[Marvel : Mutant God] Chapter 101 - 105

Chapter 101: Revenge for the murder of my son, kneel down and be a dog

After discovering that his full-strength punch posed no threat to Richard—not even causing the slightest tremor in his opponent's body—Wenwu realized with grim certainty that his chances of leaving this encounter alive were vanishingly small.

Hearing Richard's declaration about claiming the rings, Wenwu immediately retracted his left fist, desperately attempting to create distance between himself and his adversary. Before he could retreat, however, the five iron rings adorning his left arm flew toward Richard as if compelled by an invisible force.

In the next moment, they arranged themselves perfectly around Richard's right wrist, joining their five counterparts.

Though mystified by Richard's ability to commandeer the ancient artifacts, Wenwu quickly regained his composure. Having lived for thousands of years, he had witnessed phenomena far stranger than this.

Wenwu, now stripped of the ten rings that had been the source of his power for millennia, lowered his hand and regarded Richard with quiet dignity.

"I am not your opponent. You win," he acknowledged, his voice betraying no fear. "I have lived for thousands of years. It is no dishonor to die at your hands." He straightened his posture. "Do it."

Though Wenwu had mentally prepared himself for death, Richard had no immediate intention of killing him. From the beginning, he had maintained a certain respect for Wenwu. His contempt had been reserved primarily for Shang-Chi. The thought of executing Wenwu held little appeal.

Meeting the ancient warlord's gaze, Richard spoke deliberately. "If I were to grant you the chance to live, would you persist in avenging Shang-Chi—the son who would rather 'give birth to a piece of barbecued pork than to live'?"

Wenwu's brow furrowed at Richard's words. While Shang-Chi had often disappointed him, the young man remained his son—his only offspring.

Just as he prepared to answer, Richard continued.

"Consider your response carefully," he advised. "In truth, I hold you in high regard. Although Shang-Chi was your son, surely as his father, you recognized his true nature." Richard's tone remained measured. "If you genuinely feel compelled to avenge him, I won't hesitate to end your life."

From a purely tactical perspective, Wenwu's strength was unremarkable. Even with all ten rings in his possession, he could hardly be considered a high-tier combatant by Richard's standards. Yet Richard's personal inclination leaned toward recruiting the ancient leader to serve under him.

Though uncertain of Richard's ultimate intentions, Wenwu understood one crucial fact: Richard was not eager to kill him. His words alone made that evident.

"What exactly do you want?" Wenwu asked directly.

"Nothing extraordinary," Richard replied with casual indifference. "I merely wished to offer you an opportunity."

Though this wasn't the explicit answer he sought, Wenwu contemplated the situation with care. After several moments of silence, he posed another question:

"Why did you kill Shang-Chi? He couldn't possibly have offended someone of your stature—he shouldn't even have had the opportunity to cross your path." His eyes narrowed slightly. "I want to understand why you felt compelled to end his life."

Had anyone else posed such a question, Richard would have dismissed it outright. But Wenwu was different—he was, after all, Shang-Chi's father.

After a brief pause, Richard gave his answer.

“If I had to explain it, I’d say this — he didn’t deserve the blood in his veins. The man had no backbone.”

He continued, voice curling with contempt.

“To put it bluntly, watching him kneel like some obedient mutt made my skin crawl. If he couldn’t stand on his own two feet like a man, I sent him to hell to crawl like a dog.”

Richard’s words hung in the air like smoke, and Wenwu’s expression turned to stone.

He, too, had felt a sting of disappointment watching Shang-Chi trade his inheritance for a hotel valet’s uniform — but this? This was something else entirely.

Richard’s disgust ran deep, and the way he spat out his reason left a bitter taste even in Wenwu’s mouth.

"I don't understand why you've offered me this choice," Wenwu said finally, his voice hardening. "But as the saying goes, the hatred born from killing one's son is irreconcilable.

"He straightened his posture, meeting Richard's gaze directly. "Whatever Shang-Chi's failings, he was my son—my only son. As long as I draw breath, I will never abandon my quest for vengeance."

Richard received Wenwu's answer without surprise. He had anticipated either response.

"Since you've made your decision," Richard replied calmly, "then farewell forever."

Matter Manipulation!

Richard activated his Omega-level power without ceremony. Under his focused gaze, Wenwu's body began to disintegrate at a terrifying rate. Within the span of a heartbeat, the ancient warlord was broken down to his constituent atoms by Richard's matter manipulation ability, vanishing completely from sight.

After eliminating Wenwu, Richard maintained his power's activation, shifting his focus to Razor Fist, Death Dealer, and the other Ten Rings operatives. As Ying Li, Ying Nan, and the apartment's residents looked on in horror, the warriors who had stood frozen like statues dissipated like smoke in a strong wind.

In mere seconds, Richard had dispatched the entire Ten Rings contingent, leaving no trace of their existence. No blood, no dismembered limbs, no corpses remained. Save for the apartment wall shattered by Wenwu's initial attack, one might have believed the entire confrontation had been a collective hallucination.

Having dealt with Wenwu and his followers, Richard teleported to Ying Li and Ying Nan's side.

"I apologize for denying you the opportunity to confront Wenwu yourselves," he said. "Pack your belongings quickly. This location is no longer secure."

Hearing his instructions, the sisters nodded without hesitation.

They promptly gathered their possessions. Ying Li's luggage was minimal—just a single travel bag. Ying Nan, having spent the day shopping, naturally had accumulated significantly more items.

This posed no challenge for Richard. With a casual wave of his right hand, he collected the sisters' luggage into his system space.

Afterward, he teleported Ying Li, the Dijiang creature Qiuqiu, and Ying Nan to the presidential suite he had reserved.

"You'll stay here tonight," he informed them. "Tomorrow, we return to Ta Lo."

Without waiting for their acknowledgment, he proceeded directly to the suite's study. Settling into the chair behind the desk, he removed the ten rings from his arm.

Though unified in purpose, the rings had changed when he used his matter manipulation power to claim them. Their luminescence had shifted dramatically.

On Wenwu's arms, the ten rings had glowed with a deep blue light. In Shang-Chi's possession, they would have radiated a golden brilliance. Now, under Richard's control, they pulsed with a blood-red illumination.

