Richard leaned back against the sofa and carefully reviewed the descriptions of the seven newly acquired abilities.
[Super Vision: Telescopic Vision and X-Ray Vision]
[Attack Transfer: Redirect incoming attacks to another direction, causing them to miss or deflect]
[Air Bullet: Compress air into projectiles with power and velocity comparable to assault rifle rounds; capable of continuous fire]
[Invisibility: Optical invisibility]
[Illusion Creation: Use mental power to induce hallucinations in a target]
[Mental Whip: Directly strike a target's mind, causing intense psychological pain accompanied by physical shock-like sensations]
[Hypnotic Suggestion: Implant subconscious commands or induce hypnosis so the target unconsciously follows your arrangements]
…
As always, the system's explanations were concise to the point of minimalism.
That was enough.
From experience, Richard didn't need lengthy breakdowns to understand value. He evaluated them in sequence.
First, all seven were Beta-tier abilities. That alone meant solid baseline utility.
Second, each one was situationally powerful. None were flashy Alpha-tier dominators, but in the right context, several could decide a battle instantly.
Third—and most interesting—three of the seven belonged to the mental domain.
Before tonight, he already possessed Mind Isolation and Mind Charm. Now, with Illusion Creation, Mental Whip, and Hypnotic Suggestion added, he held five mental-type abilities.
On paper, that looked impressive.
In reality, it was nowhere near enough to rival Professor X. Even compared to the White Queen, the gap remained significant.
But that didn't concern him.
Plunder was cumulative.
He didn't need to be stronger than Charles Xavier today. He only needed to continue acquiring abilities.
His intuition told him something else as well. Once he gathered a few more high-quality mental powers, fusion would likely occur. Isolation, charm, illusions, suggestion—these felt like fragmented aspects of a greater whole.
Eventually, they would integrate into a unified, higher-order psychic force.
That was not confirmed by the system.
It was instinct.
And Richard trusted his instincts.
After closing the ability panel, he opened the mission interface.
[Mission "Devil's Son (II)" completed.]
[Reward delivered: Phantom Sword.]
[New Weapon Acquired: Phantom Sword.]
[Phantom Sword: A magical blade derived from Vergil. Both weapon and skill.]
Short description. Predictable.
He didn't need more.
Unlike Dante, Vergil favored blades over firearms. The Phantom Sword had been his primary ranged tool—summoned through magic, launched like a flying blade.
Though shaped like a sword, it was rarely used for conventional close combat. Instead, it was deployed in volleys, formations, and precise long-distance strikes.
Beyond raw offense, it also possessed unique effects.
Binding.
Teleportation.
When the Phantom Sword struck a target, he could choose to teleport to the sword—or forcibly relocate the target to himself.
It functioned somewhat like a reverse-mark teleportation technique. Unlike Flash, it required a carrier: the blade itself.
The system categorized it as a weapon rather than dividing it into multiple skills. For Richard, that was advantageous.
It meant output scaling depended entirely on magic expenditure.
He could adjust power, speed, and quantity freely.
Without hesitation, he dismissed the panel and focused.
Magic stirred within him.
Azure light condensed in his palm.
A blade over one meter long materialized, translucent and radiant, humming faintly with contained power.
He studied it for a second.
Perfect.
He stood and tested the balance.
Though conjured from magic rather than forged steel, it felt solid. The weight was different from the authentic blade he carried—lighter, but stable.
He swung once.
Then twice.
The movement was smooth.
Vergil had primarily used it for ranged offense. Richard saw no reason to limit himself. A sword was a sword. Even if its cutting force wasn't equal to his authentic blade, it exceeded ordinary steel.
The only adjustment required was reach.
The Phantom Sword was shorter.
He practiced footwork in the living room, recalibrating spacing and distance.
Within minutes, the difference became negligible.
That wasn't enough.
Mastery required environment.
Flash.
He left the house and reappeared in a small park a few kilometers away.
The park was unremarkable—trees, benches, dim path lighting. At this hour, it was empty.
Perfect.
He focused on a large tree roughly seventy meters away.
Without dramatic motion, he flicked his wrist.
The Phantom Sword launched.
Whoosh.
It sliced through the air like a blue laser, leaving a fleeting streak of light in its wake.
In an instant, it pierced the tree trunk cleanly.
The blade did not stop.
It continued forward, punching through the first trunk and embedding itself deep into another tree several dozen meters beyond.
Half the blade vanished into wood.
Richard activated the teleportation effect immediately.
Space shifted.
He appeared in front of the second tree, exactly where the Phantom Sword was embedded.
At first glance, it resembled Flash.
But it felt different.
The Phantom Sword teleportation had no pre-activation delay. The moment the intent formed in his mind, relocation occurred.
Flash, by comparison, had a minimal initiation window—a fraction of a second. Insignificant in ordinary scenarios.
Potentially fatal in extreme-speed combat.
He had exploited that same delay when killing Inesa in the restaurant parking lot.
Against an opponent who could perceive that micro-window, Flash was not flawless.
The Phantom Sword corrected that weakness—at least when properly positioned.
Richard withdrew the blade and continued testing.
He launched it at varying distances.
He experimented with short-range teleports and long-range throws.
He tested rapid recall and consecutive deployment.
Being able to use an ability was not the same as integrating it into combat instinct.
He practiced until movement became reflex.
Because starting tomorrow, escalation was inevitable.
Tonight had elevated him. Tomorrow would place him near the top of the Department's most-wanted hierarchy—second only to Magneto.
While Richard trained in the quiet park under dim streetlights, other forces were already moving.
High above the eastern sky, the X-Men's Blackbird cut through the night at maximum speed, heading toward Los Angeles.
Inside were Cyclops and Storm.
Elsewhere, Mystique and several members of the Brotherhood were also en route.
The hunt had begun from both sides.
.....
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