The Phoenix was aloof and reserved.
Her other self, the Dark Phoenix, was fiery, cold-blooded, and domineering.
And now, Herman was facing the passionate side of the Dark Phoenix... Under this persona, Jean Grey was like a queen who reveled in looking down from above.
With every rise and fall, the room echoed with an intense, unrelenting rhythm. The solid-wood bed groaned under the strain as though it were bearing the weight of something beyond its limits.
Herman considered resisting… but was there really a need? He wasn't some naïve novice, nor an inexperienced young man. After all, the very beginning of his journey through worlds had involved a tryst with a female colleague in a bathroom.
Truth be told, even with the Dark Phoenix exerting her telekinesis, Herman didn't find the restraint all that strong. He could break free at any moment.
Without the Phoenix Force, the Dark Phoenix was essentially just another personality within Jean Grey's body—a self born from her fear of her own power. She embodied many traits completely opposite to the original Jean.
Herman had already pieced together what was happening. It seemed Professor Charles's seal on this personality had suffered some kind of failure, allowing the Dark Phoenix to emerge earlier than expected.
What he couldn't figure out was why she would seek him out for something like this.
"What exactly is it about me that attracts her?"
Watching Jean's face now, utterly lost in pleasure, Herman thought of himself as a decent man. He didn't have the heart to cut short a soul that had been bottled up for so long.
In this frenzied clash, he had briefly found himself at a disadvantage due to a "momentary lapse." But soon, he realized that after her initial burst of "power," the Dark Phoenix was starting to show signs of exhaustion.
The crimson marks staining the sheets likely explained why her stamina was failing as well.
In the end, Herman, still brimming with strength, seized the opportunity to break free of his restraints. With a sudden shift, he reversed their positions, turning her advantage into a disadvantage.
The Dark Phoenix, drained from her earlier outbursts, could only watch as Herman launched his counterattack.
What followed was a clash that shook the room, though at least no innocents were harmed. The only casualty was the battered wooden bed, creaking under the onslaught.
Even in the midst of such intensity, Herman's mind stayed clear. He wasn't just guarding against the Dark Phoenix turning on him afterward.
He also had to guard against Professor Charles's psychic scans. If Charles sensed the Dark Phoenix's presence and came searching the mansion for Jean Grey, Herman couldn't stomach the thought of an old man in his seventies or eighties stumbling upon a scene so wildly inappropriate.
With his own psychic ability, he set up a barrier around the room, a shield that would keep other telepaths from intruding. Much like a tie or sock hung on a dorm door, it was a clear signal that this was a time not to be disturbed—one Charles would certainly understand.
The battle raged fiercely.
The Dark Phoenix refused to yield, clinging stubbornly to her role as queen despite her weakening state. Again and again, she tried to wrest back control, unwilling to fall behind.
Their struggle dragged on from afternoon into the shadows of dusk.
This time, it was finally Herman's turn to unleash his "power."
Already at her breaking point, the Dark Phoenix could only let out an unwilling, guttural cry as Herman's final, relentless assault overwhelmed her.
And then…
Silence.
...
"You really did surprise me."
Jean Grey, still looking weak, slipped into a fresh set of clothes and glanced back at Herman with a devilish smile as he dressed as well.
"Likewise."
It had been a long time since Herman had experienced such an evenly matched fight. He answered with a touch of lingering satisfaction.
"You don't seem surprised at all?" Jean hadn't bothered to put on new pants. She stepped up to Herman, who was sitting at the edge of the bed.
The two were only inches apart.
"So you wanted me to look shocked, to demand what exactly you were doing?" Herman, already in sage mode, kept his gaze calm and level.
"Man, you're getting more and more interesting…" Jean Grey—or rather, the Dark Phoenix—felt Herman was cloaked in a mystery she was eager to unravel. His awareness of her felt as if he had known of her existence all along. She loved the way he looked at her, without fear or disgust.
"Ding ding ding~"
Just then, a sharp ringtone broke the moment.
