Creating Oasis:Mutant Dawn

Sometimes, wisdom runs counter to strength.

The stronger a person is physically, the less they tend to use their brain. Take Wolverine, for instance. With his incredible self-healing factor, combat instincts, and near-indestructible Adamantium claws, he is undoubtedly a formidable force. But his personality is impulsive, irritable, and short-tempered. More often than not, he charges into battle headfirst, choosing to trade injuries rather than use strategy.

And despite having roamed the world for decades—maybe even centuries—all he's ever really picked up are a few languages. He never actively sought knowledge. Never pursued learning.

Tony Stark, on the other hand, is the opposite. Originally just an ordinary human being with no supernatural abilities, his entire combat power stems from the Iron Man suit—a product of his own mind. It's that very reliance on intellect that fuels his obsession with the continuous improvement of his armor. Each new version is faster, stronger, more advanced. His power is built entirely on knowledge.

So, when Joseph sat across from him and explained the classification system of Mutants, it was more than just idle talk.

"Tony," Joseph began, his tone steady and sincere, "many Delta-level Mutants have significantly more developed brains than average humans. If someone like you were to guide them, teach them, they could learn to use knowledge the same way you use your armor—to arm themselves and grow stronger."

Then came the line that made Tony freeze in place:

"With a mortal body, you can stand shoulder to shoulder with a god."

Joseph's voice was low but firm. "That kind of responsibility... it belongs to you."

Tony stared at him, stunned. The words echoed in his mind like thunder in a canyon. Then, with a self-deprecating chuckle, he finally spoke.

"So that's what this is really about, huh?" Tony said, raising an eyebrow. "You want me, the head of Stark Industries, to come to your Mutant school... to teach? Develop weapons? Really?"

He looked at Joseph as if he'd just proposed buying a Ferrari and using it as a lawnmower. Yet despite his sarcasm, there was a glint of something else in Tony's eyes—thoughtfulness.

Joseph's approach wasn't coercive or deceptive. He laid his motives bare on the table, bold and unapologetic.

"You're clever," Tony admitted, his expression gradually turning serious. "Too clever, actually. So let me ask you again—"

His eyes narrowed.

"What exactly are you trying to do?"

This was not the same casual question from before. Now, Tony was dead serious. "At first, I thought your goal was to reverse the public's perception of Mutants. A noble cause, sure. But now you're talking about arming them with knowledge? You want them—people who already have superhuman abilities—to master science, technology, strategy?"

He leaned forward, his voice grave. "That's not just about equality anymore, Joseph. That's ambition. And I'm starting to think your ambition might rival Magneto's."

"You're not just aiming to bring Mutants into the light of day… are you?" Tony asked. "Do you want them to rule the world?"

The room fell into silence.

And then—

"Why not?" Joseph said, smiling faintly.

The calmness in his voice made Tony instinctively tense. He nearly activated the Iron Man suit. But something stopped him.

Joseph wasn't threatening. He was... curious.

"Let me ask you something else," Joseph said, steering the conversation once again. "Tony, how much do you really know about this world?"

Tony frowned. "What do you mean?"

"You've been contacted by S.H.I.E.L.D., haven't you?"

Tony hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah. They want me to join their team. Said they're building a group of superheroes to deal with world-threatening crises."

Joseph didn't press further. He simply nodded, as if confirming a mental checklist.

"Then tell me," he said, "what kind of crisis would threaten the entire Earth?"

Tony's frown deepened. He hated when Joseph took control of the conversation—it always led to revelations he wasn't ready for.

Still, he bit. "What are you getting at?"

Joseph leaned back and asked, "Tony, do you believe in God?"

Tony blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Do you believe in the existence of divine beings?"

Tony's response was immediate. "Technology is God."

He meant it. In his mind, science had an answer to everything. He had yet to encounter a problem he couldn't solve with tech.

But Joseph wasn't convinced. "Then how do you explain Superman? Or General Zod?"

