Multiversal Wanderer: Starting in Naruto

Chapter 93 - 93: Protesting the Mutant Wave

"According to our latest report, the mutant Bobby has been released on bail by the New York City Police Department following standard legal procedures. However, our on-site reporter witnessed Bobby being picked up by other mutants. One of them appeared to be skilled in hypnosis, as all the protesters and reporters at the scene were put under a trance."

"For several hours, those present were unconscious at the back entrance of the NYPD. They've since been examined at various hospitals around New York. Aside from minor injuries, most are in stable condition."

"Our reporter also interviewed Bobby's family, confirming that he hasn't returned home. This is FKY TV, reporting live from New York."

Across the screens of Manhattan, this breaking report played on loop, turning what was initially a minor incident into a full-blown crisis. Spurred on by various social and political forces, protests erupted across the city—most of them targeting mutants.

Life was already tough for many. Now, with the emergence of "mutants," the public had found a convenient target for their frustration. Never mind that most protesters had never even met a mutant—let alone been harmed by one. Logic and facts had long been tossed aside. All that mattered was fear.

And in fear, people found purpose.

Streets were filled with chants and homemade signs:

"Down with mutants! Mutants are the cancer of humanity!"

"They hide among us—your neighbor could be a mutant!"

"Mutants threaten our safety with unchecked powers!"

It wasn't long before these protests turned into a political movement, with growing demands that mutants be publicly registered. Protesters insisted the government create an online database so citizens could track and identify mutants in their communities.

The backlash was immediate and brutal.

Bobby's parents, fearing for their safety, fled the country under the cover of night. Their home was sold for next to nothing. America had become a powder keg, and the fear surrounding mutants was the spark. Decades of social inequality, frustration, and class resentment had all exploded—using Bobby as the scapegoat.

He saw everything unfold on the news, trembling with helplessness. He couldn't understand why people who didn't even know him harbored such intense hatred toward him and other mutants.

"They don't see you," Su Xiuyu said calmly. "This is a spatial fault. A little trick I developed by merging Kamar-Taj's spatial spells with my own understanding of dimensional layering. It lets us observe the real world from a separate fold in space."

The world around them was frozen, like a paused film. Su Xiuyu's spell didn't affect those proficient in space magic, like the Ancient One, but it was perfect for watching the world without being part of it.

"Master," Bobby asked, his voice unsure, "why are these strangers so angry about the mutant situation?"

"It's not personal," Su Xiuyu said. "It's instinct. People fear what they don't understand. They're not mutants. They don't know what it's like. And when they see someone like you—who looks just like them but has powers they'll never have—it makes them feel threatened."

Bobby frowned. "Isn't that just envy?"

"It's more complicated than that. But it's not your fault," Su Xiuyu assured him. "You've only met a couple of mutants so far, right? You think all of them are like you?"

"The two I met at the NYPD—Logan and Scott—they looked normal to me," Bobby replied. "Scott just had those cool glasses."

Su Xiuyu nodded. "They're exceptions. Most mutants have noticeable differences in appearance or disabilities. Mutation is random—it's genetic. And not all mutations are beneficial."

With a wave of his hand, Su Xiuyu conjured illusions in Bobby's mind—realistic projections of mutants across the world.

"Look at this one," he said, showing Toad from the Brotherhood of Mutants. "He's got a tongue like a frog. Deadly, but weird."

Another illusion appeared, this one of a man covered in sharp, bony spikes. "This guy? Looks like a walking porcupine. Not exactly neighbor material."

"These are the more 'normal' ones," Su Xiuyu continued. "Some are born looking so inhuman that their parents abandon them at birth. You're lucky, Bobby."

Bobby looked down, silent.

"As for Logan and Scott—they're elite. Logan has a healing factor that lets him recover from almost any injury. Scott's eyes constantly emit destructive laser beams."

"But... he seemed in control."

"He's not," Su Xiuyu said bluntly. "That's why he wears red quartz glasses. Without them, his power would go haywire. Many mutants can't control their abilities, especially in high-stress situations. Some are walking natural disasters without meaning to be."

He looked at Bobby with a rare softness. "You're one of the few who has no visible mutation, strong control over your powers, and no physical drawbacks. That's rare."

Bobby blinked. "How do you know all this, Master?"

"I know many things," Su Xiuyu replied with a faint smile. "Why? Because I can see the future."

"The future?" Bobby asked, intrigued. "You mean... you can predict it?"

"There are two people on this planet who can," Su Xiuyu said, leaning back. "I'm one of them. I'll introduce you to the other one someday."

Bobby's eyes widened. "Then... what's my future like?"

Su Xiuyu's tone grew serious. "I don't know all futures. But in one timeline, you'll join the Mutant Academy—just like Logan and Scott mentioned."

"The school they talked about?" Bobby asked.

Su Xiuyu nodded. "Yes. But in that timeline, you die young. Killed by a robot. Frozen solid, shattered into ice shards."

Bobby paled.

"Relax," Su Xiuyu said quickly. "That's just one path. Like rivers branching off—different universes, different fates. In another timeline, maybe you live a long, happy life. In another... you die in a worse way."

He paused, then added with a smirk, "Just don't mess it up too badly, yeah?"

-------------------

"Master, don't say it like that..." Bobby looked a little downcast. "Are you saying there's no version of me alive and well in the future you saw? And... are there really different Bobbys in different universes?"

