Marvel: Sign-In System – Starting with the Glint-Glint Fruit

Whitehall's fear and pleas for mercy did nothing to stir Calvin's compassion—they only fueled the rage burning inside him.

This was the man who had torn his family apart and kept him separated from his own daughter for twenty years.

In those twenty years, Calvin had traveled across the world in search of her—from America to Europe to Asia—following every trace left behind by the people who had taken her.

Each search ended the same way: disappointment.

Eventually, no matter how much he refused to admit it, he understood that he might never find his daughter again. So he devoted the rest of his life to finding Whitehall, the man who had caused everything.

He became a broken man, wandering from place to place, hiding his identity and constantly suppressing the violence inside him.

Now that his enemy was finally before him, there was no chance Calvin would let him go.

The only thing Calvin worried about was his daughter.

Unsure whether what came next would upset her, he turned toward Skye.

To his utter surprise, she merely tilted her head and asked, "Do you need me to arrange a professional dissection room?"

Calvin and Whitehall both froze.

What is up with this girl?

In truth, Skye had changed long ago. With a mature sense of right and wrong, she had learned to uphold a strict and impartial standard of justice.

That was also why she had first asked Calvin whether he had ever harmed innocent people.

She longed for family and for a father's love, but that did not mean she would ignore crimes committed by someone close to her.

Justice and order had been carved into her very being.

If Calvin had harmed innocent people, he would have to face judgment and atone for the victims.

Everyone in Terra followed the same principle. That was why they showed no mercy when dealing with truly evil people, regardless of local laws.

They followed Terra's standards.

Double standards had no place there.

Fortunately, Calvin had not harmed innocent people. That meant Skye would support whatever he chose to do to Whitehall, a man responsible for countless atrocities.

Even if Calvin skinned him alive, tore out his tendons, or carved him apart piece by piece, Skye would not so much as blink.

In fact, after Whitehall finally died in agony and despair, she intended to ask one of the Grey Knights to throw his soul into Hell.

She had heard that a young girl named Wanda had already done something like that before.

It was exactly their specialty.

With his daughter's complete support, Calvin finally cast aside his last concern and turned toward Whitehall with a savage grin. "Don't worry. You won't die that easily—I'm going to keep torturing you again and again and again."

"No... no... no..."

Sweat soaked through Whitehall's back as his desperate screams echoed throughout the canyon.

...

Inside the Mirror Dimension, brilliant ancient spells collided, tearing through the space around them and sending violent tremors across the realm.

Matthew stood more than ten thousand meters away in the sky, quietly watching the Sorcerer Supreme, the Ancient One, battle the young witch Wanda with magic.

The young witch was already beginning to display the power she would possess in the future.

Chaos Magic flowed freely from her hands, and the scarlet energy seemed endless.

With almost casual ease, she cast advanced spells that even veteran sorcerers of Kamar-Taj might spend their entire lives failing to master.

As for the Ancient One, her level of mastery in magic was beyond question.

No matter what spell Wanda used, the Ancient One could identify it instantly and counter it with the correct magic, erasing it completely.

She could even guide Wanda while they fought.

The gap between them was still enormous.

That was only natural.

Wanda's talent was extraordinary. Even Strange, whom the Ancient One had personally chosen in the original timeline as the most gifted future Sorcerer Supreme, was still far less talented than she was.

In the original timeline, Wanda endured tragedy after tragedy until her heart was completely broken.

Even while still self-taught and relying on raw instinct, she had been able to suppress Thanos with one hand for a short time during the final battle, despite him wearing an Infinity Gauntlet set with three or four Stones.

Later, after finding the Darkhold and studying the ancient, powerful, and corrupt dark magic within it, her full potential was unleashed.

At that point, she nearly wiped out all of Kamar-Taj by herself. She also crossed dimensions and destroyed the Illuminati, including Professor X and Captain Marvel.

Without the plot forcing her defeat, Wanda would have fought her way through all of them.

The current Wanda was no longer self-taught. Under Matthew's careful guidance, her beliefs and values had been set on the right path.

She had received the serum, and although several months of training had not brought her physical strength anywhere near that of the Astartes, she had already surpassed one hundred tons.

At the same time, she had awakened all three forms of Haki and mastered the Six Powers.

