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Looking at Shaw, who stood there motionless, many thoughts crossed Erik's mind. His feelings for Shaw were indescribable. Despite being responsible for his mother's death and serving as his life's greatest adversary, Shaw also assumed the role of Eric's father once more, shouldering the responsibility of guiding him.
Suppressing the complex emotions within, Eric took a few steps forward and halted just a step away from Shaw. He gently rested his face on Shaw's palm, held in a reaching and grasping gesture. Though the helmet created a barrier, it felt as if Shaw was caressing him.
"If you can hear me, I want you to understand that I agree with everything you've said. We represent the future. However, it's regrettable that you took my mother's life," Eric stated as he produced a coin.
"Now, I'll return this to you. I'll move the coin when I count to three."
In the concentration camp, Shaw had tasked Eric with moving a coin, a task he failed at, leading to his mother's death. Now, Eric intended to use the same coin to settle the score between them.
Observing Eric's actions through Shaw's eyes, Charles frantically shouted, attempting to intervene. Unfortunately, Eric remained oblivious to the pleas.
As the coin touched Shaw's forehead, his dull eyes suddenly lit up, preventing the coin from passing through.
Simultaneously, Charles realized that the spiritual power he had sent into Shaw's brain was pulled by an unknown force, transporting him to a dark starry sky where a colossal black hole sucked him in and crushed him.
"Cough cough"
Charles' face turned pale, devoid of blood, recalling the voice he heard as the last trace of spiritual power vanished.
"You're still too naive, little guy. Stop attempting to control me with telepathy, or you won't be as fortunate next time"
"Charles! Are you alright?" Moira, amidst the wreckage of the plane, rushed to support him, concern etched on her face.
"It's troublesome. Shaw is immune to my spiritual power, and Eric is in danger."
In the submarine, Eric, witnessing the change in Shaw's eyes, sensed the gravity of the situation. Exerting all his strength, he pushed the coin towards Shaw, attempting to penetrate his brain. Yet, his efforts proved futile.
Shaw placed a finger on Erik's forehead, returning the absorbed kinetic energy from the coin. Eric was sent flying, crashing against the wall upon landing.
Quickly regaining his footing, Eric distanced himself from Shaw, removed his helmet, and reestablished contact with Charles, questioning, "Charles, what's happening? Why did you let him go?"
"I apologize, Eric. Something akin to a black hole manifested in his brain, devouring my spiritual power directly, rendering me powerless to assist you," Charles admitted, his tone weakened.
After Shaw's strike, he refrained from further aggression.
"Eric, I'm pleased to hear your agreement. However, our grievances have no chance of reconciliation. I've prepared a gift for you; I believe you'll appreciate it."
Shaw could have immediately revealed to Eric that his mother was alive. Still, fearing disbelief, he intended to reunite them after resolving matters. Unfortunately, this proved to be Shaw's most regrettable decision.
Unaware of the gift Shaw mentioned, Eric remained convinced that Shaw had killed his mother. Regardless of any offering, the deep-seated hatred in his heart persisted, seeking a way to turn defeat into victory.
"You are my most perfect creation, understanding my heart. I'm delighted to have you by my side. Recognizing that mutants remain vulnerable, internal harmony is crucial. Only through unity can we harness our greatest strength. The future belongs to us. Let us forge a new world together..."
Suddenly, a realization struck Eric. Shaw absorbed energy through physical contact, rendering external attacks ineffective. However, Eric wondered if this ability extended inside Shaw's body. Could he inflict damage from within?
Lowering his head to conceal his intentions, Eric controlled a nail-sized iron piece on his palm, awaiting the opportune moment.
"Come, let's create a new world together..." Shaw extended his hand to Eric in an inviting gesture.
Seizing the opportunity, Eric concealed his surprise, feigned composure, and slowly placed his hand on Shaw's.
A cold murderous intent flashed in Eric's eyes as their palms neared. Shaw, momentarily stunned, felt a silver light flying into his mouth during the speech.
Caught off guard, Shaw sensed a foreign object penetrating his mouth, piercing his upper chin, and embedding into his brain with intense pain.
