Cyclops withstood Magneto's attack, his body only shuddering slightly. He found it quite easy.
This filled him with confidence.
His Demon True Form had not yet fully developed. Once it was fully developed and continuously strengthened, just how powerful would it become?
Rather than passively waiting for Magneto to attack again, he decided to test his offensive abilities.
The skeletal hand clenched, and a similarly dark red greatsword appeared in its grip, energy burning like flames along its surface.
With a thought from Cyclops, the greatsword swung down hard toward Magneto.
A crescent-shaped arc of sword qi slashed toward Magneto with the howl of rushing wind.
Magneto had not expected Cyclops to have such a move. Already startled by the skeleton's appearance, he could only form a barrier with the metal circling him to block as much of it as possible.
Soon, seeing that the metal barrier would not hold, he had no choice but to dodge to the side.
But the sword qi was angled and covered a fairly wide area. Nearly grazed by it, Magneto had to roll across the ground to avoid injury.
However, a section of his formerly impressive cape was missing, leaving him looking somewhat disheveled.
Cyclops saw that Magneto, who had always kept him suppressed before, now had little metal left to control and had been forced into such a sorry state by him.
He seized the opportunity at once, closing in on Magneto in several long strides before he had time to control more metal.
The empty skeletal hand reined in its energy and scooped Magneto off the ground.
Magneto had only just recovered his senses when he felt himself grow weightless, then a tight grip, and his vision lurched.
When his vision steadied again, he found himself held securely in the skeletal palm.
Cyclops's face was right in front of him, the corners of his mouth rising despite himself.
"Erik, it looks like I do have a say here after all!"
Magneto's expression darkened, and he narrowed his eyes at Cyclops.
"Boy with the glasses, thank Li Ge for the ability he gave you!"
He said nothing about having been careless or not having much metal to control.
Storm pushed the Professor's wheelchair over to them, with Beast and Shadowcat following closely behind.
And Li Ge?
He had not moved at all!
He was not afraid of getting caught in the crossfire.
Mystique simply sat down beside Li Ge as well, leisurely watching to see what they would do.
"Say, Kitty, why aren't you running?"
Looking at Mystique, who showed no awareness of being on the losing side, Li Ge could not help teasing her.
"Oh, handsome, what do you think I should do?"
"Why don't you tie me up?"
Who was Mystique?
The corners of her eyes lifted as she grinned softly, leaning her upper body toward Li Ge and bringing her hands together as though bound, holding them right in front of him.
That casually revealed allure made Li Ge, a virgin across two lifetimes, involuntarily miss a heartbeat.
"Ahem! Well, the Professor and the others will catch you."
Li Ge's expression was somewhat unnatural.
"Hehe..."
Mystique noticed his awkwardness and felt a surge of pleasure. It looks like I'm still quite charming!
She was about to tease Li Ge some more, but he had had enough. He did not want to make a fool of himself in a moment.
"Professor, sorry for the trouble, but please arrest this woman impersonating Kitty."
The Professor, who had been saying something to Magneto, heard Li Ge's request.
"Raven still likes joking with people as much as ever."
The Professor smiled as he spoke to Magneto.
"Hmph! Raven's charm has never disappointed me!"
Magneto, who had already been put down and had been watching Li Ge all along, had naturally seen his reaction.
"Li Ge, Raven, come to the conference room with us. Let's have a proper talk there."
After calling to them, the Professor led the group toward the conference room.
Magneto glanced back at Li Ge and followed without a word.
Li Ge knew that what they wanted to discuss would certainly concern him, so he did not decline.
Ignoring the smiling Mystique, he rose into the air with Telekinesis and slowly followed the Professor and the others.
Mystique raised an eyebrow when Li Ge suddenly took flight, but she was not surprised.
As had been said before, someone who could give others abilities was bound to have considerable power himself.
Swaying with a catlike gait, Mystique followed as well.
They arrived at the conference room and took their seats.
The Professor spoke first:
"Everyone understands how powerful Li Ge's ability is."
"Erik, Raven, now that you know about it too, what do you intend to do?"
Li Ge watched as the Professor gave him a reassuring look.
"Charles, I've always looked down on this indecisiveness of yours."
"Now that we have a powerful fellow mutant like Li Ge, someone who can change the mutants' current situation, do you still want to drag him into playing your little game of peace?"
"He must have a better stage!"
Magneto's tone was blunt and forceful.
Beside him, Mystique said with a smile:
"Exactly, Charles! Perhaps Li Ge would prefer our Brotherhood of Mutants?"
As she spoke, she cast Li Ge a flirtatious glance.
Cyclops knitted his brows and was about to argue, but Storm tugged at him, signaling for him to look at Li Ge.
Beast and Shadowcat, who had remained silent all along, looked over as well.
Li Ge looked as though he were enjoying a show and gave no reaction at all.
"Raven, right?"
"I remember making myself very clear. I think both your sides have problems, and I won't join either one."
"The only reason I've joined the academy now is to better integrate into the mutant community."
"That doesn't mean I've joined the X-Men."
"I think even less of your Brotherhood of Mutants."
Although Li Ge's clear statement that he would not join the X-Men disappointed the Professor and the others.
He had also said he would not join the Brotherhood of Mutants.
That was enough!
After all, they had discovered that he had a mind of his own when they first met him.
Still, they needed to confirm his thoughts on the future of mutants.
"Then, Li Ge, do you have any good ideas about the future of mutants?"
The Professor looked straight into Li Ge's eyes. Taking advantage of Magneto's visit today, he wanted to hear what Li Ge, who had shown himself to be a genius throughout his childhood and into adulthood, had in mind.
"Found a nation!"
"The only way forward for mutants is to found a nation!"
"Only with a country of our own and territory of our own can we develop our own civilization."
"Instead of making all sorts of compromises or hiding in human society like we do now, living so abjectly!"
Li Ge's words were blunt, directly laying out the mutants' current situation.