Chapter 17

One year has passed, 1938

Harvard University.

At the gates of the university, Charles, Edward, and Sharon stood together. Seven-year-old Charles received a warm hug from his mother, who was visibly worried.

"Mom, it's not like I'm gone," Charles reassured her.

"I know, but my little boy is going to be living on a university campus. I can't help but worry," Sharon replied, her voice trembling as tears slipped down her cheeks.

"I'm strong enough, don't worry," Charles said, offering her a confident smile.

Sharon playfully hit his right arm. "No, you're not! You're still just seven. A good kick could send you flying!"

"Fair point," Charles admitted with a chuckle.

She held his shoulder and looked into his eyes. "Just promise me you'll finish your studies and come back home."

"I promise, Mom," he said earnestly.

"I still can't believe my little child is already in university. Sometimes I wish you could just stay a child forever," Sharon said, her voice filled with a mixture of pride and sadness.

"What can I say? I inherited my genius from two smart parents," Charles replied with a grin.

Her heart swelled at his words; she had never expected him to say that.

"I love you," Sharon whispered, kissing Charles gently on the forehead.

"I love you too, Mom," he replied.

"And don't you dare slack off while I'm not here," she warned.

"I won't," Charles assured her, still smiling.

"Let's go, Ed," Sharon said, turning toward the car.

"Alright, madam," Edward replied, bowing slightly.

Charles looked at Edward and added, "Take care of my mother."

"I will, don't worry, Master Charles. She'll be safe with me," Edward assured him.

"I'm off to class now," Charles said, waving goodbye.

"See you soon, Master Charles," Edward responded as he got into the car and drove away.

Charles watched the car disappear down the street, a smile on his face, before heading into the university to begin his journey of learning.

As he attended his first class, he found it rather dull. Having already absorbed the knowledge, experience, and skills, he felt attending the lecture was a waste of time.

Every student who noticed Charles felt a mix of curiosity and disbelief at a child sitting in their class, but they quickly recognized him as the child prodigy everyone had heard about.

Inwardly, Charles thought, 'I need to meet with all the professors and experts so I can cut this waste of time. If things go well, I should be able to hold every PhD this university offers by the time I'm 10.'

His ability to replicate knowledge, experience, and skills was incredibly powerful; in mere seconds, he could have it all in his mind. When he absorbed information, he could implement it directly into his understanding and skills.

"Three years... I can wait," Charles muttered with a sigh. 'Though there's a chance I would encounter my roommate fucking...'

'But the advantages outweigh the disadvantages; I can explore the city, gather more knowledge, and possibly meet other mutants,' he thought to himself, feeling a spark of excitement.

After class, Charles began to roam the university, eager to absorb as much knowledge, experience, and skill as possible.

The lecturers' offices were conveniently located nearby, making it easy for him to access their minds. By the end of his first day, he had already become the "Professor of the Professors,"

With some free time on his hands, he decided to head to the library. He dove into the stacks, reading as many books as he could, eager to expand his understanding further.

After his reading session, Charles made his way to the gym for some exercise. Once he finished his workout, he returned home, satisfied with the day's accomplishments. This routine became his daily pattern: learn, exercise, and reflect on everything he had absorbed.

...

Another year had passed. It is 1939.

Charles Xavier skimmed the morning newspaper, already anticipating the headline.

"Germany Invades Poland."

'Well, this was inevitable,' Charles thought as he walked through the street. 'Britain and France will declare war soon.'

Without a second glance, he crumpled the paper and tossed it into a nearby bin, shoving his hands into his pockets as he strolled around campus.

But something pricked his telepathic awareness—someone was following him. Curious, he quickly scanned the man's mind, effortlessly extracting what he needed.

'An agent? That's... unexpected,' he mused, though it didn't surprise him for long.

He absorbed the agent's knowledge, experience, and skills in an instant. 'Thanks for the intel,' Charles thought, smirking inwardly. But one revelation nagged at him: 'Why was the United States searching for the brightest minds? Could this be connected to a secret project—perhaps even nuclear research?'

"Yeah, it could be," he muttered under his breath, piecing things together.

Suddenly, he paused, running a hand over his face in frustration. 'And my father was supposed to be involved in the Manhattan Project,' he thought, recalling the fate he could have shared if not for his father's untimely death. 'And now... they want me, the child prodigy, to fill his place. Great.'

"This is getting tiresome," Charles sighed aloud as he made his way back toward the Harvard campus.

Meanwhile, within the halls of Harvard University a meeting was taking place. A group of Directors and Chairmen sat around a polished table, their attention fixed on a man in a sleek black suit.

"We're prepared to grant the institution additional funding," the man said smoothly, "if you can persuade Charles Xavier to join us."

The room grew tense. The Head Director glanced at the others before responding. "We'll make it happen."

"Pleasure doing business," the man said, collecting his suitcase before exiting the room.

Once he was gone, one of the Chairmen turned to the Head Director, frowning. "How exactly do you plan to convince Xavier? He's a stubborn kid."

One of the professors, who had the privilege of teaching Charles, offered an idea. "We may have to graduate him early. If we hand him his doctorate, he might be more inclined to accept the offer."

"That could work," the Head Director nodded, mulling it over. "If anyone else has a better idea, now's the time to speak up."

But for now, it seemed the plan was set in motion.

Charles, meanwhile, had just returned to campus, already aware something was off. As he approached, a man was waiting for him.

"Charles Xavier, right?" the man asked.

"Yes," Charles replied, already knowing what this was about. 'Why does the Chairman want to meet me?' he thought, irritation bubbling up. 'Is this connected to that agent? Most likely.'

"The Chairman would like to see you," the man continued.

"Lead the way," Charles said, his tone flat.

With that, Charles followed him to a meeting room, where he knew the game was about to begin.