Chapter 16 : Heat Vision!
Noon, cafeteria.
Carl carried his plate to a corner and settled down.
Across from him, a black-haired girl with headphones looked up expectantly as he approached.
Before she could say anything, Carl spoke decisively, "I didn't defeat Mr. Scott. The teacher intervened throughout the entire ordeal. He's actually quite formidable."
The girl, observing Carl's denial, blinked her emerald eyes and asked softly, "I was just wondering, West, do you like shortbread?"
"…Yes, I do."
"Ah, I see."
The girl nodded obediently, then proceeded to eat quietly, allowing Carl to exhale a sigh of relief.
News of yesterday's training session spread quickly. The story grew more exaggerated with each retelling, transforming Carl from someone who merely defended himself against Scott into the one who seriously injured him with a single punch.
Who is Scott?
He's the captain of the X-Men, capable of emitting powerful laser beams from his eyes that can obliterate anything.
It's been just over a week since West, a fifteen-year-old newcomer, joined the school, and he allegedly bested Scott.
It's unbelievable, astounding.
Thus, this morning, wherever Carl went, he was surrounded by people. Many approached him, asking if the rumors were true. He spent the whole morning tirelessly explaining.
In the afternoon, Carl skipped class, opting instead to find a quiet spot on the lawn where he could lazily bask in the sun.
Under its warm rays, Carl felt a sense of tranquility and drowsiness wash over him.
Yet, beneath the surface, his cells were evolving and strengthening at an alarming rate, a peculiar sensation that made him feel both lethargic and energized simultaneously, unable to succumb to sleep.
Carl's spirit unfurled, enveloping his entire body as he silently discerned the ineffable changes within.
After a prolonged moment, Carl retracted his mental prowess and sighed softly, "Still elusive, alas."
Despite his heightened spiritual faculties, he remained unable to penetrate the minutiae, lamenting his inability to perceive the subtle shifts deep within his being.
Carl harbored a keen curiosity regarding Angel's employment of the X Gene Ability the day prior.
He yearned to unravel its origin and discern how it differed from Krypton cells.
Moreover, while he understood that solar exposure fostered the evolution and fortification of Krypton cells, the underlying mechanisms remained elusive.
"It seems these enigmas can only be unraveled once my mental acuity reaches a microscopic scale within the body," ruminated Carl, his thoughts racing.
He mulled over the previous day's combat training, meticulously dissecting the gathered intel.
Based on yesterday's display, Mutants proved far from the feeble depictions in films.
Contrary to cinematic portrayals where Mutants, despite their abilities, boasted average speed and strength, the reality presented a stark contrast.
Indeed, the X-Men reserves showcased formidable prowess, each belonging to at least the third tier, leagues above the first and second tier "garbage."
However, despite their might, the likes of Storm and Iceman failed to exude the overwhelming power depicted in comics.
In the comic realm, Iceman could blanket the world in frost, Storm commanded the global climate with unrivaled authority, and even Cyclops wielded planet-shattering potential.
Yet, in yesterday's skirmish, they failed to instill the same daunting sense of supremacy, merely emerging as potent Transcendents.
But upon reflection, I find this quite ordinary.
If these mutants, including Professor X and Magneto, possess the power they're portrayed with in the comics, how can they be persecuted by ordinary individuals?
It just takes one person to dismantle the world and tilt everything sideways.
"My current strength may not match Cyclops in terms of sheer attack and destruction, but it should surpass Wolverine's."
"And this is only after ten days." With this in mind, Carl's lips curled into a faint smile.
Presently, he doesn't possess the steel body of Superman or abilities like super speed and heat vision. He'll wait until those abilities awaken, and then perhaps bask in the sun for a few years.
Hmph!
By then, characters like Magneto, Iron Man, Hulk, or even gods will pale in comparison.
At this moment, Carl felt a slight itch in his eyes and couldn't resist rubbing them.
...
Over the next two days, the rumors subsided, and it became common knowledge that West hadn't actually defeated Mr. Scott.
Yet, Carl's reputation in the entire school soared. Younger mutants would look at him with admiration when they crossed paths, and even senior students would nod politely in acknowledgment.
Evidently, after demonstrating some strength, Carl's status within the school had undergone a significant transformation.
In the afternoon, all students participated in outdoor activities, essentially playtime.
Amidst the groups of students engaged in various activities, Clarice made her way to the edge of the lawn.
There, beneath a towering tree, stood Carl, clad in a black t-shirt and white pants, his appearance clean and handsome, his focus seemingly fixed on something.
Approaching him, the girl inquired softly, "West, are you watching ants?"
"Do you take me for such a simpleton?"
Carl shot her a speechless glance before turning back to concentrate on observing the dry leaves scattered on the ground.
Since the day before yesterday, Carl had been experiencing itchiness in his eyes, as if some sort of transformation was underway.
This sensation intensified gradually.
In this moment, as he focused, he keenly perceived a glimmer of golden power beginning to converge within his eyes, emitting a scorching heat.
This fiery energy gathered within Carl's eyes, simmering with a desire to burst forth, yet remaining contained.
Clarice, who was nearby, crouched down curiously, scanning the ground but finding nothing, then glanced up at Carl.
It was then she noticed the abnormal redness in his eyes.
Hum!
At that instant, the crimson glow in Carl's eyes flared, and a fiery force erupted suddenly, manifesting into a pair of blazing red beams.
Roar!
Beneath the intense light, the leaves on the ground ignited instantly.
The sudden transformation startled Clarice, prompting her to gasp in surprise.
This commotion immediately caught the attention of some mutant students in the distance, causing them to turn their gaze towards Carl.
They beheld the beams of light emanating from Carl's eyes...
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