Immortal Body

Seeing how excited Nightcrawler was, the Professor sighed inwardly and said, "Kurt, although I shouldn’t speak ill of someone’s father, Azazel may have ill intentions toward you."

Nightcrawler was stunned. "Azazel has ill intentions toward me?"

"I have no concrete evidence, but I can sense that he is full of malice toward you."

The Professor said, "Also, your mother may be Mystique Raven."

"My mother is Mystique?"

Nightcrawler was even more shocked. He asked, "That can’t be right. If she was my mother, why did she trap me in the cellar?"

Nightcrawler already knew that Uncle Mog had been Mystique in disguise. To be honest, he was furious. She had deceived both his feelings and his cake.

"I believe she was protecting you—protecting you from Azazel."

The Professor said, "During Mystique’s time infiltrating the Academy, she took on a different appearance every day to chat with you. She actually cares about you quite a lot."

"Those people were all her?"

Nightcrawler was dumbfounded. What was this, his ever-changing mother? He said, "Why didn’t she tell me the truth? And why did they abandon me back then?"

"I don’t know either. Although Raven and I grew up together, she has been gone from my life for decades."

The Professor sighed. His gaze at Nightcrawler was filled with affection. He regarded Raven as a younger sister, which meant Nightcrawler was practically his grandnephew.

Nightcrawler fell silent for a while, then said, "If I really meet my father—Azazel—I’ll make him explain everything. Professor, don’t worry. I’ll stay alert and won’t let him deceive me."

"This matter has to be resolved eventually. I’ll have Bert keep an eye on you."

The Professor said, "Kurt, if there’s anything you can’t decide on your own, you can ask Bert. He may be young, but his experience and knowledge far surpass most people."

That was also why the Professor dared to let Nightcrawler leave the Academy.

"I’ve always admired Mr. Wang."

Nightcrawler nodded. Soon, Jean, Storm, Cyclops, Human Torch, and Iceman gathered together. Nightcrawler took their hands and turned into blue smoke, vanishing.

In the suburbs of New York, Wang Bert and Psylocke appeared in the sky at the same time. He glanced around, then asked Magneto in surprise, "Magneto, you actually took the initiative to protect ordinary people? Is the power of family really that great?"

"Family?"

Magneto looked at Wang Bert and had the urge to smash him to death with a hammer. He withdrew the black spikes and snorted. "Since you’re here, he’s yours. He seems to have some connection to Senator Cabo."

"He has ties to Senator Cabo? Just as I thought. These kinds of monsters will keep appearing."

Wang Bert looked at Firebird and said, "Leave him to me. Go home and enjoy some family time."

"Bert Wang, I’m going to kill you!"

The moment Firebird saw Wang Bert, boundless fury surged in his heart. He beat his wings forcefully, sending dense waves of flaming feathers shooting at Wang Bert.

Wang Bert teleported with Psylocke above Firebird. Then Psylocke swung her more than ten-meter-long purple blade and viciously drove it into Firebird’s back from above.

Firebird let out a miserable howl and beat his wings hard, sending a massive blast of flames toward Wang Bert and Psylocke.

Wang Bert teleported again. To his surprise, as the firelight flickered, the wound on Firebird’s back healed rapidly.

"This regenerative ability is a little terrifying."

Wang Bert’s eyes flickered. He raised a hand, and a half-meter-tall black hole appeared out of thin air before Firebird, trying to swallow him.

Firebird roared, gathering all the flames around his body into a huge fireball and slamming it into the black hole. The fireball exploded with a boom under the black hole’s pull, instantly destroying it as flames splattered everywhere.

"Without the battle suit, the black hole is too weak."

Wang Bert shook his head. After all, he was only a drop of the original body’s blood—a drop with barely any energy.

Firebird turned around and shouted at Wang Bert with a vicious expression, "Bert Wang, now you know how powerful I am, right? I’m going to burn you alive."

Wang Bert asked Firebird, "And you are?"

"And I am? I’m Major Geli, the man you nearly got killed by his own people."

Firebird grew even angrier and shouted, "Fortunately, heaven gave me a chance for revenge. I’ve already killed General Cassol. Now it’s your turn."

Wang Bert still looked blank. "Major Geli? Do I know you?"

"Bert Wang, go to hell!"

Firebird flew into a rage. Flames erupted all over him as he crashed into Wang Bert like an incomparably fierce fireball.

