Before the power of Judgement Cut End with its space-severing capability, all beings stood as equals—equally vulnerable.
Without exertion, Richard dispatched the foremost Sentinel with a single Judgement Cut End. Though he couldn't confirm whether these Sentinels had undergone upgrades, he knew with absolute certainty they couldn't withstand his signature technique.
Compared to three months prior, both the destructive power and range of his Judgement Cut End had improved significantly. More importantly, he could now execute FS Judgement Cut End.
FS Judgement Cut End—essentially the Perfect Judgement Cut End—presented greater challenges than the standard version. It required preliminary charging and precise timing for optimal release. Though more difficult to execute, its power vastly exceeded the regular Judgement Cut End.
In gaming terms, the FS Judgement Cut End delivered triple the damage of its standard counterpart.
Beyond raw power, mastering FS Judgement Cut End granted an additional benefit: the capacity for "Continuous Judgement Cut End"—linking three FS Judgement Cut Endes with regular ones in devastating combination.
Though neither FS Judgement Cut End nor Continuous Judgement Cut End appeared in the system's skill roster and couldn't be enhanced through traditional proficiency increases, Richard had mastered both through rigorous practice.
With the exception of the ultimate form—the most powerful and visually spectacular Judgement Cut End: Absolute—which remained beyond his current capabilities, Richard could perform all other variants with flawless execution.
Sentinel Control Room
As Richard reduced the power-activated Sentinel to scattered fragments, the monitoring staff's expressions darkened to match their grim situation.
Richard remained unaware that these six Sentinels had been specifically programmed to counter him.
To prevent another systems failure like the Los Angeles branch incident, the Department had implemented special modifications to these six units.
First, they removed the capability to replicate Richard's powers—a feature that had previously led to catastrophic failure.
Second, they pre-programmed several different powers into each Sentinel, allowing the robots to select appropriate abilities based on tactical assessment.
Finally, their operational parameters specified restraining Richard rather than eliminating him—working in tandem to immobilize him long enough for mutant agents to deliver the killing blow.
Manufacturing Sentinels consumed substantial resources, but they remained mass-producible assets.
Better to sacrifice Sentinels in containing Richard than risk irreplaceable mutant operatives. Under different circumstances, the Department would never deploy their "natural enemies of mutants" for such tasks, but necessity dictated their choice.
If Richard could be restrained long enough for agents to neutralize him, sacrificing six Sentinels—or even sixty—would represent an acceptable exchange for the Department.
Unfortunately, the Department had drastically overestimated the Sentinels' capabilities.
Even with extensive preparations, these six units could neither contain Richard nor create openings for their human counterparts to exploit.
"What power did he just use?"
"How can anything be that destructive?"
"This was supposed to be Colossus-level carbon steel—nearly as durable as adamantium or vibranium!"
The monitoring staff stared at their displays in shock. Though they couldn't identify Richard's Judgement Cut End technique by name, one reality became painfully clear: their containment strategy had failed before implementation.
They had believed Colossus-based metallurgical powers would enable the Sentinels to withstand Richard's attacks. Their calculations had proven catastrophically incorrect.
Unlike the panicking staff, Richard maintained perfect composure. He would have been genuinely surprised if even his level-three Judgement Cut End couldn't reduce a Sentinel to fragments.
After briefly examining the wreckage—which had reverted from silver-white to standard black—he immediately locked onto the second Sentinel.
Judgement Cut End!
The remaining five Sentinels survived less than a minute before meeting the same fate as the first. Though they launched counterattacks—energy beams from optical sensors and chest-mounted emitters—the overwhelming power differential rendered their efforts meaningless.
The Sentinels' resistance purchased nothing beyond a few inconsequential seconds, failing to inconvenience Richard in any measurable way.
After systematically destroying each Sentinel, Richard turned his attention to the helmet-wearing mutant agents. Like their robotic counterparts, these operatives fought with desperate intensity.
Their resistance not only failed to threaten Richard but provided him the opportunity to eliminate them methodically, one after another.
As minutes passed, the helmeted agents who had persisted for approximately three minutes joined their colleagues in death.
With all eighteen helmet-wearing agents neutralized, Richard activated his plunder ability.
[New abilities acquired: 22 (16 at beta level)!]
[Same type abilities obtained, ability fusion in progress!]
[Abilities of the same type enhanced!]
[X-gene Mutant list updated!]
[X-Gene Mutant powers: 13 Alpha, 38 Beta, 6 Delta]
Seeing no change in his Alpha-level mutant power count, Richard closed the information panel without bothering to review his newly acquired Beta-level abilities.
Telepathy!
With his newly upgraded Alpha-level telepathy, Richard extended his awareness throughout the Department headquarters, encompassing every remaining individual within the complex.
Mind Obliteration!
In an instant, as the psychic technique executed, the massive headquarters fell silent—Richard became the sole living entity within.
With methodical efficiency complete, he flew to the half-demolished headquarters building and seated himself casually on the smooth, flat edge of the severed structure. With an almost theatrical gesture, he embedded the Masamune in the concrete beside him.
