Volume 9: Fate of Destiny Chapter 33: The Life of Madeline the Tool
The Phoenix Fire burns everything, and the annihilation field destroys stars. Although the Black Phoenix is temporarily suppressed, the black flames that continue to jump out of Madeline Prior's body still cling to the surroundings and continue to erode. This is the most intuitive system of the power of creation.
Before the individual carrying this out-of-control power is burned out, it will return the unbalanced world to the flame ignited for the future, recycle the energy and spread the warm ashes across the entire dark starry sea.
The runaway power of the Phoenix is infecting the very foundation of this base world filled with ruins. The sinkhole that is sinking downwards has penetrated the mantle layer. The dark flames are like a vein of destruction that continues on the planet. When it erodes to the core of the earth, only one powerful shock is needed to completely destroy the entire world.
This is also the "self-help" plan that Mason is promoting.
At this time, there are still six minutes before the global neutron extinction, and the captain can be sure that neutron extinction is only the "gentlest" of all the treatments that Old A has left for him.
"Warning! Data contamination! Warning!"
As Madeline and Gollum hugged each other goodbye, a sharp prompt sound came from the power armor on Mason who had retreated to the side. This meant that the Heart of the Star Emperor, which had become increasingly active in the fight against the Phoenix Force, was infusing power into the power armor and was also beginning to infect the AI of the armor.
The captain immediately decided to format all databases and ordered the AI to self-destruct.
He didn't want to see what the main power armor of the universe would look like when it rebelled. As deadly as this power armor was in his hands, it would be just as troublesome when it became an enemy.
"Snap"
Mason took the black Star Emperor Heart processor off the armor. It quickly returned to its original appearance in Mason's palm. The armor, which was shining with silver light, also popped open at this moment, allowing Mason to walk out of it. Then it folded itself and was recycled into a special storage tank.
Until Unicron's data contamination is cleared, this power armor cannot be used at any risk.
This made Ciri very worried.
She said:
"The battle isn't over yet, and not using it will put you at greater risk."
"No, it's over."
Mason held Ciri's waist and looked at Madeline and Gollum in front of him. He whispered:
"The fact that the Dark Phoenix failed to kill me before it regained its sanity proves that Old A's final killing move failed. Emma's consciousness is still in Madeline's heart. With her, the Red Queen's last sanity is being stabilized. The next rampage of the Dark Phoenix will be its demise.
Madeline...
My sister has never lacked decisiveness. Her appearance here at this moment means that she has made up her mind, and she finally chose to take her destiny into her own hands.
This may be the best ending that her sad and lamentable life could have gotten.”
Ciri nodded.
She learned Madeline's story from Mason. She didn't want to comment too much on the fate of the Red Queen, but when the battle came to an end, she looked up and asked:
"I just saw you feeding something to the Black Phoenix... What was that?"
"secret."
Mason smiled mysteriously.
He looked at Madeline, who was trying her best to suppress the out-of-control Phoenix Power, and said:
"But you soon saw it for yourself."
The Red Queen's farewell to Gollum did not last long. Her condition did not allow her to say more on behalf of her best friend, but tears were already dripping from Gollum's eyes.
Although it is somewhat unnecessary to make sarcastic remarks in this situation, the Iron-Blooded Warriors looked really terrible when they cried. Perhaps their tear glands were not designed to shed fragile tears.
"They are still spying on the battlefield."
Ciri pointed to the distance. The rainstorm controlled by Mason had ended, but the gods could still be seen peeking out from the clouds in the not-so-clear sky.
They were obviously waiting for an opportunity to strike back.
They knew, and Mason knew too, that this opportunity would eventually fall to Madeline, and there was no need to guess how it would be implemented, as they knew it would involve using the Black Death Sword.
Speaking of which, Mason's fragment of the Black Death Sword vowed that it would definitely win the battle against its own kind, but so much time has passed and there is still no news from that guy.
Well, it’s most likely that he was screwed. How could such a powerful Trail Blazers have such a weak sword?
"Never mind them."
The captain waved his hand and said:
"They have never been the key factor that determines the outcome. Even if I don't wear power armor, they can't do anything to me with this artifact-level clothing I'm wearing... huh?
What the hell is going on? "
Before Mason could finish his words, he heard a violent sonic boom behind him. He and Ciri looked back in surprise and saw a figure wrapped in a red cloak rushing into the sky from the ruins in the distance.
His brutal posture was very similar to Superman entering combat mode, and after rushing into the clouds, crimson heat rays burst out from the clouds. Such a stubborn rush into the hiding place of the gods was obviously to provoke a fight, and behind the leading guy, a large group of people in strange costumes also rushed out from their hiding places.
A black-clad "Storm" similar to the Storm Woman rushed into the clouds, and amid lightning and thunder, the "prelude to the counterattack" of the local indigenous people was played.
