Escanor(Marvel)

"Nobody moves until we're gone," Magneto declared.

The fight came to an abrupt halt, and both sides withdrew to their positions.

"Magneto, don't be a coward. Don't hide behind a woman," Wolverine taunted, trying to play on his opponent's pride.

"Hmph, that won't work on me," Magneto smirked. "Everyone, stand down. I'll release her once we leave. I have more pressing matters to attend to I don't have time to play with you."

The metal around them started shifting, swirling into a circular motion before forming a platform. The mutants began stepping onto it.

I stood motionless, watching. The rage inside me still burned, but I barely managed to keep it in check.

Power level: 100,000.

I felt the flames surge within me, igniting energy that granted me immense strength.

"Escanor, stop," Wolverine managed to approach me with difficulty. His clothes were almost entirely burned away, leaving only charred remnants. His skin was covered in burns that healed instantly, only to sear again from the heat. Only now did I realize just how much the temperature had risen.

"Now's not the time. I have a plan," he continued, barely suppressing his pain.

"Just a little longer," Jean's voice echoed in my mind.

Magneto was focused on maintaining the platform, concentrating his efforts on controlling the metal. His attention wavered for just a moment. Kurt teleported to Storm and freed her from her restraints in an instant. The Master of Magnetism didn't even have time to react.

Now was the time to act.

Power level: 110,000.

I felt myself rise above everything around me. My body stretched to five meters in height, my aura pulsing, filling the space with a blinding radiance.

"I am Escanor, and you shouldn't have touched her," I declared, and from my fingertip, a miniature sun burst forth, streaking toward the enemy.

"Wait! That's not what I meant!" Wolverine tried to stop me.

But I wasn't listening. These people dared to harm what was precious to me. I poured all my fury into the next attack, unleashing an overwhelming surge of power.

"Rogue! Stop Escanor, dammit!" Wolverine shouted.

I felt a sudden touch, and immediately, my strength started to drain.

Power level: 60,000.

"I… I can't… such power…" Anna whispered, barely maintaining control over the energy she was absorbing. Her face twisted in strain. I could feel her struggle, and I could have easily thrown her off with a single strike but I didn't want to hurt her.

"Stop the attack. Escanor, stand down," Wolverine demanded.

"No," I replied calmly.

Anna finally managed to divert my attack, and the sun veered off course, crashing into the ground elsewhere. The solar energy erupted in a massive explosion, sending out a scorching shockwave that burned the earth and kicked up a storm of dust. The air shimmered with heat, and the area near the impact became nearly uninhabitable.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Ororo demanded sharply, her brow furrowed.

"Is this not battle? The strongest wins," I replied, not even glancing at her.

"We won't back down like this," Storm stated firmly, her voice unwavering.

I only shrugged, trying to appear indifferent, but doubt began creeping in. Something was wrong. Why so much rage toward these people I barely knew? Was it really just because of Ororo? What was happening to me?

"We're leaving. Government agents will be swarming this place soon," Wolverine announced.

Chasing Magneto was pointless. He could easily crush the jet into a heap of scrap metal. Right now, retreating and formulating a new plan was more important, even though I knew I had the power to catch and annihilate them all.

Meanwhile, the X-Jet was already descending nearby. Hank had stayed behind to pilot it, keeping the aircraft at a safe distance until the last moment. Now, he was carefully landing the transport. The X-Men gathered, preparing for evacuation.

******************************

"He's just a kid! He doesn't understand the limits of his power! He's only thirteen, and he's not ready for something like this!" Logan shouted.

After the mission, we gathered in the hall to discuss what had happened. However, aside from the three of us, the others chose to leave, unwilling to get involved in the conflict.

"Don't forget I could tear you apart," I said, barely holding back my emotions. Logan was clearly underestimating me.

"Calm down, both of you, please!" the Professor intervened, raising a hand to restore order. "Logan, show some understanding toward Escanor."

"Understanding?" Logan scoffed, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "This kid just got a massive amount of power handed to him. Think you're tough now? Bet you still cry into your pillow at night."

His words made me clench my fists so tightly my knuckles cracked. My blood boiled, and the tension in the room skyrocketed.

"Logan, please step outside. I'll talk to him," the Professor said calmly.

Logan lingered for a moment, giving me a measured look. Then, with a reluctant nod, he left the room. If he'd stayed a second longer, I might've crushed him under my power.

