Inside the cabin, the atmosphere grew heavy.
Aside from Storm, who focused on piloting, the other three never took their eyes off Fenric.
"I say," Fenric sighed, a trace of helplessness in his voice, "is there a flower on my face?"
Wolverine's brow furrowed. "Boy, who are you?"
"I come from another world."
Fenric didn't bother pretending to be a mutant. With Professor X's telepathy, such a lie would collapse immediately. Trying to pass as one of them in front of Charles Xavier would be laughable.
His words left the three momentarily stunned.
"Alien?" Wolverine pressed.
"No," Fenric replied casually. "I'm human. Tell me, have you ever heard of the theory of parallel universes? I come from a parallel Earth."
Professor X and Magneto exchanged a glance, both clearly unsettled.
They were seasoned men who had seen the extraordinary, but even for them, this was difficult to accept.
Magneto leaned forward, his voice low. "So, young man… what is your purpose in coming here?"
Professor X remained silent, watching Fenric closely.
In his vision, Fenric's body carried no mutant gene at all. And yet, his power rivaled the strongest of them. A human wielding such force was absurd.
"Purpose?" Fenric chuckled lightly. "If I told you my real one, I'd only end up scaring you. Let's just say—I, along with a few others, ended up in this world by accident."
Then, his expression sharpened slightly. "But speaking of it, your world isn't doing very well, is it? Humanity stands on the brink of extinction."
"Then why," Wolverine growled, "did those Sentinels attack you if you're not a mutant?"
Fenric spread his hands. "How should I know?"
Professor X finally spoke. "Young man, you mentioned others like you… are they here as well?"
"Yes." Fenric nodded. "And I advise you to be careful. Unlike me, they didn't come with good intentions."
The cabin fell silent.
The Sentinels were already driving the X-Men to the edge of despair. Now, to hear there were more enemies—unknown and powerful—was enough to darken every face.
Wolverine's eyes narrowed. "And what about you, boy? Where do you stand?"
Fenric's gaze cut to him, cold and indifferent. "From the moment I boarded this plane, you've been interrogating me. Logan, you invited me aboard, but your tone reeks of disrespect. I know you well, but you clearly don't know how to respect others. Next time you speak to me, use honorifics."
"You've got some temper!" Wolverine snapped, his claws twitching.
"Logan." Professor X's voice was firm, stopping him. "Calm yourself."
Wolverine glared but said no more.
Fenric ignored him, turning to Xavier. "You didn't bring me here just to interrogate me. If that's all, then let me off at the next stop."
"Don't be angry, young man." Professor X smiled gently. "I apologize for our rudeness."
Fenric gave a faint nod.
"In truth," Xavier continued, "we hoped to ask for your help. As you've seen, our world faces invincible enemies. They are countless, relentless. To save humanity, we intend to return to the past and change history."
He paused, his tone grave. "But this plan is dangerous. To succeed, we need a fixed place to anchor the process. Yet wherever we stay, Sentinels inevitably arrive. That is why… we need your strength."
Fenric leaned back, smiling faintly. "Help you? And what benefit do I get in return?"
Xavier sighed. "The world is in ruins. Money means nothing anymore. If you seek something, tell us—we will try to provide it."
"Good." Fenric snapped his fingers. "I want to return to my world. For that, I'll need a machine that can send me back. Can you supply me with the materials?"
Xavier hesitated, then nodded slowly. "I have a laboratory with many resources stored. But some of what you need may be rare. Show me your list."
With a flick of his wrist, Fenric produced a folded sheet of paper.
Xavier opened it, scanning the contents. His brows furrowed. "Many of these are rare metals. I don't have them all, but… I know where they can be found."
"Excellent." Fenric extended his hand. "Then, happy cooperation."
Xavier's lips curved into a small smile as he clasped Fenric's hand. "Happy cooperation."
"Now then," Fenric asked, "where are we headed?"
"To a neighbouring country," Xavier replied. "We have allies there."
Storm adjusted the fighter's course. After retrieving what supplies Xavier could spare from his laboratory, the jet rocketed eastward.
Its engines roared with incredible power. The craft's maximum speed reached Mach 7—seven times the speed of sound, far beyond any F-22 Raptor of Earth's militaries.
Within just two hours, they had crossed the Pacific and approached their target.
From above, Fenric could see a sprawling complex of traditional architecture.
But before they could land, Storm's voice rang out sharply. "Damn it—they're under attack!"
Everyone rushed to the cockpit, peering through the glass.
Below, a fierce battle raged. Flames surged, ice shards exploded, and shockwaves rippled across the valley.
To Fenric's surprise, the enemy wasn't Sentinels.
It was a group of powerful humans.
"Damn it!" Wolverine snarled, his eyes blazing as he recognized the embattled figures below. "Where the hell did these mutants come from? Why are they attacking Kitty?!"
"No," Xavier corrected him grimly. "They are not mutants."
Fenric's gaze narrowed, his lips curving faintly. He could already guess who they were.
The other Samsaras had finally revealed themselves.