Chapter 5738: Chapter 4761: X Royal Family: Rebirth (Part 1)

As the words fell, Professor X’s expression changed. He stared at Cyclops for a long time without speaking.

"Regardless, I am very sorry." Professor X took a deep breath as his reason finally returned. Only Shiller read a certain coldness from the fluctuations of his brainwaves, resembling a storm.

In the span of a single minute, Professor X had regained his gentle demeanor. He even removed the Fourth Generation Brain Wave Amplifier Helmet from his head, and his blue eyes grew deeper, like Crystal Lake beside the Clarkia Royal Court.

"No need to be sorry, Professor..." Cyclops tried to console Professor X instead. He was someone who could understand that no one is obligated to be flawless. To him, Professor X was perfect enough, and any mistakes, even those that affected him, should not be nitpicked.

"I’m not apologizing for this." Professor X looked at him with a completely different demeanor—a visage far more real, devoid of the guise of love—and this almost stunned Cyclops, leaving him shocked and even horrified.

For just a brief moment of eye contact, Cyclops felt as if he had touched a planet. As vast as Earth, as insignificant as Earth. As his senses continually amplified, his sense of self gradually diminished, as something vast and mighty inescapably filled him. It was something called X Power, rooted in his genes but never acknowledged, and at this moment, in the consciousness of Professor X, he redefined himself among the cosmos and countless stars.

Cyclops suddenly awoke, staggering a step back. Gabriel rushed forward to support him, looking at Professor X with a gaze filled with hostility.

Cyclops patted his hand, stopping him. He took a few quick breaths, and the lavishly decorated and gorgeous hall of the Shi’ar Empire Palace gradually came into focus in his eyes. But this feeling wasn’t good; compared to such a sensory impact, the real world seemed dull, and even the capital of the Three Great Empires had lost its luster.

"Scott." Professor X’s tone was like the first drop of rain in a storm, "I believe you’ve understood by now that if I wanted, I could perfectly erase all your memories without a trace, even your personality. So the tragedy that unfolded today is my fault, not a mere mistake."

"It’s not that I’m too harsh on you, on the contrary, perhaps our years together have softened me. I made no deep modifications, any changes to your memory were cautious and restrained—I admit it was an error, if not for that, you would never have the chance to meet him."

Cyclops stood there stunned. Professor X continued, "If not, you wouldn’t have wanted to sacrifice yourself to fight for power for him. Scott, no matter what you think of me, I never regarded the X-Men as a weapon, you are my students and children, your existence is a culmination of my efforts. If you wish to throw all this away on someone else’s imperial dreams, I assure you, ruining you will cost them in vain, you know I have the means to do so."

"No, Professor." Cyclops stepped forward and extended his hand, "You must have misunderstood, I did not..."

"He manipulated you." Professor X looked into Cyclops’ eyes, "He hid his desire for power under your pursuit of making mutants stronger. No matter how he persuaded you, he was manipulating you."

"But the Shi’ar Empire indeed can serve as a..."

"Scott, you’re out of your mind." Professor X seemed incredulous, "While the troubles on Earth aren’t fully resolved, how much strength do we have to engage in the internal affairs of the Three Great Empires? Clearly, previous failures haven’t taught you that force alone isn’t enough, and before adopting interventionism, you should first know your limits."

"Besides, you shouldn’t see me as that kind of person." Professor X’s voice was slightly angry, "How can I, after your consecutive sacrifices, still send you into another war for the so-called future of mutants? Each of your deaths pulls me further away from the dream of a mutant homeland, not closer—I’ll never want to step into such a place, you’re destroying my Utopia!"

After saying this, he turned and left, leaving Cyclops dumbfounded in place. Shiller glanced at Cyclops, deciding to leave time for the brothers. He then turned to find Professor X. On the rooftop of the palace, or more accurately, at the edge of a terrace at the top of a winding staircase, he found Professor X. The latter was gazing into the distance, where a cleansing battle broke out among the towering, alien-featuring buildings. The city he once lived in was being destroyed.

"Were you waiting for me, Professor?"

Professor X slowly turned his head towards Shiller, and Shiller was immediately enveloped by substantial brainwaves, which carried a certain cold anger.

Shiller stood next to Professor X, also gazing at the distant city, and said, "When the alteration of memories was discovered, you must have felt very guilty, reflecting on whether your desire for control was too strong. But the fact proved, you were never strong enough."