"Escanor, sit across from me," the Professor gestured toward a chair.

I hesitated but obeyed.

"You're in an unstable state right now," he began. "You've been through a tragic event, and it left a deep mark on you. In similar situations, you might lose control. You need to be aware of that. Try not to let your emotions consume you so completely."

His voice was calm, but I could tell the situation with his old friend weighed on him.

"However, isolating you isn't the answer either. That would only postpone the problem, not solve it. The only one who can truly overcome this is you," he continued.

His words echoed in my mind. I knew he was right, but dealing with it was much harder than it sounded.

"So… it all comes down to my parents' deaths?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady, though I was burning inside. "But I can't… I still see it. The moment those gunshots shattered the silence of the night. My family is dead, and now, even with all this power, I do nothing. I'm just wasting time."

The words spilled out along with all the pain I'd been holding in.

The Professor studied me carefully. His face remained calm, but his gaze pierced through me, as if he understood every emotion raging inside.

"You're not wasting time, Escanor," he said gently, yet firmly. "You still don't fully understand your power or your purpose. Strength isn't just about physical might you need emotional resilience and intelligence as well. Let's change your approach. Find something that engages you, something that helps you grow and focus. That will bring you peace and the strength to move forward."

"And what about the Brotherhood of Mutants?" I asked, struggling to look away.

"Don't worry," the Professor reassured me. "I'll reach out to Magneto and try to prevent the conflict from escalating. There's still a chance to set things right. No one wants a war right now. As for you, you need rest. You need to regain your inner balance."

His words made sense, but the rage inside me didn't fade.

I left the room in silence, not knowing where to go.

But one thing I knew for sure I had no intention of letting things stay as they were.

All I wanted was the moment when I would see that silver-haired bastard's head burst in my grasp.

*********************

The past few weeks, I hadn't been myself. My emotions swung wildly, as if I were caught in an endless vortex. I didn't just continue my training I pushed myself even further, diving deep into my power, exploring its limits and boundaries. Little by little, I began to understand what I was truly capable of.

The heat of my sun reached around 5,000 degrees. Everything around me would instantly ignite and vanish. I could either reabsorb this energy or direct it at any target. And those who stood in the sun's path would meet a grim fate. At any moment, I could detonate the accumulated energy, unleashing a terrifying explosion and a wave of devastating flames.

My body could heat up to nearly 1,000 degrees, making any touch lethal. But if I maintained control, I could keep my temperature at around 50 degrees, allowing me to interact with the world around me. My strength grew with the first rays of the sun starting at eight in the morning, peaking at noon, and then gradually fading as the sun disappeared beyond the horizon.

It was difficult to measure my physical strength precisely. It fluctuated constantly, but with each passing day, I was becoming stronger. Maybe my body was still adapting to these newfound abilities. I could only imagine the potential I would unlock once I reached my peak.

Comparing myself before and after gaining this power, I noticed drastic changes in my personality. I began to look down on everyone, no longer considering anyone my equal. Strength surged through every movement, filling me with a sense of absolute power, as if I could break the entire world with a snap of my fingers.

But at night, everything changed. All that arrogance faded, leaving me alone with myself weak and vulnerable.

Still, I decided to distract myself and take a break.

"Breaking news! A battle between two giant metallic robots is raging in the city center!" the reporter's voice rang out, her face framed against the backdrop of chaos. Explosions echoed in the distance, plumes of smoke rising over the skyline. "Is this some kind of new military prototype? Something has clearly gone wrong! Many civilians have already been injured in the fight!" she continued, but soon her voice faded into the background as the cameraman zoomed in on the epicenter of the event.

On the screen appeared a towering metallic behemoth, shaped like a human. It was furiously trying to destroy a smaller robot. The yellow-and-red one apparently was focused on shielding civilians, while the black one, blinded by rage, fired indiscriminately at everything around it.

The battle was intense, thrilling, and devastating. But it was clear which way it was going the black robot dominated, thanks to its larger size, superior physical strength, and more powerful arsenal. If these were piloted machines and not autonomous drones, I couldn't imagine how a person inside one of them could withstand such blows.

It seemed like the yellow-and-red robot had decided to retreat it lifted off the ground, activating its rocket thrusters. But the black one followed close behind. They ascended higher and higher until only their vapor trails remained on the screen. Soon, even those vanished from sight. The camera could no longer capture what was happening.

