Marvel's New Magneto

When Erik found Hank, the man was busy preparing medicine. Not wanting to disturb him, Erik headed downstairs to the lounge—a small salon where visiting mutants often gathered to chat or grab a drink.

Before he even entered, he heard someone shouting.

"I followed him for thirty years—thirty years! The best days of my life, serving him, believing he was our savior. I thought he'd lead us to a future where we didn't have to live in fear, where we could walk in the sunlight with our heads held high. But what did he do? He used me as bait, then threw me aside! When I barely escaped with my life and went to find him, he looked me in the eye and said, Sir, who are you? That's what he said! That's the real face of our so-called leader, Magneto."

The speaker was a burly man in his fifties, pounding the table as he vented his anger. Some around him murmured words of comfort, but not everyone agreed. The younger mutants, in particular, argued back, sparking heated debate.

"If it weren't for Magneto's power, humans would've branded us as freaks and thrown us into camps to be dissected! Not every mutant has strong abilities—who else can we rely on? Professor X? He just keeps giving in to humans while attacking his own kind."

The young man's words ignited the older man's fury. He lunged forward, nearly starting a brawl, but others quickly restrained him.

"Enough, Mariano. The Professor has done plenty for us. Don't forget, the treatment you're receiving now was developed by him and Hank. He doesn't owe us anything. And Nick's just sharing his experience—he's not lying, is he?"

The peacemaker, a middle-aged man, managed to settle them down. Nick, the angry veteran, and Mariano, the young radical, turned away from each other in stubborn silence.

Then Nick spotted Erik at the doorway. His eyes widened, and he leapt to his feet, knocking over his drink. Golden liquid spilled across the table, dripping onto the floor like raindrops.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

Erik gave a polite nod. "I'm here to see Mr. Hank. Sorry if I interrupted."

Nick didn't hear a word. His gaze locked onto Erik's face, and his eyes turned red. With a furious lunge, he grabbed Erik's collar.

"Erik Lehnsherr! You cold-blooded, heartless bastard! Don't think I won't recognize you just because you've got a younger face! I followed you for years, and this is what I got in return. Today, in front of everyone, you're going to answer for tricking me into Stryker's lab just so you could get your hands on Adamantium!"

This was beyond ridiculous.

Erik shrugged. "Mr. Nick, I know this will be hard to believe, but I'm not Erik Lehnsherr. My name is Erik Lee." In the memories he had recovered, "Lee" was his original surname. He had once been an Asian man with dark hair and eyes, only to be reborn in this form. Explaining that, however, was another matter entirely.

Of course, Nick didn't believe him. He kept hurling curses while gripping Erik's collar.

"Show some respect to our leader!" Mariano, the young Magneto supporter, pushed between them, prying Nick's fingers loose. He turned to Erik with an awestruck gaze, hoping to earn favor. "Sacrificing for our leader is an honor! Don't ask what Magneto has done for you—ask what you've done for him!"

Erik almost cringed. Twisting Kennedy's famous quote into this? If the late president could hear it, he'd be rolling in his grave.

Before Erik could react, a voice cut through the tension.

"What's going on here?"

Hank had finally been drawn downstairs by the commotion. He took one look at the scene and immediately understood.

"Nick, this Erik isn't who you think he is. He's a guest of the Professor and will soon be teaching at the school. Your children might even be his students."

The blue-furred scientist clomped down the stairs.

"My apologies, Erik. I should have explained earlier."

"No harm done. I understand."

Hank's words carried weight. Maybe it was respect, or maybe it was just trust in his judgment, but the tension eased instantly. People let go of each other, though Nick still glared daggers at Erik.

"I'll clarify everything about Erik Lee soon," Hank assured them. "For now, go upstairs for your injections. The serum is ready."

With that, he sent the others away and sat Erik down.

"I appreciate you not fighting back," Hank said, handing Erik a glass of water. "If you were really him, Nick wouldn't be walking away in one piece."

"I take it he had a bad temper," Erik said dryly.

Hank leaned back, eyes clouded with memory. "He wasn't always like that. Circumstances shaped him, hardened him. And in turn, he shaped others—spreading his pain and beliefs."

"So the Professor fears I'll follow his path?" Erik took a sip of water.

Hank nodded. "It's possible. Charles told me you come from another world, that you fought through countless battles to get here. He senses both darkness and light in your past—just like the Erik we knew, back when we first founded the mutant movement. We thought we could change how humans saw us, improve the lives of our kind. But reality had other plans. After our first great battle, we split, and that rift only deepened over decades of conflict."

He sighed. "Your experiences, your powers, even your face—it's all too similar. We can't help but worry you'll make the same choices he did."

Erik nodded thoughtfully. "I understand. In fact, when I spoke with the Professor, I admitted that I agree with Magneto's ideology to some extent. His actions were reckless and extreme, but peace through struggle is inevitable. Mutants can't afford to ignore human hostility. If we let hatred fester, it will consume us."

Hank sighed again. "Charles knows that too. He pushes his philosophy so hard because he fears what will happen if he fails. Evolution isn't like one species replacing another overnight. It's a slow, natural process—not something that should be forced through violence. Compared to humans, we're at a disadvantage: we're too few, and our powers are unbalanced. If we escalate the conflict, we might be wiped out completely."

"Professor X is overthinking it. The school has successors."

Hank chuckled. "Successors? Who? Scott? Ororo? Scott carries deep scars from his past—his anger could make him the next Magneto. Ororo is kind-hearted, but she lacks the boldness to lead our people. She might keep the school running, but mutants need more than just a school."

His tone grew serious. "Erik, we're getting old. Our powers haven't weakened, but our bodies will. Right now, we can keep things stable. But if we disappear, mutants could become humanity's next target. We need your help."

Erik swirled the drink in his hand. "What can I do? I'm just a second-tier mutant. Logan is stronger than me, Scott even more so, and then there's Jean."

Hank dismissed that with a wave. "Forget rankings. That system is flawed. Mutant abilities are about synergy, not hierarchy. If you must divide them, it's just Omega-level and non-Omega. And even that isn't absolute—it all depends on how the power is used."

Pacing with energy, he continued, "When Charles saw you, he felt hope. A chance to fix what we broke. Our generation's mistakes created division among mutants, wasting decades in conflict. Meanwhile, humanity advanced.

"But you—you have Magneto's power, but none of his blind hatred. You endured hardship but didn't become bitter. You could unite the mutants in a way we never could. With you, the school and the Brotherhood could finally work together instead of fighting."

He met Erik's gaze.

"You are the future. Don't let us face it alone."

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