13...

"Are you sure about this?" Scott asked again, for the third time.

"Yes, I am. I want to test my strength," I confirmed with conviction.

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~In the Control Room...~

"Professor... Are you sure? 250 kilos is no small weight to handle Alex..." The blue giant chided, expressing concern.

"I agree with him. Suddenly making him lift 250 Kilos so suddenly is risky..." Storm added her reservations. Not comfortable in doing something like this as yet.

"Don't worry. Trust me," the professor responded calmly, his assurance carrying a depth of understanding.

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~Back with Alex...~

I saw a massive hydraulic press-like machine descending from the room's roof, and from below, there a place was a for me to lie down too. Still, the contraption was absolutely colossal...

"Just lie there. The machine will come down on you, and all you have to do is resist it by pushing up. Got that?" Scott's voice echoed through the intercom, seeking confirmation.

"Yeah, I hear you," I responded, positioning myself as instructed.

"Alright, I'm ready." I braced myself as the machine slowly descended.

"It's so light!" I was taken aback. This weight was easily manageable with one hand! It confirmed what I already suspected.

"You okay down there, Alex?" Scott's voice chimed in.

"Yeah! Though, could you octuple it?" I suggested.

"Ahh sure, I'll turn it off... Wait... WHAT? Did... Did you just say I should quintuple it???" Scott's surprise was evident.

In the Control Room...

"Has the kid gone crazy?" Logan chided, showing disbelief.

"Maybe he has, he has just recovered..." Storm speculated.

"I agree, maybe something is wrong, perhaps hidden brain damage from his injuries?" The beast theorized.

"It could mean he's either that crazy, or he actually thinks he can pull it off..." Kurt added, considering the possibilities.

Xavier pondered, contemplating the extent of Alex's capabilities. 'I know his limits were somewhere past 1000 kilos from the tests, and I estimated it to be 1500... But...'

"Do it... Raise the values," Xavier instructed.

"You can't be serious?" Scott's disbelief was palpable.

"Just do so..." Xavier's tone was resolute.

Back with Alex...

"What was taking them so long? Were they shocked at my suggested increase?"

Hearing no one, I initiated. "Hello?" I called out.

"Ah!... Y-Yeah, I'll be raising it now, brace yourself..." Scott's voice came through, and the machine's weight increased gradually.

'Ok, this was a lot, but a little bit far from my maximum.' I handled the sudden weight increase with ease.

"Raise it another 500 kilos..." Now this should be past my max, but I felt confident in my body...

"Another 500? You sure!?" Scott's surprise was palpable now.

"Yes." I responded. I wanted to push myself, wanting to feel the strain in my muscles but determined to see where my limits lay...

"Hello?" I asked, hearing nothing from the comms.

"Ah, sorry. Yeah, I'll be raising it now, brace yourself..." Scott's voice came through once more, and the machine's weight increased gradually.

I focused as the machine kept pressing down harder. I grappled with the sudden intensity.

'Ok, this is a lot, but I think I can handle it...' I strained under the weight, feeling my muscles working at their limit.

"Argghhh!!!" I grunted through the exertion, surpassing what I thought was possible.

"3.3... 3.5... 3.8..."

What sounded like Xavier's voice counted in the control room, tracking the escalating weight.

As the machine pressed down harder, the pain surged through my arms and wrists, but a strange determination surged within me, urging me to push further, but barely.

After some more time... It was too much...

"STOP! STOP THE MACHINE!!!" I finally shouted, my arms finally giving out completely.

The hydraulics retracted, and I collapsed, utterly drained from the ordeal.

Huff... Huff...

"That was, quite the workout..." I murmured to myself, trying to catch my breath.

But the silence from the comms was unsettling. Why weren't they responding? Did something go wrong?

"Alex!"

Ororo's concerned voice interrupted my thoughts, and I turned to see her approaching, worry etched on her face.

"Are you alright?" she asked, genuine concern in her voice.

"Yeah... huffs... I should be okay by tomorrow..." I managed to say, even though I was exhausted beyond measure... I can't look weak in front of a woman, can I?

"What? By tomorrow!? A week sounds more plausible. You should rest after what you just did!" The beast chimed in, sounding concerned for my well-being.

"THAT WAS AWESOME, ALEX!!!" Kurt added enthusiastically.

'I was confused... What was so amazing? Yeah sure I'm pretty strong... But I think I capped it around 2 tons, maybe 2.2 if I'm being needy. Not that much from my max.' I generously estimated...

From my past experiences, even I knew that a 20-pound difference was massive in the upper echelons of lifting. And I would be content with that. Some increase was better than no increase at all...

Suddenly, I noticed Xavier and Scott making their way towards me, their expressions filled with a peculiar mix of surprise and concern...

"Oh... Hey, guys..." I greeted them, but their expressions hinted that something wasn't quite right. Was something actually wrong?

They exchanged a glance, and Xavier nodded slightly at Scott.

"Alex... I don't know how you did it... But, you just resisted over 4 tons of force..." Xavier's words hit me like a shockwave.

'What?'

My mind couldn't process the numbers. I'd pushed myself hard, but 4 tons was way beyond what I thought was possible for me in maybe a 5 minutes. It seemed utterly impossible...

I knew my growth was quick, but I got much stronger in a shorter amount of time when I faught Taskmaster compared to now...

"That's... not possible. I mean, I'm strong, but not that strong..." I stammered, trying to come to terms with Xavier's revelation. Not paying much attention to my surroundings.

Scott chimed in, "Alex, the machine was recording the actual resistance. I don't know what happened in there, but you pushed beyond what we all anticipated."

"I... I don't know what to say," I mumbled, completely bewildered. What could I say? That my growth was past what even I thought possible?

'This could only mean 1 thing. My potential, might be evolving alongside me...' The more I thought about it, the more unbelievable it sounded, but what could the other explanation be?

The room was filled with a curious mix of awe and concern. Ororo, Beast, Jean, Logan, and Kurt exchanged glances, silently processing the startling revelation. They weren't of disdain, but curiosity...

"I think... it's time for some rest, Alex. You've pushed yourself enough for today," Xavier suggested gently, a slight hint of worry in his eyes.

"Yeah... I think you're right..." I agreed, feeling the weight of exhaustion settle over me. Even though my muscles might be recovering over night, my exhaustion wasn't up tot hat speed, not yet...

As they guided me out of the training room, the team stayed back, exchanging whispered conversations. Leaving me and Xavier...

'I need some time to process all of this...' I thought to myself, I still felt that mix of disbelief and curiosity within me. I might just be more powerful than I thought I was...

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END