Most importantly, she had entered a proper system of white magic.

Whatever drawbacks the magic of Kamar-Taj might have, the knowledge it provided—and the naturally benevolent nature of white magic—had given Wanda a solid foundation.

This path would certainly not allow her to grow as quickly as dark magic.

After all, the advantage of dark magic was that it was easy to learn and allowed rapid growth—but it corrupted the mind just as quickly.

White magic carried no such risk.

Once Wanda accumulated enough knowledge and experience through white magic, even studying dark magic would no longer corrupt her.

In the end, she would master both white and dark magic rather than lose her mind under dark magic's influence.

Matthew was certain that, in terms of pure combat strength, Wanda was already the strongest person in Terra aside from Matthew, Reacher, Natasha, and Skye.

At her current rate of growth, she would probably surpass all three of them before long.

Reacher's strength came entirely from his talent—his natural physical gifts were absurd.

He had been born with the perfect foundation for a warrior who could reach transcendence through the body alone.

Even though they had all started from the same point, Reacher had always grown faster and become stronger than the others. After eating the Magma-Magma Fruit, the difference became even greater.

As for Natasha, Matthew could not quite understand her.

There was something unusual about that woman.

They were all Black Widows, yet she was far more exceptional than the others. Even Bucky, Needy, Jessica, and the rest could not compare to her.

After eating the Glint-Glint Fruit, her combat strength had risen dramatically as well.

No matter what abilities Matthew gave her, she could quickly understand and master them.

Skye hardly needed to be mentioned.

Her original Inhuman ability to generate vibrations, combined with the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, gave her destructive power fully worthy of the title Matthew had granted her—the World Breaker.

Yet all of that was meaningless compared with Wanda's talent.

Her gift simply defied reason.

Even her twin brother Pietro possessed extraordinary potential.

In overall combat strength, Wanda had essentially reached the sub-Skyfather level.

That put a surprising amount of pressure on Matthew.

He genuinely could not predict how powerful Wanda might become in the future.

She was certain to become the strongest variant across the entire multiverse.

Her upper limit was impossible to see.

After watching the battle for a while, Matthew left—there was little for him to gain from continuing to observe.

He then made his way at a leisurely pace to Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters in New York.

Professor X and Magneto had joined Terra, but the school had not been shut down.

The students were more familiar with life there.

Many of them also still had families. Although their mutant identities had led their parents to send them to the school, those parents still cared deeply about their children.

Their family relationships remained harmonious.

After arriving, Matthew met Ororo, the striking dark-skinned beauty known as Storm, who was temporarily serving as both principal and teacher.

She had been overwhelmed with work lately.

Professor X and the other X-Men were all occupied in Terra with the mutant immigration program, leaving her to return to the school and handle its daily affairs while teaching the students.

She had finally reached the weekend and expected some rest—only for Matthew to appear.

"Empe—"

Storm wore a simple black suit over a T-shirt, which perfectly complemented her elegant figure. The moment Matthew suddenly appeared in the principal's office, she instinctively rose to salute, but he raised a hand to stop her.

"No. There's no need to be so tense."

Matthew walked over and briefly studied the remarkable woman before him.

Storm herself was an extremely powerful mutant.

Yet within the X-Men, she had somehow been treated almost like a support specialist.

That was despite possessing the ability to control the weather. She could sense and influence atmospheric energy patterns, ranging from smaller changes such as wind and rain to major phenomena such as blizzards, lightning, and even tornadoes.

When she fully unleashed her abilities, Storm could even generate cosmic phenomena such as solar winds.

She also possessed superhuman reflexes, owl-like night vision, and resistance to telepathy.

At her peak, she could rival Thor, summoning solar storms and torrents of cosmic energy.

When enraged, she was even capable of destroying a planet in an instant.

Unfortunately, she had neglected the development of her powers for a long time—partly because teaching at the school and handling its affairs had consumed so much of her attention.

After Professor X decided to join Terra, Storm received authorization to take the serum, causing her level of existence to undergo a transformation.

Once a fragile long-range fighter, she now possessed nearly fifty tons of physical strength.

With her brain enhanced as well, both her control over her abilities and their destructive power had risen to another level.

If the current Thor fought Storm, she could probably shock him so badly that he began questioning his life choices.

