Patients Are About to Sweep the World!
Unbeknownst to Gwen—or most of the players lucky enough to be selected—the "Oasis" bracelet was not purely a piece of futuristic technology. It was something more... something much deeper.
Within the bracelet was a brand of detection magic—modified and enhanced based on Professor X's brainwave recognition models. It could determine whether a user possessed Mutant genes, though it couldn't specify what abilities they held.
But that wasn't all.
Once activated, the bracelet linked directly to the player's soul.
The connection wasn't invasive or damaging—subtle, even undetectable to those with high soul strength. But it was there. Quiet. Persistent.
It meant that unless a player had mastered the art of soul deception—a rare and esoteric skill—their superhuman identity couldn't be hidden from the Oasis system.
If Joseph truly desired, he could even delve into their memories.
The world of Oasis, in truth, was no mere game. It was a fully realized brainwave-enhancement environment, a network of consciousnesses tied together by magic, technology, and willpower.
The so-called "activation" of abilities? A façade.
It was, in essence, a privacy mechanism. No one wanted their powers put on full display during login. If the bracelet immediately listed all the capabilities of a superpowered individual, it would cause massive panic—and lead to the world regarding Oasis with fear and suspicion.
That was exactly what Joseph wanted to avoid.
So, instead, Oasis allowed Mutants and other superpowered beings to "activate" their abilities manually. This encouraged a sense of control and allowed them to reveal only what they wanted. If they chose to mask their powers, the system would treat them as standard players.
But there was a catch.
Once locked in, reclassification required a steep price.
Thus, Oasis essentially became two distinct games.
One tailored to ordinary people.
The other designed for superhumans—with different mechanics, quests, and dungeon difficulty levels.
In fact, some abilities were restricted entirely.
For instance: Superman.
Yes, the Man of Steel himself—Clark Kent—had downloaded X Daily and seen Hulk's advertisement. Driven by curiosity, he signed up.
When Joseph spotted his registration among the data, he approved it immediately. No hesitation.
"This device," Clark said, stepping out of the game, "...is far beyond anything Earth should be capable of creating."
Though his powers were restricted, his expression was a mix of satisfaction and regret. Oasis had awakened something in him. A thrill that real-world battles no longer gave him.
He'd chosen the [Godzilla] dungeon.
Since defeating General Zod, Clark had grown stronger—but also lonelier. There were few enemies on Earth who could challenge him. Fewer still who could match his strength in a way that felt meaningful.
He wasn't violent by nature. But even he longed, at times, for a worthy fight.
And Godzilla had delivered.
Super strength clashed with super scales. Heat vision collided with atomic breath. The battle was intense, the environment torn asunder by their confrontation.
It was exhilarating.
And though Clark knew it was all an illusion, he couldn't help but feel addicted.
"No wonder the company is called Second World," he mused. "It feels more real than reality."
He now shared the same sentiment that Iron Man had voiced before him. For those already extraordinary, this digital realm was an irresistible draw.
But he'd noticed something else, too.
"Clearly, the company has ties to Mutants," he muttered. "And the founder—he must be one of them."
Clark didn't harbor any prejudice. If anything, he was intrigued.
"Maybe I should find him... Ask if there's a way to lift my restrictions."
But that posed another problem.
To do that, he'd have to reveal his true identity.
Was it worth it?
He stood there for a long time, thinking. Then decided not to decide. Instead, he returned to the dungeon menu.
Two titles stood out:
[Saint Seiya]
[Dragon Ball]
His eyes lit up.
"They both look fun... Which one first?"
He grinned, and stepped back into the Oasis.
Meanwhile, in Kyoto, Japan…
Another bracelet had been delivered. This one to Psylocke, a Mutant known for her stunning appearance and combat prowess. Clad in a sleek purple leather outfit that accentuated every inch of her toned figure, she stared at the bracelet with curiosity.
Unlike Gwen, she had received an invitation to Xavier's School but never showed up.
Not because of mistrust.
