"Mutants… the pioneers of human evolution."
That was the headline heard around the world—declared boldly and without hesitation by Joseph, right in the middle of the most-watched press conference in recent history.
As the whole world held its breath, Joseph raised his hand and casually snapped his fingers.
Snap!
In that single moment, three shimmering lights materialized from thin air. One white, one green, one purple—glowing like distant stars. They hovered silently for a heartbeat, then floated down in front of Joseph, illuminating the stage in soft, surreal hues.
The enormous screen behind him burst to life.
The lights expanded and magnified into holographic projections for everyone to see. The mysterious shapes quickly took form:
From the white light, a sleek black bracelet emerged, the same device that had captured global curiosity for weeks.
The green light revealed a compact, futuristic helmet, shaped like a high-end VR headset.
And from the purple light, a full-body game pod with smooth, integrated functions and a design straight from science fiction unfolded in mid-air.
A wave of murmurs swept through the crowd.
"Wait... those are login devices?"
"There are three types?"
People leaned forward, eyes glued to the screen. No one found it unusual that the devices differed in design or sophistication. What did surprise them, however, was the confirmation—that this entire event was truly centered around a game.
It was only now that many realized: Second World really was a gaming company.
But this was no ordinary game launch.
"This is 'Oasis,'" Joseph began again, his voice echoing through the hall, "And these are its three entry-level login interfaces."
Without further delay, he picked up the black bracelet—the simplest of the three devices—and slipped it onto his left wrist.
"Through these," he said calmly, "a user's consciousness can fully enter a parallel world. You will step into another life. A life of wonder, danger, and infinite possibility."
Then the magic happened.
A quiet hum pulsed through the room.
From Joseph's bracelet, a soft beam of light spread outward like ripples across water. The audience blinked as the scenery around them began to shift—not abruptly, but gradually, like the world being redrawn around them.
Within moments, the audience no longer felt the flooring beneath them.
Instead… they were floating on a lake.
They could see the skyscrapers of Manhattan gleaming in the distance. The air was crisp, the water serene. Their chairs swayed gently with the illusion, and the floor under their feet felt… wet.
Someone gasped.
"Holy… crap..."
Only Tony Stark and a few others—those who had already experienced Oasis—remained composed.
Everyone else?
They were stunned.
And their stunned reactions were broadcast live to audiences across every continent. Millions were watching, and millions saw the awe etched into every face in that hall.
Joseph didn't pause for applause. He simply smiled and snapped his fingers again.
Around the audience, new holographic panels appeared. Dozens of scenes, each moving like a slow-motion video, spun slowly in mid-air. Some showed tranquil landscapes. Others showcased chaotic warzones. Some glowed with beauty. Others with danger.
"These are called Dungeons," Joseph explained. "They're the core gameplay of Oasis."
He gestured casually toward one scene—a flashing skyline of Manhattan engulfed in a beam of light.
"Let me show you an example."
The moment he tapped the panel, the entire auditorium shifted again.
A roar erupted.
Above them, a crack tore through the sky, forming a glowing portal. Out of it spilled an invading alien force—the Chitauri.
Their ships screamed through the air. Their beast-like flyers swarmed the city.
Manhattan was under attack. Again.
Gasps echoed through the crowd.
People clutched their seats. Some instinctively ducked as a creature flew too close.
"This isn't real, right?!"
But it was almost real. The illusion was perfect—impossibly vivid.
Only this time, there were no Avengers. No X-Men. No heroes to save the day.
Because this was your battlefield.
The message was clear: this was a dungeon where players could relive the invasion—only this time, they were the defenders.
"You mean I can... fight aliens in this game?"
"With real weapons?"
"This is nuts!"
Excitement surged through the room like a current.
Joseph's voice cut through the awe.
"The purpose of these dungeons is not just to entertain," he said calmly. "When your consciousness enters Oasis, every skill, every lesson, every experience you undergo—feeds back into your mind."
He let that sink in.
"In other words… anything you learn here, you take back with you."
The world froze again.
"You train as a chef in Oasis, you become a master in real life."
"You master combat here—you'll fight like a soldier in the real world."
"You forge relationships here—your heart will remember them."
"And if you're lucky enough to learn the schematics for a high-end exosuit," Joseph glanced teasingly at Tony Stark, "you might just build the next Iron Man."
Tony rolled his eyes. "Very funny."
But he wasn't really annoyed. He had already agreed to share some of his non-critical tech with Joseph and the Oasis team. Nothing dangerous, just enough to inspire imagination.
Still, Joseph wouldn't allow anything too dangerous to be replicated.
"You might learn how to build a basic bot or toy," Joseph added with a grin. "But don't expect to start flying just yet."
He stepped forward and raised his arms.
"This... is Oasis. A new world. A second world. One where anyone—anyone—can be extraordinary."
Behind him, the battlefield flickered. Buildings collapsed. Explosions echoed across twisted streets.
And the audience?
They lost it.
"Is this real?!"
"A game that teaches real skills?!"
"I can train in martial arts and actually retain the muscle memory?!"
"I'm a boxer—can I use this for conditioning?!"
"If I learn languages in Oasis, will I really speak them outside?!"
"If I practice racing here, can I become a pro driver in real life?!"
"My god, this is my dream come true!"
Disbelief battled with euphoria.
By now, millions watching from home were erupting in the same way.
They didn't believe it at first. The tech seemed impossible.
But Joseph's calm confidence, the recent public acts of Mutants, and the official government cooperation with this event—all of it made it real.
And then came a chilling realization for many.
The X-Men.
During the Chitauri invasion, they had moved like experts—calm, efficient, lethal. Their coordination was unreal. Their abilities felt almost trained.
Could it be...?
Were they trained in Oasis dungeons?
The thought made many snap into awareness.
Among those now watching with intense scrutiny: Admiral Scudder, Major General Meade, operatives from FBI, CIA, NYPD, and even local police and private military contractors.
Criminal empires tuned in too. Gangs. Black market brokers. Arms dealers. Everyone from crime lords to would-be revolutionaries.
And they all realized the same thing.
If Mutants were using Oasis as a training simulator… they had the means to train millions of elite fighters.
And now… they were giving that same tool to the world?
It seemed impossibly generous.
Which made it all the more suspicious.
Was Joseph really just being selfless? Or was there a deeper purpose?
"Mr. Joseph—" a voice cut through the noise. One of the attendees raised their hand. "Just now, you said… players can retain their skills from the game in real life."
"All kinds of skills, yes," Joseph nodded.
The man hesitated. "But… did you mean… actual superpowers?"
The room tensed again.
People had assumed he meant combat. Cooking. Languages. Physical disciplines.
But Joseph's smile didn't falter.
"Yes," he said. "Oasis is a supernatural world. In it, you can unlock and learn abilities—real superhuman abilities."
And then he dropped the bomb.
"When certain conditions are met… those abilities can be brought back into reality."
The hall exploded.
"WHAT?!"
"That's impossible!"
"You can't just bring powers back!!"
But Joseph stood calm, unwavering.
"In Oasis, everyone is a superhero," he said.
"And soon... everyone in reality can be a superhero too."
That single statement detonated like a nuclear shockwave across the planet.
Social media collapsed into a frenzy.
TV stations cut programming.
Emergency meetings were called across national defense agencies.
Because this wasn't just a game anymore.
This was the start of a new world.
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