Above the Statue of Liberty, a blinding white light pulsed like a living current, rippling across the night sky. Magneto stood atop the torch, his device thrumming with magnetic energy. Pure radiation poured outward, casting the water below in an unnatural glow.
Victory was within reach. But Erik Lehnsherr—Magneto—felt no triumph. His gaze, distant and conflicted, was filled not with pride, but pain.
He wasn't just changing magnetic poles. He was rewriting the planet's laws for the future of Mutants. Even if it meant sacrificing countless human lives, he believed this fight for equality—this final stand—was worth the cost.
High above, cloaked by clouds and advanced tech, a disc-shaped aircraft hovered invisibly. Its interior gleamed with chrome and glass, screens lining the walls in silent vigilance.
The Statue of Liberty filled every monitor.
"Almost time, Master Norton," said Penn Miles, stepping into the viewing room. The hatch behind him hissed open as wind rushed in.
"Got it, Uncle Miles." Norton Carnegie set down his wine glass and rose from the plush lounge. His voice was calm, but his eyes burned with focus.
He stepped into the open hatch. The cold wind whipped against his black combat suit, metal glinting on his boots and belt. With a breath, he launched into the sky, accelerating like a missile toward the Statue.
In a blink, he arrived—floating between Magneto and his machine.
Magneto's silver hair fluttered in the wind. He didn't flinch at Norton's sudden arrival. Instead, he simply asked, "Who are you?"
"Norton Carnegie," the young man replied, hovering steadily.
With a flick of his wrist, the swirling device above the torch unraveled—disintegrating into golden motes, then into nothing. Just atoms. Gone.
The blinding light vanished. Silence fell.
Magneto's eyes widened, his calm facade cracking. "You—!"
His plan—years in the making—was undone in a heartbeat. His body tensed with fury.
Norton stood firm. He didn't flinch.
Magneto's fury turned tactical. This boy wore metal—enough to tear him apart ten times over. But when Magneto reached for the magnetic field, he felt nothing.
His power... failed.
The metal didn't respond.
"You're one of us," Magneto said slowly, eyes narrowing. "A Mutant. Then why interfere?"
"I'm not here to fight you," Norton said coolly. "I came for Anna. She's important to us."
He walked toward the collapsed girl at Magneto's feet—Rogue—her energy nearly drained. Gently, Norton lifted her into his arms.
"Even if I hadn't stopped you," he added, "you wouldn't have succeeded. The X-Men are free."
Right on cue, Sabretooth flew through the air, crashing down below.
Magneto's jaw tightened. That could only mean one thing—Charles and his team had escaped.
"You might want to ask Professor Xavier about Senator Kelly," Norton added, glancing back. "You might find the answer more... satisfying than you expect."
He didn't want Magneto blaming him for everything. Erik was no mere villain—he was an idealist, a leader who viewed every Mutant as kin. Norton didn't agree with his methods, but he respected the man.
Turning away, Norton rocketed skyward.
Magneto stood still, watching the boy vanish. He didn't chase. He didn't speak.
Instead, he rushed to Mystique, who lay wounded nearby. Gathering what remained of the Brotherhood, they disappeared into the night.
Minutes later, the X-Men regrouped and withdrew as well. The Statue of Liberty, scarred and scorched, was all that remained—a silent monument to a battle that nearly changed the world.
Back aboard the stealth craft, Rogue stirred in Norton's arms. Her breathing was shallow, but steady.
"You're awake," Norton said softly.
Rogue blinked up at him. Her voice was hoarse. "Who are you...?"
"You can call me Norton." He brushed her damp hair from her forehead. His voice was gentle, comforting.
"You saved me?" she asked, uncertain.
"I did."
Her eyes fell to his bare hand. Fear struck her instantly. She recoiled, panicked. "Don't—!"
"I know about your powers," Norton said, unshaken. "But you don't need to worry. You can't hurt me."
She froze.
"I'm immune," he added, brushing her cheek. "We tested it before coming for you. I felt the pull—your absorption—but it didn't work. Whatever makes you dangerous… it doesn't affect me."
Rogue stared, disbelieving.
"Really?" she whispered.
"Definitely."
Cautiously, she let her fingers trace his palm. Nothing happened. No pain. No energy drain.
A small, bright smile bloomed on her face—one filled with hope, not fear.
For the first time in years, she felt safe... connected.
She leaned into his touch and slowly drifted into peaceful sleep, still smiling.
By the time Norton returned to Cumberland Island, dawn had yet to break. Rogue was still asleep, curled in his arms.
He walked toward the mansion in silence.
"Shall I wake Nina?" Penn Miles asked, waiting near the landing pad.
"No need," Norton replied. "Let her rest. We'll talk tomorrow."
"As you wish, Master Norton."
Miles turned away. Though Norton had never treated him as a mere butler, Miles never forgot his role.
Norton sighed.
He had grown up under very different skies, where things like "Master" and "servant" didn't sit right with him. But in this life… he could only take it in stride.
Without another word, he carried Rogue inside.
Even after more than ten years in this world, Norton still wasn't fully accustomed to it.
