DOTM: Chapter 310/312

Chapter 310: You’re Not

The peaceful days didn't seem to be ending anytime soon. During this period, Ethan had been steadily absorbing the mental energy Charles had transferred to him. This energy was exceptionally pure. After Ethan fully absorbed it, his magic power increased slightly.

Now, his mental world had become a vast expanse of water. The area symbolizing magic, represented by water, had already surpassed the landmass of six continents. At this rate, his magic power would soon become an ocean.

This was also his main short-term goal.

However, shortly after completing an enhancement, his magic power surged again, and the rapid boost made Ethan a little uneasy.

Since he opened his eyes in this new world and started a brand-new life, he had never experienced such rapid growth in such a short period. It made him a bit uncomfortable. He decided to slow down, take things a little easier, and avoid doing anything drastic like summoning Apocalypse just to test how strong he had become.

It wasn't that he was worried, but he realized that he was beginning to look for trouble just to find something to do. That mentality wasn't right.

The normal mindset should be not to fear conflict, perhaps even to make light of it, but not to create it. Wanting to unleash Apocalypse just for a battle would be no different from seeking death, especially upon further consideration.

Standing by the window of his room, he watched several young mutants playing games.

Since Charles had offered his mansion, the Gifted Youngsters Academy dedicated to educating mutants had formally begun preparation.

Currently, aside from self-studying various academic subjects, Erik was assisting Charles with preparations, including evaluating which of the young mutants might be qualified to become the academy's first group of teachers.

Those who were qualified would be hired immediately, while the others would continue to be trained. Compared to standard academic courses, both Charles and Erik placed greater importance on the development and mastery of each student's own abilities.

If, as a teacher, you couldn't even control your own powers, what qualifications did you have to teach young mutants?

Fortunately, this group of young people could generally control their powers. Except for Alex, who often failed to properly control his shockwaves and caused accidental injuries, no one else had serious problems with losing control.

As for Alex, Ethan remembered that in the future, this guy would be able to release energy from his body freely and precisely, even with refined control over the output. That meant his current inability to control it was simply due to a lack of training. Like many mutants, out of fear, he had never tried to understand his powers. He only thought about suppressing and hiding them.

Of course, Alex no longer thought that way. Not to mention, Charles had specifically asked Ethan for advice.

"I'm a mage, not a mutant."

"But didn't you say that mages are masters of energy control? Alex's issue is that he can't control the energy in his body. Isn't that exactly your area of expertise?"

"It is my specialty, but I'm pretty sure I never said that to you."

"Maybe Logan told me?"

Ethan glanced at Charles beside him. Clearly, he had learned that from Logan's memories. But it wasn't a big deal. If Charles could entertain him with good food and drink in exchange for advice, Ethan didn't mind.

What he didn't expect was that Alex wasn't the only one looking for pointers. Erik was also waiting in line. At the same time, several other young mutants had gathered as well, standing in a row, unclear whether they were here to learn or just watch.

Ethan looked around and saw that even Ada and Logan had joined the crowd. He could only sigh. Other than being speechless, he didn't find anything wrong with it.

In any case, it was just teaching. There wasn't much difference between teaching one person and teaching a group.

As for the questions Alex and Erik asked, Ethan could easily answer most of them.

Erik only had some technical questions about the finer details of energy control. After acquiring and developing his powers for over twenty years, his strength had steadily increased through self-training.

This time, he sought out Ethan just to clarify a few things he hadn't figured out.

If it were other subjects—say, quantum mechanics—Ethan wouldn't be able to help. But when it came to better controlling energy, he did have some authority.

As for Alex, his biggest issue was a total lack of understanding of his own power. He hadn't devoted any time or effort to practice, and it wasn't easy to control such overwhelming power without training.

The simplest method would be to install a limiter on his body to restrict his energy output. Once he could perfectly control the limited output, they could gradually increase the threshold until he mastered his full power.

