Miss Polaris

Somewhere along the Hudson River.

Knock knock knock—knock—knock—knock knock—knock!

This was the signal for the meeting.

The door quietly opened. An old man wearing a "Spartan helmet" and looking very much like "Gandalf" sat inside. "How did it go, the matter...?"

Then his expression changed.

"Who are you?"

With a raised hand, he effortlessly dragged the visitor over and clamped a hand tightly around her throat.

"E-Erik, it's... it's me..."

"Raven? You... Raven? It's been so many years, I was starting to forget what you really looked like." Only then did "Gandalf" recognize her face and slowly release his grip.

"Cough, cough... cough—"

Having nearly been strangled to death, Raven bent over and gulped down air.

Looking at the "weakened version" of Mystique before him, "Gandalf" furrowed his brow tightly. "You... became an ordinary person? It was him—is that it?"

"Cough, cough. Erik... get out of here. Leave now, and never come back. Your plan can't possibly succeed anymore. Go, go now!" Raven had finally caught her breath. Straightening up, tears glimmered in her eyes. "He took away my powers. He's a devil. You're no match for him. Leave now!"

This Spartan old man who looked so much like "Gandalf" was none other than Magneto, Erik.

Hearing that, his expression shifted. "What happened?"

"Don't ask! Go—leave this place immediately! I can't be sure, but I'm certain he's nearby, watching us! Leave now, and never come back! He said—he wouldn't deliberately target me... target Mutants, but... only if they don't provoke him!" Raven cried out.

Magneto gritted his teeth fiercely before abruptly sweeping his cape aside and turning to leave. At the door, he stopped and looked back one final time. "Goodbye, Raven!"

He had made a wise choice.

He knew Raven would not deceive him.

He had seen and sensed her "weakness" for himself.

In merely a few hours, Raven had fallen from a powerful Mutant to a weak, pitiful mortal. Chino Marcus's power was terrifyingly strange and strong. Besides, a weakened Raven could never have shaken off Chino's pursuit.

What if that man really was nearby?

Damn it!

He had just scanned the area with his magnetism, yet he had found nothing unusual.

Either that man had not come, or—his strength far surpassed Magneto's.

Since Rogue was no longer an option, he had to change his strategy. Facing Chino Marcus now would truly be unwise!

Seeing Erik discard her like garbage, Raven's heart shattered. She knelt on the ground and sobbed quietly.

Perhaps she did have feelings for Erik. After all, they had kissed in X-Men: First Class. Though after the scene cut away... who knew whether they had done anything more! In X-Men 3, she had not hesitated to stand in front of Magneto and shield him, becoming an ordinary person because of it.

For decades, Raven had also served as Magneto's right-hand woman and loyal vanguard. Though that was because their ideals aligned... there was surely a tiny hint of affection mixed in as well.

But unfortunately, Magneto was far more detached and cold-blooded than Raven. He would always stand with the Mutants. When Raven lost her powers, Magneto cruelly abandoned her without a second word. He had even said something like, "What a pity... she used to be beautiful."

Magneto was a hardliner with a very clear racial ideology. He looked down on ordinary humans from the bottom of his heart, believing Mutants were the future.

So, even though Raven had once been his companion, once she became an ordinary person, he would abandon her without hesitation.

Even if they had once shared a beautiful night!

Actually, Chino really wanted to know how Raven had left after losing her powers.

She had been naked.

And without her abilities, she was just a weak, beautiful woman.

If she simply left like that, emmmm... wouldn't she run into some bad people who might...

Oh, right. There had been a dead guard in the car. Uh, she probably stripped the dead man's clothes, right?

A wave of thick fog swept through the room, and Chino appeared. "Well, looks like I won!"

When Raven had left, Chino had made a bet with her. If Magneto abandoned her, then she would return and become his secretary! If he did not abandon her, then Chino would let her leave.

Clearly, he had won!

"I know Erik very well. That's just the kind of person he is!"

Raven was, after all, two hundred years old. What bitter and sweet experiences had she not endured? After shedding a brief line of tears, she reined in her emotions.

"Since you won, I'll keep my promise!"

"Oh? Doesn't look like it. You... wouldn't happen to still be planning to get your powers back, would you?" Chino smiled. The half-smiling expression on his face looked utterly punchable.

"Yes!" Raven made no attempt to hide her intentions.

"I believe I told you—once your new abilities return to you, they will merge with your soul. And I... have the power to decide life and death with a single word. Are you willing to let your fate be controlled by me?" Chino's face hardened. "You should understand that I utterly despise traitors!"

Raven fell silent, but quickly reaffirmed her resolve. "It's not like I haven't been controlled by someone before!"

Oh. Chino turned it over in his head, and it seemed that was true.

Red Devil had once seduced Mystique in Germany, causing her to give birth to a blue-skinned, tailed baby—Nightcrawler.

That counted as a form of control, didn't it?

"That's different. They controlled your life, while I control your very existence!" Chino shook his head.

"It's all the same to me. What do you need me to do, sleep with you?"

Gulp—

To be honest, Raven, who was even more beautiful than Big Cousin, did hold some appeal for him.

But?

Chino shook his head. "I admit that you do attract me somewhat, but I'm not interested in a woman who's slept with countless men!"

"Heh, shallow Eastern thinking." Raven mocked him.

"Say whatever you like! But watch your words from now on, if you still want your powers back." Chino shrugged indifferently.

This time Raven fell silent. If she was not going to sleep with him, what value did she have left?

A secretary?

Just handling reception work?

Obviously, that alone would not be enough to get her abilities back.

Magneto, who was leaving, felt his heart tremble slightly. Inside that house, he detected Chino Marcus's presence.

That meant Chino really had been there just now!

Damn it!

Chino had noticed Magneto's magnetic probing long ago, but he had not tried to hide. He had intended it as a warning to Magneto.

Erik's power was magnetism. Chino's Rumble-Rumble Fruit could likewise generate magnetism—electromagnetism!

At full strength, he could also create magnetic fields.

Their powers had something in common.

Compared to Magneto, Chino was far more interested in someone else—Miss Polaris, Lorna Dane!