"Ororo, I came to the school to meet Piotr."

Piotr was Colossus's real name.

Storm did not ask why. She immediately nodded, turned, and left the office to find him.

Matthew strolled over to the wide window behind the principal's desk.

The large vintage fanlight window offered a clear view of the school grounds, including the students walking and playing on the lawn beside the distant lake.

For a moment, Matthew felt unexpectedly reflective. Rich guys really know how to build a school with great views.

Hmm?

Matthew caught sight of two young students fooling around on the grass in the distance: John Allerdyce, Pyro, and Bobby Drake, Iceman.

Watching the wild, rebellious Pyro alongside the equally proud and brash Bobby, Matthew narrowed his eyes.

Bobby in particular was an Omega-level mutant.

If properly trained, his potential was absurd. Yet in the original timeline, the poor conditions mutants faced, combined with the lack of proper guidance, left him with incredible potential but little to show for it in practice, and he never came close to displaying the true strength of an Omega-level mutant.

With Matthew here, that would no longer be the case. Bobby would one day realize his full potential as an Omega-level Iceman.

His personality, however, would still need guidance.

Once the time was right, Terra could begin bringing these mutants into its ranks.

As Matthew considered this, Storm returned to the office with Piotr.

Matthew had already heard them approaching and turned to face them.

At first, Piotr looked confused.

The young, broad-shouldered man became visibly awkward when he saw Matthew.

Before they arrived, Storm had already told him who Matthew was.

The news had nearly terrified the gentle young man senseless.

The supreme Emperor of Terra.

A living god in the truest sense.

A divine figure who had personally created a legend—and now he had suddenly asked to meet Piotr.

How could the young man not be nervous?

"Your Majesty..."

"Sit."

Matthew waved lightly, and an invisible force pulled two chairs from the corner of the office, sliding them across the floor.

Storm patted Piotr on the shoulder before the two sat down.

Storm remained relatively relaxed, but Piotr sat bolt upright in a posture so rigid that it looked almost comical. He did not dare move at all.

Matthew let out a soft chuckle. "Relax, Piotr. I came here today because of your sister."

"My sister? Illyana?"

The moment he heard those words, Piotr forgot his nervousness and shot to his feet.

"Piotr!"

Storm reprimanded him, feeling that the student she valued had lost his composure in front of Matthew.

Matthew simply waved off her concern. "You still remember her?"

"Yes... I knew Illyana had been taken when she was seven... by a demon," Piotr said, taking a deep breath, his expression darkening with sorrow.

He had not witnessed Illyana's abduction himself, but six years later, he saw her again.

She told him what had happened. The one who abducted her was named Belasco, an extraordinarily powerful demon.

But Illyana never spoke about what her life had been like afterward.

Piotr could do nothing except pray for her.

Even so, he had always sensed that his sister was not living well.

Piotr had kept this buried deep within his heart and had never spoken of it to anyone. Now that Matthew had suddenly mentioned his sister, a possibility entered his mind—

Could it be...?

Piotr looked at Matthew with hope in his eyes.

Matthew did not disappoint him. "Your sister was taken to Limbo by a demon named Belasco."

"Limbo?"

Storm and Piotr exchanged a glance.

Matthew explained Belasco and Limbo to them. Once they learned the truth, both teacher and student changed expressions.

Piotr, especially, finally understood what kind of life his sister had been enduring in Limbo.

All this time, Illyana had been forced to suffer constant physical and mental torment there.

Yet when she had seen him before, she had never mentioned any of it.

The knowledge tore at Piotr from within, and tears soon filled his eyes.

Regret and anguish overwhelmed him. He dropped to his knees before Matthew and made his request in a hoarse, grief-stricken voice.

"Great Emperor, please save Illyana. If you can rescue her, I am willing to give you my life and my soul."

The thought of his younger sister suffering made it impossible for him to remain still. He wanted nothing more than to charge into Limbo himself and save her.

But Piotr knew he could not.

He had no way to reach that place, much less defeat the enemy waiting there.

Reason told him that his only hope was to plead with the living god before him—the Emperor of Terra.

"Your Majesty."

Storm could no longer remain seated. She rose and moved to kneel as well, but an invisible force supported her body.

Piotr was likewise pulled back to his feet.