It was a crude method, but very effective.

As for the actual design and production of such a device, that was Hank the Beast's problem. Ethan didn't need to waste time or energy on that.

Then Ethan casually gave a suggestion. For example, the high-energy output from Alex didn't need to be released in that usual "hula hoop" style. He could try using his hands as channels to release the energy more steadily.

Using specific gestures or methods to release power could help enhance energy control.

With this direction, Alex began to work harder. But seeing results wouldn't happen overnight. At that moment, Moira, who had been away for a while, suddenly returned—with several unfamiliar individuals.

Ethan glanced over and guessed that the leader was probably a representative of some group or a politician interested in Charles. Either way, Ethan had no interest.

He had already told Charles plenty, and with memories of the future to reference, Charles should be able to make the right decision.

Even if Charles made the same choices as in the "previous life," Ethan wouldn't care.

Right now, Erik had not yet parted ways with Charles. Even if Charles sometimes showed signs of being "soft," Erik would bring enough toughness to the table to make others understand the attitude of these two still-young but very powerful mutants.

What surprised him was that the visitor seemed especially interested in him?

Me?

Moira nodded. The female agent had come specifically to find Ethan. In fact, this meeting with Ethan was one of the most important goals this time.

She didn't know how to explain it to Ethan. Although she had repeatedly emphasized to her boss and some higher-ups that he wasn't a mutant, they still insisted on labeling him as one.

Tsk.

Ethan shook his head helplessly. In a world where everyone with powers was a mutant and no other types of special beings existed, it wasn't surprising that someone like him with unique powers would be mistaken for a mutant.

Following Moira into a special reception room, Ethan found that there was no one else present except Charles, Erik, and a middle-aged white man, about fifty years old.

Moira introduced him specifically: this was Senator David Brickman.

David Brickman was very friendly. He didn't put on airs despite Ethan's appearance. He stood up, shook hands with Ethan, and gave a perfect, friendly smile.

"Hello, Mr. Senator. You can call me Ethan."

After a brief introduction, the door of the reception room was closed, leaving only five people, including Moira.

Regardless of what the senator was planning, at least his current attitude was very friendly. There were no bodyguards or security staff. This attitude satisfied both Erik and Charles. It showed that the senator truly trusted them.

Ethan didn't care either. He was simply curious about what this man wanted. That was all.

While Brickman discussed the issue of mutants with Erik and Charles, Ethan stayed quiet, pretending to be uninterested. He listened to their conversation attentively but didn't speak.

Brickman, who had remained friendly throughout, eventually noticed that Ethan hadn't said a word and asked for his opinion.

"Mr. Senator, it's enough to discuss the mutant issue with these two. After all, I'm not a mutant." Ethan once again emphasized his identity. "If you want to talk about things like parallel universes, I'd be happy to help clarify your doubts."

Brickman knew that Moira's report had mentioned multiple times that this young man named Ethan wasn't a mutant but claimed to be a magician from another universe. His powers weren't derived from mutant genes, but from magic.

Of course, most people treated this as a joke and thought this young man was just a liar using his powers to deceive others.

How could something as unscientific as magic exist?

But David Brickman had come here to make friends with these mutants and even recruit them as political assets. Going along with what they said wouldn't offend anyone, right? Maybe this young man really believed his powers were magic. That wasn't impossible.

The moment Ethan saw the man's expression, he understood immediately—this guy hadn't listened to his explanation at all and had simply forced him into the category of mutants based on his own preconceived notions.

Might as well add a label of "Suspected Mental Issues" while he's at it.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 311: Not A Mutant

Ethan was particularly dissatisfied right now. He refused to believe there was no way to change this group's preconceived notions.

"It looks like Mr. Senator doesn't believe me."

David Brickman maintained a very friendly smile, as if showing goodwill, but he didn't know how to respond. At this moment, keeping a friendly smile was the safest way to handle things.

