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Chapter 69: Dark Phoenix Is About to Wake Up?
🕑 Added 2025-03-13 15:53:56 +0000 UTCWhether before or after the timeline restart, Magneto's helmet had failed, in Aaron’s opinion.
While aesthetics didn’t matter too much in terms of practicality, Aaron didn’t mind improving its appearance. He wasn’t interested in designs like Loki or Odin's, which he found strange with their long horns.
Eric had no idea Aaron had questioned his aesthetics.
When he saw the alien chatting with someone, Eric didn’t take it seriously at first. He was more concerned about his impending fate. But after a closer look at the stranger, who looked very familiar to him, he recognized him immediately. No need for words—just a glance told him it was his old enemy. The two were too familiar with each other.
Eric slapped the diamond wall, as if trying to say something, but his voice couldn’t be heard. He could only watch the conversation unfold.
Outside, after hearing Aaron mention that the other party might not be strong enough to guard Magneto, Sif and the others immediately believed it. They trusted Aaron’s magic and wisdom, as his magic had saved their lives multiple times.
“His name is Aaron,” Fandral explained. “The greatest magician of our Asgard, the current god of magic!”
Charles’ expression didn’t change, though thoughts of Asgard flickered in his mind—Odin, Thor, Heimdall. A group calling themselves gods? He wondered if they were truly gods or just powerful Mutants.
Charles hadn’t witnessed the battle between Magneto and Aaron. Instead, using his telepathic power, he had crossed several states to possess the mind of a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent after receiving Nick Fury’s call about Magneto’s defeat. At first, he considered probing the agent’s mind for more information, but as he did, a warning came from his own mind. He realized that someone else might possess telepathy, and if he invaded their mind, he would be hit with a mental attack.
Charles didn’t question Aaron’s self-proclaimed title and spoke kindly. “The issue with this magician is real, but I’m not alone. I have many students.”
“They’re all highly trained fighters with superhuman strength,” Charles continued. “We will unite with the nation to ensure Magneto doesn’t escape again.”
“At least not until I get Mjolnir,” Thor added.
“Definitely,” Charles agreed.
“Aaron,” Sif asked, “since they can unite with Midgard, perhaps they have the strength to guard Magneto. Why not let them?”
Thor added, “Midgard has changed greatly compared to before. They should have the strength to control the country.”
Aaron thought for a moment. He wouldn’t be staying anyway, not even temporarily.
“My students are here!” Charles suddenly said.
Aaron detected the fighter planes approaching in the distance and glanced at Charles, impressed by the power of his mind. There was still much for him to learn.
Before long, a fighter jet resembling a blackbird landed under everyone’s watchful eyes. Thanks to Charles' warning, they refrained from making any sudden moves.
Sif and the others were curious. They were eager to see how powerful the warriors Charles had spoken of were. In their experience, Midgard’s mightiest warriors were no match for Asgard’s untrained civilians. But Magneto’s emergence had shattered that concept. Midgard was now different.
Aaron was also curious about the X-Men’s arrival. He wanted to know what stage they were at. The known plot had already diverged the moment Magneto lifted Mjolnir, but he could still gather information through the people involved. Mutants had great potential—powerful ones could even threaten Asgard, especially the one with the Phoenix Force. If that force awakened, Aaron knew he’d have to avoid direct confrontation.
“Trust me, you’ll recognize their strength,” Charles said confidently. “We have the power to guard Magneto!”
As the fighter plane landed, several figures disembarked, following Charles. They greeted him first before turning their attention to Aaron and the others.
“Professor!” they said, and then glanced at the aliens. According to the fighter jet’s speed, the X-Men had arrived faster than expected, even though they had originally been chasing Magneto.
Their information, however, was outdated. They had been told that Magneto had defeated the Outer Worlds, but now it seemed he had been defeated himself and was locked in a diamond cage.
Some of them were curious about the authenticity of the diamond cage, while others were observing Aaron and the aliens. They had never seen beings from another world before, and many wondered if they, too, had something like the X gene.
Aaron scanned the newcomers: Phoenix, Storm, Cyclops, and Wolverine. What stage were they at?
He frowned. The current situation confused him about the timeline. With Magneto on the loose, this could be taking place in the middle or later stages of X-Men 2 or X-Men 1. But the people before him were different from what he remembered.
Could Magneto have just escaped prison, gone to New Testes, and then ended up back in jail? If so, that was a sad story. But if Magneto appeared now, something would happen to Charles and Phoenix. Charles was soon to be captured by Stryker, who was planning to use a brainwave amplifier to kill all Mutants. Meanwhile, Phoenix should have died at the Arkari Lake Dam, but instead, she might return as the Dark Phoenix.
The situation was different from what he knew, and he was beginning to doubt his assumptions.
“No,” Aaron thought, shaking his head. “This world isn’t purely Mutant. There are humans, aliens, and gods involved. The timeline might be altered.”
His attention returned to Jean Grey.
Something was off.
Aaron’s gaze became more intense, and even Thor and the others, accustomed to his demeanor, noticed the shift in his seriousness.
“Do you have no manners? It’s rude to stare at a lady,” Scott said, stepping in front of Jean to block Aaron’s gaze.
Wolverine also stood up, side by side with Scott. “While you’re annoying, I agree with him on this.”
Charles frowned. He knew something was wrong, especially with Jean.
Jean’s mutations were tied to her subconscious mind. Along with her telepathy, she carried a force capable of destroying everything. Charles had created a mental barrier to control this power, but it also gave rise to a dark, destructive personality.
Charles sighed, realizing there was no more hiding the truth.
“I’ve known about this since she was young,” he said, looking apologetically at Jean. “I created a mental barrier to control her powers, but it created a darker side of her.”
Jean looked at her hands, confused. She had been feeling strange changes in her body recently but had attributed them to her mutant abilities.
“Sorry?” she asked. “I didn’t know.”
Aaron chuckled darkly. “A bird yearning for destruction of the world is trapped in a cage. But this bird isn’t a canary; it’s a phoenix.”
The X-Men were shocked. Destroy the world? They couldn’t believe it.
Aaron’s gaze never wavered from Jean. He had seen the Phoenix Force stir within her.
“Phoenix Force... once it awakens, only beings like the Ancient One or Odin could stand against it.”
Jean, confused, looked back at Aaron, but he could see the flicker of red in her eyes. The Phoenix Force was awakening.
Aaron knew that if the force continued to grow unchecked, it could destroy the galaxy, not just Midgard.
Thor scoffed. “You really think she can destroy the galaxy?”
Aaron’s expression remained stern. “You won’t be able to stop her, not even with Mjolnir.”
Thor seemed to falter, but Sif’s face grew serious. “You mean, she could affect all the Nine Realms?”
Aaron nodded, then turned to Charles. “You have no idea what’s coming. This force is uncontrollable. You’ll need more than just a peaceful environment to keep it at bay.”
Jean’s powers could destroy the galaxy, and that was a fact. If they didn’t act soon, it could be too late.
