Chapter 1: Test Subject No. 757, the Artificial Mutant
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"Doctor, the test results for Subject 757 are in."
"What level?"
"Level 2."
"Level 2? So even with full development, it could only achieve basic mind-reading and control of up to 50 kilograms of magnetic force?"
"Yes, Doctor. Based on our current research data on mutants, that's correct."
"It seems that fusing Professor X's and Magneto's genes to create the ultimate artificial mutant really is impossible.
Let's end this experiment here. From now on, focus all efforts on X-24. He is our most powerful weapon!"
"What about Subject 757? Should we dispose of him like the previous experiments?"
"Keep him. Train him with the other kids. After all, he's still a fusion of Professor X's and Magneto's genes. Even at Level 2, with proper development, he could be useful."
"Understood, Doctor!"
"Subject 757, strike decisively, aim for my vital points, and don't hesitate! You're pathetic!"
In the training arena, a muscular man armed with a dagger launched a ferocious attack at a youth who appeared to be around 17 or 18.
The youth was defending by using his abilities to manipulate the dagger, attempting to block and find an opportunity to counter with his fists. However, it was clear he lacked the skill to make quick judgments.
"For someone who can manipulate magnetic forces, my control is far inferior to Magneto's."
The young man, named George, was a transmigrant who had arrived in this world three months ago, now inhabiting the body of this artificial mutant, known as Test Subject 757.
His mutant abilities included mind-reading and magnetic manipulation.
Unfortunately, his mind-reading only worked if the target was completely unguarded, and even then, he could only perceive their current thoughts—no access to deeper memories.
His magnetic manipulation was even worse.
At present, he could barely control objects weighing less than 10 pounds. While it could be useful if properly applied, compared to Magneto, who could effortlessly lift an entire stadium, George's power was like heaven and earth.
Against ordinary people, his abilities might suffice. But when facing beings like the Thing, Colossus, or the White Queen, who excelled in defense, his powers couldn't even scratch them.
Right now, George's goal was to find a way to escape this cruel laboratory.
Ring, ring, ring
A piercing alarm echoed, and a staff member in a white lab coat entered, halting the training session. The staff member then fastened a high-tech device around George's neck:
"Subject 757, it's time for dinner."
"Yes."
George responded stiffly and obediently followed the staff out of the room.
The device around his neck was a "Mutant Inhibitor." Once activated, it would suppress his powers entirely, turning him into an ordinary human.
He was required to wear it at all times, except during training or combat.
As he walked down the long corridor, he noticed many other mutants being led out of various training rooms by the staff.
However, they were all much younger than him, appearing no older than twelve or thirteen.
"The Marvel Universe, huh? This world is incredibly dangerous."
Seeing this scene, George couldn't help but sigh.
From the moment he realized he was a mutant, George knew he had landed in the Marvel Universe.
He had some knowledge of Marvel, having seen a few movies, though he wasn't exactly a hardcore fan.
From what he knew, there were many different universes within Marvel, each with its own events, but none of them were particularly peaceful.
Someone like Thanos, who wiped out half of the universe, wasn't even the worst of it. In some cases, entire universes were wiped out, and it was considered normal.
Still, since he had been thrown into this world, he had no choice but to do whatever it took to survive.
Who wouldn't want to live if given the chance? George was someone who deeply cherished life, and if possible, he would very much like to live forever.
Some say immortality is a curse, watching as the people around you die one by one, enduring endless emotional pain.
But to him, the benefits of eternal life far outweighed those small sacrifices.
As a proud native of China, who wouldn't want to cultivate immortality? Even Emperor Qin, after unifying the six states, sent his men to search for the elixir of life.
From what George had observed over the past month, he could be fairly certain that the Marvel universe he found himself in had many connections to the world of Logan (Wolverine 3).
He had seen the young girl with healing abilities and adamantium claws, X-23, among the children. She had the same powers as Wolverine.
What puzzled him, though, was that the current year wasn't 2029, as it was in the movie, but 2009.
Moreover, from the gossip among the staff, he'd learned that this universe also included Tony Stark, the playboy billionaire, and Captain America.
If he followed the timeline from Logan, X-23 wouldn't have even been born in 2009, yet the tough-looking girl standing before him was clearly around twelve or thirteen years old.
This wasn't the X-Men universe, nor was it the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but some Marvel universe he didn't recognize.
