Escape to Safety

Boom!

More than ten minutes later, a metal door was violently blasted open from the outside!

Under Miles's control, a Chimera Collision and a Sabretooth clone slammed headlong into the tide of enemies ahead, clearing a path for everyone.

"Pant... pant..." Sam was gasping nonstop from exhaustion. His power consumed a great deal of stamina, and he had already run himself ragged on the way here.

"Stop!!" Dani raised both hands and shouted sharply.

Under her power, several Chimera Mutants pursuing them closely rolled their eyes white and fell into confusion where they stood.

Yet even so, more and more of these monsters kept appearing!

"Splash..."

Miles activated the ceiling sprinklers, sending water pouring down and causing several of the fastest pursuers to slip and fall.

"Close the door!"

As they passed another doorway, Miles willed it shut. The door was just about to descend when a charging Colossus clone suddenly caught it on his shoulder, preventing it from coming down!

"You... can't escape..."

The Colossus clone spoke with difficulty.

"Some of them can talk?"

Miles gritted his teeth and was about to try controlling him when he saw a figure rush in from the side, its entire body resembling crystalline diamond!

A White Queen clone!

"Hold her back!" Miles ordered the others. He knew that once the White Queen crystallized, she was immune to Mind Control!

Before anyone could react, however, the ceiling suddenly collapsed!

Rumble...

A gigantic figure, crimson all over as though forged from steel, wearing a thick metal helmet and nearly three meters tall, crashed down in front of them!

"Is that... a Juggernaut clone?!" Charlotte cried out.

Juggernaut's helmet could also block Mind Control!

At the same time, a crimson laser shot over from afar and blasted Gideon away just as he arrived.

"Don't even think... of leaving... intruders..."

A winged Chimera landed in the distance. He wore an Anti-Mind-Control Headband on his head and a pair of Ruby-Quartz Visor over his eyes!

Another conscious Chimera, code-named Seraph—a warrior created by fusing the genes of Angel, the winged Mutant, and Cyclops of the X-Men!

Both the front and rear paths had been sealed off!

"Sam!!" Miles shouted without hesitation.

"Argh!!!" Sam forced himself upright and turned into a cannonball once more, shooting forward!

At the same time, Gideon blocked the White Queen clone behind Miles. He pounced on her, sank his sharp teeth into her diamond-like neck, and refused to let go even in death!

Boom!!

Elsewhere, Sam, Cannonball, collided with the charging Juggernaut, producing an ear-splitting explosion!

"Urgh..." Sam groaned in agony. This Juggernaut had stopped his charge through sheer physical strength alone!

No... I can't fall back...

Forward!!!

Sam gave it everything he had and increased his energy output again! Yet even so, Juggernaut's pressure forced him slowly backward...

At that moment, Miles's eyes flickered, and he muttered, "Perfect timing..."

Mind Control!

The next instant, another Chimera Stalker emerged from the wall beside them. He had originally been about to attack Rebecca, but under Miles's control, he turned and grabbed Juggernaut, frantically draining his strength!

"Arghhh!"

Juggernaut let out a pained roar. His strength weakened involuntarily, and Sam promptly rammed him away!

Boom! Sam's cannonball-like energy dissipated, and his body rolled uncontrollably to the other side. He braced himself against the wall and struggled slowly to stand.

"Pew! Pew!"

Meanwhile, Seraph, who had caught up from behind, kept firing lasers from his eyes as he rapidly approached.

Miles glared fiercely at him, his eyes fixed on the Anti-Mind-Control Headband.

Rip!

Behind Seraph, a Chimera Night Demon suddenly emerged from the smoke. His eyes reflected a chill as cold as Miles's own. With one swipe of his claw, he tore Seraph's headband apart!

"Not good!"

Seraph's expression changed, before his face went completely blank.

"Make that thing sturdier next time."

Miles muttered as his mental power surged again!

Having lost his protection, Seraph abruptly turned under Miles's control and fired lasers at the other Chimeras!

Sizzle, sizzle...

Crimson lasers swept across the corridor, followed by a wave of screams.

The White Queen clone was struck by the lasers. She screamed and threw Gideon aside.

With Seraph holding them back, the group finally managed to temporarily shake off their pursuers.

"Whew..."

Miles shook his swelling head, carried the burning-hot Madeleine on his back, and trudged forward with difficulty.