This color looks rather sinister, Richard thought with mild dissatisfaction.

Given the choice, he would have preferred the rings to shine with a silver or bluish-white light. Silver matched his hair color and had become his signature. The blue-white hue represented the color of magic in his true demon form.

Though the blood-red glow wasn't his aesthetic preference, he didn't dwell on it. He allowed the Ten Rings to hover before him, studying their intricate details before summoning the Fires of Hell.

Hellfire Enchantment!

Without hesitation, he enveloped the Ten Rings in Hellfire, initiating the unique enchantment process only Hellfire could accomplish. As the mystical flames encompassed them, the rings underwent a dramatic transformation, taking on the appearance of bone rings.

Despite their altered appearance, the rings continued to emit their blood-red glow. Their original capabilities remained intact, but they now possessed additional abilities granted by the Hellfire:

Infinite recovery!

The power to burn an enemy's soul with Hellfire!

After examining the bone-like rings resulting from his enchantment, Richard dispelled the Hellfire and transferred the ten rings into his system space.

Having secured the artifacts, he began to recall information about the Ten Rings from his memory.

In the cinematic universe, the origin of the ten rings remained shrouded in mystery. The films had merely showcased their abilities, revealing that they contained a device similar to a signal transmitter that continuously broadcast to an unknown recipient.

Unlike their cinematic counterparts, the Ten Rings in the comics had a well-established origin. They were weapons forged for the celestial soldiers by the Jade Emperor and had been preserved in a Ta Lo tomb. The Ten Rings represented one of five sets of weapons created for these divine warriors.

The other four sets consisted of a hammer, two swords, three staffs, and nine daggers. However, these additional armaments had never materialized in the comics, existing purely as background lore.

Although Richard couldn't yet determine whether this world's Ten Rings aligned with the mysterious objects from the films or the celestial weapons from the comics, his examination confirmed that their capabilities closely mirrored those depicted in the cinematic universe.

The next morning, after enjoying breakfast at the hotel, Richard used his Teleportation ability to transport Ying Li, her sister, and Dijiang Qiuqiu away from San Francisco.

While the films never specified the exact location of Ta Lo's entrance, Richard had gleaned from Ying Li's memories that the mystical gateway was nestled somewhere in the Himalayas. This meant transporting his companions across the vast Pacific Ocean to reach the labyrinthine forest concealing Ta Lo's entrance.

Despite the considerable distance, for someone with Richard's abilities, the journey required merely a series of consecutive teleportations. In less than ten minutes, they traversed the distance from San Francisco to their destination—or more precisely, to the airspace above the maze-like woods.

From their aerial vantage point, the forest appeared unremarkable compared to the surrounding woodlands. However, according to Ying Li and Ying Nan, the entire forest was saturated with psychic energy and protected by specialized guardians.

Typically, during the annual Qingming Festival, a path would materialize within the woods, leading directly to Ta Lo's entrance. Though the path would appear, locating it remained a challenge for outsiders.

This posed no obstacle for their group, however. Being natives of Ta Lo, Ying Li and Ying Nan knew how to navigate the labyrinthine forest even without the festival's designated path.

After surveying the woodland below, Richard descended with his companions, landing before a familiar waterfall. Beside the cave beneath the cascading waters stood two enormous stone lions covered in moss—sentinels guarding the threshold between worlds.

This cave served as Ta Lo's entrance—the sole passage connecting the mystical realm to Earth. Though Ta Lo's environment resembled Earth's in many ways, it existed within its own unique dimensional plane.

Upon landing before the waterfall, Qiuqiu darted toward the cave without hesitation. As the creature disappeared into the darkness, Richard and the sisters followed at a more measured pace.

Inside the cave, they encountered a surreal phenomenon—water flowing in apparent defiance of gravity, drifting through the air like ethereal currents. As they ventured deeper, these floating streams converged to form what appeared to be a shimmering portal.

Passing through this aqueous gateway, they emerged into a magnificent cavern—their first glimpse of Ta Lo's wonders.

Exiting the cave, Richard beheld a verdant landscape that seemed plucked from ancient myths. Lush forests stretched toward towering mountains under an azure sky. Phoenixes soared in fiery pairs overhead, while nine-tailed foxes prowled with their cubs among the underbrush. Majestic wild emperors roamed freely, unicorns with melancholy expressions grazed in herds, and golden-maned Suanni—lion-like creatures of Chinese legend—basked in sunlit clearings.

Though Richard had glimpsed these wonders in films, the experience of witnessing them firsthand was incomparable. Unlike Richard, who stood transfixed by the spectacle, Ying Li and Ying Nan had grown accustomed to these sights. Rather than rushing him, they patiently explained the nature of the magical creatures surrounding them—from how the mouthless Dijiang managed to eat, to why the Qilin maintained their perpetual melancholy, to whether the Phoenix's flames ever ignited the forest.

As he absorbed the sisters' commentary, Richard felt his ambition intensify. A realm this magnificent deserved to be claimed. What kind of transmigrator would he be if he didn't seize this paradise for himself?

Veni, vidi, vici! Julius Caesar's famous declaration echoed in his mind. I came, I saw, I conquered!

In the village's main hall, Richard sat calmly at one side of a square table, his gaze fixed on Guang Bo seated across from him. Ying Li occupied the chair to his left.

To his right sat Ming Yue—a powerfully built man in his twenties who had harbored feelings for Ying Li since childhood and now served as captain of the Guardians. Ming Yue made no attempt to disguise the hostility in his glare.

After Ying Li had introduced Richard as her boyfriend from San Francisco, Ming Yue's antagonism had become palpable.

Though Ying Li and Ying Nan had guided him to the village, Richard's arrival had caused considerable commotion among the inhabitants—particularly after they learned of his dual intentions to conquer Ta Lo and destroy the Dark Dwellers.

Ying Li had originally planned to inform Guang Bo only of Richard's mission against the Dark Dwellers, omitting his territorial ambitions. However, once she had finished speaking, Richard had boldly declared his ultimate goal.

