Lucien "Black King"'s ability had always been a curse disguised as a gift—he could absorb any form of energy. The problem was, his body couldn't contain it.
As he devoured the collapsing power of the original world, cracks started appearing across his body like burnt porcelain. His skin darkened, sizzling with decomposition.
He looked up, eyes wild, and roared,
"I refuse to lose—to that bastard Ryuuto!"
The next second, his body imploded—swallowed by his own power.
When the world-stabilizing technique finally faded, only a third of the building remained—like a bite had been taken out of it by some cosmic beast.
Emma Frost's control had shattered upon her death. The mutants she'd manipulated blinked back to consciousness, confused and terrified. None of them wanted to continue the chaos—they scattered like frightened birds.
High above, Ryuuto watched the aftermath unfold, expression unreadable.
"All that destruction… just because one man couldn't handle rejection," he muttered coldly.
Hovering a moment longer, he let himself fall, landing lightly amid the rubble.
He pulled out his comm and called Hela.
When the Queen of the Underworld arrived, she was scowling. "You mortals are unbelievable. I was in the middle of playing with my toys from Midgard, and you—my supposed ally—use me as a glorified taxi!"
Ryuuto smirked. "You know what they say—service with a scythe."
"I swear, if you summon me again this week, I'll raise your soul price."
"Deal. How about two dinners next month instead?"
"Fine!"
"You can go back now, your… toys are waiting," Ryuuto teased. "Though, tell me, how old are you again?"
Hela tilted her head, thinking. "Nine hundred, give or take. Why?"
"Then I should be calling you Obaa-san."
"I'm not old!" she snapped. "Look at me—does this skin look ancient to you?"
Ryuuto gave her a once-over and nodded solemnly. "Smoother than a sixteen-year-old. Fair point."
Satisfied, Hela disappeared in a ripple of green flame.
Back at the school, Ryuuto dropped by Charles' office, explained what had happened, then returned to his room.
He opened the drawer and pulled out the gift box Katie Dee had given him earlier. Inside was a neatly folded blue scarf.
He wasn't the type to wear scarves, but… since it was from her, he wrapped it around his neck anyway. The summer heat instantly hit him like a punch.
"Yeah, no," he sighed, tossing it back into the drawer.
Lying back on his bed, Ryuuto stared at the ceiling.
"I'm tired," he muttered. "Maybe I should try being a normal student for once…"
And then it hit him—Tony Stark's old offer.
"If you ever want to study anywhere," Tony had said, "I'll get you in. Harvard, Oxford, Wakandan Royal Academy, hell—even Asgard's combat institute."
Ryuuto grinned. "University life, huh? Why not?"
After all, in his previous life in Japan, he'd only made it to high school. He'd never gone to college. Maybe it was time to experience that "normal" dream everyone talked about.
He found Susan in her room. "Hey. I'm thinking about enrolling in a university for a while."
Susan blinked. "You? College?"
He nodded. "Just for a change of pace. Solo trip."
Her expression faltered. The word alone stung a little, but she understood. Ryuuto had been fighting nonstop—he deserved a break.
"Okay," she said softly. "But promise me you'll visit. Or at least call."
Ryuuto smiled. "Don't worry. Hela's my teleport service now. I can come back anytime. If you get lonely at night, I'll pop right back—no toll fees."
Susan blushed hard. "Y-you're impossible."
Before she could scold him, Ryuuto's phone buzzed. Tony Stark.
"Kid," Tony said, voice crackling over the line, "I figured out how to disable that mutant chip."
Ryuuto raised an eyebrow. "Already?"
"Yeah. You're not gonna believe this—it's olive oil."
"…Olive oil?"
"Yeah! Just drip it on the inner chip. It blocks the contact layer that reads X-gene fluctuations. The thing basically shorts out."
"That's… so dumb it's genius."
Tony laughed. "Genius often sounds dumb at first. Anyway, spread the word—it might save lives."
"Got it. Oh, and Tony," Ryuuto said, "remember when you said you'd sponsor me for university?"
"You finally taking me up on it?"
"Yeah. I'm thinking Oxford."
"Classic choice. When do you want to start?"
"Tomorrow."
"…Tomorrow?! You're really going for it, huh? What major?"
"Surprise me. Tell them I'm that type of student who wants to attend, but also doesn't."
Tony snorted. "That's every student. Don't worry, I'll have the dean roll out the red carpet. Just remember, you're basically a global icon now. Try not to terrify the freshmen."
"If they're scared, that's their problem," Ryuuto said with a grin. "I've seen gods bleed."
"Fair enough. Oh—and Ryuuto?" Tony added with a sly tone. "Oxford's full of smart, beautiful girls. Many have never dated before. I'm just saying… if opportunity knocks—"
"Tony."
"Yeah?"
"If Natasha finds out you said that, she'll put a bullet in your coffee."
"…Noted."