Marvel: The Gene Collector

Red Devil rushed towards Alex with a sudden teleportation, then brandished a gleaming, wickedly sharp knife, slashing it menacingly at Alex!

Alex swiftly countered, parrying the attack with a deft swing of his own knife. The clash sent the Red Devil tumbling through the air, eventually crashing onto the wreckage of the cruise ship.

With a powerful motion, Riptide summoned a tornado, propelling it with a resounding roar towards Alex.

Alex extended a finger and pointed it at the oncoming storm. The storm dissipated as if Alex's finger had the power to quell the wind itself.

"Alex, you've been away for so many years, and your abilities have grown exponentially," Eric remarked, his envy apparent.

"What kind of ability is this?"

The bewildered Riptide, witnessing Alex's ability to disperse the tornado with a mere touch, was left astounded.

In reality, it was a form of Energy Absorption Ability, sapping all the kinetic energy from the tornado, causing it to calm down. As anyone with a grasp of physics would know, wind is generated by the movement of air, and by absorbing all of its kinetic energy, the storm inevitably vanished.

"Retreat!"

With a swift motion, Sebastian grabbed the Red Devil's hand, and the trio vanished instantaneously, leaving behind the fallen white queen, whose fate seemed sealed.

"Damn it! Sebastian, I'll find you! We're not done!" Eric surged out of the water, fists clenched in anger, roaring defiantly.

"I couldn't catch them. They've slipped away!" Alex shrugged and relayed this to his comrades via the communicator. Alex had vengeance in mind, but the timing wasn't right.

"Alright! They teleported and escaped. There's no way to stop them now!" Charles shook his head in resignation and shared a wry smile with the pale Grete.

"So, we need more Mutants!" Grete's determination shone in her eyes as she spoke earnestly to Charles. "Charles, I need you to locate more Mutants. We require greater strength; otherwise, the world will inevitably teeter on the brink of a nuclear war crisis!"

"I'll do my best," Charles promised. He then gazed at Alex and Eric near the wreckage of the cruise ship, a smile forming on his lips. "I think I've found one already!"

"Who is that man? Why does he seem so close to Alex?" Emma inquired with curiosity.

"It's likely Eric, the only one Alex would call an old friend," Raven answered. The remnants of the shattered cruise ship served as a backdrop to their conversation, signaling the challenges ahead for this group of mutants who found themselves thrust into a world on the brink of chaos.

"When did they meet?" Jessica asked in surprise, her eyes widening with curiosity.

Raven leaned in, eager to share the story, her voice tinged with excitement. "They were locked up together in a Nazi concentration camp. It was an extraordinarily tough time. With Alex's powers awakening, they managed to escape together, forming a life-and-death bond."

Amidst the wreckage of the cruise ship, the tension in the air was palpable. Alex couldn't help but question, "Why are you still entangled with Sebastian?"

The conflict between Eric and Sebastian puzzled Alex. After all, years ago, they had escaped the concentration camp with Eric's mother. There should be no need for a deadly feud, especially considering Sebastian wasn't the true enemy.

"He killed a lot of people! He killed a lot! I will avenge them!" Eric's voice trembled with anger, his fist clenched tightly.

Alex couldn't help but sigh. "Uh… Sebastian isn't the culprit? Isn't your real enemy Hitler?"

Alex, aware of Eric's deep-seated hatred, knew that it was a powerful driving force. However, Eric remained resolute. "The problem is that Hitler is dead! The other culprits are also gone. If I don't seek revenge from Sebastian, who else can I call my enemy?"

"Okay…" Alex was momentarily at a loss for words.

(End of this chapter)