Not out of fear.
Simply... disdain.
She'd long walked the line between life and death. Her powers were honed, her mind disciplined. She didn't need school. What could Xavier possibly teach her?
At least, that's what she believed.
Until she entered Oasis.
"Damn it!!"
She roared in fury as her screen darkened. The game pulled her out of the dungeon and returned her to her room.
A panel floated before her eyes.
[Dungeon: Ninja Gaiden]
[Progress: Stage One]
[Result: FAILURE]
"What?! With my abilities, I couldn't pass the first level?!"
She was livid.
She'd chosen Ninja Gaiden because of its theme. Living in Japan had made her overly confident. But the dungeon was brutal—filled with traps, ambushes, and relentless enemies.
It shattered her pride.
But in that moment of failure... she learned something.
Her combat skills weren't perfect.
Her experience, while broad, had blind spots.
She needed this.
Without a second thought, she jumped back in.
"I'm going to beat this dungeon. I want that ninja blade!"
If Joseph had been watching, he might have remembered his own years playing Soulsborne games—the agony, the frustration, and the growth born from repeated failure.
It was the same now.
The cycle of loss, retry, and determination.
The only path to true strength.
Elsewhere, aboard the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier…
Director Nick Fury returned to the mothership, exhausted but determined. No rest for the weary. He immediately sought out Hill.
"Get ready. We're heading to Base Zero," he said gruffly.
No response.
He turned—and froze.
There she was, sitting at her desk, dazed. A drink in one hand. Smiling.
"Hill?!"
His voice snapped like a whip.
Startled agents looked up, confused.
The fantasy of a Hawaiian beach disappeared from Hill's vision in an instant. She blinked. Looked at Fury. And hastily stood up, her right hand instinctively covering the Oasis bracelet on her left wrist.
"Boss—you're back!"
"Hill…" Fury growled. "I know it's been a rough month, but we're on high alert. S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't rest. We protect the world."
"I understand," she replied immediately. "It won't happen again."
Fury eyed her dark circles and sighed. "Let's go. Shavig's research on the Tesseract just made a breakthrough. I want eyes on it."
"Yes, sir."
As she followed, Hill made a silent vow: Fury must never find out about her bracelet. If he did, it wouldn't be pretty.
She had only filled out the registration form on a whim. She didn't even use her own address—she listed the home of a judge she once worked with. How did she even get selected?
Still, she was grateful.
Though the dungeons on the mothership were limited, she had managed to explore a few leisure simulations. Her favorite? A beach in Hawaii.
But now she had her eyes set on bigger things.
Mars.
Maybe the Moon.
Before she could think further, Fury's voice interrupted her again.
"Pick up Stephen on the way. Things are shaky lately. He'll help stabilize morale."
Hill blinked.
"Stephen? You mean Captain Rogers?"
"Yes," Fury said.
She hesitated. "He mentioned something recently... Said he wanted to try a game."
Fury's eye twitched.
"Game?"
Hill nodded nervously. "He said... he wanted to experience what it was like to be frozen for seventy years. Something he missed."
"You don't mean…" Fury's voice dropped into an icy growl.
"That game is called Oasis, isn't it?!"
Hill said nothing.
"I knew it!" Fury barked. "Out of eight million people, our super soldier gets picked?! The founder of that company is Joseph! What is he trying to do—turn my best agents into internet-addicted zombies?!"
His curses echoed through the command deck.
Hill remained quiet.
Inside, she sighed.
She wasn't the only one. All across the world, over 1.8 million selected participants had already fallen in love with Oasis. Severe internet addiction was spreading like wildfire—and even S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn't immune.
And honestly?
She didn't want to stop playing.
The game was just too perfect.
Everyone feared superpowers… but secretly longed for them.
And in Oasis, that longing could be fulfilled.
A real, immersive world—where you could fly, battle monsters, explore fantasy realms, and become the hero you always dreamed of.
When the game launched globally…
The world would lose its mind.
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