From Wolverine Logan's surface thoughts, Herman could even glimpse fragments of the future. Clearly, his speculation about Wolverine's identity had been correct.
This Wolverine came from a future timeline, and it seemed he had slipped into the wrong point in time—arriving in a past that wasn't meant for him.
Herman recalled the "Days of Future Past" storyline of the X-Men, which should have taken place decades later. At this point in history, Magneto and Professor X might not have even met yet. Wolverine's current state undeniably piqued Herman's interest.
"You don't look so good. Need any help?"
Herman lifted his gaze slightly, observing Wolverine, who stood not far away, his mind practically muttering to itself. This lone wolf warrior clearly wasn't handling the "time disorientation" very well.
"Thanks, but you probably can't help me..." Wolverine replied politely, though his mind was obviously a tangled mess.
The sheer idea of time travel had already left him shaken. And now, instead of being sent to the designated point in history, he had somehow landed even further back in the past. This unplanned detour left him momentarily at a complete loss.
When it came to fighting and killing, Wolverine was unmatched. But being thrown alone into some unknown past with a "mission" to complete? That was completely outside his experience.
What should he do now?
Wait for Professor X and Shadowcat to bring him back?
But how long would that take...
Wolverine's mind was spinning, filled with calculations and speculation—making it all the easier for Herman to read his thoughts. He probably never imagined that the very first person he met after traveling back through time would possess the same ability as Professor X, able to see straight into his mind.
"Wasn't this supposed to be a desperate, last-ditch time transfer?"
Through Wolverine's thoughts, Herman glimpsed more scenes from the future—and what he saw surprised him. The reason behind Wolverine's time travel differed from the "Days of Future Past" storyline he remembered.
The mutant crisis still existed, but before Wolverine's journey, mutants hadn't yet been pushed to the brink of extinction.
This time, Wolverine's time travel had been part of a precautionary experiment conducted by the X-Mansion—a study testing Kitty Pryde's powers. Of course, if it worked, Wolverine's mission would be to prevent Mystique's capture.
Originally, the X-Mansion had set his destination to the exact time point depicted in "Days of Future Past." The crisis they faced was once again the Sentinels.
After Mystique fell into military hands, her genes were thoroughly studied by the research division. Many believed her shape-shifting ability was just a seductive gift to men, but in truth, her genetic code could unlock the hidden potential of all mutants.
By integrating Mystique's genetic material, the Sentinels gained the ability to endlessly morph—adapting their structure and powers to counter any mutant they fought.
Though in Wolverine's timeline the Sentinels had only just been deployed and hadn't yet evolved into their most terrifying form, the X-Mansion had already realized the danger they posed and decided to test whether changing the past could alter the future.
"They haven't even reached a desperate point yet, and they're already sending Wolverine back in time... This can't be because of me."
Herman's eyes flickered slightly as he reached a quick conclusion. His existence was unique along the entire timeline, meaning the future couldn't have been directly influenced by him. The changes in the "Days of Future Past" scenario likely had nothing to do with him.
Of course, due to Herman's indirect influence, the timeline of the Marvel Universe had already shifted. So the altered version of "Days of Future Past" made sense—the Sentinels Wolverine remembered even looked somewhat different.
"They resemble human-piloted mechas more than automated robots," Herman noted casually, assuming it was just an early prototype of the Sentinels.
However, if the Mystique from Herman's own era were here, she would have immediately noticed the uncanny resemblance between the Sentinels from Wolverine's memory and the Amazo Armor she once obtained.
Clearly, even Herman couldn't fully grasp how much the future had already changed.
...
While Herman grilled meat and quietly probed Wolverine Logan's surface thoughts, Wolverine himself clenched his jaw and decided to take things one step at a time.
Reliving the past didn't seem all that bad. In any case, the X-Mansion would surely find a way to bring him back.
If the mission the academy had assigned him couldn't be completed, it was clearly due to a technical failure on their part—and had absolutely nothing to do with his own "professional standards."
With that thought, Wolverine felt a weight lift from his chest.
"Could you tell me what year it is now?"
His memory only allowed him to recall the general events of the past. Exact dates were a blur—after all, not everyone had a photographic memory like Herman's.
For Wolverine, knowing the precise time would help the X-Mansion adjust its methods when he returned. He didn't fully understand the scientific principles or mutant research behind it all, but he knew those details would matter.
"That's a good question."
Herman, being a time traveler himself, hadn't been sure either. Fortunately, he had overheard the townspeople mentioning it earlier.
After giving Wolverine the exact year, month, and day, Herman smiled slightly and lifted a skewer of sizzling, juicy meat.
"I'm not one to meddle, but you don't look too well. Want some fragrant grilled bear meat?"
He extended the skewer toward Wolverine, his easygoing tone enough to lower the mutant's guard.
"I smelled that earlier."
It was, in fact, the aroma of the barbecue that had roused Wolverine from unconsciousness. He rubbed his stomach, then, without hesitation, accepted the skewer and started eating. With his healing factor, poison was the last thing he worried about.
Back in this era, there weren't many toxins strong enough to bring down a mutant like him—unlike the future, where people occasionally hit him with tranquilizer darts that could fell an elephant.
"This tastes great!"
Wolverine spoke with genuine appreciation, recalling how he'd once lived a soldier's life—never knowing when or where his next meal would come from.
