"So, what's your ability, Weiss?" Rogue asked, tilting her head with open curiosity as she leaned slightly closer.
Clarice, sitting nearby, turned her bright green eyes toward him as well, her expression soft but attentive. She didn't speak, but her interest was just as obvious.
"Well… I call it reflection."
Liam didn't bother hiding anything. The name alone didn't really matter. Sooner or later, people would figure it out anyway, unless he never used it—and that clearly wasn't happening.
"Reflection?" Rogue repeated, brows knitting together slightly as she tried to make sense of it.
Clarice mirrored her confusion, blinking once as she studied him more closely, as if hoping to spot some hidden clue in his expression.
"Like this…"
Liam casually lifted his hand, palm open toward the sky. A dry leaf drifted down lazily from above, spinning in the air before landing lightly against his skin.
The moment it touched his palm, it bounced away as if it had struck an invisible surface, flicked off without resistance.
Rogue's eyes widened in realization, and then her expression shifted into something indignant. She folded her arms, clearly annoyed on his behalf.
"So that's what happened. If John got hurt, then he definitely started it first. That guy is seriously the worst."
Liam just smiled faintly and said nothing, letting her vent without interruption. Internally, though, his thoughts were elsewhere, already drifting ahead.
He had successfully signed in with Clarice yesterday and gained spatial teleportation. That alone was a massive upgrade. Now, what he really wanted to know was what he could get from Rogue.
Unfortunately, his daily sign-in had already been used. If he wanted to find out, he'd have to wait until tomorrow.
…
The next day arrived quietly, without incident.
Because of Professor X's growing attention, Liam had been reassigned to a private dorm room. It was a small change on paper, but in practice, it made a world of difference.
No more cramped space. No more snoring roommates. The quiet alone made his sleep deeper than it had been since arriving at the academy.
By the time morning rolled around, he was already refreshed and in a good mood.
He arrived at the classroom early and took a seat beside Rogue without hesitation. His plan was simple, and it had been sitting in the back of his mind since yesterday.
"Morning, Mary."
"Morning!" Rogue replied with a bright, easy smile that felt almost out of place compared to the guarded way she interacted with most people.
She had only recently arrived at the academy, and her ability made normal interaction almost impossible. Anyone who touched her bare skin would have their energy drained, which naturally kept people at a distance.
As a result, very few students were willing to get close to her. Liam was one of the rare exceptions, and that alone made him someone she trusted more than most.
The two of them chatted casually, laughter slipping into their conversation as if it came naturally.
Across the room, Clarice sat quietly in the corner, watching.
There was something faintly downcast in her expression, a subtle shift that most people wouldn't notice—but it was there.
Beside her, Kitty Pryde noticed immediately. She leaned over slightly, a knowing smile tugging at her lips.
"If you like him, you should go over there," Kitty whispered lightly. "Otherwise, a guy like Wes? Someone else is definitely going to grab him first."
Clarice stiffened, her face flushing as she realized her thoughts had been completely exposed. She looked away quickly, her fingers tightening slightly in her lap.
She had always been timid, and expressing herself—especially like this—was something she simply wasn't good at.
"If you don't go, I will," Kitty added with a teasing grin.
Clarice assumed she was joking, but before she could respond, Kitty stood up.
Then she started walking.
Clarice's eyes widened in surprise. For a brief moment, she hesitated—but then she bit her lip and followed after her.
"Weiss, what are you two talking about?" Kitty asked as she reached Liam's desk.
Without warning, she gently pushed Clarice down into the seat beside him before taking a seat herself, as if she had just completed a perfectly normal action.
"Just chatting," Liam replied with a relaxed smile, shaking his head slightly.
Around them, the other students couldn't help but stare.
There was no hiding the envy. Being surrounded by three girls like this—especially ones as striking as Rogue, Clarice, and Kitty—was enough to make anyone feel a little bitter.
But after what had happened yesterday, no one dared to say anything out loud.
John had been defeated with a single move. That wasn't something people could just ignore.
Still, not everyone was willing to let it go.
Bobby Drake was one of them.
Even though he and John didn't always get along—they clashed often, like fire and ice—their relationship was strangely solid beneath the surface.
Hearing that John had been taken down so easily didn't sit well with him. In his mind, if anyone was going to beat John, it should have been him.
No one else.
So he showed up.
With a couple of followers trailing behind him, Bobby walked straight into the classroom, his expression cold and his intent obvious.
At that exact moment, Liam had been preparing to sign in with Rogue.
Then he was interrupted.
"I heard you beat John with one finger," Bobby said bluntly, his tone dripping with disbelief. "No way. He must've let his guard down."
He didn't bother with small talk or courtesy.
"If you've got the guts, fight me. Let everyone see who the real strongest is. Iceman doesn't lose."
Before Liam could respond, Rogue stood up sharply.
"Bobby, the school doesn't allow private fights. Do you want Storm to deal with you?"
"That's right," Kitty added immediately, stepping in as well. "John got hurt because he started it. Don't twist it around."
Bobby's expression darkened further.
Everyone knew he had taken an interest in Rogue ever since she arrived. Seeing her stand up for someone else—especially Liam—was enough to push his irritation into something sharper.
"Liam, do you even have the guts to fight me?" Bobby sneered. "If not, just admit you're a coward."
"If you keep this up, Bobby, I'm going to get Storm," Rogue said, already turning as if to leave.
But before she could take a step, Liam reached out and stopped her.
"If he wants to get beaten that badly, I'll help him out."
"But…" Rogue hesitated, concern flickering across her face.
"Relax. It won't take long," Liam said casually, waving a hand as if this was nothing worth worrying about. "We'll be done before any teacher shows up."
"Fine," Bobby muttered, letting out a cold snort. "Then let's take this outside."
He turned immediately and walked out, clearly expecting Liam to follow.
Liam did.
The rest of the class followed as well, drawn in by the promise of a fight they didn't want to miss.
Soon, a group gathered at the training field—the usual place for practicing abilities.
Bobby looked like he was about to say something, maybe to set the tone or assert control.
Liam didn't give him the chance.
"Enough talking. Start."
Bobby's jaw tightened slightly, but he didn't argue. Instead, he raised his hands, palms facing forward.
A burst of icy mist shot out instantly.
The moment it touched the ground, frost spread rapidly, solidifying into thick layers of ice in the blink of an eye.
Bobby's ability allowed him to generate ice from nothing, pulling moisture from the air and converting it instantly. At full potential, it was easily a Level Five mutant power—dangerous, versatile, and overwhelming.
But right now, he wasn't anywhere close to that level.
At his current stage, he could barely push it to the strength of a Level Two mutant, and even at his peak, he would only reach Level Three.