Noting the silence that fell over Guang Bo, the village elder, and Ming Yue, the Guardian captain, Richard spoke deliberately:

"It's not as dire as you imagine," he assured them. "While I intend to claim Ta Lo as my personal domain, I have no objection to your continued residence here." His tone remained measured. "Provided you don't interfere with my affairs, I won't concern myself with governing your people."

"Ta Lo encompasses vast territories. I'll establish my palace elsewhere," he continued. "As for the Dark Dweller and the Soul Eaters, I'll eliminate them single-handedly. You need only observe from a distance."

Since arriving at the village, Richard had discovered that its population was even smaller than he had anticipated. Even counting infants and young children, the entire community numbered barely a thousand souls. Against the immense expanse of Ta Lo, such a population was negligible.

Allowing Guang Bo's people to maintain their current way of life would hardly impact his plans. He could simply consider it a courtesy extended out of respect for Ying Li.

Despite Richard's assurances, Guang Bo and Ming Yue struggled to accept his declaration of conquest. Nevertheless, his offer to destroy the Dark Dwellers and Soul Eaters without assistance held undeniable appeal.

No community would willingly tolerate malevolent extradimensional entities dwelling on their borders. Even with the creatures sealed away, the mere sight of the Dark Portal across the lake served as a constant reminder of potential catastrophe should the ancient bindings ever fail.

After nearly a minute of tense silence, Guang Bo finally spoke.

"You are Ying Li's chosen companion," the elder acknowledged carefully. "Should you marry her, we might consider permitting you to establish permanent residence in Ta Lo." He drew breath to continue, "However—"

Richard cut him off sharply. "I address you respectfully as Guang Bo because of your age and your relationship to Ying Li," he stated firmly. "But understand this—I'm not seeking your permission. I'm merely informing you of my intentions."

His voice hardened. "Whether you consent or not, I will claim Ta Lo for my own. Should you attempt to oppose me, I will eliminate everyone who stands in my way."

"Since you clearly comprehend neither my nature nor the extent of my power," Richard continued, rising from his seat, "gather all villagers at the lake. There, I will demonstrate the abilities at my disposal."

With that declaration, he turned and exited the hall, his expression betraying no emotion.

In his wake, Guang Bo and Ming Yue exchanged grim looks. After regaining his composure, the elder turned to his captain.

"Assemble everyone at the lake," he instructed. "And ensure all Guardians are equipped with their weapons and armor."

"At once!" Ming Yue responded without hesitation.

Soon, the entire village—men and women, elders and children—congregated at the lakeshore. Richard observed the Guardians donning their dragon-scale armor and readying their weapons, immediately recognizing Guang Bo's strategy. The display of force did not concern him.

"Are you certain you can accomplish this alone?" Ying Li asked worriedly, standing at his side.

"Let's make a wager," Richard proposed. "If I fail to neutralize the Dark Dweller and all Soul Eaters within one minute, I'll depart immediately and never return to Ta Lo. However, if I succeed, you must grant me one request."

Though he didn't specify the nature of this request, when his gaze lingered appreciatively on her form, the word "striptease" flashed unbidden through Ying Li's mind.

"You leave me no choice," she replied, color rising to her cheeks. "Wait until you've actually succeeded!"

Chapter 102: Soul Absorption, Dragon Mount

After hearing Ying Li's response, Richard fell silent. Under the collective gaze of the villagers, he activated his flight ability and soared across the lake toward the Dark Gate.

Within moments, he arrived before the imposing structure—a massive barrier composed entirely of dragon scales that towered several stories high. Standing before the peculiarly shaped portal, Richard studied its ancient craftsmanship, then took a deep breath.

Raising his right hand, he summoned his Omega-level matter manipulation powers.

Matter decomposition!

Under the influence of his ability, the dragon-scale gate began to disintegrate like smoke dispersing in wind. In mere seconds, the Dark Portal—which had contained the Dark Dwellers and Soul Eaters for millennia—vanished completely.

Witnessing this from across the lake, Ying Li, Guang Bo, and the others adopted grave expressions. Though none had ever personally encountered the Dark Dwellers or Soul Eaters, they had studied the ancient texts left by their ancestors. One certainty remained unquestioned: these entities posed an extreme threat. Otherwise, the Divine Dragon and Ta Lo's founders would have chosen to eradicate them outright rather than merely sealing the portal.

With the Dark Portal's barrier removed, the Soul Eaters emerged first—smaller creatures with hideous appearances, bat-like membranous wings, and multiple tails of varying lengths. They swarmed from the cave behind the former portal like wasps defending their violated nest, immediately converging on the one who had "liberated" them.

Despite their overwhelming numbers—hundreds, perhaps thousands strong—Richard regarded them with casual indifference. As the Soul Eaters descended upon him, he summoned the Hellfire he had plundered from the Spirit of Vengeance.

Golden flames materialized around him, hovering within a meter or two of his body. Unlike Ghost Rider's transformation, Richard merely conjured the mystical fire, allowing it to linger in his vicinity.

The contained flames lasted only momentarily before expanding outward like a fiery hurricane. The Hellfire spread in all directions with astonishing velocity, growing increasingly massive as it expanded. Within seconds, the inferno had engulfed every Soul Eater that had launched itself at him.

As otherworldly beings from the dark dimension, Soul Eaters possessed immunity to conventional physical damage. Ordinary attacks posed no threat—they barely registered as minor irritations. Without dragon-scale weapons, Ta Lo's guardians would be as defenseless as ordinary humans against these predators.

While the Soul Eaters resisted common physical assaults, Hellfire clearly fell outside their range of immunities. When the mystical flames made contact with the creatures, they demonstrated power far exceeding even dragon-scale armaments. Each Soul Eater touched by Hellfire evaporated instantly, without even the opportunity to vocalize its agony.

When Richard recalled the expanding flames, every last Soul Eater had vanished without trace, as though they had never existed.

The spectacle left Ying Li, her sister, Guang Bo, Ming Yue, and the assembled villagers stunned in disbelief. Though they understood Soul Eaters could be destroyed, their knowledge suggested only dragon-scale weapons or dragons themselves could harm these entities. All other attacks were presumed futile.

