On the top floor of the Umbrella building in New York~
Seeing the performance of the Sentinel robots and Emil, Adam quickly took out his notebook.
"Next research focus: flight capabilities."
"The Sentinels need enhanced defense."
As he continued jotting down notes, Luna once again pushed open the door.
"Boss, General Ross just called. He wants to know if you need a spot in one of the bunkers?"
"Bunkers? They're moving quickly, already considering escape routes? Or have they decided to go down fighting?"
Luna shook her head, worry filling her eyes.
"I'm not sure, but he wanted to tell you that all the dormant nuclear warheads worldwide have been activated. The total is around ten thousand."
Hearing this, Adam shook his head.
"A bunch of lunatics."
After a mont's thought, he added, "Tell him, no thanks. This world... it won't end. Not if I have anything to say about it."
.......
A hundred ters above Cairo~
Tony, Lorna, and Erik continued to attack Apocalypse.
*Whoosh!*
Suddenly, a glint flashed in Erik's eyes. Hidden among the torrent of tal, an unusual tallic staff shot toward Apocalypse. At first, he didn't notice it, not until it breached his outer defensive layer and pierced his abdon.
Apocalypse, touching the blood on his wound, showed a hint of interest.
"Not bad. At last, a mortal makes take things seriously."
With those words, he stretched out his hands, releasing an overwhelming surge of energy. Instantly, Tony, Erik, and Lorna felt intense pressure, unable to continue their assault.
"Argh!" Tony's palm cannon couldn't reach beyond half a ter from his hand, his body surrounded by a terrifying energy.
Without his Adamantium armor, he might have been reduced to dust by now.
Erik and Lorna could only stand back-to-back, continually manipulating nearby tal to shield them from the overwhelming force.
"Father, I can't hold on much longer. Let's go back to the ground," Lorna said.
Erik nodded. "Let's move."
The two descended to the ground in sync, but even there, with the diminishing tal around them, their situation grew increasingly dire.
Nick noticed their struggle and quickly ordered backup.
"Hulk, Blonsky, get over there and help!"
Despite his hesitation, Hulk leaped forward, positioning himself in front of Erik and Lorna, alleviating so of their pressure.
Blonsky, after a mont's reluctance, finally ran over to assist as well. Logan and Victor followed close behind.
"Aargh!"
The intense energy instantly peeled the skin from their bodies, but thanks to their healing factors, they quickly regenerated, though the process caused them excruciating pain.
Seeing others shield her, Lorna turned to Erik.
"Father, the tal here isn't enough. I need to draw from the planetary reserves."
"Do what you need to; I'll hold on."
With that, Lorna knelt down, placing her hands on the ground. Channeling her magnetic field, she began to extract large quantities of tal from the core of Earth.
With the added resources, they were finally able to withstand Apocalypse's attacks, though it still wasn't enough to defeat him—they remained on the defensive.
Apocalypse increased his energy output once more, worsening Erik and Lorna's situation.
Then, spotting distant S.H.I.E.L.D. agents firing at him, he casually waved his hand. An imnse wave of energy erupted, instantly turning many of them to ashes.
In an instant, Apocalypse single-handedly overpowered the makeshift team Nick had managed to assemble.
anwhile, unnoticed by anyone, Jean stealthily approached Charles.
"Professor, are you alright?"
Charles, sitting in his wheelchair, gazed at Apocalypse in the sky, despair clouding his face.
"He's .....too strong. At this rate, we're all going to die."
Jean's expression darkened.
"I'm sorry. I'm powerless against him. We should retreat."
"No, only you can save us now."
Charles reached out, taking Jean's hand, looking at her with earnest eyes.
He rembered, twenty years ago, the first ti he t Jean, her formidable psychic power, which had made him feel both helpless and overwheld.
Although he'd managed to seal her dark persona with her cooperation, only by releasing that power now could they hope to defeat Apocalypse.
Yet he feared that if he did so, he might never be able to re-seal her again. Would Apocalypse's fall only lead to the rise of a new 'Apocalypse'?
"Aargh!"
"Help!"
"No!"
With Apocalypse's relentless assault, more S.H.I.E.L.D. agents began to fall. Tony, now forced to the ground, could barely resist, his armor shedding layer by layer. Even with Adamantium plating, his suit wouldn't hold for long.
Lorna, bolstered by Earth's tals, still could only defend. With Apocalypse's attacks growing stronger, her and Erik's defeat seed inevitable.
Logan, Victor, Hulk, and Blonsky could endure with their enhanced healing and defenses, but grounded as they were, they posed no threat to Apocalypse.
Seeing his companions' desperate struggle and the mounting deaths, Charles made a difficult decision.
"Jean, listen to . Inside you is imnse power. You need to believe in yourself."
Jean shook her head instinctively.
"No, Professor. I'm no match for him."
"Jean, trust . Trust yourself."
With that, he placed his hand on her forehead. As his psychic energy flowed in, the ntal barriers within her mind began to loosen.
"Aargh!"
Jean clutched her head in pain.
"Stop, Professor, it hurts!"
"Jean, don't resist. You have to release the power within you. Only you can stop him!"
Gradually, as Charles encouraged her, Jean's resistance waned, and a crimson energy began to erge from her.
A phoenix-like cry resonated within everyone's mind.
Apocalypse halted his assault, his expression uncertain as he looked toward the woman below.
"This energy... so powerful..."
Charles, anwhile, rolled his wheelchair back, encouraging her.
"Yes, that's it, Jean... release it. Only you can save the world."
__________________
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