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Just as the students were waiting for Clark to return, a loud roar and a tremor shook the ground, grabbing everyone's attention.
"What's happening?"
Everyone assumed it was an attack. Cyclops and Storm, the two best fighters among the X-Men, immediately took their positions to protect the other children. But the vibrations didn't stop. They came from deep underground, from a place that held both the X-Men's lab and another critical facility.
"The Cerebro room! Someone is fighting in the Cerebro room!"
"It's Clark!" Benjamin's mind raced. He knew no one else could cause such a powerful disturbance.
"Jean, evacuate the children," Charles commanded. "Cyclops, Storm, Beast, go to the Cerebro room and see what's happening!"
"Understood!"
Everyone sprang into action, including Benjamin, who despite not being a mutant, ran alongside them. No one tried to stop him; a father's concern for his child was an undeniable force.
Meanwhile, in the underground facility, the imposter who had just emerged from the Cerebro room looked up to see Clark floating in the air, staring at them.
"A new mutant?" the imposter thought.
Given Clark's youth, it was unlikely he was a member of the X-Men. He must be a new student who had stumbled upon their secret.
"Who are you? Why are you impersonating the Professor?"
"So, Charles didn't tell you kids about his old friends."
The imposter's skin shifted, and the scales that had mimicked Charles's appearance peeled away to reveal their true form: Mystique. She was a mutant with distinct blue scales and an old associate of Charles.
"Give a girl a break, kid. Just let me leave."
As she spoke, Mystique pressed a button behind her, sending a signal to Magneto, who was waiting nearby. Though she spoke casually, she did not underestimate Clark. Her instincts told her he was a powerful mutant, and the crumpled state of the special elevator behind her was proof.
Clark had smashed through the X-Men's unique metal, strong enough to withstand an RPG, with his bare hands. Mystique knew she couldn't handle him alone. She needed Magneto's support, especially with the X-Men surely on their way.
Mystique's actions were not missed by Clark, who had his eyes on her the whole time. In a flash, he appeared behind her and grabbed her hand, preventing her from pressing the button.
"Asking for help?"
Clark's speed startled Mystique, but her years of combat experience kicked in. She twisted her body, kicking him in the neck.
Snap!
Mystique's strength, unlike Sabretooth's, was not significantly enhanced by her mutation. And Clark, having been re-energized by two days of absorbing solar energy, was in top form. He wasn't as powerful as he was when he fought Superman, but he was more than a match for Mystique.
Mystique, surprised but undeterred, launched a barrage of attacks. She even detonated a small bomb directly in his face, but when the smoke cleared, Clark was unharmed. To her shock, she realized his fighting skills were far superior to her own.
The training he received on Paradise Island had given him a complete mastery of the Amazons' millennia-old fighting techniques. Compared to this, her decades of experience were rough and unrefined.
"Sorry, this might be a little cold," Clark said.
"What?"
Mystique's confusion was short-lived. Clark took a deep breath and released a blast of biting cold air. While it couldn't freeze her solid like Superman could, it was enough to cover her body in a layer of frost.
"What is this kid's power? How can he be this strong?" Mystique was completely outmatched. She had expected to hold her own, but this "kid" was a seasoned warrior.
With her body temperature dropping and her consciousness fading, Clark moved in. He struck her with a precise blow, rendering her unconscious. Against a Kryptonian, even a renowned mutant like Mystique was easily defeated.
The X-Men arrived shortly after.
"Mystique?" Beast immediately recognized her. "She snuck into the school again."
His tone suggested this was a recurring problem.
"When I arrived, she had just come out of the back room. Mr. Hank, you might want to check it out," Clark said.
"Right!" Hank rushed into the Cerebro room. He knew how important the machine was; it allowed Charles to find mutants all over the world and was their only way of tracking the Brotherhood.
The moment he saw the room, his heart sank. Mystique had used micro-bombs to destroy the complex equipment. Hank knew he couldn't fix it. The person who helped Charles build the machine was Magneto, now their enemy.
"Damn it," Hank said, a grim expression on his face. "This puts us in a passive position."