Richard had now demonstrated a crucial truth through direct action: Soul Eaters weren't nearly as formidable as Ta Lo's people had believed. Their perception of the creatures as insurmountable threats stemmed from their own limited power. With sufficient strength, even without dragon-scale weapons or Hellfire, energy-based attacks alone could annihilate these beings.

Having effortlessly dispatched the Soul Eaters, Richard retrieved Masamune from his system space. The moment he drew the blade, the cave behind the former Dark Portal began to collapse, massive boulders crashing down like a stone avalanche.

In the next instant, the Dark Dweller emerged—a creature bearing the same hideous characteristics as the Soul Eaters but magnified hundreds of times in size. It burst from the rubble like a ravenous beast breaking free of its cage.

In terms of sheer mass, the Dark Dweller dwarfed any adversary Richard had previously confronted. Yet in raw power, it fell significantly short of opponents like Dark Phoenix or Ghost Rider.

The massive entity soared skyward, unleashing a thunderous roar that seemed to express thousands of years of pent-up rage. Witnessing the Dark Dweller's emergence, the villagers' faces grew ashen with an instinctive, primal fear.

Richard, holding Masamune, ascended slowly to position himself before the colossal creature. The Dark Dweller acknowledged his presence with an enraged bestial howl before activating its soul-devouring ability. It opened its maw—filled with countless razor-sharp fangs—attempting to extract Richard's soul from his body.

Unfazed by the creature's assault, Richard methodically enveloped Masamune's blade in Hellfire. Rather than fully demonizing the sword, he simply allowed the mystical flames to coat its surface. Alongside the Hellfire, silvery-white lightning crackled along the blade's length.

Under the watchful eyes of Ying Li and the villagers, Richard raised the empowered Masamune and executed a casual swing toward the Dark Dweller. As the blade cut through the air, it generated a massive crescent-shaped energy wave hundreds of meters long, wrapped in both Hellfire and argent lightning.

Heaven Severance!

The colossal energy arc passed through the Dark Dweller's body as effortlessly as a hot knife through cream, cleaving the enormous entity in two. The battle was over the moment the Hellfire-infused attack connected—Richard knew this with absolute certainty.

His assessment proved accurate. The bisected Dark Dweller survived merely seconds before its body began to disintegrate from the point of severance at an alarming rate. Within five seconds, the creature that had terrorized Ta Lo's people for millennia had vanished completely.

The villagers gazed at Richard—suspended in the air with his silver hair flowing in the breeze, Masamune gleaming in his grasp—with expressions of awe and complexity.

He actually did it. The Dark Dweller is dead. Is this his true power?

These thoughts and more cascaded through the minds of Ying Li, Guang Bo, and the assembled crowd.

After vanquishing the Dark Dweller, Richard immediately activated his Plunder ability. Though the creature's appearance had been repulsive, its soul-sucking capability was undeniably impressive.

[Gain new ability: Soul Absorption!]

[Soul Absorption: Absorb the souls of other creatures to strengthen yourself!]

As usual, the system's explanation remained characteristically terse. Nevertheless, it sufficed for Richard to comprehend the fundamental nature of his newly acquired power.

After dismissing the information panel visible only to him, Richard retained Masamune rather than returning it to his system space. Under the curious stares of the villagers, he flew over the lake's surface.

Then, like a silver meteor, he plunged into the waters and disappeared from view.

What is he doing? Could he be planning to...

Watching Richard descend into the lake with Masamune in hand, an ominous thought occurred simultaneously to Ying Li, Guang Bo, and the others.

Though the lake appeared ordinary on its surface, it harbored an extraordinary secret—it served as the dwelling place of Ta Lo's "guardian deity," the Dragon.

The villagers' suspicions weren't unfounded; Richard had indeed come seeking the Dragon. However, his intent wasn't to slay the creature, but rather to claim it as his personal mount. While he harbored no desire to become a Ghost Rider, he saw no reason to forego acquiring a unique steed for himself.

Soon, Richard reached the lake's depths and encountered Ta Lo's "guardian deity." Externally, Ta Lo's Dragon resembled those depicted in various myths and legends, though Richard couldn't help feeling it lacked the aesthetic majesty of dragons from certain other cultural traditions. It also seemed to project less overwhelming dominance than he'd expected.

Nevertheless, it would serve admirably as a personal mount.

Upon seeing the Dragon, Richard wasted no time, immediately establishing telepathic communication with the ancient being. Though revered as Ta Lo's "patron saint," the Dragon obviously couldn't speak vocally—and even if it could, the depths of the lake would have rendered audible communication impossible.

Time passed gradually. Five, then six minutes elapsed.

Just as Ying Li, Guang Bo, and the others began to worry that Richard might be attacking the Dragon, the lake's placid surface began to rotate counterclockwise. Within seconds, a massive vortex hundreds of meters in diameter formed before their astonished eyes.

Transfixed by this sudden phenomenon, they concentrated their attention on the swirling waters. As they watched, Ta Lo's "guardian deity" ascended through the vortex, defying physical laws as it soared into the sky.

Though the distance was considerable, they immediately spotted Richard standing proudly atop the Dragon's head.

Following a "cordial" negotiation, Richard and the Dragon had reached a mutually beneficial arrangement: The Dragon would willingly serve as Richard's exclusive mount and assist him in governing Ta Lo. In exchange, Richard would assume the Dragon's "guardian" responsibilities, protecting the realm from external threats.

Seeing Richard positioned atop the Dragon, Ying Li, Ying Nan, Guang Bo, Ming Yue, and the other villagers collectively exhaled in relief. Though unaware of the specific terms discussed between man and mythical beast, they understood two crucial points: the Dragon accepted Richard's presence upon its head, and Richard harbored no intention of harming the ancient guardian.

After experiencing the incomparable sensation of dragon-flight firsthand, Richard directed the creature to soar over the village. Then, under the watchful eyes of the assembled villagers, he executed a graceful leap from the Dragon's head, descending lightly to land before them.

Chapter 103: Skye and the Eternals

Time flies.

Before Richard realized it, more than half a month had passed.

After spending two comfortable weeks in Ta Lo, enjoying the extraordinary hospitality provided by the twenty-something Ying Li, Richard departed alone. He took neither Ying Li nor the Dragon with him, nor did he appropriate any of Ta Lo's magical creatures—no Dijiang, Qilin, Phoenix, or Suanni. The only souvenirs he carried were several raw dragon scales.