"I remember now. You’re that honest major’s scapegoat."

Wang Bert sneered and teleported behind Firebird with Psylocke. Psylocke seized the chance and slashed hard, splitting Firebird in two down the middle.

"This one was much easier to deal with than the last one."

Psylocke sheathed her blade and said proudly. Just then, massive flames suddenly surged from both halves of Firebird’s body. The flames turned into the missing halves of his body and rapidly solidified.

In the blink of an eye, one Firebird had become two.

"I am the immortal Phoenix. Bert Wang, die!"

The two Firebirds burst into laughter simultaneously. Then, Firebird controlled the flames, turning them into flaming whips that swept toward Wang Bert and Psylocke.

"He can even split apart?"

Wang Bert was somewhat surprised. He teleported behind one Firebird with Psylocke, but the other had been ready and immediately fired flaming feathers at Wang Bert, forcing him to teleport again.

With the two Firebirds working together, Wang Bert and Psylocke could no longer launch sneak attacks. Psylocke said helplessly to Wang Bert, "Boss, looks like you need to summon your battle suit."

"Wait. Something about him is strange. Let me investigate first."

Wang Bert waved his hand. Just then, Nightcrawler appeared below with Jean, Storm, Cyclops, Human Torch, and Iceman.

"Two Firebirds? Bert, we’ll handle one while you deal with the other."

Storm flew into the sky and shouted to Wang Bert. Wang Bert said, "Alright. Be careful. This Firebird can split apart. He was one before Psylocke cut him open, then he became two."

"He can split? That’s troublesome."

Storm’s eyes turned white, and the entire sky darkened. Then she thrust both hands forward, and more than ten bolts of lightning descended from the heavens, striking the Firebird on the left fiercely.

Firebird howled as several holes were blasted through his body. However, as flames spread across him, those holes healed at an astonishing speed.

Firebird turned to attack Storm, but just then, a red laser struck him and blasted him more than ten meters away. Cyclops had acted—or rather, his eyes had.

Firebird was enraged and launched a barrage of fireballs at Cyclops. Cyclops swept his laser across them, detonating a row of fireballs at once, but there were simply too many for him to destroy them all.

"John, Bobby, attack with me."

Seeing this, Jean immediately used telekinesis to destroy the fireballs and had Human Torch and Iceman join in.

"Finally, it’s our turn. The legend of Human Torch John officially begins now."

John excitedly raised his hand and controlled the fireballs, making them collide and explode. He was a master of flames.

Unlike Human Torch, Iceman Bobby was not excited at all. He was even a little nervous. He raised both hands and sprayed icy air at the falling fireballs. One after another, the fireballs froze into ice, fell to the ground, and shattered.

That was right—Iceman could even freeze flames.

Seeing all the fireballs destroyed, Firebird grew even angrier and launched a frenzied assault on Storm, Cyclops, and the others. The sky was filled with flames.

At the same time, the other Firebird roared. Flames detached from his body and formed a new Firebird. Then the two Firebirds joined forces and continuously attacked Wang Bert and Psylocke.

"This works too? There must be something wrong with Firebird."

Wang Bert narrowed his eyes and fought the Firebirds alongside Psylocke, while secretly using the Soul Secret Technique to sense where Firebird’s soul was.

Only by finding Firebird’s soul could he truly kill him. Otherwise, he was practically immortal.

While Wang Bert and the X-Men battled Firebird, Magneto returned to the ground. He said to Quicksilver, "Pietro, we can leave now. With Bert Wang’s abilities, it’s only a matter of time before he deals with Firebird."

"Let’s watch a little longer. This is live."

Quicksilver said excitedly, "After Mr. Wang finishes, I might be able to get his autograph."

Magneto was stunned. "An autograph? You admire him?"

"Of course. He’s insanely powerful and insanely rich. I admire him a lot."

Quicksilver nodded repeatedly. Magneto felt as though his chest were clogged. You admire your father’s opponent? Where does that leave your old father? My own son. My own son.

Magneto muttered to himself, then ordered Azazel, "Take us back."

"Yes, Magneto."

Azazel, who had been staring at Nightcrawler the whole time, nodded and returned Magneto, Quicksilver, and Quicksilver’s mother to the Mutant Brotherhood at top speed.

Then Azazel returned to the suburbs and came before Nightcrawler.

Azazel shouted excitedly, "Kurt, my son, I’ve finally found you."

