Have Time for a Spar?

"Still not blown open?"

Outside the base's main control room, Stryker stared at the control room door, which remained completely intact after several explosions, and felt a headache coming on.

To ensure the security of the main control room, he had specially added a small amount of Adamantium to the door. He had never expected it to end up screwing himself over instead.

He had just seen his finest creation, Wolverine, appear in the spillway through the surveillance cameras. Even he had been unable to resist letting him into the base.

Only after meeting him did he realize that the other party was not the real Wolverine, but by then it was already too late.

Mystique had transformed into him, infiltrated the main control room, and shut the main control door.

"Colonel, this amount of explosives might not blow it open even after a dozen attempts. We need to increase the charge."

The captain in charge of blowing open the door explained.

"No. Any more power will threaten the entire dam."

Stryker frowned. If something happened to the dam and the lake water flooded into the base, they would all die.

"Abandon this place. Go to the Cerebro Chamber and begin the Mutant Extinction Plan immediately."

"But Colonel, Cerebro has only just been installed. It hasn't been calibrated or tested yet. What if there's a problem—"

Before his subordinate could finish, Stryker raised a hand to cut him off.

"There's no time. Since Mystique is here, Magneto may not be far away."

He knew Magneto's abilities all too well. It was precisely because he understood them that he knew how terrifying the man was. His troops could not hold him off for long.

Sure enough, before he had led his men very far from the main control room door, he received word over the radio that every guard in the spillway had been wiped out.

"Stop them at all costs!"

Helpless, he could only issue a death order to the remaining guards.

They had to stall for as long as possible. The longer they delayed, the greater the chance that the plan could be completed.

Meanwhile, led by Magneto, Hawking and the other four did not even need to lift a finger. They swept through the base and quickly arrived at its main control room.

At that moment, Hawking felt that if they had not needed Phoenix to locate the base, and if they had not needed to borrow the Mutant Academy's jet, Magneto and Mystique alone might have been able to carve their way through the entire base.

Stryker Base's troops posed no threat to Magneto at all, while Deathstrike, who guarded Stryker's side, was completely countered by Magneto.

"Have you found Charles?"

Magneto raised a hand and directly removed the entire metal door of the main control room, then looked at Mystique, who was operating the computer nearby.

After a smooth series of operations from Mystique, a three-dimensional projection of the base immediately appeared. She had specifically marked a room at the far end of the base.

"Most of the base's power is currently being routed into this room. This should be the location of the Cerebro Chamber."

"Can we shut it down directly from here?"

Storm asked.

Mystique shook her head.

"It has an independent switch. It can't be shut down from here."

Just then, Hawking saw Wolverine turn and silently leave the main control room.

He knew Wolverine had spotted Stryker preparing to evacuate the base on the surveillance footage. He was going to intercept him and uncover his own past.

Back then, Wolverine had been shot in the forehead by Stryker with an Adamantium bullet, losing over a hundred years of memories and drifting through life in a daze ever since.

What Wolverine wanted most was to recover all of his memories.

"Piotr, go with Logan and capture Stryker. We may need him later."

After giving Colossus the order, Colossus glanced at Storm. When she nodded, he followed Wolverine out of the main control room.

Why had he sent Colossus to help Wolverine?

Because even if Colossus and Wolverine stayed with them, they would be completely countered by Magneto's powers. They were better off capturing Stryker. That man could not be allowed to escape again, or he would become a problem in the future.

And if Wolverine went alone, he might not necessarily be able to defeat Deathstrike, who was protecting Stryker and possessed both Adamantium and regenerative abilities.

In the movie, Deathstrike's fighting skills had been superior to Wolverine's. Wolverine had won in the end mainly because of his extensive experience, pouring liquid Adamantium into Deathstrike's body.

Who knew whether things would still end the same way now? Perhaps Wolverine would be the one getting filled instead.

Captain America had already become Captain Britain. It was better to be cautious about some things and not blindly trust the plot.

After spending the past two days together, Hawking had grown rather fond of Wolverine. If he died here, Hawking would lose a friend he got along with.

As for why Storm agreed?

First, she trusted Hawking's intelligence. Second, now that she knew Magneto might betray them, they might truly need Stryker to open the door later.

"The construction blueprints for that Cerebro Chamber were forced out of me by Stryker in prison. I know how to shut it down.

"How about this? Mystique and I will rescue Charles, while you capture Stryker and deal with the soldiers in the base."

At that moment, Magneto suddenly made a suggestion.

Storm narrowed her eyes.

"No need. I think it would be better if we went together."

"All right, then."

Magneto and Mystique exchanged a glance, and an unreadable look appeared in their eyes.

They had not expected Storm to be so vigilant.

However, it was not yet time to turn on each other. At the very least, they had to wait until the mutant crisis had been resolved.

"Load Goku Template!"

At that moment, Hawking silently loaded the Protagonist Template as well.

From now on, Magneto could betray them at any moment. He had to ensure his own strength and safety.

"You remind me of a mutant named Psylocke."

Seeing Hawking's hair stand on end, his clothes transform, and a staff appear behind his back, Magneto raised an eyebrow.

Psylocke was a very capable mutant. She could use energy to enhance her body and conjure all kinds of weapons for battle. Magneto thought Hawking was likely the same type of mutant as Psylocke.

"Is she a good fighter? If she is, we definitely have to spar sometime!"

Hawking's eyes immediately lit up under the influence of the Goku Template.

Magneto smiled.

"She is quite a fighter. Unfortunately, she isn't part of my Brotherhood. She works for Caliban, a mutant dealer in the black market."

"I know you're very strong too. Want to spar sometime?"

Hawking stared at Magneto, his intense desire to fight practically overflowing.

In Hawking's mind, Magneto was incredibly powerful. Because Magneto was strong enough, Hawking, affected by Goku's personality, was now especially eager to fight him.

Fortunately, his own rationality was still keeping that urge in check.

"You want to spar with me? You'll have the chance."

Magneto was briefly stunned, then revealed a meaningful smile.

The group proceeded through the base. After dealing with several waves of soldiers who tried to stop them, they soon arrived near the Cerebro control room.

"Watch out!"

At that moment, two red laser beams shot in from the side, striking directly at where the five of them stood.

It was Cyclops, whose mind was being controlled by Stryker's brain fluid.