Karl greatly respected Professor X's integrity.
He had been paralyzed for so many years and endured all the inconveniences that came with it, yet he could still reject such a tempting offer.
That was not something an ordinary person could do.
Unfortunately, Karl knew exactly where his weakness lay.
Karl spoke slowly.
"Charles, even if you refuse to consider yourself, you should at least think about the children around you."
"You may be able to endure it, but what about them?"
Karl stared directly at Charles.
"What exactly do you mean?" Charles could not help asking.
"There is no need for me to mention anything else."
"How much longer can the mental restraints on the young woman behind you last?"
"Have you ever considered what will happen once they break?"
"If that terrifying power erupts, it will not merely destroy the Mutant School. The entire Earth could be destroyed, could it not?"
Karl spoke with a cold smile.
Within Jean's body resided one of the most powerful forces in existence: the Phoenix Force.
Furthermore, because Charles had suppressed it for so many years, the power inside her had already given birth to an entirely separate personality—the Dark Phoenix.
Once it erupted, the consequences would not be limited to a single universe.
The entire Multiverse might be annihilated outright.
Professor X should have understood that perfectly well.
When Charles heard Karl's words, his expression changed completely.
"How do you know everything?"
Professor X could not stop himself from asking.
"Of course I know."
"And I know far more than you do."
"You have no understanding of just how terrifying the power inside her truly is."
"You are gambling with the future of the entire universe."
Karl spoke with a cold smile.
Even Strange's expression changed this time.
"Professor X, is this true?"
"If it is, then this is no longer merely a problem concerning mutants."
"Your people have already caused more than enough trouble over the years."
Strange spoke with a cold expression.
There were hardly any mutants in Karl's universe.
Naturally, the state of the world there was considerably more stable.
The Main Universe was completely different.
The existence of mutants had made the global situation extraordinarily complicated.
They had even nearly triggered a Third World War.
Moreover, the immense power possessed by certain mutants had caused countless disasters.
For example, several decades earlier, Apocalypse, an ancient mutant who had slumbered for countless years, had awakened.
Many powerful individuals had been forced to work together before they could finally suppress and seal him.
Yet according to Karl, an even greater disaster was waiting to happen.
Strange looked toward Jean, who stood behind Professor X.
Jean Grey looked completely bewildered.
What was happening?
Why had they suddenly started talking about her?
She turned a confused gaze toward Professor X.
Professor X patted her hand reassuringly before looking back at Karl.
"Who exactly are you?"
"How do you know all of this?"
Professor X could not help asking once again.
"I have already told you."
"I come from another universe."
"As for why I know all of this, I naturally learned it from the version of your world that exists in my universe."
Karl spoke with complete sincerity.
Professor X remained deeply wary.
"Why should we believe you?"
"Because if I truly harbored malicious intentions toward you, none of you would possess the slightest ability to resist me."
"And yet I have continued reasoning with you until now. Is that not enough to demonstrate my sincerity?"
Karl spoke calmly.
At the same time, the aura surrounding his body erupted throughout the room.
A terrifying force emerged, and suffocating pressure descended upon the entire area.
The other three immediately felt as though they could no longer breathe.
For an instant, it was as though all the air around them had been forcibly removed.
Although the sensation disappeared almost immediately, Professor X understood that the man before him possessed the power to kill him in an instant.
That power was terrifying.
It reminded him of the feeling he had experienced when facing Apocalypse in his youth.
Professor X was stunned.
He had assumed that Sorcerers Supreme were all young men like Strange.
He had never imagined that the Sorcerer Supreme of another universe could possess such terrifying power.
However, Professor X now understood one thing.
Karl had been telling the truth.
He truly possessed the power to destroy the Mutant School.
"If I help you, will you be able to help Jean?"
Professor X asked.
"Of course."
"Although I cannot reinforce the mental restraints you placed on her, I have a better solution."
Karl spoke calmly.
Dissociative personalities were nothing before a master of the soul.
Karl had obtained mastery over the Law of the Soul from Baron Mordo.
He could easily shatter personalities or create entirely new ones.
He could effortlessly transform one person into someone completely different.
Imagine awakening one morning to discover that although your loved one's body had not changed, the soul and personality inside it had been completely replaced by someone else.
It was an utterly terrifying prospect.
Fortunately, Karl had never used his abilities for evil.
Otherwise, the destruction he could cause would surpass that of almost anyone else.
Dealing with Jean's condition could be described as effortless.
Of course, if Jean had been even slightly more powerful, that would have been an entirely different matter.
At her current level, however, she remained within the limits of what Karl could handle.
When Professor X saw how confident Karl was, his resolve began to waver.
Just as Karl had said, Charles might not care about his own body.
He had been disabled for so many years that he had already grown accustomed to it.
Jean, however, was different.
And it was not only Jean.
Many students at the school suffered from serious problems and could lose control of their powers at any moment.
Some possessed lethal abilities.
Others never wanted their powers in the first place and had developed severe psychological problems because of them.
Charles was completely unable to solve all those issues.
He had previously heard that the magic practiced at Kamar-Taj was extraordinarily miraculous.
Perhaps it could offer them a new path forward.
Professor X considered the matter carefully.
After all these years, he was no longer the inexperienced young man he had once been.
He had become wise and decisive.
He was not someone who hesitated endlessly or dragged matters out unnecessarily.
"I have carefully considered what you said."
"We can cooperate."
"I will use Cerebro to help you locate the person you are searching for."
"But in exchange, you must resolve Jean's problem."
Professor X spoke solemnly.
"Then I suppose we have a deal?"
Karl extended one hand.
"We have a deal."
Charles extended his hand as well, and the two shook hands.
With a single movement of Karl's spiritual perception, a warm current flowed directly into Professor X's body.
In the blink of an eye, it repaired the injury he had suffered decades earlier.
It even restored his damaged muscles and completely healed their atrophy.
In that instant, Professor X's expression became extraordinarily complicated.
(End of Chapter)
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