A/N: Sorry for the late Update.
***
Mark advanced deeper into the facility without any resistance, his body coated in blood that wasn't his. But even with the unobstructed access he had, Mark's lips were still upturned in a frown.
He had killed many, yes, but Mark doubted that Stryker would have such small numbers.
'Or are they going after Pietro and the others?' Mark thought, his frown deepening, but suddenly, he sensed something through the ki he kept active.
It was ki. But unlike anything he had encountered since entering this facility, it was bright and dense—a mutant ki, and Mark was a hundred percent sure it wasn't any of those he knew.
He instantly stood in place, getting into a fighting stance. From the other side of the hallway, rapid steps echoed, and then a man with thick, ruffled beard, wearing tattered black singlets, rushed out. Sticking out from his knuckles were three gleaming silver claws.
He lunged toward Mark like a lion pouncing on its prey, but Mark sidestepped, letting him charge past him.
The man landed on the ground, his claws digging deep to stop his momentum. He spun and lunged again, this time attacking by swiping his claws at Mark. Mark sidestepped once more, caught his wrist, and followed up with a knee strike to the stomach, but the feeling wasn't what he expected. It felt like striking an extremely strong wall.
The man let out a painful roar and attacked with his second set of claws. Mark raised his hand and blocked the attack, but the force still sent him skidding back a little.
Mark's eyes moved in shock to the hand he had used to block the attack. Three wounds had appeared—not too deep and not too shallow either.
Click!
The familiar gear-like sound echoed in the hallway, and Mark felt energy rush through his body.
The man rushed forward and thrust his claws straight, but Mark squatted, dodging the attack, then followed with an uppercut from below, sending the man flying. He traced a parabolic curve before landing on the ground and hurriedly turned, positioning himself on all four limbs.
Mark raised his fist coated with ki, and then the two fighters rushed toward each other at the same time.
Their fists clashed. The man's hand recoiled back, and Mark placed a leg forward, turned to the side, and struck the man's chest with his elbow, the force raising the man's legs off the ground millimeters apart before he shot backward, striking the wall. Mark dashed forward. Before the man involuntarily slumped to the ground, Mark's knee was already streaking toward his face.
Bang!
The man's head got embedded in the metallic wall, but he still counterattacked. His claws shot toward Mark's stomach, but Mark shifted, letting the claws scratch his side and cutting apart some of his clothes and flesh.
Click!
Mark's raised leg touched the ground, and the other one moved, striking the man on his cheek with a knee.
The man was sent skidding through the floor before he killed his momentum. Staying on all fours, he spat out a blob of blood and lunged forward again. Mark leaned back, letting the man soar above him, then his hand shot upward, catching the ankle of the man, and then—
Bam!
—violently struck him to the ground.
The man let out a painful groan and twisted his other foot, which was streaking toward Mark's face. Mark used his hand to block the attack, then slightly shifted the hand he used for blocking and caught the ankle of the second leg. Spinning him around, he struck him against the wall.
The man spat out a mouthful of blood.
Mark let go of his leg, and just as the man was about to fall, he caught his neck and smashed him to the ground. His hands glowed brightly.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
A triple explosion rang out consecutively, creating a small cloud of black smoke over the man's upper body. The man's body kept on slashing at Mark, and the wheel behind his head kept on rotating.
Seeing no more resistance from the man, Mark released his face, stood up, turned, and left. It wasn't that he didn't want to kill him, but a man with strong skin and sharp claws... Mark hadn't watched X-Men and didn't know everybody, but such a man wouldn't be hard to recognize: Wolverine.
A mutant who would later join the Xavier Academy.
As Mark left, the black smoke cleared, revealing Wolverine's face, which was missing large patches of skin, though they were slowly regenerating.
***
A friend of mine just started writing a fanfic. If you're a Fan of Danmachi during Albert era, Artoria and Frieren during Flamme era you can check the novel out.
It's Name is: Damnachi: I have Artoria Pendragon Template.
Please keep the criticism to Tee minimum🙏😉