Early Plans and Return

"You... are you one of those two?"

Hearing Raven's words and recalling the day's report, the President's voice shot up in disbelief.

In truth, the Black King's scheme had already unraveled midway through his fight with Ron.

The fleet had reported the incident to higher-ups, though no one believed it at first, suspecting the messenger had lost his mind.

What—someone yanking a nuclear submarine out of the ocean, two figures battling like gods in the sky, unleashing terrifying nuclear energy? Had he been reading too much Bible and mythology?

Or had he smuggled weed onto the warship and gotten too high?

But not long after, when the world's two most powerful super-fleets were confirmed destroyed, America's high command was thrown into shock and bewilderment. Tracing back the investigation, they suddenly realized that, unbeknownst to them, a segment of humanity had already evolved into special mutants, possessing all kinds of bizarre abilities.

Among them, the strongest wielded powers like miracles.

Since the incident occurred in foreign waters and was too massive to cover up, it had spread completely, sparking global uproar and panic.

"That's right, but I'm the one who stopped it.

As for the one who destroyed the fleet afterward, he's a radical among us who's already parted ways with me."

Ron made it clear he stood on the side of justice, with no connection whatsoever to a terrorist like Magneto.

"So you really are..."

With confirmation, the President jumped up from his chair in terror, trembling, stepping back.

His scalp crawled as he stared at Ron, as if facing some monstrous force.

According to the reports submitted below, the man who single-handedly destroyed the world's two most powerful fleets couldn't even get a word in edgewise against the young man before him and that Sebastian Shaw.

"You keep jumping like that—how am I supposed to talk to you?"

Behind the desk, seated in his chair, Ron looked at him with some exasperation.

"Forgive me, I've been a bit undignified."

Forcing down his fear, the President swallowed and sat back down.

"So your visit today is to clarify this matter, to avoid any misunderstanding?"

He asked cautiously, no longer daring to show any displeasure.

The crews of both fleets had all perished at the bottom of the sea, their black boxes still unrecovered, leaving almost no one to tell the full story.

"More or less, but not just that."

"Mr. President, you're one of us mutants. Shouldn't you do something for our kind?"

Ron's smile gradually faded, his body leaning forward seriously, carrying an unspoken pressure.

"I..."

In that instant, Kennedy felt his earlier ominous premonition might come true.

Possessing terrifying power capable of toppling a nation, and holding a firm grip on his leverage...

Perhaps... perhaps the one sitting behind this desk giving orders might soon be someone else.

"I never understood before why the President always loved to smile.

Now I know—it's his ability."

After concluding a 'cordial and friendly' meeting with the President, Ron led Raven out of the White House and back to their temporary hotel.

Raven brought up how she'd asked about the President's ability at the end, and after some hesitation, he'd answered.

"A smile can release affinity toward those who don't resist, building goodwill.

He has that ability—I'm not surprised at all."

Ron shook his head.

As a boy who loved to smile, a smile was the greatest weapon.

It couldn't stop bullets, but it was enough to let him thrive in politics.

"Are you leaving?"

Taking off her ladies' suit jacket, Raven turned around in her thin blouse, a hint of worry on her face.

During his 'negotiation' with the President, she'd noticed many arrangements were centered on her as the liaison with him.

It gave her the feeling Ron was about to leave.

"I'll be gone for a while."

"Ron, where are you going? I... I want to come with you." She stepped over gently, hugging him, her face full of reluctance.

"I'll come back to check in from time to time. I won't be gone long."

He refused her indirectly, wrapping his arms around her in return, and before she could say anything more in her sorrow, he kissed her.

The two slowly sank toward the bed.

In another hotel room, Hank, stuck in his beastly form and unable to show himself in public, was still waiting for Ron and Raven to return and tell him how things had gone.

But he waited and waited, until midnight, when Ron went downstairs to buy some odds and ends he was running low on, only then remembering him and casually letting him know.

After that day, with the new orange dawn breaking, Ron spent some more time with the X-Men universe and Raven, keeping her company a while longer.

Another major reason he dared to entrust things to Raven was her ability—once her potential was unlocked, she grew steadily stronger, becoming a humanoid Sentinel.

She could replicate all mutant physical superpowers below the fourth level.

Template Mutant: Raven. Price: 100,000.

Aside from the Black King's energy absorption, which she couldn't copy, she replicated his stored and released plasma-state energy, survival of the fittest, and super-speed regeneration.

She also copied the White Queen's ability to turn into diamond and become immune to psionic abilities.

After Ron rescued the White Queen from the CIA through the President, he had her assist Raven in her work. After all, Raven was still young, and some matters required someone with more mature experience to handle—he just needed her to steer the big picture.

The White Queen had helped the Black King establish and run the Hellfire Club, expanding their influence and winning over the upper echelons of two nations—she was undeniably capable and experienced.

Unwilling to return to prison, and awed by Ron's abilities, she submitted to him, just as she had followed Magneto after he rescued her back then.

"Mutants are a global issue. Stirring up trouble in just one country is useless. You need to get involved internationally, or make yourself part of the international community."

What Ron wanted to do was actually simple: first, establish a small country, then transform it into a nation for mutants, taking in all mutants.

On the international stage, every mutant born would automatically gain citizenship of the mutant nation. If they committed a crime, they would be extradited back for trial, avoiding all persecution.

What Raven and the White Queen had to do was prepare the groundwork for building that nation.

Then, when he returned, they would formally establish the country, take over everything, and move forward from there...

The Boys Universe.

A familiar room.

Ron's figure suddenly appeared.

"Really been a while since I was back."

He glanced at the familiar furnishings, let out a sigh, and walked to the window, looking outside.

His younger brother, Ryan, was playing in the yard, building a sandcastle.

He turned on the computer and went online, planning to check the time flow rate between the two universes before moving on to the next step.

He also had some ideas for Earth in The Boys Universe.

Compound V was a real treasure.