Logan spotted a familiar figure in the crowd and walked toward him. The man also stepped out of the crowd, facing Logan.
"Logan."
"Agent Zero."
"What a surprise, Logan. I didn't expect you to have such powerful friends. Even I find them tricky to deal with," Agent Zero said.
"Judging by your setup… you weren't planning on leaving any survivors, were you? Since when did you start liking to kill civilians, Zero?" Logan asked angrily.
"You're the one who killed the civilians, Logan. We're only here to arrest a murderer," Agent Zero said mockingly.
"Heh, classic you guys." Logan sneered, glancing around. "But it seems like you're out of luck now, huh?"
This ti, Agent Zero's face darkened. Over the years, he had completed countless missions, both clean and dirty. He had killed unard civilians, trained soldiers, and many mutants. Yet this ti, he felt sothing new — helplessness.
"Hey, Logan, I don't rember you being the type to hide in a turtle shell. You're a wolf! A beast! Would a beast hide in a cage, guys?" Agent Zero turned and asked the other soldiers.
…
…
"Hahaha, that's a pet!"
"A ball-less pet!"
"Running ho to mama for milk!"
…
Facing the taunts, veins bulged on Logan's forehead, and his claws unsheathed unconsciously.
"That's it, Logan! You're a beast! Co out and fight! Release your wild side!" Agent Zero pressed harder, seeing his provocations were working.
Logan was a priority kill ordered by Stryker. He knew too much. Agent Zero didn't know lin, nor did he understand why their weapons failed — whether it was lin's doing or so hidden preparations. But if Logan kept hiding, the mission would fail. Proud as he was, Agent Zero would never allow failure.
Just as he hoped, Logan raised his foot… but to his surprise, the foot dropped back to the ground. Though Logan's claws remained extended, the bulging veins on his forehead subsided.
"Rember, Logan. Control your anger. Control the beast. Always rember—you are human."
At so point, lin had quietly co to Logan's side, speaking to calm him down.
Seeing this, Agent Zero instinctively stepped back. He was very wary of lin. They knew nothing about him—his identity, background, abilities… nothing.
"Hey, buddy, I don't know who you are, but I suggest—"
"I know who you are, Agent Zero, Stryker's number one executioner," lin interrupted calmly.
"Who the hell are you?" Agent Zero's face turned grim. His identity was top secret, known only to the higher-ups. That lin even knew about Stryker made things even more suspicious.
If lin were soone from "above" interfering, killing him might even get Stryker into trouble.
"Do the dying really need to know who I am?" lin asked, smiling faintly.
"You—"
"What a filthy little cosmos you have. If I didn't want to leave you for Logan, you'd already be dead… just like them."
As lin finished speaking, Agent Zero saw him casually lift a finger. The bullets, missiles, and grenades that had been frozen midair around them suddenly flew back to their origins, exploding into a firework of death: blood-red, explosion-yellow, lightning-blue, and brain-matter white.
Yet Agent Zero stood unscathed in the middle of it all. Flas, shockwaves—none of it touched him.
"Alright, Logan. The stage is set. Go," lin said.
"Looks like I owe you another one," Logan grinned, unsheathing his claws and charging at Agent Zero.
Agent Zero panicked. He kept firing while retreating. Unlike his comic counterpart, this Agent Zero wasn't enhanced by Weapon X and didn't absorb kinetic energy—he was simply a super sharpshooter. Though he had strong combat skills, against Logan, who specialized in close combat, had an unbreakable adamantium skeleton, and healing powers, he didn't stand a chance.
All Agent Zero could think of was buying ti and escaping. But would Logan give him that chance?
Of course not.
With his indestructible body, Logan charged forward relentlessly, shrugging off every shot to vital points. Within seconds, he had caught up to Agent Zero.
There was a flash of cold light, a sharp blade slicing through the air, and Agent Zero's arms were severed cleanly. Logan's claws then pierced into Agent Zero's shoulders, lifting him up.