Most of the time, the other party would naturally change the topic. Unless the person was dissatisfied with him, it was rare for anyone to fixate on a particular issue and not let go.

Unfortunately, that trick wasn't working today.

In the past, those who came to question him were either lower in status or seeking favors. When they saw he didn't respond, they would understand his meaning: he didn't want to dwell on the subject.

So he tried the same tactic now.

But Ethan wasn't his subordinate. The one questioning him wasn't some politician looking for help, and even if Ethan understood what Brickman meant, he wasn't going to play along.

"Mr. Senator, how do you think I can prove that I'm a magician?"

David Brickman realized this question couldn't be avoided. As for how to prove it? He honestly had no idea. In his understanding, magicians only existed in fictional movies and TV shows. It was hard to describe their characteristics—just strange powers that didn't really exist.

Looking left and right, Brickman could only respond casually, "You said you came from another world?"

"Yes."

"How did you come into this world?" Brickman thought for a moment and continued, "Have you been to other worlds?"

"Through a special teleportation magic that breaks the barriers between planes."

Ethan thought for a moment, then to reinforce his explanation, the surging magical energy transformed into one orb after another, like well-behaved pets. In an instant, the large reception room seemed to become a unique celestial observatory. The scene created by these orbs was more awe-inspiring than IMAX.

Not only was Brickman stunned, but even Charles and Erik were speechless. As for Moira? She was completely dumbfounded.

"Each orb represents a universe. In my eyes, countless universes are displayed like this. All I have to do is break through the protective layer surrounding the orb and step inside."

The scene before them was shocking. Rather than saying ten thousand words, it was far more convincing to demonstrate something extraordinary. Although Brickman still suspected that this might just be Ethan's mutant ability, he was at least willing to keep listening instead of flat-out labeling him a mutant.

He also realized that if Ethan truly wasn't a mutant but actually a magician, it would mean ordinary people might also have the potential to gain special abilities.

With that thought, Brickman no longer rejected Ethan's repeated insistence that he wasn't a mutant. On the contrary, he became even more eager to know more.

Ethan briefly introduced the nature of mages, confirming Brickman's speculation: mages could be trained from ordinary people.

It's just that the entry threshold was extremely high. People without talent didn't even qualify to become apprentices.

Of course, Ethan wouldn't kindly tell him that he lacked talent. He would simply keep raising the bar. Whether Brickman could find a suitable apprentice was none of Ethan's concern.

His repeated emphasis on his identity was mainly to avoid being associated with mutants.

That wasn't beneficial to either the mutants or himself.

Ethan then deliberately demonstrated several of his spells. Compared to mutants—whose powers were mostly singular and rarely diverse—Ethan's continued displays of different abilities served as a repeated reminder to Brickman that he was not a mutant.

He transformed these energies into water, fire, and even lightning. On the surface, he was showcasing the characteristics of different worlds, but in essence, he was exhibiting his range of abilities.

He also coordinated his illusions with explanations. By now, Brickman had begun to lean toward believing that the man in front of him really was a mage, especially after Ethan casually waved his hand, and his previously disheveled clothing instantly became neat again—like a trick straight out of a movie.

This kind of ability didn't look like something a mutant would possess.

There had never been a mutant who could master so many completely different powers at once. Apocalypse was still asleep in Egypt, after all.

Brickman gradually began to accept that Ethan wasn't a mutant, and then he realized he might have stumbled into something big.

If Ethan was telling the truth, the implications were enormous.

In addition to the possibility that ordinary people could master special powers like mutants, this also hinted that humanity wasn't alone in the universe. There were even countless parallel universes.

This meant boundless resources, but it also meant potential crises.

Both resources and crises could become bargaining chips. The possible existence of either made his original plan all the more viable.

Brickman had been planning to form a mutant task force. He wanted to use the powerful abilities of mutants like Charles and Erik to establish a special department dedicated to fighting crime. As long as it could protect the United States and its people, the initiative could accomplish great things. As the one behind it, he would establish his political foundation.

