Chapter 91: Chapter 91: Rice's Last Trump Card
"Wind!"
The Storm clone swiftly unleashed her power, dispersing the lingering smoke with a gust. Following this, all the ranged mutant clones unleashed their respective attacks—Cyclops' laser beams, Magneto's manipulation of metals, Phoenix's telekinetic assaults with heavy objects, Human Torch's flames, Iceman's frost, and more.
Despite the overwhelming barrage, George's exceptional physicality and reflexes allowed him to evade most attacks with ease. While dodging, he continued firing his weapon, killing several mutant clones in the process.
However, this momentum didn't last long. A coordinated psychic attack from the clones of Professor X, Phoenix, and the White Queen targeted George, attempting to overwhelm him.
Though George's innate psychic abilities and wizard bloodline made him resistant to mind control, the assault still affected him. His concentration waned, making it harder to dodge incoming attacks.
"Protego!"
Seeing another wave of attacks approaching, George cast the Shield Charm with his left hand. A shimmering magical barrier formed around him, deflecting the incoming projectiles. The spell's defensive strength proved reliable as the attacks bounced harmlessly off the shield.
However, when George prepared to shoot again, his gun suddenly resisted his grip—Magneto's clone had shifted focus, trying to seize control of the weapon with magnetic force. At the same time, close-combat clones like Wolverine, Sabretooth, Colossus, and Psylocke charged toward him, intent on engaging him in melee combat.
"Capture him alive!"
Dr. Rice, now confident that Subject 757 was cornered, issued a new order to the attacking clones. His initial plan was to kill the subject and dissect his body for research. However, after witnessing the subject's expanding array of powers, Rice changed his strategy. He wanted to interrogate the mutant first, hoping to extract any hidden secrets before experimentation.
If he could replicate Subject 757's capabilities in future clones, Rice believed his path to world domination would accelerate significantly.
"Ugh, my eyes…"
Watching the naked mutant clones charging toward him, George couldn't help but grimace. Female clones were fine, but the male clones, with everything swaying as they ran, were testing his composure.
The visual discomfort felt more damaging than the psychic attacks from the trio of Professor X, Jean and Emma.
While maintaining his Shield Charm and grappling for control over his gun with Magneto's clone, George reached into his magically expanded pocket with his free hand and pulled out an alloy spiked mace.
"Transform!"
A glowing magical sigil appeared on George's body, and his form rapidly expanded. In the blink of an eye, he grew into a towering giant nearly four meters tall. This transformation utilized the Titan Magic of Guildmaster Makarov.
Though George wasn't yet skilled enough to achieve Makarov's enormous scale, a three- to four-meter height boost was manageable.
"You're first!"
Swinging his spiked mace, George crushed the charging Quicksilver clone into a mangled heap. Despite the clone's speed leaving only faint afterimages, it was still leagues below the original's velocity. With his enhanced physical prowess and precise timing, George successfully smashed the clone.
Titan Magic augmented George's strength, speed, defense, and reflexes across the board. Combined with his natural advantages—a wizard's resilience, a mutant's superior physicality, and a magical cat's agility—George was a force to be reckoned with.
With the Quicksilver clone down, George swung his mace in a wide arc, sending the remaining melee clones flying like ragdolls. He wasn't a master of martial arts or weapons, but the sheer power and simplicity of the spiked mace made up for it.
The clones, despite their regenerative abilities or metallic enhancements, struggled to recover. Fragile clones like Psylocke's succumbed to the blow immediately.
Rather than pursuing the downed enemies, George sprouted wings using "Wing Magic" and flew directly toward the ranged attackers. Protected by the Shield Charm, he descended upon them like a wrecking ball.
His first target was the Magneto clone. With Magneto unable to influence the spiked mace due to George's magnetic suppression, George smashed the clone's torso with a devastating blow, ending its interference.
Reclaiming full control of his magnetic powers, George unleashed razor-sharp blades from his sleeves, adding another layer of lethality to his assault.
The number of ranged attackers dwindled rapidly, and their effectiveness diminished. Abandoning the Shield Charm, George shifted to an all-out offensive. Using a combination of spells, close combat, and mutant powers, he dominated the battlefield.
Even when the melee clones returned to assist, they couldn't turn the tide. Stunning and binding curses immobilized them, while the mace and blades finished them off. Attacks like Cyclops' weakened laser beams struck George, but his enhanced defense shrugged them off.
As the clones fell one by one, Rice began to panic. He turned to the lone clone standing beside him and barked, "Go help them!"
With that, he sprinted toward the control room, where his last trump card awaited: Clone 101. Created as a one-of-a-kind prototype, it had been slated for destruction. Now, it was Rice's only hope.
Noticing Rice's escape attempt, George swept Wolverine and Sabretooth clones aside with his mace and cast a Full Body-Bind Curse at the fleeing scientist.
"Petrificus Totalus!"
A flash of blue magical energy shot toward Rice but was intercepted by a previously unseen clone. The clone stood unharmed, grinning as it advanced toward George.
George instinctively swung his mace, but upon impact, the weapon's force was entirely absorbed. A backlash of equal energy traveled through the mace, nearly causing him to drop it.
"A Sebastian Shaw clone?"
George raised an eyebrow, instantly recognizing the clone's ability to absorb and redirect energy.
"Confundo!"
Without hesitation, George cast a Confundus Charm. The Shaw clone's eyes glazed over, rendering it momentarily incapacitated. With precision, George's blades slashed its throat, killing it instantly.