"I do not need your life or your soul, Piotr."

"You will both become citizens of Terra in the future, and I will not allow any citizen of Terra to come to harm."

The moment those words left his mouth, joy appeared on both Storm's and Piotr's faces.

Piotr's eyes, in particular, filled with gratitude.

"Your Majesty, is there anything you need us to do?" Storm asked solemnly.

Matthew smiled faintly, delivering news that struck like a thunderclap. "Terra is going to war with Limbo. Reacher and Natasha will soon lead the Astartes, Grey Knights, and Raven Guard on a Great Crusade. This war will last a long time."

He looked directly into Piotr's eyes. "Piotr, are you willing to join?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Piotr declared resolutely,"I am. I am willing to become the shield of the Terra Empire and block every attack aimed at my comrades."

Storm parted her lips as though she wanted to say something, but stopped herself.

"Good. But right now, you are too weak—you do not even qualify to serve as a shield."

Matthew's blunt words struck Piotr hard.

Yet Piotr showed no discouragement. His resolve remained firm.

He was intelligent enough to understand that the Emperor was testing him.

Matthew gave a subtle nod of approval.

"The expedition is scheduled to begin in fifteen days. Those fifteen days will be your chance to transform. I will have someone take you to Terra for high-pressure training."

"If you earn the expedition commanders' approval within those fifteen days, you may join the crusade."

"If you fail, you will lose the chance to rescue Illyana with your own hands. Do you understand?"

"I understand!"

The gentleness in Colossus's eyes had vanished, replaced by a terrifying determination.

"Go then. You have half an hour to say your goodbyes."

Sensing that absolute resolve, Matthew offered no empty praise, keeping his tone light.

Piotr bowed respectfully and turned to stride quickly out of the office.

Once he was gone, Storm voiced her concern softly. "Your Majesty, isn't Piotr still too young? Is he truly capable of participating in a Great Crusade?"

Storm was deeply worried about him.

She had always known that Piotr was talented, dependable, and full of potential. Professor X had even planned to bring him into the X-Men in the future.

But this crusade was completely different.

He would be facing demons.

Terra was deploying all three warbands against Limbo, which alone showed how dangerous the battlefield would be.

Storm had personally witnessed how the three warbands trained and had seen them spar against one another.

At that level of combat, Piotr was nowhere near ready to participate.

Even though Matthew had given him fifteen days to train, Storm knew what that process would involve—serum enhancement, refinement of his abilities, and relentless high-pressure training that would drive rapid growth.

Storm still felt that it would not be enough. She feared that Piotr was too young and too impulsive.

Matthew smiled and shook his head before speaking with quiet meaning.

"Humanity's greatest miracle has always been faith. Faith is what allows people to create the impossible, Ororo."

"Believe in Piotr—and believe in the strength a brother who loves his sister can unleash when pushed into adversity."

People often dismissed things like devotion to family and emotional bonds as overly idealistic.

In reality, they were indispensable forces buried deep within human nature.

Unwavering love, family bonds, and loyalty between comrades could all become the spark that created miracles.

The truth was that Matthew did not actually need Piotr.

Did the Great Crusade truly require him? What could one young mutant accomplish?

What Matthew wanted was to use this war—and the rescue of Illyana—to temper Piotr.

Colossus had always possessed enormous potential.

His mutant ability allowed him to transform every tissue in his body into a steel-like substance, granting him extraordinary stamina and powerful defenses.

The material was not actually steel, but a carbon-steel alloy similar to osmium, with a hardness surpassed only by adamantium and vibranium.

While transformed, he could withstand direct hits from a 110-millimeter howitzer.

He could also survive being struck at one hundred miles per hour by a one-ton truck carrying 450 pounds of TNT, as well as temperatures ranging from seventy degrees above absolute zero to nine thousand degrees Fahrenheit.

His weakness was that temperatures above nine thousand degrees would begin to melt his body.

Under any known environment on Earth, he also would not rust.

In addition, he possessed powerful regeneration, tremendous endurance, and superhuman strength.

Under normal conditions, his strength ranged between seventy and ninety tons, eventually reaching around one hundred tons. At times, he could even trade blows with the Hulk or the Juggernaut—

though he was far more likely to lose.