Ta Lo was undeniably a magnificent realm with breathtaking landscapes and mystical flora and fauna absent from Earth. Yet Richard harbored no intention of establishing permanent residence there. The isolated pocket dimension served better as an occasional retreat—a place to visit periodically rather than settle indefinitely. A prolonged stay in such seclusion, beautiful though it was, struck him as an unwise proposition.

New York

Silver Manor

Upon leaving Ta Lo, Richard executed a series of teleportations that brought him back to Silver Manor. His first priority was finding Emma Frost to learn what had transpired during his absence.

What followed was an extended "debate on the origin of life" with the theme "A short separation makes the heart grow fonder"—conducted exclusively in the bedroom.

The following day, after sharing lunch with Emma Frost and Clarice at the manor, Richard teleported directly to Stark Tower in Manhattan—specifically, to the living room occupying the building's uppermost floor.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Wesley," Jarvis's disembodied voice greeted him the moment he materialized. "Mr. Stark is currently designing the 'Anti-Richard Armor' in his workshop. Please wait momentarily."

This wasn't Richard's first visit to Stark Tower. Tony had extended several invitations over the past few months.

"Very well, thank you," Richard replied.

"You're welcome," the AI responded promptly.

Rather than seating himself on the living room sofa to await Tony's arrival, Richard stepped onto the exterior viewing balcony to appreciate Manhattan's skyline. Shortly thereafter, Tony's voice interrupted his contemplation.

"Is today some special occasion?" the billionaire quipped. "You've actually graced Stark Tower with your presence."

Richard turned to face him. "Nothing special. I merely wanted to check on your progress with the 'Anti-Richard Armor.' Also, I've brought some unique materials you might incorporate into its design."

Under Tony's watchful gaze, Richard retrieved an unprocessed dragon scale from his system space.

"What exactly am I looking at?" Tony asked, eyeing the dark red object that had materialized seemingly from nowhere.

"Dragon scales," Richard stated plainly, seeing no reason for subterfuge.

Dragon scales? Tony's brow furrowed at this response.

After a brief hesitation, he pressed further. "These dragon scales you mention—are they from Western or Eastern dragons?"

"Eastern Dragon," Richard confirmed calmly.

Though visibly curious about the scales' provenance, Tony refrained from further inquiry. Instead, he accepted the specimen from Richard and began examining it with professional interest.

"Remarkably lightweight—significantly less dense than comparable steel," he observed. "While I can't precisely gauge its hardness without proper testing, its durability appears impressive. Likely surpasses standard alloys."

Before Richard could comment, Tony tilted the scale slightly. As he manipulated it, deep crimson patterns emerged across its surface.

"It retains residual energy," Tony noted with growing excitement. "Suggests it possesses unique properties beyond mere physical resilience."

With minimal observation, Tony had drawn several accurate conclusions, confirming the scale's authenticity.

"Where did you acquire this?" he asked, scientific curiosity evident in his voice.

"That remains confidential," Richard replied.

Though willing to share the dragon scales themselves, Richard had no intention of revealing Ta Lo's existence to Tony.

"Fine, keep your secrets," Tony shrugged. "This material could certainly be integrated into the 'Anti-Richard Armor.' If you're amenable, I'll incorporate it into the design."

"Please do," Richard nodded. "Well, that concludes my business here. Best get back to your work."

As Richard prepared to teleport away, Tony's voice halted him.

"Actually... I've encountered a situation recently," he said, uncharacteristic hesitation evident in his manner.

"What sort of situation?" Richard inquired.

Though unfamiliar with Tony's specific circumstances, Richard recognized the gravity of whatever prompted such uncertainty from the normally decisive inventor.

After a prolonged silence, Tony explained, "A clandestine organization has extended membership to me. I'm conflicted about whether to accept."

"I can't disclose the organization's identity," he continued. "I can only say it operates with extreme discretion. Very few individuals are aware of its existence."

A secret organization?

The Illuminati immediately sprang to Richard's mind. No other covert group in the Marvel universe would likely cause Tony such deliberation. Moreover, Tony's description aligned perfectly with the Illuminati's operational parameters.

Though this wasn't the comic universe, Richard wasn't particularly surprised by the Illuminati's interest in recruiting Tony. After all, in the comics, Tony Stark had been a founding member. His demonstrated capabilities alone met the Illuminati's exacting standards.

After brief consideration, Richard offered his perspective. "While I can't identify the organization you're referencing, if you're asking my opinion, I'd suggest evaluating it personally. If you deem it worthy of your participation, then join. If you determine they're unreliable, decline their offer."

Though Richard had rejected his own Illuminati invitation, he felt no compulsion to dissuade Tony from accepting. Tony's decision mattered little to him. Provided the Illuminati didn't interfere with his affairs, he remained indifferent to Tony's potential membership—just as he'd been unconcerned about Magneto's involvement.

"I'll consider it carefully, then," Tony nodded thoughtfully.

Richard responded with a simple nod before teleporting away.

Rather than returning directly to Silver Manor, Richard materialized at the Hellfire Club's New York headquarters. Like its San Francisco counterpart, the New York base occupied an elegant mansion in an affluent district.

Upon arrival, he immediately summoned the facility's director, "Black Rook" Bud Blom.

When the man appeared before him, Richard issued direct instructions:

"I need you to locate two individuals."

"First, Skye—a hacker affiliated with the Rising Tide organization."

"Second, Phastos—African American, possibly operating under various aliases. Begin your search in Chicago. He has a son named Jack and a husband named Phil."

"Yes, sir!" Black Rook Bud responded without hesitation, despite not knowing the purpose behind Richard's interest in these individuals.

"Once you've located them, take no further action—simply notify me immediately," Richard emphasized.

"Understood," Black Rook Bud acknowledged with a nod.

Having conveyed his instructions, Richard teleported back to Silver Manor.

Since eliminating Shang-Chi, Richard had been contemplating his next target—debating whether to prioritize Marvel Girl or the Eternals. After some consideration, he'd settled on the latter.

Particularly the Eternal named Phastos.

