From this moment on, the Mutants of America have stood up.
Before this, the vast majority of them spent their daily lives trying their best to hide their differences, terrified that any slight abnormality would be discovered and they would be treated like monsters.
But things are different now.
They can finally shed all their disguises and walk down the street openly, no longer having to live their lives in hiding.
Every Mutant was filled with gratitude from the bottom of their hearts toward Charles and the others for making this happen; they practically wanted to kowtow to them.
However, those in the Brotherhood knew clearly that all the credit actually belonged to Darian.
Everything they had done was, in fact, Darian's idea; they were merely following his execution.
By now, the members of the Brotherhood admired Darian to the extreme.
Charles, in particular, recalled the words Darian had spoken when they first met.
To let all Mutants live openly and honestly, without the need to hide or skulk, without fearing the judgmental gazes of humans, and certainly without being treated as freaks.
He hadn't expected that Darian would actually achieve it so quickly!
Greatness needs no words!
Not long after, another piece of shocking news broke, directly igniting public opinion across the U.S.
The news was about the truth behind the Cuban Crisis.
Someone had somehow secretly exposed the entire inside story of the Cuban Crisis.
The public finally learned that the real reason the 'Third Season' of global conflict almost started back then was actually orchestrated by an evil and powerful Mutant whose goal was to provoke a nuclear war and plunge the globe into chaos.
Had Charles and the others not stepped forward and worked together to defeat that mad Mutant, the entire World would likely have fallen into an irreversible abyss long ago.
As soon as this news came out, it directly set off a massive wave across the entire U.S.
No one had imagined that the reason they could live their lives in peace and that the World hadn't entered a third global conflict was all thanks to Charles and his group of Mutants silently protecting them from the shadows.
Yet Charles and the others had never once mentioned their own contributions to the public from start to finish.
They are truly... it's enough to make us cry to death!
Overnight, the names of Charles and his companions spread through every street and alley in America.
Newspaper front pages, television news, social media—they were covered everywhere, and their popularity reached an unprecedented level.
It just so happened that the wave of Mutant equal rights was sweeping the nation at the same time; with the two events colliding, countless people directly hailed Charles and the others as true Superheroes.
After all, their experiences fit the Superhero template of American comics perfectly.
Possessing powerful abilities far beyond ordinary people, fighting against evil forces that plot to destroy the World, silently guarding World peace...
America was already a nation that intensely idolized individual heroism, and what Charles and the others did completely fulfilled the public's imagination of what a Superhero should be.
For a time, overwhelming adoration and praise poured toward them.
"Superheroes, huh?"
Upon learning this news, Darian rubbed his chin, a bold idea suddenly forming in his mind.
"What did you say? You want to open a Superhero company?"
After hearing Darian's idea, Charles was stunned on the spot.
Darian nodded. "That's right. This company will be a subsidiary of Marvel Industries, using Marvel Industries' resources to create a group of Superheroes belonging to Marvel Industries."
Charles asked in surprise, "Why would you suddenly have this idea?"
Darian sighed and said slowly, "Charles, although humans and Mutants can be considered to be coexisting peacefully for now, that doesn't mean everything will be fine forever."
"You have to realize that not all Mutants are as law-abiding as we are. There will only be more Mutants in the future, and there's no guarantee that some won't develop wicked intentions, using their abilities to commit crimes and treating Earth as if it's their personal playground."
"We can ignore the weak Mutants, but if some powerful Mutant criminals emerge, the police won't be able to stop them at all."
Charles frowned. "I have thought about that, but with us around, there shouldn't be any major trouble, right?"
"You're too optimistic."
Darian shook his head.
"The problem isn't the size of the trouble; it's that as long as even one Mutant commits a crime—no matter who they are or what their reason is—the blame will inevitably be pinned on all Mutants."
"The public won't distinguish between individual behavior and a group issue. Once cases of Mutant crime increase, they will subconsciously categorize all Mutants as dangerous elements."
"You're right, that is indeed a problem."
After hearing Darian's words, Charles's brow furrowed deeply, his face full of solemnity.
As the saying goes, one piece of rat droppings can ruin the whole pot of soup.
That is the power of stereotypes.
They had worked so hard to get the public to accept the existence of Mutants. If a few vicious crimes committed by Mutants really occurred, all their previous efforts would be in vain, and things might even become worse than before.
Charles certainly did not want to see such a thing happen.
"But what does this have to do with the Superhero company you mentioned?"
Charles had a strange expression, unable to fathom how the words 'Superhero' and 'company' could be linked together.
"It has everything to do with it,"
Darian explained. "Ordinary people can't deal with Mutant criminals; only Mutants can deal with Mutants. So, I plan to recruit a group of reliable Mutants to form a Superhero team specifically to deal with those Mutant criminals who threaten society."
"This way, we can stop their illegal acts in time and show the public a positive image of Mutants. It kills two birds with one stone!"
Charles scratched his head, still a bit confused.
"It sounds like it makes some sense, but couldn't we just form a Superhero team to catch those evil Mutants? There's no need to specifically open a company, is there?"
Darian said earnestly, "Do you think being a Superhero is easy? Then you are dead wrong."
"Let me ask you, if a Superhero accidentally destroys public facilities or private property while fighting a criminal, how should that be handled?"
Charles was stunned; he really hadn't considered that question.
In those Superhero comics, the heroes finish fighting the criminals and just walk away, never having to worry about the mess left behind.
But reality isn't a comic; you can't just do as you please.
For example, if someone buys a new car with a ten-year loan and, after only a few days, it's smashed to pieces during a fight between a Superhero and a criminal, and insurance won't cover it—anyone in that situation would turn bitter on the spot.
When that happens, they won't just hate the criminal; they'll hate the Superhero too, and might even take their anger out on the entire Mutant community.
