Training

"Romulus’s abilities?"

Wolverine and Yuriko were somewhat stunned. Yuriko asked, "BOSS, even with Romulus’s abilities, we still can’t beat Apocalypse, can we? We’re not even on the same level as Apocalypse!"

"You definitely can’t beat him. The limits of your abilities aren’t very high."

Wang Bert said, "But you can serve as meat shields. After special training, you can almost reach the point of being immortal and indestructible, able to regenerate from a drop of blood. In addition, I’ll help you merge with the Darwin Gene."

"The Darwin Gene?"

Everyone was startled. Only the Professor seemed thoughtful. Darwin was a retired X-Man. His ability was to automatically adapt to his environment. For example, if he stuck his head into a fish tank, he would automatically evolve organs that allowed him to breathe underwater.

Using Mystique’s genes, Wang Bert could make mutants compatible with other genes, just like the Professor. As for how many types they could accommodate, that depended on their own abilities.

People like Wolverine and Yuriko could accommodate many different types.

"Yes, the Darwin Gene."

Wang Bert nodded and said, "You’ll gradually evolve, becoming tougher and tougher. In the end, you may even be able to withstand attacks from the Celestial Group."

Wade summed it up. "In other words, you’ll go from ordinary meat shields to gold-standard meat shields."

"Meat shields?"

Wolverine looked reluctant, while Yuriko said, "BOSS, no problem. As long as I can be of help."

Wolverine sighed and said, "Then I agree too. After all, I’m getting paid by you."

Wade snarked, "More accurately, you’re getting paid without doing any work."

Everyone burst into laughter. Wang Bert shook his head, then continued, "Iceman, you’re the most special among them."

Iceman Bobby was stunned. "I’m the most special?"

"Yes, you’re the most special. You have the potential to become an Omega-Level Mutant."

Wang Bert said, "Apocalypse and Black Phoenix are both Omega-Level Mutants."

"I’m an Omega-Level Mutant?"

Iceman was even more shocked. He asked, "How am I that strong?"

"You are. Come on, let’s take a walk outside Hell."

Wang Bert smiled and used his spatial ability to transfer everyone into the void outside Hell.

"So cold."

Everyone could not help shivering, feeling their life forces rapidly draining away. Wang Bert snapped his fingers, and bubbles appeared around them, protecting each person. Then he pointed at the strange world ahead, round above and square below, wrapped in a layer of black energy, and said, "That is Hell."

Wade stared at Hell, which was filled with Evil Aura, and asked in surprise, "It’s so small? How many bad people can it hold? Won’t there be a population crisis?"

"Your imagination is really something."

Wang Bert rolled his eyes and said to Iceman, "Iceman, next, I’ll enhance your potential. Give it everything you have and freeze Hell."

Iceman pointed at himself, his face full of disbelief. "Me, freeze Hell? Iron Man, aren’t you overestimating me?"

"If you fully mature, you might even be able to freeze the universe."

Wang Bert did not say more. He used Apocalypse’s ability to stimulate Iceman’s potential. Iceman’s body rapidly transformed into Cold Ice, while the temperature around them dropped without limit. Even with the bubbles protecting them, everyone still felt a chill seep into their bones.

Wang Bert shouted, "Freeze Hell."

"Freeze Everything!"

Iceman roared and released a massive amount of cold energy toward Hell. The black energy on Hell’s surface rapidly froze and continued spreading toward other areas.

"Hm?"

Original Sin and the other two immediately sensed something was wrong. Original Sin checked and said, "It’s Iron Man. He brought a group of people here, and one of them is freezing Hell."

Over the past ten-plus days, Original Sin had developed quite a few believers, and his strength had recovered considerably.

"Freezing Hell?"

Black Phoenix gazed into the void and frowned. "Huh? How could Iceman be this powerful? Although he has Omega-Level potential, he’s too young. His strength should be negligible."

"Iron Man has come knocking. You’re all doomed."

Jean suddenly said. Black Phoenix cursed and suppressed her again.

Although more than ten days had passed, Black Phoenix still had not dealt with Jean. She was still a ‘schizophrenic patient.’ Moreover, her injuries had not improved and she remained seriously wounded.

"Iron Man obtained my abilities."

Apocalypse cursed with an ugly expression, "He’s using my abilities to help Iceman stimulate his potential. Damn it."

Compared to before, Apocalypse’s strength had recovered significantly, but he was still far from his peak, not even at one-third of it.

Original Sin and Jean were both shocked. "Your abilities? He stole your abilities?"

