"Ryuuto, it's been a long time. Your name rings in my ears like thunder."
With a casual leap, Magneto descended, boots touching the ground as the air itself seemed to shiver. Pressure rolled through the area — heavy, suffocating, magnetic. Even the Hulk, who normally treated fear like an optional emotion, braced himself, muscles coiled, eyes narrowing alongside Tony Stark. Everyone could feel it — this wasn't some villain-of-the-week moment.
But Magneto's focus wasn't on the others. His sharp gaze fixed on one man — Ryuuto — and his faint smile was the kind that dared you to make the first move.
"I didn't expect you to stay in New York. You've made quite the mess lately," Magneto said mildly. "Thought I'd come see the storm for myself."
"Cute," Ryuuto shot back. "Since you do know this is New York, maybe you should've thought twice before showing up with your little cosplay parade. Planning to become public enemy number one, old man?"
He tilted his head mockingly, eyes sweeping the mutant entourage. "And if you're here to avenge Ultron and that frostbitten idiot Lauf, fine by me. Line up. I'll knock your heads together in order."
Lauf, who still looked like he'd lost a fight with a semi-truck, limped forward eagerly. "Magneto, this brat's too full of himself! Teach him a less—"
"Lauf," Tony muttered, hand rising, palm glowing hot. "I swear if you say one more word, I'll redecorate this place with your face."
Ryuuto laid a hand on Tony's shoulder, voice calm but laced with steel. "Easy, Iron Man. Don't waste ammo on strays. The alpha's standing right there."
Lauf's face twitched with humiliation. "You—!"
Before he could charge, Magneto silenced him with a simple lift of his hand. "Relax. I didn't come to start a war today. I'm here privately. No Brotherhood business."
He smiled again — that same dangerous, unreadable smile. "Still, watch your tone. Misunderstandings between powerful people can turn… fatal."
Ryuuto stepped forward, eyes hard as obsidian. "Is that a threat?"
"What do you think?" Magneto replied smoothly, the corners of his lips curving just enough to show teeth.
For ten seconds, the air between them was razor-thin, neither blinking, neither backing down.
Then, without warning, Magneto chuckled. "Forget it. Let's enjoy the show. Don't worry, Red Mirage — I won't interfere this time."
Before anyone could react, he floated back up to his craft, gesturing lazily to the two cloaked figures behind him.
"Beast. Seraph. The famous X-Men captain is all yours."
Tony's eyes widened. "You've got to be kidding me. Them?"
The two cloaks hit the ground, revealing Beast, towering and blue, and Seraph, radiating cold, divine menace. Their eyes locked on Ryuuto like predators spotting fresh meat.
"Ryuuto…" Gwen's voice trembled as she grabbed his hand, fingers tight. "Those two—"
He smiled, the kind that looked half-insane and fully confident. "Hey, trust me. These guys? Not even worth a warm-up."
He brushed a hand through her hair gently, then walked past her, every step carrying that calm, lethal certainty.
From the rubble, Ultron wheezed out a mechanical laugh. "You'll die, human. You'll finally die."
Ryuuto barely glanced at him. "Still alive? Guess I'll fix that too."
He flicked his wrist, summoning his staff — King Kong Ruyi — chakra crackling around it like wildfire.
"Let's wrap this up. Two jumps, one stick, and then I'll come back to swat the metallic trash."
The air warped. Ultron convulsed as raw energy hit him, sparking and sizzling. Smoke poured from his joints, his voice glitching into silence.
"Still have breath left?" Ryuuto said flatly.
"Yo! Don't forget me!" Deadpool shouted, twin blades flashing. "Come on, strip me down atom by atom, you cowardly anime protagonist!"
Ryuuto sighed. "Fine. You asked for it."
Before Deadpool could blink, Ryuuto formed a single seal and unleashed the Original World Severance technique. In a flash, Deadpool was sliced apart — not by blade, but by concept — reduced to shimmering fragments of matter suspended in the air.
Lauf swallowed hard, sweat forming on his brow. For once, the loudmouth stayed quiet.
Ryuuto turned, eyes blazing. "Now then… who's next?"
Beast and Seraph stepped forward, their killing intent roaring to life.
"Don't flatter yourself," Seraph hissed. "We're not the ones dying here."
The battlefield lit up with sparks of blue and red — and the clash began.