Speed, in particular, was one of his weaknesses.

His ability was that of a classic heavy tank—powerful, durable, and cumbersome.

Yet Matthew believed that this seemingly ordinary power concealed exceptional talent.

He had always regarded mutants as a group with enormous untapped potential.

That was especially true under the system of growth Matthew had personally created.

Over nearly a year, that system had gradually become complete and mature. By now, everyone in Terra had reached the same conclusion—

under equal conditions, mutants gained a major advantage from the serum.

Naturally, this excluded those whose mutant genes were simply too weak or useless.

During enhancement, the mutant gene existed separately from ordinary human genetics and did not directly interfere with them.

The super-soldier serum developed specifically for mutants strengthened their ordinary genes while bypassing the mutant gene and avoiding genetic disruption.

Yet the final result was often that once a mutant's body became stronger, their power improved along with it.

Most mutant abilities were closely tied to the brain.

At the very least, control over those abilities received an astonishing increase.

Pietro, Wanda's twin brother, was the clearest example.

His original ability allowed him to move at extreme speed. After receiving the serum, that power rapidly grew alongside his physical strength.

He could now be considered the fastest person alive apart from Matthew and Natasha, the two users of the Glint-Glint Fruit.

And how long had Pietro been enhanced? How long had he trained?

At the beginning, he could not even activate his ability at will.

As for Colossus, the serum would fully strengthen his tank-like power while also compensating for his weakness in speed to a certain extent.

The Six Powers would improve that even further.

Finally, there were the three forms of Haki.

Haki was closely tied to conviction and willpower—the stronger the belief, the more extraordinary its growth.

And what conviction could compare with the bond between family?

Matthew himself, of course, was an exception.

At the same time, Matthew believed this process would earn the absolute loyalty of both Piotr and his sister, Magik (Illyana).

It achieved several goals at once.

Illyana, in particular, could defeat Dormammu under certain conditions.

They were both valuable talents, and once Matthew's habit of collecting gifted people took over, he had no intention of letting either of them go.

He had used this method so many times that it had become second nature.

It came to him effortlessly.

The Emperor's talent for persuasion had reached its absolute peak.

Storm saw the deeper meaning in Matthew's words, and because she trusted him completely, she finally set aside her concerns. "Your Majesty, I also want to contribute to the Terra Empire."

"Your light does not need to shine yet, Ororo—it will have its moment in the future."

"Understood..."

Half an hour later, Matthew left with Piotr—but Piotr's departure caused an uproar throughout the mutant school.

As one of the older students, Piotr was gentle, kind, and deeply responsible.

He was highly respected at the school, and nearly everyone liked him—from the youngest children to the most rebellious teenagers.

Now, however, Piotr was leaving.

Naturally, the students were both curious and disappointed.

After asking around, they finally learned the reason—Piotr was going to Terra.

He did not mention Limbo or his plan to rescue his sister.

Even so, the news that Piotr was joining Terra shocked every student.

Discussions broke out everywhere.

"Emperor above! Is Piotr joining the Astartes?"

"Wow, that's incredible. I've always dreamed of joining the Astartes, wearing power armor, and fighting demons."

"I'd rather join the Grey Knights. I heard they're powerful in close combat and can use magic too."

"Magic? You mean actual magic?"

"Of course. I heard the Grey Knights are the Emperor's most loyal battle-brothers. They serve as Inquisitors under the Inquisition and specialize in fighting demons and enemies from beyond Earth."

"That's amazing."

"What about the Raven Guard? I want to join them."

"Why is Piotr suddenly leaving the school for Terra? Are they recruiting?"

"Maybe the Emperor chose him personally."

The rumors continued for a long time. If Storm hadn't kept them in line, the students probably would have spent every lesson talking about it.

Unaware of the commotion his departure had caused, Piotr stepped through a portal and arrived at the Science Department complex on the outskirts of Novi Grad.

The entire facility looked remarkably advanced.

The floor was so clean and polished that it reflected his image. It had been cast from matte, cold-gray alloy without a single visible seam and coated with a nanoscale dust-resistant layer—even after hundreds or thousands of people passed through, not a trace of dust or debris remained.

The main corridor stood ten meters high and extended straight into the depths of the underground complex. Long strips of cool white lighting were built directly into the walls on both sides, filling the space with a soft glow that was bright without being harsh.