"Aliens," Tony said flatly.

"Exactly," Joseph replied. "Kryptonians, capable of drawing power from our sun. Beings who can destroy our cities with a thought. To us, they might as well be gods."

Joseph didn't even mention other threats—like the Skrulls, or the Asgardians, or worse. Just one example was enough to make his point.

"The universe is infinite, Tony. If there's one alien god, there could be dozens. Hundreds. What happens when they show up here, and they don't come in peace?"

Tony was silent, but his jaw tightened.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. knows this," Joseph continued. "That's why they're forming the Avengers. That's why the government is secretly studying Mutants. They can feel it too—even if they don't admit it. The world is changing."

He paused, letting the weight of his words settle.

"They all want to be prepared."

And then Joseph asked a final, simple question:

"But has anyone asked why Mutants are appearing now?"

That struck a nerve.

Tony stiffened.

"Tony," Joseph said, eyes sharp with insight, "you're one of the smartest minds on this planet. Think back. From primitive man to the modern age, humanity has always evolved to survive. Our bodies changed. Our minds adapted. We found ways to overcome the elements, diseases, even each other."

He leaned forward, his voice quiet but cutting.

"What if Mutants are just the next step in that evolution?"

Tony's breath caught.

"Yes," Joseph said, eyes gleaming, "humanity is facing a new environment—not of Earth, but of the universe. The cosmos is shifting. Aliens, gods, forces beyond comprehension are watching us. And in response… humanity begins to change."

"Mutants," Joseph said, "are not accidents. They are the immune response of the human genome."

He let that sink in.

"So if Mutants evolved first... why shouldn't they lead?"

At that moment, if Professor X were present, he might have collapsed in a coughing fit. Joseph had twisted Darwin's theory into a justification for Mutant dominance.

And it made terrifying sense.

Tony sat frozen, his mind spinning. Evolution. Alien threats. Genetic self-preservation. It was all too much… and yet, undeniably logical.

"You mean," Tony said slowly, "Mutants are the inevitable result of human civilization adapting to survive?"

Joseph nodded. "Exactly. First a few, then many. Eventually, the entire species will evolve. And those who evolved first... will guide the rest."

Tony went pale.

"Then..." he murmured, "Mutants ruling the world… isn't just ambition. It's… destiny?"

Joseph stood up and approached him slowly.

"You still don't believe me, do you?"

Tony looked away.

"Then let me show you."

Joseph's right hand shot out and touched Tony's forehead.

A pulse of light erupted—not from the Mystic Arts of Kamar-Taj, but something rarer: Prophecy Magic.

BOOM!

Tony's consciousness was torn from his body. He found himself drifting in a void, surrounded by countless floating bubbles. Each one a vision. Each one a timeline.

And in nearly all of them—there was chaos.

A twisted, burning city. Screaming civilians. Superheroes bleeding. And himself—wearing a far more advanced Iron Man suit, fighting desperately to hold back invading alien monsters.

He saw them—Kree warriors, Skrulls, Chitauri, and worse.

Then—on top of the Stark Tower—a space portal ripped open, unleashing wave after wave of monsters.

The Earth burned.

And in one future—it exploded.

"NO!!!"

Tony screamed and tore himself out of the vision.

He gasped for air like a drowning man, drenched in sweat. He looked at Joseph with red-rimmed eyes, overwhelmed by what he had seen.

"Invasion... evolution… extinction…"

The words echoed in his mind like a relentless drumbeat.

Joseph waited patiently, watching him process it all.

After several minutes, Tony finally found his voice.

He looked at Joseph—not with sarcasm, not with skepticism—but with purpose.

"Professor Joseph… I'm in."

He stood up, wiping his face, eyes burning with new conviction.

"As long as there's a chance to save humanity… I'll do everything I can."

"I'm Iron Man."

"And I'll use my mortal body to stand at the gates of the gods."

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