I sat in my office with Julius standing across from me, arms behind his back, expression calm and controlled as always. His new eye — Isshiki's dōjutsu — pulsed faintly with pale light every few seconds. I could sense its power even without looking directly at it. Space itself bent subtly around him, like reality was trying not to touch him too closely.
Of course he bought it using the system. I wasn't surprised. The O5 Council had long ago agreed that the original five of us would use our systems sparingly but strategically. When you deal with world-ending anomalies on a weekly basis, refusing additional power is just stupidity.
Still… Isshiki's eye?He had expensive tastes.
Julius cleared his throat. "Administrator, I read your latest report on the X-Gene Project. I want a full update from you personally."
I nodded, pulling up the holographic screen between us. "Progress is… functional, but not ideal." I tapped the display, bringing up strands of genetic code floating like a glowing web.
"I can replicate X-Genes," I explained, "but not create new mutant abilities from nothing. The gene is far too complex, metaphysically and biologically. It follows patterns rooted in that universe's natural laws. I can stabilize it, activate it, copy an existing one — but inventing an entirely new ability?" I exhaled. "Not happening. Not yet."
Julius nodded slowly. "Meaning if we want a specific mutation, we must obtain it from a donor."
"Exactly."I waved my hand and dozens of files opened, showing DNA scans from the mutants we had already harvested.
"We've made real progress," I continued. "We already produced three stable serums:
• XAVIER-TYPE: full telepathy• MAGNETO-TYPE: metal manipulation and EM control• LOGAN-TYPE: pure regeneration, isolated from the rest of the healing factor package"
Julius raised an eyebrow. "The Wolverine serum is stable?"
"As stable as you can expect from something that practically laughs at biology," I said. "Orochimaru nearly cried from excitement when it worked."
Julius smirked. "I imagine."
I flicked the display again and pulled up the new archived vials.
"And now," I continued, "we've collected significantly more mutant blood. Some Omega-level. Some belonging to mutants with highly specialized, extremely useful abilities."
Julius narrowed his eyes slightly. "Which ones?"
"Temporal manipulation, probability alteration, molecular restructuring… the juicy stuff." I leaned back in my chair. "But copying Omega abilities is… unstable. Some collapse. Some overload the host. Some even self-destruct the moment we extract the gene."
"So limited success," Julius summarized.
"For now," I corrected. "Give me time, more samples, and fewer teleporting reality-warpers exploding during extraction, and I'll refine it."
Julius let out a breath. "Good. The Foundation will need these abilities when the larger threats appear."
I nodded. "And they will. This universe — and the multiverse around it — is becoming more unstable by the day."
A moment passed. Julius's Kokugan glowed again.
"Administrator," he said finally, "you always manage the impossible. I trust you'll solve this too."
I gave him a thin smile. "Of course I will. After all… I'm me."