Blood Curse

"Learn to control your own power, young man."

"Unbelievable! He blocked a laser beam with just two fingers. Is he really human?"

"I can tell you with certainty that the chairman is one hundred percent human."

Kakashi Hatake, who had been flipping through a fashion magazine, strolled over. The white-haired man, who had recently taken up the role of "teacher," spoke calmly.

Sure enough, this kind of leisurely life suited him best.

Teaching students and occasionally flipping through magazines—Kakashi Hatake felt that these days were not bad at all.

As for his strength, because he could not deactivate his Three-Tomoe Sharingan, his total chakra reserves had never been able to increase.

And that was without using his Mangekyo Sharingan.

If his chakra reserves could reach Shadow-level, he should be able to join the ranks of B-Class Heroes.

"Kakashi-sensei... why are you looking at magazines again?"

"Ahem, this is academic research."

He cleared his throat awkwardly. Sensing energy fluctuations outside, Kakashi Hatake had rushed out of the office before he even had time to put down the magazine, only to be caught red-handed by his students.

Under Cyclops's scornful gaze, he silently put the magazine away.

"Is Professor X or Koro-sensei here?"

"Is Professor X or Koro-sensei here?"

"Oh my, what a rare guest. The chairman himself has paid us a visit."

A breeze swept past, and Koro-sensei, in his octopus form, instantly appeared beside Li Chen.

Other than Li Chen, no one present could see this teacher's movement trajectory.

Even Quicksilver, who prided himself on his speed, could not help widening his eyes—this absolute speed suppression left him unable to catch even the slightest trace of movement.

"Who are these two children?"

"Pitiful children who were abused by some insignificant organization. I'll leave their education to you."

"I see. How heartbreaking."

Koro-sensei nodded, and his bright yellow face began secreting copious amounts of fluid. He wiped at the spot that could not be identified as either eyes or nose with a tissue. His cheeks gradually turned red, and a conspicuous "X" mark appeared.

"Please leave them to me, Chairman. I'll let them experience the beauty of life."

"Wait! Let me go! I don't want to stay with this weird octopus!"

For some reason, a powerful sense of unease suddenly rose within Quicksilver.

He had a feeling that if he remained under this octopus monster's care, he would lose a layer of skin even if he did not die! "Slurp slurp, what a lively little fellow." "Help! Someone save me!"

Quicksilver's desperate cries for help echoed through the corridor as the surrounding students looked on sympathetically. He and Scarlet Witch were both only sixteen. How had they ever seen anything like this?

"Anyone targeted by Octopus Teacher is in for a miserable time." "Last month's new class was put through the wringer. They're as obedient as sheep now." "May the Lord have mercy on them."

Listening to the whispers around him, Quicksilver felt a chill run down his back. Scarlet Witch nervously clenched the hem of her clothes too—why did this place feel like they had entered a ** den?

"Come on, Teacher will give you a makeover."

The octopus tentacles suddenly produced scissors, a hair dryer, and hair accessories. Ordinary people could not even see his movements. "Stop! Don't touch my hair!"

"Slurp slurp~ Teacher's skills are professional-grade."

"I was wrong! Please don't cut it! Help!"

"Don't move around. I'll give you a cute little braid."

"No—!!"

Watching golden strands of hair drift to the floor and the bow-tied braid swaying atop his head, Quicksilver completely broke down. He would definitely be laughed to death if he went out looking like this!

Scarlet Witch silently took two steps back. Boys could always shave their heads, but if she ended up with an ugly haircut... this tentacled monster was utterly deranged!

"Your turn, little sister?"

"I'll cooperate! Please don't cut it short!"

Octopus Teacher wriggled his tentacles in satisfaction. "Slurp slurp, how sensible. But if you try to run..." The tentacles suddenly tightened around the desks and chairs with loud cracking noises. "Teacher has a hundred ways to make your school life unforgettable."

"We'll be absolutely obedient!"

Looking at Quicksilver beside her, who was slumped in an ORZ pose with his soul seemingly leaving his body, Scarlet Witch's voice trembled. Fairly speaking, this hairstyle was indeed exquisite on a girl—if it had not been done through violent tentacle-based styling.

However, such a girlish hairstyle on a boy's head was simply too horrifying to look at. It made one's eyes hurt.

