After some hesitation, Charles finally set down the serum and pulled himself together. This brought a sense of relief to both Logan and Hank.
But just then, the scene shifted back to Trask Industries, where the dwarf-sized scientist was shown in his lab, studying Raven's DNA. Her blood samples had brought a groundbreaking breakthrough to his Sentinel Program.
If he could acquire more experimental material, he could accelerate the development of the Sentinels and perfect this secret weapon designed to combat mutants.
Amidst his research, he had a conversation with his bodyguard William Stryker about mutants. Stryker, having witnessed firsthand the ruthless lengths Trask would go to for his experiments, asked whether he truly hated mutants.
But Bolivar Trask had a much broader perspective. Not only did he not hate mutants, he actually admired them. He saw them as miracles of creation — a divine opportunity for the evolution of humankind.
In his eyes, the existence of mutants could unite a humanity that was constantly scheming and at odds with itself. It was a chance to pool global resources and elevate human civilization to an entirely new level.
His targeting of mutants wasn't driven by personal vendetta or hatred. Trask approached them as a newly emerging species, viewing them from the perspective of humanity's broader future.
He once used this analogy to sway politicians: In the early days of human history, Homo sapiens, our ancestors, defeated the Neanderthals, claiming dominion over Earth. Now, humanity stood in the place of the Neanderthals, and mutants were the new Homo sapiens.
To Trask, the conflict between humans and mutants was nothing less than a struggle for survival and the future of civilization.
Offscreen, Erik cast a provocative look at Charles, as if to say, "See? I was right. Humans and mutants can never coexist in peace."
Charles Xavier met his gaze without flinching. His eyes reflected his conviction: "Trask is just another species supremacist. He will fail. Humans and mutants do have a beautiful future of coexistence."
Their silent clash of ideologies lasted a moment before both turned their attention back to the video.
Trask Industries had already developed several prototype Sentinels, ready to be shipped to Washington D.C. for a public unveiling at a press conference. The proud dwarf scientist had no idea his prized creations were already being targeted.
Under the cover of night, Erik infiltrated the Trask industrial complex. He had come for the prototypes — and unlike Professor X, he wasn't held back by emotion or hesitation. Even without Raven, Erik moved with deadly purpose.
After all, he had been the kind of teenager who could hunt down Nazi remnants on his own. Years of living like a lone wolf had forged him into someone who never hesitated.
The screen showed Erik tailing the train transporting the Sentinels. When the train entered a tunnel, he flew onto the roof, using his powers to disassemble the metal tracks. He opened a carriage, and one by one, rails floated into the air, transforming into strands of wire that burrowed into the Sentinels' internal systems.
At this point, the audience could guess what Erik was planning. Trask had earlier emphasized that the Sentinels were built from advanced non-metallic space-grade materials specifically to counter Magneto's powers.
But Erik, with his foresight, had already modified the prototypes — turning them into his own weapons.
"From the human perspective, Magneto is a ruthless criminal, a villain. But from the perspective of mutants, he's a great leader — brave and strategic!"
"Oh, come on. If I were a mutant, I wouldn't follow him. That heartless bastard talks a good game, but he wouldn't hesitate to hurt his own. I much prefer Professor X."
"Magneto is so cool! His powers are godlike. Just a wave of his hand and everything changes. Every time he shows up, it's a visual feast!"
From these future clips, it was clear: Erik was a villain — but a compelling one. Even among non-mutants, many viewers were drawn to his charisma.
While Eric was busy modifying the prototypes, Charles and the others weren't idle either. Still in his wheelchair, Charles was pushed by Hank into the underground basement of the villa — the place where the Cerebro device was stored.
Ever since he began using the serum that suppressed his powers in exchange for the ability to walk, the basement had been sealed off. The special helmet that amplified his telepathy had since gathered a thick layer of dust.
Now, standing here once more, Charles hesitated. But eventually, he put the helmet on. In that instant, his telepathy spread out like a vast web, linking to countless consciousnesses across the world. A tidal wave of voices surged into his mind.
He had grown up with these chaotic thoughts since his powers awakened as a child. They had become a part of his daily life. But after suppressing his abilities for so long, the sudden reawakening overwhelmed him.
The flood of psychic noise struck like a storm. Charles couldn't stabilize his mind — and without that, he couldn't search for his target. In his agony, the device overloaded and broke down. He tore off the helmet, drenched in sweat.
He had failed.
Charles sat slumped, looking utterly defeated. Hank gave his shoulder a supportive pat before going to check the circuits.
Logan tried to comfort him, suggesting this failure was just from being out of practice — like a rusty machine that just needed some time to get back into shape.
But Charles shook his head. "No, you don't understand. This isn't about rust. I can still press the button, turn the handle…"
He pointed to his head, then to his heart, and said with bitter despair, "But my power comes from here... and here. Both are broken now. I feel like a helpless student again. Coming down here was a mistake. Releasing Erik was a mistake. This entire mission is a mistake. I'm sorry, Logan. They never should've sent you back."
Already weighed down by doubt, Charles had now suffered another blow, completely losing his composure and falling into despair.
Dust can be wiped off a helmet — but what about the dust upon one's soul?
As he spoke, he turned his wheelchair and rolled slowly out of the room.
After a long silence, Logan turned and said, "You're right. They shouldn't have sent me back. It should've been you. But I was the only one who could survive the time jump."
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