Marvel: Beginning with the Collection of Shinra Tensei

Charles abruptly brushed off Erik's hand and retorted, "Who are you calling a nerd? At least I'm good at studying, unlike you!"

"And who was it who cried to me after getting beaten up as a kid?"

"Oh yeah? Who came to me in the middle of the night, bawling about unfinished homework, begging to copy mine, and promising to study hard after that?"

"You… Fine, so you're digging up the past now, huh? Then let me ask, who was it that fell into a puddle during a school trip and was too embarrassed to admit it? Instead, you claimed you saw treasure underwater and fell while trying to grab it!"

"Well, you used to—"

Watching the two bicker and expose each other's embarrassing moments, Han Yu could barely contain his amusement. He listened with great interest, finding their exchange a clear sign of a strong bond. If this dynamic carried over to the founding of their academy, they would surely make excellent partners.

"Enough. I'm not arguing anymore. Han, just test him already," Charles said after taking a deep breath and gulping down his coffee, his face still flushed from the heated exchange.

Han Yu chuckled and nodded. Truthfully, he didn't mind listening to more of their banter. Picking up his phone, he turned to Erik. "Are you ready?"

"Let's do it," Erik replied, taking a deep breath. This was his chance to finally confirm if he was a mutant. During regular health checkups, he always feared hearing something strange about himself. Now, he could finally resolve the uncertainty that had plagued him for years.

With a soft beep, the three pairs of eyes focused intently on the phone screen. A red hue began spreading from the center, eventually covering the entire display.

He was a mutant.

Erik was a mutant!

Seeing the result, Erik's body stiffened as goosebumps rose on his skin. His eyes widened in disbelief. I'm a mutant? How could I have gone all these years without any sign of it?

"I'm a mutant… But why haven't I awakened my powers all these years?" Erik asked, his mouth slightly open in shock. "I've tried so many methods before, but nothing ever worked. Why is that?"

Charles was equally bewildered. When he first discovered he was a mutant with special powers, his initial reaction wasn't disgust—it was envy.

Erik had tried everything back then. Charles had witnessed his relentless efforts. When Erik still couldn't awaken his powers, he resigned himself to being a normal human rather than a mutant.

That realization had left Erik deeply disheartened. Without mutant abilities, he felt he couldn't stay by Charles' side or share in his world. For a long time, Erik was dejected, unsure of how to move forward.

Eventually, it was Charles who spent even more time with him, persuading Erik that he wasn't a misfit and convincing him that being an ordinary person was perfectly fine. Only then did Erik begin to recover his usual demeanor.

But it was during that period that Erik made up his mind. Regardless of whether he was a mutant, he would stay by Charles' side. Charles, his friend who wouldn't even fight back when attacked, would need protection if he ever faced danger.

From middle school onwards, Erik, who didn't particularly like studying, began working hard. He scraped by with barely passing grades to get into high school and later college. His determination back then was astonishing.

Charles and Erik had always been synonymous with the "genius" and the "slacker." It was no surprise that Charles got into Harvard. But for Erik to make it—even by the skin of his teeth—was incredible. It was his own hard work that made it happen.

His obsession had been that strong.

"Everyone's abilities are unique," Han Yu explained. "Not everyone awakens naturally. Some mutants carry the gene their whole lives without realizing it. But don't worry, my X-System has a method to activate mutant genes."

With that, Han Yu began tapping on his phone screen and said, "X, help awaken Erik's powers."

"Please confirm," the X-System responded. "Are you requesting to activate Mr. Erik's mutant gene?"

"Yes," Han Yu replied. "Start now."

"Understood. Please note that the procedure carries certain risks. All present should be prepared," the X-System cautioned.

The X-System on Han Yu's phone displayed a speaker icon, and the next moment, Erik collapsed to his knees, clutching his head with a pained expression etched across his face.

Alarmed, both Han Yu and Charles reacted instantly. Han Yu hurriedly asked, "System, what are you doing?"

"This method emits a soundwave audible only to mutants," the X-System explained. "It stimulates the dormant mutant genes within latent mutants, activating their powers. It has no effect on those whose mutant genes are already active."

"I can hear a faint buzzing noise. I thought it was tinnitus, but it's coming from your phone," Charles said as he tilted his head, listening to the barely perceptible sound. He glanced at the X-System and asked, "Is it dangerous?"

"The method itself is safe. However, the activation of mutant genes can cause significant pain. In medical terms, it can be classified as Level 13 pain."

This response immediately gave Charles and Han Yu a sense of how excruciating it must be. Medically, pain is ranked up to Level 12, with Level 12 being the agony of childbirth. To hear that awakening mutant genes surpassed that level was staggering.

"Erik, are you okay?" Charles crouched down and asked his friend. Erik, now drenched in sweat, had veins bulging visibly at his temples as he gritted his teeth.

Erik forced a strained smile, panting between words. "Ha… haha… it's… it's nothing… just… tickles…"

As he spoke, large beads of sweat dripped down his face, and his body trembled uncontrollably.

After all, this was no ordinary process of gaining powers. Latent mutants possess mutant genes, but these genes lie dormant. Forcing them into an active state is akin to experiencing the rebirth of internal organs while fully conscious—a pain not easily endured.

"Erik, don't hold it in. If you need to scream, go ahead. I've isolated this room; no one outside can hear us," Han Yu said. With his mental abilities, creating such a soundproof barrier was effortless.

"Are you kidding me? Like I'd ever—"

Before Erik could finish his bravado, the pain surged to an unbearable intensity. He collapsed further onto the floor, writhing and trembling violently as anguished screams tore from his throat.

The excruciating waves of pain swept through him like relentless tides, leaving no reprieve. It was enough to make a healthy, resilient man cry out in agony.

Charles, watching his friend's suffering, felt an ache in his chest. He knew how tough Erik was—this was the same friend who had once stood up for him, enduring a beating from four people without uttering a single cry. Yet here he was, screaming uncontrollably.

"Hang in there, Erik! You can do it—you've got this!" Charles encouraged, his voice firm but empathetic.

Meanwhile, Han Yu muttered to himself, "Pain, huh? Lucky me, I've pretty much forgotten what that feels like. Maybe I should detonate a few nukes someday just to see if I can still get a scratch."

Charles overheard Han Yu's musings and gave him a helpless glare, clearly unconvinced by the outlandish claim that even nukes wouldn't harm him.

Just as Han Yu was lost in his rambling, his expression abruptly shifted. He sprang forward, positioning himself in front of Charles as an intense surge of mental energy radiated outward, forming a protective barrier around them.

In the next moment, the room erupted into chaos. Objects shattered spontaneously—cups, tables, and glass all burst into fragments.

Standing shielded behind Han Yu, Charles felt nothing, but he stared in shock as the scene unfolded. The epicenter of the destruction was unmistakable—Erik.

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