"Black King, I just heard that Professor X and his team are about to arrive at Xavier Manor."
Inside Xavier Manor, Julie who had recently joined the Hellfire Club, listened intently and then turned to remind Shaw.
"Azazel, let's go," Shaw said to the Red Devil, preparing to make their exit.
Hearing that Professor X was on his way, Shaw decided it was best not to linger. After mistakenly recruiting Angel, his patience for further recruitment had run out.
However, just as Shaw and his team were about to teleport away together, a deep, guttural roar echoed from nearby.
Beast, who had been severely injured and on the verge of collapse moments ago, suddenly sprang up with surprising agility. He landed on all fours, his eyes filled with rage, and charged directly at Shaw with the force of a wild animal.
"Looking for trouble, are we?" Shaw muttered, his mood visibly souring.
As Beast's powerful form lunged at him, Shaw raised his hand, blocking Hank's fist with ease.
In an instant, Shaw absorbs all of Hank's punch strength, leaving Hank momentarily stunned.
In Beast's shocked gaze, Black Emperor Shaw slapped him on the shoulder.
Boom.
Beast Hank was instantly engulfed by the force of an explosion. Without sparing him a second glance, Shaw, along with the members of the Hellfire Club, joined hands and teleported away from Xavier Manor.
It was only after they had disappeared that Siryn Sean Cassidy and Havok Alex snapped out of their daze. Realizing the danger had passed, they quickly rushed over to Beast Hank.
Their eyes widened in horror.
After enduring Shaw's explosive blow, Beast Hank's body lay battered, covered in blood and torn flesh. His bones were shattered, and, even more alarmingly, a gaping hole had been blasted through his chest.
Havok looked at the wound and could see Beast's ruptured heart.
"Beast.. Mr. H-Hank... is he dead?" Sean Cassidy and Alex exchanged worried glances, dread filling their faces.
They had never truly witnessed death before, leaving them utterly lost in this moment.
As they stood there in shock, a gentle yet reverent voice sounded from behind them.
"Hank, a core member of the X-Men, was destined for a bright future."
Havok Alex turned toward the voice and saw Father Asa standing there, dressed in his priest's robe.
"Sun God Ra and the ancient god Apocalypse above," Father Asa intoned solemnly. "In this world, new gods are arising, and the order of the gods will return to Earth. My heart and my actions are as clear as a mirror. Everything I do is justice."
He paused, his gaze shifting to Hank's battered form. "Brian, the God of Evolution, once said these words, and they resonated deeply within me. At this moment, as the X-Men face danger, I, too, must rise to the occasion. My ability will shine here."
Father Asa smiled warmly, looking upon Beast Hank's lifeless form.
During the Hellfire Club's attack, knowing he lacked combat abilities, Father Asa had quietly hidden away. Now, however, he stepped forward, prepared to make his contribution.
Father Asa understood deeply that his ability was not meant for combat. Instead, it was intended for moments like this.
In the four core members of the X-Men, Father Asa saw the hope for a new order led by powerful beings, each embodying aspects of a divine rule. And within Hank, he recognized a unique creativity that was vital to the X-Men's purpose and future.
After witnessing Beast Hank's untimely death, Father Asa felt his divine mission more clearly than ever. As the God of Healing, he knew he must fulfill his sacred duty in this world—he had to revive Hank, no matter the cost.
With a calm and steady demeanor befitting a true priest, Father Asa approached Beast Hank's body.
Under the watchful eyes of Siryn and Havok, Father Asa expertly connected a blood transfusion device to the last intact blood vessel in Hank's right hand, linking the other end to his own wrist.
Crystal-clear, ruby-like blood began flowing through the catheter from Father Asa's wrist into Beast's body.
A soft hum resonated as the divine blood coursed into Hank, and a warm, healing red light slowly illuminated his form.
However, the blood transfusion was only enough to repair Beast Hank's external injuries; it couldn't mend his fatal internal wounds.
Father Asa closed his eyes, allowing the blood to flow freely. As time passed, his face grew increasingly pale, almost ghostly. In contrast, Hank's body began to glow with an intense red light as the divine blood worked within him.
When half of Father Asa's blood had been given, the gaping wound on Hank's chest finally started to close. Slowly, his broken heart was beginning to knit itself back together.
"My soul will ascend to the resting place of the god of Apocalypse," Father Asa whispered, his voice filled with serene acceptance.
