Half an hour later, Hayashi Ren appeared at the school gate.
He carried a case like the one Newt used in Fantastic Beasts.
Inside, seamless expansion had multiplied the space countless times, not for magical creatures but packed with prototype Oasis equipment.
"Come to think of it, today's spell has not posted yet."
Bored, he stirred a thought.
DING!
He obtained Fifth Circle Magic: True Mirror Image.
Ren grinned. Power flowed more smoothly when the mind opened up.
The stronger he grew, the stronger the spells he could recreate from memory.
He had even ranked his magic by mutant tiers.
Fourth circle roughly matched a tier four mutant's power.
Fifth circle matched tier five.
True Mirror Image did not look destructive, but it produced a fully real duplicate. The copy had the same strength and the same repertoire.
That was not one plus one equals two.
Two Rens could sweep the school with ease.
The image only lasted thirty minutes, but spell circles could level up.
Sixth circle produced two copies.
Seventh produced three.
Eighth…
"One man as an army."
With a new powerhouse spell in hand, Ren's mood soared.
He had stepped fully into the realm of a fifth circle archmage.
Most of his spells were still fourth circle. Fifth circle was short, only Ninefold Fire Serpent, True Mirror Image, and a few more.
Even so, when facing Professor X or Magneto, both near tier five, he no longer felt the slightest dread.
Especially with two passives fixed on him: Iron Body and Mind Immunity, both already at a staggering seventh circle.
One word: tank.
Both physically and mentally.
The mage's ultimate romance was becoming an unshakable mobile battery. That was how Ren saw himself.
Just then Kitty Pryde and Ichikawa Chika arrived together.
Neither bothered with a suitcase. Each wore a pretty beaded pouch at the waist.
No need to ask. Ren had expanded them inside.
So when Bobby, Peter, and Roberto finally showed up, lugging big bags, the scene turned awkward.
"Ren, you said we had to request leave to return to school. I thought we would be away for a long time."
Bobby scratched his cheek and forced a smile.
"You are right. We will not be back for a while."
Ren waved and moved to set off.
Peter looked blank. "How are we getting there? There is no vehicle. I thought we might get to ride the Blackbird."
The Blackbird was the X-Men's mission craft.
It had cost the school a fortune.
"I would like to know that too."
A musical voice cut in. They turned to see Jean Grey in a black leather suit, heels clicking.
She smiled at Ren. "The professor asked me to handle the X Foundation liaison and to protect you."
Ren nodded.
Professor X had put up one hundred million. He was not about to be a hands off investor and let a handful of students do as they pleased.
So a teacher turning up did not surprise Ren.
He had not expected it to be Jean Grey.
"Keep a soon-to-darken Phoenix close, does he?"
He pushed the thought aside, lifted the case, and said, "Time is short. We move now."
He made no grand gesture. Ripples opened in the air.
A mage who cannot open a gate is not a good mage.
Ren clearly did not belong in that category.
A moment later, as Jean gaped and the three boys nearly froze, a shimmering portal unfurled.
Beyond it rose a forest of towers that looked very much like…
"Xavier Tower?"
Jean blurted it, shocked again by how deep Ren ran.
Long range transit. Another new power.
With Ren, Kitty, and Chika already stepping through, Jean cleared her throat and looked at the boys. "You three first."
They drew a breath and followed.
The world shifted.
A second ago they could smell the school's flowers. Now New York's hot, heavy air pressed down.
They stood on a rooftop.
Kitty stretched into the sun. "Ren, where is the place the professor arranged for us to stay?"
"Right here."
Ren tapped the roof underfoot and smiled. "Xavier Tower is owned by the X Foundation that Professor X established. Starting today, it is the headquarters of Second World Technologies."
Bobby, Peter, and Roberto sucked in air.
Kitty's stretch froze.
Chika's jaw dropped.
They traded a look like they had seen a ghost. "Did you not say Professor Charles was cautious and only put in one hundred million?"
"Correct. One hundred million is seed money."
Ren shrugged. "The tower is our office. Is there a problem?"
The two girls were completely lost.
This counted as lacking nerve?
"Ren, could you not leave half your meaning hanging next time?"
Two aggrieved looks landed on him as expected.
Jean, the last to step through, smiled. For the first time she felt a trace of youthfulness in him.
"Come. I will take you to meet the head of the X Foundation."