Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters

Donnie led his convoy straight to a school located in Westchester, New York.

Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters had developed rapidly over the past few decades, yet it lived an almost isolated existence. Many people did not even know that such a peculiar school existed in bustling New York City; only the higher-ups of certain organizations knew of it.

The school specialized in accepting Mutants—and only Mutants—ranging in age from a few years old to their teens.

Its principal was Charles Xavier, known as Professor X, one of the universally acknowledged twin pillars of Mutants and a great Mutant leader. He had spent his entire life striving for peaceful coexistence between Mutants and ordinary people, making him an elder worthy of respect.

Yet Donnie had always harbored doubts about meeting Professor X. The professor's Psionic Ability was impossible to guard against; in an instant, he could read Donnie's memories without Donnie even noticing.

Donnie had too many secrets. He truly worried that Professor X might look through his memories, even though the possibility was exceedingly slim.

Beyond the fear Professor X inspired with his power, what earned him even greater praise and respect was his noble character. This old man had spent his life proving himself, and would continue to do so. He was an elder people could trust, a kindly elder in the truest sense.

Donnie had taken the risk of meeting Professor X because he needed help, reliable backing.

He would not choose Magneto. At least, not before he possessed the strength to contend with Magneto, would he side with him. Magneto was uncompromising and hard-line, determined to exterminate humanity and turn Earth into a world for Mutants. His methods were extreme.

Donnie understood that there truly was not much time left.

In the near future, an age of great conflict would officially begin. Earth simply did not have much energy to waste on infighting. One mythical figure after another would sweep across the stars, leaving corpses strewn everywhere. Countless ancient races would set sail once more and wage war across the cosmos. Civilizations would wail beneath their iron hooves, and ancient planets would shatter amid the war.

The future held countless bloody battles and endless wars.

There would be no light or hope, no flowers or distant horizons—only endless corpses and despair. Even Donnie himself did not know how long he could endure in the future, nor how many battles he could survive.

After making up his mind, Donnie drove his own Optimus Prime all the way there. A brand-new motorcycle sat in the truck bed, while two battered vehicles followed behind, forming a small convoy. Donnie led them to Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.

He wanted to see Professor X. He was betting on Professor X's character. He wanted to become stronger; even gaining strength bit by bit would be good.

There truly was not much time left.

Xavier's School was largely isolated from the outside world. Its scenery was beautiful, far from the city's smog and clamor, like a paradise apart from the world.

As he reached the gate, the sounds of the vehicles drew many people's attention. Outsiders rarely came here, and they were extremely curious about this new visitor.

They were children of varying ages, gathered in small groups. Pointing at Donnie as he got out of the vehicle, they whispered among themselves about who he was.

Donnie looked at the children. Their faces were innocent and pure, like angels untouched by the world, and his heart abruptly calmed. Looking at them, his entire body relaxed.

The change surprised him. He had always kept himself tightly wound, yet before these children, he quietly relaxed. It felt comfortable, natural.

"Welcome, Donnie." A woman had known Donnie was coming and stood waiting for him with a smile. She did not even call him "Mister"; she clearly did not treat him as an outsider.

"Dr. Jean, I once watched you speak before Congress and read some of your papers. Thank you for everything you've done." Donnie looked at the graceful, mature woman. Though this was their first meeting, he recognized her at once. The person before him was Jean Grey, a terrifying, uncontrollable Level Five Mutant.

Facing Jean, Donnie always felt as though he were about to suffocate, though he did not know whether it was merely an illusion. The AllSpark in his mind flickered madly.

Jean Grey was one of the hosts of the cosmic Phoenix. Her body contained terrifying energy; her telekinesis could annihilate souls and matter at the atomic level. It was immensely terrifying. Worst of all, that power was uncontrollable. Jean could easily end up controlled by it instead, resulting in the birth of a negative personality.

Professor X had used his psychic power to seal Jean's source of power, but as time passed, the seal grew weaker and weaker, increasingly unable to resist the ever more violent Phoenix Force.

All it would take was one trigger for the Phoenix Force to erupt irreversibly, leaving no possibility of recovery. The negative personality would erase the primary personality and take possession of everything.

But at least for now, it was still the kind and approachable Dr. Jean who was in control. Even she herself did not know that she had a negative personality.

"Oh?" Jean's smile was sweet as she looked at Donnie teasingly. "Then which of my papers have you read? We can discuss them. I hear you attended college too."

"Only half of it." Donnie shamelessly replied, "I'm very interested in some of Dr. Jean's papers analyzing Mutant abilities."

Donnie casually made things up, lavishly praising Dr. Jean's research for lifting a new veil over the field of Mutant abilities and playing a tremendous role in better understanding the direction of Mutant advancement. He said he was deeply grateful for Dr. Jean's efforts on behalf of Mutants.

Papers? How could he possibly have read that kind of thing? No chance.

Jean gave Donnie a meaningful look. She was a teacher herself, so how could she fail to see that Donnie was talking nonsense? Still, she did not expose him and merely gestured for him to follow.

"Professor X sensed you when you were about to arrive, so he asked me to come receive you," Jean said as they walked. Professor X had been paying attention to Donnie for a long time. He had been waiting for Donnie to come to him, hoping they could have a proper talk.

Many Mutant students watched Donnie curiously. Some who liked watching television had already recognized him and quickly told the others that this young man was the recently famous The Mechanic.

"He's that newly emerged high-level Mutant?" a teenager exclaimed, his eyes shining. The relevant agencies had sealed off Donnie's detailed information, so many people only knew that Donnie had awakened during a crisis and possessed a high rank. As for exactly what level he was, opinions varied.

The more credible claim was that he was a Tertiary Mutant, one inclined toward combat abilities and possessing tremendous destructive power.

Following a cobblestone path, Donnie arrived at an old-fashioned little building deep within the school grounds. The building had clearly stood there for many years and looked elegant. More astonishingly, orderly rows of Eastern glazed tiles covered its exterior, forming a beautiful picture.

When the doors opened, a bald old man in a wheelchair slowly turned toward him. He radiated a peaceful aura, and his calm gaze was filled with the light of wisdom.

"Welcome, my kin."