"Do you truly let players in Oasis learn magic?"
This was the first sentence Wonder Woman, Diana Prince, uttered upon meeting Joseph for the first time.
The vast exhibition hall, once brimming with thousands of spectators, now stood quiet. The audience had left. Only Joseph, Tony Stark, the Second World staff, Wanda, and the one hundred magic apprentices remained.
Even Tony and Second World's staff had not known of Wanda and the apprentices' existence. They were intrigued, if not amazed. The press conference barely over, they immediately began conversing and bonding with the magic apprentices—under the guidance of Shadowcat, Jubilation Lee, Skye, and others.
Joseph, meanwhile, had calmly walked to Diana's seat.
As if he knew she wouldn't leave.
As if he knew exactly what she'd ask.
"Definitely not," he answered with a smile.
"Then this is false advertising," Diana replied, raising an eyebrow.
Her half-smile and the tilt of her elegant neck carried a noble sharpness that matched her reputation.
As a demigoddess who had witnessed countless battles and civilizations, she saw through things most couldn't.
And when Wanda and the others had demonstrated their abilities, she had recognized it instantly.
It was magic.
Those one hundred so-called players weren't just random power-wielders—they were magicians.
They didn't awaken abilities through genetic evolution. They learned arcane arts.
And Joseph—the youthful, enigmatic man before her—had been the one to teach them.
This fact filled her with deep curiosity.
A magician... among the Mutants?
How? Why? And how could he wield such confidence?
Did he not fear the consequences once the truth became known?
"Miss Prince," Joseph said gently, "with your experience and wisdom, you must understand a truth: If extraordinary power is not restrained, it only leads to extraordinary disaster."
Diana blinked.
"You Mutants… you actually believe that superpowers need restraint?"
She was genuinely surprised.
Mutants had suffered greatly—persecution, violence, global mistrust. Some, like Magneto, had embraced extremism, calling for a new world ruled by Mutants alone.
But now, after all their suffering and their rise to respect, the idea that they would propose self-restraint was unfathomable.
"Don't let public opinion cloud your judgment," Joseph replied softly.
He could already sense her train of thought.
"We Mutants never wanted war. Never wanted to rule. We certainly never wanted to trample humanity beneath us."
"All we've ever sought is to create a stable and healthy extraordinary order."
Diana was stunned.
His words carried no aggression. Only candor.
And... vision.
She suddenly realized how deeply she had misunderstood the Mutants. Or, at the very least, this Mutant.
His way of thinking...
Was far grander than she'd imagined.
"You believe humanity is incapable of building such an order, so you've taken the reins yourself," she said slowly, eyes narrowing.
"That's why you handpick which players are allowed to learn magic in Oasis, isn't it? Because you must control the structure. You must lead the order."
Her tone was sharp. Accusatory. Perceptive.
"Correct," Joseph answered without hesitation.
He gazed at her flawless profile.
"We're the creators of the extraordinary. So we must be its leaders."
His words held steel.
Diana felt a spark flicker within her as his eyes met hers—unyielding and blazing with conviction.
She shifted in her seat.
Then straightened, a warrior's fire rising in her.
"But even in Oasis, only one in a million can wield magic. You handpick the few. They are a tiny fraction. At best, all you're doing is building an army."
"In the end, this isn't about order—it's just a glorified excuse for your ambition."
Her words struck like thunder.
It was the voice of one of the Justice League's greats—fierce, noble, unwavering.
She acknowledged Joseph's vision and courage... but she didn't believe in his ability to achieve it.
The Earth was dominated by ordinary people. It wouldn't bend so easily.
An extraordinary era wouldn't come just because a man declared it.
Joseph smiled.
"First," he said lightly, "whether Oasis can usher in such an era remains to be seen."
He stretched, reclining casually in his chair.
"Second... why does Miss Prince believe this is a war?"
Diana blinked.
The question caught her off guard.
"Let's try this," Joseph said, motioning toward the stage where Wanda and the other apprentices stood.
"These one hundred magic apprentices have only studied magic in Oasis for about a month. If you're interested, would you care to spar with them?"
The hall fell silent.
Diana blinked.
A challenge?
"You... know me well," she said slowly.
"As a magician," Joseph answered, echoing his line to Ancient One, "it's normal to know a bit more than others."
"And yet, you still propose a duel?" she asked, surprised.
Joseph simply nodded. "Yes."
Diana's eyes shimmered.
A flash of challenge.
She stood swiftly. "Then let's see what these 'apprentices' of yours are made of."
The moment her feet struck the ground, the tiles cracked beneath her. With a powerful leap, she soared more than ten meters and landed gracefully on the main platform.
Tony, Wanda, and others instinctively turned to Joseph.
"Wanda, Porter..."
Joseph raised his hand. "Miss Prince is perhaps the most powerful warrior on Earth. This is a rare opportunity. Go ahead. Learn from her."
On the stage, a fire sparked in every magic apprentice's eyes.
In the next moment, a rush of raw fighting spirit surged through the hall.
"Miss Prince, please enlighten us!"
"Miss Prince, please enlighten us!"
"Miss Prince, please enlighten us!"
A hundred voices.
And in unison, a hundred magical apprentices launched their attacks.
Diana's gaze sharpened.
Joseph hadn't needed to explain. She already knew: the Oasis program had only been active for a few months. These participants had barely had time to familiarize themselves with the system, let alone truly master magic.
They should be raw novices.
The magic they'd used against Green Goblin and his allies had been clumsy, not powerful.
But now?
As they moved as one—fluid, precise, disciplined—Diana's heart skipped a beat.
This... this is not the behavior of mere apprentices.
These people—are trained. Perfectly synchronized.
Her body tensed.
Her warrior's instincts flared.
"These people..."
She whispered to herself, gripping her lasso tightly.
"...are monsters in disguise."
The duel had begun.
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