Chapter 10 Failed Mutants

"Stop right there, or don't hold me responsible for contacting the authorities," Susan warned, brandishing her phone in a menacing manner. Her words triggered a surge of anger in the tattooed men who were approaching aggressively. Startled, Susan instinctively took a step back. Just then, a towering figure appeared before her.

"Back off," Andrew bellowed, his voice laced with authority, causing the tattooed men to be overcome with fear. In a panic, they swiftly turned around and fled. One of them, overwhelmed by terror, even stumbled and fell to the ground with a thud.

Susan blinked in disbelief. Has her boss's presence been too overpowering? Upon reflection, being in the presence of her boss made her feel safe.

Witnessing the tattooed men retreat, two homeless individuals let out a sigh of relief. They rose to their feet and gratefully bowed to Andrew and Susan before hurrying towards a dimly lit alley nearby.

Susan sighed. "Mutants are truly unfortunate, especially those who fail in their genetic mutations."

Andrew was taken aback. "Mutants who fail in their mutations?"

"Yes, not every mutant successfully awakens their abilities. Approximately 20% of mutants experience failed mutations, resulting in significant flaws and weak powers. Those two earlier, they belong to the Epsilon-class mutants, the official classification for failed mutants."

Susan nodded and continued, "In recent years, life has become increasingly challenging for mutants. While some mutants can conceal their powers, these failed mutants face great hardships. Many end up being evicted, losing their jobs, and becoming homeless."

As a thought crossed her mind, Susan elaborated, "I've delved into mutant genetics before, so I'm familiar with the subject."

"20% of mutants fail in their mutations?" Andrew's eyes gleamed with interest. Whose souls are the most susceptible to manipulation? Ahem, those without hope, of course. And those failed mutants, devoid of hope, fit the bill perfectly.

"I recall there's a mutant capable of nullifying the X-gene. Oh, right, I happen to have a mutant expert in my realm of the underworld."

Secretly contemplating, Andrew pondered how these failed mutants would willingly exchange their souls after death for a chance to regain normalcy. Perhaps he could collect souls until his hands cramped.

Mutants were certainly not in short supply in this world.

...

The Rebirth Hell.

Within a mere half month, the Rebirth Hell had undergone a complete transformation. Factories sprouted one after another, and numerous demonic beings, under the guidance of a dwarf, toiled tirelessly in constructing these establishments.

The factories ranged from robotic manufacturing plants to large-scale steel mills powered by volcanoes, as well as various component factories. It was evident that Andrew intended to create an army of robots.

The credit for the swift construction of these factories primarily went to Andrew himself. As the ruler of the Rebirth Hell, building these factories was a breeze. However, he still needed to procure certain sophisticated instruments from Earth or rely on the dwarf to craft them personally.

"We're severely understaffed, and the efficiency is far too slow," Andrew (the incarnation of the Demon King) muttered disapprovingly. Currently, the Rebirth Hell only housed a few hundred demons that he had acquired from the Gambling City. It was far from sufficient.

"Boss, did you summon me?"

A ghostly dwarf floated up to Andrew and respectfully addressed him. His name was Bolivar Trask, a scientist who believed in the eventual dominance of mutants over humans, so he developed Sentinel robots designed to eliminate mutants.

In his pursuit of successful research, Trask conducted experiments on mutants. Upon learning about this, Mystique (also known as Raven) attended a meeting where she killed him.

Before his demise, Trask had struck a deal with Mephisto, resulting in his soul being collected by the latter and now possessed by Andrew.

Curious, Andrew inquired, "I want to know if there's a way to remove the X-gene from mutants."

"Mutant?"

Trask's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. "Talking about mutants keeps me wide awake, boss," he replied. "Stripping the X-gene isn't an easy task. It's not something external. The most effective approach is to eliminate all mutants, leaving none behind."

Andrew was taken aback and asked, "Do you despise mutants to such an extent?"

Trask responded resolutely, "No, everything I've done is to prevent mutants from supplanting humans."

Disgusted, Andrew muttered, "That's repulsive." He continued, "There's a mutant called Leech who can neutralize the abilities of other mutants in his vicinity, but it's temporary. Once they leave his presence, their powers return. If I provide you with his blood, could you research a method to completely eradicate the X-gene?"

Leech is the young boy from "X-Men: The Last Stand." Worthington Industries used his blood to develop a cure for mutants, but it only offered a temporary solution. The United States neglected to verify the cure beforehand, regarding it as standard procedure.

Currently, it's likely that Worthington Industries hasn't developed a cure. Even if they do, Andrew refuses to deceive souls with a short-term remedy. Unlike Mephisto, he upholds principles.

"Are there such mutants?"

Trask's eyes gleamed. After pondering for a moment, he replied, "Permanent eradication is improbable, but I can design a suppressor that can be worn to restrain the X-gene, reverting mutants to normal humans."

Andrew stroked his chin and questioned, "A suppressor? Would mutants who haven't fully developed their powers and suffer in agony be willing to trade their souls after death for such a suppressor?"

Finally comprehending Andrew's idea, Trask commented, "Many would be willing. Um... exchanging human souls for advanced technology feels rather peculiar."

"Because the concept is twisted," Andrew jeered. He continued, "The suppressor has a few issues, but more importantly, it could be decoded by others. Obviously, we can't patent it."

"It could be replaced with a microchip, but that will require some time," Trask suggested.

Trask proposed, "Boss, can't your demonic power suppress the X-gene?"

"I can use a curse to strip mutants of their abilities, but releasing a large-scale curse with a lasting effect is challenging, even for me."

A sudden thought struck Andrew. "Wait, if there's a special medium, my energy consumption would be greatly reduced."

Trask inquired, "Special medium?"

"Yes, Trask. Can you extract and replicate the elements from the leech's fresh blood that render mutant abilities ineffective? Those elements could serve as my medium."

Excitedly, Andrew exclaimed, "With those elements, I can effortlessly suppress the X-gene in mutants through curses."

"No problem, but it will take some time and the necessary equipment," Trask confidently assured him. Despite belonging to a bygone era, his wisdom remained relevant.

Decades ago, Trask had already developed a portable device capable of detecting mutants. However, after his demise, that technology was lost, and no other scientists have managed to successfully replicate it to this day.

"Very well, I'll have someone arrange for leech's blood and the necessary equipment. You should commence your research as soon as possible. Combining curses with soul exchanges... things are finally returning to normal," Andrew chuckled. The fusion of technology and magic appeared promising, much like the path Asgard was following.

Andrew contemplated, "I possess numerous Hellish runes. I should thoroughly study them. They could also enhance my power."

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