Inside the Time Workshop, a golden curtain flowed along the boundaries of the spherical space. Every second, Russell rearranged, spliced, and optimized dozens of genetic sequences beneath his fingertips.
He stood at the center of the workshop, guiding the development of five embryos with both hands. His fingers moved as though he were playing an invisible piano at breakneck speed.
For the third template, he chose Professor X.
Telepathy, mind control, and brainwave coverage—Charles's original abilities were terrifying enough, but the kindhearted man was too soft and always held back in a fight.
Russell tweaked the portion of the X-Factor responsible for emotional restraint, preserving the clone's finely honed Psychic Power while replacing some of its hesitation with the resolve to strike when necessary.
For the fourth template, he chose Laura's Healing Factor—or rather, Wolverine's.
X-23's X-Factor came from Wolverine and was already absurdly powerful. This time, Russell pushed its regenerative efficiency to the theoretical limit.
As long as even a scrap of brain tissue remained, the body could reassemble itself from a heap of shredded flesh in minutes.
Combined with physical enhancement genes, it would be an unkillable cockroach on the battlefield.
No, an unkillable wolf.
The fifth template was a physical-enhancement X-Factor similar to Kingpin's.
Russell deleted the code limiting its strength and installed a closed loop that absorbed, converted, and released energy.
As long as this body stood on the battlefield, any attack energy around it would become fuel. The longer it fought, the stronger it would grow.
An everlasting warrior, plain and simple.
The sixth, the seventh, the eighth... Russell showed no sign of stopping.
Time was cheap. His hands moved so fast they left afterimages, while golden threads shuttled through the void like a loom's shuttle. Each pass started another embryo growing.
The Time Workshop