Apocalypse said, "I don’t know exactly what happened, but Iron Man did indeed steal my abilities. This is troublesome."

"It really is troublesome. Black Phoenix, use your flames to destroy Iceman’s cold energy."

Original Sin said, "If Hell is frozen, Iron Man will definitely take the chance to charge in."

"Fine."

Jean nodded and released the Phoenix Force. Accompanied by burning Black Flames, the ice outside Hell rapidly disintegrated. Iceman was unwilling to accept it and kept releasing cold energy, but compared to Black Phoenix, he was far too weak. He was no match for her at all.

"Alright, stop."

Wang Bert signaled Iceman to stop, then asked, "Did you feel your power?"

"I did. I can not only freeze Hell, but also freeze space, even time."

Iceman said excitedly. He had never imagined he could be so powerful.

The Professor and the others looked at Iceman in amazement. They had not expected his potential to be so terrifying, even surpassing the Professor and Magneto, the twin poles of mutantkind.

Wang Bert nodded. "Very good, Iceman. Your abilities still have plenty of room to improve. Work hard."

Iceman nodded repeatedly. "Yes, Iron Man."

"Let’s head back first."

Wang Bert brought everyone back to the Rebirth Group. Then he said to Shadowcat, "Your ability is to turn your body into atoms and pass through all obstacles, correct?"

Shadowcat answered cautiously, "That’s right, Iron Man. I’m just a very, very new rookie."

"Don’t worry. I’ll give you opportunities to train."

Wang Bert smiled. "Do you know about quantum mechanics?"

Shadowcat nodded. "The Professor taught me."

Wang Bert said, "I can enhance your abilities and allow you to enter the Quantum Realm. At that point, you won’t just be able to pass through everything—you’ll also be able to pass through time."

Shadowcat was stunned. "A quantum state? Traveling through time?"

"Yes, you could even return to the past and change the future."

Wang Bert nodded. "Your potential is limitless as well."

Shadowcat swallowed and said with little confidence, "Then I’ll try it first. I’m an X-Man. Protecting the world is my responsibility."

Wang Bert smiled. "Then give it a try first. I won’t force any of you. If you want to withdraw, just say so."

"I want to withdraw."

Leech immediately raised his hand upon hearing that. Everyone turned to look at Leech. Startled, he hurriedly lowered his hand.

"Don’t be afraid. If you don’t agree, I won’t force you onto the battlefield."

Wang Bert reassured him, "Leech, if you’re willing to undergo special training, I’ll help you master your mutant ability so you can control it freely."

Leech said, "The Celestial Group aren’t mutants. There’s no point in me going, right?"

"The Celestial Group definitely have methods to suppress or even control mutants. Those methods are most likely related to the Mutant Gene. I need your help to deal with them."

Wang Bert said. The reason Wanda had been defeated was most likely because she had been countered by the Celestial Group.

Leech gave a bitter smile. "But I really can’t fight."

"You can learn. Leech, if you can’t control your ability, you’ll never have freedom for the rest of your life, because other mutants won’t allow you to wander around freely."

Wang Bert said, "If you want freedom, you must learn control. You must become stronger."

"Freedom?"

Leech gritted his teeth and said, "Then I’ll try it too, but I reserve the right to withdraw."

"Don’t worry. Like I said, you can withdraw at any time."

Wang Bert smiled and nodded. Then he looked at Psylocke and said, "I’ll merge the Professor’s Mutant Gene into your body. By then, your psychic power will increase severalfold, perhaps even dozens of times over."

"All my abilities come from psychic power. If my psychic power rises severalfold, that means my strength will rise severalfold too."

Psylocke’s eyes lit up. "No problem, BOSS. I’m willing to fight for you."

After saying that, Psylocke seemed to think of something. She hesitantly asked the Professor, "Professor, no offense, but will your ability cause hair loss?"

The Professor laughed. "No. However, overly powerful psychic power can suppress the spinal nerve, making one unable to walk."

Psylocke said, "That’s fine. I can turn psychic power into armor and weapons."

The Professor sighed. "You’re luckier than I am."

"Next is Quicksilver."

Wang Bert turned to Quicksilver and said, "I’ll inject Nightcrawler’s genes into you. At that point, you’ll transcend space, perhaps even time."

"Transcend space? Wouldn’t that make my food deliveries even faster?"

Quicksilver stroked his chin and asked excitedly. Everyone was speechless. Couldn’t he have slightly higher aspirations?