Su Xiuyu chuckled. "Hahaha, don't take it so seriously. You're still my apprentice in this timeline, right? That alone makes you special. Every universe might have its own Iceman Bobby... but I only have one Bobby that I trained myself."

Bobby brightened a little at that.

"Wait... so you're saying you're the only version of yourself across all the multiverse?" he asked, his voice picking up in excitement. It was the kind of naive but sincere admiration only a teenager could muster.

"You catch on quick," Su Xiuyu said with a smirk. "Trying to butter me up already? Well, it might sound arrogant, but yes—your master is the only one of his kind across the multiverse."

Su Xiuyu suddenly clapped his hands. "Now that you've seen enough for today, go back and train. I want an ice sculpture of me—accurate down to the smallest detail. Consider it homework. And if it's not finished by tonight..."

Bobby groaned, "Nooo, Master..."

"This is basic training," Su Xiuyu said firmly. "It's about control. If you can't even do this much, how do you expect to master your powers? Get to it. Now."

Bobby sighed but didn't argue. He was already used to this kind of strict training.

Su Xiuyu's tone softened. "Bobby, the reason I showed you all those people today was to teach you something important. People don't share the same experiences. Sometimes they'll see your pain and think you're just being noisy. If you want to protect yourself and what you care about, you need strength. Without it, you're just a pawn of fate."

"I'll be checking your progress tonight. You'll stay and practice here in this alien space. I've prepared enough food for the day."

"Wait, Master—what about the bathroom?!"

"This is an isolated space. Just do your business on the ground. No one will see you. It won't pollute the environment. You'll have a full panoramic toilet experience! Master believes in you!"

With a teasing grin, Su Xiuyu vanished in a flash.

---

Meanwhile, New York was once again at the center of a rising storm. The mutant conflict had ignited a new wave of anti-mutant sentiment. "Opposition" had become trendy in the U.S.—there were protests every other day. This time, white, Black, and Latino communities had all joined forces for one cause: to oppose the tiny mutant population.

Some had even joked about starting another "free shopping" spree under the guise of protests. But the real consequence was that many mutants had been exposed—though most of those were lower-level mutants with little actual power. Some had physical deformities, and their already difficult lives became even harder.

In a rundown, abandoned factory on the outskirts of a New York slum...

"Brothers and sisters! We must rise up and protest against the New York City government!" a man with a twisted, monstrous face shouted from a makeshift stage. "We are individuals. We have rights! Forcing us to register is discrimination, plain and simple. We must resist!"

A crowd of about a hundred mutants had gathered. That might not seem like much, but in a climate of fear, just showing up made them braver than most. Many had kept their abilities secret from everyone around them—some even from their families—doing their best to remain invisible.

"I agree with you," someone shouted. "But who the hell has the guts to go out and protest? We're not like Black people during the civil rights movement. I'm scared I'll get locked up the moment I step outside."

"Exactly! If we show ourselves now, what's gonna happen to our jobs? Our homes?"

"My neighbors already think I'm some kind of freak. If they knew the truth, I'd have been ratted out ages ago. Hell, Bobby's own family doesn't even support him."

Bobby's story had spread quickly. On top of that, a notorious TV evangelist named Bob Bell had seized the opportunity to fan the flames of anti-mutant hatred. He led massive protests and declared mutants to be "God's curse." In a country where Christianity held major sway, that kind of rhetoric was dangerous.

Worse, he'd founded a cult-like religious group called The Human Above Organization, which made its mission crystal clear: wipe out mutantkind.

"We have to fight peacefully," the speaker urged. "If we resort to violence, we're no better than what they say we are!"

"But they're not being peaceful with us," another mutant snapped. "If they drag us off to some lab, we're dead before we know what hit us!"

"Quiet!" a powerful voice boomed.

All heads turned as two figures stepped onto the stage—a gray-haired man with piercing eyes and a striking woman by his side. Magneto and Mystique.

"They don't know how to use their gifts to fight back," Magneto said, his voice like iron. "Instead, they dream about being accepted. Legal battles? Public protests? Foolish fantasies."

"Who are you to say that?" someone shouted.

"My name is Eric. But some of you might know me as Magneto." He paused, letting the name sink in.

The crowd buzzed with murmurs. Magneto's reputation was infamous—hero to some, terrorist to others. Among mutants, he was a living legend, but not everyone saw him the same way.

"If any of you still have the will to resist," Magneto continued, "then come find me. The Brotherhood of Mutants is always open to those with spirit. That's all I have to say. Make your own choices."

He turned to leave, Mystique following silently behind him.

"Wait, Magneto!" a woman's voice called out.

He stopped. "Yes?"

"I want to join the Brotherhood," she said, flashing a seductive smile. "Even though... I'm not much of a fighter."

Eric raised a brow but didn't look impressed. He'd known many beautiful women, and his focus was elsewhere now.

"The Brotherhood isn't a babysitting service," he said bluntly. "You don't need combat power to join—but you do need to offer something valuable to our cause."

"I know who you are. You're not just controlling metal—you control magnetic fields. You're a level-four mutant. And the woman next to you, Raven... she's a level-three shapeshifter. I can also tell there are a few other level-threes in this crowd, but most here are first- and second-level."

Eric's eyes narrowed. "You can detect mutant levels and abilities?"

Everyone knew Magneto's ability was metal manipulation, but only someone with a sharp understanding would know the core of it was magnetic field control. This woman wasn't bluffing.

"You've got my attention," Magneto said finally. "Come. The Brotherhood welcomes those who can contribute. We need more allies. Now isn't the time to rest—our people are waiting."

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