A Great Cause

"I’ll take them back to Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. They deserve a happy childhood, not a life wandering around with you!"

Cyclops kept his eyes tightly shut. These past few days, his eyelids had been forcibly held open, turning him into a continuous energy supplier and using him like a human battery. Now that he was free, he could finally close his eyes.

Although he had continuously released energy for several days, he didn’t feel the slightest bit weak. That was because his energy came from another energy-filled universe. His eyes were merely doors, channels through which the energy poured out.

The scientists were extremely interested in the universe connected behind his eyes. They believed that if they could decipher the coordinates of that universe, humanity could gain an inexhaustible supply of energy and completely resolve the energy crisis.

Since his power could be used simply by prying open his eyelids, he had no way to refuse. Unlike other Mutants, he didn’t need to be subdued before he would cooperate with the experiments.

So although Scott had also been bled and cut open for tissue samples, the pain he personally suffered was actually among the least severe of all the Mutants.

Nothing like the repeated electric shocks, torture, and abuse inflicted on Pyro had happened to him at all.

His greatest suffering was having his entire body immobilized, especially his head. He couldn’t turn it, much less close his eyes. If the researchers hadn’t considered his eyelids’ strong resistance to energy rays and their research value, they probably would have cut them off as well.

The reason they hadn’t sewn the energy-receiving device directly to his eyes was that his eyelids often needed to be sampled and cut for tissue analysis. They had been left intact solely for the sake of convenience.

As the designated next leader of the X-Men, Scott’s prestige among the Mutants was by no means weak, especially since many of the children had originally come from Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. On top of that, Magneto had never had a good reputation, so many Mutants immediately changed their minds and decided to follow Scott.

Erik frowned and raised a hand. Smack! The slap sent Scott flying. If he hadn’t been a Mutant, that slap from Erik would have killed him!

"You call that a happy childhood? Lying on an operating table? Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters can’t protect Mutants, and before long, there won’t even be a Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters anymore."

"I’ve mastered my martial arts and become invincible under heaven. I’m going to establish a nation belonging to the Mutants. Every Mutant will be able to live freely in their own country. No humans, no enemies—a utopia belonging entirely to the Mutants."

"No! Magneto! You’re provoking a war! You’ll destroy the Mutants!" Scott struggled to get up from the floor and roared.

Erik glanced at Scott indifferently and said calmly, "Don’t worry. I’ll exterminate all the humans first, then establish the nation. By then, there will be no enemies left on this earth."

Scott’s hair stood on end, and his entire body went cold.

"Magneto, you’re insane!"

"No, I’m not insane. I’m clearer-headed now than I’ve ever been. Humans and Mutants cannot coexist. Competition between biological species will inevitably continue until one side is eliminated. Since that’s the case, I might as well artificially accelerate the process." An idealist’s holy light seemed to shine from Erik’s face.

"You’re pushing the Mutants into opposition against all of humanity! I won’t let you do this! The X-Men will stop you!" As Scott spoke, he opened his eyes, and two red energy beams shot straight toward Erik.

"This level of power is far too weak!" Erik didn’t even move. He allowed Scott’s attack to strike his forehead, but an attack of this level could no longer penetrate his protective magnetic field.

"Scott, what I’m about to do is a great cause. Even Charles cannot stop me! For this great cause, I can give up everything! Everything for the Mutants!"

From among the crowd, Pyro John suddenly stepped forward and stood behind Erik. "I’m willing to leave with you!"

His best friend, Iceman, cried out in surprise, "John, what are you doing? Come back!"

"No, Robert, you have no idea what I’ve been through these past few days! Those bastards treated me like a dog. I’ll never forgive them!"

Iceman’s attempt to persuade him came to a halt. Clearly, his own experiences these past few days had been terrible as well.

Seeing that his energy beams were useless against Erik, Scott closed his eyes and withdrew his attack, but continued persuading him. "John, although I don’t know what you went through, those bastards will definitely receive the punishment they deserve. You don’t need to throw yourself away because of this! You can’t punish yourself for the mistakes of others!"

"Punish myself? No, I’ve been liberated! I’ve realized deeply that I’m not the same kind of creature as them!" John’s eyes were filled with the flames of hatred.

Scott was deeply dejected. Just from John’s voice, he knew that his mind was made up. He had no way to stop John from leaving with Magneto.

"Students of Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, stand behind me. I’ll take you away from here and back to the school." He turned to incite the other students.

"Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters welcomes all Mutants. You don’t have to become wanted terrorists like Magneto." He didn’t overlook the Mutants who had just been rescued either.

Erik watched coldly as Scott tried to lure the Mutants into joining Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters and said calmly, "Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters no longer exists. Anyone joining it now will also be a wanted criminal! Have you thought about how you’ll settle these children?"

Scott was rendered speechless for a moment before remembering that he and the others had been captured. He retorted, "The X-Men have secret bases. You don’t need to worry about it!"

"It doesn’t matter. I’m going to purify this world anyway. It’s fine if they follow you for now. Once the world is at peace, it won’t matter where they are."

Erik showed no sign of anger as he watched the Mutants at the scene divide themselves into two groups according to their own wishes, each standing behind one of the two men.

"You won’t succeed! The X-Men will stop your insane plan!" Scott said bitterly.

"Scott, tell Charles not to stand in my way, or else…" Erik solemnly warned Scott. The killing intent contained in his words made Scott tremble with fear. "To accomplish this great cause, I’m now prepared to destroy anyone who stands in my way."

Erik waved a hand, and the metal inside the base immediately responded to his summons, forming a gigantic metal platform. He motioned for the Mutants behind him to step onto it, then controlled the platform as it rose into the air and flew toward the Brotherhood of Mutants.

Only after Erik and the others had gone far away did Scott sigh and have Iceman search for a communicator to contact the Mutants outside.

They had been captured for so many days, yet the X-Men hadn’t come to rescue them. Scott was extremely worried. Could it be that the X-Men had really been wiped out in one fell swoop?

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