Charles Xavier sat quietly in his wheelchair, his face reflecting deep contemplation. Behind him, Jean Grey gently pushed him along the green lawn of the Xavier Youth Talent Academy. Despite the bright new day and the lively atmosphere of the school, Charles couldn't bring himself to smile.
Jean knew why. In Charles' hands was the comic magazine she had just bought. It was a new release, but its content was far too real.
Charles had closed his eyes after reading the opening paragraphs, lost in thought. Jean guessed that the words had reminded him of his old friend, Erik. The radical methods Erik favored were eerily echoed in the lines of the comic.
After a few moments, Charles opened his eyes and looked down at the comic again.
The story began with a young man named Tatsumi rescuing two travelers from a monstrous creature called the Earth Dragon on his way to the Imperial Capital.
When Tatsumi mentioned his intention to go to the Imperial Capital, the travelers warned him: "The Imperial Capital isn't what you think. It may seem prosperous, but it hides monsters far more terrifying than the Earth Dragon."
"These monsters are people—beasts in human form."
Tatsumi, however, remained determined. "I came to the Imperial Capital to work hard and save my village. I can't go back."
From the very start, the comic was steeped in a gray, foreboding tone. Charles pondered the meaning behind this choice as he continued reading.
Once Tatsumi arrived in the Imperial Capital, he immediately sought to join the army, hoping to rise through the ranks and buy freedom for his village. But he was shocked when he learned the cost—657 gold coins.
"What does that mean?" Charles mused. "Why would someone need to buy their own village? Isn't it just poverty?"
Tatsumi, unwilling to be just another recruit, sought a shortcut to success. Unfortunately, his naivety made him an easy target for scammers. A woman approached him, offering advice in exchange for a drink. She told him that money and connections were the keys to promotion.
Tatsumi believed her easily and handed over a substantial amount of money. Charles shook his head as he read this part. "He's too young, too trusting."
As expected, Tatsumi realized he had been scammed ten hours later when it was too late.
Left with no money and nowhere to go, Tatsumi was taken in by a kind and lovely girl. Charles felt a moment of relief for Tatsumi. Despite the hardships, there were still good-hearted people in the world.
As Tatsumi conversed with the girl's family, it was revealed that he had two companions who had also come to the Imperial Capital. Their village had been starving for years, and buying the village would mean no longer having to pay heavy taxes, significantly improving their chances of survival. But on their journey, the three had been separated after being attacked by thieves.
Tatsumi was deeply grateful to the girl's family for their kindness. The next day, while walking through the streets, a guard confided in him that the Emperor was only a child, and it was the Prime Minister who was responsible for the country's corruption and heavy taxes.
This was common knowledge in the Imperial Capital.
The guard also mentioned a group of assassins known as Night Raid, who targeted corrupt officials and nobles.
As Charles continued reading, a sense of unease crept over him. The Prime Minister might have been the architect of corruption, but his interests were shared by those around him—the high-ranking officials of the Imperial Capital. It was impossible for one man to corrupt an entire country alone.
Charles began to suspect that the girl's family, who had so graciously taken in Tatsumi, might not be as innocent as they appeared.
The story continued. That night, the girl's mother walked down a corridor with a diary in hand, muttering to herself, "Interests make people reveal their true selves."
But the next scene made Charles' heart race. The mother was suddenly sliced in half, so quickly she didn't even have time to react before letting out a surprised cry.
At that moment, Tatsumi, who had been sleeping, sensed the danger and leapt out of bed, recalling the assassins the guard had mentioned.
The next panel mirrored the cover's background, but now the five figures were fully visible.
Two men and three women, one of whom wore glasses and wielded scissors. The assassins had infiltrated the villa.
Within seconds, they had massacred the guards. Charles recognized the woman who had scammed Tatsumi; she had killed the girl's father and was now ready to kill the girl herself.
Tatsumi tried to fight the assassin known as Crimson Eye, but he was hopelessly outmatched, his death seemingly imminent.
But before the killing blow could be struck, the woman who had tricked Tatsumi into giving her money intervened. She led him to a room, kicking the door open.
What Tatsumi saw inside shocked him, and Charles found himself frowning as well.
The room was filled with mummified corpses, dissection and torture tools scattered everywhere, blood dripping from various instruments. It was a scene straight out of hell, rendered in horrific detail by the comic's artist.
"This is the true darkness of the Imperial Capital," the woman explained to the stunned Tatsumi.
She went on to reveal that the girl's family had been using sweet words to lure in victims, whom they then tortured to death.
Tatsumi's horror intensified when he discovered that his two companions were among the victims. His female companion had been tortured to death, while his male companion was barely clinging to life.
The girl, once kind and innocent in Tatsumi's eyes, now revealed her true, monstrous nature. Her face twisted into a grotesque expression, she sneered at Tatsumi, calling him a "country bumpkin" and referring to his female companion as a "messy-haired animal" who should have been grateful for her care.
Even Charles, who always tried to see the good in people, felt disgusted. How could a family so sadistic, so monstrous, survive in such a high position?
But then, Charles was hit by a wave of memories. Images of mutant children being tortured to death flashed through his mind—scenes all too similar to what he was reading. Only a few had escaped the clutches of William Stryker, including Scott Summers, known as Cyclops.
The parallels between the comic and the real world were undeniable.
Just as the Prime Minister's influence allowed such atrocities to continue unchecked in the comic, it was the silent approval of the U.S. government that had allowed Stryker to conduct his horrific experiments on mutants.
Charles pushed through the painful memories and continued reading. The now-awakened Tatsumi struck down the girl with a single, vengeful sword stroke, bringing some measure of justice.
However, his male companion succumbed to his injuries shortly after, revealing that the girl had been experimenting on people and documenting their suffering in her diary for her own twisted pleasure.
This explained the "interest" the mother had mentioned before being killed.
As Charles looked at the final panels of the comic, he saw Tatsumi, tears streaming down his face, crying out, "What is wrong with this Imperial Capital?"
Charles closed the comic and gazed at the mutant teenagers playing in the distance.
"This is the only sanctuary left," Charles thought to himself. "I must protect it. I cannot let it fall to ruin."
The comic had shown him that one person's power was not enough. The threats against mutants were everywhere, and their safety was always in jeopardy.
Erik's methods were too radical. Charles needed help, an ally who could help forge a strategic alliance.
"S.H.I.E.L.D. might be the key," he realized.
"Jean," Charles said, turning to her. "Arrange a meeting with Xu Mo, the chairman of Marvel Comics."