Xavier Institute for Gifted Youth.
Principal's office.
"From the Horn Daily: since Tony Stark admitted he is Iron Man, in just one month he has smashed six criminal bases in a row. Iron Man is a national idol, and Stark Industries stock is soaring."
"In the past six months, Gotham's crime rate has dropped sharply. Arkham Asylum is packed to the brim, and rumors say Wayne Enterprises may fund an expansion."
"According to frontline reports, Metropolis will formally put Superman on trial. Whether he will attend remains unknown."
"Recently, conflicts involving mutants have flared again, and some senators have proposed reviving the Mutant Registration Act."
When Hayashi Ren pushed the door open, the TV was running today's news.
"What a messed up world."
The corner of his mouth twitched almost imperceptibly as he walked to Professor X's desk.
"Ren, you're here?"
Professor X leaned back in his wheelchair, listening intently to the broadcast. At the sound of footsteps, he turned. "Ororo said you wanted to talk. Is something on your mind?"
In those deep eyes flickered concern and a trace of curiosity.
Hayashi Ren had come to Xavier's when he was eight. It had been nearly ten years.
In Professor X's mind, he was a bright and diligent young man of Chinese descent, unusually steady and low key for his age. He focused on study, seemed a bit aloof, yet never caused trouble.
In a mutant academy full of teenagers with every kind of issue, that was rare.
He liked the boy.
"Professor, I'd like to apply for graduation."
Ren sat down without small talk and got straight to it.
Before today, he had kept his distance from Professor X, wary that terrifying telepathy might lay bare his secrets.
Now that worry was gone.
Yesterday, he finally gained the buff called Mind Immunity.
Yes, Hayashi Ren was a transmigrant.
His awakened ability was the creation of magic.
He was not sure if it was a cheat or a mutation of the X gene. Ever since awakening at age eight, he had been able to create one new spell every day.
From those spells, he could choose one to make permanent on himself.
Over the years, setting aside repeats, he had accumulated hundreds across elements, mind, space, soul, and more, with no obvious weakness.
He did not grow complacent.
This world was terrifying. Until he knew for sure he could protect himself, he would never play the hero.
Keep a low profile and develop in peace. That was the way.
Because of that, almost all his permanents had been passive.
Superb Constitution, Bramble Carapace, Stonehide, and countless other defenses layered on him. Half a month ago, they fused into a brand new Iron Body.
A man has to be hard as steel.
At the same time, after stacking Mind Lock, Wall of Will, Psychic Aegis, Truthbound Resolve, and so on, his mind finally reached the state of Mind Immunity.
Yesterday, the slight dread that always pricked him whenever he looked at Professor X simply vanished.
That could only mean he could now block the psychic scans of a top tier heavyweight like Professor X.
Tell me that doesn't feel good.
Which led to today's conversation.
"You want to graduate?"
Professor X sounded surprised, and more than a little puzzled. "You don't want to stay at the school and join the X-Men?"
"No."
Ren shook his head without hesitation.
These days, there was only one word for a mutant's lot.
Tragic.
Compared to those outside who were hounded, persecuted, and forced to wander, students here could live normally and learn from the X-Men. It was paradise.
Almost every student dreamed of becoming one of the X-Men.
Hayashi Ren was not among them.
He knew all too well that whether it was Magneto or Professor X, both would fail in the end.
Following either meant only tragedy ahead.
"Can you tell me why, Ren?"
Professor X's tone wavered.
The students here were all mutant teens. Classes leaned heavily toward training powers. Teachers were too few, which left many subjects barely covered, and theoretical knowledge thin.
So, drawing on immense resources, he had built a world class library.
As one of the planet's foremost intellectuals, he cared deeply about this. Mutants should grasp more than power. They should grasp knowledge.
Unfortunately, most students focused on their abilities.
Too few could sit down and study anything else in earnest.
Ren was almost the only one.
He even inspired a few others, bringing the cram school spirit of the Dragon Country to full bloom and leaving classmates with throbbing scalps.
To be fair, Professor X was very pleased.
He placed great hopes on Ren.
Although Ren's X gene was not highly rated, only Delta level, and aside from a sharp mind he showed no special gifts, a talent like this would be a huge addition to the X-Men if he stayed.
Who would have thought such an excellent student would ask to graduate and leave?
Then again, strictly speaking, the X Academy did not really have graduation at all.
"The reason is simple, Professor."
Ren was frank. "I do not believe the X-Men have a future. Your philosophy cannot lead mutants to survive. In the end, it will be annihilation."
There was no doubt.
Those words were a knife thrust into Professor X's heart.