Renzo lay lazily on a recliner, basking in the gentle sunlight. The golden glow on his forehead flickered faintly, hinting at his relaxed mood.
"Why are you just lying here doing nothing?" Pietro complained, snatching away Renzo's sunglasses in a flash of silver.
"I call this enjoying life." Renzo stretched, then looked Pietro up and down. "Where's your beard? Did you shave it?"
Pietro rubbed his smooth chin. "It makes me look younger. I think I'm more handsome without it!"
Renzo ignored the narcissism and stood up. "I heard Charles built a school specifically for mutant children."
Yes—after the war against Apocalypse, both Charles and Eric had been deeply shaken. They chose to work together to establish the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters, providing education and shelter to children who had suffered discrimination or lacked proper opportunities.
Both of them had realized their own limitations—especially after witnessing Apocalypse's overwhelming power. Even without directly fighting him, the sheer pressure had been suffocating.
Under Renzo's subtle influence, they also began to see the flaws in their previous approaches. In the end, they decided to combine their ideals—forming an organization independent of governments, yet cooperative with them. They would handle mutant-related crises, prevent international incidents, and earn support through action.
Meanwhile, Raven joined the CIA with Moira's backing, officially becoming an agent. Hank established his own laboratory with the foundation's support, recruiting scientists to research mutant-related medicine.
Renzo strolled slowly to the school entrance, his eyes widening slightly at the luxurious villa complex Charles had built. The once-empty grounds were now filled with landscaped gardens, dormitories, and recreational spaces for the students.
Pietro had been waiting impatiently at the entrance for quite some time. "What took you so long?"
"Yeah, yeah—you're the fastest. You do everything quickly." Renzo waved him off, too lazy to argue.
As he admired the surroundings, Renzo couldn't help but note how different Charles's taste was compared to Tony's—though that might also just be the era.
"Hey!" Charles stepped out with a bright smile, casually draping an arm over Renzo's shoulders. "Have you really not considered staying? I could make you vice principal."
"And what would Eric be—the headmaster?" Renzo chuckled as the two walked inside together.
The villa itself had only recently been completed—built by their very own "master engineer," Eric. Every beam and structure bore his handiwork.
"Hey, Sean!" Renzo greeted him in the hallway. Sean nodded back with a faint smile.
"His vocal cords… we still haven't found a way to heal them." Charles's expression dimmed slightly. Sean's ability depended on sound waves—damage to his voice meant losing his greatest power.
Still, Charles had arranged for him to remain at the school as a teacher, though he could no longer serve as an X-Man.
Thud!
"Sorry!"
A group of children bumped into Renzo. Seeing Charles beside him, they quickly scrambled up, apologized loudly, and ran off laughing.
Watching their carefree smiles, Renzo felt a wave of nostalgia. He remembered his own school days—wandering the corridors with friends, scattering when teachers appeared, whispering endlessly from the back row during class.
He even remembered the time they smuggled an entire sausage into class, passing it around until the whole back row was caught and thrown out.
A smile lingered on his face the entire walk.
Maybe… just maybe… they really could create a better future for mutants.
…
Evening.
The villa was brightly lit. Fireworks burst into the sky, and children's laughter echoed around the lake. Aman and Sean chased after them like exhausted caretakers, trying—and failing—to keep up with the chaos.
Pietro sat by the campfire, Salvador in his arms, grinning as he drank beer and sang along to no particular tune.
Her wings had been destroyed, but she had survived thanks to surgery. Now, she and Pietro openly flaunted their relationship—feeding each other cherries all day, sometimes even mouth-to-mouth.
Renzo watched them with a hint of envy, unconsciously imagining himself and Wanda in the same scene.
…Yeah. Just thinking about it was enough.
"Do you have a girlfriend?" Charles suddenly appeared beside him, taking a sip of beer, his cheeks flushed.
"Yes—but she's not here." Renzo declined the drink, then motioned for Alex to help carry the increasingly drunk Charles away. At the same time, he subtly used the Mind Stone to stabilize him before things got out of hand.
Nearby, Logan raised a large mug of beer and drank deeply.
After being captured by Japanese authorities, he had eventually come to understand the ideals Charles and Eric stood for. At first, he had only partially agreed—but over time, he had been convinced.
Now, he stayed on as a teacher—and a trainee X-Man.
Victor, however, hadn't been so fortunate. His violent nature had earned him a place in a specially constructed mutant prison, courtesy of Eric. He shared the facility with Cain—both enjoying "private rooms."
On the bright side, at least no one was there to bother them.
"Hey."
Renzo felt someone sit beside him and looked up, slightly puzzled. He was unusually popular today.
Azazel leaned against the chair, the scars on his face still stark and visible. His voice was hesitant.
"Can you… take me with you?"
"Hm?" Renzo raised an eyebrow. "Where did that come from? Isn't it good here?"
"I can't see my future." Azazel gazed at the night sky. Without the pollution of later years, the stars shone brilliantly—like a vast curtain of light, peaceful and endless.
He felt lost.
Once, he had believed Shaw was someone worth following—bold, ruthless, a natural leader.
But after seeing the devastation in Cairo, something inside him had shifted. All the killing… everything he had done—was it really worth it?
Renzo looked up at the same sky, silently sensing Azazel's turmoil—then suddenly laughed.
"Didn't expect the Red Devil to have an emo moment."
Azazel shook his head helplessly and stood to leave.
"I'll take you with me."
Renzo's calm voice stopped him.
"Are you serious?!" Azazel turned back, grabbing Renzo's hand in excitement—earning an immediate look of disgust.
Renzo pulled his hand away.
"I'm putting together a team…"
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