Emma Frost, the White Queen, stood before Su Zhan with a look of confidence and allure. Her gaze was steady, her posture radiating both poise and challenge. She was beautiful, mature, and carried a sense of self-assurance that set her apart from the other women in Su Zhan's world. She knew her strengths and was not afraid to use them. The last time she had made Su Zhan a similar offer, he had refused. This time, she was determined to see if his resolve would waver.
Her voice was soft but filled with expectation. "Do you need my help?"
Su Zhan's response was calm and almost indifferent. "If I ever want to destroy the Brotherhood of Mutants, I will never rely on a woman to help me. My woman can be strong, ambitious, and clever, but I do not need someone who tries to use me for their own ends. I do not care if you are sincere or not. If you truly want to be with me, it is simple. Dissolve the Hellfire Club and join the War Alliance."
Emma's composure faltered for a moment. She was not expecting such a direct and uncompromising answer. "That is impossible," she replied instinctively.
"Then there is nothing left to discuss," Su Zhan said with a shrug, already knowing she would never agree so easily. He turned away, lifting his arms. In an instant, five spheres of energy enveloped the Winter Soldier, Juggernaut, Multiple Man, Quill, and Callisto, drawing them before him like captured prey.
Emma hesitated, her eyes shifting as she weighed her options. After a long pause, she finally spoke. "If you ever need it, the door to the Hellfire Club will always be open to you."
Before Su Zhan could reply, Azazel, the red-skinned mutant teleporter, appeared in a flash of crimson light. With a nod to Emma, he teleported her away, leaving Su Zhan alone with his captives.
Su Zhan grinned. "You say your door is always open, but if I want to enter, I will break it down myself, even if it is locked."
He turned his attention to the mutants floating in front of him. The Winter Soldier and Callisto were still conscious, though barely. Quill, Multiple Man, and Juggernaut remained unconscious, suspended in the air.
Su Zhan looked at Toad, who was still nearby, and said, "If you have had enough of being abandoned, you are free to go. Tell Magneto that when I am done here, I will come for him. He should be prepared for the consequences of provoking me." With a wave, he released Toad from his silent prison.
Toad did not run or attack. He simply stood there, stunned and uncertain, as if his emotions had not caught up with the reality of his freedom. Su Zhan shook his head and ignored him. Toad was not a threat, and despite his appearance, he was not a bad person.
Turning back to the floating mutants, Su Zhan's gaze lingered on Callisto. She met his eyes, her voice weak but determined. "Magneto truly does not want to be your enemy. He has always hoped to recruit you. If you join the Brotherhood, you will be second only to him. You can devour any ability you want, even those of your own allies."
Su Zhan raised an eyebrow. "Including the abilities of Brotherhood members?"
Callisto nodded. "Yes. For the future of mutantkind, for the greater cause, any sacrifice is justified. Even me."
He studied her for a long moment. "You know that if you lose your ability, Magneto will abandon you. Even if mutants win, it will have nothing to do with you."
Callisto sighed, her voice tinged with resignation. "I know."
Su Zhan shook his head. "I do not know if you are noble or just foolish. But you are not annoying, so I will let you live."
With a thought, he summoned Quill's unconscious body closer. He placed his hand on Quill's chest and activated his devouring ability. The power flowed into him, but he knew he would never use it. If not for the energy boost, he would not have bothered.
Without hesitation, Su Zhan twisted Quill's neck and tossed the lifeless body aside.
"Who is next?" he mused, his gaze shifting to Multiple Man and Juggernaut. He reached out and drew Juggernaut closer.
The power within Juggernaut was immense. Endless strength and indestructible skin surged into Su Zhan as he absorbed the mutant's ability. He felt his own body grow heavier, stronger, and more resilient. This was a power worth keeping.
Suddenly, the system's voice echoed in Su Zhan's mind. "Mission released. Survival mission: One ability will be retained at random. Survive for three days without dying to complete the mission."
A note followed. "You may choose the difficult mode. Double the difficulty, double the reward."
Su Zhan blinked in surprise. "A new mission already? I just finished the last one. Is this really necessary?"
He considered the terms. The mission would randomly leave him with only one of his abilities for three days. If he chose the difficult mode, the challenge would be even greater, but the reward would be much richer.
"System, can I refuse this mission?" he asked, though he already suspected the answer.
"No. Once the mission is released, it is automatically accepted," the system replied.
Su Zhan sighed. "You really do not play fair. Does this include my devouring ability?"
"Yes, all abilities, including devouring. It is recommended that you choose the difficult mode. The reward is very rich."
He considered it for a moment, then grinned. "Why not? If the reward is good, I will take the risk. Besides, it will force me to grow stronger."
The system's voice was crisp. "The reward for completing the difficult mode is the enhanced template. This template can only be unlocked through missions and cannot be obtained by any other means."
"What does the enhanced template do?" Su Zhan asked.
"It strengthens your abilities and physical fitness."
"And the mission lasts only three days? What does the difficult mode entail?"
"Details will be revealed only after you select the difficult mode."
Su Zhan rolled his eyes. "You really like to keep secrets, do you not?"
"Do you choose the difficult mode?" the system prompted.
"Yes," Su Zhan replied, his voice steady.
He straightened, feeling the weight of the challenge ahead. The next three days would test him in ways he could not yet imagine. But Su Zhan welcomed the trial. After all, a king does not shy away from adversity. He conquers it.