Authors Note-
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General harnessed Ghost's power, drifting through the air like smoke—summoned phantoms, delivering relentless blows amid the apocalyptic sky. Defense became impossible, and Apocalypse's colossal 30-meter form gradually shrank to an ordinary person's.
Though nearly powerless, Apocalypse faced a spatial blockade by the Red Devil to prevent escape. Punch after punch rained down on Apocalypse, blood spurting from his mouth. Finally, a giant hand seized them, holding them in place. Faced with imminent peril, Apocalypse reacted, deploying a protective shield. Under immense pressure, General's body nearly burst, staining red with blood.
Surprisingly, despite being on the verge of death, his life force persisted.
"I intended to take a break! It seems I must do all the work!"
A theatrical voice echoed, and all eyes turned skyward to see a figure in a silver mask, exuding an immortal aura.
"Dad!" Kyle, Chris, and Clark exclaimed simultaneously, recognizing Ivan despite the mask. Ivan nodded to his three children, then gestured to General. Understanding, the general tossed the powerless Apocalypse to Ivan.
In full view, Ivan effortlessly decomposed Apocalypse using his abilities. The spectacle left everyone stunned, as if in an unreal moment. The once formidable Apocalypse, which was supposed to be immortal, crumbled. Was it due to the opponent's overwhelming strength or a specific ability against Apocalypse?
In truth, the mutants were unaware that Ivan's apparent ease in defeating Apocalypse stemmed from the latter's severe damage and loss of resistance. Otherwise, even with Ivan's superior strength, defeating Apocalypse would have required considerable effort.
After Ivan disassembled Apocalypse's body, all that remained was a faint soul form, invisible to everyone else. Ivan swiftly produced a gourd, capturing Apocalypse's soul within it. Given Apocalypse's initial enhancement by the Celestial's blood, resulting in a unique evolution, it held significant research value that couldn't be overlooked.
While Ivan appeared engrossed in his task, he secretly observed Professor X and others' reactions. Seeing their astonishment at his performance delighted him, and he reveled in the success of his act.
Yet, Ivan's joy was short-lived. Just as he basked in his moment, an annoying voice from behind disrupted his peace. "Ivan Shaw, you're here. This must be your fault again. What in the world happened?"
Ivan grew infuriated, having just perfectly donned his act.
'Who dared to disturb me now?'
Turning around, he spotted a beautiful figure swiftly flying toward him—Diana, Wonder Woman. Clad in a breastplate, carrying a round shield on her back and a golden rope at her waist. Ivan, wearing a mask, couldn't fathom how she recognized him so quickly.
Facing a world-threatening crisis, it wasn't surprising that the government sought Wonder Woman's expertise. However, her unexpected encounter with Ivan brought back memories of a past encounter's shame.
Ivan sighed internally about his misfortune of meeting this formidable woman again. A sudden realization struck him as he prepared to leave using Apparation.
'Wonder Woman couldn't have flown here normally—no plane or personal transportation.'
Studying Wonder Woman, Ivan focused on her boots. A magical power was being emitted, the key to her flight. Recalling that Wonder Woman had initially obtained a pair of Boots of Hermes, granting her swift travel anywhere, Ivan wondered if this was a divine gift from Zeus to his daughter.
The mention of Ivan's name by Wonder Woman astonished Magneto, Professor X, and others. Having faced Ivan during the Cuban Missile Crisis, they knew his formidable powers. The realization that the silver-masked man was Ivan raised questions about the connection between Ivan, Chris, and Moira.
With his bald head, Professor X seemed to display a green tinge of envy. Although he never had a romantic relationship with Moira, she was the first woman to leave a lasting impression on him. Ivan, however, remained oblivious to Professor X's thoughts, expressing annoyance at Wonder Woman. "Miss Diana, what the heck am I doing? Spare me your deductions, and why do you keep staring at me? Go back to Paradise Island and be a good child. It's not easy for me to reveal my face and be impressive. If I mess up again, isn't it because I took advantage of you in the first place? So, don't be so ruthless!"
"Shut up!" Wonder Woman erupted with anger, her eyes ablaze. "If you dare mention what happened before?"
Those unaware of the backstory looked at Ivan disdainfully, questioning what he could have done to incur such hatred. They wondered if it was an act of abandonment in chaos, deeming it utterly unmanly.
Ivan sneered, "It's your call. Wake up; I've learned my lesson from the beating I took last time."
The onlookers, including the three brothers, collectively winced: You did what? Be careful; even a beautiful woman like her can do severe damage!
"That was then. This time, I won't lose again," declared Wonder Woman as she swung her sword at Ivan.
