New York, 1973.
It was a prosperous era.
Skyscrapers stood in dense rows, huge and magnificent airships cruised in the blue sky and white clouds above the city, thousands of cars shuttled back and forth on open and orderly roads, and bustling streets were packed with people.
It was also a depressing era.
The Cold War was still ongoing, and the United States was still deeply mired in the Vietnam War, with everyone from X Academy, except Professor X and Hank, being forcibly conscripted.
"Sir, 35 cents."
A shoeshine boy had just finished serving a customer.
"Why did the price go up? I only give 20 cents."
A middle-aged man in a suit said disapprovingly, dropping a few coins and about to leave.
"Sir, the price went up a week ago. I already told you last time. Please give me 35 cents."
The boy quickly stopped the middle-aged man, but was soon pushed to the ground.
"Get lost! Do you know how precious my time is? Giving you 20 cents is already my charity. If it were before, it would be 10 cents at most…"
The man chattered on, as if the boy didn't know how to appreciate his kindness.
The boy stared blankly at the sky.
"What are you looking at…?"
Seeing him distracted, the middle-aged man also looked up at the sky, his face filled with shock.
Passersby around them also looked up curiously at the sky.
A black crack appeared in the sky, continuously spreading outwards.
More and more people noticed the anomaly in the sky.
The sky suddenly shattered.
A flaming phoenix appeared over New York.
A huge battleship followed suit, bursting out from behind it.
But in the blink of an eye, all of them vanished.
"Did you all see that?"
"I saw it!"
"It wasn't an illusion, it was real. The sky just shattered, and a divine bird appeared, along with a huge spaceship."
"That's an Eastern phoenix."
"Nonsense, if it appears in the United States, then it's a divine bird."
Everyone in New York was discussing it animatedly.
Many even took photos and ran to the nearest newspaper office; this was big news, worth at least a thousand dollars.
The devil was still in the sky, but it had activated its stealth mode. With the technology of this era, as long as it wasn't touched, it couldn't be found.
"We're back."
Professor X looked through the observation window at the blue sky and the dazzling Sun, tears welling up in his eyes.
"Charles…"
Professor X and Charles turned their heads simultaneously.
Eric's palm had become somewhat transparent. Not just him, but all the Mutants who came from the future, except for the younger ones, were like this.
The few knowledgeable individuals present understood why this was happening.
"What's going on?"
Shadowcat looked at the disappearing Iceman beside her, panic-stricken.
"The timeline has a self-correcting mechanism. Since they already existed in this past time period, if two identical individuals appear again, one of them will inevitably be erased."
Dr. Zola said calmly.
Iceman was facing Death, but he still put on a brave front, turning to Shadowcat and comforting her gently.
"Kitty, don't worry, please take good care of yourself."
"No, don't, don't leave me!"
Shadowcat tried to grab Iceman, but she missed and fell to the ground.
On the other side, Blink watched helplessly as Professor's body also began to gradually turn transparent and slowly disappear into the air.
Tears streamed uncontrollably from her eyes.
"Professor…boo hoo hoo…"
That sorrowful cry was heartbreaking.
"It's alright, I should rest too."
Professor X's eyes flashed with reluctance, regret, and finally, relief.
Magneto took off his helmet and threw it to Eric.
"Do me a favor, give this to the me of this era, and then tell him to go to 253 Qujing Street." (Quicksilver's home, I made it up. It's been fifty years, so they should know his identity.)
The surroundings were filled with cries, and everyone was immersed in immense grief, unable to extricate themselves.
Even the Mutants on Nolan's side couldn't help but get red eyes.
"I said, have you seen enough? If you don't act now, they'll really die."
Tony's voice rang out.
The crying in the scene paused.
"How are you so sure I have a way to save them? You know I'm just a consciousness now; my true body is still in the original World."
Nolan asked.
"I've always believed in you! No matter how difficult the challenges, you've never disappointed us."
Tony said.
The others also nodded in agreement, looking at Nolan with anticipation.
Nolan was silent for a moment, then an expression of slight distaste appeared on his face.
"Honestly, a big man saying such sappy things to me doesn't make me feel the slightest bit moved. Instead, it makes me feel uncomfortable all over, even a little nauseous!"
Shadowcat also ran over at this moment, kneeling before Nolan.
"Leader, please save them. I'll do anything you ask, please."
The other Mutants also intended to kneel before Nolan.
Fifty years of fighting side by side had long made their relationships indistinguishable from true family.
A red light flashed in Nolan's hand, and the few individuals immediately stood up straight.
"Don't worry, I currently have no way to deal with this kind of erasure caused by time and space, but…"
With that, Nolan waved out several Rune symbols, and after absorbing the few individuals who had already turned transparent, they each flew off in different directions.
"I've kept their consciousnesses. Now they will merge with their selves from this era. Can you accept a boyfriend who is still in elementary school?"
Nolan.
Shadowcat's tears turned to laughter, and she wiped her eyes.
"Thank you, Leader. I've wanted him to call me big sister for a long time."
Tony gave a thumbs-up.
"Reliable. I knew you'd have a way."
"Enough of that. We need to speed up; this World won't last much longer."
Nolan looked up at the sky with a solemn expression.
The Rune symbols passed through the wall and merged into Professor X, who was currently drinking heavily.
Professor X's body stiffened, and a smile appeared on his previously decadent face.
"It seems I'm still far from resting."
Magneto in the prison also opened his eyes, feeling his youthful body, and clenched his fists.
Iceman, who was punished in class, paused slightly and punched the classmate who had just bullied him in the face.
"Does it hurt?"
"Boo hoo hoo, Teacher, Bobby hit me…"
"It seems to hurt a lot. I'm not dreaming."
Colossus, Sunspot, Storm… who were playing games with their sister.
---
This once-renowned academy for gifted youngsters now appeared semi-abandoned, permeated with the scent of age and decay.
"Hank."
Beast, who was focused on researching potions, heard the voice and had no choice but to stop what he was doing, turning around with a helpless expression.
"Charles, have you run out of liquor again and come to me for more? You, indulging in alcohol all day like this, it really is…"
Beast froze, thinking he was hallucinating.
Professor X, standing behind him, was no longer immersed in the chaotic World created by alcohol, as he had been in the past.
At this moment, Professor X was dressed in a long-unseen, exquisite suit, sharp and elegant;
His face, which had always appeared haggard from heavy drinking, now glowed with a gentle luster, and a softer smile than usual played on his lips.
The Professor X of the past had returned.
"Charles, you've recovered."
Beast asked cautiously.
"No, it should be said that I've returned."
Professor X looked at his old friend with a hint of nostalgia.
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