Rorschach's Mutant Ability

"When I was very young, I kept thinking that one day, I would make myself normal. That had always been my dream."

"Rorschach, I don't know if you can relate, because you looked normal to begin with. When you walked outside, no one looked at you strangely."

"But I'm different. I've had enough of that!"

Hank's voice continued, interrupting Rorschach's thoughts.

"So, Hank, what do you need me to do?"

Though he had long guessed what Hank wanted to do, Rorschach could only pretend not to know and ask him directly.

"Rorschach, I know this request may be a little presumptuous, but... could I collect some of your blood samples?"

After hesitating for a moment, Hank finally asked Rorschach.

"I've actually been researching a cure for myself lately, and I've made a breakthrough. I'm just one final step away. I need a reference sample."

"I only need a tiny amount of your blood."

Hank looked at Rorschach with eager anticipation.

"I'm sorry, Hank, but I care a great deal about that."

Without even thinking, Rorschach flatly refused Hank.

His body had been modified by the system, not by the X-gene originally inside him.

That was right. Rorschach did have an X-gene in his body. He was a genuine mutant himself; otherwise, why would Professor X have brought his former self back to the CIA's secret base?

As for Rorschach's mutant ability, it normally did not manifest at all. But under certain circumstances, it could be extremely useful: underwater breathing.

His skin could directly absorb the air around him!

Of course, Rorschach's underwater breathing was different from the Deep's in the Seven.

The Deep's body structure had already changed, with fish-like gills growing on his chest and abdomen.

Rorschach did not have that.

There was nothing unusual about Rorschach's body. He did not need to swallow water and air into his body to absorb the air in the water; he could simply draw it directly from the surrounding water.

What could he say about this ability? Most of the time, it was just decorative, and a rather useless decoration at that.

Rorschach had never told anyone about it.

Up to this point, everyone, including Charles, believed that Rorschach's abilities came from the powers granted by the Homelander template.

Under those circumstances, there was no way Rorschach would let Hank casually draw his blood.

"No, no, no, Rorschach, I should be the one apologizing. I know it was an intrusive request."

A trace of disappointment appeared on Hank's face, but he still replied to Rorschach politely.

"Hank, do you only need blood samples from mutants who look normal?"

Just as Hank was about to leave, Rorschach suddenly looked up and asked.

"Yes. Why do you ask?" Hank looked at Rorschach in confusion.

"If that's the case, Hank, I can't let you draw my blood, but I might be able to bring you other blood samples."

Rorschach said it in a casual tone.

For him, it was merely a matter of convenience.

Whether it was the inevitable final battle with the Black King or the long-awaited showdown with Stryker, Rorschach was bound to come into conflict with other mutants.

When the time came, bringing Hank a few samples would be nothing.

"Rorschach, thank you so much." Surprise suddenly flashed across Hank's previously disappointed face. "But if this puts you in a difficult position..."

"It's fine, Hank. Doing something small for a friend is nothing."

"Thank you, Rorschach. Other than thank you, I don't know what else to say."

"Then don't say anything. All right, it's late. Go get some rest. Two grown men staying alone in the same room at night makes me uncomfortable."

Hank left, thoroughly satisfied.

Although it was only Rorschach's verbal promise and nothing more,

Hank believed that since Rorschach had made him a promise, he would definitely keep it.

After Hank left, Rorschach could not help but think. As he remembered it, in the original movie, Hank had only wanted a blood sample from Mystique, Raven.

Clearly, because of his transmigration, the original course of events had deviated somewhat.

If Hank really ended up getting another blood sample, would he still become Beast Hank once again?

Rorschach was quite looking forward to finding out.

"Morning, Rorschach!"

"Morning, Banshee, Raven, Alex!"

Early the next morning.

The young mutants all got up early. The eastern sky was still pale with dawn, and the sun had not fully risen.

That would have been unimaginable back at the CIA base.

Back then, they had all been a bunch of worthless layabouts. There was no chance they would get up before the sun was high in the sky.

But now, under Charles and Erik's special training, they had changed considerably in every respect.

After hurriedly eating breakfast in the cafeteria and greeting one another, they gathered once more on the training ground.

Charles and Erik were already waiting there.

For some reason, however, Moira, who was often at Charles's side recording data and serving as his assistant, was nowhere to be seen.

Though puzzled, Rorschach did not ask about it right away.

Instead, once Charles began leading everyone through special training, he quietly approached Erik.

"Moira received a tip and went out to investigate."

Erik explained before Rorschach could even ask.

Rorschach nodded and said nothing more, but he had no expectations for this investigation.

After all, according to Rorschach's memory, they seemed never to have found the Black King before the final battle of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

But a single movie could only contain so much. It only showed the audience part of the story.

The world Rorschach inhabited now was real. It was entirely possible that Moira had truly found a lead on Shaw.

It was simply a part that had not been "edited" into the movie.

Besides, Rorschach's transmigration might have caused certain established paths to shift. There was no telling.

After all, when Shaw had infiltrated the CIA base in the original timeline, he had not suffered the kind of setback he had now.

"Rorschach, tell me, if we find Shaw, will you stop me from killing him?"

Erik suddenly looked at Rorschach seriously and asked.

"Why would I do that?" Rorschach shrugged, as if it were only natural.

In this regard, he was not a saint like Charles.

It was only right for Erik to avenge his mother's murder. Rorschach could not think of any reason to stop him.