Reborn with Steve Stand-Chapter 825: Meeting the distraught Charles

Logan panted heavily, looking down at the gangsters sprawled across the floor.

It was clear that these thugs were no match for him. Even with guns, they couldn't stand up to a battle-hardened mutant like Logan, and instead, their attacks only served to anger him further.

"I need to... calm down..." Logan muttered to himself as he felt his heart racing due to the pain.

He recalled Kitty's warning from before. If he got too agitated, her time-traveling ability might fail. Taking a deep breath, Logan averted his gaze from the beaten gangsters, closed his eyes, and did his best to regain his composure.

But just then, the sound of clapping came from nearby.

"As expected of an X-Man, you travel back in time and immediately take down an entire American gang," Fang Mo said, seated on the couch with a grin. "Impressive... sleeping with the mob boss's daughter and wiping out his men..."

"I told you it wasn’t me!" Logan shouted, feeling his temper flare up again.

"Sigh, knowing this, I shouldn't have brought you here," Fang Mo said with exaggerated regret. "I should've taken you to Italy."

"And what would we do in Italy?" Logan asked, exasperated.

"Well… maybe we could do the Mafia Shuffle together?" Fang Mo replied, stroking his chin in thought.

"You're talking nonsense," Logan sighed, completely clueless about the joke. He bent down to pick up a car key from the floor. "Now’s not the time for jokes. I need to find Charles, and you’re coming with me."

"Oh, you finally realized how important I am, huh?" Fang Mo laughed.

"???" Logan gave him a puzzled look. "What nonsense are you spouting? I’m just worried you’ll cause even more trouble for me!"

"Tch." Fang Mo made a displeased face.

"Let’s get moving," Logan said, waving Fang Mo along as he headed toward the door.

Fang Mo shrugged and stood up to follow Logan. After a few steps, he suddenly thought of something and asked, "So… are you seriously not going to put on some underwear?"

"Can you just shut up?!" Logan snapped.

"…"

Despite their bickering, the two of them eventually left the room.

Not long after, they exited the hotel, and Logan found an old car using the key. He started the engine and, with a press of the gas pedal, drove off.

The streets of New York, looking old-fashioned compared to the modern day, reflected the era they had returned to. Many streets were not as well-organized as in Logan’s time, causing him to take longer than expected to navigate the city. 𝐑𝒶Νꝋ𝔟Ёs̩

By the time they reached Charles Xavier's mansion on the outskirts of town, the sun was already setting. To Logan’s surprise, the place appeared abandoned, with wild grass growing everywhere and the gates tightly shut. A prominent sign hung on the gates.

"Private Property – No Trespassing?"

Logan raised an eyebrow at the sign and scanned his surroundings. Nearby, he spotted another sign half-buried in the grass. It was the old plaque for the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters, now covered in moss.

"Did something happen here?" Logan muttered, feeling a growing sense of unease.

"Why are you asking me?" Fang Mo said as he fiddled with his golden cup. "Why don’t you go inside and ask Charles yourself?"

"…"

Logan shot a glance at Fang Mo, briefly annoyed at how he never seemed to do any actual work. Then again, considering Fang Mo’s chaotic nature, maybe it was best to let him play with his ‘toys’ rather than causing trouble. With a sigh, Logan pushed open the gate and drove into the grounds.

They soon arrived at the entrance of Xavier’s mansion. Logan parked the car, got out, and walked up to the door with Fang Mo following closely behind. He knocked twice.

A few moments later, the door opened slightly, revealing a young man wearing glasses. He looked irritated. "I don’t know who you’re looking for, but the school’s been closed for years. I don’t care if you’re a student or a parent—"

"Beast?" Logan interrupted, recognizing the man.

"?!"

The young man’s expression changed drastically as he took a closer look at Logan and Fang Mo. His eyes widened in shock. "Logan? And… Fang Mo?!"

"Yeah, it’s us," Logan confirmed. "What happened here?"

"My God… you’re back!" Beast, or Hank McCoy, exclaimed excitedly. He flung the door open and gave Logan a bear hug. "I can’t believe it! I thought I’d never see you again!"

"In a way, it’s been a long time for us too," Logan replied, returning the hug. There was a hint of melancholy in his voice. "It’s good to see you again, old friend."

"Of course!" Beast said, grinning. "You know, it’s been ages since I’ve seen any old friends…"

"So where are they?" Logan asked, his tone turning serious. "I saw the school’s sign thrown out at the entrance. What happened? Are mutants no longer welcome here?"

"Well…" Beast’s smile faltered, his expression becoming tense.

"And Charles?" Logan pressed. "I can’t imagine him allowing something like this. He’s always cared deeply for his students…"

"You’re not going to like this," Beast sighed. "The professor… he’s not the same man you remember."

"What do you mean?" Logan asked, concern evident in his voice. "What happened to him?"

