As Storm led him to the office and the doors opened, Kurogai immediately saw a bald man in a wheelchair seated inside.
The man appeared calm and gentle, seemingly non-threatening. But Kurogai knew better. If the man in the chair ever chose to embrace darkness, the entire world would tremble. That's because his name was Charles Francis Xavier—Professor X.
A powerful telepath. An Alpha-level mutant. One of the most dangerous men on Earth, if he ever chose to be.
"My young friend, we finally meet. Six years have passed in the blink of an eye," Professor X said, his gaze settling calmly on Kurogai.
The moment Xavier had seen Kurogai through the school's surveillance feed, he had recognized him immediately.
There was no mistaking it. Only a select few in the world could resist Professor X's mental intrusion. And six years ago, when he had first discovered Kurogai, Kurogai had forcibly pushed his consciousness out—by sheer force of will alone.
Because of that, Charles had never forgotten him, even after all these years of silence.
"If your mind wasn't so powerful, perhaps we'd have met earlier," Kurogai replied, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
He had always wanted to meet Professor X. After all, Xavier's unique abilities and influence could offer valuable insights. But until he'd been confident that his mind was protected, Kurogai had kept his distance. He couldn't afford to let anyone, not even Xavier, peer into his memories.
That was why he'd waited until now to come to the X-Mansion.
"I see you're still cautious," Xavier said with a faint smile. "But can you tell me, what have you been doing all these years? Your mental strength has become so powerful I couldn't even sense your arrival."
There was no mistaking the concern in his voice. The last time Xavier had reached out, Kurogai had pushed him away—an act that had clearly left an impression. But now, Kurogai's presence had completely eluded him. Not even Cerebro had picked him up. It was troubling, to say the least.
Kurogai smiled lightly. "Terrifying mental power? Perhaps."
In truth, the reason Professor X couldn't sense him wasn't raw psychic strength—it was the intricate web of defensive magic Kurogai had etched into his consciousness. But there was no reason to reveal that. Letting others believe he possessed immense power was far more useful.
Never reveal your hand. That was one of Kurogai's oldest rules.
"Alright," Xavier said, shifting the conversation. "Let's talk about the reason you're here. You always resisted coming to the mansion. Why now?"
Normally, Xavier could discern a person's intent immediately. But with Kurogai, he was blind. That alone was unnerving.
"As a mutant, it's rare to find a place like this," Kurogai replied casually. "I was curious, so I decided to visit. And… I like to fight. These days, only other mutants are worth the challenge."
It was a convenient excuse—one that would let him justify staying and, more importantly, testing the strength of others.
Because in reality, Kurogai had come for something else: mutant blood.
"I see," Xavier said slowly, watching him carefully.
He couldn't read Kurogai's mind, and that left him unsure. Six years ago, Kurogai had shown immense potential—potential that had even drawn the attention of the Phoenix Force. That alone had made him someone worth watching.
But six years had passed. Xavier no longer knew who this young man had become. Had Kurogai remained neutral? Grown into a hero? Or slipped into darkness?
That uncertainty gave Xavier pause.
"My young friend," he asked after a long silence, "What do you think of mutants? And of humans?"
His voice was calm, but his eyes studied Kurogai intensely, searching for any sign of allegiance—or contempt.
Xavier needed to know where Kurogai stood. Did he see humans as enemies? Was he disgusted by his own kind? Or had he transcended the tired conflict altogether?
"Mutants. Humans. Is there really a difference?" Kurogai said, locking eyes with him. "To me, they're the same."
It wasn't the answer Xavier had expected.
Kurogai's voice was firm. "Mutants and humans alike—some are weak, some are strong. That's the only distinction that matters."
And he meant it.
Mutants weren't inherently superior. They could be weak. Powerless. And humans weren't always inferior. The Hulk, Spider-Man—they had been ordinary once. Now, no one in their right mind would call them weak.
So what difference did it make?
In the end, the strong survive. The weak perish. That was the law of the world. Everything else—ideology, species, loyalty—was meaningless noise.
And that belief was the very foundation of Kurogai's path.
He stared into Professor X's eyes with unwavering calm. To him, the dreams of peaceful coexistence, or even mutant dominance, were all illusions.
Only power was real.
Only power was eternal.
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