Chapter 92: Tracking Black Widow
Black King was undoubtedly an extremely powerful mutant. Even as a clone, he was far superior to ordinary mutant clones.
He had the ability to absorb various forms of energy and convert that energy into powerful attacks.
Whether it was technological weapons like bombs, missiles, or even nuclear weapons, physical melee attacks, or magical and energy-based attacks, he could absorb them all.
However, he wasn't without weaknesses. He was particularly vulnerable to psychic abilities.
Originally, to overcome this weakness, he had created a helmet that could block psychic control, which later became Magneto's iconic helmet.
Without this helmet, he would have been completely defenseless against Professor X.
But with the helmet, there were very few in the world who could kill him.
The Black King clone here didn't have a helmet, and while George's psychic abilities weren't strong enough to immobilize him, and he didn't know mind-control spells like the Imperius Curse, he did know the Confundus Charm.
The Confundus Charm could cause mental confusion and was a form of mental control magic.
In truth, George felt that the Black King clone's absorption ability was far inferior to the real Black King. A few more strikes with the mace would probably be enough to take him down.
But that would waste too much time. The Confundus Charm was much more efficient.
"Stupefy!"
George fired another spell at Rice, but it failed again because a young Professor X clone stepped in front of him.
Of course, the Professor X clone couldn't absorb magical energy and was instantly knocked unconscious.
George, who had initially planned to kill the clone, suddenly thought of something. He grabbed the unconscious Professor X clone and stuffed him into his pocket, which had been expanded with an Undetectable Extension Charm.
If he remembered correctly, Professor X had the ability to transfer his consciousness. After being killed by Phoenix, his consciousness had transferred to his comatose twin brother.
This young Professor X clone, in theory, should be an easier vessel for consciousness transfer than a comatose twin.
Although the transfer might limit his abilities, preventing him from reaching Level 4 mutant status, at least he would have a young, healthy body and no longer need a wheelchair.
This would make him better suited to help manage the future superhuman school George might establish.
"Stupefy!"
George cast the spell a third time, but another mutant clone stepped in to block it.
The clones had a built-in controller with Rice's highest priority command: to protect his safety.
So whenever Rice was in danger, these mutant clones would throw themselves in harm's way without hesitation, even if it meant certain death. They were his most loyal subordinates.
"I never expected you to have so many abilities, but it's useless now. Soon, you'll be just an ordinary person. I'll study your body and create countless clones as powerful as you to help me conquer the world!"
Thanks to the clones sacrificing themselves, Rice finally reached the nutrient pod control panel and pressed a button.
George's strength was something Rice had never anticipated. It both terrified and excited him.
"Turn me into an ordinary person? How naive!"
George smashed the Phoenix clone in front of him into a pulp, then used a blade to cut off a lock of her hair and stored it in his pocket.
This was ready-made wand core material, saving him the trouble of cloning it himself. He couldn't let it go to waste.
As for Rice's final trump card, George had already guessed what it was. That card would be effective against other mutants, even the original Black King, Magneto, and Professor X, but it would be useless against him.
Sure enough, as Rice pressed the button, a special nutrient pod slowly rose from the center of the hall. When the pod opened, a bald little boy appeared.
As the boy emerged, George felt his magnetic control and psychic abilities vanish.
"The Leech clone."
This boy was none other than the mutant known as Leech, who had the ability to suppress other mutants' powers.
He had no offensive abilities himself, but within his vicinity, all mutant powers were nullified, even those of Level 4 or 5 mutants. He was the ultimate counter to mutants.
Of course, he was also called the "mutant cure," as not all mutants enjoyed their powers.
"Subject 757, I admit your strength, but now, you're just an ordinary person!"
Seeing a squad of guards arriving at the hall's entrance, Rice felt confident again.
However, George simply hurled his alloy mace at the newly arrived guards, killing most of them on the spot.
"If it worked on me, shouldn't I have reverted to my normal size by now?
Idiot, I've never relied solely on mutant abilities, so naturally, I'm unaffected!"
George drew his alloy sword and unleashed a barrage of spells, immobilizing the remaining guards and mutant clones. Then, he picked up his mace and finished them off, finally standing before the terrified Rice, who had collapsed to the ground.
"Subject 757, we could work together to conquer this world..."
"You know nothing about this world."
George cut off Rice's grandiose promises, dispelled the Giant Magic, and put his ring back on.
"Legilimens!"
With these mutant clones, you think you can conquer the world?
Even if no one else intervened, Iron Man could probably use JARVIS to hack your control system and turn these clones against you.
"Madame Natalie... Could she be Black Widow?"
After a moment, having extracted Rice's memories, George fell into deep thought.
The Madame Natalie in Rice's memories was hard not to associate with the super-spy Black Widow from S.H.I.E.L.D.
"It seems S.H.I.E.L.D. has also caught wind of Rice's mutant gene research.
I can't let Black Widow get her hands on the research data!"
George stood up, used the guards' grenades to blow up the entire hall, and then rushed toward the research data storage room.
If that Madame Natalie was indeed Black Widow, she would undoubtedly take advantage of the chaos to steal the research data.
If the mutant clone technology fell into Black Widow's hands, it would end up with S.H.I.E.L.D.—and by extension, Hydra. That would be far more dangerous than anything Rice could do.
"Not here. Did she fail, or has she already succeeded?"
For now, George didn't rush to find Madame Natalie. Instead, after backing up all of Rice's research data, he destroyed the entire storage room.
Once that was done, he cast the Tracking Charm again.
"Point Me!"
This time, he wasn't thinking of Sandor Rice but of Natasha Romanoff, Black Widow's real name.
A trail of footprints appeared before him, leading out of the storage room.
(End of Chapter)