Chen Xiao had just stood up, intending to find a sunny bench to soak up more light, when he saw Ororo walking straight toward him.
Her gaze settled on his still-youthful face, her smile gentle. "You must be Vitas? Kost mentioned you to me."
Chen Xiao paused briefly, then nodded. "Hello, Ms. Ororo."
"Care for a walk?" Without stopping, she extended an arm in a natural gesture of invitation.
"I'd be honored." He nodded in agreement.
Dappled light fell across the tree-lined path. Ororo spoke first. "Vitas, how have you been settling in these past few days?"
Chen Xiao sounded sincere. "Thank you for asking, ma'am. Pretty well. Everyone's been very friendly."
"That's good." She nodded lightly, her smile widening. "This isn't a school. It's a home. If you feel you have to stay on guard all the time, that means we haven't done our jobs."
After a brief pause, her tone softened. "By the way, I hear that when your power erupts, you don't just release energy. Your physical strength shoots up too, and your punches now consistently exceed a ton of force?"
"Yes, ma'am," he answered readily.
He wasn't hiding his abilities. This was a trump card he had deliberately revealed.
He didn't buy into the whole "keep a low profile to stay alive" routine. Keep pretending long enough, and you really would lose your backbone; be too unremarkable, and opportunities would never come your way. Mediocrity was camouflage, but it was also an invisible cage.
That was why people needed real ability and potential worth showing if they wanted to earn respect and seize the initiative.
Take the present situation. If Chen Xiao hadn't displayed talent far beyond that of ordinary people two days ago, would Storm have sought him out for a personal chat as soon as she returned to school? Dream on.
A trace of "worry" appeared on Chen Xiao's face. "Ma'am, lately I've felt my strength continuing to rise. Could it... trigger some kind of uncontrollable mutation?"
Seeing the "unease" in his expression, Storm spoke gently. "Vitas, don't be afraid of your own abilities. Growing stronger is a sign of growth."
"Our headmaster is recognized worldwide as a leading authority on genetic evolution and mutant research. Whether you have questions or experience any unusual physical reactions, you can go to him anytime."
"And if you need anything in your daily life, just ask. The teachers will support you. There's no need to worry."
"Thank you, ma'am."
Her reassurance seemed to work, and the "worry" between Chen Xiao's brows gradually faded.
He promptly changed the subject. "Ma'am, could I apply for a single room?"
"My strength has been increasing too quickly lately. I'm worried I might fail to control it one day and accidentally hurt my roommates," he explained.
Xavier's School was a comprehensive boarding school covering elementary, middle, and high school education.
Apart from teachers and a very small number of exceptional students, almost everyone shared four-person dorm rooms.
Chen Xiao currently shared a cramped room with three middle school boys in their teens, which felt rather awkward for a mentally mature adult.
Along with certain secrets he couldn't let others see, that had made him want a quieter place for some time.
Ororo considered it briefly. "Your concerns are reasonable. If your powers suddenly go out of control, someone else really could get hurt."
"I'll discuss it with the Professor first, then get back to you."
Not refusing outright practically amounted to agreeing. The corners of Chen Xiao's lips lifted into a sincere smile. "Thank you for the trouble, ma'am."
"It's a small matter."
"But Vitas, the school arranges shared accommodations so everyone can get to know one another and look after each other, rather than feel lonely or isolated."
"Even if you live alone later, remember to spend time with your classmates. Don't shut yourself away."
"Understood. Thank you for the reminder."
As they spoke, a group of students on a nearby lawn were each showing off their powers: one flickered and teleported several meters; another stirred ripples beneath their feet while running and strode across water; another's lower body abruptly became a snake's tail, sliding swiftly along the ground; and a crimson halo rose around another student, drawing repeated cries of surprise.
To ordinary people, this would look like an illusion show gone out of control. No wonder they were seen as freaks and met with fear, rejection, and even hostility.
Before their conversation had quite ended, a colleague hurried over and called Storm away, saying there was something urgent to discuss.
Before long, Chen Xiao received notice of a change to his accommodations. Two female care workers soon came over, helped him pack everything, and moved him into a private dorm room.
After the care workers left, he surveyed the small room: a bed, a desk, a bookshelf, and a wardrobe, all neatly in place. Chen Xiao's lips curved upward in satisfaction.
This was the treatment that naturally followed revealing some of his strength.
If he had still been merely an ordinary mutant with the "basic energy manipulation" registered upon enrollment, a single room would have been out of the question.
After briefly putting his luggage in order, he strolled over to the window.
Outside, youths on the playing field took turns displaying their powers like magicians. He watched quietly, his gaze calm, already making plans.
Although the X-Men weren't as widely known as the Marvel Universe, he was no stranger to mutants.
The strongest at present were Professor X, who advocated peaceful coexistence, and Magneto, who insisted on fighting to the end. Behind them came core members such as Cyclops and Storm.
Jean Grey, who had once wielded the Phoenix Force, had died several years earlier.
Putting together what he had learned over the past few days, he concluded that it was now 2006, still within the original timeline.
