One-Winged Angel

Wolverine had just been about to refute Richard's claim that there were no aircraft in that direction when the Department of Mutant Affairs' Black Jet appeared in his field of vision.

Although it was still some distance away, they could make out its rough outline.

"How did you know the people on that aircraft were here to capture you?"

Wolverine immediately asked.

"The combat uniforms they're wearing bear the Department of Mutant Affairs' insignia."

"Unless something unexpected happened, they fired the missile just now."

After answering Wolverine, Richard turned to Phoenix and said, "You just told me you could guarantee that the Department of Mutant Affairs wouldn't make a move against me."

"Now's your chance. I wonder if you're interested in proving it."

"If you really can persuade them not to attack me, I don't mind making a trip to the School for Mutants with you."

Phoenix frowned slightly after hearing his words.

If she had once been absolutely confident, now she did not even have a ten percent chance.

Though they still could not confirm whether the missile had been fired by the Department of Mutant Affairs' Black Jet.

Judging by the current situation, however, there was no one else it could have been.

After several seconds of silence, Phoenix said with a determined expression:

"Fine, I'll prove it to you!"

"Then I'll be looking forward to your performance."

Richard swiftly replied as he planted Masamune into the ground.

Not long after, the Department of Mutant Affairs' Black Jet arrived before them.

Like the X-Men's Blackbird, the Department of Mutant Affairs' Black Jet was capable of vertical takeoff and landing.

After all, the two turbine engines between its wings were not just for decoration.

Under Richard and the others' watchful gazes, the Black Jet, which resembled S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Quinjet by seventy or eighty percent, slowly descended several dozen meters away from them.

The moment the aircraft came to a stop, the rear hatch opened.

As the boarding ramp lowered, three Mutant Agents in identical black combat uniforms stepped down from the aircraft.

After disembarking, they did not hesitate in the slightest. Their faces expressionless, they headed straight toward Richard and the others.

Could they be clones too? Watching the three Mutant Agents approach them like emotionless robots, Richard could not help but entertain the thought.

There were Sabretooth clones on the Second Underground Floor of the Los Angeles Branch. The Department of Mutant Affairs' other branches surely had some unknown "trump cards" as well.

Or rather, secret research projects that were inconvenient to reveal to the public.

Very soon, the three expressionless Mutant Agents arrived before Richard and the others.

At that moment, Phoenix stepped in front of them and said:

"I'm Dr. Jean Grey of the X-Men. Bringing Richard to the School for Mutants was the professor's decision."

"If you have any objections, I suggest you contact your superiors right now."

Although the three Mutant Agents clearly meant trouble, she did not immediately consider using her abilities to stop them.

Not only that, she did everything she could to prevent the two sides from fighting.

It was not because she feared the three Mutant Agents before her, but because she did not want the X-Men and the Department of Mutant Affairs to clash.

If they fought, regardless of who won or lost, it would mean the complete end of cooperation between the X-Men and the Department of Mutant Affairs.

That was not the outcome she wanted to see, nor was it one Professor X wanted to see.

After hearing Phoenix's words, the middle-aged, powerfully built male agent standing in the center immediately replied, "Dr. Jean Grey, we respect the professor very much, and we do not wish to go to war with the X-Men either."

"Please step aside and do not obstruct us from carrying out our mission."

Like Phoenix, the three Department of Mutant Affairs agents also had their concerns.

They had not been the ones to order the aircraft pilot to fire missiles at the Blackbird. That order had come from their superiors.

If their superiors had not issued the order, they would never have allowed the pilot to fire missiles at the Blackbird.

Like Professor X, they were also members of the Doves within the Mutant Race.

Otherwise, they would not have chosen to recognize the Mutant Restriction Act, much less join the Department of Mutant Affairs.

Phoenix's expression darkened slightly after hearing the burly agent's reply.

Though the other party's tone was not especially rude, it was clear they had no intention of giving up their pursuit of Richard.

Just as Phoenix was considering how to persuade them, mission information that only Richard could see appeared before his eyes.

Mission: One-Winged Angel (I)

Task Content: Kill the 3 Mutant Agents before you

Task Reward: Hell Gate, Black Magic Crystal

Task Deadline: 10 minutes

A Sephiroth Template mission had finally arrived! Though he hadn't expected the system to issue a mission at a time like this, Richard silently complained to himself when he saw the mission's name and reward.

All the system's previous missions had been for the Vergil Template, making him wonder whether it intended for him to figure out Sephiroth's other moves on his own.

Now, it seemed the system wasn't as inconsiderate as he had imagined.

Once the template's proficiency increased, he could indeed research Sephiroth's other moves himself.

But no matter what, spending time figuring them out himself couldn't compare to the straightforwardness of completing missions.

Closing the Mission Panel before him, Richard pulled the Masamune from the ground.

Though he said nothing, the three Mutant Agents immediately entered combat mode when they saw him draw the Masamune.

They ignored Phoenix in front of them and launched an attack on Richard without another word.

The male agent standing in the middle shot toward Richard like a cannonball.

At the same time, his already burly body began to "swell" at a rate visible to the naked eye.

By the time he reached Richard, his original height of over 1.9 meters had surged to three or four meters.

Just like his rapidly increasing height, his body underwent an obvious transformation, turning him into an undeniable giant.

Although his body had grown several times larger, not all of his clothes had been torn apart.

His shirt and shoes were ripped apart by his expanding body.

But his pants displayed astonishing elasticity.

The moment he saw this, Richard immediately thought of Hulk's pants.

In an instant, the male agent who had transformed into a giant arrived before Richard, his enormous right fist smashing viciously toward Richard's chest.

Blink!

Just as the male agent's fist was about to hit him, Richard decisively used Blink, easily teleporting dozens of meters away and evading the attack.

Though he had avoided the male agent's attack, a powerful sense of danger still welled up within him.

Without any hesitation, he used Blink again.

However, at that moment, another male agent—pale-faced and thin, as though he had only just recovered from a serious illness—appeared before him like a ghost, the black daggers in his hands flashing toward Richard's heart and throat like lightning.

What was this?

The instant he saw the pale-faced male agent appear before him, Richard canceled the Blink he had yet to execute and viciously slashed at him with the Masamune in his left hand.

Octaslash!