"Ugh..." Madeleine, hovering on the brink of death, let out a pained moan.

Hurry... Madeleine can't hold on much longer...

Fighting as they retreated, the group finally burst into Ward 1006. More than ten monitored hospital rooms lined the two sides of a corridor flooded with harsh white light. The few Mutant test subjects left there noticed the commotion and crowded against the glass to see what was happening outside.

Then they saw a group of strangely dressed teenagers charging toward them in a wild rush!

"This is the place!"

Miles took several deep breaths and shouted, "We're the X-Men. Which one of you is Miss Clarice?"

"That's me." A girl with purple tear-like markings and strange ears tapped on the glass, studying them curiously. "You're the X-Men? You all look pretty young."

"It's complicated, but yes, we are." Miles sighed and waved his hand. Clarice's ward door opened automatically, and the collar around her neck snapped apart!

"..."

Clarice froze at the sight, then asked, "Did you really come to save us?"

"That's right!" Miles nodded and waved his hand again.

The next instant, the doors to the other rooms all opened as well. Every collar snapped open with a click and fell to the floor.

"...You really are the X-Men?!" a blond-haired boy shouted in disbelief.

"We're finally saved!"

The imprisoned Mutants erupted into deafening cheers. However, their joy at surviving the disaster lasted less than three seconds.

From the far end of the corridor came heavy, dense footsteps like pounding war drums, making the ground tremble faintly.

Countless Mutant Chimeras surged toward them like a torrent of steel and flesh!

"What are those things?!!"

A man who had just regained his freedom frowned deeply.

"They're enemies..." Miles said, then turned to Clarice. "Miss Clarice, please. Can you get us out of here?"

"I... I'll try!" Panic flashed through the purple-marked girl's eyes, but she immediately stretched out both hands.

A brilliant mass of purple light appeared in her palms, but it was extremely unstable. It flickered and twisted violently like a candle flame in the wind, as though it might go out at any moment.

"Sorry... I'm still not very good at controlling my power. I need a little time..."

"All right..."

Miles drew a deep breath, his gaze slowly passing over his companions.

Everyone was truly nearing their limit...

Miles gritted his teeth and looked again at the vast Chimera Legion. "Everyone... buy us a little more time."

"Fine..." Sam swayed as he got to his feet again, his eyes bloodshot. The young man from Kentucky had truly gone all out!

"Great ancestors, supreme holy spirits... bless us with victory..." Dani clenched her teeth. Behind her, the silhouette of the Demon Bear slowly reappeared...

"I'll go first."

The tall man walked up from behind and stood before them. "I can't just stand here and watch you kids risk your lives..."

"You are...?" Miles asked instinctively.

"James Proudstar, Apache," the man said. "To be honest, we don't think much of you X-Men... but this time, thank you."

With that, the man let out an Indian war cry and charged forward in great strides!

"We're going too!"

"Let's fight these monsters!"

A Mutant covered in scales waved to Miles, then clenched his fists and charged straight ahead.

The other Mutants followed one after another, breaking into a chaotic battle with the arriving Chimera Legion.

Boom!!

A rhinoceros-like Chimera Collision had just charged close when Warpath Proudstar nimbly sidestepped, grabbed its arm, and used its momentum to throw it over his shoulder in one clean, decisive motion, smashing the several-hundred-pound monster viciously into the ground!

That single move alone was enough to show that this man was absolutely a fighter skilled in combat!

Smoke billowed, and another Night Demon silently appeared behind Proudstar, its claws aimed at his back!

"Don't even think about it!" A sharp pain stabbed through Miles's head, but his mental power still surged forth without hesitation!

The Night Demon's body abruptly froze in midair, as though seized by an invisible giant hand.

The next moment, before Proudstar could react, a blast of scorching energy struck from the side and sent the Night Demon flying with precision!

Miles turned and saw a boy whose entire body—even his clothes—had turned a strange black, slowly descending through the air.

"Roberto da Costa!" Noticing Miles's gaze, the boy introduced himself with considerable pride. "Thanks for this, X-Men."

"I'm Sunspot. My power is absorbing the power of the sun!"

"By the way, who's the girl on your back? Your girlfriend?"

"She's an important companion."

Miles nodded, then saw a blond-haired boy approach from the side.

