Since the marriage of Superman's doppelganger, Caesar, and Jean, a new mansion had been built on the pyramid platform adjacent to the Magneto family forest.
Caesar had finally found a home in the X-Men universe, no longer consumed by the desire to return to his original Marvel world. Instead, he savored the years he had spent there.
...
Three years of peaceful tranquility passed.
On this day, the sun shone brightly in an azure sky.
On the pyramid platform outside the villa, Apocalypse, ever the vigilant guardian, stood slightly bent, like a weary elder, instructing Wanda and Lorna, who had blossomed into graceful young women.
Now that the twins had fully mastered their powers, they could briefly challenge Apocalypse, a being of unparalleled mutant abilities.
Though Apocalypse held back, their display was still awe-inspiring.
In the hierarchy of power in the X-Men universe, Caesar and Jean reigned supreme, unrivaled. Below them, Apocalypse stood alone, a lone force capable of confronting all mutants.
The fact that Wanda and Lorna could contend with Apocalypse meant that, aside from Caesar and his circle, no one in the X-Men universe could match their strength.
As Apocalypse instructed Lorna and Wanda, Caesar, dressed in casual attire, lounged on a comfortable sofa in the first-floor hall of the mansion. He occasionally glanced at the television or out the window, watching the young women hone their mutant skills, a hint of boredom creeping in.
"Hah."
Caesar yawned widely as a light hand reached out and placed a peeled orange segment in his mouth.
"Hmm?" Caesar blinked, his big hand reaching out to pull the figure in the red robe into his embrace.
"Don't be silly, the children are outside," Jean, his stunning blonde wife, chided gently as she slapped his hand that had instinctively moved to her back.
"Close the door, they won't see us," Caesar replied nonchalantly, but his hand resumed its playful exploration.
"They can't see us, but if we stay inside all day like last time, who wouldn't notice?" Jean said with a hint of exasperation.
"Ahem, it's my incredible stamina, so why blame me?" Caesar shrugged helplessly, finally restraining his hands and holding Jean properly, like a cherished doll in his arms.
"I should have planned a trip instead."
Looking at Caesar, who had a hint of childish resentment, Jean bit her lip, lowered her head, and murmured softly, "How about we retire to our room?"
Caesar's heart warmed with a reassuring smile. "It's all right, I'm just bored. Do I seem like the kind of man who indulges in such activities in broad daylight?"
Jean kissed him lightly on the lips, her eyes twinkling. "Yes!"
"I will demonstrate how I will teach you a lesson tonight."
After Caesar's teasing remark, a blush crept onto Jean's cheeks. Then he turned his gaze back to the window, but this time his focus shifted from Apocalypse and Wanda to the clear blue sky.
Jean remained silent, quietly watching Caesar's handsome face.
As if sensing his thoughts, Jean's heart tightened slightly. She took a deep breath and asked quietly, "Are you thinking about the world you came from?"
"Ah!" Caesar froze for a moment as he met Jean's sapphire eyes. He hesitated, then nodded.
Since their marriage, Caesar had confided in Jean about his origins in another world - the Marvel Universe.
Caesar hugged his wife and chuckled, "After all, there are still formidable foes to contend with there. But with my original self present, and Raina and the others, I think they will be fine."
Jean could detect the underlying attempt at self-assurance.
After all, the doppelganger and the original self were essentially one and the same.
If he was experiencing anxiety, it indirectly implied that his original self was facing challenges.
Jean rested her head on Caesar's arm as if a decision had been made. She explained: "Caesar, I also feel that life in this world is becoming too mundane.
Caesar shuddered, unable to suppress a question. "What do you mean...?"
"You have been here with me for three years, and I cherish every moment. But a man of your caliber shouldn't be confined to this world," Jean explained.
"But that's not fair to you," Caesar smiled wryly.
"You're wrong." Jean shook her head, her voice firm. "As long as I'm with you, even if we have to cross time and space, I have no problem with it."
"Jean..." Caesar embraced her, deeply moved. With a woman like her, what more could he want?
