Chapter 26

“The little girl’s ability could be dangerous to other mutants, and Magneto is already looking for her. Although we don’t know his exact plan, we must stop him.”

“Norin, among us, only you are immune to her powers. So for the time being, it’s your responsibility to protect her.”

“No problem, Professor.”

Norin agreed without hesitation. Rogue, too, had no objections. She felt safe with him.

Logan, however, was visibly upset. He had met Rogue first and had been the one protecting her. Now, suddenly, this newcomer had taken his place?

He glanced at Rogue and saw that her eyes hardly left Norin.

What could Logan say?

Perhaps this freed him up to drink and fool around without worrying too much.

Still, he couldn’t help but notice Jean Grey.

Something about her elegance and maturity caught his attention—it was exactly his type.

But Logan knew he was destined to be a lone wolf, wandering and searching for his lost memories.

So, after ensuring Rogue wasn’t Magneto’s immediate target, Logan prepared to leave.

However, Charles stopped him.

“Logan, we have something more important to discuss.”

“Didn’t we already settle this?” Logan replied impatiently.

“What we’re about to discuss concerns the future of all mutants—including yours!”

Knock knock knock.

“Professor, we’re here!”

Shadowcat (Kitty Pryde) and Beast (Hank McCoy) entered the room.

“Of course! Come with me.”

Kitty playfully winked at Norin and then led Rogue out of the room.

Rogue, understanding that this was a discussion she wasn’t meant to hear, obediently followed Kitty outside.

The next phase of the plan was about to begin—a crucial meeting about mutant survival.

Meanwhile, in Alberta, Canada—Land of Maple Leaves.

On the way to capture Rogue, Sabretooth encountered unexpected resistance.

Three figures now stood in the aftermath, observing the broken trees, smashed car doors, and the burnt remains of a pickup truck.

Leading the group, Erik (Magneto) wore a grim expression.

“Where’s Sabretooth? The mission was incomplete. Where is everyone else?”

Beside him, Toad and Mystique remained silent, too afraid to speak.

“Find him!” Erik roared. “Alive, I want to see him! Dead, I want to see his body!”

Magneto’s frustration was palpable. Rogue was a key component of his next plan—failure wasn’t an option.

Though Magneto’s intentions were for the survival of mutants, he wasn’t above risking others’ lives to achieve his goals.

The two split up to search for clues.

They soon came across a devastated forest area, likely caused by Cyclops. Evidence suggested that Cyclops and Sabretooth had fought fiercely here.

But something didn’t add up.

Given Sabretooth’s strength, how could he fail so miserably and disappear entirely?

They were certain the X-Men hadn’t captured him, as there was no word of such news.

With Sabretooth’s regenerative abilities, killing him was nearly impossible.

After half a day of searching, they only found traces of blood.

Magneto was about to give up when he spotted something unusual from above.

In the distance, another area of devastation caught his eye.

Upon closer inspection, they found Sabretooth—frozen solid inside a block of ice.

Sabretooth’s condition was horrifying.

Although his healing abilities had repaired some of the damage, the trauma had left him unconscious.

His body was still in pieces, with his lower half separated and frozen in place.

The sight left Magneto, Mystique, and Toad speechless.

What kind of terrifying battle had Sabretooth endured to be blasted so far and left in such a broken state?

Even with Sabretooth’s resilience, it was clear that if any of them—Mystique or Toad—had faced the same fight, they wouldn’t have survived.

Magneto set aside his anger for the moment and used his powers to break the ice, helping Sabretooth’s body regenerate.

When Sabretooth finally woke, Magneto immediately demanded an explanation.

Despite his usual silence, Sabretooth managed to give a fragmented account of the battle.

In the Magneto camp, few bonds of friendship existed among members. They communicated as little as possible, focusing only on missions.

Even so, Magneto listened patiently until he pieced together the events.

“A new mutant in Xavier’s ranks? One with flight, lasers, and psychic powers? A formidable mutant—what a shame he’s on the wrong side.”

Magneto’s expression darkened as he lamented the situation.

If only this powerful mutant could be recruited into their cause, Magneto believed the dream of mutant dominance would be closer than ever.

“What’s our next move?” Mystique asked.

Magneto quickly refocused.

“We proceed with the plan. First, we capture Senator Kelly.”

“Mystique, I’m leaving the matter of Rogue to you.”

Mystique nodded.

As a master spy, she viewed Xavier’s mansion defenses as laughably inadequate.

The mutants who had grown accustomed to peaceful lives lacked the vigilance to handle a serious threat.

This would be her chance to strike.