ALL NOVEL Chapter 628: A Mature Wanda
The things you could imagine—and those you couldn't—could all be found in the Points Store. Logan even found a mutant gene-cleansing serum!
And it wasn't expensive; the discounted price was only 10 points. Just one dose, and a mutant could turn back into an ordinary human, with no side effects.
If he hadn't participated in this bizarre Quiz game, hadn't seen his own future as well as that of other mutants, Logan might have bought the serum without hesitation. He'd longed for a simple, ordinary life.
But now, after some hesitation, he decided against it.
As Erik had reminded him many times: just because you don't look for trouble, doesn't mean trouble won't find you.
Logan was already neck-deep in a mess, and when he returned, he still had to settle the score with Stryker. Without the powers that being a mutant granted him, how could he even think about revenge?
Moreover, the adamantium in his body was stable because of his mutant healing ability. If that ability disappeared, he might just drop dead on the spot.
After considering for a while, Logan chose a different item—a safehouse capsule, marked down to 20 points. This gadget was from a technologically advanced future world.
The capsule itself was only the size of a fingernail and could bind to its owner. Once activated, it could expand into a fully functional safehouse, strong enough to withstand a nuclear blast. Inside, it was equipped with advanced tech that could extract trace elements from the air to produce food, drinking water, and more.
Logan figured that, with the troubles that would surely await him once he returned, having a safehouse on hand might help him rescue his girlfriend, and give them a fighting chance.
Erik, on the other hand, had bigger ambitions. He'd originally intended to save up his points, but the current limited-time sale was too tempting. Not knowing if there would be a similar sale in the future, he decided to make a purchase as well.
He chose a pair of sunglasses, priced at 25 points after the discount.
He wasn't buying them because they'd look cool with his blindfold; these sunglasses had the effect of amplifying mental power!
For ordinary people, wearing them could boost concentration, aiding in daily study or training. But for mutants with mental abilities, they could enhance their powers, somewhat similar to the cerebral amplifier that Hank had built for Charles.
Though Erik wasn't a telepath, he wondered if his Haki abilities might benefit from the sunglasses' amplification, especially his Observation Haki. With their boost, it might even rival mind-reading or telepathy.
As the Points Store limited-time sale ended, a voice announced:
[Countdown to the end of the sale—players will be returned to their respective worlds in ten seconds. Looking forward to the next game. Wishing all players a pleasant life.]
As the countdown reached zero, the golden beams of light surrounding the four players began to shine brightly, and in an instant, they were teleported back to their original worlds.
As soon as Wanda landed, her brother Pietro rushed over, pulling her into a tight hug. "Even though we lost the game, it doesn't matter. We've seen some of the mistakes we might make, and now we can avoid them!"
The two siblings had always depended on each other. Despite being the older brother, Pietro often found himself being protected by Wanda.
Especially during their childhood—if Wanda hadn't used her powers to disarm that bomb, both of them would have died. After seeing the many futures exposed in the Quiz game, Pietro was more determined than ever: he had to protect his sister Wanda!
But their heartfelt reunion was quickly interrupted by Bruce, who approached with Captain America, Superman, Doctor Strange, and others to discuss the game with Wanda.
Wanda wiped a tear from the corner of her eye and glanced at Tony, raising her eyebrow as she spoke. "You're worried that I'll lose control, aren't you?"
Pietro immediately stepped in front of her, glaring at Bruce and the others. "If we're not welcome here, we'll leave peacefully. Don't worry—no one can stop us."
"Hey, Pietro, don't make it sound like we're about to fight each other," said Barry, trying to diffuse the tension with a grin. He even teased Pietro, "And don't forget, we still haven't settled our race."
Bruce spoke in a steady voice, "Pietro, Wanda, we trust you. You need to trust yourselves too. What's most important is that we have a lot to deal with right now, and that doesn't include restricting your freedom. Understand?"
Steve Rogers, in his usual firm manner, assured Wanda that the mess outside—whether it was from S.H.I.E.L.D. or S.W.O.R.D.—wouldn't affect things here. As long as he was around and they were united, he would do everything in his power to protect the light they stood for.
"Wanda," Tony said seriously, "I've already apologized to you before, but I'll say it again. I take responsibility for what happened because of Stark Industries' weapons. It was a mistake, but we all know that past mistakes shouldn't dictate our future."
Pietro's expression remained stoic, but Wanda smiled, her gaze showing relief. "I've come to understand that Stark Industries is just a weapons manufacturer, not the instigator of war. Even without Stark Industries, other arms companies would still produce those deadly bullets and missiles. The real issue isn't you—it's the warmongers who are always looking to start conflicts."
Her words were genuine; she had truly let go of that grudge.
In the past, she hadn't been mature enough. Her vision had been too narrow, and her obsession had been revenge on Stark Industries. But after seeing so many possible futures in the Quiz game, Wanda had indeed grown.
Hearing her words, Tony's face relaxed, and he gave her a grateful smile. "Thank you, Wanda. You're a strong woman, and I believe in you too."
Bruce raised a hand to signal everyone. "We don't have time to keep talking. Wanda, I need to ask you a question, and I hope you'll answer honestly—do you want the Darkhold?"
Before the Quiz game had ended, Bruce and Strange had discussed the Darkhold and the prophecy surrounding the Scarlet Witch. The conclusions they reached weren't good—far from it, in fact.
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