The mood in the room shifted instantly—heavy and tense.
Aside from Alex, the other mutants were visibly shaken by Magneto's sudden declaration of war.
Even Sebastian Shaw, the notoriously radical Black King who'd once shared Erik's genocidal views, had always operated from the shadows—manipulating history quietly.
During the Cuban Missile Crisis, barely anyone knew he was even involved.
But Magneto?
He'd just declared war on humanity… live on television.
---
"Erik's gone mad."
Raven scowled, brows furrowed tight.
"War? Was this his plan all along?"
---
"He's even more unhinged than Shaw ever was."
Vanessa (Copycat) clicked her tongue. "This is beyond reckless."
---
"Things were already bad enough," Hank muttered.
"Now he's pouring fuel on the fire."
The conflict between humans and mutants was already near a boiling point. Magneto's move would only accelerate the collapse.
It would throw all mutants, already vilified and feared, into a deeper abyss.
Hank could barely see a path forward anymore.
---
"Shouldn't we do something?"
Emma Frost, arms folded and expression cool as ever, looked to Alex.
She wasn't one to panic, but she wasn't impressed by Magneto's theatrics either.
A declaration of war? That wasn't strategy—that was suicide.
If you wanted revolution, do what Shaw did: infiltrate, build, sabotage from within.
Instead, Erik had just painted a target on the backs of every mutant alive.
Emma wasn't worried for herself—but she hated seeing someone endanger their own people so carelessly.
---
All eyes turned to Alex.
---
"No," Alex said calmly.
"We don't need to do anything."
That shocked the room.
---
"Erik is extreme, yes—but given the chaos right now… maybe this is exactly the kind of shake-up we need."
Alex's voice remained even, measured.
What Magneto had done would no doubt make things worse. But it would also force the world to pay attention—and make a lot of enemies think twice.
Fear was a weapon, too.
---
"But Alex—if he keeps this up, there really will be war!"
Hank still looked deeply uneasy.
---
"No, there won't. Not as long as Charles is still around."
Alex's lips curled into a knowing smile.
Erik and Charles—they were two halves of the same coin.
One to push, the other to restrain.
---
"Charles?"
Raven and Hank exchanged glances. That name struck a chord.
Of course.
There was no way Charles Xavier would allow Magneto to spiral out of control unchecked.
And if anyone could stand toe-to-toe with Erik, it was Professor X.
---
"Then what about us?"
Raven asked softly.
---
"We bring more of our brothers and sisters home."
Alex's voice turned resolute.
"We give them a safe haven in this storm."
---
"But how many can we actually protect?"
Raven looked down, her voice laced with frustration.
"This place isn't infinite. Even full to the brim—it's just a drop in the ocean."
There were thousands of mutants out there, maybe more.
And even if Alex was strong—he was still just one person.
It wasn't enough.
---
But that was the reality.
One that crushed people like Raven, who wanted to do more but didn't know how.
---
Her gaze turned to Alex once again.
Somehow, she believed it—if anyone could change the fate of mutants, it was him.
---
He didn't talk about his vision often.
But Raven had no doubt: he had a plan.
And she was willing to follow him.
---
"Alex, the Cerebro amplifier is still two weeks out from completion," Hank reported, adjusting his glasses.
They were working as fast as possible, pouring in all available resources—but it was a massive undertaking.
---
"That's fine," Alex said with a shrug.
"Mutants are all over the news anyway."
And that wasn't his only advantage.
He still had his super hearing.
---
After the Three Mile Island boost, his auditory range had expanded far beyond New York.
He could now scan entire cities, filter sound by tone, frequency, and emotion.
And right now, that ability was more important than ever.
---
Alex closed his eyes, focusing his mind.
One by one, he sifted through the chaos of the city—until something caught his attention.
---
"Oh God, what's happening?!"
"Everyone back up! He's gonna burn us alive!"
"Target is dangerous—open fire!"
**Bang bang bang—ratatatata! **
"Requesting backup! Repeat, requesting backup!"
---
Burned alive?
Alex's eyes flickered open.
Could it be… Pyro?
He remembered Pyro well—an extremely powerful mutant who had once even pushed back Iceman, an Omega-level mutant.
Pyro had originally trained at Xavier's school, but eventually defected to Magneto's camp.
He wasn't exactly the quiet type.
---
"But wait…"
Alex frowned.
Wasn't Pyro and Iceman from a later generation?
Either they hadn't been born yet—or they were still kids.
---
"Don't push me!"
A voice cried out, full of fear and rage.
From its direction and cadence, it was clearly the mutant under attack.
But the voice…
Wasn't a man's.
---
It was a woman.
---
A female Pyro?
Alex's interest shot through the roof.
---
"Everyone—someone's in danger. I'll handle it!"
Without wasting another second, Alex vanished from the room.
---
Boom!
A sonic boom echoed across the sky as he tore through the air.
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