AutumnXd
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CHAPTER 30
🕑 Added 2025-04-12 11:03:58 +0000 UTC"Something's not right!"
"That guy is suspicious!" The words hung in the air, charged with tension.
The Wolverine and his group snapped from their trance, instantly alert as the battle erupted before them. The familiar metallic taste of adrenaline filled Logan's mouth as his heightened senses picked up every detail of the unfolding chaos.
Their eyes were drawn to the scene like moths to flame. Brows furrowed in concerned concentration, expressions hardening with the gravity of what they witnessed.
Captain America—Steve Rogers—was a living legend whose strength and tactical brilliance had earned him respect across the superhero community. Wolverine himself had felt the crushing pressure when facing Cap in the past—those shield strikes leaving bruises that even his healing factor took time to erase. The saying that "Cap goes even with anyone" wasn't merely empty praise; it was a battlefield truth written in blood and sweat.
Yet now, inexplicably, the Star-Spangled Avenger was being forced back, his iconic shield barely deflecting the barrage of attacks from his opponent. Beads of sweat formed on Cap's forehead as he gritted his teeth with determination. Something was fundamentally wrong with this picture.
"Jean," Wolverine finally called out, his gruff voice cutting through the tense silence. His adamantium-laced fingers flexed involuntarily, itching for action. "Go help the Captain... Leave this to me. Finding the talismans is tied to the main quest. We can't afford to lose focus."
"Yes!" Jean Grey nodded with resolve, her auburn hair catching the light as she turned quickly. Telekinetic energy shimmered around her fingers as she retreated toward Cyclops, whose ruby quartz visor glinted ominously in the half-light.
Dragging things out wasn't their style—the X-Men were trained to be decisive, efficient. Wolverine knew that better than most.
"The talismans..." The word tasted strange on Wolverine's tongue, ancient and powerful.
His gaze darkened as he studied the battlefield with predatory focus. With a burst of speed that belied his muscular frame, he charged into the fray, boots pounding against the ground, each step calculated.
While Cap presented an impressive challenge, Wolverine found himself far more intrigued by this stranger who could somehow match America's finest soldier blow for blow. Who was he? What made him so formidable? The mystery set Logan's instincts on high alert.
Take out the weirdo first!
A feral glint flashed in Wolverine's eyes as he locked onto his target, muscles coiling like springs. His nostrils flared, catching the scent of his prey—a peculiar mix of ancient herbs and something... else. Something not quite human.
Snikt!
The familiar sound of adamantium sliding against bone echoed through the air as his claws erupted from his knuckles, the brief pain instantly forgotten. With practiced precision, he executed a crossing motion outward. Six razor-sharp slashes cut through the atmosphere with a whistle, leaving ionized particles in their wake.
"Unlucky! So unlucky!" The strange man cried out in frustration.
It had been challenging enough dealing with Captain America alone. The man had barely managed to hold his own through a combination of improvised projectiles and acrobatic evasion that seemed almost preternaturally lucky. His chest heaved with exertion, each breath burning in his lungs.
And now—as if things weren't dire enough—another superhuman had joined the fray!
He rolled desperately across the floor, feeling the wind displacement from Wolverine's attack passing mere centimeters from his skin. When he regained his footing, his once-immaculate clothes hung in tattered shreds around his lean frame—strips of fabric fluttering pathetically in the aftermath of the near-miss.
Being inexplicably treated as an enemy by not one but two legendary superhumans, Uncle (Dragon) felt his face turn ashen with frustration. His heart hammered against his ribcage like a trapped bird.
Especially when—
From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a small figure lurking at the staircase's edge. The recognition hit him like electric shock, sending cold sweat cascading down his back, soaking through his already ruined clothes.
"Jade?!" His voice cracked with genuine fear, not for himself but for her.
"It's dangerous here, what are you doing coming out!!" Uncle yelled with such ferocity that his vocal cords strained, the veins on his neck standing out in stark relief.
"A little girl?" Cap's attention immediately shifted, his tactical mind reassessing the entire situation.
