Emperor of Mankind (Naruto X Marvel )

The atmosphere shifted instantly as Naruto's casual words settled in the air.

"We have some guests here that want to meet you, Rogue," he said with an amused smile, his golden eyes flickering with knowing mischief.

Rogue tensed, her instincts kicking in as she glanced around. Her body stiffened in readiness, even as her fingers curled slightly, prepared for a fight if necessary. She had lived most of her life on edge—wariness was second nature.

"What do they want?" she asked cautiously.

Before Naruto could respond, a confident yet measured voice rang out.

"Good evening, and apologies for the intrusion," a woman spoke as she stepped into view. "We are here to meet you, Anna, and to help you. We are the same as you—mutants."

Rogue turned sharply toward the voice, her eyes narrowing at the sight of the woman. She was tall, poised, with striking red hair and a sleek black bodysuit emblazoned with a red "X" across her chest. The uniform was form-fitting, professional, and distinctly marked her affiliation.

Beside her stood two others, their figures partially obscured by the darkness. One of them, a lean young man with dark blue fur and glowing yellow eyes, looked like something straight out of a fantasy novel. The other, a petite girl with brown hair, remained a step behind, watching with quiet curiosity.

Rogue's gaze flickered toward Naruto, searching for an answer. His expression remained relaxed, but there was an undeniable air of amusement in his demeanor.

"It is your choice," Naruto said, leaning back slightly, his voice carrying an easy confidence. "These kids aren't bad… but the one hiding in the shadows? That one is closer to you—but also not suitable."

His words sent a ripple of alarm through the group.

Jean Grey, the red-haired woman, immediately tensed. Her telepathic senses stretched outward, searching the area. She had been so focused on the overwhelming presence of the man before her—so powerful that she felt like prey before a giant—that she had failed to notice someone else lurking nearby.

The realization sent a chill down her spine. How had she missed it?

From the darkness, a sigh of frustration echoed.

"So much for subtlety," a voice muttered.

A woman emerged from the shadows, her movements fluid, like a predator stepping into the light. Dressed in a deep blue combat suit, her crimson hair fell in waves around her sharp features, and her yellow eyes gleamed with intelligence.

Jean immediately recognized her. Mystique.

A known shapeshifter, a dangerous operative, and someone the X-Men had been wary of for years.

Rogue's breath hitched the moment she saw her.

"Auntie?" she whispered in shock.

Mystique—Raven Darkhölme—tilted her head, her expression softening ever so slightly. "Anna," she said in a soothing voice, taking a cautious step forward. "I'm happy that you're okay. I was worried when I felt you had absorbed someone's power."

Her tone carried genuine concern—at least partially. Raven had taken care of Rogue for years, after all. There was an emotional bond there, but it was tangled with manipulation and control.

Rogue's heart pounded in her chest. The familiar warmth in Mystique's voice made her want to trust her, to believe in the comfort of someone she had once called family. But she wasn't naïve—she knew Mystique too well.

"I'm okay," she said carefully, her voice unsure. "But… why are you here?"

"I work for a mutant organization," Mystique explained smoothly. "I came to bring you home. You belong with us, Anna. We can help you, train you, protect you." She paused before adding, "Join us."

Jean, still on edge from Naruto's earlier words, stepped in.

"We are from the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters," she spoke firmly. "A school where you'll find people like yourself—people who understand what you're going through. You'll be able to learn to control your powers safely, without fear."

Her voice was steady, diplomatic. She knew they were in a losing position here; Mystique had the emotional advantage. Jean had to make Rogue want to choose them, rather than fall into the comfort of familiarity.

Rogue glanced between them, her mind a whirlwind of uncertainty.

She knew Mystique. Trusted her once. But at the same time, she knew Mystique had her own agenda.

The redhead, Jean, was a stranger. But her offer—learning to control her powers, not just live with them—that was tempting.

"Why aren't you working together?" Rogue finally asked, her voice wary. "What's the difference between you two?"

Mystique smiled, but there was something calculated behind her eyes.

Jean exhaled, realizing this was her one chance to make Rogue see the full picture.

And Naruto? He simply leaned back, watching the scene unfold with the same amused expression, knowing that, in the end, Rogue's choice would be entirely her own.

As Naruto studied Jean, a flicker of recognition stirred within him. Her presence reminded him of Hotaru, another who had once been chosen as a vessel of the Phoenix.

Hotaru had spoken of Jean before—of how she was meant to be one of the greatest wielders of the Phoenix Force, its true champion. But from what Hotaru had told him, Jean should have been dead.

Yet, here she was. Alive.

And the Phoenix? It was nowhere in sight.

Naruto's senses were sharp—beyond mortal comprehension. He could feel the faintest traces of the Phoenix Force lingering within Jean, but it was nothing more than a dying ember compared to the roaring inferno it was meant to be. It was as if the cosmic entity had abandoned her or been forcibly separated from its chosen host.

Had they parted on bad terms? Had the Phoenix fled? Or had something—someone—interfered?

Interesting.

One thing was certain: the Phoenix would not stay away forever. That entity was drawn to Jean like a moth to flame. It always returned.

And maybe—just maybe—this time, Naruto could convince it to side with him.

For all its power, the Phoenix Force had always been unpredictable, a force of creation and destruction that defied mortal understanding. But Hotaru had once told him something that stuck with him—something profound.

"Jean was its beloved."

"She was its only true home."

For a cosmic being that existed beyond the flow of time, beyond the constraints of reality itself, such a declaration was meaningful. It meant that Jean Grey was more than just another host. She was the one—the ultimate vessel, the Phoenix's most cherished incarnation.

And if he could reach her, if he could truly understand what had happened between her and the Phoenix, then perhaps… he could finally bring that force to his side.

