Chapter 28: Formation of New Missions, Establishment of Prestige

"There's only a month left, and trying to get close to the Ice Demon in such a short time is too difficult," the Shapeshifting Witch said, her tone lacking confidence.

This wasn't just anyone—they were talking about the Ice Demon. And that identity was exposed, not by just anyone, but by Professor X. When the Ice Demon used his power to kill Kingpin, Professor X had tried to invade Ethan's mind. However, Professor X found that his psychic powers failed entirely.

News of this had spread among the X-Men, and now Magneto had his eye on the Ice Demon. He had ordered the Shapeshifting Witch, Raven, to get closer to him and uncover the source of his power.

S.H.I.E.L.D. had reported that Ethan wasn't a Mutant—there was no X-gene. But Magneto didn't believe it. He was aware that S.H.I.E.L.D. wanted to recruit the Ice Demon to join something akin to the Avengers. If that happened, the Brotherhood of Mutants would face a new, powerful enemy.

Meanwhile, Raven, in her disguise as Juliet, moved skillfully around the school, playing her role as a teacher. She greeted her colleagues without a hint of nervousness. Everything seemed normal.

"Juliet, we have a new psychology teacher starting today. She'll be counseling the students who were bullied by Fleischer," the vice principal said as she walked over with a striking redhead by her side. "Ms. Natasha Romanoff will handle their sessions."

Raven, disguised as Juliet, felt an immediate sense of crisis. She recognized the new arrival. Natasha Romanoff? She knew the Black Widow was no ordinary counselor.

As the two left, Raven's thoughts raced. "She's after the Ice Demon too."

Meanwhile, Ethan sat in class, his eyes falling on Gwen Stacy's back. Her soft blonde hair caught his attention, and he couldn't help but imagine running his fingers through it. Hannah nudged him.

"Hey, I heard you're headed to Long Island tomorrow?"

"Yeah, we're going out on the water," Ethan whispered back.

"You know, Hao, you've changed a lot recently. It's like you're a completely different person," Hannah remarked.

Ethan smiled to himself, realizing that the confidence he gained from his powers was changing his outward demeanor.

"Maybe it's the power of love," Ethan said quietly, glancing at Gwen. He said it just loud enough for her to overhear.

Juliet—Raven in disguise—walked into the classroom. Ethan immediately focused on her, sensing something off.

"Do you think Teacher Juliet looks especially charming today?" Hannah asked.

"You noticed that too?" Ethan replied, his suspicion deepening.

"Maybe she's finally over her divorce and ready to start fresh," Hannah joked.

Ethan wasn't interested in gossip, though. He knew Juliet's life force had changed drastically. Her energy was different, far more powerful than it should have been. He sensed something strange coursing through her.

This isn't the real Juliet, he realized, sensing an unnatural vitality flowing through her. He lowered his head, his advanced perception abilities picking up subtle clues.

Suddenly, Juliet called out several names, including his. "Ethan Hayes, Hunter, Peter Parker… go to the counseling room after class. The new teacher, Ms. Natasha Romanoff, will be holding sessions."

Natasha Romanoff? Ethan's mind raced. Why was she calling him up? What did Black Widow want?

But as suspicious as it was, his attention was still on the disguised Raven. He knew something was wrong with her.

Just then, the system's voice echoed in his head:

[Task: Establish Prestige 1. Contact the Mutant Brotherhood, and successfully meet Magneto. Show Magneto what true strength is and that your majesty cannot be violated. Task Level: Blue.]

[Task: Establish Prestige 2. Form a deterrent to S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, gain 200,000 desire points, and demonstrate what true power is. Task Level: Blue.]

Ethan nearly jumped out of his seat in excitement. His eyes burned with intensity as he stared at Juliet—no, Raven.

So that's who she is, he thought. The Shapeshifting Witch, Raven.

The system's new mission made sense now. He was supposed to come into contact with Magneto through Raven. But what about S.H.I.E.L.D.? When he had met with Phil Coulson and Hawkeye, the task hadn't triggered. Why now?

And then it hit him. He needed to form a real deterrent—he had to establish his reputation and harvest 200,000 desire points from S.H.I.E.L.D.

Natasha Romanoff, Ethan mused. Was this all connected to the new counselor?

But it was Friday, and Ethan had other plans. He wasn't going to focus on Raven or Natasha. No, this weekend was about Gwen Stacy. He had big plans to win her over. The game of love required patience and timing.

As for Raven and Natasha, they would keep trying to get close to him. He could play it cool for now. Both the Brotherhood and S.H.I.E.L.D. had sent women to seduce him, probably under the assumption that he was some lustful fool.

Well, they're not wrong, Ethan admitted to himself with a smirk. But that didn't mean he was going to make it easy for them.

"It's getting interesting," he muttered to himself, ready for whatever came next.

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