Xiao Han exchanged a glance with Professor X, and in that instant, the two reached a silent agreement.
"Scott, Ororo, initiate the defense protocol immediately!"Professor X issued the order to the X-Men through telepathy, and at the same time his wheelchair automatically turned toward the door.
"Mr. Xiao, it seems our cooperation must begin ahead of schedule."
Xiao Han's lips curved. "That suits me perfectly."
He pressed a button; his armor disengaged, revealing the combat uniform underneath. Then his figure flickered and shot out of the room, lifting into the sky above the academy.
His enhanced vision pierced the night and locked onto a figure floating a kilometer away—Magneto.
Erik Lehnsherr wore a deep crimson cape, his metal helmet glinting coldly under the moonlight.
He spread his arms wide as all the metal debris around him—scrap vehicles, broken machinery, even nearby streetlights—rose under invisible magnetic power, swirling around him like a storm.
"Charles!"
Magneto's voice carried across the entire academy through magnetic resonance."I know that alien energy source is with you! Hand it over to me."
Xiao Han raised an eyebrow.
So Magneto was after the blue crystal? It seemed he had sensed the unique energy fluctuation.
"Mr. Lehnsherr."Xiao Han's voice was not loud, but with the amplification of his biological forcefield, it reached Magneto's ears with perfect clarity.
"That thing has already been safely dealt with."
Magneto let out a cold laugh. "Safely dealt with? You people don't even understand what it is!"
He lifted his hand, and the metal structures across the academy began to tremble."That is Creation. It can rewrite mutant genes—granting mutants new abilities!"
This information made Xiao Han narrow his eyes slightly.Rewrite genes?
It seemed the origin of the alien crystal was far more complicated than he'd assumed.
Perhaps it was a Kree Empire experimental artifact that accidentally fell to Earth?
But whatever it was, it was already in his possession. No one would be taking it from him.
Professor X's calm voice echoed in both their minds:"Erik, if you have information, we can sit down and talk. Violence won't solve this."
"Talk?" Magneto sneered. "Just like we've talked for decades?"
With a flick of his finger, three abandoned cars were hurled toward the academy's main building!
Xiao Han moved instantly. His biological forcefield unfolded, catching the cars in midair.
But the very next second, the ground beneath him suddenly cracked open—steel rebars hidden underground shot upward, coiling around his limbs like living serpents!
"You think you can resist the master of magnetic fields?" Magneto mocked, clenching his hand.
The steel rebars tightened violently, trying to crush Xiao Han.
Crack!
The moment the metal touched Xiao Han's skin, it shattered—snapping apart like brittle straw.
Magneto's pupils contracted. "What?"
"Not bad, as far as attempts go."Xiao Han shook his head, giving up the idea of holding back. A faint pulse of strength rippled over him, and all remaining metal fragments dropped to the ground.
"But my body happens to be harder than steel."
Magneto stopped speaking altogether. With a sweep of both arms, every piece of metal within a hundred meters was pulled into his magnetic field, forming a massive metal torrent that came crashing toward Xiao Han like a collapsing sky!
A golden flash ignited in Xiao Han's eyes—the Heat Vision burst forth!
Zzz—!
The red beams swept across; the metal torrent melted instantly, turning into cascading streams of molten iron.
But Magneto had already retreated, taking advantage of the moment to pull something from his cloak—a small device.
Hum—!
A strange magnetic wave spread outward. Xiao Han suddenly felt his body dip slightly.
"An anti-gravity field?" Xiao Han was mildly surprised. Then he chuckled. "Too bad. My flight doesn't rely on technology."
He accelerated in a single burst, breaking the sound barrier as he lunged toward Magneto!
At that critical moment—a streak of silver lightning cut through the battlefield!
Quicksilver!
The world seemed to slip into slow motion. Pietro Maximoff circled behind Xiao Han at supersonic speed, aiming a knife-hand strike at his neck.
Slap!
Xiao Han reached back and caught Pietro's wrist.
Quicksilver's eyes widened. "You…!"
"Your speed is impressive."
Xiao Han turned, gripping Pietro's wrist with precision.
"But not impressive enough."
Pietro's proud expression cracked. The speed he was most proud of had been countered head-on for the first time.
Before he could react, Xiao Han's biological forcefield had already locked him in place.
"Release him!"
Magneto roared. The entire metal framework of the academy began twisting violently.
Steel plates were ripped off the teaching building's outer wall, flying into the air and forming an enormous metal hand that swung down at Xiao Han.
Xiao Han held Quicksilver in one hand and met the giant metal hand with the other.
The clash of force triggered a shockwave that blasted away the surrounding rubble.
Seeing this, Magneto abruptly switched tactics.
He thrust both hands downward—The entire underground foundation of the academy began to quake!
"If you won't hand over the fragment, I'll find it myself!" Magneto roared.
Professor X's voice sharpened with urgency:"Erik! You're endangering innocent students!"
Just as the situation was about to spiral out of control—
Xiao Han spoke up calmly:"Stop."
Magneto sensed the danger in Xiao Han's tone and halted his attack for the moment.
With a cold voice, he said, "I only want that fragment."
Xiao Han and Professor X exchanged a brief look.
"The fragment has already been absorbed by me," Xiao Han said straightforwardly."But its energy structure has been completely assimilated. If you're looking for trouble—I'm happy to play along."
Magneto narrowed his eyes. "You absorbed it?"
Then he suddenly burst into laughter."Charles, the ally you've found is even more reckless than I imagined!"
Professor X remained calm."Erik, since Mr. Xiao already has the object, we should stop here."
Magneto fell silent. The metallic storm slowly faded.
At last, he gave Professor X a long look and said, with deep implication:"Charles, blind peace will not bring a better future."
With that, he lifted a metal platform beneath his feet, taking the Brotherhood of Mutants with him as he flew away.
Xiao Han watched them vanish into the sky before turning to the approaching X-Men.
"Charles, I almost couldn't resist killing him just now."(This was intentional restraint—for reasons involving a certain heroine.)
Professor X's expression remained tranquil."Erik has always been like this. We've argued for decades."
Beside Xiao Han, Quicksilver was still struggling inside the biological forcefield.
"He just left? And dumped me here?"
Xiao Han descended with Pietro in tow.
"Pietro," he asked, watching him closely, "what exactly is your relationship with him?"
Quicksilver looked away."He just… wants to save mutants. That thing really is important."
Xiao Han didn't speak—only watched him quietly.
Seeing Xiao Han's solid, imposing figure, Pietro swallowed his pride and quickly added,"I was separated from my sister during the war. He saved me… and took me into the Brotherhood."
His expression dimmed."My sister's been missing for a long time. I've been searching but…"
He lowered his head. Xiao Han's eyes flickered—he had a rough idea of the situation now.
Perhaps, when he has time, there will be a new mission for him.
Something like… rescuing a lost girl?
Meanwhile, in the academy laboratory, Hank McCoy had already begun running tests on Andrew and the other two, analyzing the residual energy in their bodies.
Andrew stared at his trembling hands and asked softly,"Is what Magneto said… really possible? That the energy inside us could change our genes?"
Hank adjusted his glasses."That is exactly what we're trying to determine. But don't worry—with Charles and Mr. Xiao here, we'll find the answer."
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