Charles and his two companions went to the Soviet Union; their intelligence gathering mission went smoothly, and they easily captured White Queen, using their abilities to uncover Black King's entire plan.
But when they joyfully disembarked from the plane back in New York with their gains, someone called them and told them one thing: the Base was gone…
All the personnel were dead, and the Base was almost nothing but ruins.
Charles and his two companions rushed over after receiving the news. Ron and his four companions were sitting on a long bench in front of the Base, where specialists were cleaning up inside.
Alex and his two companions sat together. Mystique sat quite close to Ron, and Beast Hank occasionally glanced over there with a hint of sadness.
After the battle was resolved last night, when Ron went back to pick them up, Raven, who had been left alone in that cold, dark alley for a long time, instantly threw herself into his arms with fear and unease when she saw him, whimpering and asking if he was alright and how the others were.
"Ron, you're finally back. Are you hurt? How...how are the others?"
In that alley, Raven was not only terrified by the dreadful surroundings but also constantly worried that Ron and the others had been killed. Every second felt like a year, almost torture.
Ron's reappearance ended her torment, and his embrace made her feel incredibly safe and warm.
Furthermore, Mystique later learned that Ron's teleportation ability was limited, and he chose to send her away first. A series of events combined, and she felt a certain fondness in her heart, unconsciously moving closer to Ron.
"We know what happened.
I'll arrange a plane for you all to go home now, including...you, Ron."
Professor X said to them with a heavy heart, then hesitated and looked at Ron, adding,
"Although you did very well, and we couldn't have done better, you are still too young."
"You should return to where you belong, back home."
What happened yesterday made him believe even more strongly that he shouldn't involve a group of immature young people. He felt deeply guilty.
Even though he learned from others that Ron had killed Red Devil and Riptide, and finally sent away Black King, which surprised them, he still didn't want Ron to take any more risks.
"Home?"
Ron secretly shook his head, not believing that Professor X had a plane that could cross the Universe.
However, today's events seemed to make Charles begin to mature. The wanderer part of him started to fade, and he became aware of responsibility and accountability, gradually transforming into Professor X.
"No, we're not leaving. He killed Banshee."
"Banshee died right in front of us, with a large hole in its chest!"
Alex and Darwin said with intense emotions and hatred. They wanted to stay and fight Black King to avenge Banshee.
Although young people have many immaturities compared to adults, they also have one advantage: they easily make friends. They can become friends after knowing each other for just a few days.
"No, for you, it's all over…"
Charles's expression became serious again, and he wanted to insist that everyone leave.
"We should avenge him.
Life will give us many hardships. Constant tolerance and forgetting will never lead to improvement."
Eric, who had been watching from the side, spoke in a deep voice, immediately undermining Charles's stance.
"We must avenge, we must fight back!"
"Eric, a word with you."
Taking a deep breath, Professor X gritted his teeth and called Magneto aside, reproaching him,
"Eric, what are you saying? They are still children."
"No, they used to be children!
Hatred and love are the fastest things that make people grow."
Magneto's expression was stern as he shook his head in disagreement.
"After what happened last night, they are different from before."
When it comes to hatred giving people strength, no one has more right to speak than he does.
From the gunshot that killed his mother more than ten years ago, for a long time, he thought about revenge every moment. From a child alone to an adult, in the long darkness, no matter what difficulties he encountered, he never gave up.
Because hatred was his support.
Hatred, it can unleash a person's potential and give a person strength they couldn't otherwise possess.
Professor X looked back and gazed at them for a while.
"Look at Ron, they have enormous potential. Charles, if you send them back, the matter of Banshee will become a lifelong regret, a thorn in their hearts."
Professor X's heart began to waver.
Ron watched Magneto's stern persuasion of Professor X from afar, knowing that he too was approaching the Magneto of the future.
Eighteen years ago, Black King shot Eric's mother in the concentration camp to stimulate his potential. For eighteen years, Eric always wanted to avenge his mother.
"Eighteen years of suffering, torment, and arduous searching, did Magneto cause any trouble for Black King or retaliate?
The answer is no."
Black King was too cunning. After the Soviet Union lost power, he changed his identity and started a new organization.
It took Magneto eighteen years just to find Black King. During those eighteen years, Black King established the Hellfire Club and befriended and socialized with high-ranking officials, while he, like a lone wolf, struggled to search in the dark night and pain.
How many eighteen years does a person have? The meaning of his life was almost entirely consumed by hatred.
His last meeting with Professor X was also the first time he saw Black King again after eighteen years.
On that luxurious cruise ship, eighteen years of accumulated anger and hatred overwhelmed his reason. He held a small dagger and rushed forward, wanting to kill Black King, but before he could get close, White Queen kicked him into the Water.
Then, in the Water, although he used his abilities to destroy the cruise ship, he could only watch his enemy leave safely in the nuclear submarine beneath the cruise ship.
"He searched for eighteen years, yet his enemy left safely in front of him.
The second closest time was the near miss last night."
Missing another chance for revenge, Magneto became even more agitated. He couldn't wait any longer; hatred had already consumed him. He began to resort to any means necessary for revenge, utilizing everything he could.
"What if a person whose entire life's meaning is revenge ultimately fails to personally avenge, release the accumulated anger and pain, and is left with lifelong regret…?"
Sitting on the long bench, Ron's lips curled into a smile as he thought to himself.
With such a significant impact, his future destiny would surely change greatly, wouldn't it?
"We need special training."
Professor X walked over, finally persuaded by Magneto, believing that Magneto genuinely had their best interests at heart, and tacitly agreed that everyone could stay.
However, this time, he would ensure these young people were trained, mastered their abilities, and competently handled danger before allowing them to re-enter the battlefield.
"We can't stay here anymore. Even rebuilding wouldn't be safe.
He knows this place."
Alex stood up and warned that the Base could no longer be stayed in, then looked at Ron with a strange expression.
"Ron threw him into the incinerator flue of a suburban crematorium. If he's not dead, he'll definitely come back for revenge."
Thrown into an ash heap—such immense humiliation—Black King couldn't possibly do nothing.
Although he didn't immediately come back to kill, when he reappeared, it would certainly be the most ruthless retaliation!
"The crematorium flue…"
Professor X and his two companions were stunned when they heard this, their eyes wide as they looked at Ron.