He had transmigrated into the Marvel Universe, reincarnated as a twelve-year-old boy named Norton Carnegie—the heir to the reclusive but powerful Carnegie family.
At first, he assumed the family had declined. The name didn't carry the same weight as the Starks or Waynes. But that assumption didn't last long.
Despite their low public profile, the Carnegies were still at the top—especially when it came to wealth and global influence. Though they no longer controlled any listed steel companies, over half of the world's steel-related firms paid ongoing patent royalties to the Carnegie trust.
In short: money wasn't a problem.
In a normal world, Norton would've been overpowered just by being born here. Unfortunately, this wasn't a normal world. He confirmed that the world he'd landed in was the Marvel Universe—and more importantly, mutants existed.
Then, just to drive the point home, he ran into a young Tony Stark.
That's when the real anxiety began.
From celestial threats to cosmic entities, Marvel's universe was full of chaos. Even if it followed the movie timeline to some extent, Norton didn't feel safe. Too many variables. Too many disasters waiting to happen.
Fortunately, he had advantages.
His X-gene had awakened early, and like most transmigrators, he came with a built-in cheat: a learning system. As long as he studied, his knowledge—and sometimes powers—would grow steadily.
With wealth, abilities, and a personal system, he had everything needed to thrive. But his plan was clear from the start: keep a low profile and survive.
"In a world full of gods and monsters, survival beats spotlight."
Opening his system interface, he checked his current progress.
[Physics LV4 (23%)]
[Chemistry LV4 (14%)]
[Metallurgy LV5 (36%)]
...
[X-Genetics LV4 (98%)]
[Elemental Dominance LV4 (99%)]
Most basic subjects capped out around Level 4. He could continue past that, but only with practical breakthroughs. Metallurgy was the exception—it had reached Level 5 due to the synergy with his X-gene, Elemental Dominance.
Thanks to that, Carnegie Alloys, a small yet powerful subsidiary he established, had become the leading supplier of advanced metals in the U.S.
S.H.I.E.L.D., the military, Stark Industries—none of them produced cutting-edge alloys without involving Carnegie Alloys. They weren't flashy, but they were indispensable.
But what truly interested Norton now was X-Genetics. It was the key to understanding—and possibly controlling—the next step of human evolution. And right now, it was stuck.
That's why he had taken the risk of confronting Magneto. Not for justice or ideology. For data.
Anna was his missing puzzle piece.
The next morning, Norton brought her across the island to the Carnegie Mutant Academy, a project he'd quietly built over the past decade.
When he learned about mutants, he had already begun preparing. They were rare, powerful, and potentially loyal—if treated right. So he bought out Cumberland Island and constructed the academy in secret, using the Carnegie name and resources to pull mutant children from unstable regions around the world.
Most of the public thought it was just a private research estate. Few knew the truth.
"Where are we going?" Anna asked, her tone light.
"To the Academy," Norton replied. "Carnegie Mutant Academy."
"The Academy?" Her smile faded immediately.
"It's not what you think. Everyone there is like us. Most of them aren't affected by your powers—especially me," Norton added, calmly.
Anna didn't respond, but the doubt in her eyes was clear.
"You'll see," he said. "You'll be fine."
The morning sunlight crept through the trees, lighting the clean pathways leading to the main facility. Just as they reached the front gate, a familiar voice called out.
"Norton, is this Anna?"
A tall, elegant blonde woman walked over and took Anna's hand.
Startled, Anna instantly shrank back behind Norton. Reflex, not fear.
"This is Serena," Norton introduced. "She's one of the instructors at the Academy."
"Teacher Serena," Anna said hesitantly.
"Just Serena is fine," she replied with a soft smile. "Or sister Serena, if you prefer."
She gently reached out again. This time, Anna didn't pull away.
"I'll leave her with you," Norton nodded. "Help her adjust."
Serena gave him a quick salute. "Don't worry. She'll fit in soon."
Norton watched them walk off toward the main building, then turned and headed to the underground experimental base hidden behind the academy.
Inside, he found John Davidson, the head of his X-Genetics team, pacing with a datapad and eyes wide from sleepless nights.
John's mutation—microscopic vision—gave him the ability to analyze genes in real time. It made him a world-class geneticist before he even graduated.
"Norton, our guess was right!" John said, not waiting for greetings. "Anna's genetic structure is incredible. If we fully decode her X-gene, we can fill in the largest gap in our research!"
Norton took a breath. John had clearly been up for days. The dark circles under his eyes weren't subtle.
"You haven't slept again," Norton noted.
"I'm fine," John replied without even blinking. "Where is she? I just need—"
"You need sleep," Norton interrupted, then placed a firm hand on his shoulder and steered him toward his private sleeping chamber.
The room was minimal—bed only. Norton had designed it that way intentionally.
As soon as the door closed, a faint hissing sound filled the room. Hypnotic gas, specifically tuned for John's metabolism, filled the space. His expression faded, then he slumped onto the bed and began snoring.
Norton glanced at the monitor in the hall as the system updated:
[X-Genetics LV4 (99%)]
Still one percent to go.