Ciri also saw Queen Maeve, who had been scared away by Mason before, among them. The latter was holding a particle cannon removed from the base's defense system and shooting into the sky.
The gods had not expected that the attack would come from these guys who were supposed to be allies.
They were caught off guard, facing these professional heroes who were strengthened by the improved version of Compound No. 5, although they had the advantage in strength, they could not defeat them for a while.
"What is this doing?"
The hunter widened his eyes and said:
"Internal strife? At this time?"
"No, this is surrender."
Mason narrowed his eyes, rubbed his chin and said:
"It seems that A-Zu has made up his mind. Perhaps he saw with his own eyes that Old A's arrangement was penetrated by me layer by layer, so he realized who would win this ambush.
Don't expect anything from the character of these people.
Although they look like the Justice League and the Avengers, they treat being a hero as a profession. Their loyalty depends on interests and there is not much idealism in it.
He is a very useful mercenary warrior.
They don't want to die in the global neutron genocide that Old A is about to start , and they don't want to be buried with this world that has become a ruin, so there is only one choice left for them."
"Bang"
As soon as the captain finished speaking, A-Zu, holding a human head, came down in front of him and hovered in the air like a superman. The head of Apollo in his hand was still dripping with blood, but his other hand was tightly covering his abdomen.
His still handsome face was extremely distorted. It was the glorious demeanor he should have after winning the intestinal speed skating championship, and it was the last bit of stubbornness from trying his best not to get any dirt on his pants.
He stared at Mason with gritted teeth and said through his teeth:
"We have taken action. As you wish, we are willing to follow you, but now... give me the antidote! Damn it! I was buried in the toilet just now and almost died at the hands of that terrible Black Phoenix.
This is the worst way to die I could ever imagine, it's so stupid!"
"If you can die so easily, then what's the point of recruiting you, Mr. Iron Stomach?"
Mason made no effort to hide his gloating expression. He took out a tube of medicine from his combat belt and threw it over. A-Zu took it in his hand, unscrewed the lid, and drank it without caring whether there were other strange things inside.
Then a relieved sound came out of his mouth, and he seemed to come back to his senses all of a sudden. He made a bad gesture to Mason, turned around, made a charging gesture in the air, and rushed back to the battlefield in the clouds again.
He really understands that if he wants to escape, he has to work hard. It seems that it is not unreasonable for him to become the top hero of Water Company.
"Superman will definitely refuse to admit that such a guy is also Superman."
The hunter said quietly:
"He is far from that title in every way."
"However, A-Zu is just a person of genuine character. If you know what he has done, it is not difficult to find that this guy is an immature baby who always longs to be respected.
Cheaper, uglier, but more real.”
Mason no longer paid attention to the battle between the professional heroes and the gods behind him. He glanced at his watch. There were still three minutes left in the countdown to the neutron extermination. At this time, the Death Star battle fortress that was teleported from outside the planet's orbit had opened the light track and began to lock the target. The arsenal of this thing was fully open, and all kinds of destructive objects were put into the delivery port.
In order to ensure that Mason died here today, two dozen antimatter bombs used to create miniature black holes were loaded.
Once the killing begins, these intimidating things will be thrown onto the captain's head all at once.
But Mason no longer pays attention to it.
"I'm leaving now."
Madeline pushed Gollum away and put a necklace that she wore close to her body into her hand. It was the last relic that the Red Queen took out when her world was destroyed.
She looked back at Mason.
Her body had begun to glow with a black light, a sign that the Dark Phoenix's power could no longer be suppressed, making her look like a fission bomb about to explode.
"Get out!"
She raised her hand and said to the captain and the hunter:
"I will direct the energy of the Black Phoenix to the core of the star, shattering the world while tearing open the space-time blockade here. That will be your last chance to leave.
It's only a few seconds, but I'm sure you can grasp it.
Your name is Fox, right?"
Madeline looked at the wild phoenix standing on Mason's shoulder, burping all the time, and called out:
"Come here and devour as much Phoenix power as you can, to prevent it from falling into Doom's hands after my death."
"Chirp, chirp, chirp"
The wild phoenix, which had always been greedy, looked at the pure phoenix power gathered in Madeline's palm. That thing was still delicious to it, but it stood on Mason's shoulder and shook its head wildly.
Those black agate eyes revealed a sense of despair and resistance.
I can’t eat anymore.
Except for the organs necessary to maintain life, its body is already filled with the condensed power of the Phoenix. If it eats a few more bites, it will definitely die.
Although this will also trigger the Phoenix's passive Nirvana rebirth, Fox is just greedy and not stupid. It will not seek death in the pain of being overfed.
"Perhaps we should expect Lord Doom to consume these Phoenix forces."
Mason shook his head and said:
"That would temporarily satisfy his goblin power, but the biggest problem with that power is that it is never satisfied. Its tranquility won't even last for more than a week before its greedy nature expands again to a point that even Doom can't control, and eventually the bastard who caused countless tragedies will suffer the consequences of his own actions.
