"No, Rorschach. They are our enemies. They must be our enemies!"
Eric's voice rang out across the devastated beach, filled with cold certainty. His gaze swept across the burning ocean where the wreckage of the fleets still smoldered beneath pillars of smoke.
"Doesn't what happened today teach you anything?" he continued. "Two nations that were sworn enemies just moments ago joined forces the instant they saw what we can do."
His eyes hardened as he spoke.
"Doesn't that prove the point? When the world truly understands our abilities, what do you think they'll do?"
Charles immediately pushed himself up slightly from the sand, refusing to accept that conclusion.
"Eric, they're afraid," he said firmly. "People make foolish decisions when they're afraid, but that doesn't mean they'll make the same choices forever."
The three men—Charles, Eric, and Rorschach—stood facing one another, each representing a completely different philosophy.
Charles believed deeply in coexistence and mutual understanding. His ideals were hopeful and compassionate, though some might say painfully naive.
Eric believed the opposite. In his eyes, humanity would always betray mutants, so the only rational approach was to prepare for the worst and strike before being destroyed.
Rorschach, standing between them, rejected both extremes. His views landed somewhere in the middle.
"Charles, keep believing in your unrealistic dream if you want," Eric said coldly. His patience had clearly run out.
He turned away from Charles and addressed the mutants gathered on the beach.
"Charles's circle isn't for me," he declared. "So I'll form my own."
Eric spread his arms slightly as he spoke, his voice growing stronger.
"A circle that truly protects our mutant brothers and sisters. A group that stands together and defends its own."
His eyes swept across the group.
"Who's willing to join me?"
The mutants fell silent.
They exchanged uncertain glances with one another, clearly overwhelmed by everything that had just happened. Only hours ago they had fought side by side as a united team.
Now their family was fracturing.
How had things reached this point so quickly?
Inside Charles, the pain was almost unbearable. His jaw trembled slightly as he struggled to steady himself.
Ever since rescuing Eric months earlier, the two of them had grown inseparable. They had fought together, trained together, and supported each other through every step of their journey.
A deep friendship had formed between them.
Charles had already been devastated by Eric's decision to fire the missiles. But hearing Eric openly declare that he was breaking away completely struck even deeper.
Yet Charles didn't try to stop him.
Just like Eric, he understood the truth. Their beliefs were too different. Neither of them could convince the other anymore.
In the past, Charles had deliberately ignored those differences. But after everything that had happened today, pretending was no longer possible.
As painful as it was, Charles had to accept the reality.
He and Eric were destined to walk different paths.
"Charles… I'm sorry, but I have to leave too."
Rorschach's voice broke the heavy silence.
He looked at Charles calmly as he spoke.
The main reason he had stayed at Xavier Manor in the first place was simple. The mansion had provided opportunities—missions, training, and powerful enemies that helped him grow stronger.
Now that Shaw was dead, the early-stage boss of this era had already been eliminated.
Meanwhile, the Vietnam War was approaching. Mutants would soon be dragged onto the battlefield, and Charles himself would enter a difficult period of decline.
That decline wouldn't end until a certain time traveler from the future arrived years later.
Under those circumstances, remaining at Xavier's mansion no longer made much sense.
Besides, Rorschach had already grown strong enough to survive in this world on his own. He wasn't interested in spending his entire life confined to the relatively small circle of the X-Men.
It was time to move on.
Charles's lips trembled again when he heard those words.
Eric was leaving.
And now Rorschach was leaving too.
The three men who had once stood shoulder to shoulder like brothers were about to walk three completely different roads.
Of course Charles was heartbroken.
But Charles also understood Rorschach's personality well enough to know that once he made a decision, it wouldn't change.
And there was another truth Charles couldn't ignore.
Rorschach had helped Eric destroy the fleets.
Thousands of lives had been lost.
Even if Rorschach stayed, Charles no longer knew how he would face him.
So Charles remained silent.
"Rorschach… you're leaving too?"
Sean looked at him helplessly, clearly shaken.
With Eric and Rorschach both departing, the family they had built at Xavier Manor was completely falling apart.
Rorschach smiled slightly as he looked at everyone.
"The time I spent with you all is something I'll never forget," he said sincerely. "Those memories mean a lot to me."
"But every good thing eventually comes to an end."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"I have to leave now, but that doesn't mean I'm cutting ties with all of you. If I get the chance someday, I'll come visit."
Then he added casually, "Of course, if anyone wants to leave with me, you're welcome."
That statement created an even heavier tension among the mutants.
Now they faced three choices.
Follow Eric.
Follow Rorschach.
Or stay with Charles.
The atmosphere became complicated.
Everyone glanced at each other while silently weighing their options.
The first to move were Angel Salvadore and Riptide.
They had once been Shaw's loyal followers, and Eric's ruthless methods were extremely similar to Shaw's style. Even the speech Eric had just given revealed ideas closely aligned with Shaw's worldview.
As for strength, there was no need for debate.
Shaw's death alone proved Eric's power.
To them, Eric was someone worth following.
Without hesitation, the two walked toward him.
None of Charles's team tried to stop them. With Shaw gone, the hatred between them had already faded.
More importantly, the group was now facing a far more serious division.
Everyone was focused on their own choices.
"Rorschach… I'll go with you."
A new voice suddenly broke the silence.
Hank stepped forward firmly.
Rorschach's face immediately lit up with genuine satisfaction.
Hank rarely spoke much. Outside of scientific research, he was essentially a quiet genius buried in his work.
But Rorschach thought extremely highly of him.
In Rorschach's opinion, Hank was one of the rarest talents in this world. In some ways, he might even rival Tony Stark himself.
The Blackbird jet and the Cerebro prototype alone proved his brilliance.
When it came to biomedical science, Hank was unquestionably ahead of Iron Man.
"Sorry, Charles," Hank said awkwardly as he glanced back at him.
Charles shook his head gently.
"No, Hank. You don't need to apologize."
"Raven… stop hiding who you are."
Eric suddenly turned toward Raven and extended his hand toward her.
His gesture was both an invitation and a challenge.
Raven hesitated.
A clear struggle flashed across her face as she looked between Eric and Charles.
In the end, she turned toward Charles.
"I'm sorry."
Those two words cut deeply.
Raven wasn't just another mutant.
She was family.
They had grown up together like siblings.
Yet now even she was leaving.
"Raven… I knew this day would come," Charles said quietly, his expression filled with complicated emotions. "Deep down, this is what you've always wanted."
.....
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