Mutant awakening: My evolution knows no bounds

The room was thick with a tense, disbelieving energy. Voices echoed off the metal walls as students murmured amongst themselves, eyes wide with shock.

"What? Did he just say Grade 5 mutant realm?!"

"I thought we were only supposed to be sent to a Grade 2 realm for the test! What does he mean by Grade 5?!"

"How did they survive if it was a Grade 5?!"

The whispers quickly turned to a low hum of panic and incredulity, faces filled with disbelief and fear. Students exchanged glances, trying to process the weight of Klaus's words.

Standing among them, Matt's face twisted in confusion. He muttered, almost to himself, "Grade 5?" His gaze bore into Klaus as if he needed to make sure he'd heard right.

Klaus gave a casual shrug, his tone sharp but devoid of remorse. "Yeah, that's correct, lad. There was a mistake on our end. That mistake dropped your fellow students into a Grade 5 realm instead of a Grade 2. They lost a member, but the rest of them made it out fine." Klaus took a step closer, his boots echoing ominously in the silence that followed. "So let's make this clear—the test wasn't canceled because they got injured in a lower-graded realm. It was canceled because they barely made it back alive. Now quit the chatter and get back to your dorm rooms."

He dismissed the crowd with a sweeping gesture. Matt and his teammates exchanged a somber glance before nodding and turning away. Slowly, the other students followed suit, shuffling down the hallway, casting occasional glances back at Klaus.

Once the portal room emptied, Klaus lingered, watching the last of them disappear down the hall. He let out a slow breath and adjusted his collar, slipping his hands into his pockets as he strode into the corridor. The click of his heels reverberated against the stone floors as he headed toward his next destination, his gaze shadowed by his thick, unruly hair.

As Klaus rounded a corner, he spotted Kara walking toward him with her usual determined stride. She wasn't looking for him specifically; rather, this hallway just happened to lead to her intended destination—the Mind Reader's office.

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Kara continued forward, her footsteps steady, her eyes narrowing slightly as she noticed Klaus coming closer. She stopped in her tracks a few feet from him, her expression neutral but guarded.

"Kara, good to see you," Klaus greeted, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

"Good to see me?" Kara's tone was edged with mockery as she looked him over. "Hard to believe you can even see me with that hair covering half your face."

Klaus chuckled, clearly amused. "I've told you countless times—I can see just fine, even with my hair in my eyes. And you know why I keep it like this."

Kara rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. "Yeah, yeah. Something to do with your… unique ability." She scoffed lightly. "So, you're back from the mission. How did it go?"

Klaus's smirk faded, replaced by a more serious look. "No trace of the Sycrax species here on Earth. But we found one of their outposts on Klahari. The base was deserted, though—seemed they cleared out fast."

Kara's eyebrows lifted, her curiosity piqued. "So, what did you find?"

Klaus reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small, crimson switch. Its surface was smooth and metallic, glinting in the dim hallway light. He handed it to Kara, who took it carefully, her brow furrowing as she inspected the device.

She turned it over, examining every angle, but her confusion only deepened. After a long silence, she looked up, puzzled. "What is this supposed to be?"

"You don't know?" Klaus's voice was thick with mock surprise. "And here I thought you were one of the academy's best."

Kara's eyes flashed with irritation. "If I knew, Klaus, I wouldn't be asking." Her tone was biting.

Klaus sighed, his playful demeanor giving way to a more serious one. "That's a portal switch. Powers up a specific type of portal, designed to transport beings from one realm to another. It can move someone from a distant planet to a mutant realm, or even from one mutant realm to another."

Kara's eyes widened as he continued.

"High-level mutants—Grade 4s and 5s, specifically—sometimes use these when they realize they can't survive in their own realms. They hop through these portals, looking for a safer place, but that often has… unintended consequences. When a mutant realm suddenly has new, powerful occupants, its Grade can spike. For instance, a Grade 3 realm could shift up to a 4 or even a 5 if a powerful enough entity entered."

Kara's jaw tightened, understanding dawning on her. "And the Sycrax? Are they trying to build one to Earth?"

"They wish." Klaus's lips twisted into a grim smile. "They've been trying for years. But they know it's next to impossible. So, they've shifted their focus. They're working on creating a portal to a mutant realm instead. They figure that if they can infiltrate a high-Grade realm and cause chaos, the realm will eventually collapse. When that happens, the barriers weaken, and—boom—the Sycrax species and any other trapped mutants will spill out into our world. It's their way in without breaking the rules."

Kara's expression darkened, realization settling heavily on her. "That's… catastrophic. We need to warn Sir Dominic and the others."

"Not yet, Kara." Klaus held up a hand. "I'm still gathering intel. This could be a false lead, and we don't need to start a panic without proof. Give me a little more time. If my suspicions are right, I'll inform Dominic myself."

He took a step forward, his smirk returning. "Now, you were on your way somewhere, right? So get moving, Kara. I'd hate to keep you from your duties because you were chatting with the most arrogant staff member in the academy." His grin widened. "Not that I'm not better than everyone here—but you're certainly not among the elite, Kara."

Kara's glare could've melted steel. Without another word, she brushed past him, heading toward the Mind Reader's office, irritation radiating from her like heat.

Several minutes later, the Mind Reader arrived at Sir Dominic's office. She paused just inside the doorway, taking in his imposing figure seated behind the dark, expansive desk. His arms were folded, a look of quiet calculation on his face.

Dominic's eyes flicked to Kara. "Wait outside, Kara. I need a private word with her."

His voice was deep and steady, carrying a weight that made Kara instinctively nod before stepping out and closing the door softly behind her. As the door shut, the Mind Reader's eyes met Dominic's, and in his expression, she saw something that made her pulse quicken—a seriousness that hinted he knew more than he was letting on.