And so the decision was made...
To be with his beloved, no matter what the cost, to seek the Marvel Universe once more!
...
In the days that followed...
After Caesar and Jean had said goodbye to their relatives and friends and informed them of their upcoming journey, most of them, like Jean's parents, simply wished them a safe journey.
Only a few, such as Professor X and Magneto, understood that this farewell probably meant a permanent separation.
After their farewells, on the third morning...
Crack! Crack!
The colossal pyramid, thousands of feet high, began to crumble and transform like a complex mechanism. Layer by layer, the newly constructed Bourne villa was meticulously preserved, along with a substantial supply of provisions, all returned by Apocalypse through the exercise of his mutant abilities.
With their century-long master-servant contract yet to expire, Caesar would naturally take Apocalypse with him on his journey. Moreover, if he were to leave with Jean, it would be unconscionable to leave Apocalypse behind, as he was the most powerful force in the X-Men universe.
At the very end...
Only Magneto and his family remained to bid them farewell.
"Brother Caesar, are you really leaving this world with Sister Jean?" Wanda and Lorna, their eyes filled with tears, looked reluctantly at the departing Caesar and Jean.
"Life is a series of goodbyes. You have matured and I will entrust the protection of this world to you after we leave," Caesar smiled gently and patted the girls on the head.
"But..."
Wanda and Lorna continued to plead with Caesar to stay, but Magneto cleared his throat and intoned in a deep voice, "Enough, if you gain enough strength in the future, you too can travel through time and space, just as Caesar has done."
Wanda and Lorna exchanged glances and declared in unison, "We will certainly strive for greatness!"
"Big Brother, we will meet again someday." Quicksilver, standing nearby, also had tears in his eyes, but he looked at the sky at a 45-degree angle to hide his embarrassment.
"We will meet again. As the eldest son of the family, take care of your parents and sisters," Caesar patted Quicksilver on the shoulder, and Quicksilver could no longer contain his emotions, wiping away his tears with superhuman speed.
After saying goodbye to Magneto's family and leaving them at the foot of the mountain, Caesar and Jean climbed to the top with Apocalypse at their side.
As Quicksilver watched Caesar and the others stand hundreds of feet above him, he couldn't help but ask, "Father, is it really possible to travel through time and space, to travel between universes?"
Magneto held the hands of his wife and daughter, Anya, and replied, "I cannot say for certain that it is possible by human means. But if even Caesar cannot do it, then no one in the world can."
On the mountaintop
"Jean, Apocalypse, follow my instructions." Caesar's eyes shone with intense light, his body radiating an aura of invincibility. He clenched his right fist tightly, and the concentrated power made the surrounding air tremble.
"Understood!" Jean spread her arms, her red hair flowing wildly as she entered her peak Phoenix state, her potent telepathic ability enveloping Caesar's fist.
"Precisely!" Caesar inhaled deeply, continuing to amass his power.
Through countless prior experiments, Caesar understood that a punch delivered with his full force was sufficient to reshape the Earth's landscape, yet it still failed to breach the X-Men universe. He had initially believed his strength was insufficient, but later realized that it was not a matter of strength; it was something else that was lacking!
With a single punch, even if he exercised meticulous control, the force would still disperse uncontrollably, generating shockwaves, and could not be focused on a single point within the void!
However, with Jean's assistance, under the amplification of her extraordinary telepathy, the power could be concentrated entirely in one direction.
The most potent force, combined with the most powerful telepathy – if this failed to breach the barrier of time and space, then Caesar would have no alternative but to develop Ant-Man's Pym Particle technology.
"Whether we can return depends on this punch!"
Ensuring Apocalypse was prepared for teleportation, Caesar raised his fist, enveloped in golden flames, and struck the sky above him with immense force!
Crack!!
This time, there were no shockwaves, no sonic booms, and the ground remained undisturbed.
But the void shattered like glass, revealing a passage large enough for them to traverse.
The X-Men universe had been breached...
(End of Chapter)