"Those two newcomers are really unlucky."

Cyclops lowered his voice and muttered to Blue Demon beside him.

He often caught Koro-sensei reading dangerous books alone, such as The Black-Bellied Cultivation Manual, The Complete Guide to Pranks, and A Guide to Exploiting Airheads...

Li Chen had complete confidence in Koro-sensei's methods of tormenting people, so he simply removed the telekinetic restraints on Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch.

If those two dared to run, Koro-sensei's "care package" would be arranged for them immediately.

That experience would definitely be ten thousand times more vicious than wearing a girlish hairstyle.

"I've long heard of you, Chairman of the League of Heroes."

Professor X, sitting in a wheelchair, slowly approached while pushing the wheels, sporting the same gleaming bald head.

Following behind him was Wolverine Logan, who possessed Adamantium claws.

Wolverine's keen animal instincts made every hair on his body stand on end the moment he saw Li Chen, as if he had encountered an ancient ferocious beast.

"You flatter me. I'm merely someone a little stronger than most."

"Did you come here so suddenly because of those two children?" Professor X asked in confusion.

As someone with immense psychic power, Professor X possessed high-level strength—though that did not include close-quarters combat.

With the aid of the "Cerebro Enhancement Device," he could even briefly step into the threshold of quasi-S-Class.

"That was only incidental." Li Chen waved his hand. "Since I'm already at Hero Academy, I might as well settle it all at once. I came this time to ask you to move somewhere else."

"Move? Where to?" Professor X asked, puzzled.

They had joined the League of Heroes precisely because they valued its rapidly rising reputation, which could change the public's perception of mutants.

This was Professor X's vision. If things continued to develop according to this model, perhaps humans and mutants truly could coexist peacefully one day.

With the League of Heroes' generous conditions, the protection of powerful individuals, and the fact that many mutant students wished to become heroes, Professor X had willingly facilitated the merger of "X Academy" into "Hero Academy" and accepted its assignments so long as they did not violate his principles.

"Of course—to move to the League of Heroes headquarters!"

League of Heroes Headquarters, Chairman's Office.

After his vacation ended, Li Chen returned to work.

Most matters had already been delegated to Sosuke Aizen for him to handle in full.

Only when branch leaders changed or an Ultra-Dragon-level Threat emerged would a final decision need to be submitted to Li Chen.

"So many documents have piled up for approval in such a short time?"

"Yes. The African and European branches have both erupted into serious chaos, awaiting your final instructions."

Rubbing his temples, Li Chen felt helpless about this accident-prone Marvel world. Though, admittedly, many of these troubles were somewhat connected to him.

Other than Tatsumaki's "special summon," the remaining incidents made it seem as if he had been cursed by misfortune.

He casually opened the report submitted by the European branch's leader, Lion King Artoria. After scanning its contents, he immediately realized the severity of the problem—an extraordinarily dangerous threat was looming there.

The European branch's main combat forces included Lion King Artoria, Saint Joan of Arc, Holy Priest Grandis, ** Master Hassan of the Hundred Faces, and several D-Class Heroes.

The report mentioned that a strange type of creature had been discovered in certain parts of Europe. They normally looked no different from humans, revealing their true forms only when they attacked. Ordinary civilians could not identify them at all; only high-end combatants like Artoria could detect them.

"Impostors..."

This was not the work of monster cells, but an ancient curse of some kind.

Among the Twelve Apostles recorded in Genesis, the eleventh was the "Raiser of the Dead"—Ozma of Chaos. Perhaps the demon realm had not yet located Earth's coordinates, but the Blood Curse it spread had already endangered the European continent.

"Impostors?" Sosuke Aizen looked puzzled.

As a strategist, his schemes were indeed superior to Li Chen's, but his breadth of knowledge was far inferior.

"That's right. These infected bear an Apostle's Blood Curse. They look no different from ordinary people, but demons have occupied their hearts. We collectively call them 'Impostors.'"

"Some scholars believe that the legendary dark creatures such as werewolves and vampires may all be variants of Impostors."

"Even more terrifyingly, those they attack will also transform into Impostors. They generally prioritize attacking those closest to them—their family and dearest friends are the first to suffer."

