Kurogai lay back in the villa's swimming pool, his gaze distant as he processed the sudden mental intrusion from Professor X.
"He mentioned awakening a special ability... but it couldn't have been my Geass. I've had that power for a while now. So what was he referring to? 'Today'... He must have meant the outburst at the Hydra base."
Kurogai muttered, narrowing his eyes in thought. It didn't take him long to piece it together. When he'd let out that soul-piercing howl back at Hydra, something inside him had snapped—something had awakened.
"So… I'm a mutant now. Huh. That's actually kind of ironic."
He chuckled softly, equal parts amused and resigned.
Back when he first arrived in this world, he had wished for power—any power. Even a mutant gene would've been enough. Anything to avoid becoming just another casualty. That wish had been justified. Without his abilities, he'd already have ended up as a Hydra lab rat.
But then the Ultimate Eye had changed everything. With it came strength, foresight, and a sense of control. The desire for a mutant power faded over time… until now. He had awakened one anyway, when he least expected it.
**"No idea what my mutation even is yet, but I'll figure that out later. First thing's first—I need to get out of here."
He stood up, water dripping from his hair as he looked toward the horizon. If Professor X had already located him once, staying here would be a mistake. Knowing Xavier, the man wouldn't simply leave him alone—not out of malice, but because he'd think it was "the right thing to do."
But Kurogai wasn't interested in that kind of charity. Not from someone who could so casually slip into his thoughts without permission.
Professor X's telepathy was terrifying, and Kurogai had firsthand experience with the dangers of mental manipulation. Even though his Geass had granted him some protection—thanks to the self-imposed command to block mental intrusion—it was still in its early stages. If Charles Xavier got too close, he might still break through.
"Until I can be sure I'm safe… I can't afford to be near that man."
Eventually, once his abilities evolved, he might visit the X-Mansion. There were certainly things worth learning there. But not now.
With that decision made, Kurogai stepped out of the pool. After a quick shower and change, he left the villa without a second glance.
---
Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters
Professor X emerged from the lower levels, removing the Cerebro helmet. Jean and Cyclops were waiting for him just outside the chamber.
"Professor, what happened?" Jean asked urgently.
She was unusually invested in this case—more than she'd ever been before. Because whoever Kurogai was, he'd triggered her. And that terrified her. If she could understand why, perhaps she could find a way to suppress the thing inside her… the Phoenix.
"He's… uncooperative," Charles replied with a heavy breath. "But I know where he was. Scott, I want you to take a team and bring him in. By force, if necessary."
Cyclops blinked. Even Jean looked surprised.
"You're serious?"
"He's dangerous," the Professor said firmly. "If he's left unchecked, he could become a threat far greater than Magneto."
His tone made it clear. He wasn't asking. He was ordering.
But Charles didn't know that Kurogai had already vanished. The mind link had been severed. And now, thanks to the Geass barrier, Charles wouldn't be able to track him again. His window had closed.
---
Elsewhere...
Kurogai sat in the backseat of a sleek, black sedan. The driver—an ordinary-looking man—kept his eyes on the road, hands gripping the steering wheel. A faint, unnatural red glow shimmered beneath his irises—evidence of subtle mind control.
"Where to, sir?" the driver asked, voice calm and monotone.
Kurogai rested his head back against the seat.
"Take me to 177A Bleecker Street."
That address wasn't random. It had another name—the New York Sanctum, one of the three strongholds of Earth's magical defense, protected by the Masters of the Mystic Arts.
If he remembered correctly, there were Kamar-Taj sorcerers stationed there. And that was his next destination.
After everything that had happened, Kurogai had narrowed his future to three potential paths:
S.H.I.E.L.D., the Xavier Institute, and Kamar-Taj.
S.H.I.E.L.D. had been the first to go. Too volatile. Too unpredictable. He'd burned that bridge already.
The X-Mansion was next. Originally, he'd considered joining them—learn, train, blend in. But after what Professor X did, that was off the table. Telepaths were dangerous. The idea of living under someone who could reach into his head at any moment? Absolutely not.
He'd rather die than hand over control of his life like that.
That left one option.
Magic.
Mysticism had always intrigued him. It offered flexibility, uniqueness, and—if he played it right—a new path for unlocking more power. His Geass, after all, was still evolving. What if magic could help him push it further?
Science, gods, mutants, magic—this world had everything.
Why not master more than one system?
And with that, Kurogai leaned back and closed his eyes, letting the hum of the car carry him forward.
Toward something new.
---
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