Half an hour later, Joseph appeared at the gates of Xavier's School.
In his hand, he carried a medium-sized leather box. To the untrained eye, it resembled the sort of odd travel case a zoologist might carry—something straight out of Fantastic Beasts. But instead of magical animals, this box held a different kind of power.
It was the first-generation experimental equipment for Oasis.
Thanks to the Untraceable Stretching Charm, the interior of the box had been expanded exponentially, functioning like a portable laboratory. Tools, prototypes, data cores—all of it neatly stored inside.
"Strange," Joseph muttered to himself. "I haven't received today's spell yet."
As the thought crossed his mind, a soft ding echoed in his consciousness.
You have obtained: Five-Ring Spell – True Mirror Image!
A footnote shimmered beneath the message:
[Note: This is a narrative mechanic now. The sign-in system has been removed for pacing purposes. Recommendations are more important than automatic rewards.]
Joseph chuckled.
"Seems like my clarity of mind is leveling up my charm stats."
He was genuinely pleased. As he grew stronger, the spells reconstructed from memory were becoming more refined, more precise, and certainly more dangerous.
He had recently begun categorizing his magic based on the Mutant power level system.
Four-ring spells roughly equated to the abilities of Level 4 mutants.
Five-ring spells were the equivalent of high-tier, Level 5 mutants—individuals like Magneto or Professor X.
The spell he had just received—True Mirror Image—was not outwardly destructive. But its utility was terrifying: it created a mirror duplicate of the caster, identical in every way, with full access to his knowledge and spells.
And it lasted thirty minutes.
Two Josephs.
That wasn't just power multiplied—it was power squared.
Two Josephs could easily storm the entire Xavier School without breaking a sweat.
And it didn't stop there. With advancements:
Six-Ring True Mirror Image would allow two duplicates.
Seven-Ring, three duplicates.
Eight-Ring…
"One man is an army," Joseph whispered to himself, grinning.
With this new milestone, he had officially stepped into the rank of Five-Ring Archmage.
Most of his arsenal still relied on Four-Ring spells—classic offensive and shaping magic. But now, with high-tier abilities like Hydra of Flame and True Mirror Image, he could challenge even the elite.
Especially considering the two passive enchantments embedded into his body:
Steel Body – physical resistance beyond comprehension.
Mental Immunity – total resistance to psychic intrusion.
Both had reached Seven-Ring mastery.
He wasn't just powerful—he was resilient. Physically and mentally.
A walking fortress.
That was the dream, wasn't it? The ultimate fantasy of a mage—not just to rain hellfire, but to be untouchable.
His thoughts were interrupted as two familiar figures arrived.
Shadowcat and Jubilation Lee strolled up, chatting casually. Both wore stylish modern outfits, and each carried only a small, beaded bag on their waist—enchanted, of course, by Joseph using the Stretching Spell. Their entire wardrobes and essentials were inside.
Moments later, Iceman, Colossus, and Roberto (Sunspot) came into view, shoulders heavy with luggage.
Large duffel bags. Travel packs. Back strain.
The contrast was… comical.
Joseph smirked.
"I swear," Iceman said dryly as he approached, "you could've told us earlier. We thought we'd be gone for a few days—not moving house."
"You're not wrong," Joseph replied, eyes scanning the horizon. "We won't be coming back anytime soon."
Colossus looked confused. "Wait, no cars? No Blackbird jet? I thought we were going to ride out like X-Men."
The Blackbird—the iconic stealth jet of the X-Men—wasn't something used lightly.
And yet, they weren't even getting a ride?
"I was wondering the same thing!" came a voice from behind.
Everyone turned around.
Dressed in sleek black leather, Jean Grey walked toward them, her heels clicking sharply on the pavement. She looked powerful, composed, and—as always—intimidating in her elegance.
"The professor asked me to oversee the X Fund's connection with your new project," she said with a smile. "I'm also here as your assigned protection."
Joseph gave her a nod.
He wasn't surprised. Professor X had invested one hundred million dollars into his experimental company—there was no way he would let a bunch of college students manage it unsupervised.
Still, Joseph hadn't expected Jean Grey herself to be assigned.
Phoenix, he thought silently. A cosmic time bomb.
He didn't dwell on it.
Instead, he grabbed the leather box beside his feet and lifted it with one hand. "Time's ticking. Let's move."
He didn't move toward the road.
Instead, he made a small circular gesture in the air.
Suddenly, the space in front of him shimmered, rippling like disturbed water. A glowing portal opened slowly, revealing the skyline of a bustling urban city on the other side.
No one moved.
Even Jean blinked in surprise.
"A spatial gate?" she muttered. "Long-distance teleportation?"
On the other side of the portal stood a gleaming high-rise—Xavier Tower, one of the properties owned by the X Fund.
Joseph, with his usual nonchalance, stepped through.
Shadowcat and Jubilation followed him without hesitation.
Jean turned to the rest. "Well? Let's go."
Colossus, Iceman, and Roberto exchanged stunned glances before rushing after her.
The moment they stepped through, the world changed.
Gone was the fresh air of the Xavier estate—replaced by the dry, polluted gusts of Twisted City, a concrete jungle filled with buzzing neon, endless towers, and smoggy skies.
They were standing on a rooftop.
Shadowcat stretched her arms beneath the hazy sun. "You said the professor found us a place, Joseph. Where is it?"
Joseph stomped his foot gently. "Right here."
He pointed downward. "This building belongs to the X Fund. From now on, it's the headquarters of Second World Technologies."
The three boys gawked.
Shadowcat froze mid-stretch.
Jubilation Lee's jaw dropped.
They stared at each other.
"Wait," Shadowcat said. "Didn't you say Professor X only invested a hundred million?"
"He did," Joseph replied matter-of-factly. "That's the startup capital."
"Then how the hell do you have a skyscraper as an office?!"
Joseph shrugged. "It's part of the fund's property. We're using it. Problem?"
They were speechless.
Was this what caution looked like to Professor X?
Because if this was being careful, then the man's definition of moderation needed a serious adjustment.
Shadowcat narrowed her eyes. "Joseph… next time you speak, could you maybe finish the whole sentence?"
Her voice was half-serious, half-playful.
Jubilation nodded in exaggerated agreement.
Jean Grey, who had just stepped through the gate behind them, let out a soft chuckle.
She hadn't seen this side of Joseph before.
For all his power and mystery, he was still a student—just one who had prepared for a decade and was now stepping into his prime.
Jean smiled and gestured toward the elevator access door. "Come on. I'll introduce you to the representative from the X Fund."
Joseph nodded.
Behind him, the others still stood stunned, their brains catching up to the whirlwind that had just unfolded.
The project had begun.
The team was assembled.
And Joseph?
He was just getting started.