Ultron chuckled, ignoring Quicksilver's complaints. Pietro had voiced similar grievances many times before.
Within the Avengers, Ultron's strength would undoubtedly place him among the top-tier powerhouses. However, within the Miscellaneous Store, his abilities were comparatively less impressive.
Speed? The Green Lantern ring alone could achieve faster-than-light travel.
Durability? His former metallic body had been indestructible even to Quicksilver's attacks. His current body was even more impervious to damage.
Meanwhile, his sister Wanda wielded ancient and chaotic magic, powers considered among the most mysterious in the universe. Moreover, she had been taken under the tutelage of the Ancient One, ensuring her potential would only grow.
As for Han Yu, the store's owner, his strength was unquestionably superior to both Wanda and Ultron. In comparison, Pietro was clearly the weakest among them.
Jean Grey's expression grew tense upon seeing two unfamiliar men who had not only appeared out of nowhere but had also neutralized her attack with ease. Warily, she asked, "Who are you? Are you here to hurt me too? Are you just like those people from the mutant research institute?"
Even as she spoke, the energy within her body stirred, trembling ever so slightly—an unfamiliar feeling of fear.
This baffled Jean. She didn't fully understand the extent of her own powers, but she knew they had shielded her from harm on many occasions. This was the first time her inner energy had expressed such a human-like emotion—fear. The sensation left her both curious and vigilant.
"It's Mutant Academy. Academy!" Charles exclaimed, exasperated. "You've twisted the name completely. Is that why you attacked us earlier?"
"Mutant, academy, institute—it doesn't matter! None of you are good people. You just want to use my powers for your own selfish reasons. I'm not going with you!"
The golden light surrounding Jean flared up again. Ultron quickly stepped forward, attempting to reassure her.
"Hey, hey, calm down, girl. Listen to us. We really don't mean you any harm. The purpose of the Mutant Academy is to provide kids like you with a place where you can live a normal life. Haven't you been judged or ostracized because of your powers?"
Jean's resolve faltered for a moment, but she forced herself to appear composed. "So what? I don't care what they think of me."
"No, you do care."
Ultron met her gaze with a gentle smile. "If you didn't care, you wouldn't confine yourself to your home, to your room, refusing to go outside. You're afraid of their judgments and discrimination, aren't you?"
"In their eyes, I'm just a freak!" Jean's voice trembled with emotion. "They despise me, hate me. That's why I don't leave my house!"
"Yes, yes, I understand," Charles stepped forward, seizing the opportunity to connect with her on an emotional level. "But it's not your fault."
"Jean, listen to me," he continued, his tone earnest and reassuring. "You're not a freak. You're human—just like everyone else. If you're shot, you'll die. If you're cut, you'll bleed red blood.
"We're just humans whose genes have undergone mutations, granting us unique abilities. If anything, I'd say we're an evolved form of humanity."
"But even so," Charles explained, "we mutants make up only a small fraction of the human population—not even 1%. That's why we established the Mutant Academy: to protect mutants, to teach them how to control their powers, and to provide them with a safe place to live.
"We don't mean you any harm, Jean. I'm confident you'll understand that. Won't you?"
Charles looked sincerely at Jean Grey. She pressed her lips tightly together, her thoughts unreadable, but the radiant golden glow in her eyes had dissipated.
The four of them—Ultron, Quicksilver, Charles, and Erik—remained silent, giving Jean the time and space to process everything.
Jean began to recall her experiences at school, where she had endured numerous humiliations. Because of her powers, many had labeled her a freak, though the bullying rarely escalated to anything overt. To outsiders, it looked like typical schoolyard behavior, but to Jean, it was relentless torment.
People who didn't know her were often swayed by the instigators, joining in to call her a freak. Eventually, unable to endure the ridicule any longer, Jean shut herself off from the world.
Ultron observed her closely, noting the anger etched on her face and the fists that were slowly clenching tighter. His expression turned serious as he prepared himself for action. Behind his back, his fingers subtly manipulated invisible currents of air, ready to intervene at a moment's notice.
In the real world, the moment Jean gained self-awareness within the mental construct, Ultron and Quicksilver had felt a powerful psychic wave emanating from Charles and Erik's minds.
The wave was strong and brimming with hostility. Though Ultron wasn't entirely sure what was happening, he and Quicksilver immediately applied the neural patches and entered Charles and Erik's mental space.
Their timing couldn't have been better—they arrived just in time to intercept Jean's attack on Charles and Erik. Ultron had been shocked by the force of her strike.
Had the attack landed, it would have caused severe psychic damage to both Charles and Erik, with potential irreversible effects on their physical bodies in the real world. This underscored the terrifying extent of Jean Grey's mutant abilities.
"To awaken as a Level 3 mutant right out of the gate... this girl's potential could reach Level 4. No, she might even ascend to Level 5!"
Even Quicksilver, who was usually carefree and lighthearted, wore a solemn expression. He understood the implications of the mutant classification system. A Level 3 mutant was already an extraordinary combatant, while Level 4 mutants were considered elites among their kind.
Level 5? That was a whole other realm. It was no exaggeration to say that Level 5 mutants could influence entire planets or even the cosmos itself.
By this standard, both Ultron and Quicksilver were mid-to-high Level 4 mutants.
Quicksilver's combat power was slightly lower, making him a dominant force within planetary confines.
Ultron, however, was an entirely different story. His strength was so immense that he could easily crush a small asteroid with one hand. While he rarely fought seriously, even Quicksilver estimated that Ultron's power was enough to obliterate a celestial body effortlessly.
Jean Grey, with her mutant potential reaching the upper limits of Level 5, was far too dangerous to leave unchecked in the outside world.
If she ever lost control of her emotions, the damage she could cause would be unimaginable.
"Jean, you can relax," Charles said gently. "At the Mutant Academy, you won't face any discrimination. Instead, you'll learn to control your powers under the guidance of skilled teachers. Once you've mastered them, we could even form a superhero team, just like the Avengers. You could become a superhero and prove all those who doubted you wrong."
Charles's words were deliberate and heartfelt. For the first time, he introduced the concept of the X-Men, though the Mutant Academy hadn't been fully established yet, and Han Yu hadn't shared this idea with him.
Forming a superhero team akin to the Avengers was Charles's own vision. He dreamed of mutants stepping out to help ordinary humans, believing that such efforts could foster coexistence and harmony between the two groups.
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