While other Eternals members—Sersi, Ikaris, Thena, and the rest—merely irritated him, Phastos inspired something far more visceral: a profound rage that demanded the most brutal retribution possible.

As a simple comparison: if Shang-Chi had evoked 10 points of disgust, Phastos registered at least 1,000.

Though the Eternals hadn't personally offended him, whenever Richard recalled Phastos's activities at Hiroshima, uncontrollable fury and murderous intent surged within him.

Time continued its relentless passage.

In the blink of an eye, a week elapsed.

Silver Manor

Study

Richard sat behind his desk, reviewing an email from Black Rook Bud. After a week of intensive investigation, Bud had successfully located both targets: Skye, still active within the Rising Tide organization, and Phastos of the Eternals.

Regarding Skye, Black Rook Bud reported that she and fellow Rising Tide hackers persistently attempted to breach databases belonging to various government agencies, particularly S.H.I.E.L.D., intending to publicize classified information.

As for Phastos, Black Rook Bud had initially followed Richard's suggestion to search Chicago. However, unlike in the films, Phastos wasn't residing there. After considerable resource expenditure, Bud had tracked him to Detroit, over 450 kilometers from Chicago.

Though not living in Chicago, Phastos had—just as depicted in the film—taken a husband and adopted a young child.

Having finished reading Black Rook Bud's report, Richard immediately teleported to Emma Frost's location.

"I need to address some personal matters," he informed her.

Though he provided no specifics, the perceptive White Queen didn't press for details. Instead, she gently inquired, "How long do you anticipate being away?"

"Not long," Richard assured her. "I should return within hours."

"Alright," Emma nodded, satisfied with his answer.

Under her watchful gaze, Richard teleported away once more.

The distance from New York to Detroit—approximately 900 kilometers—exceeded his teleportation's maximum single-jump range. Nevertheless, this presented minimal inconvenience; executing a second teleportation easily bridged the gap.

Without difficulty, Richard arrived in downtown Detroit. Though he'd never visited the city before, Black Rook Bud's email had included Phastos's precise address. However, Richard couldn't teleport directly to an unfamiliar location—he needed to establish his bearings from the city center first.

Chapter 104: Superboy-Prime

With minimal effort, Richard locked onto Phastos's exact location.

From outward appearances, Eternals were indistinguishable from ordinary humans. To telepathic perception, however, their mental signatures exhibited unmistakable differences.

Whether in comics or films, the Eternals had been created by the Celestials. But important distinctions existed between versions. In the comics, they represented naturally born lifeforms. In the cinematic interpretation, they were "artificial humans" created by the Celestial Arishem in the World Forge—not natural beings.

Although their technological underpinnings differed radically from Earth science, the movie Eternals were, in principle, synthetic beings.

Having pinpointed Phastos's location, Richard prepared to teleport and eliminate the Eternal who had provoked such extreme antipathy. At that precise moment, the system issued a new task.

[Mission: Superboy-Prime]
[Mission content: Kill all Eternal members on Earth, current progress: 0/10]
[Mission Reward: Kryptonian Physique]
[Task time limit: 1 month]

When the notification appeared, Richard's expression shifted from surprise to satisfaction.

Regardless of the system's directive, he had already decided against allowing the Eternals to continue their existence. The system's offered reward—Kryptonian physique—only sweetened his resolve.

Physical attributes among Kryptonians were not uniform. Superboy-Prime's magical resistance significantly exceeded that of other Kryptonians. The only factors that could affect him were red sun radiation and kryptonite from Earth-Prime. Even then, Superboy-Prime demonstrated greater resilience to these weaknesses than other Kryptonians.

Beyond possessing all of Superman's abilities, Superboy-Prime exhibited even greater raw power. Like Superman, he could continuously absorb yellow sun energy (or similar stellar radiation) to increase his strength.

Though less renowned than Superman, Superboy-Prime matched or exceeded the Man of Steel in potential and might. Of course, with Superman as the protagonist of most narratives, Superboy-Prime's moments of glory were comparatively limited. Nevertheless, his formidable nature remained beyond question.

Eliminating ten Eternals to acquire Superboy-Prime's Kryptonian physique? By any standard, this qualified as an exceptional mission.

I love this mission!

After acknowledging his good fortune, Richard dismissed the task panel visible only to him.

Teleportation!

Without hesitation, he vanished instantly.

Detroit

Middle-Class Neighborhood

Wearing glasses and casual attire, Phastos was engaged in a football game with his adopted son Jack on the front lawn of their suburban home. His husband Phil was in the kitchen preparing lunch.

As Phastos smiled fondly at Jack and gently tossed the football to the boy, Richard materialized before them like an apparition.

Richard Wesley?

Both Phastos and Jack registered identical expressions of astonishment.

"King of Mutants?" Jack exclaimed, excitement overtaking his initial surprise. "You're Richard Wesley, the King of Mutants!"

Richard ignored the child's enthusiasm, summoning the Masamune in a fluid motion. Raising the legendary blade, he pointed its tip directly at Phastos.

Recognizing the imminent danger, Phastos's demeanor instantly shifted. Before he could speak a single word, Richard struck.

Octoslash!

Moving with ghostlike speed, Richard closed the distance to Phastos and executed a lightning-swift series of strikes with Masamune.

Had his target been any other Eternal, Richard might have allowed them final words. Phastos was the exception. Upon seeing him, Richard's murderous intent had peaked.

Compared to ordinary humans and most mutants, Phastos possessed considerable power as an Eternal. Though not specialized in close combat, his extraordinary inventive capability allowed him to channel cosmic energy into various advanced technological weapons and tools.

Against Richard, however, such advantages meant nothing—Phastos might as well have been an ordinary human.

Chi-chi-chi-chi-chi-chi...

Masamune passed through Phastos's body with the same effortlessness as a hot knife through butter. Moving at superhuman speed, Richard executed the Octoslash, reducing Phastos to dozens of pieces in the blink of an eye.

Jack's expression transformed from excitement to horrified disbelief as he watched his father being dismembered.

After dispatching Phastos with the Octoslash, Richard bypassed the Plunder ability in favor of his Omega-level Matter Manipulation. Despite Phastos's extraordinary capabilities, Richard felt no desire to appropriate them.

