“Who exactly are you?!”
Seeing Hawking transform into a massive fox, Magneto, floating in mid-air, was completely dumbfounded.
He had just dealt with Hawking transforming into a giant ape to defeat Apocalypse by cutting off his tail. Now Hawking had turned into an even bigger fox. Did he have to cut off all nine tails to make Hawking revert back?
However, Magneto had no time to ponder. The metal torrent was dispersed, and before he could regroup, a second black energy ball shot towards him. Then a third, fourth, and fifth followed. By the sixth one, he couldn’t hold on any longer.
The energy was too overwhelming, causing his nose to bleed from the strain. He could control the magnetic field and metals for defense, but unlike Apocalypse, he couldn’t withstand such relentless attacks.
Moreover, he noticed that Mystique, who was controlling Captain Marvel below, was also struggling.
Mystique wasn’t truly Professor X. Reaching this point was already a significant effort for her.
“Looks like I have to retreat. I underestimated Hawking. I didn’t expect him to have such hidden cards!”
As he barely blocked the sixth energy ball and saw the fox-shaped Hawking gathering a seventh, Magneto knew he couldn’t hesitate any longer. If Captain Marvel woke up and it became a two-on-one battle, escape would be impossible.
“Trying to escape!”
Enveloped in Nine-Tails’ chakra, Hawking’s senses were sharper than ever, allowing him to detect Magneto’s intention to flee clearly.
“Nine-Tails Chakra Mode!”
The massive Nine-Tails chakra contracted, shrinking the seventy-meter tall fox into a golden-red chakra cloak around Hawking’s body.
“Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!”
Forming the seals, he created four shadow clones. Just like when they surrounded Apocalypse, Hawking and his clones quickly encircled Magneto.
“Erik, you’re at your limit. If you don’t surrender now, you’ll meet the same fate as Apocalypse!”
After battling Captain Marvel and enduring the barrage of Tailed Beast Bombs, Magneto was exhausted. His ability to control magnetic fields and metals had dwindled to its lowest point.
But Magneto wasn’t one to give up easily. He unleashed his remaining strength, expanding his magnetic field to break through the encirclement, trying to fly away with all his might.
However, Hawking wouldn’t let Magneto escape. Allowing him to flee now would mean facing an even bigger threat later.
Hawking and his clones extended red chakra arms, resembling serpents, that wrapped around Magneto, pulling him back forcefully.
“It’s time to put an end to this farce!”
With the Nine-Tails chakra cloak enhancing his strength, Hawking tore through Magneto’s magnetic field. He grabbed a nearby syringe and injected Magneto with the power-suppressing serum, then placed a collar around his neck to inhibit his mutant abilities.
“I’ve lost. I calculated so much, yet I still lost to you.”
Now reduced to an ordinary old man after the injection and collaring, Magneto looked desolate.
“Kill me, but please spare the others in the Brotherhood. Without me, they won’t cause trouble.”
He knew Hawking wasn’t as soft-hearted as Professor X and wouldn’t send him to be imprisoned by the government. Given Hawking’s character, Magneto was certain he wouldn’t survive the day. He just hoped the Brotherhood could be spared.
“I won’t kill you or your followers. But you’ll all spend the rest of your lives under Professor X’s supervision at the school.”
Hawking removed Magneto’s helmet that prevented mental intrusion.
While his instinct was to kill Magneto to eliminate the threat, considering Magneto’s relationship with Wanda and Pietro, his deep friendship with Professor X, and his recent response, Hawking decided to spare him.
However, simply letting Magneto go was out of the question. Turning him over to the government wasn’t an option either, as Hawking didn’t trust them to keep him contained and feared someone might use Magneto and his followers for experiments.
Thus, he decided to keep them at the mutant school. Without his helmet, Professor X could immobilize Magneto and his followers anytime, preventing them from escaping. Plus, the inhibitor collars would suppress their abilities.
Professor X could then remain at the school, nurturing new heroes for the Hero Alliance while also keeping an eye on Magneto and his followers. They could live out their days at the school; who knows, they might even be useful in the future.
“Ah!”
Just then, Captain Marvel let out a shout as her energy exploded, causing Mystique, who had morphed into Professor X, to cough up blood and revert to her original form. She could no longer control Captain Marvel.
“Magneto and Hawking?”
Captain Marvel, freed from Mystique’s control, was about to confront Magneto when she saw Hawking, in Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, already descending with the captured Magneto.
“Long time no see, Captain Maria. I’ve taken care of things here, so there’s no need for S.H.I.E.L.D. to worry. Don’t you have Hydra’s terrorist attacks to handle? Better get back to that.”
“I came here as soon as I got the call from Fury, but it looks like I wasn’t much help.”
Captain Marvel looked embarrassed. She had intended to help but ended up needing rescue from Hawking instead.
“Before coming here, I informed Director Fury about the situation, thinking Captain Maria would fight alongside me. But I ended up fighting alone, risking my life.”
Hawking’s mocking tone made Captain Marvel even more embarrassed. She realized from Magneto and Hawking’s words that her husband, Nick Fury, had indeed manipulated the situation for his own ends.
“I’d better leave then. If you need anything, contact Nick Fury. He’ll send someone to handle the aftermath.”
Leaving that message, Captain Marvel quickly flew away. She should have taken Magneto and his followers back to S.H.I.E.L.D. for detention, but she felt too ashamed to discuss it further with Hawking.
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