chapter 25

These days, fishing had become more than just a hobby for Robert—it was his way of becoming stronger. Was there anything more important than that?

"Is there something wrong with this kid?" Robert thought as he observed Ryan, who had approached him so earnestly. He thought something serious might have happened. After all, Ryan was the person who had defeated Magneto, a powerhouse on Earth, so Robert had always considered him a peer.

But to his surprise, Ryan was being oddly unreliable. "If you want to go fishing, just go," Robert thought to himself. "Why come over and make such a big deal about it?"

Sighing, Robert said, "Since you want to go, then go. But be careful—the world out there is not very friendly to us mutants. It's best not to reveal your power outside. It will only cause unnecessary trouble."

Ryan nodded seriously, "I understand. Don't worry, I'll protect myself."

"I believe you won't be in danger with your power," Robert replied, nodding. "But New York is a prosperous city, and the more prosperous a place is, the more dangerous it can become. If you find yourself in trouble, don't hesitate to reach out to this person for help."

Robert opened a drawer and took out a business card along with a set of keys.

"This is the key to a property I own in New York. If you're ever there, you can stay there."

"Thank you, Professor," Ryan said earnestly. Robert's kindness truly touched him. Giving away a house—it was something even his biological parents couldn't have done. With that, Ryan carefully put the keys in his pocket and bid Robert goodbye.

As he walked away, he thought about how kind Robert had been to him. Even though he was not his biological father, Robert's generosity was unmatched.

Chapter 22: Mother F*cker Man: Is this Superman?

The Mutant Academy wasn't in a prominent location. To avoid drawing attention or hostility from ordinary people, it had been strategically placed in a very remote area. Only large organizations were aware of Krakoa's location.

And this place was far from New York.

Luckily, Ryan didn't need traditional means of transportation. With his system storing his belongings, he soared into the sky, shooting up nearly a thousand meters before determining the direction to New York.

With a deafening sonic boom, Ryan cut through the sky, leaving a white trail behind him. He was flying at several times the speed of sound, even faster than the most advanced fighter jets in the world.

From Krakoa to New York, he only needed a little over a minute. This was truly remarkable. It was like traveling from Beijing to Hohhot in just a minute. The speed was beyond impressive.

Of course, no one below knew it was Ryan flying through the air. When they saw the white streak in the sky, they assumed it was just a fighter jet.

Ryan didn't pay much attention to this. He landed in an unmonitored corner of the city and took a taxi to the property Robert had left him.

He could've flown directly to the house, but that would have attracted too much attention. Robert, being rich, had bought properties in Manhattan—one of New York's wealthiest areas. Everyone knew that this district was filled with high security and cameras. Ryan didn't want to be spotted by S.H.I.E.L.D. while fishing in Central Park, which could lead to unnecessary trouble.

So, he kept things low-key and took a taxi.

Little did he know, even his carefulness wasn't enough to prevent being noticed.

The technology in the Marvel Universe was more advanced than anything in reality. S.H.I.E.L.D. was equipped with high-tech surveillance systems, created in response to super-powered individuals and alien threats. Their headquarters, known as the Triangle, was located near Washington, D.C., not far from New York.

S.H.I.E.L.D. took its surveillance seriously, especially in New York and Washington, where they monitored everything with precise radar systems. These technologies had been developed in part due to Tony Stark, whose rebellious actions had caused major disruptions. Stark's involvement, along with some of his advanced tech, helped shape S.H.I.E.L.D.'s surveillance infrastructure.

Naturally, Ryan didn't know any of this.

His flight over New York had been so fast and noticeable that it didn't go undetected. S.H.I.E.L.D. immediately picked up on it.

In Nick Fury's office, Maria Hill walked in holding a file, concern etched on her face. "I think we might be in trouble."

Fury, who was already in a bad mood, looked at her without a hint of amusement. "What now? Is there finally some good news?"

Hill handed him the report. Fury glanced at it, his brow furrowing.

"6.4 Mach?" Fury exclaimed, his voice heavy with disbelief. "Is this some secret military experiment or another of Stark's reckless stunts?"

Fury's face turned even darker as he read on. "Mach 6? That's insane! We only have fighter jets that can barely manage Mach 4, thanks to Stark's tech."

Maria Hill didn't respond, allowing Fury to process the report. "We've never seen anything like this before, sir," she said after a pause. "The object was moving faster than anything we've ever tracked."

Fury clenched his fist, a mix of frustration and curiosity bubbling inside him. "Keep monitoring it, and make sure we find out what's going on. If this is a new threat, we need to handle it before it gets out of hand."

Ryan, unaware of the chaos his flight had caused, reached the property Robert had left him. It was a nice, quiet place to stay while he fished in peace. But even in this isolated moment, he didn't realize that his every move was already under the watchful eye of S.H.I.E.L.D.

As he set down his bags, he wondered how things would go. He was excited to enjoy his time in New York, but the looming presence of S.H.I.E.L.D. would make everything more complicated. Still, he had his powers, and he was ready for whatever came his way.

What he didn't know was that S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn't going to let him go unnoticed for long. Nick Fury and his team were already gearing up to investigate. Ryan's next steps would surely stir more than just the calm waters of New York.