Before long, the X-Men escorted Toras and his companions back to the Sanctuary. Eric immediately rushed over to see Melin.
"Uncle, I…" Eric was so excited that he couldn't wait to confirm whether he had truly awakened his Cosmos. But when he saw Melin raise a finger to his lips, he obediently fell silent and waited.
Melin enveloped Eric in his Cosmos, carefully examining his physical condition.
Awakening one's Cosmos was a good thing, but if it came at a great cost, then it would be the opposite.
After a thorough check, Melin finally relaxed. Aside from some injuries sustained during battle, Eric's body showed no issues at all.
Moreover, within Eric, a Cosmos as small and delicate as an unborn infant truly existed.
"Congratulations, Eric. You've indeed awakened your Cosmos."
"Really? That's awesome!" Eric jumped up and down in excitement.
Melin didn't interrupt him. Thanks to Melin's Cosmos and various advanced technologies, Eric, who was around fifty years old, still looked like he was in his late twenties or early thirties. But this couldn't change the fact that he had grown up, married, and had children.
…
…
Having always regarded Eric as his own child, Melin was naturally overjoyed to see him again—not just a memory, but truly alive before him.
"Then… Uncle, does my awakening mean that all mutants have the chance to awaken their Cosmos too?" Eric asked.
"It's possible, but the chances are very slim."
A bucket of cold water right over his head—but Eric wasn't discouraged. He had already mentally prepared himself for this. After all, over these past decades, many mutants had tirelessly tried to awaken their Cosmos. If it were easy, there would have been more than just this one miracle.
"First, tell me everything that happened earlier. Be detailed—I need every bit of information."
"Alright."
Eric then recounted his battle with Apocalypse without missing a single detail.
When he finished, Melin fell into deep thought, slowly piecing together a vague answer.
"Eric, based on your account, your success was the result of long-term preparation blooming into a miracle in the face of life and death," Melin said.
"My preparation… blooming into a miracle between life and death?"
"That's right. Since you were a child, you've lived in the Sanctuary, trained alongside the Saints, growing up bathed in the Cosmos. You've also diligently practiced Cosmos cultivation yourself. And just now, you mentioned that when you sensed Mu saving you all, it was at the exact moment you felt you were about to die.
I believe your past training wasn't useless. It's like inflating a balloon—your practice was the air filling it. The balloon was of such high quality that no matter how hard you tried, it wouldn't burst. But the air was always there.
Then came the needle—true mortal danger—which punctured the balloon, and all that stored air was finally released. That release was your Cosmos."
Eric pondered Melin's explanation carefully and asked, "So… for mutants to break through their natural limits, they must keep cultivating Cosmos and then face mortal danger to possibly awaken?"
"There may be other factors as well—like the environment in which you grew up. Eric, you were raised amidst my Cosmos and that of others. Perhaps under this influence, your physique became different from others. There could be other unknown factors too. These are things we still need to study.
But the two conditions I just mentioned should definitely be correct," Melin said.
"I see."
Eric was completely calm now—not because he had lost hope, but because the conditions were simply too harsh.
Setting aside the environmental and physiological factors, very few mutants would have the perseverance to train in Cosmos. And even if they did, there's no way to quantify it. Finally, awakening in a life-or-death crisis—that's not something you can plan for.
This death stimulus had to be real, a true final squeeze of one's potential.
Eric was certain: if he had mentally prepared himself beforehand, his Cosmos would never have awakened.
"Uncle, can I tell Charles and the others about this?" Eric asked cautiously.
Mutants having the possibility to awaken Cosmos would cause massive waves—not just among mutants, but also for the Sanctuary and the entire world. It could change the global landscape entirely, and he had to be careful.
"You can, but no spreading it around. Only among yourselves—don't let the other kids know just yet," Melin agreed.
"No problem."
After Eric left, Shion and Aiolos stepped out from the shadows.
"What do you both think?"
"Inevitable within the accidental," Shion replied. "That child Eric is surrounded by golden radiance. Anyone like that is bound to be extraordinary and leave a bold mark in history."
Hearing this, Melin almost laughed out loud. He certainly knew Eric was a child of destiny. In different timelines, Eric had been a major villain, had thought of destroying the world, led mutant revolutions, and even established a mutant nation.
But that was all in timelines where he hadn't met Melin. Now… Melin believed that even if Charles himself turned evil, Eric wouldn't follow.
And besides, in this chaotic grand universe, so-called "children of destiny" were everywhere. According to Melin, every movie, every TV show, every anime, every comic book—each one had several children of destiny. In such a messed-up world, destiny was the cheapest commodity.
"Aiolos, what do you think we should do? Let it be, or…?"
"My lord, I think the best course is a balance between letting it be and managing it," Aiolos answered directly, sensing that Melin was testing him.
"Oh? Interesting. Explain," Melin said, a smile curling his lips.
"Eric awakening Cosmos may be a miracle, but its existence proves it's not impossible to replicate. If we can find the exact method for mutants to awaken Cosmos, the Sanctuary's strength will soar to a new level. So we must not let the opportunity slip by.
However, we also can't restrict Eric's freedom or assign someone to watch him closely. Eric is proud. It's that pride that made him who he is today. If he found out he was being monitored, even if he didn't resent the Sanctuary, it would create division. And if that pride were ground down, even with awakened Cosmos, his future growth would be severely limited," Aiolos replied.
Melin nodded approvingly. As expected of the Sagittarius who was often called the "Political Commissar"—his answer was precise and thorough.
"Contact Howard. Have him assist with this research."
"Yes, my lord." Aiolos bowed and departed.
After Aiolos left, Melin turned to Shion and asked, "Still thinking about retiring?"
Shion froze for a moment before giving a bitter smile. "My lord, although you've activated the golden bloodline in both me and Aries, extending our lives, the future still belongs to the young."
Melin knew that recently, Shion had been keeping Aiolos close, involving him in managing the Sanctuary's affairs, just as Aries had been grooming Saga as his successor.
Melin hadn't objected. In fact, he had supported them. But from Melin's perspective, training them was fine—handing over the reins was still too early.
"Calling yourself old in front of me… Is that appropriate?" Melin teased.
Cough cough Shion almost choked, looking at Melin with an aggrieved face. "My lord, please don't tease me like that."
"Shion, you and Aries nurturing Aiolos and Saga is fine. But don't rush to hand over authority just yet. Like you said, the future is theirs. They're still young. Right now, improving their strength is far more important than managing the Sanctuary. You can train them, but don't let mundane affairs hinder their cultivation," Melin instructed.
"Understood, my lord," Shion replied with a smile.
Even though their dream of early retirement was shattered, the fact that Melin didn't oppose their chosen successors was enough to fill them with pride.
"Good. Now, how's that girl I asked you to watch?"
Shion's expression turned serious. "She has an enormous power sealed inside her. Although dormant, I can sense the destructive rage hidden within it. My lord, if we don't control it, it could spell disaster for the Earth. Perhaps we should seal it—or…"
Seeing the ruthlessness flash through Shion's eyes, Melin shook his head with a wry smile.
Shion was still too naïve. Killing Jean Grey was simple—but destroying the Phoenix Force? Almost impossible. The Phoenix Force was one of the three ancient primal powers. If it could be destroyed, it would have been wiped out eons ago.
Jean Grey was merely one host of the complete Phoenix Force. Killing Jean would only cause the force to move elsewhere.
"Better to guide than to suppress. Trying to smother it will only lead to an even greater catastrophe. Better to teach her to accept it, control it, and fuse with it through her own will," Melin said.
"Then, my lord, you mean…"
"Leave her to Shaka."
"Understood."