What?
Richard was momentarily stunned by Inessa's question.
Though uncertain of her intentions, he replied simply.
"No."
"No? That's a shame."
"If she were your girlfriend, it would be more entertaining to discipline you in front of her."
Inessa regarded Richard with predatory intensity.
Discipline me?
Though Richard had suspected Inessa wasn't particularly virtuous based on her attire, he hadn't anticipated this particular intention.
"Don't worry—you won't get that chance."
As he finished speaking, Richard activated Shift Slash.
Because Inessa also possessed teleportation abilities, he needed to close distance quickly to prevent her from evading Octaslash's range, but instead of Blinkstep he choose Shift Slash since it can easily combo with Octoslash.
In an instant, he appeared directly before her.
Octaslash!
The Masamune moved with lightning speed!
Facing Richard's Octaslash, Inessa didn't attempt to dodge but stood calmly.
However, as she prepared to deflect Richard's blade, her expression suddenly changed, recognizing something was amiss.
Unlike his casual slash in the restaurant, the Octaslash Richard now performed was Sephiroth's signature technique.
Realizing her error, Inessa immediately activated her teleportation power to evade Richard's attack.
Her reaction is impressive! Her teleportation activation speed is considerable!
Despite her quickness, the razor-sharp Masamune still caught her body.
SLASH!
The blade sliced across her slender waist, delivering both the cold touch of steel and searing pain as it cut through flesh.
As a Mutant agent with three awakened powers and an outstanding combat record, Inessa held significant rank within the Los Angeles branch.
Her abilities placed her among the branch's top five operatives.
Yet she had made a fatal miscalculation.
She had underestimated both Richard and Octaslash!
The sharp agony from her waist disrupted her partially executed teleportation.
Then, as disbelief registered on her face, the Masamune continued its deadly dance across her body.
SLICE! SLICE! SLICE!
In mere moments, her form was reduced to scattered pieces, blood and flesh spraying outward as dismembered limbs fell to the ground.
After killing Inessa, Richard immediately activated his Plunder ability.
[New abilities acquired: Mental Charm, Blinkstep, Repulsion!]
[Duplicate ability types detected, initiating ability fusion!]
[Blinkstep enhanced!]
After plundering Inessa's powers, Richard didn't pause to examine the system's detailed descriptions, instead turning his blade on the remaining tactical team members.
Without significant effort, he dispatched the soldiers in quick succession.
Witnessing Richard effortlessly kill Inessa with his eight-foot blade, the two mutant agents, Slater and Bourne confronting Sabretooth stared in shock.
How is this possible?
How could Inessa fall to a newly awakened mutant?! This defies logic!
Though they saw Inessa's death with their own eyes, the agents struggled to accept the reality before them.
They momentarily questioned whether they were hallucinating.
Their doubts were quickly dispelled as Richard, having eliminated the tactical team, turned his attention toward them.
Zanshin!
Richard held the Masamune in his left hand, swinging it with casual precision.
As the blade descended, six or seven crescent energy waves shot toward the agents at tremendous speed.
Though they hadn't witnessed Richard's earlier use of Zanshin against the tactical team, the agents recognized the danger and immediately dove sideways to avoid the incoming projectiles.
The energy crescents sailed past them, piercing through the restaurant's walls and ceiling, leaving destruction in their wake.
Sabretooth, though unfamiliar with Inessa, wasn't particularly surprised by Richard's lethal efficiency.
Seeing the mutant agents separated by their evasive maneuvers, he pounced without hesitation on the one nearest him.
Simultaneously, Richard Blinkstep before the other agent and executed Gravesong. Four lightning-fast slashes reduced the agent to scattered remains.
After killing his opponent, Richard activated Plunder once more.
[New abilities acquired: Super Strength, Enhanced Durability!]
[Duplicate ability types detected, initiating ability fusion!]
[Super Strength and Enhanced Durability enhanced!]
Ignoring the system notifications appearing in his vision, Richard turned to engage the final mutant agent.
Between his and Sabretooth's combined assault, the agent's fate was quickly sealed.
Before Sabretooth could snap the agent's neck, Richard drove the Masamune through his heart.
Then, he silently activated Plunder again.
[New abilities acquired: Super Strength, Accelerated Healing]
[Duplicate ability types detected, initiating ability fusion!]
[Super Strength and Accelerated Healing enhanced!]
[X-Gene Superpower Content Updated!]
[X-Gene Superpowers: Plunder, Super Strength, Enhanced Durability, Accelerated Healing, Blinkstep, Mental Shielding, Mental Charm, Repulsion]
Though Richard had plundered seven powers from Inessa and the other agents, his ability count increased by only two.
He'd anticipated this outcome, knowing duplicate abilities would merge and strengthen rather than accumulate separately.
Though mutants were numerous, many possessed similar or identical powers.
Take Super Strength and Enhanced Durability—these abilities appeared frequently across the mutant population.
However, even identical-seeming powers varied dramatically in potency.
Some mutants with Super Strength could lift only a few tons.
Others could effortlessly hoist tens of thousands.
After dismissing the information panel only he could see, Richard returned the Masamune to his system space.
Just as he prepared to depart using Blinkstep, Sabretooth intercepted him.
"You're Richard Wesley?"
"Roy Wesley is your father?"
Sabretooth questioned.
"You know my father?"
Richard regarded Sabretooth with surprise.
"I had dealings with your father when he was younger."
"I heard he established a mutant organization called 'Crimson Manor.' I came specifically to find him."
Sabretooth explained.
"You're too late. The Department of Mutant Affairs captured my father days ago."
"As for Crimson Manor—I disbanded it hours ago."
Richard replied calmly.
Though he couldn't actively sense thoughts and could only block psychic intrusions, his instincts told him Sabretooth wasn't lying.
As Sabretooth prepared to continue, distant sirens pierced the air.
"We need to leave."
With that, Sabretooth looked toward a five-story residential building across the street and waved to Blink, who stood on the roof.
Seeing his signal, Blink immediately created a spatial portal connecting to the rooftop.
As the portal formed, Sabretooth stepped through.
After briefly examining the portal, Richard followed Sabretooth onto the building's roof.
Once both had arrived, Blink closed the first portal, then raised her right hand and projected a sphere of purple energy.
The energy rapidly expanded, forming a portal leading to the outskirts of the city.
Can she only maintain one portal at a time in her current state?
As Richard observed Blink, the question formed unbidden in his mind.
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