"He’s paralyzed,"

Beast sighed, his voice filled with sadness. "His health deteriorated, and you can guess what happened next. Erik left with Raven and the others, taking his most important friends and family. Then, the war broke out. Both students and teachers were forcibly conscripted. He felt like he had lost everything..."

"I see," Logan said, his mood becoming somber.

Before he could say more, the sound of footsteps echoed from nearby.

"Hank!"

A familiar voice called out as a disheveled figure slowly appeared at the top of the stairs. "I heard someone knocking. Do we have visitors?"

"Professor?"

Logan instinctively looked up.

It was indeed the younger version of Charles Xavier. However, he looked nothing like the powerful leader they remembered. He was frail, leaning on the stair railing as he walked slowly. He wore a blanket draped over his shoulders and clutched a bottle of whiskey in one hand. His hair and beard were unkempt, his eyes sunken and dull, and his whole demeanor screamed of defeat and self-neglect, completely different from the Charles they once knew as the X-Men's leader.

"…Hmm?"

Charles squinted down toward Logan, barely recognizing him. But before he could say anything, a familiar voice suddenly rang out: "Bad news! The headmaster of Xavier’s school, Charles H... has fallen!"

"Ugh..."

Beast facepalmed in frustration, clearly recognizing Fang Mo's unique way of speaking. Only he could deliver news with such dramatic flair. It was unmistakably the real Fang Mo.

"Can’t you ever stop talking?" Logan scowled at Fang Mo, giving him a sharp glare.

"Wait... that voice..."

Charles froze when he heard Fang Mo speak. Suddenly, he rushed down the stairs, his face full of shock and disbelief. "It’s you! It’s really you! You finally came!!!"

In his excitement, Charles lost his footing and stumbled down the stairs.

"Professor!"

Thankfully, Beast acted quickly, catching Charles before he hit the ground. He gently helped him walk the rest of the way down.

"Fang Mo! It’s really you!" Charles was surprisingly emotional. As soon as he reached Fang Mo, he grabbed his arm tightly, his voice trembling. "I’ve been searching for you all these years! You disappeared without a trace! You promised to heal my legs!!!"

"Didn’t you already get treated?" Logan asked, confused by Charles' outburst.

"It’s not the same," Beast interjected. "It’s a serum that suppresses his mutant ability. While it temporarily fixes his spine, it’s only a suppressant, not a cure."

"So, the professor has lost his powers?" Logan immediately understood.

Beast didn’t reply, but his silence spoke volumes.

"Don’t worry," Fang Mo said, trying to calm Charles. He pulled out a vial of healing potion. "I'm not great at making money, but I’m excellent at curing ailments. See this potion? Guaranteed to cure everything."

"Give it to me!" Charles snatched the vial eagerly, staring at it with hope and desperation. "Do I drink it or inject it?"

"You melt it on foil and—"

Fang Mo started to joke, but Logan yanked him back.

"Enough of your jokes!" Logan snapped, exasperated. He turned to Charles, getting straight to the point. "Professor, we need your help."

"What?" Charles looked confused. Then he glanced at Fang Mo, and a mocking smile spread across his face, as if he’d just heard a ridiculous joke. Pointing at himself, he said sarcastically, "You need my help? You two?"

"We have to stop Raven," Logan said seriously, gesturing toward Fang Mo. "You know how unpredictable he can be. If we leave things to him, the consequences could be disastrous..."

"Wait, what’s wrong with Raven?" Beast suddenly asked, his expression turning serious.

"Alright, here’s the situation," Logan explained. "It all starts with the Sentinel robots, fifty years from now. They were designed to exterminate mutants, and it all began with the Sentinel Program in 1973..."

Logan went on to explain the Sentinel Program and the future it would create.

"So, what you’re saying is…" Charles finally spoke, a wry smile on his face. "You two have traveled back in time to stop the creation of the Sentinel Program?"

"That’s right," Logan nodded. "We need your help, Professor."

"Hah..." Charles let out a bitter laugh. "I think I’ve had too much to drink. I should go rest."

"Your powers manifested when you were nine," Logan began, sighing deeply. "You thought you were going crazy because you could hear all those voices in your head. Then, at twelve, you realized those voices weren’t imaginary—they were the thoughts of other people. Do you want me to go on?"

Charles froze, stunned. He had never told anyone those personal details before.

"Wait, wait a minute," Beast interrupted. "Are you saying the Sentinel Program is so terrifying that even Fang Mo, a godlike figure, can’t handle it?"

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"How do I even explain this..." Logan groaned, rubbing his face in frustration.

"?"

Beast and even Charles looked at Logan, curious about his answer.

It made sense for them to be skeptical. In their minds, Fang Mo was practically invincible. He had earned the title of "Celestial," and even the powerful mutant Sebastian Shaw couldn’t defeat him. They couldn't imagine a threat so dire that Fang Mo couldn't handle it.

"The truth is…" Logan paused, still struggling with how to explain. "Fang Mo did eliminate the Sentinels."

"Then why did you two come back?"

"He destroyed Earth along with them.”