% Sure enough, Su Mu continued:
"However, our relationship isn't one of superior and subordinate. It's a partnership. You'll pay me a fee, and I'll help you carry out missions."
He put emphasis on the word "fee," and had already decided that once Energy Absorption was strong enough to withstand the Infinity Gem's power, he would head to S.H.I.E.L.D. and take the Space Stone.
After all, it was his "fee," wasn't it?
Of course, it would be even better if Loki happened to show up with a "delivery" around then.
As for whether S.H.I.E.L.D. would object, Su Mu hadn't given it a second thought. He was sure they'd be more than happy to pay him.
They weren't stupid...
Coulson fell silent for a moment after hearing Su Mu's words, then reached for the earpiece by his ear.
"This isn't something I can decide. I need to consult my superior."
Su Mu nodded.
Coulson immediately contacted Nick Fury. After exchanging a few words, he turned to Su Mu and said:
"If you're willing to join us outright, we can help get the military to drop the charges against you."
Su Mu was taken aback, then immediately realized it was a deal.
He flashed a radiant smile, stepped closer to Coulson, and said slowly:
"Agent Coulson—or Director Fury—do you really think I care about some so-called manhunt?"
Coulson continued speaking with Nick Fury. Then he removed the earpiece and turned the volume all the way up. A deep voice came through it.
"Mr. Su Mu, I admit you're very powerful—even more powerful than Magneto and Professor X. But Colonel Stryker has many Mutants under his command, including some who can erase a Mutant's abilities.
"Surely even you would be powerless if you ran into someone like that!
"Join us, and we'll help you negotiate with Colonel Stryker and get the manhunt called off. What do you say?"
Nick Fury sat in his office, wearing a confident expression. He had revealed Colonel Stryker's secret weapon against Mutants. Surely Su Mu wouldn't refuse.
After all, no matter how powerful he was, he was still a Mutant. A Mutant without powers was just an ordinary person, and any bullet could kill him.
But after waiting a while, Nick Fury suddenly heard laughter coming through the earpiece. It grew louder and louder, until it became an undisguised, mocking laugh.
"Hahahaha! Nick Fury, do you really think I care about any of that?
"As I said, we're equal partners. If you're not interested, then forget it."
After all, even if he took the Infinity Gem by force, he could still get it. Working with S.H.I.E.L.D. would simply make things more convenient.
Nick Fury fell silent. Events had gone beyond his expectations. He hadn't imagined that Su Mu truly wouldn't care about a way to erase Mutant abilities.
Could he have a way to counter it?
No, impossible. He didn't even know the details of how it worked. How could he have a countermeasure?
Nick Fury quickly relaxed and decided he would rescue Su Mu when Colonel Stryker was about to capture him. Then he would get Su Mu to join S.H.I.E.L.D. outright!
Surely by then, he'd have come around!
So he said directly:
"Fine, I agree. From now on, we're partners.
"If you change your mind later, we'll still welcome you. But the terms might have changed by then."
Su Mu understood what Nick Fury meant and grinned.
"Don't worry, Director Fury. That day won't come..."
What effect would a Mutant power-erasing ability have on him?
And besides, just negotiating with Stryker and getting the charges dropped wasn't enough.
He was going to kill Stryker!
Afterward, Agent Coulson said goodbye to Su Mu and Stark. His mission was complete, and he'd even recruited the Level 5 Mutant, White-Haired Demon. There was no reason for him to stick around any longer.
After Coulson left, Tony reunited with Pepper Potts and led Su Mu to the top floor of Stark Tower. He picked up two brand-new Arc Reactors from the table and handed them to Su Mu.
"Here's your fee, White-Haired Boy."
"Hm?"
Su Mu looked at Stark. He hadn't expected Stark to give him a nickname right after they'd met.
But he didn't mind. He found it amusing. Before he'd crossed over, Stark had already died. Though Su Mu planned to return, would Stark still be the same Iron Man when he did?
That had always been one of his regrets. Now that he was seeing Iron Man alive and in person, it felt as if a fantasy had become reality.
Su Mu casually picked up a duffel bag from the table and put one Arc Reactor inside. Then he gripped the other one with one hand and absorbed its energy at full power.
Tony Stark saw him pick up the duffel bag and clearly assume he meant to keep it. He couldn't help commenting:
"You really don't hold back."
Su Mu replied:
"After all, I did save your life, didn't I, Mr. Stark?"
"Stark? What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
Tony Stark immediately asked, but with a casual flick of Su Mu's fingers, he felt an immense force pull him backward. The next thing he knew, he had landed in Pepper Potts's arms.
Su Mu was already lounging in an office chair in the distance, making himself right at home. He said to Tony Stark:
"You just barely escaped death. What are you doing here instead of making out with your girlfriend?"
Tony Stark was speechless. He looked at Pepper Potts, who was gazing at him tenderly.
They had finally understood how they felt about each other in the midst of the crisis.
The scene made Su Mu rather unhappy. He didn't want to be stuck watching them be lovey-dovey, so he used "Azure" to shoo them away, then stayed on the top floor alone to absorb energy.
[Energy Points +1] [Energy Points +1] [Energy Points +1]
As the Template Fusion Degree continued to rise, increasing it further became more difficult.
When it reached 35%, the energy points needed to raise it by another 1% increased again. But with the Arc Reactor continuously supplying energy, the Template Fusion Degree finally reached 39% after more than ten hours.
At that moment, Su Mu suddenly took off the black blindfold covering his eyes and looked into the distance. After a moment, he grinned, removed the blindfold, and tossed it aside. Then he said to J.A.R.V.I.S.:
"J.A.R.V.I.S., tell Tony I'll be gone for a while. When I get back, I'll have something important to discuss with him. I'm sure he's noticed something's wrong with his body too, right?"
Without waiting for J.A.R.V.I.S. to reply, he went to the floor-to-ceiling window. He barely flexed his fingers before the incredibly sturdy glass shattered.
Su Mu spread his arms and leaned forward, naturally dropping toward the ground below.
As he neared the ground, he used "Azure" to pull himself toward the wall. He kicked off with a little force, cracking the wall in several places, then rushed toward a direction where flames were shooting into the sky.
There was a target there sturdy enough to take a beating, perfect for testing the new skill he was about to obtain!
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