chapter 20

Professor X's mental abilities are extraordinarily powerful. As long as he's at the X-Men Academy, no one can intrude undetected.

"Then what exactly happened?"

Ororo was puzzled and deeply concerned.

The Mutant Academy had been experiencing a string of unusual incidents lately—problems coming one after another, knocking on their door persistently.

"Forget it. Let's ask Robert."

"Robert isn't weak at all. He must've noticed something," Ororo thought silently.

In fact, when it came to sheer physical strength, Robert was probably the strongest mutant in the Academy—even more so than Magneto. Although Magneto hadn't been at his peak strength recently, Robert's power remained astonishing. He had defeated him.

Robert had to know something.

With that thought in mind, Ororo left the X-Men Academy and made her way to the nearby lake, where she found Robert fishing peacefully.

"Ororo-sensei? Why are you here?"

"Don't tell me… you're here to fish too?"

"This is my fishing spot," Robert added, squinting slightly. "If you want to fish, go find another one. No negotiations."

Seeing his defensive expression, Ororo didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"Why would I be fishing for no reason? Only you would be obsessed with something like this," she thought, exasperated.

"You misunderstood," Ororo said, waving her hand quickly. "I'm not here to fish. I came to ask you something."

"Oh, that's fine then. Ask away," Robert replied, relaxing as he leaned back lazily.

"It's like this," Ororo began, "I sensed some magical fluctuations coming from your room."

"Is something going on?"

"If someone dangerous is involved, just tell us. The Academy is here to help. You don't need to bear everything alone."

Her voice was calm, but laced with concern.

Robert's expression shifted into something odd. Had she misunderstood? He was touched by her concern, but it was clear they were overreacting. Did they really think he was some kind of invader?

Given how mutants were treated in the outside world, Robert could understand their paranoia. Still, it was better to clarify things.

There was no point in hiding it at the Academy. Under Professor X's mental watch, no one could conceal anything. And these were good people. Trustworthy.

"Ororo-sensei, I think you might've misunderstood something," Robert said carefully.

"You might not know this, but I've actually learned a bit of magic."

"What you sensed might've been caused by me using it."

"You… know magic?" Ororo was stunned.

Robert? Magic?

Mutant powers and magic were fundamentally different. Mutant abilities were innate—born into you. But magic required study, discipline, and dedication. No one just learned magic casually. And Robert? He fished every day. Since when did he have time to learn magic?

"How did you learn magic?" she asked suspiciously. "It's not the kind that requires sacrifices… is it?"

She tried to reassure herself silently. Please don't be black magic.

"Don't worry," Robert said firmly. "It's proper magic. Nothing shady."

He patted his chest as if to show sincerity, but Ororo couldn't help growing more anxious.

Magic was no small matter.

The Marvel Universe was a place full of mysteries.

Here, gods weren't mere legends—they were very much real. Some even existed far above the multiverse itself. Throughout the universe, divine beings roamed—some self-proclaimed, others worshiped.

Odin from Asgard. Zeus. Khonshu, the moon god of the desert. They all walked among mortals.

Outside Earth, primitive gods could be found on distant planets, each tied to the civilizations that worshiped them.

But the title of "god" didn't necessarily mean omniscience or omnipotence. Most were simply beings with immense power—immortal, ancient, but not flawless.

Some of these gods were benevolent. Others… not so much.

There were malevolent entities that were dangerous to even speak of. The kind of beings that offered power in exchange for a soul.

Ororo was reminded of a case within their own circle—someone known as the Red Tank.

He had always been assumed to be a mutant.

But Ororo knew the truth. He wasn't a mutant at all, but a pawn of a dark, ancient being.

The title "Red Tank" was just that—a title. Anyone who accepted that being's power could wear it. Sure, it came with immense strength, but at what cost? Their soul would never rest.

What if Robert had done something similar?

He might've accepted power without understanding the consequences.

"Robert," she said, voice heavy, "you have to understand—there are forces in this world that should never be touched."

"They may seem strong in the short term, but they'll exact a terrible price eventually."

Her concern was sincere.

Robert saw her expression and couldn't help but laugh. "You're really overthinking this."

"Tell you what, I'll show you—maybe then you'll finally believe me."

Without waiting for a response, Robert extended his hand.

Golden sparks suddenly appeared in the air, swirling and spinning into a circular formation. Within moments, a portal of golden light opened in front of them.

Ororo gasped.

"This… this is Kamar-Taj magic!"

Though Ororo had lived a rough life growing up—homeless, surviving on the streets—her family background wasn't without its prestige. Her ancestors were once a noble line with ties to old traditions and knowledge.

She knew what Kamar-Taj was. This wasn't some black-market spell or dark sacrificial ritual.

It was genuine magic. Disciplined. Balanced. Ancient and respected.

But that only deepened the mystery.

"How did you learn Kamar-Taj magic?"

"Did you… did you go there?" she asked, astonished.

Robert scratched his head, slightly embarrassed. "Well, it's kind of a long story…"

"I just had some affinity for it, I guess. One thing led to another, and well, here we are."

"You're telling me this was what I sensed? You doing magic practice in your room?" Ororo narrowed her eyes.

Robert nodded. "Yep. Just me, quietly training."

"I thought someone had broken into the Academy. You freaked me out," she said, exhaling.

"Sorry about that," Robert said sheepishly. "Didn't think anyone would notice."

"Next time, maybe give us a heads-up? We're all on edge lately."

"Fair enough."

The golden portal slowly dissipated, and the sparks vanished like embers in the wind.

Ororo looked at him more seriously now. "So… you can fight with magic too?"

"I can. I'm still learning, but I can hold my own."

"And your mutant powers?"

"Still got those too," he grinned.

Robert stood up and stretched, then turned back to his fishing pole. "Now, if that's all, I'd really like to get back to fishing. There's a big one I've been chasing."

"You're ridiculous," Ororo muttered, finally smiling.

But deep inside, she still felt uneasy. Magic always came with risks—even if it was Kamar-Taj magic.

Still, Robert didn't seem corrupted or changed. He was still himself—grumpy, solitary, but dependable.

"Just… be careful, okay?"

Robert nodded.

As she walked away from the lake, Ororo couldn't help but wonder—what else was Robert hiding?

And more importantly, what else was coming?