"Of course," Herman said with a grin, shoving a skewer into his own mouth. "With my Chinese barbecue skills, even a shoehorn would taste good."
As his teeth tore through the meat, rich flavor filled his mouth. Wolverine wasn't exaggerating about the taste—it really was that good.
"Care for some wine?"
Herman pulled out two glass cups and an ornate bottle of fine liquor. Barbecue never felt complete without a drink.
"Where did you get that wine? Or more like, where were you hiding it?"
Wolverine chewed while staring at Herman in disbelief. He hadn't seen where either the glasses or the wine had come from.
"Hahaha~ take a guess."
Herman filled both glasses.
The wine—his [All-Seeing Eye] mission reward—was richer than most vintage classics. The aroma alone made Wolverine, a man with a known fondness for alcohol, twitch his nose. Without hesitation, he accepted the glass.
"You must be a magician," he declared confidently, taking a long swig. His expression softened with unmistakable satisfaction.
"It's been years since I've had wine this good," Wolverine said with a sigh. Ever since the mutant crisis began, he hadn't had a moment's peace.
"How did you, a Chinese man, end up in the Soviet Union?" Wolverine asked casually, settling into conversation as he waited for his "return."
He dragged a large rock over and sat across from Herman by the campfire. Alternating between wine and grilled meat, he looked perfectly at ease. The bear paw simmering in the clay pot nearby kept drawing his attention.
"Due to some unexpected circumstances."
Herman chuckled lightly, glancing at the pot. "That needs to stew a bit longer before it's ready."
Hearing that, Wolverine nodded and turned his attention back to the barbecue.
"It was also because of some unexpected circumstances. Seems we're quite fated to meet." Wolverine Logan raised his glass toward Herman.
"Fate truly is a curious thing. Perhaps you're more bound by it than you think." Herman's tone carried quiet depth.
In one timeline, two time travelers had appeared simultaneously—and somehow crossed paths. Such an occurrence was rarer than an ordinary man winning the lottery. Herman couldn't help but find it extraordinary.
However, since Wolverine had no idea who Herman truly was, the deeper meaning behind his words completely escaped him.
"Yeah, fate."
Their glasses clinked softly, and both drained their drinks in one go. Herman immediately poured another round for Wolverine.
"Not bad," Wolverine said with a grin, impressed by how easily Herman downed his own glass without so much as a blush or a stagger.
For men who loved to drink, finding a companion with a solid tolerance was always a joy—and sometimes, earning a drinker's respect could be that simple.
"You're not an ordinary man, are you? An ordinary person couldn't have handled my brother." Wolverine's curiosity finally surfaced.
The relaxed atmosphere made it easy to ask. Earlier, his attention had been occupied by the shock of time travel, but now his thoughts returned to Sabretooth—the brother he shared blood and hatred with in equal measure.
No one knew Sabretooth's power better than him. On the battlefield, that monster was even deadlier than he was. Ordinary elite soldiers stood no chance; within moments, Sabretooth would tear them apart. Wolverine couldn't imagine what method this man had used to save him from that bloodthirsty beast.
Sabretooth was not the kind of opponent who showed mercy or reason. To pull someone from his grasp, one would need the power to utterly overpower him—anything less would only enrage him further.
As a mutant with a Healing Factor, Wolverine had fought and killed many strong foes alongside his brother in the past. Looking at Herman's muscular build, Wolverine had to admit it was the perfect physique for a man—yet even so, that alone wasn't enough to defeat Sabretooth.
"I have a peculiar little ability," Herman said with a quiet chuckle, handing him another skewer of meat. "So, no, I'm probably not ordinary."
If he was going to act, he'd commit to it fully. As an Oscar-worthy performer, Herman wasn't about to slip up now.
"That man was your brother? Forgive me for being blunt, but when he tried to kill you, he didn't seem very brotherly."
Herman's tone carried a touch of feigned confusion.
"Though I hate to admit it… yes, he is."
Wolverine's eyes flickered as he accepted the meat. He wanted to ask whether Herman was a mutant like him, but the memories of his future held him back.
"How did you manage to defeat him?" Wolverine probed, needing to know for certain if this man shared his kind of power.
"His body was indeed strange, but to me, not particularly troublesome," Herman said honestly, raising a brow. "If that guy really was your brother, then maybe we'd count as enemies."
Wolverine froze.
"What do you mean?"
He couldn't quite process the words. In his mind, Sabretooth had merely been driven off, not killed. The idea that anyone in this era could slay that monster was almost absurd. Sabretooth's hide and bones were tougher than his own, and bullets barely scratched him.
"There."
Herman didn't elaborate. He simply pointed toward the jungle.
Wolverine followed his gaze—and saw it. Sabretooth's mangled, half-mummified corpse lay amid the wreckage.
"Ah!"
His pupils shrank to pinpoints. He hadn't expected to see Sabretooth's body—his indomitable brother, dead.
For a moment, shock froze him completely. Then came a creeping unease.
The man casually sharing roasted meat with him had the strength to kill Sabretooth.
The battlefield where Sabretooth had fallen was a scene of ruin, a massive crater carved into the earth itself. Just looking at it made Wolverine's scalp prickle.
How strong did someone have to be to cause that kind of destruction?
Wolverine's expression shifted again and again—then Herman's calm, meaningful voice drifted beside him.
"So," he said softly, "now that you've eaten and had your fill... do you plan to avenge your brother?"