34th Street, New York.
A majestic castle stood proudly on the side of the wide avenue. Though it wasn't as massive as the Xavier Estate, it was still awe-inspiring enough to leave any ordinary person breathless.
Unlike Xavier's modern design, this castle exuded an ancient and solemn aura, a kind of tiless weight that seed to have settled over the centuries.
"This… is the place you ntioned, Alex?"
Hank craned his neck up, eyes bulging as he took in the towering structure.
"Alex, don't tell … you're just like Charles? You've really been hiding your cards."
Raven's eyes were wide as well, completely caught off guard.
Even though this castle wasn't as big as the Xavier Mansion, owning such a grand estate in the middle of New York City said a lot. Alex clearly wasn't so average nobody.
All this ti, they'd assud he was just like them.
"Well…"
Adjusting his glasses, Hank tried to suppress the excitent creeping up on him. "Seems like soone really went overboard planting trees."
That was when Raven noticed it too.
The entire castle was practically buried under a dense canopy of greenery.
Trees—everywhere. Planted where they should be and where they shouldn't be. And not saplings, either—each one had clearly been growing for decades. Towering trunks, thick canopies...
It was like the forest had swallowed the whole estate.
"Looks like the owner really loves nature," Raven chuckled, though she couldn't help but add, "Still, don't you think it feels a bit… eerie?"
Eerie?
That was exactly the point.
Alex couldn't help but smirk inwardly.
But clearly, Raven and Hank had the wrong idea.
Alex had no intention of settling here.
He was here to subdue the vampire clan hiding within this castle.
As for actually living in this place? No thanks.
No sunlight, no sense of day or night—anyone would go stir-crazy in three days flat.
"Co on. I'll show you both sothing special."
Alex motioned to them and strode confidently toward the castle's front gate.
"I've been dying for this!" Raven's eyes sparkled with excitent.
Hank didn't say anything, but the glimr in his eyes betrayed his anticipation.
"Let give you fair warning: the ones living here... aren't human."
Alex shot them a mysterious look as he spoke.
"Not human?"
Hank blinked, then suddenly raised his voice. "You an more mutants?"
He and Raven exchanged a puzzled glance.
Did Alex know about another hidden mutant base?
"No, not exactly. Strictly speaking, they're not people at all... just a bunch of bloodsucking monsters."
Alex tilted his head in thought, then nodded at his own description.
Bloodsucking monsters?
Raven and Hank looked at each other, still struggling to make sense of what he ant.
Ding-dong!
Alex pressed the doorbell. Five minutes later, a figure erged—completely cloaked in a robe, hood drawn low, face hidden behind a black scarf.
"This is private property. Leave imdiately."
The cloaked figure didn't bother with pleasantries, cutting straight to a cold, chanical warning.
"Private property? Of course it is. It's my private property," Alex said, nodding seriously.
"…"
This guy's nuts.
The cloaked man stared at him like he was looking at a lunatic.
"Don't make repeat myself. Get lost!" he snapped, voice rising with impatience.
ZAP!
Without a word, Alex fired a heat ray straight at the man's arm.
"ARGH!"
The cloaked figure stumbled back, nearly falling over as searing pain tore through his limb.
He clutched his arm, screaming in agony.
Looking down, he was horrified to see the damage—burnt flesh, the wound still sizzling.
Worse still, his vampire healing… wasn't working.
The injury wasn't healing at all.
In fact, the wound seed to be spreading—corrupting his body from the inside out.
"Wh-What are you?!"
Fear replaced fury as the cloaked man looked up at Alex, his voice shaking.
"Since it's our first eting, I'll let that little insult slide. But next ti, I'll be aiming to punch two holes in you."
Alex's voice was calm, even bored, but the threat in his words was razor sharp.
Then he held out a ring and handed it to the vampire.
"Give this to your highest-ranking leader."
The cloaked figure didn't dare hesitate.
He took the ring with trembling fingers, though he couldn't see anything special about it.
Still, he wasn't stupid. He knew the ring must hold great significance.
And the man before him—was no ordinary visitor.
He might even be soone connected to their undead clan.
"P-Please wait here."
Still rattled, the vampire bowed and scurried off.
He'd been utterly shaken by that one attack.
"I'll give you five minutes. Any longer, and you won't like what happens next," Alex called after him, voice cool and detached.
The man flinched and quickened his pace, vanishing down the corridor.
Raven and Hank finally turned to Alex, eyes brimming with questions.
Everything—the eerie gatekeeper, Alex's attitude, the strange ring—left them utterly baffled.
"What's going on, Alex?"
Raven couldn't hold back her confusion any longer.
"Simple," Alex shrugged. "This place is ho to a clan of vampires.
Yeah, the real deal—bloodsuckers from legends and fairy tales."
Vampires?!
Both Raven and Hank stared at him, dumbfounded.
Those kinds of monsters actually existed?
This world… was seriously insane.
"Raven, Hank," Alex smiled, eyes glinting with mystery. "This world is far more thrilling than you can possibly imagine. You'll see more of it soon enough."
After all, this was the Marvel Universe.
Vampires? That's nothing.
The era of superheroes had only just begun.
Soon, the world would face Sentinel programs, Apocalypse, the D'Bari invasion…
Maybe even the arrival of the Cybertronians.
And don't forget the Kree and Skrulls.
This world—was about to plunge into utter chaos.
The age of monsters had begun.
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