Matter decomposition!

As Jack watched in shock, Phastos's remains dissipated like evaporating mist. Within seconds, the Eternal had completely vanished—leaving only blood spatter as evidence of his existence.

Having eliminated the source of his intense displeasure, Richard turned toward the petrified child before teleporting away. Though he harbored deep antipathy toward Phastos, Richard wasn't sufficiently misanthropic to harm an innocent child.

As Richard vanished, the terrified Jack collapsed in tears.

New York

Silver Manor

Seated in his study, Richard opened the task panel to check his progress.

[Mission content: Kill all Eternal members on Earth, current progress: 1/10]

Although the cinematic Eternals were artificial beings created by Arishem in the World Forge, they weren't truly immortal. Even with backup bodies available in the World Forge, any reconstituted version would no longer be the original entity.

Closing the task panel, Richard began mentally cataloging the locations of the remaining Eternals:

• Sersi and Sprite in London

• Ajak in South Dakota

• Kingo in India

• Makkari aboard the Eternals' vessel

• Gilgamesh and Thena in Australia

• Druig in the Amazon rainforest

• Ikaris, the Superman-like figure, with no fixed abode—constantly moving worldwide

After brief consideration, Richard formulated his hunting strategy:

First, travel to South Dakota to eliminate Ajak, the Eternals' leader possessing healing abilities.

Next, proceed south to the Amazon and dispatch Druig, master of mind control.

Then continue to Australia to neutralize Gilgamesh, possessor of super strength, and Thena, who could materialize energy weapons.

From there, journey to Bollywood, India, to eliminate Kingo, who could project energy blasts from his limbs.

Afterward, locate the Eternals' vessel in Iraq to deal with Makkari, the speedster residing within.

Then proceed to London to eliminate Sersi, manipulator of matter, and Sprite, creator of illusions.

As for Ikaris, the Superman-like Eternal, if not encountered during the hunt, he would be saved for last. Should they cross paths earlier, Richard would eliminate him opportunistically.

Having established his plan, Richard left his study without delay to speak with Emma Frost. After briefly informing the White Queen of his intentions, he teleported from Silver Manor.

Although the mission's time constraint allowed for a more leisurely approach—he could have departed the following day or even waited several days—Richard preferred to avoid complications. News of Phastos's death might prompt the remaining Eternals to abandon their known residences. Additionally, acquiring the Kryptonian physique sooner rather than later was a powerful motivator.

South Dakota, situated in the American Midwest, lay nearly 1,800 miles—almost 3,000 kilometers—from New York. While considerable for most travelers, this distance posed no challenge to Richard's teleportation ability.

Executing four consecutive teleportations, he traversed the distance in approximately twenty seconds.

Though aware that Ajak lived alone in South Dakota, Richard lacked her precise location within the state. This posed no significant obstacle. As with Phastos, he needed only to employ his telepathy to detect anomalous mental patterns.

His current telepathic range extended to 800 kilometers—essentially a circular area with Richard at its center. While expanded to maximum range, this perception lacked fine detail and precision. Nevertheless, it would suffice to locate Ajak.

Without hesitation, Richard, hovering thousands of meters above ground level, extended his telepathic awareness to its maximum radius.

As his perceptive field expanded, he detected an extraordinary mental signature emanating from South Dakota's western plains. The pattern matched the distinctive frequency he'd observed in Phastos—neither human nor mutant, but something altogether different.

Found you!

Having locked onto the anomalous mental signature, Richard teleported without delay.

In an instant, he materialized high above his target, gazing down at an isolated house situated on the vast plains. No other structures were visible for miles around.

Chapter 105: Changing Matter

One week later.

Richard sat at an outdoor table beside the Thames, dressed in British attire, leisurely enjoying his coffee. He had not only adopted local fashion but also employed his "Illusion Camouflage" ability—plundered from a mutant operative—to disguise his distinctive silver hair.

[Illusion Camouflage: Creates a holographic projection-like illusion to disguise oneself, current level: Beta level]

In effect, Illusion Camouflage functioned similarly to Sprite's illusion-casting powers. The primary difference lay in scope: Richard's ability worked exclusively on himself, while Sprite could cast illusions on others or create large-scale illusory environments.

Following his meticulously crafted plan, Richard had traveled halfway around the world during the past week, eliminating six targets: Ajak, Druig, Gilgamesh, Thena, Kingo, and Makkari.

Though each possessed extraordinary abilities beyond human capacity, none had presented significant challenges.

Ajak, Druig, and Kingo hardly warranted mention. Their combat prowess was minimal.

Ajak, despite being the team's leader, possessed healing abilities but negligible fighting skills. Druig and Kingo followed a similar pattern. Though Druig commanded impressive mind control capabilities, Richard possessed Alpha-level telepathy. Kingo could project energy blasts from his hands, but Richard could not only do the same but also emit heat vision from his eyes.

For Richard, dispatching these three had been as effortless as eliminating ordinary humans.

Gilgamesh, Thena, and Makkari had presented slightly more interesting challenges.

Both Gilgamesh and Thena specialized in close-quarters combat. Though their abilities were formidable, they failed to withstand Richard's Judgment Cut End and Octoslash techniques for long. In truth, had Richard not been curious to witness Thena's legendary combat skills firsthand, they would have fallen after a single exchange.

The only target who had caused him any genuine difficulty was Makkari with her Super Speed. Despite Richard's teleportation abilities, Makkari's velocity had proven troublesome to counter.

Speedsters are hard to lock onto!

While engaging Makkari, Richard had experienced the same frustration familiar to those who had faced speedsters before. Nevertheless, she ultimately perished by his hand. Though gifted with incredible speed, that remained her sole advantage. Against Richard's diverse arsenal of X-gene powers, her attack options proved too limited.

By combining two Alpha-level abilities—magnetic field manipulation and gravity control—Richard had created an invisible, inescapable cage that completely trapped Makkari. Once her movement was restricted, the rest became trivial.

Taking another sip of coffee, Richard opened his abilities list and checked his mission progress.

