MUTOSTERONE

On a remote island, far to the northeast of Edenia, the air crackled with anticipation. The ocean waves crashed violently against the island's jagged cliffs, a storm brewing in the distance as if the world itself could sense what was coming.

In the heart of this hidden fortress, a battalion of elite super soldiers stood at rigid attention. Each was a weapon in their own right—augmented by mutation and rigorous training, their bodies honed to the peak of evolution. Their uniforms, adorned with the sigil of Echelon Prime, shimmered under the flickering neon lights of the command hall.

At the front of the gathering stood Colonel Darian Volkov, the man who would lead them into history. A towering presence with silver eyes that gleamed like polished steel, Volkov possessed a mutant ability that made him nearly unstoppable—tactical foresight. He could predict the outcome of any battle before it even began, making him the perfect commander.

He took a slow step forward, his voice booming with authority. "Look at us! Look at what we've become! The next step in evolution, stronger than any human alive! And yet, they fear us. They shackle us, suppress our powers, and force us to live in the shadows like animals!"

His soldiers growled in agreement, fists clenching, eyes burning with hatred for their oppressors.

Volkov smirked, his expression dark. "For too long, the world has been ruled by the weak. But tonight, the strong will take their rightful place. Echelon Prime will deliver the truth to every mutant across Edenia, humanity is not our ally—they are our captors. And we will break free!"

A holographic display flickered to life behind him, illuminating a map of Edenia. Key locations pulsed in red—cities, military bases, and most importantly, the Hall of M. "The so-called 'arbiter' at Hall of M believe they can tame us, control us, mold us into obedient servants of the Nexus. But we will strike first. We will show them that peace is a lie. We will make the mutants of Edenia see the truth—that war is inevitable."

His eyes narrowed, his voice dropping to a deadly whisper. "And when the Capitol Patrol Guard retaliates? When Nexus fights back? The mutants will have no choice but to rise against them. The war they fear will become a reality."

A wave of excitement swept through the ranks. Some soldiers activated their abilities—sparks of lightning arced through the air, the ground trembled under seismic pulses, the scent of burning ozone filled the hall.

Volkov took a final step forward, raising his arm. "This is the beginning of the Genesis War. The day we claim our destiny. The day the old world burns and a new one rises from its ashes."

A thunderous war cry erupted from the soldiers. "Echelon Prime ascends! Humanity falls!"

As the storm raged above, the island's warships roared to life, aircraft ignited their engines.

The night was supposed to be peaceful. A rare moment of relaxation at the Hall of M, where the air was thick with the rich aroma of grilled meat and the sound of laughter echoed through the garden. The makeshift barbecue pit blazed warmly as Professor M, Barry, Seraphina, Kai, Hana, Rick, Gregor, Elias, Raven, Seren, and Solus sat around, trading stories and joking about their training.

Barry leaned back on his chair, gnawing on a piece of steak. "For once, you kids are actually tolerable," he muttered, smirking as Seraphina rolled her eyes.

Solus, stuffing his face with ribs, pointed at Seren. "Bet I can eat more than you."

Seren smirked, setting her plate down. "Bet I can pause time and steal your food before you even blink."

Professor M chuckled, shaking his head as Kai laughed so hard he nearly choked on his drink.

And then—chaos. A deafening screech ripped through the sky, drowning out their laughter. A missile, streaking with hellish fire, descended from the clouds. BOOM!

The garden erupted in a storm of fire and debris. The barbecue grill was sent flying, charred meat raining down like ash. The shockwave hurled everyone off their feet, bodies smashing against the ground as the once-peaceful evening became a warzone.

Barry snarled, rolling into a crouch as smoke and flames consumed the garden. His sharp eyes darted toward the sky—more incoming. "MOVE! NOW!"

Another explosion detonated nearby, sending a wave of burning shrapnel through the air.

Seraphina reacted first, throwing up a force field around herself and Kai, deflecting the deadly fragments.

Gregor, shaking off the shock, snarled as his mutant strength kicked in, grabbing Elias by the collar and hauling him to safety.

Solus, disoriented, fumbled to open a portal, while Seren clenched her fists, attempting to slow time to assess the situation.

Professor M coughed through the thick smoke, his eyes burning with urgency. "We're under attack! Get inside—NOW!"

But the enemy had already arrived. Through the fire and smoke, dark figures descended from the sky—super soldiers, clad in sleek, black combat suits bearing the insignia of Echelon Prime.

Their leader, a tall, armored figure with a cybernetic gauntlet humming with raw energy, stepped forward, voice crackling through his helmet. "Mutants of the Hall of M! Consider this your wake-up call! The war has begun!"

His hand shot forward, unleashing a pulse of kinetic energy that sent Rick and Gregor sprawling.

Barry bared his fangs, eyes glowing gold in the firelight. "Oh, you have no idea how badly you just fucked up."

Professor M gritted his teeth, his eyes glowing with raw psionic energy. He reached out with his mind, attempting to seize control of the attacking super soldiers. His consciousness pushed into theirs.

