Although the yacht marina was less active at night than during daylight hours, the thunderous impact of the meteorite striking the Caspartina instantly drew attention from all directions.
Everyone in the vicinity—wealthy yacht owners, dock workers, and casual beachgoers alike—jumped at the deafening collision and the massive waves that followed.
What just happened? Was that a terrorist attack?
While the meteorite Richard had summoned was substantial in size, the entire process—from initial summoning to devastating impact—had taken less than a second. Emma Frost, observing from her rooftop perch on a nearby building, was the only witness to the complete sequence of events.
As she watched Richard obliterate the Caspartina with a meteorite, Emma's brow furrowed slightly. Her concern wasn't that Richard had gone too far, nor was she particularly worried about Sebastian Shaw and the others. Rather, she lamented the designer clothing and luxury handbags now lost in her bedroom closet aboard the yacht.
Those items had been carefully curated over time. Many were exclusive pieces, custom-designed by renowned fashion houses specifically for her. She had always harbored a particular affinity for white attire, and to ensure uniqueness and exclusivity, had invested considerable sums commissioning prominent designers to create bespoke garments.
Despite this momentary regret, she quickly made peace with the loss and refocused her attention on Richard, who now hovered above the marina.
It's just clothes and accessories—nothing that can't be replaced.
As Emma Frost kept her eyes on Richard, the startled onlookers who had been alarmed by the noise and waves also caught sight of him floating midair.
A striking figure with flowing silver hair wielding a gleaming silver sword suspended in the sky was impossible to miss.
Shock registered on the faces of everyone near the dock.
How did he get to Miami? Wasn't he in San Francisco? Is that yacht connected to the Avengers? Is he fighting someone from the Department of Mutant Affairs?
Though San Francisco and Miami lay thousands of kilometers apart—one nestled against America's west coast, the other on its eastern seaboard—footage of Richard summoning a meteorite to confront the Hulk in San Francisco earlier that day had circulated globally. The spectacular event had been witnessed not only by Americans but by viewers worldwide.
The moment people realized that the individual who had destroyed the yacht was likely the same person from the San Francisco incident, the previously serene marina erupted into chaos.
Occupied yachts hastily departed their ship, one after another. Marina staff and nearby tourists fled the pier with urgent speed, as if escaping a disaster zone. Though they couldn't identify Richard's opponents, one fact was abundantly clear: remaining in the vicinity to spectate would be a profoundly unwise decision. The people of San Francisco had already learned this lesson the hard way.
Richard paid no attention to the panicking crowd. While manipulating wind currents to remain airborne, he extended his telepathic senses to locate Sebastian Shaw and his companions.
The meteorite's force had been tremendous, but insufficient to eliminate Sebastian Shaw. If Shaw could be dispatched so easily, he would hardly be worthy of his reputation.
Without much effort, Richard detected Shaw's presence. The psychic-blocking helmet worn by Sebastian Shaw could prevent telepathic intrusion into his mind, but it couldn't render him completely undetectable to telepathic scanning.
Besides Sebastian Shaw, Richard also sensed the Magneto clone and the water-based mutant designated as Number Eight. However, the flame-wielding mutant codenamed Number Seven didn't register in his scan.
Evidently, Number Seven had perished instantly from the meteorite's impact.
Though uncertain of the exact location of Number Seven's remains, Richard initiated his Plunder ability nonetheless.
[Gain new abilities: Pyrokinesis, Mental Shielding!]
[Detected same type of abilities, initiating ability fusion!]
[Telepathy is enhanced!]
[Pyrokinesis can enhance the skill 'Firaga'. Do you want to enhance it?]
Without hesitation, Richard chose "Yes."
[Skill Firaga is enhanced!]
After dismissing the information panel, Richard observed Sebastian Shaw emerging from the sea.
The Magneto clone had formed a spherical force field, protecting himself and Shaw. Meanwhile, the aquatic mutant designated as Number Eight wasn't contained within the force field but rather controlled the seawater, standing confidently atop the waves.
Seeing that the water-based mutant could manipulate seawater, Richard realized he had underestimated this opponent. He'd initially assumed Number Eight could only transform his body into a water element form. The discovery that he could also control seawater changed the assessment significantly.
If Number Eight's powers were limited to elemental transformation and Mental Shielding, Richard would rate his abilities at 7 points. However, with Water Manipulation added to the mix, his power rating jumped to at least 8.
Can he only control seawater? Or can he manipulate any liquid?
Richard studied the water mutant with increasing interest. After a few moments of observation, he made his decision.
Eliminate the water controller first. Then find a way to take down Sebastian Shaw and the Magneto clone.
Having decided on his strategy, Richard didn't hesitate. He immediately activated his Shift Slash.
In an instant, he materialized behind the water mutant. Though uncertain which specific mutant Number Eight was cloned from, Richard felt confident that conventional physical attacks would prove ineffective against an opponent in liquid form.
Nevertheless, he swung his Masamune.
Swish!
The Masamune moved with lightning speed, cleanly slicing through the water mutant's neck. The aqueous head soared upward, traced a graceful arc through the air, and splashed into the sea.
Despite being decapitated, the water mutant's form remained intact, still standing firmly atop the waves. Within seconds, a new head materialized from his watery body. He pivoted to face Richard while raising both hands in a threatening gesture.
As the water mutant lifted his arms, five or six waterspouts of various sizes erupted from the sea's surface. Simultaneously, a violently spinning water tornado surged toward Richard.
Richard neither evaded the approaching water tornado nor teleported away. Instead, he addressed the water mutant before him:
"Your power is impressive—it renders you immune to most physical attacks. Unfortunately for you, showing off such abilities in my presence was unwise. You should have retreated when you had the chance."
Upon finishing his statement, Richard seized the water mutant's newly formed neck with his right hand.
Blizzaga!
Freeze!
Mana surged through Richard's body, manifesting as a biting cold that flowed from his right hand. In an instant, everything—the water mutant, the attacking water tornado, and the waves beneath them—froze solid.
Glancing at his opponent who had transformed from a "water man" to an "ice man," Richard applied slight pressure with his right hand.
CRACK!
The completely frozen body of the water mutant shattered like brittle glass, ice fragments of various sizes raining down onto the frozen sea surface below.
These Hunters truly have abysmal combat intelligence!
After this mental observation, Richard activated his Plunder ability once more.
[Gain new abilities: Water Manipulation, Water Elementalization, Mental Shielding!]
[Detected same type of abilities, initiating ability fusion!]
[Telepathy is enhanced!]
[X-Gene Mutant power Content Update]
[Beta level: Energy Emission, Energy Absorption, Invisibility, Enhanced Senses, Telepathy, Giant Body, Gravity Binding, Thermal Vision, Pressure Burst, Repulsion, Momentum Shift, Mind Movement, Force Field Creation, Energy Materialization, Water Manipulation, Water Elementalization]
Reviewing the system's information, Richard sighed with mild disappointment. He had hoped Water Man's abilities would register at Alpha level, but evidently, his expectations had been too high.
Though the water mutant's powers hadn't reached the Alpha classification Richard had anticipated, he quickly moved past his disappointment.
Just because it's Beta level now doesn't mean it will remain so forever.
As long as he continued to Plunder similar abilities, his water manipulation and elementalization powers would eventually ascend to Alpha level. It was merely a matter of time and opportunity.
Having dispatched the water mutant, Richard turned his attention to Sebastian Shaw and the Magneto clone, who had now landed on the dock.
The appetizer is finished. Time for the main course.
...
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