It would also address mutant-related crimes. The prestige gained from that would help him rise further.

But even that wasn't enough. The information Ethan brought—the existence of countless parallel universes—meant that nobody could guarantee a sudden invasion from another world.

That made the value of a strong armed force skyrocket. His original idea of recruiting a mutant task force now carried even more weight, and the potential benefits were even greater.

"Are there any people or forces capable of breaking the barriers between planes and hostile toward other universes?"

Ethan nodded. He didn't go into too much detail. In fact, he didn't need to. It was enough to make them understand that this multiverse was far more dangerous than they thought.

In a world that didn't yet have heroes of a higher level or greater powers, the X-Men would become their most reliable and powerful team. This could help ease the conflict between humans and mutants to some extent.

Of course, it would still be very difficult for humans to fully accept mutants. For now, mutual compromise was the only path. Then, through the long-term efforts of the X-Men, ordinary people could come to understand that having powers didn't mean mutants could act with impunity. If they could be held accountable by law, public hostility toward mutants would gradually fade.

However, many mutants lost control of their powers during adolescence. The damage caused by such loss of control was often too severe to be treated as anything less than intentional crimes. If this problem wasn't addressed, public resentment toward mutants would never disappear.

But Ethan wasn't their guardian. He found it interesting enough to lend a hand here. Let Charles and Erik handle this headache.

Besides, even among ordinary people, conflicts across nations and races were never-ending. Hoping for total unity? That would only be possible if there were an alien invasion, and humanity stood on the brink of extinction. Only then—when the old order and ideology collapsed—could true unity emerge.

The conversation eventually shifted back to Charles and Erik. Ethan reiterated countless times that he didn't belong to this world and that he would leave soon. He made it clear they could get information from him, but not to expect him to stay and work for them.

Brickman was a sharp man. He understood Ethan's message and began focusing on the two young mutants.

What's more, Ethan had shown that he had a good relationship with the two. If they encountered trouble in the future, Ethan wouldn't mind lending a hand.

In other words, forming a good relationship with those two mutants also meant having a connection with a wizard capable of traversing universes. If everything Ethan said turned out to be true, Brickman would be more than willing to bet on them.

For instance, by promoting the X-Men's acts of justice to the world, people would come to understand that some powerful mutants were working hard to maintain world peace.

These were things Charles had failed to do well in the past. Ethan reminded him that one of the reasons for working with powerful politicians was publicity.

Sometimes, this is just how it is—no matter how much you do, if no one knows about it, it's like you did nothing. If mutants caused a disaster, and the media ran wild with it, they could easily drag the entire group into the abyss. Even if the X-Men stepped in afterward, it would be useless.

With memories of his "past life" to guide him, Charles no longer rejected the idea of working with politicians. At the very least, Brickman had been very cooperative. If nothing unexpected happened, they would likely become long-term partners.

If everything went well, there would be no issue forming a strategic alliance.

Overall, the meeting went smoothly. All sides achieved their goals.

Brickman found a political bargaining chip for his future. If everything went well, he would gain prestige and rise further. If Ethan's words were later confirmed, he might even become a crucial figure in this world.

Charles found a political ally he could get along with, and the two sides reached a preliminary agreement. Though the X-Men would lose some of their freedom by becoming official government agents, it was better than running around putting out fires and dealing with endless political pressure.

At least people on the same side would hesitate before stabbing them in the back. Not to mention, Brickman would help shield them from political fallout.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 312: Aiming at the Mummy World

After seeing Brickman off, Charles was full of energy for the next phase. He was diligently training the group of young mutants under his guidance. They would become the first X-Men. Brickman had already promised that once the new department was established, these individuals would immediately be granted official status.

In addition, Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters would receive official recognition, becoming a formal institution dedicated to accepting and educating mutant children.