But Superheroes can't personally handle all these trivial matters.
One or two compensation disputes might be manageable, but if there are many, the Superheroes won't even have time to fight crime; just dealing with these disputes would exhaust them.
Darian continued, "This is the significance of opening a company. At times like this, you need a professional cleanup team to specifically handle these issues, helping the Superheroes clear away their worries so they can focus on dealing with criminals without being distracted by these trifles. That is the role of the company."
"Besides that, the company will have the most professional PR team to help maintain the Superheroes' images, establishing a positive reputation and guiding more Mutants toward the right path, preventing them from going further down the road of illegality."
"Moreover, the company will arrange for a film crew to record the Superheroes' actions, ensuring transparency and accepting public supervision, so the masses will trust us more."
Listening to Darian speak with such eloquence, Charles nodded silently.
"Hearing you say it like that, it does sound very good, but why do I find this model a bit familiar...?"
He thought about it carefully.
Isn't this just the Hollywood approach!?
Charles's lips twitched.
"Is this about being a Superhero or being a celebrity?"
"Hey, it's all the same!"
Darian waved his hand and said cheerfully, "Right now, Mutants have just gained a foothold before the public, and we're lacking a few spokespeople who can represent our image. The Superhero persona is perfect. We want the public to know that Mutants are a group that is just, kind, and longing for peace, not some dangerous elements."
Charles was relatively in agreement with these words.
It just always felt a bit strange.
He asked, "Then who do you plan to have as Marvel Company's first Superhero?"
Darian said without hesitation, "You, of course!"
"Me?"
Charles pointed at himself, looking completely bewildered.
Darian stood with hands on hips and nodded.
"That's right. Your current fame among Mutants is unmatched. We won't even need to spend time training you; with just a bit of branding, you can debut right where you are and become a Superhero in the public eye."
In the entire Mutant community today, Charles's fame was definitely at the very top.
After all, the World-shaking theory that the X-Gene is latent within the human body was something he had personally announced to the World at the Marvel Industries Expo.
Add to that Charles's unique presence—while everyone else stands, he sits, carrying a natural leadership aura—it was only natural for his popularity to be high.
Next was Erik; his ability to manipulate metal with one hand and the scene of him crushing several Sentinel Robots had also garnered a large wave of fans.
As for the other Brotherhood members who appeared at the Expo, they had all gained a bit of popularity as well.
Charles snapped out of it and quickly waved his hands repeatedly. "No, no, no, I can't. I really can't do this."
Darian urged, "A man can't say he 'can't'. Besides, you haven't even tried; how do you know you can't?"
Charles looked troubled.
"But I've never done anything like this before. I have zero experience."
"Experience is something you gain naturally by doing it more."
Darian chuckled and patted Charles on the shoulder.
"Don't worry, I'll arrange the most professional team to help you. And you don't need to force an act; just being yourself is enough."
With Charles's innate charisma, he was perfectly suited to be Marvel Company's first Superhero.
"But..." Charles still wanted to decline.
"No buts!"
Darian cut him off directly and said seriously, "Charles, you wouldn't want the goodwill we Mutants worked so hard to build up to be ruined for nothing, would you?"
Charles was most susceptible to such arguments; the reluctance on his face gradually turned into hesitation.
Half a minute later, he nodded helplessly.
"Alright, I'll try my best."
To save the Mutants, Charles decided to debut as an idol... ah no, a Superhero!
Of course, one Superhero wasn't enough.
After settling things with Charles, Darian went on to find his next target: Erik.
He followed the same pattern, repeating everything he had said to Charles, only slightly changing the last sentence.
"Erik, Charles has already agreed. You wouldn't want to be surpassed by him, would you?"
Erik:
"...I'll do it!"
Not long after, Marvel International Company was officially established.
Backing onto the great tree that was Marvel Industries, funding and resources were not an issue.
In a short period, the frameworks for several core departments within the company were set up and began running at full speed.
As soon as the news spread, it immediately caught the attention of the American media.
After all, the name Marvel Industries carried weight and naturally generated buzz; seeing so many resources suddenly tilted toward this new company, anyone would be curious about what big move Marvel Industries was planning next.
Marvel International's movements were also astonishingly fast.
A few days later, Marvel International held a press conference, inviting all major media outlets to attend.
By the day of the conference, the number of reporters present was double what had been expected.
Once the cameras and microphones were set up, the spokesperson on stage didn't beat around the bush and dropped a bombshell right away.
"Marvel International will officially launch the World's first Superhero!"
As soon as the words were spoken, the room went silent for two seconds, followed by an immediate uproar.
What on Earth?
Superhero?
Aren't those things only in comics and movies? Where would a Superhero come from in the real World?
The host on stage didn't explain further, but simply stepped aside and looked toward the side of the stage.
Everyone's gaze followed.
Then, they saw that figure in a wheelchair slowly coming onto the stage.
"It's Charles!"
"Why is he here?"
"Wait, the host just said they were launching a Superhero. Does that mean...?"
The audience below instantly exploded.
This was a top-tier trending figure of late.
From that shocking speech at the Expo to the exposure of the truth behind the Cuban Crisis, Charles's name had long since spread across all of America.
They never imagined he would suddenly appear at a Marvel Company press conference.
The reporters instantly smelled the scent of viral content and aimed their lenses at Charles; the sound of shutters clicking filled the air, and the flashes were so bright they were blinding.
Charles didn't panic, clearly having undergone training.
He stopped his wheelchair in the center of the stage and gave a perfectly timed, friendly smile toward the cameras.
"Hello everyone, my name is Charles Xavier, and I am a Superhero for Marvel Company."
Boom!
With that, the scene completely boiled over.
The so-called Superhero launched by Marvel Company was actually Charles, the Mutant hero!