A small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

This world just keeps getting more and more interesting.

Jean stepped forward, her expression calm but resolute. "We strive to help our kind, but we also extend that help to humanity. We don't see ourselves as superior or consider humans to be beneath us. Our goal is coexistence—to bridge the gap between mutants and humans, not to widen it. You can come and see for yourself. The Xavier Institute is a school, not a prison. The choice to leave will always be yours."

Her words carried sincerity, and Rogue could see the conviction in her eyes. But at the same time, she turned her gaze toward Raven, her adoptive mother, seeking her perspective. She already knew that her aunt's ideals leaned in a different direction, and the contrast was stark.

Raven met her gaze with confidence. "There is nothing wrong in acknowledging the truth, Anna. We are the superior species. Humanity's reign at the top has reached its end—it is our time to rise. That doesn't mean we act recklessly. We don't wage war for the sake of war, nor do we attack without cause. But the fact remains: humans hate us, they fear us, and they would rather see us wiped out than living beside them as equals."

Her voice softened slightly, but the steel behind her words remained. "Joining them means risking your life for people who wouldn't hesitate to put a bullet in your head if they had the chance. Our cause may seem extreme, but it is safe. We do not seek unnecessary conflict, but we won't let ourselves be hunted down either. Everything we do is for survival and self-preservation."

Rogue felt torn. Both sides had a point, and she knew that neither was entirely wrong. But neither was completely right either.

Before she could dwell on it further, Naruto spoke up.

"Both groups have their dangers and flaws, so don't assume that one is inherently safer than the other." His tone was relaxed but firm, cutting through the tension with ease. "The X-Men have been attacked before. They've lost children while trying to protect those who would rather see them dead. On the other hand, your aunt's group has also suffered casualties—sometimes while defending themselves, and sometimes while doing things that are… questionable, to say the least."

He leaned back in his seat, folding his arms. "The X-Men lean more toward the side of good, while your aunt… not so much. But don't hate her for that, Rogue. Humans made her this way. Society shaped her into who she is today. The real question is: what do you want?"

Jean and Raven both turned toward him, their expressions flickering with surprise. How did he know so much about their respective organizations? His insight was unnervingly precise.

Jean narrowed her eyes slightly, realization dawning on her.

"Charles isn't the only one who can read minds, Jean," Naruto said, smirking as if he had read her very thoughts.

Jean tensed, a chill running down her spine. He got past my mental defenses without me even noticing? That was impossible.

Even without the Phoenix Force, she was the most powerful telepath on Earth. Her defenses were fortified by years of training. No one should have been able to slip past them unnoticed.

Yet, this man had.

That was alarming.

She glanced at Rogue, then at Naruto again. Who exactly was he?

More importantly… was he friend or foe?

Rogue took a deep breath, her mind racing as she weighed her options. The X-Men offered a place where she could learn to control her powers and meet others like herself. They were welcoming, promising a path toward a normal life. On the other hand, her Aunt Raven's group offered security, a sense of superiority, and a place where she wouldn't have to fear being hunted or rejected.

But standing between them was Naruto.

Since meeting him, he had treated her with kindness—no expectations, no hidden agendas. He hadn't pushed her to pick a side, nor had he manipulated her emotions. He and Hinata had simply offered her a place at their table, something neither of the two groups had done. They had fed her, talked to her like a person rather than a prize to be won, and given her a rare sense of comfort she hadn't felt in a long time.

More than that, he understood.

Naruto wasn't a mutant, yet he spoke of them with familiarity and knowledge that even some mutants lacked. He saw through Jean's words, through Raven's manipulations, and still didn't pass judgment on either of them. That kind of wisdom didn't come from mere observation—it came from experience.

And experience was something Rogue desperately needed.

So she made her decision.

"Can I stay with you?" she asked, turning fully toward Naruto.

Jean and Raven both stiffened in shock at her words. This was not one of the options presented to her.

"I don't really feel safe with either choice," Rogue admitted. "But you and Hinata… you've shown me kindness without expecting anything in return. You didn't push me or try to manipulate me. I don't know why, but I feel like I can trust you two more than anyone else here."

Naruto tilted his head, looking at her curiously. He didn't seem particularly surprised, but he took a moment to consider before responding.

"Okay," he said with a casual shrug, as if her request was the simplest thing in the world. "But it'd be good for you to study with other mutants too. So you'll go to the X-Men's school during the day and come back to my place before evening."

Rogue blinked. She had expected a long discussion, maybe even a refusal—after all, this was a big request. She was asking to stay with someone she barely knew, yet Naruto agreed without hesitation.

Before she could dwell on it, Hinata gave her a warm smile and nodded in agreement. "That sounds like a good plan. You'll get the best of both worlds—training with people like you and having a safe home to return to."

Rogue felt a warmth spread in her chest, a rare sense of relief washing over her. She hadn't realized just how much she had braced herself for rejection until this moment. A genuine smile flickered across her lips before she quickly schooled her expression back to neutral.

"Thank you," she said, her voice quieter, but filled with sincerity.

Naruto simply grinned. "No problem. It's nice having company from this generation."

He stood up, stretching lazily, but the small motion sent a wave of tension through the others. Jean, Raven, and the rest of the X-Men instinctively tensed, their bodies reacting before their minds could process why.

The sheer presence Naruto exuded, the effortless way he carried himself, was unnatural. It wasn't threatening, but there was an awareness that came with being around something far beyond them.

Jean couldn't shake the feeling that if he wanted to, he could erase all of them from existence with a mere flick of his hand.

Raven, meanwhile, was cursing internally. She had planned everything perfectly, yet everything had gone off the rails the moment Naruto had appeared.

Rogue had made her choice.

And there was nothing she could do about it.