Back in the studio, the anchors scrambled to fill the air, speaking rapidly about nothing in particular, desperate to keep the audience engaged.

"Whoa, now that's a brawl!" Kitty Pryde exclaimed, watching the television screen with interest.

There weren't many of us in the room. We had gathered to watch a movie, but suddenly, a real-life action scene unfolded before our eyes.

"Kitty, people are getting hurt," Jean Grey said disapprovingly. Her usual companion, Cyclops, had gone home for the day. Though my relationship with Jean hadn't started on the best terms, things were fairly normal now.

"Oh, come on! I'm just bored sitting here," Kitty said, dramatically standing up and throwing a few playful punches in the air, as if warming up for a fight. "Ugh, I'd love to get in on some action!"

"Wasn't the Brotherhood fight enough for you? Alright then, I'll let Wolverine know to step up your training," Jean suggested with a sly smile.

"No, no, anything but that! I'm already barely surviving the sessions as it is don't be so cruel!" Kitty pleaded, pressing her hands together in a mock prayer.

"I'll think about it," Jean said with feigned contemplation.

"I'll do anything you want!" Kitty whined, stepping closer in an attempt to butter up her friend.

I was sure Jean had no real intention of telling Wolverine anything. She was just messing with Kitty.

Jean tapped a finger on her chin, pretending to scrutinize Kitty. "Hmm… Maybe you could return the perfume that mysteriously disappeared from my room?"

And just like that, the situation became clear. Our resident wall-phaser had been caught red-handed. Kitty's face flushed with embarrassment, while Jean barely held back a smirk, clearly enjoying the moment.

"Heh, I didn't take anything," Kitty mumbled, crossing her arms in defiance. But her expression gave her away, and to a telepath like Jean, it was as easy to read as an open book.

"Are you sure? Because I can go check," Jean said coolly, rising from her seat.

"Alright, alright! I'm sorry!" Kitty gave in, lowering her head guiltily. "They just smelled so good I couldn't resist."

"There you go. Next time, just ask, okay?" Jean said with a light chuckle, settling back down.

"Enough clowning around. Looks like the fight is reaching its climax," I interrupted, my eyes fixed on the screen.

The news helicopter, sent to cover the chaos, had located the two "Iron Men," as the media had already started calling them. Their battle had now moved to the Stark Industries building, its glowing sign standing out prominently in the night.

Both fighters were now helmetless, confirming the speculation there were indeed people inside those suits. Unfortunately, the camera couldn't provide a clear enough view to make out their faces.

The red-and-gold suit clung desperately to a steel beam, struggling not to plummet. It seemed like his ability to fly was no longer an option. His opponent, the massive black-armored giant, aimed down, preparing to deliver the final blow. The outcome seemed inevitable until a sudden burst of energy blinded the entire feed.

The next thing we saw was nothing but static.

"Ugh, now I won't be able to sleep until I find out how it ended!" Kitty groaned, throwing herself back onto the couch.

This event was bound to dominate the news cycle for the next week until people eventually got tired of it. And if these "Iron Men" really were a military project, then the media might just get shut down, and the whole thing would be swept under the rug within a couple of days.

But my expectations were shattered.

For the next two days, news channels and social media buzzed with speculation until Tony Stark made an announcement that shocked everyone. Standing before a sea of reporters, he confidently declared:

"I am Iron Man."

What followed was absolute chaos. Social media exploded. News outlets scrambled to cover every possible angle.

Flying into a crowd in a metal suit, landing in the middle of a gathering, immediately signing autographs and taking pictures with people yep, that was classic Tony Stark. Over time, it became almost routine: Iron Man was regularly spotted in the California skies, soaring over the city nearly every day. The internet became flooded with pictures and videos of him, going viral in an instant.

Then, out of nowhere, Kitty and Jubilee suggested we go out for a walk.

Maybe they had a point I had barely left the mansion lately, and the only time I did, it was for a fight. Might as well clear my head.

Of course, we weren't allowed to leave just like that. The moment Kitty mentioned where we were headed, others immediately wanted to tag along.

It seemed like Kitty and Jubilee were in the mood for some adventure. Most of the senior mutants were busy some stayed behind at the school, Professor Xavier had gone on some diplomatic trip with Ororo and Wolverine, and Hank, as usual, had locked himself in his lab, probably too deep in his research to even notice the time of day.