Chapter 22 : New Ability Awakening!

"It appears to be working indeed."

After Colossus and Kitty departed, Carl's eyes betrayed astonishment.

He observed that following Colossus's dispersion of Ability, subtle changes began occurring within some of the cells in his body.

These changes were exceedingly subtle, to the point that if not for Carl's heightened awareness enveloping his entire being, detecting them would have proved nearly impossible.

"Could it be that Kryptonian cells possess the capability to autonomously enhance and evolve in response to external stimuli...?" Carl's eyes widened in realization.

However, he quickly shook his head.

"These alterations remain imperceptible. Whether Kryptonian cells undergo autonomous evolution under external influence, or if they assimilate the unique attributes of encountered forces to self-improve."

"Carl, what's wrong?" The girl beside him queried, observing his sudden head shake with mild puzzlement.

"It's nothing. It's almost noon; let's head to the dining hall for lunch," Carl replied with a smile.

"Alright," Clarice acquiesced obediently.

Over the following two days, Carl quietly contemplated the changes within his body. Then, on the morning of the third day, he keenly sensed a slight tremor coursing through his body.

Subsequently, all his cells resonated, enveloping him in a distinct force field.

Before the class concluded, Carl, seated by the window, stood up abruptly. "Teacher, I need to use the restroom."

Without waiting for the physics teacher's consent from the podium, Carl vanished from the classroom in an instant, leaving everyone bewildered.

Such haste? Does he need to go urgently? And he even employed his Ability.

With a few rapid strides, Carl exited the classroom building, arriving at the nearby small playground. He then exhaled deeply, excitedly activating the force field within his body.

As the force field enveloped him entirely, Carl's feet gradually lifted off the ground, allowing him to hover.

Yet...

"After all that effort, this newfound ability isn't steel-like resilience; it's flight... No, it's merely levitation, and only to a height of one meter." Peering down at the ground just one meter beneath him, Carl couldn't help but feel disappointed.

Subsequently, Carl meticulously examined this Ability for a while.

It dawned on him that the reason for his levitation lay in the feeble force field generated by his cells, which partially neutralized the geomagnetic field, rendering him as 'light' as a feather.

Furthermore, he can manipulate the fluctuation of this feeble force field, propelling himself in motion, albeit at a sluggish pace.

Carl nodded thoughtfully. "It appears that this force field might be akin to the mechanism enabling Superman's flight. However, its potency remains inadequate, only allowing for slight levitation on my part."

"And the abilities of mutants do seem to exert a certain stimulating influence on Kryptonian cells, thus warranting further exploration on my part."

"Perhaps I need not await evolution into a silver superman to acquire a myriad of super abilities. I can make myself more well-rounded and diminish my vulnerabilities."

Lost in contemplation, Carl gradually descended.

However, rather than heading back to the classroom, he crouched down slightly, took a deep breath, and unleashed his power explosively.

Boom!

In an instant, the earth beneath Carl erupted, creating a sizable pit over a meter in diameter.

In that moment, the structures below rapidly diminished in his vision, transforming into a cluster of buildings nestled amidst verdant foliage.

Amidst the expansive woods, a sinuous concrete road wound its way, leading toward the distant cityscape marked by numerous towering structures and bustling activity.

At that juncture, numerous individuals at the school witnessed a dark silhouette soaring into the sky.

In the subterranean research chamber, Professor X abruptly lifted his gaze.

In another educational edifice, Cyclops and Storm also gazed out the window, their eyes betraying astonishment.

Having ascended to a height exceeding 400 meters in a single breath, Carl began his descent, arcing across the sky towards the opposite side of the school.

The velocity increased.

The roar of the wind filled his ears as everything beneath him rapidly expanded in Carl's sight.

Moments later, Carl was merely ten meters from the ground.

At that instant, he extended his arms and instantaneously projected the force field enveloping his body, intersecting with the pervasive geomagnetic field.

Instantly, the force of impact upon landing diminished.

Subsequently, under Carl's guidance, he veered slightly from his original landing trajectory, resembling a glide as he descended leisurely.

Carl landed on the ground, a satisfied smile playing on his lips.

Flying through the sky felt incredible, even if it was just gliding. It would be even better if he could soar freely like a bird.

"Definitely need some better shoes," he muttered to himself, eyeing the cracked shoe at his feet. The burst of power had been too much for it to handle, leaving a sizable tear along the edge. Carl couldn't help but feel a bit exasperated.

Feeling like all he did nowadays was avoid having to change his shoes after every fight, Carl resolved to hone his powers even further. Otherwise, he'd end up barefoot after every battle, which just didn't suit his style.

Turning around, Carl glanced up at Orolo, who stood behind the window on the third floor of the teaching building, and called out, "Teacher, we've got guests."

"Guests? Who?" Storm inquired, pausing in her tracks.

"I don't know," Carl admitted. When he had leaped several hundred meters into the air earlier, all he had spotted was a small car heading towards the school. As for who was inside, he hadn't the faintest clue.

But it didn't take long for Carl to find out.

A few minutes later, the school door swung open, and Orolo greeted the rugged man stepping out of the car with a warm smile. "Logan, welcome back."

Beside Orolo, Cyclops Scott wore a complex expression.

"Long time no see," Logan rumbled, addressing them with a growl before casting his gaze towards the young boy beside him.

Despite Carl's increased stature and mature appearance, towering at 1.8 meters with a sturdy build that made him resemble a college student, Logan couldn't shake the feeling that he seemed young and inexperienced.

Observing Logan's scrutiny, Orolo chuckled and introduced, "This is Carl West, our newest Mutant prodigy."

"Prodigy?" Wolverine's brow furrowed.

It was clear that Storm didn't just hand out compliments lightly.

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