Though he had eliminated everyone present at headquarters, Richard knew his victims didn't include the Department's highest-ranking officials: the Minister, Deputy Minister, and Director of Operations.
All three were formidable Alpha-level mutants in their own right.
During periods of idle curiosity, Richard had researched their profiles on the dark web:
Griffin Todd, Minister of Mutant Affairs—mutant powers: Crush and flight.
Winston Lambert, Deputy Minister—mutant power: Energy manipulation.
Pasco Mayor, Operations Director—mutantpower: Demonization.
These three rarely engaged in direct action. Even with substantial payment, the dark web offered only rudimentary information on their capabilities.
Despite limited intelligence, they unquestionably represented the Department's elite combat assets.
Their existence explained why even Magneto had refrained from direct assault on the headquarters. Otherwise, given Magneto's temperament, he would have led an attack against the Department long ago.
Settled at the edge of the bisected building, Richard opened his attribute panel and leisurely browsed his Beta and Delta-level mutantpowers.
Outside the Department headquarters, Washington DC police gathered in significant numbers.
Though present in force, these officers established a perimeter rather than entering the complex—awaiting the arrival of SHIELD agents.
SHIELD Triskelion Headquarters
Director's Office
The office contained not only Nick Fury, Captain America, Black Widow, Hawkeye, and Banner, but also Griffin Todd and his Department colleagues.
The Department officials hadn't anticipated Richard's attack—they had come specifically to coordinate with Fury about the joint capture operation.
Never could they have imagined that minutes after arriving at SHIELD, Richard would launch his assault on their headquarters.
They sat grimly on the office sofas, watching drone footage with stony expressions.
When Richard had cleaved the headquarters in two, SHIELD had immediately deployed surveillance drones. Though they hadn't captured his destruction of the Sentinels, they had recorded his elimination of the final eighteen agents.
As they watched Richard settle casually on the edge of the half-demolished building, Fury addressed the Minister of Mutant Affairs:
"Minister Todd, you've seen the situation firsthand."
"Richard Wesley is considerably more powerful than our initial assessments suggested. The capture plan you proposed appears unworkable. Does the Department have contingency measures?"
Contingency measures? Even if I had them, do I have the personnel to execute them?
Griffin Todd maintained his stoic expression despite his internal frustration.
Though Richard had only eliminated staff present at headquarters—not agents on leave or field assignments—summoning these survivors would prove futile. The drone footage had conclusively demonstrated that ordinary agents couldn't withstand Richard's power, let alone capture or neutralize him.
"Is Director Fury suggesting we abandon the capture operation?" Todd finally responded after several seconds of silence.
"Not at all," Fury replied evenly. "I'm simply inquiring about potential alternatives. If none exist, we need to develop a new approach."
Though they had long recognized Richard's exceptional abilities, neither Fury nor the Department officials had anticipated such devastating power.
Six specially modified Sentinels plus nearly two hundred mutant agents—all eliminated in under five minutes.
Watching Richard effortlessly slaughter the Department's forces, an unsettling thought entered Fury's mind: Could he actually be an Omega-level mutant?
While no evidence confirmed Omega status, Richard's demonstrated capabilities far exceeded typical Alpha-level parameters.
"How long would Director Fury require to develop this new approach?" Todd asked coldly. "A month? Perhaps a year?"
Fury's diplomatic language hadn't concealed his intent. Even Banner, unfamiliar with bureaucratic subtleties, recognized the implication.
Without awaiting Fury's response, Todd continued, "Since SHIELD requires time to formulate a new strategy, we won't impose further."
"I will personally lead Deputy Minister Winston and Operation Director Pasco to apprehend Richard Wesley."
As Todd rose to depart with his colleagues, Fury interjected.
"Minister Todd, you've misunderstood my meaning."
"Captain Rogers, assemble the special forces team and accompany Minister Todd's group to capture Wesley."
Rogers immediately stood. "I'll notify the team to deploy."
As Rogers moved toward the door, Natasha frowned thoughtfully. "I have a suggestion, if I may."
"What suggestion?" Todd asked sharply, turning toward her.
"The situation has escalated to this point fundamentally because of his father's arrest," Natasha said carefully.
"If Minister Todd were willing to release Wesley's father and rescind the warrant, Richard might cease his attacks against the Department."
"I understand this approach might appear as capitulation—suggesting the Department can only beg for mercy."
"However, given current circumstances, this represents the most viable path to resolving the crisis."
"Should conflict continue, considering Richard's demonstrated capabilities, the Department will inevitably suffer further losses."
Todd had expected tactical recommendations for Wesley's capture.
Instead, Natasha proposed releasing Richard's father and withdrawing the warrant.
Had Natasha been a Department agent, Todd would have immediately charged her with treason and ordered her detention.
Unfortunately for his temper, Natasha served SHIELD, not the Department.
Containing his rage, Todd responded with cutting sarcasm:
"So the legendary Black Widow, when confronting a formidable opponent, advocates surrender as her first strategy?"
"This is truly educational."
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