Magneto’s Killing Intent

Outside New York, beside a highway.

The trees on both sides of the road were lush and green, while sunlight poured down, leaving mottled shadows beneath them.

Two groups stood facing each other not far from the trees.

At the head of each group stood an old man. One was bald and wore a suit, sitting in a wheelchair. The other had a steel helmet and a hooked nose, hovering atop a huge steel plate.

Behind them, each was followed by his own supporters. They had all kinds of appearances, some bizarre and grotesque. One look was enough to tell that they were all Mutants.

"Charles, how did you find me?" Magneto asked darkly.

Professor X smiled and replied:

"Erik, your helmet can keep me from probing your mind, but that also gives me a way to find you. There aren’t many people in this world who possess such vigorous vitality while also being immune to my mental probes."

"You’re avoiding the main point, Charles. Unless you knew beforehand that I would take this route, you couldn’t have conducted such an accurate search. I know the limits of your abilities. You can’t keep scanning constantly, nor can you target someone at will." Magneto strongly suspected that he had a mole among his subordinates, just as he had a mole in Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters.

Professor X firmly denied that he had a mole among Magneto’s subordinates, just as Magneto firmly denied having one in Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters.

"Erik, I understand you just as you understand me."

Professor X answered with a smile:

"After news spread that Ultimate Limit Qigong could create Artificial Superhumans, I knew you would come looking for trouble with Zhan Liu. And by your habits, you would definitely take the most direct route. So over the past few days, I’ve scanned this direction once every thirty minutes. Fortunately, I finally intercepted you today."

"You can’t stop me, Charles. No one has ever been able to stop me from doing what I intend to do." Magneto’s face was stern, and his attitude was utterly resolute.

Professor X urged him, "Erik, humans have always hated and feared Mutants. The fundamental reason is that too many people have been hurt by Mutants. This is especially true when Mutants have only just awakened. Their control over their abilities is extremely weak, and they often end up harming the people around them."

"Training in Ultimate Limit Qigong can help Mutants gain better control over their abilities and prevent them from running wild."

"There are already clear examples. Jimmy Yang’s control over his abilities has far surpassed that of ordinary Mutants. In fact, many children who have studied at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters for one or two years may not be able to manipulate the power of wind as freely as he can."

Magneto snorted. "Of course your kindergarten-style training method produces slow progress. In the Brotherhood, as long as they’ve gone through a few real battles to the death, most people can basically control their abilities with ease."

Professor X frowned. "That’s because all the Mutants who couldn’t control their abilities died—died in battles that were utterly meaningless."

"Battle is the ladder of progress. How can you call it meaningless?" Magneto said dismissively. "Nature has always followed the law of survival of the fittest. People who can’t freely control their own abilities are like the disabled. Naturally, they will be eliminated."

"Superior genes eliminate inferior genes, and powerful abilities eliminate weak abilities, just as Homo sapiens replaced Neanderthals. Mutants will inevitably eliminate humans as well."

"Besides, the reason humans reject Mutants isn’t that they’ve been harmed. Many people who have never been hurt by Mutants still reject them. It’s because they’re jealous!"

"They’re jealous of the strength of Mutants, while all they have is a fragile body! Even if they work out for two hours every day and keep it up for ten years, their strength and muscles will still be far inferior to those of Mutants."

"They’re jealous of how Mutants can awaken with all kinds of abilities, while they can work hard for ten years and still fail to become experts! They can only watch a handful of geniuses shine brilliantly, while no matter how hard they try, they can’t understand problems that others solve effortlessly!"

"That’s the key. They reject Mutants because they’re jealous, just as they mock the student with the best grades in school by calling him a bookworm! They enjoy bullying those bookworms. Could it be because the bookworms hurt them?"

Professor X sighed, his brows tightly furrowed as he looked at the agitated Magneto. "Erik, we’ve been arguing for more than ten years, and neither of us has been able to convince the other. I don’t want to keep arguing with you today."

"Even if you’re right, and humans reject Mutants because they’re jealous of their strength, there’s now a chance for things to change. Anyone can practice Ultimate Limit Qigong, which means Artificial Superhumans can be mass-produced."

"Artificial Superhumans can effectively ease humanity’s hostility and fear toward Mutants."

"When human rulers no longer worry that Mutants will harm them, they naturally won’t incite ordinary people to reject Mutants. Only then will both sides have a chance to coexist peacefully."

"No, Charles. This will only weaken Mutants’ sense of superiority in their own bloodline. This person must be eliminated." Magneto’s killing intent was fully exposed.

"It’s useless, Erik. Zhan Liu has already taught many disciples. Even if you kill him, you still won’t be able to stop humans from learning Ultimate Limit Qigong."

"No, it’s still useful. There’s a Magnetic Field Acceleration effect around him. Without his Magnetic Field Acceleration, rapidly mastering the basics and becoming an Artificial Superhuman is extremely difficult. As long as he’s eliminated, mass-producing Artificial Superhumans will become a castle in the air. It simply won’t be possible."

"Your intelligence is very detailed." Professor X spoke meaningfully. "Among the Mutants studying at the Martial Arts School, do you have someone working for you? Or could it be…"

After sweeping his gaze across the crowd, he suddenly asked, "Where’s Raven? She went to the Martial Arts School to become a disciple long ago, didn’t she?"

Magneto snorted without confirming or denying it.

Professor X understood immediately. He shook his head and said, "Erik, I won’t let you go over there. You should turn back."

Magneto flew into a rage. With a slight wave of his finger, the huge steel plate that had carried them there immediately broke apart into countless small pieces, while the warriors standing on it dropped to the ground and took up fighting stances, ready to attack at any moment.

On Professor X’s side, the X-Men also focused their minds, ready for battle at any moment.

All kinds of energy particles gathered, and the immense energy distorted the space between the two sides until it was nearly deformed. Battle was about to erupt.