Marvel's New Magneto

Erik's bold move had caused quite a stir in the mutant community. Familiar faces who often visited Hank's lab had been arguing fiercely about whether his actions were justified. Hank had to frequently pause his research to resolve their disputes in the break room. Meanwhile, life at the academy remained calm. With the Professor's strong backing, Scott's complaints went unheard, and after a while, he stopped mentioning them altogether.

As for the human world, the incompetent journalists lost track of the heroes. The core figures had gone off the radar, and under pressure from their readers, the newspapers scrambled to find a new angle. The study of the giant boa constrictors became the latest sensation.

"Are they an ancient species, or mutated due to pollution?" Various newspapers pulled out all the stops, turning a simple question into a debate involving science, ethics, and society.

Scientific institutions of all backgrounds dove into the research, dissecting the snake carcasses, performing every possible test. The conclusion they reached was so absurd that it had the public laughing: scholars actually claimed the snakes were ordinary water pythons from South America. As for their massive size, the explanation was simply, "Only God knows."

This conclusion was widely considered one of the most ridiculous scientific findings of the year, second only to the Pentagon's $1 million study on the best angle to drop sugar cubes into coffee for quicker dissolving.

No radiation, no mutation, and no signs of cellular aging. These wandering snakes had grown to abnormal sizes purely due to their circumstances.

The only consensus among scholars was that these malevolent serpents were not native to the local region; they were believed to have come from the Great Lakes area, a vast natural landscape known for its many lakes and sparse population. It was hypothesized that they had originally lived on islands that had become uninhabitable due to climate change and human overdevelopment, prompting them to move.

To prevent such incidents in the future, the military, in coordination with various research institutions, conducted a thorough search of the local area, even tracing the rivers back to the St. Lawrence River. No further traces of the giant snakes were found. With that, the local residents' concerns began to ease.

To aid in post-disaster reconstruction and create jobs, the Westchester Council allocated funds to build a small memorial museum. There, the preserved snake specimens and photos documenting the event were put on display, and surprisingly, the museum received positive feedback from tourists.

Thus, the giant snake incident gradually faded into the background.

If there was any residual ripple from the event, it existed only in the minds of a few individuals.

One such person was Storm, Ororo Munroe.

This young woman, in the prime of her life, had been feeling troubled. For some reason, ever since returning from the river, she hadn't been able to sleep properly. Every time she closed her eyes, a certain unwelcome figure appeared in her dreams, turning them into a chaotic mess.

Ororo knew exactly what was happening, but she was powerless to stop it. As a mutant, she carried the weight of too many responsibilities, and though her youth bloomed quietly, she never seemed to find anyone to truly share it with. Among her peers, Scott was too gloomy and not her type. Plus, there was Jean, so Scott was immediately ruled out. Then there was Logan, whose personality was both bold and sensitive, but his attention never strayed in her direction. Though she could have made an attempt, after the incident by the river, Ororo couldn't bring herself to entertain the thought of anyone else.

That very night, she realized something inside her had stirred. She kept replaying a certain person's face in her mind, but she could only remember the cold, mocking eyes. She couldn't help but shudder under their watchful gaze.

Now, Ororo felt as though she had become two people: on one side, the fiery, bold woman, craving affection; on the other, the restrained, self-disciplined Storm, trying to keep her emotions in check. Outwardly, nothing seemed different, but privately, the two sides constantly clashed. As soon as one feeling surfaced, the other would force it away, leaving her in a constant cycle of inner turmoil, with no respite. The turmoil made her lethargic during this period. It was like an afternoon nap—she used to let the children fall asleep before briefly resting herself, but lately, she returned to her room early, closing the door to shut herself off from the world.

As spring arrived, the weather suddenly turned sweltering. The large temperature shifts made it even more unbearable than summer. Her bedroom window was tightly shut, and the curtains blocked out the light, leaving the room dark and stifling, with no air circulation.

Ororo undid the top of her outfit, feeling the sweat gather into beads that trickled down her smooth skin, as though an invisible hand was gently caressing her. She felt a fire building inside her, the heat spreading until her body became limp, like soft wax melting under the sun.

"Spring is really too hot," she thought, but a vision of a certain person's face suddenly flashed in her mind. Under the illusion, the burning heat inside her exploded like magma from a volcano.

At that moment, Erik had no idea that someone in the academy was silently thinking of him. He had just returned to one of the worlds governed by the Main God, where he intended to complete a small plan.

It was autumn in London, and the rain had been relentless. The streets were crowded as people made their way home after a long day's work. Erik stood at the entrance of the subway, letting the rain soak him until a man, also drenched, hurried past him. Erik blended into the crowd, following the man and others who were heading toward the subway platform.

The next train wouldn't arrive for a while, but some impatient individuals were already eager to make their move. Knowing that this place would soon become a battleground and shape future events, Erik wasn't about to let them ruin the storyline.

A group of people, dressed strangely in identical outfits, had gathered. There were both older and younger individuals among them. London was no stranger to eccentric dressers, but these people had a distinct aura. Erik, having once been in their shoes as a reincarnator, easily spotted them in the crowd.

They carried an air of bloodlust and madness, a trait common among newcomers who had just entered the cycle under the pressure of the Main God. This stage of development was marked by new abilities—enough to set them apart from ordinary people, but still far from the strength of true powerhouses. In their fear and confusion, they often made irrational decisions. Those who could resist temptation and regain their sanity had the potential to advance. Those who drowned in madness, however, would perish.

This group of novices clearly didn't have much of a future. They had been overwhelmed by their newfound abilities. Some were looking for targets, while others were eager to enjoy the thrill before danger struck. After some brief discussion, they could no longer hold back and began dragging a few women into a secluded corner.

Erik followed them.

---

Be a patron (The Ultimate Magnet) for advanced chapters & faster updates: patreon.com/KZ478