When War Machine saw Colossus and Iceman approaching, he immediately flew toward them, relief in his voice.
"Did Nick send you to reinforce us? What about the soldiers trapped in the city?"
Colossus, his massive body gleaming like polished steel, replied in his deep, calm voice, "They're retreating under the Captain's command. Wolverine and I came ahead to hunt down the Scarlet Witch. If we can locate her, we'll open the skies for our air units. Once that happens, this battle will turn in our favor."
Iceman extended both arms, releasing twin streams of frigid mist. Within seconds, the incoming wave of zombies froze solid, their grotesque bodies turned into crystal statues. He blew playfully across his fingers, grinning with boyish arrogance. "We ran into a few minor inconveniences on the way here—but nothing we couldn't handle."
Following Iceman's gaze, War Machine turned around—and froze. Behind them stood a towering ice sculpture, easily several stories tall. Trapped within the transparent frost was a sand giant, its enormous fist suspended mid-swing, forever frozen in place.
War Machine whistled low. "Well… looks like I can finally take a breather."
Seeing the X-Men in action reminded him just how terrifying mutant powers could be—abilities that ignored the laws of physics, unlike the limited tools of human technology.
But Wolverine wasn't so relaxed. His animal instincts suddenly flared—every sense screaming danger. Without hesitation, he lunged toward what appeared to be an empty alleyway and slashed downward with both claws.
SNIKT!
The adamantium talons sliced through the concrete wall like butter, carving it into a dozen neat chunks. As the debris fell away, a lone figure stood behind it—calm, poised, and waiting.
It was Marcus himself.
His twin electro-blades crackled with blue-white lightning, casting sharp shadows through the dense fog.
Wolverine narrowed his eyes and smirked faintly. "Well, well. Don't tell me you're lost, kid."
Before Marcus could respond, War Machine stiffened in recognition. "Wait—you're him, aren't you? The one who raided the Island Prison? The scientist from A.I.M. who wiped out an entire facility?"
Marcus tilted his head slightly, expression unreadable. "I've had a few… associates over the years. None of that concerns you."
He activated his blades fully. Lightning coiled and snapped around the twin weapons, their glow cutting through the mist like twin suns.
Stealth was no longer an option. If Wolverine's heightened senses could find him this easily, there was no point in hiding. He'd end this here—quickly and decisively.
In his earpiece, Winter Soldier's voice came through, tense and urgent.
"Commander, the enemy's deployed multiple heroes across all fronts. We're under heavy pressure—central and southern sectors are collapsing. We can't spare any reinforcements for your position."
Marcus replied calmly, "Don't worry. I'm not that easy to kill."
War Machine, meanwhile, raised his arm to call for backup—but Wolverine stopped him with a curt wave. "Forget it. You think anyone else has time to babysit us right now?"
He was right. Their duel was just one skirmish among hundreds raging across the city.
A heartbeat later, Marcus's electrified blade clashed against Wolverine's adamantium claws, sending a cascade of golden sparks through the fog. The screech of metal against metal rang like thunder. In that split second of light, their faces were illuminated—Marcus's expression cold and precise, Wolverine's feral grin full of defiance.
"RAAAAH!" Wolverine roared, pressing both claws down against Marcus's crossed blades, trying to overpower him through sheer brute strength. But the twin swords held firm—unyielding, immovable, like a wall of iron.
Seeing an opening, Colossus charged forward, his footsteps shaking the street with every stride. His steel-plated body gleamed in the fiery haze as he drew back a massive fist. "Stand down, comrade!" he shouted, hurling a blow that could have shattered a tank.
Marcus shifted to block, drawing his second blade to parry—but Iceman moved at the same instant, extending his arm. A freezing blast erupted from his palm, encasing Marcus's right side in solid ice before he could fully react.
For a split second, his movement slowed. It was all the opening Colossus needed. His colossal fist descended like a meteor—
—only to stop halfway.
A crimson light erupted from within Marcus's frozen body.
The ice melted instantly—not into water, but into vapor—as blood-red flames burst from every inch of his skin. The air rippled with heat as he stepped free of the evaporating frost, the flames coiling around his body like living serpents.
The Bloodflame surged down his arms and onto his blades, merging with the electrical current in a violent storm of red and white light.
"Bloodflame Technique—Thermal Edge!"
Marcus swung his sword upward, the motion a blur. Colossus's steel-plated fist met the searing blade—and the impossible happened.
Even metal that could withstand artillery began to soften. The blade's heat was so intense it bent the air itself, slicing through molecules like paper.
"Peter, move!" War Machine roared. He kicked his thrusters into overdrive, slamming into Colossus from the side and knocking him clear. The sword missed his arm by inches—but Marcus's counterstrike still grazed War Machine's armor, leaving a long, diagonal gash from shoulder to waist. Sparks flew as his internal systems screamed warnings.
Pain seared across his ribs. The blade had barely broken the skin—but it burned like acid.
With both Colossus and War Machine momentarily down, Marcus turned his gaze back to Wolverine.
Lightning and flame surged together, the power radiating from his twin blades casting a harsh glow through the smog.
He lunged.
Wolverine didn't dodge. Instead, he met the descending strike head-on, ramming his forehead into the electrified blade with a growl.
The impact sent blood spraying through the air. Marcus's sword bit barely two centimeters into Wolverine's skull before stopping dead against the unbreakable adamantium beneath.
Wolverine's boots sank half a foot into the asphalt from the force, yet he didn't retreat. He pushed forward, eyes blazing with fury, blood running freely down his face. His body trembled, but his healing factor was already trying to seal the wound—though the carbon-steel blade in Marcus's hand was suppressing it.
Even so, Wolverine's cells refused to die. His body fought back, regenerating faster than the suppression could act.
Marcus's brows furrowed.
'So that's the power of his healing factor… monstrous.'
He tightened his grip and unleashed his full energy.
"Burn."
A torrent of blood-red flame engulfed Wolverine completely, incinerating flesh and sinew alike. His body was consumed in a storm of living fire, reduced to ash in seconds—yet Marcus could still feel the faint pulse of life within the flames.