My Heart Aches

Donnie opened the door and let Pyro John in. He sized up the teenager, who seemed a bit reserved and nervous.

Honestly, Donnie was happy someone had come to see him, but there was also a slight regret. The person who left the deepest impression on him was Iceman Bobby, a mutant with Level 5 potential.

Bobby was different from Phoenix Jean. Jean possessed the Phoenix Force, and it could be said that upon awakening, she already had Level 5 strength, though Professor X had sealed her power source in time. As for Iceman Bobby, although his abilities weren't high now, he had Level 5 potential. With the right opportunities in the future, Bobby would unlock his potential and become even stronger. His unreasonable ice-making ability could theoretically freeze the entire universe, though that was just theory. He might die of old age or be killed by someone halfway through, after all, this world was crawling with powerful individuals.

But Pyro John's arrival was enough to make Donnie happy.

Donnie squinted and asked, "Why are you here so late?" He asked knowingly, hoping the teenager would reveal it himself.

Pyro John was very nervous. A few beads of sweat appeared on his young, inexperienced face. He stammered, and after a long pause, he barely managed to say a complete sentence: "Are you still looking for subordinates?"

He was sweating profusely, and for some reason, he felt very nervous and pressured facing this young man. But this also solidified a certain decision in his heart.

"I am indeed planning to assemble my own team, and I think highly of you," Donnie said casually, causing John to look up abruptly, his eyes filled with wild joy.

"But not now. At least, I can't let you join me right now, John. You're still too young, and you're not ready," Donnie said, pouring cold water on his hopes without hesitation.

John was unconvinced and wanted to argue, to tell the person in front of him that he was fully prepared. But his next sentence crushed him, making him unable to lift his head.

"You're too weak. I'm about to go to war with the vampires, and it's extremely dangerous. How much can you help me? You might even become a burden."

John lowered his head, utterly dejected. He couldn't refute Donnie's words. The most brutal fight he had experienced was leading a group of people in a brawl against another group led by Iceman Bobby. It was a completely different world compared to Donnie.

"Believe me, John, I'm very happy you came to find me, but you've come too early. You need to become stronger before you can join my team. Trust me, when you're strong enough, I will definitely come looking for you," Donnie said, patting John's shoulder with a sigh.

Donnie felt heartbroken as he said this. He genuinely wanted to form his own team and wished he could poach John, this potential asset, as his subordinate. But he couldn't. He was penniless right now. The so-called team had a higher chance of starving to death than dying in battle with enemies.

He, the great Mechanic Donnie, was a pauper. What kind of team could he build? Build a team only for them all to starve to death?

The money he had on hand could barely support a few superpowered individuals. He struggled to even support himself, which was a huge worry.

Donnie could only hope to risk his life by raiding the vampires and making a huge profit. Their wealth, accumulated over thousands of years, should be impressive, right?

John left, dejected but also hopeful. Something flickered in his eyes. The teenager finally seemed to understand what he needed to do in the future; he finally had a goal.

Donnie patted the wall and sighed, "Have you heard enough? If you have, leave quickly."

Then, a little girl walked out from the wall. Donnie remembered correctly, this little girl was Kitty, nicknamed Shadowcat, whose spatial abilities allowed her to phase through barriers.

Little Kitty stared at him for a moment and left without a word. She had heard every word of Donnie and John's conversation.

Donnie sat there, lost in thought. He clutched his chest. Letting go of two young individuals made him feel like he was dying of heartbreak. Showing off cost money, and money was what he lacked the most. Not to mention, his Transformer army also required a constant stream of funding; it was a bottomless pit.

Donnie sighed repeatedly, beating his chest and stamping his feet, feeling like he was dying of heartache.

"It seems you regret it. Should I call them back?" Professor X also arrived. Such a commotion wouldn't escape his notice. He teased Donnie.

Donnie grumbled angrily, "Old man, believe it or not, I wanted to poach them more than once just now. I was holding back the entire time. I regret it so much, my heart aches..."

The bald professor was unusually serious. "Donnie, they're still too young and don't understand anything. I don't want you to interfere with them too much, at least not now."

Donnie fell silent and finally nodded helplessly. At the school, John could learn knowledge, but with Donnie, John's combat power would soar. Donnie was confident in that, but undoubtedly, the Professor wouldn't easily let him go.

Xavier's School primarily taught these mutants how to be people and how to coexist peacefully with humans. Only a select few who joined the X-Men had the opportunity to learn combat.

Charles turned his wheelchair and asked Donnie if he would continue to fight the vampires.

Donnie nodded heavily, explaining that it wasn't a question of whether he wanted to fight, but that the vampires would definitely continue fighting him and wouldn't compromise easily. Moreover, the vampires were carrying out a God-Making Plan, and Donnie was the best touchstone.

"The war cannot end. I'm here to seek an opportunity to become stronger," Donnie said.

Charles nodded silently, stating he would provide Donnie with any assistance within his capabilities.

"Donnie, sometimes I really worry that you'll end up on the same path as Erik," Charles voiced his deepest concern. He didn't want Donnie to follow Erik's path, which was extreme and dangerous.

Donnie smiled and told the old man that he wouldn't and couldn't be like Erik. But he did need to show off his strength, because there were still people coveting him. He needed a victory to deter those petty individuals. They would target Donnie, but they wouldn't target Professor X or Magneto, because they had been severely dealt with by those two, but not by Donnie.

"Professor, you haven't used your abilities to harm many people, but that doesn't mean they haven't been awed by your formidable power. At least I don't harbor hostility towards ordinary people. I come from the group of ordinary people; all mutants come from ordinary people," Donnie said with a smile. Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he tested, "Perhaps only the first mutant in history is an exception."

"The first mutant? Who?" Charles, who had been pleased by Donnie's philosophy, looked at Donnie in confusion upon hearing the question. He didn't quite understand.

Donnie's heart sank. The worst possible scenario had become a reality.

"Just a guess," Donnie replied vaguely, saying that he guessed the first mutant in history might be different from them, the later generations.

Charles pondered. He could tell Donnie was hiding something from him, but since Donnie didn't want to say, he didn't need to press. He could also investigate this first mutant in history himself.

After the Professor left, Donnie sat alone, utterly speechless.

It turned out that the timeline he was in had not yet been reset; it was the original one.

Speaking of which, wasn't that dangerous old fellow Apocalypse still hibernating in the Egyptian pyramids? He'd been asleep for thousands of years.

The storm was brewing, and this world had gained another extremely troublesome immortal.