"Since they cannot be identified by appearance, people begin to distrust one another. Countless families are torn apart as a result, and society falls into a vicious cycle of a crisis of trust and chaos."

Li Chen explained in detail just how terrifying this curse was.

The Crimson Plague might not show any aggression during its initial stage, but after an incubation period of around sixty days, the infected would complete their transformation and begin hunting humans to spread the curse.

These mutated creatures had a pathological craving for blood. Drinking human blood could accelerate their evolution.

Although this report had only just been submitted by Lion King Artoria.

Li Chen guessed that signs of infection had already appeared across Europe thirty days earlier, when the Twelve Apostles of Genesis first emerged.

Fortunately, no similar cases had appeared in the other regions yet.

If the European branch had not issued a timely warning, Lion King Artoria, Joan of Arc, and Grandis alone would likely not have discovered it until the epidemic had fully erupted. By then, all of Europe would have become a nest for mutated creatures.

Even if ordinary infected individuals possessed only Wolf-level Threat strength, considering Europe's population of one billion...

More frighteningly, elite individuals could evolve into Tiger-level Threats. At a rate of one in ten thousand, at least one hundred thousand high-level monsters would be born.

At that point, they would either have to use strategic weapons to cleanse the entire continent, or personally sink Europe. Otherwise, there would be no way to stop the plague from spreading. "These creatures are indeed troublesome. Ordinary soldiers have no way to identify them." After hearing the analysis, Aizen's brow furrowed more deeply.

Although he had expected it, only after gaining a deeper understanding did he realize that the threat had to be strangled in its cradle.

"To identify them, one must either possess an instinctive talent, special abilities, or the ability to sense soul fluctuations."

"However, the most direct method is... to become a Holy Priest!"

"As long as one masters the power of holy light, one can see through the infected among a crowd."

Grandis, as a Gospel Preacher, had already reached the Awakened Realm.

And Li Chen, as chairman, possessed the power of the Second Awakening Seraph, making it as easy as turning his hand to identify infected individuals.

"Holy Priests?"

"Don't misunderstand. I'm not talking about those charlatans who pretend to be divine." Li Chen explained, "I mean battle priests proficient in four branches of power: combat, healing, exorcism, and demonization."

"But as for candidates..."

"That's simple. Aren't churches everywhere in Europe?"

"Have Joan of Arc issue a divine oracle, saying that agents of God are being selected."

"Grandis will be responsible for intensive training, eliminating followers who are merely making up the numbers and retaining only those who are truly devout."

"There's no need to form combat power in the short term. As long as they awaken holy light, they can see through the disguises."

"Besides, infected individuals who have not completed their transformation are no stronger than ordinary people."

[

Faced with the situation in the European branch, Li Chen came up with a countermeasure after only a brief moment of thought.

This would indirectly strengthen the European branch. A batch of newly added Holy Priests was equivalent to a large supplement of D-Class Heroes.

More importantly, these people held absolute devotion toward the so-called "gods," even willing to sacrifice their lives for them.

As for those so-called gods... they were merely fictional beings. Grandis and Joan of Arc would mainly serve as stand-ins, while Li Chen himself could easily play the role of a god when necessary and gain a large number of fanatical followers.

"The plan has been recorded. It will be sent to the European branch shortly."

"..." Shan remained silent.

"Next... should we deal with the African branch's affairs?"

After concluding the discussion on the European branch, Li Chen picked up the second document—a report from Yugi Mutou, head of the African branch.

As far as he knew, the entire African region was currently in a state of extreme chaos.

The Noxian Legion's violent ** methods had provoked the united resistance of many rebel organizations. Both sides were fighting for control of the African continent amid bloodshed and slaughter.

Meanwhile, T'Challa, the new Black Panther who had inherited the throne, decisively declared war on Noxus to avenge his father.

Although Wakanda possessed technological power far ahead of its time, it still found it difficult to withstand the attacks of Noxus's elite forces.

Forced by the situation, Wakanda and the League of Heroes' African branch formed a strategic alliance to jointly oppose the increasingly rampant Noxian forces.

The fragile balance they had barely maintained was soon shattered by a new development.

"Strange. Why would the Monster Association join forces with Noxus?"

"As long as common interests and common enemies exist, forming an alliance follows naturally," Sosuke Aizen said calmly.