Adrian Cross knew that although powerful individuals were everywhere in the Marvel universe, there was really only one person who had a habit of casually communicating with others through their minds.
Charles Xavier, better known as Professor X—an Omega-level mutant, founder of Xavier’s School, and one of the two major leaders of mutantkind.
Because the professor possessed such extraordinarily powerful psychic abilities, he often extended his mind across vast distances in search of other mutants around the world, hoping to find and protect them.
After all, mutants weren’t exactly popular with ordinary people in this world.
“Professor X, the truth is, I’m not a mutant.”
Adrian Cross flatly rejected Professor X’s invitation.
“No.
You don’t need to lie to me.
I can sense that your mental power is dozens of times greater than that of an ordinary person.
And only a few minutes ago, you used that power.”
“…”
Adrian Cross was speechless.
So this was all because he’d gotten curious after acquiring his new ability and decided to play around with it for a bit.
“Having powerful mental abilities doesn’t necessarily make me a mutant, Professor.”
Adrian Cross’s tone was far from friendly.
He didn’t particularly dislike Professor X himself.
After all, Xavier was a mutant who genuinely pursued peace.
But Adrian Cross was beginning to understand why the U.S.
government was so intensely wary of him, even to the point of hostility.
The ability to casually invade someone’s mind and communicate with them was incredibly unpleasant.
After all, who knew whether Xavier had taken the opportunity to read his memories concerning the System?
[Rest assured, host.
No memories within the host’s mind relating to this System can be read by anyone other than the host.]
Fortunately, the System’s explanation put Adrian Cross somewhat more at ease.
“There are plenty of beings in this world with powerful minds.
Don’t judge the entire world based on your limited understanding.
One day, that could bring disaster down on your own head!”
“As for me…
I don’t need anyone to teach me.”
After bluntly throwing those words at Professor X, Adrian Cross winked at Celebi on his shoulder.
“Bi-bi!”
As Adrian Cross’s summoned Pokémon, Celebi naturally understood his intentions perfectly.
With a cheerful cry, the little creature flew directly in front of Adrian Cross and pressed its tiny forehead against his!
Adrian Cross immediately felt an unimaginably vast surge of psychic power sweep through his mind.
In the next instant, the trace of Professor X’s psychic presence was forcibly expelled without the slightest ability to resist!
“Celebi—from now on, whenever you sense anyone trying to invade my mind with psychic power, kick them straight out for me!”
Feeling Celebi’s psychic power form something akin to an impenetrable firewall around his mind, Adrian Cross grinned as he gave the instruction.
“Bi!”
Floating in midair, Celebi gave him an adorable little salute as if to say, Understood!
“Excellent.”
Adrian Cross nodded in satisfaction before breaking into a rather smug grin.
Professor X was famous for the sheer strength of his psychic abilities.
Adrian Cross imagined the man had probably just received quite the fright.
As it turned out, Adrian Cross’s guess was absolutely correct.
At that very moment, inside his office at Xavier’s School in Westchester, Professor X was still reeling from the shock.
Even his normally unflappable expression—the kind that wouldn’t change even if a mountain collapsed before him—showed unmistakable astonishment.
“That psychic power…”
Psychic perception wasn’t the same as sight, so there was no way for him to know exactly what had happened on Adrian Cross’s end.
From his perspective, he knew only one thing.
His psychic presence had just been expelled from Adrian Cross’s mind by what could only be described as overwhelming force.
And during the brief instant when their psychic powers came into contact, he had even felt that his own formidable mind seemed remarkably weak compared to the other presence.
Of all the psychic forces he had encountered in his life, the only time he had ever experienced anything stronger was when he used the school’s Cerebro to communicate with every mutant across the world simultaneously.
“…Scott.”
Professor X remained silent for a long moment before finally reaching out telepathically.
“Professor?
What happened?”
Hearing Professor X’s summons, Scott Summers—Cyclops—hurried over from the class he had been teaching to the mutant children.
“I need you to investigate someone for me.”
Professor X spoke gravely.
At the same time, he used telepathy to explain everything that had just happened.
“A psychic presence even stronger than yours?
Could the being near him also be an Omega-level mutant?”
Scott was stunned.
“I don’t know.”
Professor X shook his head.
“But this was indeed my mistake.
Reaching out to a powerful psychic through long-distance telepathy without warning was bound to provoke anger.”
“So when you investigate, I want you to exercise restraint.
Don’t do anything that might anger him further.”
Scott nodded solemnly.
“I understand.”
By exercise restraint, Professor X meant that Scott was to gather as much information as possible without interfering with the man’s private life in any way.
But above all else, there was one absolute condition:
He must not offend him.
Clearly, Professor X was extremely wary of the mysterious being Adrian Cross had at his side.
“Good.”
After entrusting the matter to one of his most trusted subordinates, Professor X finally relaxed a little.
Even so, one thing Adrian Cross had said continued to echo through his mind.
There are plenty of beings in this world with powerful minds.
Don’t judge the entire world based on your limited understanding.
One day, that could bring disaster down on your own head!
“Perhaps…
I really should change the way I search for my fellow mutants.”
Professor X silently reflected on the thought.
This time, he truly had been frightened.