There was none of the noise of a city—only the low, steady hum of circulating air and machinery.

Heavy sealed alloy doors were positioned at regular intervals along both sides of the corridor. Each bore the double-headed eagle emblem of the Terra Empire and a red research-clearance code.

Farther inside, Piotr could see enormous panels of reinforced observation glass.

Behind them were isolated serum cultivation chambers, physical enhancement calibration units, and live-subject monitoring platforms. Pale blue nutrient fluid circulated slowly through the transparent tanks.

Mechanical arms moved with steady precision, while Terra researchers in dark-gray protective suits, respirator masks, and data lenses hurried between stations.

They remained completely silent, focused only on the terminals at their wrists and the screens built into the chambers. Every one of them followed the Science Department's strict rules—no unnecessary conversation and no unnecessary movement.

Compared to everything around him, Piotr looked completely out of place.

As he stood there uncertainly, a pale blue light swept over him from above. A gentle voice sounded beside his ear.

"Identity confirmed—Piotr Nikolaievitch Rasputin, formerly a student at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters."

"Welcome, Mr. Piotr. I am Veronica, the artificial intelligence responsible for this facility."

"Your access has been approved. Please follow my instructions."

"H-Hello, Veronica." " Piotr stammered, startled.

Before he could say anything else, a square section of the floor retracted in front of him, and a wristwatch floated upward.

"Please put on the watch. It will serve as your identification, and I will also communicate with you through it."

"Right, okay."

Still amazed by the advanced technology around him, Piotr immediately placed the watch on his left wrist.

A second later, it vibrated softly.

A portal suddenly appeared in front of him, sparks crackling around its edges. Beyond it lay a large, brightly lit, enclosed area filled with sealed chambers and medical equipment.

"Please enter, Mr. Piotr. Director Hank is waiting for you."

Hank?

Recognizing a familiar name, Piotr stepped through without hesitation.

n he turned around, the portal had already vanished, replaced by a figure in a white lab coat

It was Hank McCoy, the X-Man known as Beast.

"Long time no see, Piotr," Hank said with a warm smile.

"Professor Hank!" Piotr called out in pleasant surprise.

Compared with before, Hank's build and bearing had both changed considerably.

Even so, he remained reserved and gentle.

What seemed strange was that he was not in his blue Beast form—he looked completely human.

Hank had previously chosen to remain in his Beast form at all times, believing there was no reason to hide the fact that he was a mutant.

"Haha, come on in. Congratulations on joining Terra—we'll begin with a full examination."

Hank walked over, patted Piotr on the shoulder, and led him to an open sealed chamber.

"Step inside. We need to conduct a complete physical scan, then match the serum to your genetic profile."

Piotr nodded and prepared to step in, but Hank held him back. "Take off your clothes—leave only your underwear on."

Piotr's face immediately turned red.

He began undressing awkwardly. Hank took the clothes and casually placed them to one side—then they vanished automatically.

By now, Piotr had nearly become numb to such things.

He entered the chamber and lay down.

Its outer shell was made of specialized glass. Once he was inside, the transparent door sealed shut and the chamber contracted around him. Several fine mechanical arms extended from within, each fitted with a needle.

The needles pierced both arms and his thighs.

The pain made Piotr instinctively try to activate his mutation—but he found that his power had somehow been suppressed.

A moment later, his head grew heavy and he lost consciousness.

When he woke, Hank was gone and the chamber door stood open.

Piotr shook his head, climbed out, and found a waist-high service robot waiting nearby with a fresh set of clothes resting on top.

"Piotr, get dressed and come outside." Hank's voice emitted from the robot's speaker.

Piotr quickly changed. The clothes were close-fitting, highly elastic, and extremely light, though he had no idea what material they were made from.

Following the directions he had been given, he left the sealed laboratory.

Beyond it was another research area connected by one-way glass. He saw Hank and several other researchers working with highly precise instruments, assisted by streams of holographic displays.

The entire process was serious and disciplined, yet everyone moved together with remarkable efficiency.

Piotr watched in amazement.

"Over here, Piotr," Hank called out, waving from a nearby console.

Piotr walked over quickly. "Professor Hank."

