Westchester, Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.
This place was meant to be a sanctuary, far from the chaos of the world—a quiet, grassy estate surrounding a peaceful old mansion.
But today, that tranquility was rudely shattered by the frantic roar of an engine.
A heavily damaged Audi R8, trailing a plume of black smoke, skidded to a stop right in front of the ornate iron gates.
The car door was shoved open, and Tony Stark stumbled out.
His expensive suit was stained and crumpled, he had deep bags under his eyes, and his stubble was a mess. He looked less like a billionaire playboy and more like a desperate hobo who'd just escaped a disaster zone.
"J.A.R.V.I.S., scan the perimeter..."
Tony habitually reached for the comm-link by his ear, but his hand met nothing but air.
Damn it. The communication networks were a total mess right now, and J.A.R.V.I.S.'s main server was backed up in Wakanda.
"No need for a scan, Mr. Stark."
A cold voice, thick with hostility, came from behind the iron gate.
A man wearing ruby quartz goggles stood there, hands jammed into his pockets.
Scott Summers, codename Cyclops.
"Well, well, look who decided to drop by."
Scott curled his lip into a mocking smirk, eyeing the disheveled Iron Man through the gate.
"Didn't you high-and-mighty Avengers used to look down on us mutant 'freaks' the most?"
"What's the matter? Now that the blonde demon has wiped D.C. off the map and you guys can't handle it, you suddenly remember we exist?"
The resentment that had been building up for years was almost a tangible thing.
Tony took a deep breath, fighting to keep his own rising frustration in check. He knew about the conflict between mutants and the human government, but now was not the time for arguments.
"Listen to me, Cyclops."
Tony gritted his teeth, his voice hoarse.
"Before was before. Now is now. That monster, Frieza, doesn't distinguish between a mutant and a regular human."
"In his eyes, we are all one thing: slaves, or corpses."
"I need Professor Charles' help. All of humanity needs it."
"Ha!"
Scott let out a derisive snort, as if Tony had told the funniest joke. He even put his hand on the edge of his visor.
"Humanity? Why should we care?"
"So what if Frieza controls the Earth? Maybe it'll be a good thing for mutants. At least he's not a bigot, because in his eyes, everyone is equally worthless."
"Since you guys, who claim to be all about justice, are about to be wiped out, why should we go down with you?"
As he spoke, Scott's finger was on the trigger switch of his visor, and a furious red glow pulsed behind the lens.
"Get lost, Stark. Before I change my mind and slice that beat-up car of yours in half."
Tony's fists clenched hard, and the miniature Arc Reactor in his palm began to charge.
Just as the tension reached a breaking point, seconds away from an internal conflict...
"That's enough, Scott."
A gentle, wise, yet absolutely commanding voice echoed directly in both their minds.
Scott's hand froze on his visor.
It was Professor X, Charles Xavier.
"Let him in. At a time like this, we must not let ego rule our actions."
Scott bit his lip in frustration, but he could not disobey the Professor's order.
Creeeak—
The heavy iron gate slowly opened.
"Go on," Scott said, stepping aside coldly. "The Professor is waiting for you in his study."
Tony let out a massive sigh of relief, the feeling of walking a tightrope over a cliff making his back clammy with sweat.
He walked through the corridor and arrived at the familiar, antique study.
The sound of a wheelchair rolling alerted him.
The bald Professor Charles was wheeled in by Jean Grey. His eyes were still as deep as the ocean, seeming to hold all the suffering in the world.
"Long time no see, Tony."
Charles smiled softly, gesturing to the sofa opposite him. "Sit down. You look terrible."
"Worse than my appearance, Professor, is the state of the world."
Tony didn't sit. His anxiety wouldn't allow it.
He fumbled for a tablet, his fingers rapidly tapping the screen.
"Professor, I know you can read minds, but you need to see this. These are satellite images. The government tried to suppress them, but S.H.I.E.L.D. kept backups."
"That Frieza, he crushed an alien mothership in space like it was a bug! And that attack..."
Tony's fingers trembled.
"You need to see the footage of the strike that cleaved the North American continent with your own eyes!"
"There's no need, my boy."
Charles gently raised his hand, stopping Tony. His wise eyes looked at Tony, and he lightly touched his own temple.
"I've already seen it all, right here in your mind."
Hum—
An invisible psychic wave swept through the room.
Not just Tony, but Jean Grey, Storm, and even Logan (Wolverine), who had just walked in, had those hellish scenes instantly flash through their minds.
The chasm spanning the continent.
Washington D.C. instantly vaporized.
And the blonde man floating in the air, elegantly and cruelly passing a death sentence on the world.
"Oh my God..."
Storm covered her mouth, her eyes wide with horror.
Logan's cigar dropped to the floor. For the first time, those animalistic eyes, which had never flinched even at the sight of a nuclear blast, showed deep apprehension.
"That... that's not even within the realm of mutant abilities," Jean Grey whispered, feeling the raw power that even caused the Phoenix Force within her to stir uneasily.
"It gets worse."
Seeing their reactions, Tony knew the time was right. He clenched his jaw and dropped the final bombshell.
"Professor, I know you're dedicated to protecting mutants. But..."
"That monster is humiliating your own people."
Tony took a deep breath, recalling the images J.A.R.V.I.S. had hacked from Frieza's tower. If the Professor could read minds, he'd give him the full show.
In that instant.
A scene flashed into Charles' mind that shattered his understanding of the world.
In the brightly lit training room of Frieza Tower.
Erik Lehnsherr, Magneto—the man who was once so arrogant, who had sworn to make humanity kneel.
He was wearing a ridiculous white-and-purple spandex uniform, complete with pointed shoulder pads, posing in a twisted stance like a circus clown.
And beside him.
Apocalypse, the self-proclaimed oldest and most powerful mutant ancestor.
He was doing the exact same pose! Standing on one leg, hands on his hips, wearing a forced, fanatical smile that looked worse than crying!
He was even shouting a slogan:
"We are... the Ginyu Force!"
Clench.
Charles' hand, gripping the armrest of his wheelchair, was white from the excessive force.
That was Erik.
His lifelong friend, his lifelong nemesis.
The Magneto who was so proud he would never bow his head, even when facing a missile bombardment.
Now...
He was groveling at the feet of that blonde devil like a whipped dog? And forced to perform this... this indecent little dance?!
This wasn't just an insult to Erik.
This was taking the dignity of the entire mutant race, pressing it into the dirt, and savagely grinding it underfoot.
"They... have they thrown away even their honor just to survive?"
Charles' voice trembled, choked with heartbroken sorrow.
If powerful beings like Magneto and Apocalypse were being tormented into this state.
Then if Frieza truly took over the Earth.
The future of the mutants, the future of the children...
It would be a living hell!
"Professor!" Tony stepped forward, his tone urgent. "Frieza is practically invincible on a physical level! Even the Hulk, even Thor, were played with like toys."
"But what about the psychic level?"
"You have the strongest mind in the world! If there is anyone who can restrain that monster, even for just a second! It's you!"
The study fell into silence.
All eyes were focused on the elderly man in the wheelchair.
After a long moment.
Charles slowly closed his eyes, two streams of silent tears running down his cheeks.
When he opened them again, the compassion was gone, replaced by an unprecedented look of resolve and steel.
"You are right, Stark."
"This war is not for humanity, nor is it for the government."
"This is for the future of our children, and for the last shred of mutant dignity."
Charles turned his wheelchair to face the window, his voice ringing through every X-Men's mind via telepathy.
"Notify everyone."