[Supernatural powers: Hellfire, Soul Absorption, Healing, Mind Control, Super Strength, Energy Shapeshifting, Energy Emission, Super Speed, Immortality, Control of Cosmic Energy]

[Mission content: Kill all Eternal members on Earth, current progress: 7/10]

Immortality and cosmic energy manipulation had been unexpected acquisitions. Initially, Richard had anticipated obtaining only abilities like healing and mind control from Ajak, Druig, and the others. The acquisition of Eternals' immortality and cosmic energy manipulation had been an unforeseen bonus—though not entirely surprising.

After eliminating Azazel, he had already plundered Alpha-level "Immortality," which functioned similarly. As for cosmic energy manipulation, this posed no difficulty for someone who already possessed Alpha-level "Energy Absorption."

When creating the Eternals, Arishem had imbued their bodies with vast quantities of cosmic energy. This energy not only granted them near-eternal life but also powered their unique abilities. More precisely, the powers demonstrated by Ajak and Druig represented different applications of cosmic energy.

Compared to Celestials, who could harness cosmic energy to forge entire galaxies, the Eternals' usage remained rudimentary.

Though the Eternals' immortality and cosmic energy control closely resembled Richard's own immortality and energy absorption, these abilities, not being X-gene mutations, lacked the enhancement provided by fusion.

Beyond plundering their extraordinary abilities, Richard had also used telepathy to extract their memories and absorb the cosmic energy contained within their bodies before ending their lives. Although his energy absorption ability had been plundered from Sebastian Shaw, after integrating and enhancing it with Lampert's energy manipulation, he could store the absorbed energy in his body for extended periods, releasing it when necessary.

Through Ajak's memories, Richard confirmed that this universe's Earth matched the cinematic version—a nursery planet gestating a new Celestial. Deep within the planet's core, Tiamut was slowly developing. While this meant that "Emergence" remained a future threat, conversations between Ajak and Arishem suggested Tiamut wouldn't be born for several years.

Richard closed his abilities list and task information, finished his coffee, and placed a £20 note on the table, securing it beneath his cup. Rising from his seat, he departed the café, heading toward the museum where Sersi worked.

Upon arriving in London, his first action had been to use telepathy to locate Sersi and Sprite. Having confirmed they remained in the city, he had chosen this riverside café to rest before continuing his hunt.

London Natural History Museum

Sersi remained unaware that Richard had targeted her. She had no knowledge that he had methodically eliminated all her companions over the past week, leaving only Sprite and Ikaris alive. Had she known, she certainly wouldn't have continued her daily routine at the museum.

Richard arrived at the Natural History Museum during the lunch hour. Despite the timing, numerous visitors still wandered the exhibits. Ignoring both staff and tourists, he proceeded directly to the second-floor lounge area.

There, Sersi sat eating lunch and conversing with her boyfriend, Dane Whitman. Richard observed them briefly before activating the mind control ability he had plundered from Druig.

Though differently named, Druig's mind control fundamentally resembled Richard's telepathy. The primary distinction lay in their energy sources—mind control utilized cosmic energy, while telepathy harnessed mental force.

Mind Freeze!

In an instant, Richard immobilized every person in the museum except Sersi.

"Who are you?" she demanded, immediately rising from her seat. She positioned herself protectively before Dane, who stood frozen like a statue, and regarded Richard with wary intensity.

Richard offered no verbal response. Instead, he dispelled his Illusion Camouflage, revealing his true appearance.

Richard Wesley?

Recognition dawned in her expression as she beheld his iconic silver hair. Though they had never met, his reputation preceded him. Like most people worldwide, she knew exactly who stood before her.

"What do you want?" Sersi asked, tension evident in her voice.

"Nothing complicated," Richard replied with disturbing calm. "I simply intend to kill you." He paused briefly. "Incidentally, among your companions, only Sprite and Ikaris remain. I've eliminated all the others."

Though Sersi possessed matter transmutation abilities, Richard held no concerns about her powers. Her ability presented no threat unless she made physical contact.

Everyone else is dead?

Hearing his casual declaration, Sersi's expression grew grave. While she couldn't verify his claim about her companions, one fact seemed undeniable—he had indeed come to kill her. As he spoke, he summoned the Masamune from his system space.

Seeing the legendary blade materialize in his hand, Sersi immediately dropped to a crouch. Placing her palms against the floor, she activated her matter transmutation power. Within seconds, the solid floor transformed into a swamp-like morass.

Richard, however, didn't sink as anticipated. Instead, he hovered several inches above the transforming surface.

Realizing her strategy had failed, Sersi turned and fled without hesitation. Though uncertain why Richard sought her death, she recognized that he held no interest in Dane or the other museum patrons. His sole target was her.

Her reaction showed admirable presence of mind, but her speed proved woefully inadequate. Before she completed her second step, Richard appeared directly before her.

That's Makkari's power! How is this possible?

Witnessing the golden energy lines tracing across Richard's body like luminescent armor, disbelief overtook her features.

"Your assessment is correct," Richard confirmed, noting her expression. "I'm currently employing Makkari's ability."

Before Sersi could respond, Richard thrust Masamune forward with preternatural speed.

The legendary blade streaked toward her like silver lightning, piercing her heart in a single fluid motion.

For an ordinary being, a heart wound of this severity would mean instantaneous death. Sersi, however, was far from ordinary.

In her final moments, she grasped the sword's blade with both hands, attempting one last desperate use of her transmutation power.

Before she could complete the action, her hands began to dissolve into the air like dispersing smoke.

Matter decomposition!

Though Richard couldn't transform matter as Sersi could, his ability to decompose nearly all substances proved equally devastating. He qualified this assessment with "nearly all" only because he remained uncertain whether Omega-level matter manipulation could affect Celestials or the Infinity Stones.

Under Richard's watchful gaze, Sersi—heart pierced by Masamune—began rapidly disintegrating, starting from her hands. Within three seconds, she had completely vanished.

Acquired! Exactly as anticipated!

Satisfied with the outcome, Richard immediately activated his Plunder ability.

[Gain new abilities: Matter Transmutation, Immortality, Cosmic Energy Control]
[Identical ability types detected, fusion initiated!]
[Immortality, Cosmic Energy Control strengthened!]
[Matter Transmutation: Ability to transform contacted matter into different forms]