"Whether the timeline is right or not doesn't matter. As long as the events I need to happen still happen."
Whether it was 2029 or 2009 didn't really matter to George. All he cared about was that the escape attempt by the mutant children would still take place, giving him the opportunity to flee the lab.
Based on the plot of Logan, it wouldn't be long before a kind-hearted nurse would help the mutant children escape.
To maintain his persona as a compliant, easily controlled subject, George—just like every other day—spoke to no one, quietly finished his dinner, and returned to his room to sleep.
The lab was filled with surveillance cameras. He had to conceal any hint of his true emotions to avoid suspicion, lowering the staff's guard against him.
He even purposely held back some of his abilities during training, such as slowing down the speed of his dagger attacks and masking certain aspects of his power.
Of course, he couldn't appear too weak, either—otherwise, he might be disposed of like trash.
"What's going on? This hurts!"
Half asleep, George suddenly felt an excruciating pain, as if his soul was being torn apart. However, the pain came and went quickly, sparing him prolonged suffering.
After the pain subsided, he realized he seemed to have entered a strange state.
Suddenly opening his eyes, two completely different perspectives filled his vision.
One view was his normal sight of his bedroom in the lab. But the other was of a dilapidated small room.
At the same time, he became aware of another body—one that he could control just as easily as his current one.
How could he describe this?
It was as if he suddenly gained a second body that he could control.
Lying back down on his bed, he closed his eyes and focused his mind on the new body.
Suddenly, a series of memories flashed through his mind like scenes from a movie. When the memories stopped, he muttered to himself:
"This place... it's the Harry Potter wizarding world!"
In these memories, the eleven-year-old boy's name was Dora, originally an orphan who had been taken in by a wizard from Knockturn Alley due to the unusual magical traits that appeared from his wizarding bloodline.
But this wizard was no kind soul; he was a hidden dark wizard.
The wizard adopted Dora not out of kindness, but to use him for dark magic experiments and potion testing, not to mention as free labor.
After all, using Muggles for experiments often drew the attention of the Ministry of Magic, but using his own ward? That was different.
As long as he kept quiet, no one would find out. And if Dora happened to die, he could always claim it was an accident.
Besides, many dark spells and potions affect Muggles and wizards differently. To get accurate results, using a wizard for experimentation was more effective.
Thus, poor Dora grew up under the torment of this dark wizard.
The constant abuse left Dora with a weak and timid personality. He never dared to resist or share his situation with others, living a life worse than that of a house-elf.
Dora had once pinned his hopes on Hogwarts' letter of admission, hoping it would free him from the dark wizard's grasp.
Unfortunately, while he did receive the letter, the dark wizard had no intention of sending him to Hogwarts.
For young witches and wizards born into Muggle families, they are automatically enrolled at Hogwarts at the age of eleven, regardless of their parents' wishes.
This is because if a young witch or wizard doesn't learn to control their magic, they may fear or despise their abilities, which can lead to them becoming an Obscurial—a danger the magical world avoids at all costs.
But for children from wizarding families, there is no such strict requirement.
Wizard parents can choose to send their children to other schools like Beauxbatons, Durmstrang, or Ilvermorny. Some may even opt for private magical tutoring or teach their children magic themselves to save money.
When Dora learned from the dark wizard that he wouldn't be going to Hogwarts, he broke down completely. In his despair, he drank a potion in his tiny room and took his own life.
For reasons unknown, at that moment, George's split soul took over Dora's body, becoming its new owner.
"What a tragic life."
After reviewing Dora's memories, George couldn't help but sigh.
"Come here!"
Perhaps it was an aftereffect of the potion, but George felt an overwhelming thirst. Without thinking, he activated his power, and the iron cup on the table flew straight into his hand.
Raising the cup to his lips, he gulped down the water before suddenly freezing.
"My ability... I can use it in this body too!"
Yes, the power he had just used was his mutant ability to control magnetism, but this time it wasn't his main body using it—it was this body in the wizarding world.
"Could it be... the abilities from both worlds can be shared?"
George's mind raced with a daring hypothesis.
Focusing back on his original body in the Marvel universe, he noticed something new within himself.
Drawing on the knowledge from Dora's memories, he realized what it was: magical energy, unique to a wizard's bloodline.
"If that's the case, then this is amazing!"
At that moment, a series of plans began to form in George's mind.
(End of Chapter)