Nolan nodded. "I've mapped their patrol routes, anticipated their strategies. I knew they'd send White Ravens three days before they arrived. I predicted the Inquisitor's path weeks ago."
"That's why you've survived," Naomi said. "You're always one step ahead."
"Two steps, actually." Nolan offered a thin smile. "But it comes with a price."
"What price?" Margaret asked gently.
Nolan turned away, adjusting something on one of his contraptions. "To maintain this level of ability, I need to remain... underestimated. Dismissed. Forgotten." His voice grew quieter. "I have to embrace being nothing in their eyes. The moment I become a serious threat—the moment they truly fear me—my power begins to fade."
Xavier understood the psychological burden immediately. To be strong, Nolan had to accept, even encourage, others seeing him as weak. His greatest strength came from his greatest insecurity.
"That's why you hide here," Xavier said. "The ruins themselves feed your ability."
