Chapter 134: Psychic Ability After the Contract

"Who are you? You should not exist in this universe."

"Jean Grey" tilted her head, her gaze dull as she looked at Orion Cross.

However, every word she spoke proved that the one in control right now was not Jean Grey.

As for whether it was the consciousness of the Phoenix Force itself, or another painful personality controlling the Phoenix Force, that remained unknown.

"Nina, remember how it feels when you’re sleepy and tired and want to sleep. Pass that feeling to her."

Orion Cross did not answer "Jean Grey." Instead, he directly tried to demonstrate for Nina beside him.

"I... I’ll try."

Nina looked at "Jean Grey" in the distance. With one blink, Jean Grey became a phoenix wreathed in flames. With another blink, she changed back again.

Under the simultaneous control of Orion Cross and Nina’s ability, a trace of drowsiness gradually appeared on "Jean Grey’s" face, and her body began to sway.

Thud.

After an unknown amount of time, "Jean Grey" finally could not hold on any longer and fell headfirst to the ground.

The instant she collapsed, her original human form dispersed at once, turning into a giant energy mass in the shape of a phoenix.

"Poor little phoenix."

Looking at the Phoenix Force, which had fallen into a peaceful state of slumber, the corners of Orion Cross’s mouth curved upward.

As one of the primal forces of the universe, regardless of whether the Phoenix Force possessed consciousness, it could be called this universe’s Dimensional Demon God.

Originally, the Phoenix Force was unlike Aurelion Sol, who had a crown restricting him. It should have been impossible for Orion Cross to sign a contract with her.

But good people received good rewards. Nina, Magneto’s daughter whom he had saved in passing, could influence the Phoenix Force even in the initial stage of her advanced ability.

Even if she could not control it at this stage and could only soothe and guide it, that still held terrifying potential.

But to Orion Cross, that potential itself was not important. What mattered was that he could use it as an opening.

Just as he had once used the crown to sign a domination contract with Aurelion Sol, Orion Cross could now naturally use this power to sign a domination contract with the Phoenix Force.

After another unknown amount of time, Orion Cross completed the contract. When he opened his eyes, a phoenix shadow flashed through his pupils.

"Perfect."

Orion Cross looked at the Phoenix Force, which had already awakened again but was crouched there with grief and anger showing in its eyes. He stepped forward, patted her head, and released the ability.

The Phoenix Force felt miserable. After being forced to "sleep" for a while and waking up again, she had inexplicably been bound by a contract.

It was like a girl being drugged unconscious, then waking up to discover...

It was that tragic.

What was even more tragic was that the Phoenix Force was only a fragment. She could not even do what Aurelion Sol did, forcing Orion Cross to stay in the universe he was in for only twelve hours before being forcibly expelled.

To put it simply, she had been taken advantage of for nothing.

"Hm?"

Orion Cross, who had taken advantage of the Phoenix Force for nothing, returned to the real world feeling refreshed. Suddenly, he discovered that because of the Phoenix Force’s extraction, he seemed to have gained another ability.

As Orion Cross had said before, the Phoenix Force was the embodiment of life and psychic power, symbolizing life and emotion.

Because the Phoenix Force was the source of psychic power in this universe, that was also why she liked to reside in psychic ability users.

And since it was the source of psychic power, then it did not seem strange for Orion Cross to suddenly gain a psychic-type ability now.

"What’s wrong? Are you all right?"

When Diana and Raven saw Orion Cross wake up, they walked forward at the same time and supported him from the left and right.

"Oh, shit. I think I should ban him from entering my school in the future."

Charles, who had appeared at some point in his wheelchair, saw this scene and revealed an envious expression.

Once upon a time, he too had been a wandering playboy. Unfortunately, the more he experienced, the more he could no longer return to the past.

"Just now, you said you wanted to properly thank him and give him the title of honorary professor.

You’re just jealous. That isn’t good, Professor."

Hank McCoy, who was pushing Charles’s wheelchair, smiled and ruthlessly exposed his thoughts.

"I was only joking. You didn’t have to say it out loud, Hank."

Charles rolled his eyes and spoke helplessly to Hank behind him.

"How long has it been? Why are Charles and the others here?"

Orion Cross looked at the circle of people around him in confusion and asked.

"Twenty minutes."

Diana and Raven answered in unison, then looked at each other.

"You didn’t run into any problems, did you? Charles told me just now that even he felt terrified by the power inside that student..."

Raven looked at Orion Cross with slightly furrowed brows and said.

"No. And... I even gained another ability."

As Orion Cross spoke, his gaze turned toward Charles.

"Is it a psychic-type ability? Telepathy? Telekinesis?"

Raven followed Orion Cross’s gaze and looked over. She was slightly stunned, then began guessing.

"More or less."

Orion Cross walked to Charles’s wheelchair. "Can you help me test it?"

"Test it? What do you need? My school has all kinds of testing grounds and equipment prepared for mutant students."

Charles looked up at Orion Cross and smiled.

"You are enough."

Orion Cross looked into Charles’s eyes and said.

"Me?"

Charles frowned slightly, then seemed to understand something. "You want me to use my ability?"

"That’s right. First try and see if you can read my mind."

Orion Cross sensed the power brought by the Phoenix Force and nodded.

"I’ll try."

Charles looked into Orion Cross’s eyes, slowly raised his right hand, and placed two fingers against his temple.

"Hm?"

Charles made a puzzled sound and focused his mind more intensely.

A minute later, Charles lowered his right hand and shook his head at Orion Cross. "No. I can’t sense your mind at all. It’s as if you were a stone."

"Then next, it’s my turn. Try to defend."

Orion Cross nodded slightly, then spoke to Charles.

"Defend?"

Charles was slightly stunned, then nodded solemnly. He placed both hands beside his temples and began concentrating.

"Mmph!"

Magneto, who was watching from the side, suddenly moved his hand involuntarily, pinched his own cheeks, and made a cutesy expression.

"Mmph! Charles! What are you doing!"

Magneto roared in anger.

Charles abruptly came back to his senses and looked at Orion Cross in shock. Then he shook his head at the furious Magneto. "It wasn’t me!"

"It wasn’t you?"

Magneto’s gaze turned toward Orion Cross. "Could your new ability be the same as Charles’s?"

"No. Just now, I only controlled him, then borrowed his ability."

Orion Cross shook his head and said.