The boy pointed at Madeleine and asked, "Brother, is your companion hurt?"

"Yeah." Miles nodded, then asked, "You are?"

"Maybe I can help you." The boy said, "My name is Joshua Foley, Elixir. My power is healing others."

"Joshua..." Miles searched through the data in his mind and confirmed that the boy before him did possess healing abilities. Half-convinced, he nodded, carefully set Madeleine down, and supported her against the wall.

"Please." Miles said.

Joshua stretched out his palm. Golden light then radiated from his entire body as a soft life energy gathered in his hand and slowly pressed against Madeleine's shoulder.

As Joshua's healing energy entered Madeleine's body, her complexion finally improved considerably.

"...That's an incredible power." Miles said instinctively. "Are you a doctor?"

"No. I just happen to have this power." Joshua shook his head, then continued, "There's something strange about her body... A terrifying energy is constantly devouring her life force. I can only do my best to heal her injuries. There's nothing I can do about that energy."

"This is already enough." Miles nodded and said slowly, "That's the Phoenix Force, a power none of us understands yet... Just do your best. At least you can make her feel better."

As they spoke, Madeleine's burning-hot body finally began to return to normal. She slowly opened her eyes.

"Miles..."

Madeleine looked into Miles's eyes and murmured his name, just as she was about to say something...

The entire base suddenly shook, and a terrifying Telekinetic Storm swept through it!

"This is..."

Feeling that familiar psychic presence, Miles's eyes widened!

Obadiah Apocalypse!

He had completely recovered!

"Everyone, come to me!!"

Clarice called out loudly. After many attempts, she had finally succeeded in tearing open a large enough purple portal in front of her!

On the other side of the portal was the Roosevelt Island Bridge at night!

"Go!"

Everyone rushed in without hesitation, passing through the portal one after another and escaping successfully at the last moment before Obadiah's presence descended!

"Whew..."

The salty night wind filled their lungs, carrying the dampness unique to a great metropolis.

Miles's legs gave out. Like the other Mutants who had escaped death behind him, he nearly collapsed onto the cold bridge pavement at the same time.

The relief of surviving had not even had time to settle in before it was drowned by bone-deep exhaustion.

"Huh? Who are those people?"

Cars sped past them without pause, and some drivers even leaned their heads out, curiously examining this strange group that had appeared out of nowhere.

"Shit!" Sunspot Roberto gave the car a furious middle finger, then muttered, "I need to contact my father and have him pick us up as soon as possible... Damn it, I lost my phone!"

"Thank God, I'm actually alive..."

A pale woman who had just been rescued knelt on the ground and muttered, "I need to contact Ritts... and... that gentleman..."

Meanwhile, after leaving the underground area that blocked all signals, Miles's X Terminal finally rang with Aurora's voice again.

"Miles, where are you? The signal I'm receiving is unstable!?" Aurora sounded extremely anxious.

"This should be the Roosevelt Island Bridge." Miles looked around. "What about you? How are the Professor and Logan?"

"We're carrying out a special mission. We're almost done..." Aurora continued, "Miles, did you escape from beneath Essex Corporation? What about the others?"

"Yeah, we're all fine. We also brought some friends out with us..." Miles continued. "Wait a moment. We'll find a car and leave..."

Before Miles could finish speaking, his pupils suddenly contracted!

Not far ahead, at the exit of the island bridge leading toward Queens District, a blue-purple portal tore open out of thin air once more. Immediately afterward, that mountain-like figure stepped out from it.

"Obadiah Apocalypse's" icy gaze locked firmly onto everyone present.

Behind him, the masked Ms. Reyes slowly stepped out. At his side stood numerous intelligent Chimeras and cloned Mutants, including cloned versions of the "White Queen," "Colossus," "Wolverine," and "Beast"...

After that came the countless Chimera Legion soldiers, continuously pouring out of the spatial gate and cutting off their retreat!

"Fuck..."

Miles cursed under his breath, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

Then he suddenly realized something and instinctively looked to the side.

"...Madeleine?!"

At some point, Madeleine's eyes had turned blood-red once more, faintly radiating an ominous aura as she confronted "Obadiah Apocalypse" from afar.

Obadiah remained unmoved in the face of Madeleine's gaze.

At the same time, a "♠" symbol slowly emerged on his pale forehead.