Emperor of Mankind (Naruto X Marvel )

The incident hadn't gone unnoticed.

Far away, in a secluded mansion filled with the brightest minds and most powerful mutants, a bald man sat in front of a complex machine—Cerebro. Charles Xavier, a telepath of unmatched power and the founder of the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters, had been scanning for disturbances when he felt her.

A mutant with an incredible ability… but absolutely no control.

The moment he locked onto her signal, his expression tightened. This one was different. The sheer volatility of her power was enough to send shivers down his spine. It wasn't just dangerous to others—it was dangerous to herself. If left unchecked, it could spiral into something catastrophic.

His fingers trembled slightly as he removed the Cerebro helmet. Despite his immense power, Charles remained a man bound to his wheelchair, but his limitations had never stopped him before.

Across the room, Jean Grey, his most talented student and a mutant of formidable psychic power, noticed his unease. She stepped forward, concern flickering in her green eyes.

"Professor, what did you find?" Jean asked, noting the beads of sweat forming on his forehead. He rarely reacted this way unless something truly alarming had surfaced.

Charles exhaled slowly, gathering his thoughts. "A mutant with a powerful ability but no control," he said gravely. He turned his wheelchair towards her, his mind already formulating a plan. "Jean, I need you to go with Kitty and Kurt. This young woman needs guidance before her powers consume her."

Jean's brows furrowed slightly. "Anything I should be careful of?"

Charles hesitated for a brief moment before locking eyes with her. "Don't let her touch you."

That was the memory that stood out sharply to him. The brief glimpses he caught of Rogue's life showed him the damage she could do with mere skin contact.

Jean nodded, absorbing the warning. "Understood. I'll be careful."

Even so, she couldn't help but hope that this wasn't another tragic case. Too many mutants had been hardened by the cruel reality of their lives—feared, hunted, or used. She hoped, deep down, that this girl could be saved.

But the X-Men weren't the only ones interested in the anomaly.

Far from Xavier's mansion, in a dimly lit apartment hidden from prying eyes, a phone rang. The soft glow of the screen illuminated the worried face of an older woman—Irene Adler, also known as Destiny. A mutant with the ability to foresee the future, Irene had spent years guiding her adopted daughter, Rogue, towards the path she believed would protect her.

But this time… she couldn't see.

It was an unsettling feeling—like staring into a fog where there should have been clarity. All she could discern was that Rogue had absorbed an immense amount of power, something far beyond what should have been possible. And that meant one thing.

It was time.

Time for Rogue to take her place alongside them.

With a deep breath, Irene dialed the number of the only person she trusted with this mission. The call barely rang before a familiar, cool voice answered.

"Raven, be careful," Irene warned immediately. "There's something strong on the loose."

On the other end, Raven Darkhölme, better known as Mystique, narrowed her yellow eyes. "What is it?" she asked, her tone sharp but calm.

"I… I don't know," Irene admitted, gripping the receiver tightly. The uncertainty in her own words unsettled her. "I can't see it clearly. My visions—something is interfering with them. But I know Rogue has absorbed a lot of power, more than ever before. If you're going after her… be careful."

Mystique listened in silence, taking in the rare admission of doubt from her partner. Then, a sly smirk curled at her lips. "I'm always cautious. Did you see my death or something?" she teased.

"No," Irene said, shaking her head despite knowing Raven couldn't see her. "But I am worried. This force is different. I don't know if it's an enemy or something else entirely. Don't be hasty."

Mystique chuckled softly. "Relax, Destiny. I've got this. Just wait for good news."

And with that, she hung up.

Irene sighed, lowering the phone onto the table. She turned towards the window, staring out into the night with a pensive expression.

Something was coming.

Something—or someone—was changing Rogue's fate in ways she had never foreseen.

The night sky stretched endlessly above them, a canvas of twinkling stars casting a gentle glow over the forest clearing. The air was crisp, filled with the scent of earth and leaves, mingling with the tantalizing aroma of roasting meat.