This may be your final and best revenge on him."
Madeline was stunned for a moment, then she smiled cruelly and nodded. She no longer had any questions, and then she released her suppression of the Black Phoenix's power.
In an instant, the dangerous black flames ignited again, and Madeline rushed to the ground in chaotic and uncontrolled micro-manipulation. The entire earth shook violently, and the light that erupted from the ground surged into the sky along the torn crust.
This is the rage when the core of the star is ignited, and it is also the precursor to the world being torn apart.
"Kill him!"
Odin's roar was heard above the clouds, and then a black light whizzed down from the sky, splitting the light and bringing the dancing clouds straight to the ground.
In the explosion of cold aura, countless black streams of light projected in the material world shattered, exposing the Black Death Sword wrapped in it to Madeline's eyes.
That is the complete Black Death Sword.
There is an arc-shaped hole on the streamlined sword body, and the whole body is black, showing the characteristics of the most primitive blade-like weapon, but if you look closely, the seemingly smooth sword body is completely composed of constantly surging symbiotes.
They are attached to the sword and are never at peace, and the call from the dark god Nar turns into an evil laugh that casts the shadow of despair on everyone present.
Mason and Ciri's shadows rebelled, and these dark creatures turned into tentacles that fixed the two in the flickering and surging shadows.
The Black Phoenix in front of her seemed to be called by the Black Death Sword. She stretched out her hand and grasped the cold hilt. The collision of the Phoenix Power and the Dark Power formed scattered dark circles on her fingers.
"Kill him!"
The roar from Old A echoed in Madeline's heart. This was an order given to the Black Phoenix, and it was also the perfect ending that the chief arbitrator most wanted to see.
"Shua"
The unholy and dangerous blade was raised and aimed at Mason, who was bound to the earth.
The fragments of the Black Death Sword are a sure-kill for enemies with divinity, but the complete Black Death Sword possesses more than just anti-divinity, it also has an exterminating destructive power against all non-dark things.
According to Mason's estimation, even the main power armor of the universe would have its defense greatly reduced when facing such a group of fierce soldiers from the stars.
"Go ahead, Madeline."
Mason spread his hands and protected Ciri at his side.
He said to the sword-wielding man who was burning in the black flames:
“Don’t pay attention to Emma’s nonsense. After all, this is a matter between you and me. Now the decision is in your hands. Choose an ending for your life yourself.
What I want to tell you is that when we first met, I was really happy when you called me brother, although things took a turn for the worse afterwards.
At least in that moment, I realized I was not alone.”
"This is such a terrible farewell, Mason. I'm so sorry for everything I've done to you. Let me die to apologize."
A multi-resonant voice came out of the Dark Phoenix's mouth. Her black burning pupils took one last look at Mason, then she swung the blade and pierced her own heart with a sword amid Gulu's screams from behind .
Decisive, precise and deadly.
The moment the heart was pierced, the body's vitality began to burn at an accelerated rate.
The Dark Phoenix was also roaring, trying to repair Madeline's broken heart, but the Black Death Sword's genocidal massacre of all life made death come extremely quick.
Then Madeline's body began to burn, and the black light emitted a strange howl from her fallen body, transforming into a black phoenix that covered the sky and the sun, screaming and pouncing towards Mason. This malicious chaos wanted to take the life in front of it away.
But the second before it touched Mason, the call from the fighting world sucked it out in a greedy and eager manner, and was swallowed by another monster to satisfy its oral desire.
The burning power is dissipating.
Mason, wearing the "Anti-Phoenix Windbreaker", simply raised his hand and waved it to make the black arc of light dissipate. He strode towards Madeline's body.
The burnt corpses were scattered everywhere in the form of ashes in the shock of the world's collapse. Mason squatted down and pushed away the ashes, looking for something in them.
At the same time, in Madeline's spiritual world, as everything collapsed, in that warm living room, Emma held the weak Madeline in her arms, humming a lullaby for her, as if trying to coax her daughter, who had suffered a lifetime, to sleep peacefully.
"I'm leaving..."
The Red Queen closed her eyes in Emma's arms . She could feel the call of death. When she felt irresistible weakness, she whispered:
"You are a good mother, but it's a pity that I met you too late."
"Don't be afraid, child."
Emma bent down and kissed Madeline's forehead as she disappeared. She said:
"We will finally meet again in the world of death. When that happens, I will try to be a good mother. I promise."
“I didn’t look forward to the future…”
Madeline's last moments of consciousness faded like a bubble, and she whispered in Emma's ear:
"But please take a look at the new world that Mason brought to me. If we can meet again there..."
She left.
The White Queen stood up with a sense of loss, looking at the collapsed room. She wiped her eyes and prepared to take back her spiritual power after sending her daughter on her final journey.
But in the next second, Emma turned back suddenly.
She saw...
That was Mason's last gift to Madeline.
