As expected from his own creation, the device worked flawlessly.
After detecting the energy signature, it quickly narrowed down the location through a series of triangulations and spectral analyses. The calculations were complex—accounting for atmospheric distortion, magnetic interference, and the sheer distance involved—but within two days, Elric had precise coordinates.
Antarctica.
Of course it was Antarctica. Because nothing good ever happened in remote, frozen wastelands.
But Elric hadn't just been sitting around waiting for the device to work.
After obtaining Kevin's powers, he'd initially assumed he would need to physically transform to use the abilities he absorbed—shifting his body like Kevin did between alien forms. Under that assumption, he'd been selective, not wanting to waste slots on weak powers. Plus, there was the very real concern that absorbing too many different DNA strands might turn him into a monster, like Kevin 11's mutated form from the original timeline.
But then he'd discovered something incredible.
His cells didn't just copy mutant abilities—they integrated them.
Perfectly. Permanently. Without transformation required.
Shaw's energy absorption? Passive, always active.
Azazel's teleportation? Available whenever he needed it.
And once he realized this, he didn't hold back at all.
Over the past two days, he'd systematically collected genetic samples and absorbed a whole arsenal of mutant powers.
Darwin's Adaptation — reactive evolution, allowing his body to automatically develop whatever traits needed to survive extreme conditions.
Jean's Telekinesis — the ability to move objects with thought alone, refined from direct contact with her genetic code.
Professor X's Telepathy — mental communication and surface-level mind reading, though nowhere near Charles's refined skill yet.
If he'd wanted to, he could have walked through Xavier's school and absorbed every single mutant ability there. His enhanced Galvan intelligence even allowed him to optimize the powers slightly, making them more efficient than their original forms.
But honestly? Most mutant powers were shit in the grand scheme of things.
Useful for street-level conflicts, sure. But compared to cosmic threats, Infinity Stones, entities like the Phoenix Force? They were barely worth the effort.
Still, the foundation was solid. And now that he understood how his absorption worked, he could be more strategic going forward.
Coming to this universe doesn't seem like such a bad thing after all, Elric thought as he refined the last calculations on his device. Now I just need to wrap this up and go home.
DING... RING...
His phone buzzed.
"Hello?"
"Mr. Elric." Professor Xavier's voice came through, calm but tinged with urgency. "We're ready to leave whenever you are. The jet is fueled and waiting."
"Alright. Ten minutes."
Elric hung up and headed downstairs.
Hela was sprawled on the couch, eyes glued to the TV screen where some anime was playing. She'd become completely absorbed in Earth's entertainment over the past two years—especially Japanese animation, which she consumed like an addict.
"Okay, lazy bum. Let's go."
"Where?" Hela asked without looking up, her hand reaching blindly for a bag of chips on the coffee table.
"Antarctica."
That got her attention. She paused the show and finally looked at him. "You found it?"
"The device narrowed down the location. Professor X is bringing Jean and Logan as backup. We're taking the X-Jet."
Hela groaned dramatically. "Do I have to come? Can't you just handle it yourself?"
"You want to go home or not?"
"...Fine." She stood reluctantly, stretching. "But if this turns out to be another wild goose chase, I'm going to stab someone."
"Get in line."
The Antarctic Wasteland
A seal lounged on the ice, basking in what little sunlight penetrated the perpetual cloud cover. Its eyes were half-closed, utterly at peace in its frozen domain.
Then a massive shape lunged from the water.
Jaws clamped around the seal's neck. It struggled briefly, flippers thrashing, before going still. Blood pooled on the white snow, spreading in a crimson stain that looked almost beautiful against the pristine landscape.
The polar bear dragged its kill onto solid ice, preparing to feast.
Then a deafening roar split the air.
The X-Jet descended rapidly, retro-thrusters firing to slow its descent. It landed with a heavy THUD barely twenty meters from the bear, kicking up a storm of snow and ice.
The bear took one look at the metal beast and abandoned its meal, lumbering away as fast as its legs could carry it.
The jet's hatch hissed open, revealing four figures.
Logan stepped out first, immediately wrapping his jacket tighter around himself. "Bub, is this really the right place? There's nothing here but ice and more ice."
"The readings are coming from here," Elric confirmed, checking his device. The screen pulsed with energy signatures emanating from somewhere beneath them.
Logan grumbled. "And we're sure this thing—whatever it is—actually did something wrong? Can't we just leave it alone? I'm freezing my ass off."
"No." Jean's voice was firm. She stepped out of the jet, her red hair whipping in the Antarctic wind. "Whatever this is clearly did something to Magneto. Isn't that enough reason to investigate?"
Logan glanced at her, then looked away with a slight grimace.
This Jean reminded him painfully of his own—the one from his original timeline, before everything went to hell. But she was also completely different. Younger, more idealistic, with a stubborn streak that sometimes grated on his nerves.
Still, she wasn't his Jean. He had to keep reminding himself of that.
"Both of you, enough." Elric stepped between them. "We're not here to fight. We're here to observe, gather information. If this thing or person is truly dangerous, we engage. Otherwise, we leave it alone and go home. Simple."
"Simple," Logan muttered. "Right."
But Elric was fairly certain it wouldn't be simple at all.
Even using his Byakugan—which could see through solid matter for kilometers—it had taken him almost two hours to find anything unusual in this frozen wasteland.
Finally, he'd spotted it: an entrance, cleverly disguised beneath layers of ice and rock.
It was an elevator shaft.
A massive elevator shaft, leading straight down into the earth. And after following it with his enhanced vision, he'd discovered something incredible—a huge underground base nearly thirty kilometers below the surface, built inside a subterranean ocean or lake.
The technology required to construct something like that was far beyond anything currently available on Earth. It would need resources, manufacturing capabilities, and engineering knowledge that no country possessed.
Like something from off-world.
Or from the future.
"There," Elric pointed toward a section of ice that looked identical to everything around it. "The entrance is under that ridge."
Hela cracked her knuckles. "Finally, something interesting."
They approached the ridge carefully. Up close, Elric could make out faint seams in the ice—artificial, precise cuts that formed the outline of a doorway.
Logan extended his claws. "Want me to—"
Image
"Please don't touch my things."
Everyone froze.
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