chapter 19

Robert took a deep breath.

He hadn't prepared at all and hadn't even exerted much strength, yet the destruction he caused was massive—like a meteorite slamming into the earth.

Just how much had his power increased?

"This is insane!"

If this keeps happening, wouldn't he eventually become invincible?

Robert's face was filled with disbelief. He even forgot about the little wooden stool that had accompanied him for so long.

"System panel," he recited silently in his mind.

A translucent screen appeared before his eyes.

[Host: Robert]

[Age: 17]

[Strength: 1st Order]

[Physique: 60]

[Spirit: 47]

[Energy: 50]

[Fish Pond: Artificial Lake]

[Items: VIX Fishing Rod (Extraordinary Grade), X-Gene Suppressant]

[Skills: Superman Body (Bronze Stage), Clown Mind Network (Dimensional Ascension 1st Order), Portal (Planet Level), Freezing Breath]

"Hiss…" Robert gasped.

All his attributes had nearly doubled. At first glance, it might not seem too impressive, but when combined, the boost represented a qualitative leap—probably several times more powerful than before.

If he were to fight Magneto now, he could probably take him out in a single strike!

This is way too overpowered.

The System was just too broken.

"But now I'm in a bit of trouble. I definitely won't be fishing today," Robert sighed, clearly frustrated.

Thanks to the System's enhancements, even the so-called "extraordinary" fishing rod now bore clear fingerprints from his strengthened grip.

That was a direct result of his sudden increase in strength—he simply couldn't control it.

"Might as well try out my new abilities and then go back to training. I need to learn how to control this power."

"Maybe after mastering it, I can unlock new abilities too."

With that thought, he raised his hand. A faint hum of energy surged through him.

A golden portal opened in the air before him, golden sparks flickering around its circular edge. On the other side was a familiar sight—his bedroom.

But this wasn't his dorm in the Mutant Academy.

This was his family's house, left to him before their passing in his previous life. He hadn't visited it in a long time.

The house was an entire Earth away from the Mutant Academy.

"This Portal ability… it really can take me anywhere on Earth."

He waved his hand, and the Portal dissipated.

Everything granted by the System was as powerful as advertised. At this point, Robert felt almost invincible.

Chapter 17: Is it possible that I am a tank mage?

[Seeking flowers and evaluation votes!]

Professor X was a very capable man.

It wasn't that he couldn't rise higher in power or position—rather, he wasn't morally compromised enough to do so.

Thanks to his leadership, Magneto's invasion had no lasting effect on the Mutant Academy.

With the help of many Mutant teachers, reconstruction was already underway.

For Robert, this was a great thing.

The Marvel Universe wasn't exactly known for peace and tranquility. So finding a peaceful place to train and rest was something he truly appreciated.

After a full day of training, Robert had nearly mastered his enhanced strength. The wild, uncontrollable chaos of the previous day was no longer an issue.

This quick mastery was largely thanks to the System's reward: the Joker Thinking Network.

It wasn't just about understanding people's thoughts.

In addition, Superman was known for his incredible wisdom.

Kryptonian technology was insanely advanced, and Superman's father had been one of the top scientists of Krypton.

So, naturally, Robert's mental capacity had also taken a major leap.

The combination of the Joker Network and Kryptonian intellect boosted his intelligence to a whole new level.

His thought processes and reaction times far surpassed that of ordinary people.

Mastering power wasn't difficult for someone like him anymore.

Putting on his clothes, Robert stepped out the door and headed toward his favorite place—the pond behind his house.

He sat down, grabbed the rod, and cast it with a flick of his wrist. He could stay here fishing all day.

[Ding!]

[Sign-in successful, obtained Energy +10]

Robert raised an eyebrow in surprise.

Among his three major attributes, Physique was the easiest to upgrade. Most sign-in rewards tended to boost that stat.

But Energy was the real prize—it was like a combination of mana and internal power. All his abilities relied on this energy.

Increasing it was much harder.

So getting +10 Energy? That was a big deal.

What he didn't realize, though, was that someone was watching his every move.

The observer was none other than Storm, Ororo.

Though it seemed like she hadn't played a major role in Magneto's invasion, as the vice-captain of the X-Men, Ororo was immensely powerful.

Her bloodline could even be traced back to ancient Atlantis, and in ancient times, she had been revered as the Goddess of Storms.

Her control over storms and lightning was just the tip of the iceberg. She also possessed a deep mastery of magic.

By infusing her lightning manipulation with magical elements, her destructive capabilities became astronomical.

This also gave her a heightened perception of magical fluctuations.

Inside the Mutant Academy, mutant energy was common, and she usually wouldn't notice it.

But if magic was used? That was something she could pick up instantly.

Yesterday, while chaos consumed the Academy, Ororo had briefly sensed a strange magical fluctuation.

Unfortunately, there had been too much going on—students to calm, facilities to manage—so she had to put the sensation aside.

Now that things had settled, she began investigating.

With so many young and inexperienced mutants in the Academy, she couldn't allow any hidden danger to fester.

But what she didn't expect was that her investigation would lead her straight to Robert's room.

"What's going on…?" she murmured.

"Could someone have broken into the Academy?"

Her heart sank.

The Mutant Academy may have been remote and secluded from the public, but to those with the means and motivation, it was a goldmine.

It wasn't just about the powerful young mutants studying here—there was cutting-edge technology in the underground labs.

In this world, many of the most advanced scientific developments came directly from the study of mutant abilities.

Naturally, this made the Academy a target.

Ororo's first instinct was to assume an outside intruder had infiltrated the Academy.

But then… she paused.

That didn't feel right.

She knew the unique signatures of foreign intrusions. This magic fluctuation wasn't unfamiliar or masked. It was raw but not hostile.

Her frown deepened.

This wasn't a break-in.

No… it was something else.