In the bustling circus, Brian appeared to be in a rush. He scanned his surroundings, as if searching for someone, his behavior drawing curious glances from passersby.
But Brian ignored these looks, weaving through the crowd until he vanished from everyone's sight.
At that moment, he slipped into a dark, secluded corner.
As soon as he did, a smile spread across his face, and his hurried, anxious demeanor disappeared entirely.
"This way, even if Professor X uses his ability to investigate, he won't suspect a thing," Brian murmured, leaning casually against the wall as he lit a cigarette, a smile playing on his lips.
His rushed behavior earlier had been an act for Professor X. Brian knew all too well that, given Professor X's nature, the professor would immediately use his abilities to locate Jonathan if he learned the potential recruit had been captured by the Red Devil.
To ensure that Professor X would focus his powers on locating Jonathan, Brian had parted ways with Magneto without reaching out to the Red Devil, staging this little show first.
After ensuring no one was around, Brian blew a sharp whistle.
Woosh!
The Red Devil appeared instantly in front of him. The whistling was a signal he and Brian had arranged beforehand. A specific frequency in the whistle would stimulate the mental imprint in the Red Devil's brain, allowing him to sense Brian's call and teleport to his side, no matter the distance.
Bang!
Without ceremony, the Red Devil tossed the unconscious Jonathan to the ground.
"Brian, remember our agreement," the Red Devil said, giving Brian a pointed look.
"Azazel~ Why of course. I never forget a promise," Brian replied with a casual shrug, then shifted to a more serious tone. "Now, tell me, what's the situation with the Black King?"
At Brian's words, the Red Devil paused before speaking, recounting Shaw's recent movements. "Black King Shaw has recruited another powerful Level 4 mutant."
Since the battle with the X-Men, the Hellfire Club had faced losses, especially after the disappearance of Riptide.
At the same time, the Black King, had become increasingly aware of the X-Men's strength—especially Brian's.
To prevent any further setbacks, Shaw personally traveled to Siberia in the Soviet Union. There, he recruited a mutant named Ursa Major, who could transform into a brown bear.
Additionally, Shaw used the mental abilities of the White Queen, Emma Frost, to control over a dozen high-ranking Soviet officials. Through their influence, Shaw acquired a helmet designed to resist telepathy. He also managed to obtain a nuclear-powered submarine, which he currently has docked in the Arctic Circle.
According to the Red Devil's intelligence, Shaw is actively tracking the X-Men, planning to capture Brian and the others in one decisive move.
"A Level 4 mutant, Ursa Major—the first mutant awakened by the Soviet Union, with the strength and resilience of a bear," Brian mused, analyzing the Red Devil's information.
He knew a bit about Ursa Major. The Soviet mutant was quite similar to Beast, who could transform into a blue-furred gorilla and gain the strength, speed, and agility of one.
Ursa Major, in his transformed state, could become a three-meter-tall Siberian brown bear. As a bear, Ursa Major would gain immense strength, endurance, and formidable defenses. Theoretically, Ursa Major could even overpower Hank in direct combat.
With Ursa Major joining the Hellfire Club, their overall strength had increased significantly.
As for Shaw's efforts to track down the X-Men's location, Brian wasn't particularly concerned. What truly interested him was Shaw's acquisition of a telepathy-resistant helmet, effectively eliminating Shaw's last major vulnerability.
"Alright, Azazel, you can leave now," Brian said, waving dismissively.
The Red Devil frowned. "Brian, please don't forget about your promise."
Brian gave him a slight nod, and with that reminder, the Red Devil disappeared into red mist.
Once Brian was certain the Red Devil had left, he turned his gaze to the unconscious Jonathan lying on the ground. He couldn't contain his anticipation as he approached Jonathan. Taking the dagger he carried, he carefully pressed it to Jonathan's forehead.
There was a soft sound as the blade pierced flesh, and Brian skillfully exposed Jonathan's brain. Squatting beside Jonathan, Brian focused on the intricate network of brain circuits within.
Tick-Tick-Tick
"Found it," he murmured.
A minute later, Brian located Jonathan's ability circuit. With his power to perceive the underlying mechanics of all things, Brian immediately absorbed Jonathan's ability.
Tick-Tick-Tick
As he stood up, he had fully mastered psychokinetic control.
"Ahh~"
Brian extended his right hand, and psychokinesis surged outward. Jonathan's body, still lying on the ground, suddenly floated up.
With a mere clench of his fist, Brian's psychokinetic power crushed Jonathan's body, reducing it to a mist of blood that fell to the ground.
After disposing of the evidence, Brian used a wave of psychokinesis to lift himself into the air.
Whoosh
The sound of rushing wind filled his ears as he shot through the air at incredible speed.
With Jonathan's original psychokinesis, such feats would have been impossible. Jonathan had only been a Level 3 mutant. But after Brian absorbed Jonathan's ability, it instantly amplified to the MAX, reaching the psychokinetic power of a Level 5 mutant.
Now, Brian's psychokinesis could effortlessly lift objects weighing hundreds of tons. The range of his psychokinetic field extended to an impressive 3 kilometers.
Simultaneously, his control over psychokinesis had reached a level of absolute precision. He could manipulate all objects within range with a single thought. He could also unleash a psychokinetic shockwave, powerful enough to destroy everything within a 3-kilometer radius if he unleashed his full strength.
Level 5 psychokinesis offered even greater potential. Brian sensed that his psychokinetic power would continue to grow as his mental energy strengthened.
If Brian ever achieved a psychic power level comparable to Professor X, his psychokinesis alone would be capable of leveling an entire city.
In addition to object manipulation, Brian could now also control psychokinetic flight. Though his flying speed was not as swift as his four-winged Angel form, it was entirely silent.
At present, his psychokinetic flight could reach speeds of up to 150 kilometers per hour.
In addition to psychokinetic flight, Brian could now create psychokinetic barriers, forming an impenetrable force field for absolute defense.
Psychokinesis truly was a versatile ability.
Most importantly, Brian no longer needed a dagger to perform his "brain extraction"; he could now use psychokinesis to achieve this effortlessly—easy, convenient, and efficient.
With Jonathan's psychokinetic control added to his powers, Brian's strength had reached new heights.
No longer reliant on adaptive evolution to passively withstand attacks, he had ascended to the level of a formidable Level 5 psychokinetic mutant.
Just as Brian left the circus through psychokinetic flight, a massive psychic force swept across the area. Everyone in the circus froze in place, as if time had stopped. Moments later, they returned to normal, and the psychic force receded like a tide.
It was clear that this power originated from Professor X.
"I'm sorry, Magneto, I can't locate any trace of Jonathan," Professor X said with regret, lowering his right hand back at Xavier Manor.
"It seems the Red Devil has taken Jonathan really far away."