As the blood in his body reached its end, Father Asa's breaths grew faint. But his gaze remained bright, unwavering.
With the final drop of blood entering Hank's body, Father Asa felt a divine presence. It was as though he could hear a voice, a soul-call from beyond:
—"Child, I will guide your soul to my resting place."—
A peaceful smile spread across Father Asa's face. Summoning his last bit of strength, he turned toward Egypt and, with a look of profound devotion, murmured, "Apocalypse… Apocalypse."
With these final words, Father Asa closed his eyes for the last time, his mission complete.
Father Asa was gone.
Lying on the ground, Beast slowly opened his eyes, blinking in confusion.
"Am I... alive?" he murmured, looking down at his body in astonishment. His injuries were miraculously healed, not a trace of the earlier wounds remained.
"Hank, it was Father Asa… He sacrificed himself to bring you back," Alex Summers, said solemnly.
It was only then that Beast Hank noticed Father Asa lying lifeless beside him, his face peaceful even in death.
"Father Asa… I will avenge you," Hank vowed, his voice thick with grief.
From Alex, Beast Hank learned how Father Asa had sacrificed his life, draining every drop of his own divine blood to bring him back. A heavy wave of guilt washed over him, and with it, a seething hatred for the Hellfire Club.
In that moment, he made a promise to himself: he would destroy Ursa Major and Sabastian Shaw to avenge Father Asa.
As the young mutants around him mourned, a figure suddenly descended from the sky, landing with a light thud in the courtyard of Xavier Manor.
It was Brian.
Behind Brian were Professor X and Magneto, both of whom were gently lowered to the ground by Brian's telekinetic power.
"Hank, what happened here?"
Professor X asked as he sensed the somber atmosphere at Xavier Manor. His telepathy immediately picked up on the sorrowful mood of Hank and the others, and he felt his own heart grow heavy.
"Father Asa… he's gone," Hank replied, his voice laden with grief.
Professor X's face fell even more. Stepping past Beast Hank, he looked at Father Asa's lifeless form. Without hesitation, he reached out with his telepathy, diving into Hank's recent memories.
"The Hellfire Club… they attacked?" Professor X's expression darkened.
He hadn't anticipated such an assault when he'd left to recruit a new mutant. Anger simmered within him, directed at the Hellfire Club, but it was mixed with a profound sorrow for Father Asa's sacrifice.
"The X-Men are still too vulnerable," Professor X murmured, voicing his frustration. He then turned to look at Siryn and Havok, Alex Summers, who were standing nearby, faces etched with grief.
"Sean, Alex," Professor X began earnestly, "you've both seen the dangers of joining the X-Men. Our enemies are incredibly powerful. Even I'm not certain I can defeat the Hellfire Club and Sebastian Shaw. You still have the chance to walk away now."
After witnessing Father Asa's tragic sacrifice, Professor X didn't want to force Siryn and Havok to take on such risks. Perhaps returning to a more ordinary life would be their safest path.
However, when Professor X looked at them, he saw a steely resolve in both Sean Cassidy and Alex Summers as they exchanged glances.
"Professor X, since we have joined the X-Men, we will not back down.
We also want to avenge Father Asa."
The two said in unison.
Although they had never seen Father Asa before.
But after seeing the brilliance of humanity shown by Father Asa.
They were moved.
They strengthened their determination to join the X-Men.
Though they hadn't known Father Asa well, his selfless act had left a profound impact on them.
"You two are good people.. I can't believe.. that bastard, coming here while we were gone, taking Angel and then one of our people dying.. Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"
Magneto was furious, fists clenched as he looked at Father Asa's lifeless body. Anger surged through him, but it was mixed with helplessness.
Shaw was just too powerful. Even if the entire X-Men team fought together, they wouldn't stand a chance against him—except maybe Brian.
Magneto couldn't fathom how they could possibly defeat Shaw.
Seeing the team's spirits sinking, Brian stepped forward to rally them. "The Hellfire Club's Mutants may be strong, but they're not invincible. With the right strategy, we can find their weaknesses and take them down."
Professor X, who had been weighed down with grief and frustration, looked up, visibly encouraged. "Brian, what are you thinking?"
"We need to gather intelligence on the Hellfire Club's Mutants," Brian explained. "By understanding their abilities and limitations, we can find ways to counter them."