Wang Bert smiled. "More than that. Once you transcend time, you can deliver several orders at the same time, equivalent to having several clones."

You’re the devil, aren’t you?

Everyone silently complained. Truly worthy of a capitalist—he was exceptionally good at exploiting people.

Quicksilver said happily, "No problem, I’ll help. But I hope you can reduce my interest. After all, I’m saving the world."

"That can be discussed."

Wang Bert nodded. Looking at everyone, he said, "I’ll say it again: if you’re unwilling, you can withdraw at any time. I won’t force you."

No one wanted to withdraw, not even Leech, who was full of fear.

"Very good."

Wang Bert said, "From now on, you’ll live at the Training Ground. I’ll give you special training, and once it’s complete, you’ll go to Hell for combat training."

"BOSS, wait a second. Did I hear that right? Combat training in Hell?"

Wade hurriedly asked. The others also stared at Wang Bert in shock. Come on, that was Hell. Even worse, three gods lived in there! "You heard correctly."

Wang Bert said, "The reason I haven’t dealt with Black Phoenix and the others yet is because I want to leave them as opponents for you. Next, you’ll defeat them and eliminate them completely."

"BOSS, I’d be happy to defeat them for you. The problem is, I can’t beat them."

Wade said, "Apocalypse, Black Phoenix, and Original Sin—those three are all big shots, okay?"

"The Celestial Group you’ll soon face are big shots too."

Wang Bert said calmly, "If you can’t even defeat Apocalypse, how will you face the Celestial Group? Remember, Apocalypse and the others are currently an old, weak, sick, and disabled combination."

Wolverine said, "No matter how old, weak, sick, and disabled they are, they’re still gods."

"Logan, that doesn’t sound like something you’d say."

Wang Bert smiled and said, "Don’t worry. I found you an insurance policy—my grandnephew."

Franklin appeared out of thin air with a yawn. "I’m here, Iron Man. You really know how to put people to work."

"Franklin has mastered time abilities. Before you go into battle, he’ll place a Time Loop on you. That way, even if you die in battle, you’ll revive outside Hell."

Wang Bert said, "Only by defeating the three of Apocalypse can you qualify to face the Celestial Group."

"No problem, BOSS. We’ll defeat them."

Psylocke and Yuriko declared at the same time, their eyes filled with fighting spirit. The others hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement as well.

Franklin asked, "I have a question, Iron Man. Hell is sealed off. How are they supposed to get in?"

Wang Bert smiled. "It’s a small matter. First, complete your basic training. In ten days, I’ll open a passage into Hell for you."

Franklin blinked. It seemed Iron Man had made tremendous progress during this time. Not only could he open a passage into Hell, he no longer even regarded Black Phoenix and the others as a threat.

If Wang Bert cared about Black Phoenix and the others, he would definitely have charged straight into Hell to kill them rather than leaving them for Wolverine and the others to use as stepping stones.

In fact, Franklin was right. After analyzing Apocalypse’s and Black Phoenix’s Mutant Genes, Wang Bert’s mastery of the Mutant Source had reached 99%. He only lacked the final 1% to advance into the Mutant God.

The current Wang Bert could already crush most ancient mutant gods. Remember, crush.

Wade said excitedly, "That’s great, BOSS. I can’t wait to slaughter gods. Please start training me right away."

Wang Bert said with a smile, "Don’t worry. My training is guaranteed to satisfy you—and leave you unforgettable memories for the rest of your life."

On the second day of special training, a girl came to see Wang Bert. It was Rogue. She said, "Iron Man, Bobby told me some things. I want to join your team."

Wang Bert said, "Rogue, haven’t you always wanted to become an ordinary person again? Why are you voluntarily asking to join the training?"

"Because of Bobby."

Rogue fell silent for a moment before answering, "Iron Man, you may think I’m childish, but I really don’t want to lose Bobby. If I become an ordinary person, Bobby and I will only drift farther and farther apart. In the end, he’ll definitely end up with Shadowcat."

When she mentioned Shadowcat, Rogue was clearly gritting her teeth. Although they had once been friends, their little boat of friendship had long since capsized.

"Saving the world for love? This really has the flavor of a prime-time soap opera."

Wang Bert shook his head and said, "Rogue, your ability has great potential, but the battlefield is not child’s play. I also don’t want my team to become a place for jealous rivalry, so I refuse your request to join."

Wang Bert was cultivating this team to fight the Celestial Group, not to film a fantasy teenage idol drama.