Naruto sat calmly, tending to the deer he had stored in his seal, rotating it over a controlled fire. He worked slowly, deliberately, as if savoring every moment. Cooking wasn't a necessity for him—he hadn't needed food for a long time—but it was a ritual that kept him tethered to his humanity. A small act that reminded him of home, of simpler times before he had transcended the limits of mortal life.

Nearby, Rogue sat at the wooden table Naruto had crafted from the trees around them, her fingers idly tracing the smooth surface. The craftsmanship was flawless, almost unnatural, yet it blended seamlessly with the surroundings. She sipped a juice she couldn't quite identify—sweet, rich, and unlike anything she had ever tasted.

"It's nice," Rogue said, setting down her cup. "I think it might be the best I've ever had."

Naruto chuckled, catching the flicker of hesitation in her thoughts. "You expected some freaky alien cuisine, huh?"

Rogue gave him a wary look. "You peeked again, didn't you?"

He grinned, not even bothering to deny it. "You had some interesting ideas there," he teased. "But trust me, I might be powerful, but I don't eat bugs. Well…" he scratched his cheek, "at least not anymore."

Rogue raised an eyebrow. "I don't even wanna know."

Hinata, who had been watching the exchange with quiet amusement, finally spoke. "Dear, you shouldn't intrude on her mind," she gently reminded him, her voice as soothing as a calm breeze.

Naruto sighed, raising his hands in surrender. "Fine, fine. Turning off the mind reader."

Rogue exhaled, relieved. She wasn't used to someone poking through her head so casually. She had spent her whole life unable to touch others without consequences, and now she was sitting across from a man who could look into her mind as easily as flipping through a book.

But even so… she couldn't deny that he and his wife were different.

The way Naruto looked at Hinata, the effortless way he touched her with affection, the way she smiled at him in return—there was something so natural about them. Rogue had seen couples before, but they had always been either overly obsessed with each other or distant. This… this was something real.

Hinata, despite her grace and quiet nature, had an undeniable presence. The moment Rogue had laid eyes on her, she had been struck. Her beauty was out of this world, almost ethereal, and her eyes held a depth that Rogue couldn't quite comprehend.

Damn, Rogue thought, if I didn't know better, I'd start questioning my preferences.

The affection between them wasn't forced, nor was it the lust-filled infatuation she had come to expect from young couples. It was something deeper, built on years of understanding.

Rogue found herself staring, almost lost in thought, until Naruto's voice snapped her back to reality.

"You're going to love this," he said, placing a dish in the center of the table. "It's great for your health, but no mortal has ever tasted it before. It's packed with a lot of energy, so I'll have to help you digest it."

Before she could ask what that meant, Naruto leaned over and pressed a kiss to Hinata's cheek before sitting down.

Rogue barely registered the gesture.

Because the moment the dish was placed before her, the smell hit her like a tidal wave.

It was intoxicating—rich, savory, and utterly mouthwatering. Every fiber of her being screamed at her to devour it. Her stomach clenched in anticipation, her mouth watered, and before she realized it, she had already begun reaching for it—

—only for Naruto to raise a single finger, halting her in place.

Rogue froze, blinking in confusion.

Naruto smiled knowingly. "That's the effect of the meat," he explained, cutting off the unnatural pull it had on her. "It's not normal, and neither is the creature it came from."

She swallowed, feeling her body cool down from the strange hunger that had overtaken her.

"What is this?" she asked, now eyeing the dish warily.

Naruto leaned back, a proud gleam in his eye. "A creature from the great unknown. They travel through space in herds, larger than mountains, stronger than any bijuu. Pure muscle and power. This," he gestured at the meal, "is a delicacy beyond this world."

Rogue was stunned. He just casually hunted something like that?

She glanced down at the food. A part of her wanted to hesitate—but the smell. It was just too good.

She took a deep breath, grabbed a piece, and took a bite.

The explosion of flavor on her tongue nearly made her see stars.

"Oh my immortal," she mumbled through a mouthful, eyes wide with shock.

Naruto laughed, clearly pleased with her reaction. "Told you."

Rogue, still chewing, had only one thought.

This day has been too good… something crazy is bound to happen soon.