Aside from teaching young people the general knowledge they needed to learn, the school’s main function was to teach mutants how to control their abilities and understand that they must never use their powers to harm society.

Mutants who successfully graduated could not only stay at the school to continue teaching, but they would also have a new path: becoming civil servants with official government positions.

This sounded far brighter than a future where their roles were unacknowledged and they could only remain as in-house instructors.

If mutants could genuinely find career advancement opportunities, it was even possible that some parents might eagerly hope their children would awaken the mutant gene.

Watching the busy Charles, Logan—who always observed quietly from a corner—suddenly approached Ethan one day.

"What's wrong?"

"How long do you plan to stay here?"

Ethan thought for a moment. He didn’t really have any set plans. He simply didn’t want to waste the time he had. However, judging by Logan’s tone, it seemed he had no intention of staying any longer.

"Aren’t you going to spend more time with your old friends?"

"Strictly speaking, they aren’t my old friends. They’re just people I’ve met recently."

After traveling through so many worlds with Ethan, Logan had long since understood the difference between parallel universes and traveling through one’s own timeline.

Even though this world had many familiar faces, it ultimately wasn’t the world he had lived and fought in. It was just another parallel universe. The people here had their own lives, and his interaction with them was limited to this encounter.

He didn’t know when he’d meet them again. As for his counterpart in this world… Logan knew how much hardship that version of himself would face, but he had no desire to help him.

He was immortal anyway. Let him experience the hardships himself. They would all become valuable memories.

As the two talked, Ada, who had been wandering elsewhere, also walked over. After hearing their conversation, she too expressed her desire to leave.

In this world, she faced many restrictions. She couldn’t move around freely and had to stay at the manor most of the time. This was incredibly dull, especially for a female spy with a lively personality who loved adventure. This kind of life felt no different from being imprisoned.

"Although we came here just to deliver a package, wouldn’t it be a bit inappropriate to leave so soon?"

"What’s inappropriate about it? Back then, didn’t you trick me onto a ship and then immediately leave my world?"

Ethan looked at Logan speechlessly. Could that situation really be compared to this one? If they hadn’t left back then, they would’ve had to face the regular army head-on.

While he certainly wouldn’t be concerned about that now, at the time, even though he had plenty of methods, facing a large army would still have been a headache.

"Neither of you wants to stay any longer?"

"Correct."

They had seen what they needed to see and done what needed to be done. Ethan had also given Charles a lot of suggestions and guided several young mutants on techniques to control their energy. Now, Alex could control his powers well and no longer caused accidental injuries.

If he kept training, it wouldn’t take a year for Alex to become a powerful mutant and a key member of the first generation of X-Men.

Mystique hadn’t left either, and Magneto hadn’t gone off to start his own faction to oppose Charles. It seemed there really wasn’t anything left that needed their attention here.

Staying any longer would simply mean using the time to improve their strength. But Ethan was no longer as obsessed with growing stronger as he had been. Right now, staying was more about enjoying a relatively peaceful life.

"Even if you want to enjoy life, at least pick a slightly better world."

For those used to the fast-paced and convenient life of the future, adjusting to life in the past wasn’t easy.

In both Ada’s and Logan’s eyes, life in 1960 was far from comfortable or convenient. Compared to this, returning to the Goddess of Dawn was much better. At least the scenery on the sea was pleasant.

"The next world we’re heading to is going to be even more backward than this one."

He had long decided that the next world would be the Mummy world. If they arrived during the main storyline, the year would be 1923.

If they accidentally ended up at the beginning of the story, that would be over 3000 BC. That was far beyond mere inconvenience or discomfort.

"At least I’ll be able to move around freely."

Ethan had no choice but to agree to Ada and Logan’s request. After saying goodbye to Charles and the others, he would take them away from here.

Since the plan was changed last minute without any prior notice, Charles was quite surprised when he heard they were leaving.

"You’re leaving?"