Professor X nodded, his determination rekindling.
"Agreed. Take Ursa Major, for example—a level 4 Mutant who transforms into a Siberian brown bear with immense strength and durability. He overpowered Hank with brute force, but that form also makes him slower than other Mutants."
Brian continued, "Precisely. We can exploit weaknesses like that. Each of them has a vulnerability—we just need to identify them."
With renewed focus, the X-Men turned their attention to devising a strategy against the Hellfire Club, determined to honor Father Asa's sacrifice and bring justice to the fallen.
Professor X quickly analyzed the weaknesses of each member of the Hellfire Club. "Julie, also known as 'Superman's Ear,' has enhanced hearing, but it comes at a cost.
When she's exposed to intense sounds, it causes her significant pain—likely from an overload of auditory input. Fortunately, we have Sean Cassidy who can create powerful sound waves that could overwhelm her."
After explaining Julie's vulnerability, Professor X's expression grew more serious. While the two newer members of the Hellfire Club had manageable weaknesses, the veteran Level 4 Mutants, the Red Devil and White Queen, presented a much greater challenge.
"I'll handle Emma," Brian volunteered. He hadn't faced her in a long time, and this encounter would be a true test. Although Raven could mimic Emma's appearance, she couldn't replicate Emma's telepathic abilities, making Brian eager to face the real challenge.
"Leave the Red Devil to me," Magneto said confidently.
Professor X nodded in agreement, then looked around at the group.
"We all have a lot of work to do. Right now, you're all too inexperienced to face opponents like these. Brian and I will put together a focused training plan to help each of you develop your abilities as quickly as possible."
With a serious expression, he added, "It's time to prepare ourselves. The Hellfire Club won't wait for us to catch up."
After the Hellfire Club's attack, Professor X understood that the X-Men needed focused and intensive training.
They had to master their mutant abilities quickly if they were to stand a chance against powerful opponents like the Hellfire Club.
His goal was to help each member develop their potential, aiming for them to reach at least Level 3 or 4 in their abilities.
"We all need to sharpen our skills," Professor X announced. "To face an enemy like the Hellfire Club, each of us has to be at our best."
Sean, Alex, and even Magneto had yet to fully harness the extent of their powers. None of them were ready for the kind of battles that lay ahead.
"In addition to training, we should also consider recruiting new X-Men members," Brian interjected, offering a timely reminder.
Brian had his own reasons for pushing this agenda. He was particularly interested in finding a mutant with the ability of enhanced perception or X-ray vision—an ability he had been hunting for. Until he found that power, he wanted Professor X to continue seeking out new mutants.
With the first generation of X-Men members engaged in rigorous training, Brian would have the perfect opportunity to keep hunting and acquiring abilities from other mutants.
"Brian is right," Professor X nodded in agreement with Brian's suggestion.
With the X-Men currently understaffed, Professor X decided it was essential to continue searching for new mutants, using the brainwave enhancement machine to aid in the search.
Finding a few strong Level 4 mutants would be ideal, though he understood the difficulty. Mutants with significant powers were rare, and finding one now was akin to searching for a needle in a haystack.
"Alright, let's lay Father Asa to rest first," Professor X said solemnly.
With a wave of Brian's hand, Father Asa's body floated gently into the air.
Magneto raised his hand, and metal plates from nearby formed together, creating a simple yet dignified metal coffin.
Beast used his sharp claws to dig a grave in a quiet corner of Xavier Manor, working with purpose despite the weight of grief on his face.
Siryn and Havok placed wreaths they had found around the site, adding a respectful touch to the farewell. With a final wave, Brian guided Father Asa's body into the metal coffin, which slowly descended into the grave, coming to rest within the earth.
When Brian waved his hand once more, the soil around the grave gently covered the coffin, sealing it within the earth.
Professor X had found a bottle of rare 18th-century red wine in his quarters and poured a glass over the grave as a gesture of respect and remembrance for Father Asa.
The simple, heartfelt funeral was complete.
Father Asa's sacrifice not only brought Beast Hank back to life but also seemed to bring a newfound maturity to each member of the X-Men, marking a turning point for all of them.
"Let's go. To the training room," Professor X commanded after a moment of silence.
His voice was full of unquestionable command.
Obviously, Father Asa's death made Professor X take on the position of leader of the X-Men.
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