed, placed her hand on Laser Eye's shoulder like making an oath, and said, "Regardless of the plan's success, if you're still alive, we will do whatever it takes to rescue you."
Laser Eye's lips twitched as if to refuse, but Mystique didn't give him the chance, turning and leading the other mutants away.
Magneto successfully received them. However, when they entered Magneto's mental realm, Magneto hesitated for a moment and then asked, "Where's Scott?"
"He refuses to leave," Mystique explained succinctly.
Magneto's expression turned grim, "If he doesn't return, I can't explain to the Professor."
"Erik..."
"Scott Summers is the X-Men's eldest son, also of Professor X. He is the child in whom the Professor has placed the most hope, his groomed successor, and one of the rulers of the Mutant Kingdom. We cannot allow him to die here."
Magneto looked up at the massive Mother Module. He knew that Laser Eye had no hope of shaking the Mother Module, like an ant trying to topple a tree. But as he pondered the decision, he questioned—why can't mutants have a good ending?
A Nimrod emergence means the phrase "no more mutants" could happen again, even more brutally this time. They would be slaughtered, exterminated, completely erased from the home that rightfully belonged to them. Regardless of how absurd or laughable the attempts were, they were worth undertaking because they represented hope and the will to never surrender.
Magneto took a deep breath and said to the consciousness in his mind, "Sorry, according to the plan, I should have immediately taken you away, but I'm afraid we'll have to wait a bit."
Magneto could already hear his heartbeat growing more intense, something was breaking out of its cocoon, and that terrifying threatening aura was spreading. They could still retreat in time, but if returning was only temporarily safe, why cling to life?
Before this, Magneto still held hope, maybe there was another way to deal with Nimrod. But in facing the Mother Module and feeling that indescribable threat, he harbored no illusions.
None of the consciousnesses in his mind questioned him. Wolverine said, "If I must die, let me die here."
"Not necessarily," Magneto lowered his gaze. A bold, even insane idea flashed in his mind, but he knew it might be the only hope.
"General Chasing," Magneto communicated with the telepath in his mind, "take the consciousness from my mind and then tell Apocalypse, the moment the Mother Module awakens, to evacuate with all the mutants."
General Chasing had a bad premonition and wanted to say something, but Magneto had already severed the connection. General Chasing's temper was not as forgiving as Professor X's; he was about to force an invasion, but unfortunately, Magneto had already put on his helmet.
The helmet seemed useless, but General Chasing had no way to focus on attacking Magneto at this time. Realizing he couldn't connect, he had no choice but to give up and relay the message to Apocalypse.
Apocalypse said nothing. He simply pushed back the Main Universe Iron Man once again, then turned to look at the Mother Module bathed in light. Nine cycles of reincarnation, success or failure hinges on this.
He took a deep breath, gathered the strength around him, and looked at the Iron Man across from him, "I advise you all to leave quickly. The fate of mutants is not yours to decide."
"I also advise you, give it up," said the Main Universe Iron Man, "I will never allow the Red Orchid Factory to fall into your hands."
Apocalypse was not angered. In the light of the sun, everyone's side was brightly illuminated, while the other side was plunged into deep darkness. There were no shadows in space, but another presence loomed more magnificently.
"The strength of the enemy can only determine how great a hero is within a group and dictates the sacrifices they must make, as well as the glorious victories they can achieve."
"On a planet like Earth, struggle is the destiny of every group. Our enemies have never been just humans, but fate itself, rewriting destiny in these endless cycles. Because of this, if we win, it will be a greatness you can never imagine."
The Main Universe Iron Man never expected Apocalypse would say such words. It seemed like a prophecy, a premonition. As he tried to understand these words, he suddenly sensed something beginning to tremor in this silent, undisturbed vacuum.
Not just the vacuum, the entire Red Orchid Factory began to tremble minutely, some kind of force on the brink of eruption. The Main Universe Iron Man turned sharply but did not see Magneto's figure; he immediately guessed what Magneto intended to do.
"No!!!" The Main Universe Iron Man's eyes bulged in disbelief, "Stop!! Stop it!!!"
The local Iron Man also showed a shocked expression, but had no time to shout, roaring at his teammates behind him, "Run!! Get out, fast!!!"
Amidst the figures of everyone sprinting madly, the giant factory began to move slowly, irresistibly hurtling towards the sun. The violent magnetic field enveloping the factory surged like a mighty river, determinedly rushing to the sea.