The moment Ryuuto triggered Expansion Jutsu, every clone swelled like an overinflated balloon of raw power. Trees snapped in half from the pressure alone, and the jungle howled as if a storm god had descended.
Chakra raged like a tornado. Tens of thousands of leaves were sucked upward, spiraling into the air. Birds scattered, beasts bolted, even crocodiles fled the rivers in terror.
[Host, you're overdoing it.] Shion's lazy, sing-song voice hummed in his mind. [What are you trying to do, terraform the rainforest?]
"Shut it. Let me enjoy the moment."
But even as Ryuuto basked in the chaos, the disturbance was already caught by S.H.I.E.L.D.'s skyborne carrier.
"Director! Multiple signatures detected—dozens of them!" a tech shouted, eyes wide at the screens. "Too big, too unstable—my God!"
Nick Fury paced, one hand pressed to his comm. "Patch me through to Natasha."
Maria worked the console, connected instantly.
"Romanoff," Fury barked, "last time you told me the spike was from Ryuuto. Now my radar shows a dozen more just like it. You telling me there's a whole squad of mutants like him?"
"Not mutants," Natasha replied calmly. "Duplicates."
"…Duplicates?" Fury's brow twitched.
"He can clone himself. Each clone carries the same energy signature. It's… overwhelming."
"Overwhelming? It's damn impossible!" Fury slammed the desk. "Listen, Natasha! I don't care what strings you pull—bring him in. Red Mirage has to step foot on my carrier. If we can rope him into the Avengers, HYDRA won't just collapse—we'll wipe them from existence."
Natasha hesitated. "He respects Professor Xavier. If you want him onboard, you'll need Xavier's blessing."
Fury exhaled sharply. "…Fine. Get me Charles."
The line cut.
Meanwhile, high on a windswept cliff, Natasha's binoculars stayed locked on the rainforest below. Storm winds whipped her red hair into her face, but she didn't blink. The sight of leaves funneling into the sky and birds scattering in terror was enough to make her chest tighten.
Can he really win against Magneto? she thought. Just come back alive, Ryuuto.
Banner approached from behind. "What's the situation?"
"I don't know," she admitted.
"Contact?"
"No. His energy scrambles comms."
Banner adjusted his glasses, studying the storm. "I've seen nuclear fission. I've studied antimatter reactions. But that… whatever he calls Chakra… I can't explain it. If SHIELD's radar picks it up, it's operating on a level I don't even have words for. If possible, I want him in my lab. I want a full analysis."
Natasha shot him a look. "Why ask me?"
Banner chuckled. "Because you two get along. Destroying the Avengers in front of me? That's basically him complimenting you."
"Idiot." Natasha crossed her arms. "You're worse than him. You're old, Banner. And you still can't compare to an eighteen-year-old student. Shameful."
"…Not by much," Banner muttered, eyes never leaving the storm. Then, more seriously: "We can't afford to lose him—or worse, make him an enemy. If Red Mirage turns against us, that's not just a fight—it's extinction. Natasha, this one's on you."
Natasha blinked. "…Since when was it my business?"
"Since I said so." Banner laughed awkwardly, already walking toward the helicopter. "I'll go watch the old men play chess. Let me know if he survives."
Natasha clicked her tongue, then turned her gaze back to the jungle, heart pounding.
Down below, in the eye of the storm—
"This energy!" Magneto spread his arms wide, voice trembling with rapture. "Magnificent! You toyed with the Hulk alone… and now, thirty bodies wielding the same power! Ryuuto—Red Mirage! Join me! Rule all mutants at my side!"
"Not interested."
Magneto's eyes hardened. "Then hear this: those who follow me prosper, those who oppose me—die!"
"You can scare the rest of mutant-kind with that line," Ryuuto's voice cut sharp, every clone sneering in unison. "But me? It doesn't mean jack. Get ready, old man. I'll send you straight to hell."
He tightened his fists, wind roaring around him.
Close combat with Magneto is suicide. Everyone knew that. Get too close, and his control of metal would tear you apart.
But Ryuuto had another idea.
What happens when you mix Shadow Clone Technique + Expansion Jutsu + Rasengan?
He grinned. "Guess we're about to find out."