It was Jean Grey's phone.
The Dark Phoenix moved unhurriedly to the nightstand, picking it up from where it had fallen earlier.
"This is Jean Grey."
Her voice gave away nothing unusual.
She tucked the phone to her ear, then turned and straddled Herman, letting him feel her warmth.
Herman, struck by the effect of this surge of combat passion and aggression, knew exactly what she wanted and responded, launching into another round without hesitation.
"This is Ororo. Jean, where are you?"
The phone pressed to the Dark Phoenix's ear as she leaned down to nip at Herman's, letting him hear the call clearly too.
Storm.
Herman found the situation oddly familiar. He could feel Dark Phoenix's emotions—she was enjoying every bit of it.
So he gave her his fullest cooperation.
"Huff~"
Dark Phoenix let out a muffled groan.
"Is something wrong?" she asked into the phone.
"We need your help. That new mutant seems to have lost some memories… Jean, did you catch a cold? Your voice sounds strange."
Ororo's voice carried worried suspicion. She had no idea what Jean—what Dark Phoenix—was going through on the other end of the line.
This was, after all, the power of a god. Not just anyone could endure this kind of clash. Fortunately, Jean Grey's body as an Omega-level mutant far surpassed that of ordinary people. Otherwise, there was no way she could have withstood Herman's strength.
It wasn't as if this was a life-and-death enemy. If someone actually died in a fight like this, that would be troublesome.
"Nothing, just a little tired. I'll be there soon." Dark Phoenix answered boldly, still moving, even quickening her pace. Distracted, she seemed determined to prove herself against Herman. But she had underestimated his state.
"Your voice really does sound off. I think you must have caught a cold. Remember to take medicine—you've been pushing yourself too hard lately." Ororo, unsuspecting, offered her usual gentle advice as she prepared to hang up.
"Hiss~"
Dark Phoenix suddenly sucked in a sharp breath.
That immediately raised Ororo's concern.
"Did you fall?"
She asked quickly.
But no reply came at first.
Moments later, just as Ororo was growing worried enough to consider going to Professor Charles, Dark Phoenix's voice finally came back through.
"Just bumped into a pillar, nothing serious. I'll be there soon."
With that, she hung up.
A moment earlier, Herman had blindsided her with his skill, leaving her briefly shaken. Now she was intent on payback.
The room bore the marks of their clash, and after another long, grueling exchange, the outcome was decided once again.
This time, Herman emerged the victor. No matter how strong Jean Grey's body was, it couldn't match the durability of Herman's divine physique.
"You're stronger than I thought, barbarian."
Dark Phoenix was forced to change into a fresh outfit. Herman, however, had no such worries—his alternate dimension was well-stocked with daily necessities.
"I'd say you rather enjoyed that savagery," he teased as he slipped into new clothes.
"Next time, I'll come for you… You're mine now."
At the doorway, Dark Phoenix glanced back at him with a meaningful look before leaving.
"..."
What could Herman say?
He only smiled in return.
Once fully dressed, Herman stepped out as well. He wrestled with whether he should go to Professor Charles about the Dark Phoenix breaking her seal.
After all, he had just forged a strange kind of "comradeship" with her.
Betraying her immediately afterward felt dishonorable, even to him. Still caught in this conflict, he moved out of the room.
And there she was.
Despite having left minutes earlier, Dark Phoenix was still nearby, braced against a wall, bent over with one hand pressed to her head.
"Are you alright?"
Herman stepped forward, wanting to check on her. Yet the dangerous allure she'd carried before seemed to have completely vanished.
"Herman?"
Jean Grey winced from a sharp headache. As the pain eased, she heard Herman's voice by her ear and slowly opened her eyes.
"Uh… why are you here? Weren't you helping your sister settle into her dorm?" Her gaze was unfocused for a moment before clarity returned.
Her words left Herman dumbstruck. What the hell? After everything that had just happened, was she planning to pretend it never did?
"..."
Herman had been left speechless more times today than in the entire last month. He studied Jean carefully, and finally, he noticed what was off.