Ivan swiftly retreated, evading the oncoming blade. Shouting, he added, "With so many people around, fighting here is inconvenient. If you want revenge, come with me."
Undaunted, Wonder Woman chased after him.
Professor X, Magneto, and others felt relieved and watched Ivan and Wonder Woman depart. After narrowly escaping death, the mutants cheered in excitement. Moira, unable to contain herself, turned to Professor X and embraced him, evoking a surge of emotions within him.
Having faced the brink of death, Professor X decided to reveal the past. He reached out, restoring Moira's erased memories, allowing their shared experiences to flood back.
"I'm sorry; I shouldn't have erased our memories. I'll give them back to you now."
Overwhelmed with emotion, Moira couldn't hold back tears. Only now did she realize the depth of their shared experiences and the profound connection with Professor X. It explained why she felt drawn to him from the moment they met.
"Mom, why are you crying? Who hurt you? I'll teach them a lesson," Chris intervened, arriving at that moment and seeing her mother in distress.
"Go away! Don't come near me!" Moira shouted angrily at Chris, as if frightened, pushing him away. A mix of complex emotions, including joy, concern, anger, reluctance, and a trace of hatred, played across her eyes. With her memories restored, she now remembered who Chris's father was.
Chris observed the situation and paused momentarily, wearing a wry smile. "Okay, Mom, it seems your memory has returned. I have no right to say anything about you and your father. I can't judge who is right or wrong. Since you don't want to see me, I won't appear in front of you in the future. Take care of yourself; I leave this to you. I hope it helps."
Ivan had always been transparent with Chris about his past with Moira, allowing him to understand the conflict in her mother's heart. Although the two were hostile, being a mother was undoubtedly complex, especially with her son.
Chris took a document bag from her arms and placed it on the ground. It contained the shares of the company he founded—a gesture to leave something of value to Moira.
Chris and Kyle gathered and waved towards the air. A half-meter-long toy plane materialized out of thin air and gently landed on the ground. The glass cover above the plane automatically opened. Chris, Clark, and Kyle entered a toy airplane. Their bodies gradually shrank as they got in, and the aircraft started vanishing.
Despite the numerous times today's events challenged their understanding, the magical scene astonished everyone. Glancing at Moira, they refrained from questioning the reality of the spectacle. Chris's words hinted at a deeper meaning, and they chose not to probe further out of consideration for Professor X.
The situation was resolved flawlessly. Initially intending to bid farewell, Magneto and Professor X were unexpectedly approached by Red Devil, who suggested, "Eric, Charles, I believe there are matters the three of us should discuss."
"We've never seen eye to eye, and I doubt that will change," Darwin remarked, harboring a negative view of Red Devil. The X-Men had suffered significant losses under Shaw's leadership, with the Red Devil playing a notable role.
Unperturbed by Darwin's disdain, the Red Devil continued, "The mutant population is growing, various factions are emerging, and despite our differing philosophies, we are among the strongest in mutant control. Though our ideologies may clash, I propose we discuss ways to limit conflicts and reduce internal friction."
"I agree," declared Magneto, offering his endorsement as the first to do so. It was a positive development for mutants, and there was no reason for them to object.
After a moment's consideration, Professor X nodded in agreement. He, too, preferred to avoid a mutant war.
Relieved, the Red Devil suggested, "In that case, let's convene at the X Academy to discuss the future development of mutants. Since your X Academy was bombed, you can collaborate with Eric and Qin to rebuild the Academy."
Red Devil snapped his fingers, creating a blue portal. Through the wormhole, the wreckage of X Academy on the other side became visible.
Magneto instructed the other mutants to depart by plane, leaving only the Sabretooth tiger and the mutant capable of casting an energy barrier to accompany them through the wormhole. The beast Hank carried Professor X on his back, and the others, including Cyclops, Nathan, Mystique, Moira, and more, passed through one by one before the wormhole disappeared.
As everyone passed through the wormhole, they found Magneto, who had arrived first, standing there dumbfounded. His gaze was fixed on an eight-year-old girl before him, leaving him utterly speechless in shock.
"Dad!" The little girl suddenly called out rushed over and threw herself into Magneto's arms.
It turned out that this little girl was Magneto's deceased daughter. As for how she appeared here, it was, of course, orchestrated by Ivan.
Thanks to the Cradle of Rebirth, every mutant had a chance for a new life. Ivan had undertaken numerous practical initiatives for the mutants and, in a gesture of hard-earned goodwill, facilitated the early reunion of Magneto with his daughter.
This was also because Magneto's daughter was young, and the time required for her revival was relatively short. If it were Cyclops' brother, Shockwave, it would take at least a month for his body to mature fully.