After leaving Stark Tower, Arthur didn't choose to fly back home directly. He noticed something interesting—someone was following him.
It couldn't be! He was wearing Superman's glasses, so how could anyone track him? Besides his identity as Superman, Arthur couldn't think of any reason why someone would follow him, an ordinary civilian.
Arthur turned into a small alley, planning to draw out the person behind the scenes and deal with them accordingly.
As expected, a group of individuals wearing peculiar attire surrounded Arthur, with a white male as their leader.
"Who are you? You should know what will happen if you provoke me!"
Arthur asked calmly.
The leader on the opposite side didn't speak but instead waved his hand in the air.
"Hmm?"
There was no one visible in front of Arthur, but he sensed a wave of air.
'Stealth?' The word instantly popped into Arthur's mind, and he smiled, reveling in his invisibility. He was at the level of an ancestor.
With a sudden kick towards the vibrating air,
"Boom!"
In an instant, he kicked an object, and a figure materialized out of thin air, flying backward and hitting the wall with great force, leaving a bloody mess.
"Attack!"
The people around were startled, and the leading white man immediately shouted.
Instantly, the group of people unleashed their skills. Some pulled out pistols, submachine guns, and even missiles. Some were covered in spikes, others were electrified, and some even breathed fire. There was an array of strange abilities on display.
"Whoosh!"
"Snap!"
"Boom!"
Arthur transformed into a bolt of lightning, swiftly maneuvering through the crowd, his strikes resounding with continuous thuds. When Arthur returned to his original spot, all the individuals in the group lay on the ground except for the leading white man.
"May I speak now?" Arthur smiled.
"Y-you..."
The leader was speechless with shock.
Arthur was not in the mood for pleasantries either, so he stepped forward and grabbed the man by the neck.
"Who are you? Who sent you?"
"Ahem! Let go of me, I don't know anything!" The leader spoke defiantly.
"If you don't talk, you'll meet your end!"
Arthur ruthlessly tightened his grip, snapping the man's neck.
He didn't care because he knew there were still others lurking in the shadows.
"Bravo!"
Applause echoed from a distance as a figure leisurely approached, clapping with a mix of playfulness and appreciation. This person truly understood the ferocity of Arthur.
Without hesitation, he eliminated all those who dared to oppose him. Such ruthlessness was exactly what they needed.
"Who are you? Why are there so many clowns tonight?" Arthur asked casually.
"Mr. Arthur, greetings. I am Red Devil, and I have been ordered to come and fetch you!"
The man introduced himself as he emerged from the shadows.
His red skin was striking, giving him the appearance of a devil incarnate. The name Red Devil suited him perfectly.
"Red Devil? I believe I've heard of you... Magneto sent you here!"
Arthur recalled the name after a moment's thought.
"Mr. Arthur, you indeed have knowledge about us."
"I assumed Professor X would be the one to approach me first, but I didn't expect it to be Magneto!"
"Charles is overly cautious. He was the first to discover you, but your actions against the American military made him feel you were uncontrollable. It seems he harbors doubts about your character."
"Hehe! Truly a Holy Mother who can't fight back!"
Thinking of Professor X's ridiculous notions, Arthur found it quite amusing. In this world, those with the strongest fists hold the power.
"Indeed, Charles can be quite dogmatic. We can see through his true nature. You were truly destined to be one of us!"
The Red Devil spoke with excitement.
"I have a question. How did you find me? I look completely different now!"
Arthur was puzzled.
"Mr. Arthur, your ability is flawless. We didn't notice any flaws. We were able to find you because we possess a device that can detect individuals with similar superpowers..."
"I see now!"
Arthur nodded, understanding the situation.
"So, can Mr. Arthur come with me now? Eric is waiting for you!"
"Of course, let's go see him!"
Arthur didn't plan on joining the Mutant Brotherhood but wanted to assess the strength of Magneto, the mutant leader.
Professor X and Magneto were the bipolar mutants, the
legendary level-four mutants.
Professor X possessed psychic abilities that were almost godlike in power. His telepathic powers could easily manipulate and alter the memories of individuals, turning them into loyal slaves until death.
With the aid of specific equipment, Professor X could wipe out all human beings on Earth in an instant. His telekinetic abilities could disintegrate matter at the atomic level, reducing it to ashes.
Officials regarded Professor X's mind as a weapon of extermination. His mental prowess was terrifyingly powerful, incomprehensible, and terrifying.
Magneto's ability was the control of magnetic forces, one of the four fundamental forces. His power was immense, essentially making the Earth his backyard.
The weapons developed by human society today were mere toys in the face of Magneto. Guns, missiles, even nuclear bombs—anything metal-related—were playthings in Magneto's hands.
At any moment, Magneto could manipulate the global magnetic field, causing continents to rise or triggering tsunamis that would affect the entire world. He had the power to reshape human history.
In "X-Men: Apocalypse," Magneto, enhanced by Apocalypse, did just that.
Both mutants were capable of annihilating humanity. Fortunately, Professor X and Magneto were adversaries. One belonged to the moderate faction, protecting the world and maintaining good relations with the government, while the other belonged to the hardline faction, seeking to exterminate ordinary humans and establish a mutant nation. Their constant clash maintained a precarious balance.
How did Arthur compare to them?
Although they were formidable, Arthur wasn't concerned in the least. If he were to face Professor X, his psychic abilities would be completely useless against Arthur. The system resided in Arthur's consciousness, guarding its secrets. Arthur's mind was closed off, just like Occlumency in "Harry Potter." Only someone stronger than the system could break through its defenses.
However, in the world of this story, nothing could surpass the system's strength. Thus, Professor X's psychic abilities were utterly futile—a complete failure.
Additionally, Arthur possessed thought manipulation abilities, accompanied by the Horse and Dog Charms. Wolverine's resilience was like that of a younger sibling compared to Arthur; it was useless. How could he annihilate someone like Arthur?
Furthermore, Professor X had virtually no speed. As soon as Arthur detected him, with his full power, he could reach pseudo-light speed, instantly dispatching Professor X.
Arthur was confident in his abilities as he prepared to encounter Magneto.