Chapter 106: Charles's New Chair
Marcus led everyone into his laboratory, and the visitors were immediately struck by the two Foundries dominating the room.
Most were simply amazed that Marcus had built these machines in such a short time, but Hank—with his scientific expertise—was completely captivated by the technology.
"Is this what you've been creating?" Hank asked, gently running his hand over the first-generation Foundry. "My God, it's beautiful. This technology is decades beyond our current capabilities."
The technological sophistication of the Foundries was indeed remarkable. Even the first-generation model incorporated advanced systems that far exceeded contemporary engineering.
Carefully examining every component, Hank turned to Marcus with eager curiosity.
"What exactly does it do? And why do these two machines seem so similar yet different?"
"They're essentially the same, with the second being an upgraded version of the first," Marcus explained, patting the second-generation Foundry.
"These are called Foundries—semi-intelligent manufacturing devices. You can upload design blueprints, and the Foundry will fabricate the items automatically. You can also operate it manually to customize your creations."
As Marcus explained, Hank's eyes lit up with excitement. He could barely contain himself from testing the machine immediately.
"May I try it?"
"Of course," Marcus nodded. "I won't be taking the first-generation Foundry with me—consider it a gift to the school."
The first-generation Foundry was simply too large to transport easily. It occupied more than half the laboratory space, and Marcus had no interest in moving such a cumbersome device.
The second-generation model, however, he would keep. Despite its current size, it could fold down to just one cubic meter—small enough to fit in a single storage module.
This portability would allow him to manufacture items anywhere, without needing to build a Foundry from scratch whenever he needed something.
Hearing this generous offer, Hank was overjoyed. He hurried to the first-generation Foundry and began activating the marvelous device.
He already knew exactly what he wanted to create.
Hank planned to manufacture a cerebral enhancement device. The previous Cerebro unit had been destroyed by Erik during their confrontation years ago.
Since returning to the school, Hank had focused on rebuilding the Cerebro room rather than the device itself. This was the perfect opportunity to create a new system for Charles.
Adding materials into the Foundry, Hank began manufacturing with intense focus. The others watched quietly, waiting to see what he would produce.
After some time, a chair-like object materialized in the Foundry chamber—a creation specifically designed for Charles.
Hank had combined a cerebral enhancement system with a hovering chair, creating an integrated mobility and psychic amplification device.
With this chair, Charles could enhance his telepathic abilities anywhere. Of course, inside the Cerebro room, his powers would still extend to cover the entire planet.
As the fabrication completed, Hank lifted the chair from the Foundry with evident pride. He turned to Charles with excitement.
"No more standard wheelchair for you. I've created something much better."
He activated the hovering system. Lights illuminated across the chair's surface, and it gently rose into the air.
"Try it!" Hank urged.
Without hesitation, Erik raised his hand, using his magnetic powers to lift Charles onto the hovering chair.
As Charles settled into the seat, he immediately noticed his telepathic connection to his surroundings had strengthened considerably. His surprise was evident on his face.
Hank couldn't help but grin at Charles's reaction.
"It incorporates elements of Cerebro's technology. Beyond enhancing your abilities, it allows the chair to move freely following your thoughts."
"Thank you, Hank," Charles said warmly, "and of course, thank you, Marcus."
Charles was clearly delighted with the hovering chair, recognizing that it wouldn't have been possible without Marcus's Foundry technology.
Had Hank attempted to build it conventionally, the chair would have taken months to complete.
"It's nothing," Marcus replied. "By the way, what did you all come here for originally?"
The question reminded everyone of their initial purpose in seeking Marcus out.
"There was an unusual tremor throughout the school," Charles explained. "We wanted to ask if you knew anything about it."
The tremor? The question reminded Marcus of the shockwave he'd created when testing Atlas's strength, clenching his fist and channeling earth energy.
At the time, he'd only registered the power as impressive, not realizing the effect had propagated through the entire school.
"I do know about it," Marcus admitted. "Because I caused it."
There was no reason to hide the truth, especially since no harm had been done.
Hearing Marcus's straightforward answer, everyone relaxed. Knowing the source of the disturbance was what mattered most.
Once reassured, Charles turned the conversation in a new direction.
"You've often commented that our combat skills are lacking. Now that you've returned, perhaps you could teach our students?"
The X-Men's fighting techniques had plateaued—no matter how much they trained, they couldn't significantly improve. Students like Scott and Jean hadn't yet fully developed their combat potential. Under Marcus's guidance, they might learn to utilize their abilities more effectively in battle.
Scott's situation was particularly concerning. Though his specially designed glasses helped him control his optic blasts, what would happen if they broke or were knocked off?
Would he resort to indiscriminate destruction, or could he be trained to handle such situations more effectively?
"Of course, as in the past, it would be a paid position," Charles added with a smile.
Marcus considered the proposal briefly before agreeing.
It wasn't about the money—financial concerns were largely behind him now.
He simply wanted a change of pace, and teaching would provide that. Moreover, the students' combat abilities were genuinely concerning. Their only advantage over ordinary people was their mutant abilities.
If forced to fight without using those powers, many would likely lose to trained non-mutants.
"I should warn you—the students might complain," Marcus said with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.
"I'm sure they'll manage, as long as you don't train them as harshly as you did Raven and the others," Charles replied good-naturedly.
He knew how rigorous Marcus's training could be. But he also understood its value—students who persevered would develop the skills to handle themselves in confrontations even without relying on their mutant abilities.
This approach aligned perfectly with Charles's philosophy for mutant integration. Using physical combat skills against ordinary aggressors was preferable to employing potentially devastating mutant powers. Better still if conflicts could be avoided entirely.
Such was the hope of the wheelchair-bound professor who dreamed of peaceful coexistence.
In the weeks that followed, Marcus settled into his role as combat instructor at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. His training sessions quickly became notorious among the students—grueling, demanding, but undeniably effective.
The Foundry continued to operate daily, with Hank often collaborating with Marcus on new innovations. The scientific advances they made together would benefit mutantkind for generations to come.
Charles's new hovering chair became a familiar sight throughout the school, its soft hum announcing his approach before he appeared around corners. The enhanced telepathic capabilities it provided made him an even more effective mentor and guardian to his students.
As for Marcus, he found an unexpected peace in this strange world of mutants and mankind. Though his Warframes remained ready for any threat that might emerge, he discovered that his greatest contribution wasn't his combat prowess but his knowledge—shared freely with those who would shape the future.
The threat of Apocalypse had passed, but the world remained full of dangers. Yet with each lesson taught, each technology shared, and each bond strengthened, Marcus helped build something more powerful than any weapon—a community prepared to face whatever came next.
In the quiet moments between classes, Marcus would sometimes transform into Atlas and practice his earth-shaking techniques far from the school grounds. The raw power at his command was exhilarating, but as Charles had taught him, true strength came not from what you could destroy, but from what you chose to protect.
And in this world of extraordinary individuals fighting for acceptance, Marcus had found something worth protecting.
"Professor Marcus, we're ready for today's lesson," a student called, interrupting his thoughts.
He smiled. Professor Marcus—it had a nice ring to it.
"Then let's begin," he replied, turning toward his waiting class. "Today, we learn how to stand our ground, even when the earth itself seems to shake beneath our feet."
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