"Ugh—" Agent Zero, a hardened veteran of countless dangerous missions, only let out a muffled grunt instead of screaming.
"See the beast you wanted so badly?" Logan said as he threw Agent Zero aside like trash. Armless, Agent Zero was now no threat at all.
"Ugh… Lo…gan…" Agent Zero, gritting his teeth, struggled to lean against a tree.
"…I always hated you…"
"Is that so?" Logan smiled, then—
"Good. So do I."
With a swift motion of his claws, Agent Zero's head fell to the ground, his face frozen in a strangely peaceful smile.
Logan gave his fallen comrade one last look and closed his eyes, taking the earpiece from his ear.
"Zero! Report! Zero!" Stryker's anxious voice crackled through the earpiece.
"He can't hear you anymore," Logan's voice replied.
Hearing that, Stryker knew Zero was dead. He imdiately began trying to salvage the situation.
"Listen, Logan, I know we had our differences. But co back, we can—"
"Save it, Stryker. The beast you want… it'll co find you."
Without waiting for a reply, Logan crushed the earpiece.
"How do you feel?" lin walked over, asking.
"Good… but also not so good…" Logan said with a complicated expression, glancing at Agent Zero's peaceful face.
"To die on the battlefield—that's a warrior's final destination."
"I know. He was always like that. Maybe… this was the best ending for him."
"Then let's go. This place isn't suitable for living anymore." lin glanced at his small villa. Though still standing, the surrounding landscape was ruined and had lost its charm.
"Wait, you're coming with ?" Logan hesitated. He was walking into so serious trouble, dangerous stuff.
"I'm already on their radar. Instead of running, it's better to join you in facing them head-on, right?" lin said with a smile.
Logan twitched his mouth. It made sense, but why did lin's expression seem to say, "Get ready for a good show"?
And thinking about everything lin had done before… Logan figured that the "danger" he faced probably wasn't even a big deal for lin.
Besides… if lin insisted on coming, Logan doubted he could shake him off anyway.
"If you want to go adventuring, then let's go."
lin quietly followed beside Logan, ready to accompany him through a brotherly betrayal, the heartbreak of a loved one's betrayal, and finally, amnesia and the loss of everything—a grand tragic tale.
Of course, so things would be different. Logan had struggled alone for too long. If there was a woman who truly loved him, lin wouldn't mind helping that love blossom.
Why not just storm Stryker's secret island, destroy the lab, save all the mutants, and beat Stryker up right away?
After all, lin was a god. Taking out a re mortal villain like Stryker would be too deaning.
Besides, if you end the story right at the start, where's the fun? Life's about the journey, after all.
…
anwhile, hidden away in his research facility, Stryker was desperately organizing an evacuation. The lab was supposed to showcase the Weapon X project to the higher-ups. Since Logan knew of its existence, it was no longer safe. He needed to get back to the island and accelerate the research to create the perfect Weapon X — it was the only way to survive the vengeance of a feral wolf.
"Zero failed?"
"Victor—"
"I told you, send . I'll bring you Jimmy's head."
"He's got adamantium bones. You can't beat him."
"I don't have to beat him. I just have to kill him. All you have to do is—"
"You'll die!" Stryker snapped, grabbing Victor by the collar.
But quickly, he cald himself, letting go and wiping the sweat off his face.
"You're all I have left, old friend. If I lose you too, I'll have nothing."
Victor said nothing. His feelings toward Stryker were complicated. He knew full well that Stryker was using them and hated mutants. But after working together for so many years, it wasn't easy to cut ties cleanly.
In Victor's mories, the number of people who had stayed with him through the years was pitifully small. One was dead by his own hand. Another had just died. And the last… was trying to kill him.
"I'm going to find the next target," Victor said, choosing to push away the turmoil inside with the one thing that never failed him: bloodshed.
Stryker watched Victor's departing figure, a faint smirk flickering across his face before he resud barking orders to speed up the evacuation.
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