"There’s nothing left to do. What needed to be delivered has been delivered, and I’ve helped as much as I could. The rest is up to you."

Erik, who had been quietly listening nearby, said nothing. He usually kept to himself and rarely spoke with people he wasn’t familiar with. Most of the time, he wore a cold expression. Giving Ethan a smile was already a rare show of closeness.

This only happened because Ethan had fully supported his quest for revenge and had genuinely guided him.

As for Charles, his feelings toward Ethan were more complicated.

If it were purely about personal relationships, perhaps Ethan’s connection with Erik was deeper than with Charles. However, after gaining the memories of the older Charles, he couldn’t view Ethan from a purely personal or subjective standpoint.

Considering all the help Ethan had offered, Charles really wanted to host him properly. He felt that he had been too busy lately and had neglected this new friend.

"It’s not like I won’t come back. You should be much less busy the next time I visit."

By then, Charles’s school for gifted youngsters should be running smoothly. If his cooperation with Brickman went well, the mutant situation wouldn’t be as dire as it once was, and the X-Men should have gained some recognition. Charles would finally have time to focus on what he truly cared about—educating the next generation of mutants.

"Also, seize the opportunities you’re supposed to. Don’t end up regretting missed chances later."

This was Ethan’s final advice. Professor Charles didn’t have much focus on romance, or rather, parts of his romantic life were completely skipped. The only detail was the budding feelings between him and Moira. Unfortunately, for the sake of the future of ‘mutants’ and Moira’s own career, he personally let go of the woman he loved.

Now, without those complicated factors, after helping arrange the meeting between Brickman and Charles, Moira would almost certainly leave the CIA and become the head of one of the new departments initiated by Brickman. She would primarily serve as the liaison between humans and mutants, ensuring there was always a communication bridge between the two sides.

After all, Brickman couldn’t personally deal with every minor issue. Having a familiar and trusted mediator was crucial.

Brickman had clearly thought this through. As a human, Moira had good relationships with mutants, and her ambiguous relationship with Charles made her an ideal candidate for such a role.

This woman might have a biased stance, but Brickman didn’t care. At least during the initial stage of cooperation, he could pretend not to notice.

Without job-related interference, maybe Charles and Moira would really end up together? Ethan was quite curious if, the next time he visited, he would see them holding a baby Charles.

As for Magneto… Ethan had no reason to worry about his romantic life. After all, in the original story, the man had several children.

Ethan’s departure caught the attention of all the mutants. The younger ones wanted to throw a farewell party, but Ethan immediately refused.

Are you kidding? If he agreed to a farewell party, he’d never be able to leave. Everyone would drink and pass out, then rest for a few days, recover, throw another party, and repeat endlessly?

At the same time, word of his departure also reached Brickman. The senator came over in person.

Nominally, he came to see off a friend from another universe. But in truth, he came to see how Ethan would leave. He wanted to confirm whether Ethan’s previous claims were true.

Ethan didn’t disappoint. He deliberately maximized the visual and auditory effects of the teleportation circle, once again stunning the senator and deepening his belief in Ethan’s words.

As the dazzling light faded, Brickman chatted with Charles for a while before leaving the manor. Afterward, he immediately summoned the scientists he had assembled and asked for their observation results.

The scientists couldn’t offer a definitive conclusion. Other than presenting large amounts of data, they couldn’t confirm whether Ethan had actually left the world.

However, the various unprecedented readings already spoke volumes. During this time, they had also gathered a lot of intel, especially the fact that a man named Logan had appeared in two different places at once. That further convinced Brickman of the truth behind the parallel universe theory.

Ethan could more or less guess Brickman’s thoughts. But by then, he had already left the matter of this world’s mutants behind. After returning to the Aurora, he planned to rest for a while before continuing his journey through the worlds.

The next destination, of course, was the Mummy world, which he had been thinking about for a long time.

(To be continued.)