Nightcrawler looked at Azazel with a complicated expression. Perhaps it was psychological, but he felt Azazel’s smile was fake. How should he put it? Like Viper’s smile. He asked, "Are you really my father?"

Azazel nodded. "Of course I am. Your mother is Mystique Raven. You inherited my abilities and her skin color."

"So it really was her. No wonder I felt she was so familiar back then."

Nightcrawler felt both happy and bitter. He asked, "Why did you abandon me back then?"

"I didn’t abandon you. Raven did. Back then, she and I had a conflict, and she took it out on you. She stole you away and left you by the roadside."

Azazel said emotionally, "I searched for you for many years and finally found you at the Mutant Academy. Last time, I wanted to take you home, but Raven secretly sabotaged me."

Nightcrawler was stunned. "Mystique abandoned me?"

Azazel nodded as he approached Nightcrawler. "That’s right, Kurt. Come back with me. I’ll make up for what I owe you."

Nightcrawler hesitated, then asked, "Do you believe in God?"

"What? Believe in God?"

Azazel was somewhat dumbfounded. He looked at Nightcrawler and sneered. "With faces like ours, do you think God would accept us?"

"He would. As long as there is light in our hearts, God will accept us."

Nightcrawler immediately grew excited. He said, "Azazel, we mutants are angels sent by God to save the world."

"You really think angels look like us?"

Azazel complained, "Do you know how many times I nearly got captured and burned at the stake?"

"We look this way because demons cursed us. As long as we do not abandon our faith in God, God will surely redeem us. God is everything to us…"

Nightcrawler went on and on, preaching doctrine to Azazel. He wanted to bring God’s glory to everyone. He wanted to save the lost lambs and let them know that God had always loved them.

Azazel was close to breaking down. His own son was actually a fanatic believer in God? Please, could you look in a mirror and see what you look like?

Azazel could not be bothered to listen any longer. He grabbed Nightcrawler by the shoulder, preparing to take him back to their base. Just then, Nightcrawler suddenly turned into blue smoke and vanished. When he reappeared, he was already more than ten meters away.

Then Nightcrawler said to Azazel in deep disappointment, "Just as the Professor said, you have ill intentions toward me. Azazel, when I learned that you were my father, I was happy. But now, I’m very sad. You have fallen."

"Fallen? Kid, God doesn’t exist, and mutants aren’t reincarnated angels either. Enough nonsense. Come with me."

Azazel could not be bothered to keep pretending. He turned into red smoke and teleported beside Nightcrawler, trying to take him away. Nightcrawler immediately turned into blue smoke to evade him.

Father and son possessed the same ability. One chased while the other fled, teleporting continuously around the area. Red smoke and blue smoke appeared one after another, looking especially mysterious.

Nightcrawler had good potential, but potential was still only potential. Before long, the far more powerful Azazel caught him by the throat and lifted him high into the air.

"I caught you. The plan I prepared for thousands of years can finally officially begin."

Azazel was ecstatic. If not for Mystique, he could have launched the plan more than a decade ago and welcomed his people back to Earth.

Fortunately, it was not too late. This world would ultimately belong to their demon-type mutants.

To avoid further complications, Azazel immediately prepared to leave. Just then, an incredibly familiar fist smashed hard into his face, sending him flying backward and rolling across the ground.

The familiar force immediately told Azazel who had hit him. He climbed to his feet and roared at the figure who had appeared beside Nightcrawler, "Bert Wang!"

"Sorry, but I promised the Professor I’d protect Nightcrawler."

Wang Bert patted Nightcrawler on the back as he spoke. Nightcrawler coughed and gave Wang Bert a grateful look.

"One hundred million dollars. I’ll pay one hundred million dollars for Nightcrawler."

Knowing he was no match for Wang Bert, Azazel shouted, "One hundred million dollars can help tens of thousands of mutants. One Nightcrawler is worth nothing compared to tens of thousands of mutants."

"Someone is actually trying to throw money at me?"

Wang Bert laughed and asked, "Does Magneto know you’re this rich?"

Azazel shouted viciously, "Bert Wang, if you’re willing to give Nightcrawler back to me, I can pay more. If you refuse, I’ll make you regret it."

"I’d like to see how you plan to make me regret it. Hmph, forget one hundred million dollars—even one billion wouldn’t make me hand Nightcrawler over to you."

Wang Bert looked disdainful. What did money mean to him? If there were any need, he could make himself the richest man in the world in minutes.