Chapter 124: Black Widow's Infiltration of the School

"So, they've already found this place? It seems my Memory Charm has been broken. S.H.I.E.L.D. does have some skills, after all."

Upon recognizing Black Widow's identity, George quickly pieced together the situation.

Just moments ago, he was practicing the Killing Curse in the simulated combat room when Professor X suddenly approached him. The professor mentioned detecting a suspicious agent lingering near the school, prompting George to investigate.

To his surprise, the person in question was none other than Black Widow, the same agent he had cast a Memory Charm on at the Arkley Gene Company base.

Even though Professor X's powers had weakened from a Level 4 mutant to a Level 3, his vast experience still allowed him to cover the entire school with his telepathic abilities. Essentially, he functioned as a large-scale radar.

As such, anyone with ulterior motives within the vicinity would be immediately detected by Professor X.

"Want to play games? Fine, I'll play along."

George wasn't particularly afraid of S.H.I.E.L.D., even with its renowned reputation. Unlike the previous year when they had just escaped the base, the current George was far more prepared.

If things went south, he could simply use the Undetectable Extension Charm to transport everyone in a box and storm into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s headquarters to cause havoc.

After all, S.H.I.E.L.D. currently lacked any truly formidable individuals.

Alternatively, he could throw the Hydra issue back at them, letting them implode in a bout of infighting.

Moreover, after a year of training, the mutant children, such as Laura, were now capable of effectively using their powers in battle. Even without George's direct intervention, their teamwork alone would make them a formidable force against ordinary foes.

"What should we do next? Should we relocate?" Professor X turned to George with a questioning look.

Before George could respond, Wolverine unsheathed his claws with a cold snarl.

"Relocate? If they so much as harm a hair on these kids' heads, I'll bury them all in the garden!"

Professor X preferred to avoid conflict with the government, fearing exposure would only lead to relentless pursuit. In contrast, Wolverine took a more combative and straightforward stance.

"No need to relocate. Let's play along for now and see what they want. Then we can negotiate properly."

Turning to the students standing behind him, George announced with a grin: "You've been training in the simulation room for long enough. Today, you'll have a real battle.

If your performance impresses me, I'll approve a day off soon, and the professors will take you all to an amusement park!"

"Really, Principal? You mean it?" asked Rictor, the oldest and calmest student, his face alight with excitement.

Since Professor X had adamantly refused to serve as the new school's headmaster, George had taken on the role, even though he mostly spent his days in the basement studying magic.

"Of course. When have I ever lied to you?" George replied with a smile.

"Awesome! Long live the principal!"

The mutant students erupted in cheers.

Over the past year, they had become familiar with modern life. They knew what amusement parks were from TV and often dreamed of visiting one. However, given their traumatic pasts and their understanding of the risks involved, they had never asked for such a trip.

"George, isn't this a bit risky?" Professor X voiced his concern, though not about the battle itself. He trusted the children's abilities and knew the teachers would keep them safe.

What worried him was George's promise to take the kids to an amusement park. Such a public outing would inevitably attract government attention, possibly even exposing their location to other organizations.

"Don't worry. By then, S.H.I.E.L.D. and the government will be too busy dealing with their own problems to bother us," George replied nonchalantly.

He figured it was time to reclaim Professor X's assets and have the government lift the bounty on him.

An hour later, a black van pulled up about 500 meters from the school. Inside, several S.H.I.E.L.D. agents in uniform fiddled with advanced instruments, while Black Widow scanned the school grounds through binoculars.

"Any unusual findings?" she asked.

"We've detected a strange magnetic field surrounding the area 500 meters ahead. It's likely this field is interfering with our perception, preventing us from seeing the school," one of the tech-savvy agents explained, adjusting his glasses before pointing to a monitor.

"Look here. According to our equipment, the school does exist, and we've also detected numerous lifeforms within the magnetic field. This should be where the mutants are hiding."

"Any way to neutralize the interference so we can see the school?" Natasha asked, her brow furrowed. She was confident the school wasn't going anywhere, but she needed a way inside.

"Not too difficult. Once we return, we can build some devices to disrupt the magnetic field. With those, you'll be able to see the school without any issues," the agent replied confidently.

"Good. Get on it immediately. I'll consult with the director about our next steps."

With a nod, Black Widow instructed the driver to return to base.

By dusk, as the sky darkened, Black Widow returned with three teams of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s finest agents. They concealed themselves in the forest across the street from the school.

"I'll go in first. Stay put and wait for my signal," Natasha ordered.

"Understood!" the agents replied in unison.

Dressed in a sleek black tactical suit, Black Widow strapped on a specialized device to counter the magnetic field before sprinting toward the school's perimeter.

Thanks to the device, she could now clearly see the school ahead.

Scaling the wall was a trivial task for someone with her skills, but as she gripped the edge of the wall and prepared to vault over, she was abruptly thrown back as if hitting an invisible barrier.

"Ouch!" she yelped, landing ungracefully on the ground.

"Natasha, are you alright?" Concerned voices came through her earpiece.

Clutching her nose, she winced and replied, "I'm fine. Stay where you are."

Cautiously, she reached out to touch the space in front of her but felt nothing unusual. Puzzled, she resolved to try again.

This time, she successfully entered the school grounds, but her moment of triumph was short-lived.

Standing before her was George, blocking her path with an amused smile.

"What brings a beautiful guest like you here so late at night?" he asked casually.