Erik knew very well that mutants had to unite if they were to stand a chance against human society. After sorting out his thoughts, he extended an invitation to the other mutants.
Now, Raven, Hank, and the others were faced with a decision. Either they could continue following Charles and remain moderate, or they could follow Erik and take a more radical path. They exchanged glances, all wearing complicated expressions.
In the silence, Raven stepped forward. However, instead of walking towards Erik, she approached Charles to check on his injuries. After all, they had grown up together like siblings. It shouldn't be so easy for her to be swayed, right?
Yet, Charles saw right through Raven's internal struggle. He knew that she had already been convinced by Erik and didn't try to stop her. After saying her goodbyes to Charles, Raven decisively took Erik's hand.
At this, Logan, who had been standing with his arms crossed, frowned and shook his head. "Charles has sacrificed too much, and now you're even taking advantage of him. You've had your eyes on Raven for a long time, Erik. I can see it. This is crossing the line!"
Watching this video from the future, it wasn't just Wolverine who was moved. Many in the audience felt a deep sympathy for the wise and kind-hearted Professor X.
When it came to Charles and Erik, these two friends seemed truly bound by fate. Erik had a tragic childhood but found satisfaction in avenging his enemies and building his own empire—bitterness followed by sweetness. On the other hand, Charles had a relatively easy childhood, only to face loss and suffering in adulthood. Not only had he lost the use of his legs, but now he had also lost Raven, his childhood friend and close companion—sweetness followed by bitterness.
Logan's blunt accusations caused Erik to frown slightly.
Thinking it over, Erik had to admit that his future self hadn't been very honorable. Even in earlier clips, it was clear that he'd been interested in Raven for a long time, and he'd taken advantage of her vulnerability, slipping in when she was most unsure of herself. In any light, it seemed like he was stealing his friend's love.
Of course, Erik wasn't about to admit that out loud. "No, I merely offered them the right choice. If Raven stayed with Charles, she would forever remain an insecure, sensitive girl—a wild, fierce cheetah tamed into a house cat. Logan, tell me, would you be willing to go from a wolf to a dog?"
Logan's face darkened. "Wolf, dog—whatever. Erik, I know you've been trying to recruit me for a while, and I'll admit, some of the things you've said make sense. But let me make one thing clear: you can fuck off!"
Erik's expression tightened. "Logan, didn't that future video shatter your naive delusions? Don't tell me you're going to side with Charles. Trust me, even if the path he's taking isn't a dead end, it's pretty close.
Mark my words, if this strange game broadcasts everything to the world, the situation for mutants like you, me, and Charles will only worsen. By then, you'll have no place to hide. Either you submit to humans, or you stand with us. Think about it carefully, Logan. You've been through enough. You should know what choice to make."
Logan scoffed. "Erik, you've overlooked one important fact: while we might all come from the same world, we're not from the same point in time. You know what that means, right?"
Erik was taken aback by Logan's words. He had indeed overlooked this detail. The future video had primarily focused on himself and Charles, with Logan only making brief appearances, so Erik hadn't paid much attention.
"Parallel universes!"
The concept popped into Erik's mind, and his frown deepened. If parallel universes were involved, that meant there could be another version of himself also watching these live broadcasts.
If that were true, the implications of this Quiz game could be far-reaching and unpredictable.
Meanwhile, the video continued. Erik had swayed Raven to his side, and the trio who had been loyal to Sebastian Shaw—Azazel, Angel, and Riptide—also expressed their submission. Their old leader was gone, and following a new one seemed like a natural choice.
The scene shifted, and Charles was back at his ancestral mansion. While his injuries seemed to have healed, the aftereffects were still apparent. He was now confined to a wheelchair, with Agent Moira pushing him from behind. After everything they'd been through, it was clear that there was now a budding romantic connection between them.
From their conversation, it was also evident that Charles was feeling somewhat down. The recent events had hit him hard—he'd lost the use of his legs, lost Raven, and lost a close friend who had once fought by his side…
The government didn't seem to understand the sacrifices Charles had made during the crisis. As Charles himself said, "We'll still be on the side of the government, still fighting for them. It's just that the government doesn't want to accept us."
Agent Moira shook her head. "No, you're standing with your own team now. That's for the best. You're the X... Men."
Clearly, after the island incident, Moira had realized how cold and indifferent the government could be. Coupled with her feelings for Charles, she was now more inclined to see things from his perspective.
Charles, of course, was aware of her feelings. He wasn't that naive. Smiling, he said, "I like the name, Moira. Now, we need to lie low."
After the island incident, the conflict between mutants and humans was bound to surface. Simply trying to appease the government wouldn't lead to a good outcome—nearly being wiped out on the island was proof of that.
Charles had learned his lesson. While he wasn't as radical as Erik, he understood that the government couldn't be relied upon. They would need their own power, and he had to train the X-Men to better negotiate with human society.
But before that, they would need to remain hidden. Moira thought Charles was hinting at something and immediately promised to keep his whereabouts a secret.
Charles smiled, saying he trusted her completely. Then, he kissed her before gently placing his hand on his temple and using his powers to erase her memories.
It wasn't that he didn't trust her. Through their shared battles, they had built enough trust and intimacy. But Charles knew that if she returned with her memories intact, things wouldn't end well for her. He did it to protect her, at the cost of giving up the love that could have been his.