Hawking the Big Eater

Ororo saw Hawking and the other two, and the expression on her face immediately softened. Smiling, she raised a hand in greeting.

"Welcome to Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. I'm sure you'll come to like it here."

After greeting them, she followed Professor X's instructions and went to join the other teachers.

Hawking also identified the female teacher through her name and characteristics.

"Storm, a top-tier Level Three mutant capable of controlling the weather within a limited area and summoning lightning, storms, and ice and snow attacks."

Mutants were divided into five levels, with Level One being the lowest and Level Five the highest.

Under normal circumstances, a mutant's level was determined at birth. However, most could not fully control their abilities at first, so the power they displayed was weaker than their actual level and needed to be gradually developed.

For example, the limit of a Level Two mutant was Level Two. A Level Three mutant might initially only display Level Two power, but after training and development, they could eventually grow to Level Three.

However, a lower-level mutant would not necessarily lose to a higher-level mutant.

It depended on many factors, including the nature of their abilities, mentality, and personal combat experience.

For instance, a support-type Level Three mutant might not be able to defeat an attack-type Level Two mutant. Likewise, an ordinary Level Three office worker with similar abilities might not be able to beat a Level Two battlefield veteran.

"Piotr, please take these three little ones to find rooms to settle into, then show them around the school."

After Ororo left, Professor X called over a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old young man and entrusted Hawking and the other two to him.

The school building had seven floors. Aside from rooms converted into classrooms or designated for special purposes, the rest could all be used as living quarters.

Since this was a Mutant School and only admitted young mutants, there were not many students in the entire school. Including all the professors, there were only thirty-four people in total.

Even with the luxury of one room per person, there were still plenty of vacant rooms.

After graduating from the school, mutants could freely choose to enter society, remain at the school as teachers, or join the X-Men.

Professor X had told them all this on the way here.

"Piotr, what is your ability?"

As the easygoing-looking Piotr led them around while they toured the school and chose rooms, Hawking took the opportunity to chat with him, hoping to learn more details about the Mutant School.

He had watched the mutant movie series, but that had been a long time ago. He still remembered the general plot, character traits, and nicknames, but had long since forgotten most of the details.

For example, he knew the female teacher from earlier was called Storm, but he had not really remembered the name Ororo.

Of course, he definitely knew famous figures like Magneto, Professor X, Wolverine, and Phoenix.

"Me? I can transform my body into something like steel, gaining greater physical strength, power, and defensive ability."

Piotr smiled and activated his ability. His entire body immediately turned the color of steel.

"Oh, that's so cool!"

Little Pietro's eyes lit up, and he could not help reaching out to touch him. Little Wanda, who was hugging one of Hawking's arms beside him, also craned her neck forward curiously.

"Actually, my dream is to become an artist like Picasso. If I have time, I can paint portraits for you."

Piotr did not mind Little Pietro touching him and said it with a warm smile.

"So he's Colossus."

Hawking looked Piotr over from head to toe, his gaze lingering around the middle for two seconds.

The hardest man among mutants!

"Let's take these three rooms. They're right next to each other!"

After choosing their rooms, putting down their luggage, and doing some basic tidying, the three continued touring the school under Colossus's guidance.

Classrooms, laboratories, a cafeteria, gardens, a swimming pool, basketball courts, football fields—there were even horses and a riding ground. Hawking could only keep marveling at how rich the school was.

Meanwhile, as Colossus showed Hawking and the three new students around the school, an emergency meeting was being held in the headmaster's office.

"As for this mutant attack on the president, I think Magneto must have ordered someone to do it!"

Cyclops Scott declared confidently.

Jean, who stood beside him with a head of red hair, shook her head.

"Scott, I don't think so."

"Although Erik has the ability to control all this from prison, it doesn't make sense.

"Because this would only harm his plan for mutant prosperity!"

Professor X clearly shared Jean's view.

Storm raised a hand from the other side.

"Well, now those people in the government are going to bring up that Mutant Registration Act again."

"If we want to know what exactly happened, we still need to find the mutant who attacked the president.

"Jean and Ororo, go bring him back.

"Scott and I will pay Erik a visit in prison and have a talk with him."

After some discussion, Professor X made his decision.

That evening, in the school cafeteria.

"Can we eat as much as we want here?"

Hawking's eyes began to gleam as he watched the students line up one after another to get their meals.

Colossus nodded with a smile.

"Of course. All the food, drinks, and daily necessities at the school are free. You can eat as much as you want."

At that moment, he had not yet realized the seriousness of the situation.

"Come on, let's get in line."

"No rush. Take Pietro and Wanda to eat first. I'll eat after everyone else is done."

Hawking waved a hand.

"You don't need to do that. The cafeteria has more than enough food, and our chef, Mr. Yogg, has the ability to quickly turn all kinds of ingredients into food.

"Besides, every time he buys enough ingredients to feed the whole school for three days. There won't be any shortage of food."

Colossus knew that Hawking and the other two came from war-torn Sokovia and assumed they acted this way because food had been scarce there.

Aside from professors and students, the Mutant School also had quite a few staff members.

All of those staff members were mutants and former students who had graduated from the school.

Because most of their abilities were support-oriented and capped at around Level One or Two, they had little combat power. Unable to integrate well into ordinary society after graduation, they chose to stay and work at the school.

There were cooks, gardeners who trimmed the plants, cleaners who handled sanitation and organized rooms, maintenance workers for all kinds of equipment, and so on.

In any case, Professor X was not short on money, and the benefits were quite good.

"You don't know this, but Hawking is a big bad wolf who can eat a whole lot! He eats so, so much in one meal!"

Little Wanda stretched out her hands to demonstrate.

Hawking immediately breathed on her and began tickling her little belly.

"You dare call me a big bad wolf? Then you're Little Red Riding Hood. Watch out, or the big bad wolf will gobble Little Red Riding Hood up in one bite."

Little Wanda immediately burst into giggles.

Little Pietro fully agreed with his sister's opinion as well. With a serious little face, he explained to Colossus.

"I'm telling you, there's a universe inside Hawking's stomach. I've never seen him get full. Maybe that's his mutant ability."

"That's so pitiful. Come on, it's all right. Eat as much as you like."

The kindhearted Colossus heard that Hawking had apparently never eaten his fill, and sympathy welled up in his heart once more. He immediately pulled the three of them into line.