A biting wind howled past, sweeping up ice and snow from the ground.
Shaw stood on the wasteland, his expression grave as thoughts turned in his mind.
During the integration of Compound V, his superpowers would run completely out of control. He would lose all command of his powers, his body, and even his consciousness, entering his weakest state, utterly unable to resist.
Although Emma Frost and Azazel had followed him faithfully for years, a ruler's disposition was always suspicious. He could never let his guard down around others.
At his most vulnerable, he would never place his safety in anyone else's hands.
To ensure nothing could go wrong, Shaw did not inject himself there. Instead, he braved the bone-chilling wind and walked several more kilometers.
He found an enormous mass of thick, solid ice, raised his hand, and channeled the energy within him, forcibly carving a deep, concealed cave into the ice, hidden from all outside view.
Only after confirming that his surroundings were absolutely safe and free of any risk did Shaw slowly enter the ice cave. He planted his feet, raised the syringe, and, without hesitation, slowly injected an entire syringe of Compound V into his vein.
The instant the liquid entered his body, the violent drug erupted, surging through his bloodstream and washing through his entire body. Agony that tore at his tendons and bones suddenly swept through every limb.
As Compound V rapidly integrated with him, the immense nuclear energy stored within his body could no longer be suppressed, continuously spilling out through his pores and meridians.
Vast currents of scorching nuclear energy swept through the entire ice cave and spread wildly outward.
The thick, solid ice around him rapidly melted and collapsed at a visible rate. The freezing ice field instantly became a scalding