"The space you yield will always be occupied by someone. What these people will ultimately do with your students, no one knows. War, carnage, betrayal, anything is possible. Perhaps professors from other universes didn’t want to be so tough either, they just had no choice."

"I thought you would try to persuade me that taking over the Shi’ar Empire would be the best choice," Professor X said, "We could let mutants take root and sprout here, just like in your universe."

Shiller gently shook his head, "I’ve never had any purpose beyond yourselves."

He also turned to look at Professor X. When they made eye contact, Professor X couldn’t find any trace of deceit in his words.

"No country, power, or resource can compare to humans," Shiller took a gentle breath and continued, "All changes in the cosmos must start with changes in humans. Obtaining political identity for Clarkia, destroying the Red Orchid Factory, altering the Shi’ar Empire’s structure, these are means rather than ends."

"Justifying Clarkia is to reduce your survival anxiety. Destroying the Red Orchid Factory is to remove the obstacles to human solidarity with you. Changing the Shi’ar Empire’s structure is to reunite their brothers and to make you realize what kind of courage it takes to ’not abandon any mutant.’"

"Saving the weak and ravaged mutants is not difficult for you; even if facing great hazards ahead, you can brave them. But what if the mutant is strong, independent, and full of hatred towards you, what will you do then?"

In Professor X’s mind, the coldness gradually disappeared, indicating he started to truly contemplate this issue.

As Shiller proposed, mutants cannot all be weak, and Clarkia cannot only unite and rescue those vulnerable mutants in distress. If they truly wish to uphold their slogan, to become a genuine haven and paradise for mutants, those strong enough mutants standing opposite them will be the real challenge.

If you don’t confront him, he will strike you hard; if you do, you violate your slogan and it becomes internal strife, unnecessarily depleting mutant internal strength. Can’t fight, can’t kill, and recruiting them is extremely difficult, what should be done?

Professor X actually realized long ago, as Shiller said, that for mutants, issues that can be solved by violence are not problems. Their combat power is more than sufficient, even excessive. Issues requiring repeated weighing, multifaceted consideration, soft and hard tactics, psychological strategies, and political wisdom are their biggest challenges, also their long-standing weaknesses.

Unfortunately, mutants may face such challenges in their every forthcoming step. Their opponents will not be fools, nor seldom weak. Even humans, as fragile individuals, have managed to create something like the Red Orchid Factory that poses a huge threat to them.

Meanwhile, Professor X also realized, the mutants in Shiller’s central universe definitely didn’t rely on fists alone to carve out territory. They must have an exceptionally high level of political maneuvering to stand firm both on Earth and among alien civilizations.

Double territory means double opportunities, but it also means double enemies. Punching Earth politicians with one hand and kicking alien civilizations with the other, they deserve what they have achieved today.

Professor X sighed lightly and looked at Shiller, saying, "You want me to voice my thoughts, and so I shall—can I meet the mutants of your universe?"

"Absolutely, Professor." Shiller said with a smile.

As the sunset cast a shimmering glow on the distant buildings, the magnificent palace shrunk in stature against the backdrop of Proxima Centauri’s massive rings. Two smaller figures descended along the spiral staircase.

"I’m curious, you could clearly have done this more discreetly, let no one know of the Shi’ar Empire’s invasion being connected to you, why expose yourself?"

"No one in the world can employ Shiller without a cost, it’s better for the Multiverse to know this sooner so as to avoid falling into traps set by other Shillers."

"So you are just planning ahead? Why do I feel you simply want to avoid the effort, not wanting many universes to seek help from the central universe?"

"I do indeed have this consideration, as I said, we do not adhere to interventionism."

"Even voluntary aid is not acceptable?"

"Had it been before, I might have accepted anyone who came asking. But now, I better understand why my friends prefer to spend time on travel, dinners, and festival parties."

"And what about yourself? I heard your fees are quite high."

"Indeed, I always charge a premium, but you’ve already paid."

"Already paid? What did you take?" 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

"Clarkia Island is beautiful, an exceptional vacation destination. Thank you for the invitation, we will enjoy a pleasant time together." Shiller smiled at him.

Professor X paused, while Shiller continued his stride. Professor X watched him gradually disappear around the corner, as if briefly touching upon truth concealed behind deep mysterious cosmic rules, as simple as can be, yet indescribably profound.