Ryuuto brushed the dust from his sleeve, eyes narrowing.
"Now then… how about you experience what worse than death actually feels like?"
Mystery Art — Worm Jade.
The ground split open beneath Scalpelshade as a wave of corpse-white insects burst forth, crawling over him in a writhing mass.
"AAAAAH—!"
He hit the dirt rolling, limbs thrashing violently. Every bite, every sting sent fresh agony tearing up his nerves. When he tried to scream, the insects surged into his mouth, gagging him. Despair hollowed out his pupils.
Ryuuto exhaled lightly.
"Alright, I'm done wasting time. Just die properly."
Breathless Murder Technique.
One clean arc from the decapitating blade—
Scalpelshade's head flew, bouncing across the dirt before coming to a stop. Blood soaked the earth.
A burst of flame followed; his body turned to ash.
Ryuuto vanished into the treeline without looking back.
Meanwhile, Wanda's whereabouts remained unknown.
What wasn't unknown? The corpses. Dozens of Magneto's men turning up dead one after another.
Magneto's face darkened to storm-cloud black. Quicksilver and Mystique dared not make a sound.
"No word from Scalpelshade?" Magneto asked quietly.
Quicksilver stepped forward. "Father, want me to go check—"
"No need."
Magneto raised his hand. The silver-haired speedster froze in place.
"No news only means one thing. He's dead."
Quicksilver blinked. "Dead? But it's only been an hour— and Scalpelshade—"
"Do you think Ryuuto leaves enemies alive!?" Magneto snapped. "If you don't want to die like him, stop whining and start working. Otherwise, one day, that boy will wipe out every last one of you. Mutants will never rise if we cower!"
Everyone shut up immediately.
"Meatball. Mercury."
His gaze cut like a blade.
"You two go deal with him. Make him bleed."
"Understood!"
The two shadows shot out into the night.
[Ding! New Mission Released — Locate Wanda, earn her trust, and secure rich rewards!]
Ryuuto frowned. Shion, that's cute and all, but I have zero idea where she is.
[Relax, Host. You always stumble into the answer eventually. And this mission might give you another puzzle shard!]
"Heh. Now you're speaking my language."
His phone buzzed.
"Tony? Why're you calling so fast?"
"Ryuuto—listen carefully," Tony said, voice tense. "We found her. Wanda's hiding in a small rural village. And she… might have amnesia. Banner and the others got ambushed—Magneto's doing, most likely. You must get to her before he does!"
"Got it. Stay alive. I'm heading out."
Ryuuto kicked off the ground, vanishing into the horizon—
Until something massive slammed toward him from above.
A steel plate crashed down like a meteor, casting a huge shadow over him.
Ryuuto clicked his tongue.
"Oh? Which bastard woke up today and chose death?"
Leaf Hurricane!
He launched a brutal kick that blasted the steel plate upward like lightweight scrap metal.
His gaze sharpened. He felt them long before they revealed themselves.
A massive figure barreled out of the trees, lifting two cars like toys.
"YOU'RE TOO ARROGANT! MEATBALL GRANDPA'S GONNA END YOU!"
Ryuuto blinked.
"So you really are shaped like a meatball. Then roll away."
Fire Style — Fire Dragon Bullet!
A roaring fireball smashed into the incoming cars, detonating them mid-air. The explosion lit up the woods, forcing the giant man called Meatball to stagger back several steps.
But before Ryuuto could press forward—
Two steel blades lunged at his spine.
A second attacker.
"A duo act? Cute. But you're still cannon fodder."
Wind Style — Infinite Sandstorm Breakthrough!
A towering sandstorm exploded outward, ripping branches from trunks, tearing the ground apart. Meatball braced behind a collapsed boulder.
But Mercury—
He dissolved into liquid metal, his body reforming effortlessly even as Ryuuto's wind blades carved through him.
"Ryuuto, today you die here!" Mercury hissed.
Meatball cracked his knuckles.
"The Captain of the X-Men—ha! What a joke!"
They closed in from both sides, confident, hungry, certain they had him trapped.
Ryuuto cracked his neck, smiling like the kind of guy who enjoys being underestimated.
"Come on, then. I don't mind warming up on the two of you before saving Wanda."