By the time Storm and Jean returned, Professor Xavier had already been waiting.
The room was quiet, the soft hum of equipment blending into the background as Charles took the data tablet from Storm's hand. His eyes moved steadily across the screen, scanning every line with careful attention. Cyclops stood nearby, arms crossed, watching the professor's expression for any sign of reaction.
After a few moments, he couldn't hold back his curiosity.
"Professor," Scott asked, "what's the verdict?"
Charles didn't answer immediately. He finished reading through the final section before lowering the tablet slightly, his expression calm but thoughtful.
"Level Three mutant," he said at last. "But considering this is a freshly awakened ability, the results are… impressive."
He paused briefly, his gaze sharpening just a fraction.
"More importantly, his ability shows clear potential for growth."
Storm stepped forward slightly, adding to the assessment.
"And it's stable. So far, there are no obvious side effects, and he appears to have a decent level of control."
Charles nodded, repeating the key point under his breath.
"Controllable…"
For him, that single detail mattered more than anything else.
Mutant abilities weren't always a blessing. In many cases, they were unpredictable, unstable, even dangerous to the user and those around them. Jean Grey herself had struggled with this more than most, her immense power often teetering on the edge of losing control.
The academy existed to help mutants manage that risk.
To find someone with such potential—and have it be stable—was rare.
Very rare.
A faint sense of relief settled in Charles's expression.
He couldn't help but feel fortunate that Liam had been found here, under his guidance. If someone like Magneto had discovered him first, the outcome might have been very different.
Scott shifted his stance slightly.
"Then… should we consider bringing him into the X-Men?" he asked.
Charles didn't answer right away.
He leaned back slightly in his chair, fingers steepled as he considered the question. The X-Men weren't just a team—they were a responsibility. Every member had to be carefully chosen, not only for their power, but for their judgment and character.
After a moment, he spoke.
"In time," he said. "But not yet. For now… we observe."
Scott nodded, understanding the reasoning.
Rushing things would only create unnecessary risk.
Meanwhile, outside the lab, Liam wandered aimlessly across the academy grounds.
The afternoon sun hung high above, casting warm light over the open campus. Students moved about in small groups, some heading to class, others lingering in conversation. The atmosphere felt relaxed, almost ordinary—if not for the fact that everyone here possessed abilities beyond human limits.
Liam walked slowly, hands in his pockets, his gaze drifting across the playground as if searching for something.
Or someone.
"Wes."
The soft voice came from beneath a nearby tree.
Liam turned instantly.
Sitting on a stone bench in the shade was a girl with violet hair and bright green eyes. Her posture was slightly reserved, but there was a gentle warmth in her expression.
"Clarice," Liam said, his eyes lighting up as he walked over.
This world didn't align perfectly with the version he remembered.
It felt… blended.
Different timelines overlapping, characters appearing at unexpected points. Clarice Ferguson—Blink—was supposed to belong to another storyline entirely, yet here she was, around his age, attending the academy.
He had even heard rumors that Lorna Dane—Polaris, Magneto's daughter—was somewhere in this world too, though he hadn't seen her yet.
"How are you settling in?" Liam asked as he sat down beside her. "Getting used to things here?"
Clarice nodded softly.
"Yeah… it's a lot better than before," she said. "I've made some friends too. Especially…"
Her voice trailed off at the end, dropping so low that Liam couldn't quite catch it.
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
She had only arrived a week ago.
Back then, she had been running—desperate, frightened, trying to escape capture by a mutant research group. In her panic, she had used her ability and accidentally opened a portal that led her straight to the academy.
Since then, things had changed.
The constant fear was gone.
In its place was something unfamiliar but comforting—safety.
As they talked, Liam casually shifted his focus inward.
"System," he thought, "sign in with Clarice."
[Ding! Does the host wish to sign in with mutant Clarice?]
"Yes."
[Ding! Sign-in successful. Reward obtained: Super Ability—Spatial Movement. Experience +100.]
Liam's breath hitched slightly, though his expression remained composed.
Spatial movement.
Of all the abilities he could have received, this was easily one of the most valuable. The ability to teleport—whether to visible locations or places he had already been—was both a perfect escape tool and a devastating tactical advantage.
Combined with vector manipulation…
His options had just expanded exponentially.
Suppressing the surge of excitement, he brought up his system panel.
[Host: Liam Hayes]
[Super Ability: Vector Manipulation, Spatial Movement]
[Super Ability Level: Lv.3 (Level 3 Mutant)]
[Experience Value: 1000/100]
One sign-in.
One hundred experience points.
That meant ten successful sign-ins would push him to Level Four.
The path forward had never been clearer.
"What are you thinking about?" Clarice asked suddenly, tilting her head slightly as she noticed the faint smile on his face.
Liam snapped out of his thoughts and coughed lightly.
"Nothing," he said quickly. "Just… thinking about something good."
"Something good?"
"Yeah," he added with a grin, "like spending the afternoon with you."
Clarice froze for a second, then lowered her head slightly, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. She didn't respond, but the small smile that followed was unmistakable.
"Wes!"
Another voice called out.
Liam turned to see a familiar girl approaching.
"Hey, Marie," he greeted her with a friendly wave.
Marie paused briefly when she noticed Clarice sitting beside him, a flicker of hesitation crossing her face before she moved closer and sat on his other side.
"I heard something," she said, glancing at him. "You awakened your ability and took down John with a single finger?"
Liam blinked.
"…A single finger?"
He had no idea where that part came from.
"That's what everyone's saying," Marie replied, equally confused.
Liam let out a small sigh.
"That's not what happened," he said. "I didn't attack him. He just got hurt when he touched me."
Marie's eyes widened slightly.
"So you didn't even move?" she asked.
"Not really."
"That's… kind of amazing," she admitted.
The way she interpreted it wasn't entirely wrong.
From her perspective, it meant Liam's ability didn't require any action to activate. That kind of passive defense was already incredibly powerful.
"It's not perfect," Liam said, shrugging lightly. "I still can't fully control it yet. That's why he got hurt."
Marie's expression shifted when she heard that.
"Can't control it…" she repeated softly.
For her, those words carried a different meaning.
Her own ability had always been uncontrollable. Physical contact drained energy, memories—sometimes even life itself. It had isolated her, made normal interaction impossible.
Hearing Liam say something similar…
It made her feel a little less alone.
"Don't worry," Liam added, his tone reassuring. "You'll get control of it eventually. It just takes time."
Marie looked at him, something thoughtful in her eyes.
"You really think so?"
"Yeah," he said without hesitation. "I'm sure of it."
She held his gaze for a second longer, then nodded, a quiet determination settling in.
"…Alright," she said. "Then I'll keep trying."