"Haha, you don't need to call me Professor anymore. Congratulations, Piotr—your genetic compatibility is excellent. You should receive the injection in about half an hour." " Hank said, standing up with a smile.

Piotr scratched his head, looking bewildered. "Professor Hank... what was all that just now?"

"You don't know?" Hank blinked in surprise, then seemed to realize something.

He reached toward a service robot passing nearby and took two drinks from its mechanical arm—a cup of hot coffee and a glass of juice.

He handed the juice to Piotr, took a sip of his own coffee, and began explaining.

"This is Terra's scientific hub in Novi Grad."

"It was built specifically to study mutants, examine them, and administer enhancement serums."

"The mutant enhancement serum was developed by the Genetic Science Division specifically for mutants. It strengthens both the body and the mutation itself."

"You'll be receiving the combat-grade version. Ordinary mutant civilians receive a civilian formula designed mainly to stabilize their abilities."

"Your enhancement will be far greater than theirs—that means you are expected to join one of the three warbands."

"That is why I told you not to call me Professor anymore. In terms of authority, a soldier of the three warbands holds a position equal to mine."

Only after hearing Hank's explanation did Piotr finally understand. "So before receiving the serum, I need to undergo testing and genetic matching?"

"That's right. Mutant genetics are different from ordinary human genetics. Standard compatibility serums work for ordinary people, but mutants require individual testing and matching. Only those who meet the simulated compatibility threshold can receive the injection—otherwise, even a minor error could cause serious genetic instability."

"Professor Hank, have you been here this whole time?" Piotr nodded, then asked with curiosity.

When Hank had disappeared from the school, it caused quite a stir. Although Hank was somewhat reserved by nature, the students generally liked the brilliant teacher whose intimidating blue-furred appearance contrasted sharply with his gentle personality.

Many students, including Piotr, had been disappointed and curious.

Whenever they asked Professor X or the other X-Men what had happened, they only received vague answers.

Now Piotr finally understood—Professor Hank had joined Terra.

"That's right. I personally watched Terra grow from nothing into what it is today." Hank said proudly.

After Matthew recruited him from the school, Hank joined the Science Department while it was still in its early stages.

Using his brilliant mind and scientific expertise, he made significant contributions to its development.

The growth of the Science Department owed much to him.

He had personally led the development of the mutant-specific genetic serum.

As someone who had helped build it all from the ground up, and witnessed every stage of Terra's rise, the pride and sense of belonging he felt were easy to understand.

Even now, Hank remained deeply grateful that Matthew had come to the mutant school and established such a strong connection with it.

The reason Matthew had originally recruited him had been slightly embarrassing, but Hank had long since stopped thinking about that.

What mattered was the result—Terra had been founded, and it had become a sanctuary for mutants across the world.

He had watched the Immigration Act move forward. He had seen Professor X, Jean Grey, Scott Summers, and the others work with smiles on their faces as they helped mutants relocate to Terra.

Hank no longer had to worry about whether mutants could survive.

All he had to do was remain in the Science Department, study new knowledge, advance alongside his colleagues, and help create one world-changing breakthrough after another.

He did not have to worry about funding, assistants, or equipment.

For a scientist, this place was paradise.

It was everything he could have wanted.

"Wow, that's incredible, Professor Hank." Piotr's eyes sparkled with admiration.

"Haha. You're destined to join one of the three warbands and become a powerful warrior. We'll stand behind you—all you need to do is follow the Emperor, protect Earth, safeguard humanity, and defend Terra."

Hank smiled.

But although Piotr looked pleased, there was also a heaviness in his expression.

That made Hank curious.

Then he suddenly remembered something and asked,

"Piotr, why did you suddenly join Terra? The order from above even specified that you were to receive the combat-grade mutant serum."

Hank was not part of Terra's senior leadership, but as one of the directors of the Genetic Science Division, he knew the procedures very well.

Under normal circumstances, students Piotr's age would not receive the combat-grade serum.

Anyone who did was clearly being selected for one of the three warbands.

Terra's policy was straightforward—young people below a certain age were usually sent to school, where they received a complete education and ideological training.

Piotr seemed to be the first exception.

Combined with the orders issued recently, Hank narrowed his eyes.

Could this have something to do with the Great Crusade?

...

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