"What is he planning now?"
At S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, Director Nick Fury sat in his office, rubbing his temples as he studied the latest intelligence reports. Dealing with Kurogai Alexander Blackwood had become his greatest ongoing headache.
If in the past S.H.I.E.L.D.'s priorities were Hydra and other superhuman crises, that balance had shifted. At some point, without him realizing exactly when, Kurogai had become their number-one subject of surveillance. Not quite an enemy, but certainly not an ally.
Nick Fury's attitude toward him was complicated. On one hand, Kurogai's power was dangerous, something Fury instinctively wanted to contain. But the truth was simple: S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't currently have the strength to suppress him. That fact alone gnawed at Fury. On the other hand, he also recognized Kurogai's value. The advanced energy weapon Kurogai had revealed some weeks ago could overhaul their entire arsenal—a leap forward in technology S.H.I.E.L.D. could hardly ignore.
Caught between fear and opportunity, Fury had no choice but to tread carefully. Neither hostile nor friendly, the relationship remained in a gray zone, and the World Security Council was already pressuring him to bring Kurogai under control as soon as possible.
"Trouble," Fury muttered under his breath, the weight of indecision pressing heavily on his shoulders.
Meanwhile, far from S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, in a quiet manor on the outskirts of New York, Charles Xavier sat in his wheelchair, listening intently to the streams of news echoing across the world.
"Kurogai actually intervened to stop a battle between those two monsters?" Professor X's expression softened, his tone hopeful. "I knew he hadn't completely given himself to darkness. There's still light in him."
To Charles, the act was telling. It was the kind of decision a hero would make. Kurogai's choice suggested that somewhere deep inside, there remained a spark of humanity—a reason to believe in him. For Professor X, who had always argued that Kurogai wasn't beyond redemption, it was a moment of vindication.
"Professor, maybe you're looking at it the wrong way," Ororo Munroe—Storm—said from his side, arms crossed. She frowned slightly. "From what I know of him, he doesn't do anything unless there's something to gain. If he stepped in, it was because he wanted something from that fight. I doubt it was out of compassion."
Storm had crossed paths with Kurogai often enough to understand his methods. He wasn't the kind to act selflessly.
Charles only shook his head gently. "Orolo, there must always be some measure of light within people, even if it is faint."
Storm sighed, unconvinced, but didn't press the issue.
News of Kurogai's actions rippled outward, reaching other organizations and power players across the globe. Some dismissed it. Others took note and watched more carefully. Everyone, however, was reminded of his presence.
Yet, none of this concerned Kurogai himself. At that moment, inside his residence at Golden Manor, he was focused entirely on what he had gained from his latest battle.
The fight against Abomination had yielded more than he had expected—almost more valuable than his frequent clashes with the Hulk. Unlike the Hulk, who had grown wary of fighting him and increasingly avoided direct conflict, Abomination knew only anger. He fought Kurogai with relentless fury, pouring every ounce of strength into each strike.
That single-minded rage had become fuel.
"Ultimate Pupil," Kurogai murmured, his gaze hard. "What's the state of the fifth ring now?"
The voice of the Ultimate Pupil answered within his mind, its tone even and precise.
"The fifth pupil ring has reached saturation. It is ready for advancement. Do you wish to proceed?"
A second message followed almost instantly.
"The fifth pupil ring has reached saturation. It is ready for advancement. Do you wish to proceed?"
Kurogai's eyes lit up with interest. "Two opportunities? So Abomination's last surge of power pushed it further than I expected. Interesting."
His lips curled into a faint, dangerous smile. "Upgrade both. All of it."
Warm currents surged through his vision as the Ultimate Pupil obeyed, golden light gathering at the edges of his eyes. Slowly, the power converged, reshaping and evolving.
When Kurogai opened his eyes again, his pupils had transformed. They now resembled a golden clock, its hands etched with strange markings that ticked with subtle but undeniable force.
The sixth scale had appeared.
Ability Unlocked: Vav — The user may transfer their consciousness to their past self, up to several days earlier.
Kurogai inhaled slowly, letting the revelation sink in. "A return to the past—not time travel, but the ability to relive a day with my current mind intact."
It was, without question, a terrifying power. His previous time-based abilities had accelerated his personal speed and perception, giving him near-divine reflexes. But this was something else entirely. This wasn't just survival or mobility. This was influence over the very course of his fate.
A new, predatory gleam flashed in Kurogai's golden eyes.
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