chapter 4

Section 4

Now, he wanted to see how far he could push himself.

Following Storm, Robert arrived at the training grounds of the Mutant Academy. Thanks to Beast, also known as Hank—a highly intelligent Mutant—the Academy's equipment was top-notch. These advanced systems allowed students to run comprehensive tests on their physical and Mutant capabilities.

Robert gazed at the intricate machines around him, eager to give them a try.

"Come on, Robert," Storm said with a smile. "Let's start with the most basic strength assessments. Bench press, squat, punching power. Testing these three gives us a general idea of your physical condition."

She added teasingly, "Right now, Hank holds the school record. Let's see how long it takes you to catch up."

Robert nodded silently. Hank's strength might be incredible for ordinary people or average Mutants—but to someone with Superman's Body, it was negligible.

As expected, Robert jumped straight into the tests under Storm's supervision.

"Bench press: 2.8 tons. Squat: 12 tons. 100 meters in 3.5 seconds."

Storm blinked, startled by the data flashing on the monitor. For a moment, she suspected the equipment had malfunctioned.

There was no other explanation.

The numbers were unbelievable.

Even among Mutants, this level was outrageous! Consider this: Tyson, the world boxing champion and a peak human, could bench just over 100 kilograms and squat over 400 kilograms. Robert's stats were over twenty times that!

Even Hank—strong as he was—could only match one-fifth of Robert's output. Maybe someone like Juggernaut had similar numbers, but Robert was just a new recruit!

Storm was stunned. She found it hard to believe how powerful this boy truly was.

Yet, despite the disbelief in her heart, Storm kept a calm demeanor.

"Not bad at all," she said, composed. "Among all the students I've seen, your potential stands out."

"Now let's check your punching power."

Robert stepped up to the machine, brimming with confidence. He knew Superman's Body was powerful—but not this powerful! To start out with such overwhelming strength and speed? It was insane.

With complete confidence, Robert unleashed a full-force punch at the testing device.

Bang! A deafening sound rang out.

Robert's punch tore through the leather surface of the machine, smashing the interior mechanisms. Even the steel beneath was bent, bearing the imprint of his fist.

Storm's eyes flew open.

This was equipment designed to withstand up to twenty tons of force. It wouldn't flinch even if hit by a truck—yet this boy had destroyed it effortlessly.

"This kid…"

Seeing Storm's shocked expression, Robert scratched his head and gave a sheepish grin.

"Uh, teacher… do I have to pay for that?"

Storm stared for a second before stiffly shaking her head.

While Robert was undergoing his tests in the training area, the rest of the students were attending class.

Truthfully, there weren't that many students at the Mutant Academy—fewer than two hundred, including the faculty. That didn't mean there were so few Mutants in the world, but for various reasons, some parents didn't send their children here. Others enrolled them in different institutions or kept them hidden.

As a result, the number of students was small, and their classes were usually held together. The classrooms were close to the training grounds—so close, in fact, that Robert's "punch" caused more than just damage to one piece of equipment.

Boom!

The entire building trembled.

"Ah!"

"It's an earthquake!"

"Run!"

Panic erupted among the students. Despite their powers, they were still kids, and the sudden tremor sent many into a frenzy.

"Hey! Quiet down!" Wolverine barked, slamming his hand on the table.

A rugged man like Logan wasn't exactly cut out for teaching. Comforting panicked students? Way out of his league.

Still, because of his naturally intimidating presence, the students quickly calmed down.

"You all stay here," Wolverine growled. "I'm going to check things out."

As he stepped out, he took a deep breath and lit a cigar. Huff. He exhaled slowly, enjoying the moment of calm.

Looking up, he saw Professor X approaching in his wheelchair.

"Charles," Logan called out, "what the hell was that? Did something go wrong with the energy system?"

Beneath the Academy was a highly complex and powerful system that powered Cerebro, the mind-wave amplifier. If that system were to explode, it could rival the destruction of a bomb. In fact, one of Quicksilver's iconic rescues happened because of an explosion in the underground reactor.

Naturally, Wolverine was concerned.

"Of course not," Charles replied with a warm smile. "Just a child taking a test."

Logan frowned, puffing on his cigar.

"A student test? You kidding me? That was no regular test. What student can cause an entire building to shake?"

"There was no energy discharge," he added, "no psychic blast. What the hell kind of test is this?"

"This student is… extraordinary," Charles said with a cryptic smile.

With his powerful telepathic abilities, Professor X had already sensed everything happening at the training grounds. He was just as stunned by Robert's results. Still, no amount of mental probing could replace the impact of witnessing it firsthand.

"Let's go, Logan," Charles said.

And with that, the two mentors made their way toward the training ground to see the boy who'd just shaken the entire Academy to its core.