"What a bunch of beasts!" Kanon cursed in a deep voice.
Deathmask stood to the side with his hands in his pockets, seemingly indifferent, yet flames of anger burned in his eyes.
Marlene remained silent. Though his expression was calm, the air around him grew denser, almost suffocating Matilda.
"Hoo~ My apologies, Ms. Matilda," Marlene exhaled after a second, calming himself.
"It's alright," Matilda replied.
It turned out that Matilda and her husband, Brand, were not ordinary civilians but researchers in Sebastian Shaw's laboratory. Though their ranks were not high, they were aware of Shaw's horrifying experiments.
From the very beginning, they had despised Shaw's actions, but out of fear of his power and methods, they had reluctantly continued their work.
One day, they discovered that their son, Camus, had the ability to freeze water with a touch. Realizing the danger, they planned to flee with him. However, Shaw had already taken notice of Camus and seemed unusually determined to capture him at all costs.
The family had been on the run, constantly evading pursuit while moving across France. Eventually, their savings dwindled, leaving Matilda with no choice but to return to her hometown—a small village—hoping for shelter. She had expected the villagers, who once shared bonds with her, to help her family.
However, to her dismay, they not only refused assistance but actively shunned and drove them away. The only small comfort was that, out of past sentiment, the villagers did not report them.
Resigned, Matilda decided to hide in the village despite the hardships, believing its remote location would provide safety.
Yet, they were found.
Had it not been for Marlene and his companions, she and her husband would have been killed, and Camus would have been dragged back to that hellish place.
The horrors of Sebastian Shaw's actions were what enraged Marlene's group.
Shaw wasn't merely capturing mutants—he was targeting children with special abilities, treating them like livestock. The lucky ones, those with strong powers, were forcibly recruited and subjected to brutal training to become his warriors. The unlucky ones, those deemed weak, were reduced to mere test subjects—experiments and specimens in his relentless pursuit of power.
"Master, allow me to destroy them," Kanon asked, exuding killing intent.
"Not yet."
"But, Master—"
"Take care of the matter at hand first."
"Understood…"
Marlene turned back to Matilda.
"If you're planning to eliminate Shaw and his followers, I advise you to abandon the thought. He is too powerful. You are no match for him. His abilities make him invincible—no one in this world can defeat him," Matilda warned. Though she did not particularly trust Marlene's group, she acknowledged that they had saved her husband and eliminated their pursuers.
"You know his ability?" Marlene asked, intrigued. Matilda and her husband were low-ranking researchers. For mutants, their abilities were their greatest trump card—why would Shaw expose his?
"I understand your skepticism, but you don't know Shaw. He is too arrogant. He doesn't hide his ability because he believes he is unbeatable. Even if it's known, it wouldn't matter to him—his power is simply that overwhelming," Matilda explained.
Marlene smirked. He already knew what Shaw's ability was—energy absorption and redirection.
Shaw's arrogance made sense. From his perspective, his power was indeed invincible. Any attack against him generated energy, which he could absorb and unleash at will, rendering him immune to harm.
However, Marlene saw through the illusion of invincibility. Shaw had four key weaknesses.
First, his absorption had a limit. If he reached capacity before releasing stored energy, he would self-destruct. Though this was difficult—given that he could absorb nuclear energy—it wasn't impossible. Kanon's full-powered Light Speed Punches were easily comparable to nuclear strikes. A few well-placed hits, and Shaw would be overwhelmed.
Second, psychic abilities were a direct counter to Shaw. He had yet to face a powerful telepath, but Marlene knew two people who could defeat him: Emma Frost, the White Queen, and Professor Charles Xavier. However, Xavier was still a child, far from his future potential, and Frost likely hadn't even been born yet.
But just because others lacked the means didn't mean Marlene did. His Demonic Illusion Fist and its advanced form, Demonic God Illusion Fist, could overwhelm Shaw mentally. While not at their god-slaying peak, they were more than sufficient to deal with Shaw.
Third, Kanon's Dimensional Space ability. He could simply banish Shaw to an alternate dimension, leaving him to rot.
Fourth, Shaw's soul was as mortal as anyone else's. A single Hell Wave of the Dead could send him straight to the underworld, beyond any chance of revival.
"That's not for you to worry about, Ms. Matilda. Just tell me where his lab is."
"Aren't you even going to ask what his ability is?" Matilda was bewildered by Marlene's confidence.
"Energy absorption and release."
"You already knew?!" Matilda was stunned.
"If I wish to know something, nothing in this world can remain hidden from me," Marlene boasted. Not quite true yet, but once he regained his Eighth Sense, his cosmos would envelop the entire Earth, allowing him to learn anything at will.
"Fine. I won't argue anymore. I'll tell you the lab's location, but I don't know if it has been relocated."
"That's fine. Dis, bring out the map."
"Understood."
Matilda pointed to a location on the map—a mountain range in Germany.
"Alright, now please leave," Matilda urged.
"No rush, Ms. Matilda. We've discussed Shaw. Now let's talk about you and Camus," Marlene said.
"You… You're after him too?!" Matilda's heart sank. She had thought they were different, but they were just like Shaw!
"Rest assured, Ms. Matilda. We are not like Shaw. We do not seek to exploit his abilities. In fact, neither you nor Shaw truly understands his potential."
"What do you mean?"
"Do you really think Camus is a mutant?"
"Isn't he?"
"Of course not."
"You know what my ability is?"
At that moment, Camus emerged from the house. He had seen and heard everything but had refrained from stepping out since Marlene's group had shown no hostility.
"Camus, go back inside!" Matilda panicked.
"It's fine, Mother. Father is sleeping peacefully. I want to know the truth about my ability." Camus turned to Marlene. "Do you truly know what it is?"
"Of course."
With that, Marlene's cosmos gently enveloped Camus. To the boy's eyes, Marlene was no longer just a man—he was a vast cosmic expanse, a boundless universe.
"What is this?!" Camus' eyes widened in shock.
"Child, you are not a mutant. Your power, like ours, comes from your cosmos."
"Cosmos…?"
"Yes. Now, calm yourself. Feel your body. Sense the universe within you."
Following Marlene's words as if under a spell, Camus closed his eyes and focused.
He felt it—a small, fragile cosmos inside him. Unlike Marlene's warm, radiant cosmos, his carried a cold, icy essence.
"This… This is my cosmos?"
"Yes."
"My power comes from this?"
"Exactly."
"Then… can you take it away? I don't want it."
"Why?"
"Because of this power, my father was hurt, my mother had to run, and we were forced to live in fear."
"But this is a gift from the heavens. Will you not cherish it?"
"I see it as a curse!"
Marlene sighed. "No, child. I will teach you to control it—to make it your strength."
Camus hesitated, torn between fear and the desire to protect his family.