With superhuman speed that left afterimages in his wake, he flashed across the battlefield, positioning himself before Jade as a human shield. Debris from the battle zone pelted his broad back, but he didn't flinch, the red, white, and blue of his uniform standing in stark contrast to the dust and chaos surrounding them.
Protecting the innocent wasn't just Captain America's job—it was the core of Steve Rogers' very being, hardwired into every cell of his enhanced body. The transition from battle-hardened warrior to protective guardian happened without conscious thought.
And just then—
System notifications began chiming in rapid succession, the digital sound cutting through the momentary stillness like bell-clear crystal.
[Ding——]
[Critical node encountered: Dragon Group – Faction Choice Triggered!]
[Positive Chi! Join Uncle's side. Collect the 12 Talismans to reseal darkness and restore the balance of good and evil.]
[Dark Chi! Join Shendu's side. Collect the 12 Talismans to help Shendu break free from his seal and return the magical emperor to world domination.]
[Choose your faction!]
[Positive Chi / Dark Chi]
"Good? Evil?" Cap scratched his head, the leather of his glove rasping against his cowl. His bright blue eyes narrowed in thought.
Though the metaphysical conflict between these two sides remained somewhat obscure to him, Steve Rogers had never been one to hesitate when morality was at stake. With the same unwavering conviction that had led him to volunteer for the Super Soldier program all those decades ago, he decisively chose Positive Chi!
He—
Was a partner of justice, a beacon in dark times!
There wasn't a scenario in any universe where Steve Rogers would align himself with something called "Dark Chi"—the very name reeked of malevolence, of the kind of power that corrupted everything it touched. He'd faced too many HYDRA agents and seen too many good people fall to darkness to make any other choice.
The moment his decision crystallized in his mind—
Another notification manifested, the sound somehow both satisfying and ominous.
[Ding——]
[Side quest: Good/Evil Choice – Completed]
[Reward: 500 Points]
[Attention!]
[Only the faction that achieves final victory will receive main quest rewards.]
[Note 1: Faction choice is irreversible.]
[Note 2: The 12 Talismans hold immense power. Collecting them will strengthen your faction and increase chances of victory. Individual rewards will be distributed based on the number of talismans collected.]
[Positive Chi: 0/12]
[Dark Chi: 0/12]
[Personal Collection: None]
"Tch..."
"Five hundred points?!" Wolverine sucked in a sharp breath, the scent of battle still filling his enhanced senses.
The significance wasn't lost on him. Back at Avengers Tower, Tony Stark and Natasha Romanoff had been grinding through mission after mission, risking life and limb for points that could be exchanged for T-Virus upgrades—technological enhancements that could mean the difference between victory and defeat in critical moments.
And Cap had just earned a substantial sum by making what appeared to be the obvious moral choice. The injustice of it made Logan's blood simmer.
However...
Even faced with such a seemingly free reward, Wolverine found himself hesitating, claws still extended as he weighed his options.
"Faction choice..." he muttered under his breath, the words barely audible over the sounds of destruction around them.
From the system's explanation, this was clearly a pivotal decision point, one that would echo throughout the remainder of their mission. Choosing wrongly now could render all previous efforts meaningless—wasted time, wasted blood.
Only—
The winning side would reap the rewards!
The losers would be left with nothing but regrets and missed opportunities.
In other words—
To claim the system's main rewards and accomplish what he'd set out to do, Wolverine had to align himself with the faction that would ultimately triumph.
If he didn't—
No matter how many talismans he personally collected, he'd ultimately be nothing more than an unwitting pawn advancing someone else's agenda. The thought made his stomach turn.
Casting an analytical eye over Uncle and the small girl called Jade, Wolverine couldn't help but assess their combat potential. The Positive Chi faction appeared, at first glance, to be woefully outmatched against whatever dark forces they opposed. Did they truly have what it took to emerge victorious? Logan couldn't afford to make a decision based solely on moral grounds.
