Chapter 17 : Frustration

"Ahem, ahem!"

The Black Emperor's cough echoed through the thick smoke. Despite his ability to absorb energy, he wasn't a ventilation system—there was nothing he could do about the choking gas now surrounding him.

Of course, as a powerful mutant, his physique was far superior to a normal human's. Hoping to bring him down with a few gas bombs would be a pipe dream.

From the start, Rorschach never intended to defeat him with gas. The goal was simple: buy time.

Even if the gas couldn't take the Black Emperor down, it would still hinder his movements—just enough.

While the Black Emperor wheezed and coughed, Rorschach and the others had already slipped out of the building.

They turned back just once. Seeing no pursuit, a wave of relief washed over them.

"God, that pressure…" someone muttered, trembling.

"Rorschach, where did you even get all this stuff?" Darwin asked, stunned. "Don't tell me you brought it to a party."

"We can talk about it later," Rorschach said quickly. He dropped a few more gas bombs, placing them at key exits to widen the fog zone and buy even more time.

"Get out? Where are we going?" Angel asked, still a little shaken.

"Anywhere but here. The base is blown—completely compromised," Rorschach said sharply.

"He's right," Hank agreed, pointing down a corridor. "There's a purchase van parked in Lot C. We can all fit—"

"No need," Darwin interrupted, already walking toward some parked cars and flipping through his keychain. Amid the jingling metal was a set of tools that looked suspiciously like improvised lockpicks.

He got to work on a nearby Ford.

WHIRRR—BANG!

A loud crack rang out as the Kraken shattered a different car's window with a sonic pulse.

"Sorry! You all right in there?" he called sheepishly.

BANG! BANG!

Rorschach, not to be outdone, smashed a car window with his bare fist. "Quit being gentle, Darwin. You can hotwire it, right? We're in a rush. Anyone else got tricks? Now's the time!"

Unfortunately, real-life carjacking wasn't as easy as it looked in the movies. Everyone else looked clueless. Darwin was the only one with the skills.

Within minutes, he had two cars running. Everyone piled in, and the engines roared as they sped off into the night.

The vehicles quickly vanished down the road, swallowed by the darkness.

Back at the scene, the Black Emperor emerged from the smoke, leaning against a wall and coughing violently—his eyes watering.

After catching his breath, he looked around.

Empty.

Bodies littered the floor. Not a single living mutant remained.

His face darkened.

He hadn't just lost two of his most powerful allies—he hadn't even managed to recruit a single mutant.

It was a complete failure.

"Rorschach? That was the name, right?" the Black Emperor muttered, his voice low and dangerous.

This humiliating defeat? All because of that one young mutant.

"Phew… I think we're in the clear."

"Keep driving. Don't stop."

"There's a railroad crossing up ahead. You go any farther, you'll hit a dead end."

"How do you know that?"

"Dude, I used to drive a taxi."

The mutants, now deep in an unfamiliar town, were still rattled from their escape. The tension in the base had been unbearable—and now, the adrenaline crash hit hard.

They were just kids, most of them. Barely old enough to vote, let alone survive an assault like that.

The horror of what they'd just experienced would stick with them for a long time.

"Okay, let's all calm down."

Hank, the oldest and most level-headed among them, kept checking the rearview. "I haven't seen any pursuit. I think… we're safe."

Everyone exhaled, the relief palpable.

"Who were those guys?"

"Yeah, they came right at us."

"What the hell do they want from us?"

"I don't know. But I swear I never want to see that guy again."

They were still shaken, but already starting to chatter—nervous energy looking for an outlet.

"Guys, guys!" Darwin shouted from the front seat. "Focus! We'll talk later, but right now, we need to find somewhere safe to regroup and figure out our next move."

And amid all the chaos, only Rorschach remained quiet—because in his mind, a familiar ding echoed:

[Mission Complete. Congratulations, Host! 300 Origin Points Acquired.]

His face remained calm, betraying nothing, even as excitement buzzed beneath the surface.

Quietly, he opened his system panel:

[Host: Rorschach]

[Age: 16]

[Speed: 61 m/s → 85 m/s]

[Strength: 15.2 tons → 39.2 tons]

[Constitution: 144 → 204 (Avg. adult male: 10)]

[Mental Power: 102 → 162 (Avg. adult male: 10)]

[Current Template: Homelander (5% unlocked)]

[Abilities: X-Ray Vision (Basic), Super Hearing (Basic), Flight (Locked), Heat Vision (Locked)]

[Origin Points: 0]

"Strengthen," Rorschach had said without hesitation—and now, he could feel the change surging through his body.

He had a long way to go, but he had taken his first major step.

The world had no idea what was coming.

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