The Dark Phoenix had retreated?
"How did it suddenly get so dark!?" Jean didn't wait for his answer, instead noticing the night sky outside.
She remembered it was still afternoon just moments ago.
How could she already see the moon and stars?
"I think something's off with your perception. When we were tidying the dorm, it was afternoon. Now it's already eight or nine at night."
After a pause, Herman explained gently.
"I've lost part of my memory."
Jean quickly understood. She wasn't shocked, only gave a faint, bitter smile.
"It's been a long time since that happened. Sorry… it's probably just my headaches acting up again. An old problem of mine."
She steadied herself against the wall.
She had experienced such episodes since childhood and had long grown used to them. With the professor's help these past couple of years, things had gotten much better.
Still…
"Maybe it's because of Colossus and the others," Jean guessed. That afternoon in Charles's office, she had already felt her emotions slipping.
It made sense her old condition might flare up again.
But this time it was worse than before. In addition to the headaches and memory loss, her whole body ached.
Walking even felt like tearing through pain. Jean quickly straightened, hiding her discomfort.
Her so-called aloofness…
It all stemmed from the insecurity she had carried since childhood, afraid others would see her as a monster.
The Dark Phoenix's existence was the result of Jean separating that "monstrous" side of herself. That was why the Dark Phoenix carried emotions and desires Jean herself lacked.
"Was I just showing you around the academy?" Jean tried piecing together what had happened before her blackout.
Right now, only she and Herman were here. It made sense they had been touring the school. What else could they have been doing?
"Sort of…"
Herman replied vaguely. "You did take me around some places. Beautiful ones. Your enthusiasm was very clear to me."
Hearing that, Jean thought he was complimenting her character.
"That's what I should do. I've always thought the academy has many beautiful spots. I'm glad you feel the same."
Her earlier dangerous charm was gone. She now seemed calm and gentle, smiling warmly at him.
Less temptation. More courtesy.
"By the way, Ororo called earlier. She said that mutant from this morning might need your help."
Herman thought he'd better remind her of something important.
"Huh?"
Jean froze, then quickly nodded.
"Thank you for reminding me. I should go. Do you need Ororo to arrange accommodations for you?"
Lodging? Definitely not.
Herman couldn't sleep in these beds.
"I'm heading back. You know distance means nothing to me." He declined her offer, watching her stride quickly toward the teaching building.
He couldn't help a sigh.
The Dark Phoenix really was formidable.
When she had been in control earlier, nothing seemed amiss. Yet now, Jean walked with a limp.
If nothing else, just in terms of pain tolerance, the Dark Phoenix lived up to being an Omega-level personality.
"This is… nothing like the story I know."
Herman had worried the Dark Phoenix would follow the original timeline and try to destroy everything.
But now it seemed she wasn't that far gone. Since Jean had lost control before and allowed the Dark Phoenix out without the world ending, Herman figured there was no need to run to Charles and snitch.
"Ridiculous."
The whole thing baffled him. The Dark Phoenix went through all that trouble just to come out and… treat him as a "battle partner"?
That wasn't how Marvel stories were supposed to go.
After being sealed for so long, she came out just to fight him?
Was she really that bored?
Unbelievable.
"Well, at least… as long as the world doesn't end, it's not exactly a bad thing." Watching Jean disappear into the night, Herman stepped forward. Raven shadows swirled at his feet, instantly teleporting him back to Stellar Tower.
After showering in the office washroom, he stepped out, planning to grab something from the kitchen.
There, he ran into several employees enjoying a late-night snack. Having gone through a grueling fight earlier, Herman joined in to replenish his energy.
"Mexican barbecue? Good choice."
He settled in with them.
Then suddenly, Matt, the lawyer staying overnight, lifted his head and sniffed the air. With his sharp senses, he caught something no one else had.
"You've got a woman's perfume on you!"
Seriously? He could smell it even after Herman showered?
Daredevil!
Wasn't that ability meant for something else?