As someone carrying the hopes and futures of mutantkind on his shoulders—
This choice demanded more consideration than the black-and-white morality that guided Cap's decision-making. The weight of responsibility pressed down on him like a physical force.
While Wolverine remained locked in this internal struggle, Jade finally stepped down from the staircase, each footfall deliberate and fearless despite her small stature.
"Hmph! Of course I'm here to save you!" Her young voice rang with conviction that belied her years.
"How dare you bullies pick on Uncle! Let me show you Jade's power!"
Jade puffed up with pride, her slight frame somehow appearing larger as she raised her right hand with ceremonial precision. In her small palm rested a stone talisman that pulsed with ancient energy, casting eerie shadows across her determined face.
At the center of the talisman was an intricate engraving—stylized yet unmistakable in its resemblance to a mouse. The carved lines seemed to shift and move when viewed from different angles, as though the symbol itself possessed life.
"Mouse Talisman?!" Cap and Wolverine exclaimed simultaneously, their voices overlapping in surprise.
The symbol's meaning clicked instantly for both heroes—this was no coincidence.
"We found a mission clue?!" Wolverine's eyes widened, reflecting the talisman's glow as his tactical mind rapidly recalculated. He sprang into motion, muscles coiling for action!
Compared to the 500 points Cap had earned, the Mouse Talisman clearly represented far greater value—it was potentially the key to unlocking the entire main quest! The collector in Logan couldn't resist its pull.
Unfortunately...
His reaction came a heartbeat too late!
Jade had already channeled the talisman's mysterious energy into the plush toy positioned beside her. The power transfer was visible—golden chi flowing like liquid light from the stone into the stuffed animal.
"Yo yo~"
"Moose attack!!"
"Super Moose, chargeee~" Jade commanded with the confidence of a seasoned general.
The crudely stitched plush toy—its fabric worn from years of loving handling—shuddered and then rose into the air with impossible buoyancy. Its button eyes gleamed with newfound awareness, threads re-stitching themselves where they had come loose. It had transcended from object to entity.
This was the self-proclaimed defender of children's justice—Super Moose!
The animated toy moved with surprising grace, its comical appearance belying deadly effectiveness. It charged through the air, fabric limbs swinging with cartoonish exaggeration—yet when those plush fists connected, they delivered impact like reinforced steel.
The moose darted about the room with aerobatic precision, its flight pattern erratic enough to confound even enhanced reflexes. Had they been battling in an open field rather than the confined indoor space, its aerial advantage would have been even more pronounced.
Only after several exchanges did Wolverine begin to adapt to the creature's attack patterns. Though formidable in raw power, the moose fought with predictable combinations—powerful but ultimately straightforward. Once Logan identified the pattern, the tide gradually turned in his favor.
"Now's my chance!" Wolverine growled, muscles tensing as he spotted an opening in the plush defender's guard.
Slash—
His adamantium claws sliced through the air with surgical precision, meeting minimal resistance as they tore through the stuffed animal's fabric belly. Instead of cotton stuffing, a shower of colorful candies erupted from the wound, clattering against the floor like sweet, sugary hail.
Super Moose had been eviscerated—its magical innards spilled for all to see!
"Oh nooo~" The toy's voice was surreal, high-pitched yet melancholy.
"My tummy's full of candy!" Super Moose lamented as it drifted downward, landing beside Jade with a soft thump. Its head lolled to one side in a theatrical death pose before the magical animation faded entirely.
Once the chi energy dissipated, the briefly sentient Super Moose reverted to its original state—just another lifeless toy, now damaged beyond easy repair.
Clutching the ruined plush to her chest, Jade's expression transformed from shock to righteous fury. Her small fingers trembled, not with fear but with barely contained rage. Her eyes narrowed to dangerous slits—the consequences of destroying her beloved companion would be dire!
If Super Moose wasn't enough to teach these heroes a lesson...
Then—
What if she brought that one to life instead?!
A knowing smile curved Jade's lips as blinding white light once again bloomed from her palm, washing the room in supernatural radiance that cast long, ominous shadows across the walls...