"I've made such a basic mistake" This fleeting thought was Shaw's last before his consciousness succumbed to darkness.
...
Ivan gazed at Shaw's lifeless body before him, a profound sense of dread lingering in his heart. Despite the knowledge of Shaw's potential resurrection, a burning anger surged within Ivan. He needed an outlet for his rage, and Eric, the unfortunate future Magneto, presented the perfect target.
Eric, who had already been defeated by Shaw, stood no chance against the might of Ivan, who surpassed Shaw in strength. With a flicker of movement, Ivan appeared beside Eric, landing a swift punch to his chest.
"Wow!"
"Ow"
The air resounded with the impact as Eric found himself airborne. Before he could land, Ivan, with remarkable speed, caught up and delivered a powerful kick to his back, altering his trajectory. Eric crashed heavily into the wall, rebounding, only to be met with a slap from the relentless Ivan. Despite Ivan's fury, a fragment of reason held him back, recognizing the possibility of Shaw's resurrection and acknowledging Erik as Shaw's successor.
Struggling against Ivan's onslaught, Eric attempted to resist. However, the force of the blows left his back crushed, hindering his ability to focus on controlling metal. With a lingering psychological shadow from Ivan, Eric's primary goal was to escape the relentless assault.
While Eric would confront Shaw with unwavering determination, the same intensity was absent in his conflict with Ivan. In reality, Eric harbored little animosity towards Ivan, and the involvement of Ivan in their feud stemmed from Shaw's actions. Eric lacked the resolve to fight Ivan to the death, a sentiment not present when facing Shaw.
Thrown around by Ivan, Eric finally managed to control a steel bar, using it as a makeshift shield. Though promptly shattered by Ivan, it provided a brief delay. Eric seized the opportunity to manipulate more scattered metal, launching them toward Ivan.
Ivan sneered, pushing his hands outward to create a repulsion field centered around himself. The metallic projectiles were immediately halted by the repulsion barrier, unable to advance beyond a three-meter radius from Ivan.
Eric's heart swelled with discomfort, bordering on tears. Ivan had displayed an uncanny ability to appear and now revealed the power of a repulsion barrier, combined with his initial energy absorption. Eric couldn't help but wonder about the extent of Ivan's abilities. What else does he have up his sleeve?
Eric abandoned facing Ivan head-on and focused on a swift escape. Seizing the opportunity, he tore the submarine apart with a massive crack, creating an opening for his escape.
Ivan, initially intent on pursuit, reconsidered as he remembered his father's body within the submarine. Meanwhile, Eric, with his extraordinary ability to sense metal, detected a steel plate hurtling towards him. Desperate to stop it, he turned and attempted to control its trajectory.
The steel plate slowed down, but Eric was aware of the limitations of his power. Despite his efforts, it still struck him, propelling him out of the submarine in a spectacular manner. This unexpected event drew the attention of those engaged in nearby battles, including Red Devil, Havok, Beast, Sonic, and Angel.
While the others wondered about Eric's abrupt exit, Ivan emerged from the submarine, cradling Shaw's lifeless body. The somber expression on Ivan's face hinted at the gravity of the situation.
Red Devil, who had followed Ivan for an extended period, sensed the tension and approached cautiously. He attempted to inquire about Mr. Shaw, but Ivan's stern "Go away" response left him stunned and silent.
Ivan advanced towards Eric, who, undeterred, unleashed a barrage of metal projectiles from the submarine. The metal formed a massive ball, falling from the sky towards Ivan, weighing around ten tons. Yet, Ivan, seemingly untroubled, caught the metal ball with one hand, tossing it aside effortlessly.
As the danger escalated, Havok and Beast, now free from their battles, rushed to Eric's aid. Havok fired a red light wave at Ivan, only for Ivan to absorb it nonchalantly. Beast leaped with claws extended, but Ivan countered by lifting his foot and delivering a powerful kick to the Beast's stomach, sending it flying meters away, carving a ravine on the beach. The once-cohesive team now faced a formidable adversary in Ivan.