The events of X2: X-Men United had ended years ago, while X-Men: The Last Stand was poised to begin.
Mutants were now known worldwide, yet remained mired in prejudice. Political leaders across the world maintained a public silence while secretly establishing research networks.
Only their wariness of the Brotherhood led by Magneto, along with scattered but tenacious resistance forces, kept these activities in the shadows.
But Chen Xiao knew that America's development of the Sentinels had already entered its final stages.
Barring any unforeseen developments, the Extermination Plan would officially begin seven years later, in 2013. Within a single year, most of the world's mutants would be wiped out.
The surviving powerful mutants would cling to life until 2023, relying on Kitty Pryde to reverse time and send Wolverine's consciousness back to 1973. Only then would they finally thwart Mystique's assassination attempt, force America to halt the Sentinel project, and change their fate.
At that thought, he murmured, "So I still have seven years to prepare."
Although he had already integrated the Kryptonian Superman template, the X-Gene still flowed within him, and his public identity remained that of a standard mutant.
Their positions were inherently opposed. He understood that better than anyone.
The Sentinels, a mechanical army created specifically to purge mutants, were already at the top of his threat list.
Seven years would be enough for him to reach Superman's peak Bronze Age combat strength. By then, never mind the Sentinels-even Hulk would drop to his knees on the spot after one punch.
Yes, Hulk.
After all, the X-Men and Marvel shared the same universe. This world didn't just have the Phoenix Force and Magneto. There were also Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America, Thor...
Even Thanos, plotting "population control" in some corner of the universe, was quietly lying in wait somewhere.
As soon as that thought arose, his slight sense of ease vanished. He raised a hand to rub his temples and said helplessly, "Why is this world such a jumble? Every kind of character is crowding into it."
In an ordinary world, his current strength would have let him wield immense influence and command the masses without a problem. He would already have stood at the pinnacle of humanity.
Marry a hundred beauties? He probably wouldn't hear a single objection.
Unfortunately, this was a world where gods and demons coexisted and alien forces frequently interfered.
Mutants, superheroes, and people with special abilities were everywhere-a typical Marvel Universe.
"Forget it. There's no point dwelling on this now. I'll think about it once I've truly secured my footing."
Chen Xiao shook his head, turned, and headed straight for the cafeteria.
Xavier's School wasn't large, with only thirty-odd students across its elementary and secondary levels.
Including the ordinary mutant teachers Professor X had hired, the X-Men, and the support staff, the entire school numbered only a few dozen people.
That was essentially consistent with what the films showed.
So whenever mealtime came around, a few familiar faces could always be seen in the cafeteria:
Bobby, or Iceman, who could freeze the air, for instance, and Scott, or Cyclops, whose eyes could fire red beams.
There was also Anna, the Rogue who appeared throughout the trilogy. Chen Xiao had run into her several times over the past few days.
But films were films, and reality was reality. Real people always differed somewhat from their on-screen portrayals.
Anna, for example, had delicate features in real life, and the white lock above her forehead gave her a distinctive charm.
"A large fruit pizza, an all-meat jumbo burger, and a Coke, please. Thank you."
When it was Chen Xiao's turn to order, he politely gave his order to the cafeteria lady behind the counter.
Room and board were free for students at the mutant academy. That alone made it hard not to marvel at how wealthy Professor X was.
Carrying his tray, Chen Xiao scanned the cafeteria, his gaze soon settling on a corner.
A dark-haired girl of eleven or twelve sat there, quietly eating with her head lowered.
Although this was a gathering place for mutants, where everyone ought to look after one another and band together for warmth;
wherever there were people, there were cliques, and this place was no exception.
After observing for several days, Chen Xiao had noticed that almost no one paid any attention to this dark-haired girl.
She wasn't openly bullied, since the Professor and the teachers kept a close watch;
instead, she was collectively shunned: no one spoke to her, invited her to walk with them, or asked her to join activities... Over time, she had become a silent shadow in the crowd.
As for why, Chen Xiao wasn't sure. He had only heard that her name was Clarice, she was thirteen, and she had enrolled two days before him.
"Clarice..." Something stirred in Chen Xiao's mind.
If he remembered correctly, this girl also had the codename "Blink." Her power was to tear open spatial rifts and transport people or objects, somewhat like Shadowcat,
except Shadowcat specialized in passing through walls, while she specialized in precisely targeted teleportation.
In the final battle of Days of Future Past in 2023, she had held off the Sentinels for quite some time;
in the end, however, they had discovered her weakness, and a single shot pierced her chest, killing her on the spot.
What really made Chen Xiao give her a second look wasn't her power, but the adult Clarice he remembered,
with her well-defined features and gentle bearing, which perfectly matched his taste.
"Vitas, there's a seat here. Want to join us?"
He had only just started toward her when Kitty waved at him from nearby, a cheerful smile on her face and two girls beside her.
Chen Xiao returned a gentle smile. "Thanks, but I've already got somewhere to sit. I won't intrude."
"Sure thing!" Kitty asked no further questions, simply nodding before turning back.