The next morning arrived quietly, sunlight filtering through the windows and casting long, soft streaks across the room. Liam Hayes let out a long yawn as he pushed himself upright in bed, his body finally free from the crushing fever that had plagued him the night before. His muscles still felt slightly heavy, but the suffocating pressure and burning heat were gone, replaced by a strange sense of clarity.
He stretched his arms overhead, joints popping lightly, then rubbed his eyes with a faint frown. For a few seconds, he simply sat there in silence, his thoughts sluggish as if his brain was still catching up with reality. Gradually, the events of yesterday resurfaced, and his expression sharpened as something important clicked into place.
"Wait… my vector manipulation," he muttered under his breath, his voice still rough from sleep.
The moment the thought formed, the world around him shifted.
It wasn't a physical change, but a perceptual one. His vision sharpened dramatically, as though a hidden layer of reality had been peeled back. Every surface—the table, the walls, even the ceiling—was now covered in faint, flowing lines, subtle yet unmistakable, like currents moving through space itself.
The sight was surreal.
He blinked once, then again, testing whether it would disappear. It didn't.
Curiosity flared, and Liam slowly closed his eyes. Even without sight, he could still sense those lines, not just on objects, but in the air itself. Streams of invisible force drifted around him, and even the sunlight pouring through the window carried its own distinct flow.
More importantly, whenever those lines approached his body, they shifted.
They bent.
They changed direction, sliding away from him as if guided by an unseen hand.
"So this is… vector manipulation," Liam murmured, a trace of awe creeping into his tone.
The concept was simple in theory, but terrifying in application. Any vector—momentum, heat, electricity, even light—could be redirected the moment it came into contact with his body. Reflection was merely the most basic function, a passive defense that operated without conscious input.
Even now, his body was automatically filtering out various external factors.
Ultraviolet radiation, trace chemicals in the air—harmful or otherwise—were being subtly repelled. It was an instinctive process, something his body had already begun to handle on its own.
But Liam's expression shifted slightly as he considered the implications.
If everything were reflected indiscriminately, it could cause problems.
Blocking all ultraviolet light, for instance, would interfere with normal biological functions. Over time, it could affect pigmentation, hormone balance, even physical development in unpredictable ways. That wasn't something he wanted.
Fortunately, the solution came just as naturally as the problem.
He didn't need complex calculations or mental strain. All it took was intent.
With a single thought, he began to adjust the parameters, mentally designating what should and shouldn't be reflected. The process felt smooth, almost instinctual, as though the ability had always been part of him.
"Good… this is way easier than I expected," he said quietly, a hint of relief in his voice.
His gaze shifted to the wall beside him.
Curiosity quickly turned into experimentation.
Liam stepped out of bed and walked over, raising his hand slowly. The flowing lines across the wall became clearer as he focused, each one representing the structure and force within the material. Without hesitation, he extended a finger and pressed it lightly against the surface.
The result was immediate.
His finger sank into the wall as easily as if it were soft clay.
There was no resistance, no cracking sound, no strain. A clean, precise hole formed where his finger passed through, as though the wall itself had been temporarily rewritten to allow it.
Liam stared at it for a second, then let out a low whistle.
"That's insane."
He understood what had happened. By manipulating the vectors within the wall, he had effectively redirected the internal forces holding it together, allowing his finger to pass through without opposition. It was a crude application, but even this simple act demonstrated just how broken the ability was.
A grin spread across his face as he admired the neat hole.
Just as he lifted his hand again, ready to test it a few more times, the door behind him opened.
Liam turned instinctively.
Ororo stepped in first, pushing Professor Xavier's wheelchair with her usual calm composure. Scott followed closely behind, his posture straight and attentive. All three of them immediately took in the scene—the damaged wall, Liam standing beside it, and the unmistakable signs of ability use.
"Son," Charles said gently, his eyes settling on Liam with quiet concern, "how are you feeling?"
Liam straightened slightly, the grin fading into a more composed expression. There was genuine warmth in his gaze as he looked at the older man.
"I'm fine, Professor," he replied with an easy smile. "Completely recovered."
Charles studied him for a moment, then nodded, satisfied.
"That's good to hear," he said. After a brief pause, his tone shifted, becoming more focused. "Then perhaps you can show us your ability."
Liam had expected this.
There was no way they would let something like yesterday go unexplored. He gave a small nod, then turned back to the wall without hesitation. Raising his hand again, he pressed his finger forward, repeating the same motion.
Another hole appeared effortlessly.
Storm and Cyclops watched closely, but their expressions quickly turned to confusion. From their perspective, it looked almost trivial—just a boy poking holes in a wall. There was no visible energy, no dramatic display, nothing that suggested overwhelming power.
"…That's it?" Scott asked, unable to hide his doubt.
Liam turned back toward them, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"I call it 'Reflex,'" he explained calmly. "Anything that comes into contact with my body can be reflected."
"Reflection?" Ororo repeated, her brows knitting slightly.
The word was too vague.
Reflection could mean many things. Physical force, energy, even more abstract phenomena depending on the mutation. Without specifics, it was impossible to accurately gauge the scope of his power.
If he could reflect all physical attacks, that alone would make him nearly untouchable in direct combat. If it extended to energy—fire, electricity, kinetic blasts—then the implications became even more significant.
Liam simply nodded.
"That's right."
He offered nothing more.
There was no intention of revealing the full extent of vector manipulation. The ability was far too extreme, and even he was still figuring out its limits. Presenting it as a simple reflection-type power was enough for now.
Besides, from their perspective, it made sense. He had only just "awakened" his ability. Not fully understanding it yet was perfectly normal.
As expected, Charles didn't press further.
Instead, he shifted the conversation slightly, his tone returning to its usual calm.
"Have you noticed any side effects?" he asked.
The question carried weight.
Most mutants didn't gain perfect control from the start. Their powers often came with drawbacks—sometimes severe ones. Scott himself was a prime example. Without his specialized visor, he couldn't even open his eyes without releasing destructive energy.
Liam shook his head.
"Nothing so far," he answered honestly, though a part of him remained uncertain. After all, his ability hadn't come from a mutation in the traditional sense.
Charles nodded slowly, though a hint of caution lingered in his expression.
"I see."
He didn't look entirely convinced, but he didn't challenge the answer either.
"Then you should follow Ororo," he continued after a moment. "We'll run a full assessment of your ability. After that, I'll design a training program to help you master it as quickly as possible."
It was standard procedure.
Newly awakened mutants rarely understood their own powers. Testing was essential—not just to determine strength, but to establish safe usage and control. Without it, abilities could easily spiral out of control.
Liam gave a small nod.
Truthfully, even he didn't know where his power stood.
As the thought crossed his mind, he instinctively brought up the system interface.
A translucent panel appeared in his vision.
[Host: Liam Hayes]
[Super Ability: Vector Manipulation]
[Super Ability Level: Lv.3 (Level 3 Mutant)]
[Experience Value: 1000/0]