A sharp pain stabbed through his skull. Their minds were like iron walls, completely sealed. His telepathy—useless. Damn it— their helmets must have psionic dampeners!" he snarled.

The enemy wasted no time. They rushed forward like an unstoppable force, moving with inhuman speed and coordination.

Barry's muscles tensed. His claws extended, fur bristling, eyes flashing gold as he embraced his true form. His body expanded in an instant—bones snapping, muscles bulging, teeth sharpening into jagged fangs. "You assholes ruined my steak," Barry growled, his voice now a deep, guttural snarl. "You're paying for that."

With a beastly roar, he lunged. The first super soldier barely had time to react before Barry's claws tore through his chest plate, sending him flying into a tree. Blood splattered across the burning ground.

Gregor, standing beside him, cracked his neck. His skin hardened, turning into pure obsidian rock, veins glowing like molten lava beneath the surface. "Took you long enough, Barry," Gregor rumbled. "My turn."

He stomped forward and slammed his massive stone fist into the ground. The earth ruptured, jagged spikes of rock impaling three soldiers instantly.

Rick, his body now ablaze, threw his hands forward— twin streams of fire erupted, swallowing an entire squad of attackers. Their armor resisted the heat for a moment—then melted like wax, their screams echoing into the night.

Hana took a deep breath, her eyes glowing with blue energy. "EVERYONE, COVER YOUR EARS!"

Then she screamed. The shockwave blasted through the battlefield like a hurricane of pure force. Trees were ripped from their roots, debris launched into the air, and soldiers were flung backward, slamming into walls and crashing through windows. Some helmets cracked under the pressure, blood bursting from their ears.

Seraphina expanded her force field, shielding Kai and Seren from the destruction. Solus, panicking, opened a portal at random—a soldier charged at him, only to fall straight through it and reappear mid-air, plummeting to the ground below.

The Hall of M was engulfed in fire and chaos. Professor M, his telepathy failing, switched to another strategy. He lifted his hands, telekinetically ripping up entire sections of the battlefield, using them as projectiles.

BOOM—BOOM—BOOM!

Chunks of stone and earth slammed into the enemy, crushing them under the sheer weight of his power.

The Colonel of Echelon Prime stood tall amidst the destruction, his cybernetic gauntlet humming with energy. He watched his forces being slaughtered—then clenched his fist. "Enough."

He slammed his gauntlet into the ground—an shockwave blast surged outward. Professor M felt his power flicker. Barry stumbled, his transformation faltering for a split second. The fires around Rick died down, and even Seraphina's force field cracked.

The Colonel of Echelon Prime stepped forward, his heavy boots crunching against the charred ground. The red glow of his cybernetic gauntlet dimmed as he surveyed the battlefield—his soldiers, defeated, scattered, or burning. And yet, his expression was unreadable.

Professor M stood tall, wiping the blood from his temple. His powers had yet to fully recover, but his mind was still sharp. "You lost," Professor said, voice cold.

The Colonel chuckled. "Lost?" He glanced around at his fallen troops, then back at the Hall of M, half-destroyed but still standing. "Oh, Professor... this was never about winning."

He raised a hand, and a small drone emerged from his wrist, projecting a live feed—news channels already broadcasting footage of the battle. Cities across Edenia watched mutants unleashing their full power, leveling a battlefield that once was their peaceful sanctuary. "You see," the Colonel continued, "I don't need to defeat you. I just need the world to see what you truly are."

Professor's jaw clenched. This wasn't an attack—it was a statement. A perfectly orchestrated spectacle to turn the world against mutants.

And it almost worked. Until Seren raised her hand. A faint golden light shimmered around her, the air around her distorting as if reality itself was bending. "No," she whispered. "You don't get to decide the ending."

The Colonel froze. Everything froze. The fire, the wind, even the flickering embers hung in midair. The Colonel's eyes darted around, the only thing able to move. He understood what was happening.

"Chronomancer," he muttered.

Seren smiled innocently. "Yep."

She flicked her fingers—time shattered like glass. The Colonel and his remaining forces jerked backward as if reality had rewind itself. Their weapons vanished from their hands, their advance undone, their presence fading from the battlefield.

And then, at the very last moment—Solus stepped in. "My turn!"

He opened portals beneath each soldier, scattering them across the continent. Some landed in the middle of icy tundras, others dropped into dense jungles, a few even plunged straight into the ocean.

The last thing the Colonel saw before disappearing was Solus grinning like a little devil. "Hope you like traveling, asshole."

With a final snap of Seren's fingers—time resumed. The battlefield was silent. Professor M exhaled, brushing dust off his coat. He turned to Seren and Solus, both beaming with mischief. "You two," he said slowly, "are going to be a problem."

They just laughed. The students gathered, shaken but victorious. Barry cracked his knuckles, Gregor rolled his shoulders, and Hana groaned about her throat hurting.

Then, Professor M looked toward his students—the young mutants who just faced their first real war. "Remember this," he said, his voice steady. "Extremists—whether human or mutant—will always be a problem. They use fear to control, to divide. Today it was them. Tomorrow, it will be someone else."