23: The Phoenix Force? You've been in Control All Along

Logan's current condition was undeniably gruesome.

He had grown accustomed to injuries. In the Neon Country, he had even survived the impact of a nuclear bomb from a distance. But even so, with a cigar between his teeth, he sensed that something was amiss.

A searing pain erupted from his back, growing stronger by the moment. It felt peculiar, as if a fiery force surged towards his forehead, momentarily darkening his vision.

"My healing factor...is gone?"

As this thought crossed his mind, his towering, robust frame collapsed with a resounding thud.

Storm and Cyclops rushed over, alarmed and anxious. "Logan, how do you feel?"

Logan trembled uncontrollably, his body halved, blood gushing out profusely, drenching him in crimson within seconds.

His eyes dimmed, and he attempted to speak, but his lips failed to produce any sound.

To onlookers, it appeared as though he was on the brink of death!

"What's happening?!"

Storm's heart quivered, and she instinctively turned her head. "Lin En..."

She immediately thought of Lynn's magic. Although Lynn hadn't demonstrated any healing abilities, given the hidden nature of this student, what if he could save Logan?

Yet, in a mere glance, the three individuals—Lynn, Kitty, and Jubilee—who were seated with them earlier... Had vanished?!!!!

Before Storm could process this, her attention shifted to Jean Grey. Jean possessed telepathy and telekinesis, along with proficiency in some medical knowledge. At present, she was evidently more useful than Storm and Cyclops.

However, even Jean Grey's condition seemed askew. Clearly, Logan's injury had agitated her mind. She let out a cry, and the numerous bullets and shells she had suspended in mid-air swiftly converged and fused together, resulting in a dozen or so powerful explosions.

Boom, boom, boom, boom—

All the remaining iron soldiers were instantly engulfed in fiery blasts!

"This power..."

Storm's heart skipped a beat. She keenly sensed that Jean Grey's abilities showed no signs of restraint.

"Bang, bang, bang!"

Inside the expo, Lin En, who had employed invisibility on himself, Kitty, and Jubilee, felt his heart race.

His early warning technique had proven effective.

"The sealed Phoenix Force is on the verge of losing control due to stimulation?"

He had anticipated this, so he remained calm. Quietly, he activated his Magic.

[Three-Ring Magic - Mind communication]

The next moment, Jean Grey, teetering on the edge, felt the environment around her shift. She was gently drawn into her own inner spiritual world.

And there, she found herself confronted by an immense black cage.

Within the cage, a mass of violent black and red flames resembled a ferocious monster, exuding a malevolent and frenzied power. It relentlessly attacked the confines of the cage.

Jean Grey was suddenly overcome with panic.

Over the years, she had sensed the presence of this power within her body, albeit faintly. Yet, she had never truly tapped into it, fully aware that unleashing this power would lead to devastating consequences.

However, to her surprise, today, when her mind had lost control, this power found an opportunity to seize control!

"Am I... going to be consumed by it?!"

This thought engulfed Jean Grey's mind, instilling her mental being with fear, compelling her to retreat instinctively.

But at that moment, a soft voice resonated from behind her.

"Relax, Teacher."

Startled, thePhoenix girl turned her head, only to find Lynn standing in her spiritual world, wearing a pleasant smile. "Logan is actually perfectly fine; he just looks a little worse for wear."

Jean Grey was taken aback, then realized, "It's you? You cast a spell on him?!"

"It was just a minor spell, nothing worth mentioning," Lynn replied, making no effort to conceal it. "Logan possesses a remarkable healing factor. In half an hour, the magical effects will wear off, and you'll see him alive and well."

Jean felt a wave of relief wash over her. The fiery monster in the black cage behind her gradually ceased its tumultuous movements and explosions.

Unaware of this, Jean Grey looked at Lynn with a mixture of disbelief and curiosity. "Does your magic also allow telepathic communication?"

Over the years, she had encountered countless mutants, but none quite like Lynn. His abilities were...comprehensive. As if there was nothing he couldn't do!

"Well, why shouldn't it? It is magic after all," Lynn replied, unreservedly. He then explained, "Logan possesses strong self-healing abilities. In just half an hour, the magic will wear off, and he'll be back to normal."

Jean Grey's worries abated.

Lynn's words held truth, as he had entered Jean's spiritual space with the intention of learning more. Pointing behind Phoenix Force, he said, "Actually, if you master this power, you could acquire incredible abilities as well, don't you think?"

Jean Grey was taken aback.

"You don't understand; this power is beyond my control..."

She shook her head. "In reality, it's more of a nightmare for me. If Professor Charles hadn't helped me create mental barriers, I would have been consumed by it long ago..."

Lynn found this rather surprising. "So you know all of this?"

It wasn't entirely unexpected.

Jean Grey was an Omega-level mutant, with even greater potential than Professor X himself. After so many years of growth, it was not surprising that she had slowly unraveled the soul seal Professor X had placed upon her at the start.

A tinge of sadness flickered across Jean Grey's face.

"To be honest, I can sense that it's becoming increasingly unstable. If my emotions were to lose control one day, it would explode, and then..."

As she spoke, she thought about the vast array of magical abilities that Lynn possessed, and couldn't help but ask, "Lynn, can you promise me one thing? If the day comes when I truly lose control, will you kill me? Don't let this power destroy the world, okay?"

Her request was sincere. Surprisingly, Lynn shook his head without hesitation.

"Teacher, have you ever considered something? Although Professor Charles is one of the greatest mutants, does that mean everything he says is absolute?"

Jean never expected that a short while ago, they had received a lecture from Lynn, and now she was receiving one of her own.

Lynn looked at her fair face, a faint sneer lingering at the corner of his mouth. "No matter how powerful or dangerous the power may be, it is still just power. The true master of that power...is the individual wielding it!"

"Why do you fear it like a tiger?"

"Professor Charles sealed away fragments of your memory and successfully suppressed this power for many years. Have you ever wondered why?"

"Have you ever considered that, alongside the destruction of the world that Professor Charles mentioned, there might be another possibility?"

Jean Grey's expression changed, and she couldn't help but follow Lynn's train of thought. "What...possibility?"

"It...needs you!"

Lynn's eyes blazed, his words resolute. "If it needs you and requires your presence in this world, it means that you hold the initiative in this relationship!"

"If that's the case, why should you fear it? Instead, why not control it?!"

Jean was frozen in astonishment.

It was an angle she had never contemplated or encountered before.

Almost instinctively, she shook her head. "It's impossible to control it..."

But before she could finish her sentence, Lynn interjected.

"Teacher, look behind you!"

In that moment, Lynn's voice resonated like an angel's whisper and a devil's temptation. "Just now, when your emotions were out of control, it raged and exploded. But now that your emotions have stabilized, it has also stabilized..."

"You've been controlling it, haven't you?"

Jean Grey couldn't resist turning her head back.

And then, she froze.

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