Not long after the final bell, the lower-grade students gradually dispersed from the playground, leaving behind only the senior Mutants—those on the verge of graduating. The mood was a mix of curiosity and anticipation. Every pair of eyes fixated on a single person standing in the center.
Joseph.
Whispers broke out among the crowd.
"What's going on?"
"Why did the principal suddenly summon us?"
"Is there some kind of recruitment?"
"Could it be… are they finally selecting candidates for the X-Men?"
"Joining the X-Men… going on real missions like the teachers?"
"If that's the case, why is Joseph at the center of it all?"
"Where are the teachers? Shouldn't they be explaining this?"
Just as the murmurs grew louder, a thunderclap boomed across the sky.
BOOM!
A powerful gust of wind whipped through the playground as a figure streaked down from the sky like a comet. Dressed in black, her white hair flowing behind her like a storm cloud, the woman landed gracefully in front of the gathered students.
"Teacher Ororo!"
Gasps and cheers erupted from the crowd. Even those who normally prided themselves on their composure couldn't hide the awe in their eyes.
It was her—Storm herself. One of the most powerful mutants alive and a leading member of the X-Men.
As she stood tall, the wind curling gently around her form, Ororo cast a peculiar glance at Joseph—one filled with a mix of curiosity and caution. Then her eyes swept across the audience.
"This isn't an X-Men recruitment drive," she announced, her voice sharp and clear, "but Joseph is about to undertake a secret mission assigned by the principal. He's been authorized to select a few of you to accompany him."
A stunned silence followed her words.
"A secret mission?"
The crowd froze for a moment, exchanging bewildered looks. Then, slowly, realization began to dawn. Whispers turned into low murmurs of excitement.
They understood now—this wasn't just any mission. If Principal Charles Xavier had authorized it, it had to be of the utmost importance. And if Joseph had the authority to pick teammates, then being chosen could very well be the ticket into the X-Men in the near future.
Even John, known as "Pyro," couldn't contain his enthusiasm.
"Joseph, pick me!"
"And me!"
Voices called out from across the playground as students began volunteering themselves.
Joseph smiled faintly.
Many of these people were acquaintances—fellow students who greeted him in passing, shared training exercises, or occasionally sparred during practice. While they weren't close like Katie and Jubilation Lee, they weren't strangers either.
Still, Joseph wasn't one to choose based on familiarity.
This wasn't a school club or a study group.
This was an operation—possibly dangerous—and it needed the right people. Not the most sociable, but the most capable. Not just those with powerful abilities, but those with discipline, intelligence, and character.
That's why Joseph had already ruled out people like Pyro John. Impulsive and hot-headed, John had too much of a rebellious streak for this kind of mission.
Under the expectant eyes of the students, Joseph finally spoke, his tone calm and authoritative.
"Except for Katie and Mirage, those who received a grade of B or above in the dream-assessment last night—step forward. Everyone else, you may go."
That one sentence stunned everyone into silence.
"…Wait. What?"
"How do you know I had a dream last night?"
"You mean the apocalyptic test?"
"Hold on—you had that dream too?"
The murmurs turned to shock as the realization hit them like a psychic wave. Everyone who'd stayed silent now began speaking at once.
"I thought it was just a weird nightmare!"
"There were sentinels… and some kind of virus weapon that wiped out most mutants."
"We were hiding underground. A secret base, remember?"
"Yeah, yeah! The instructor said we were the last generation of fighters… that it was our job to survive!"
"I had to sneak through enemy territory and almost got caught—twice!"
As each student described their experience, the details matched up. It became clear that all of them had shared the same dream—an elaborate simulation where the survival of mutantkind hung in the balance.
The only difference between them?
Their performance.
"The assessment was real…" someone muttered.
"A test in a dream?!"
Even Storm couldn't hide her shock now. Her eyes widened, and she turned sharply to Joseph, her expression one of disbelief.
She had known—thanks to Charles—that Joseph possessed rare abilities. But this?
To synchronize the dreams of dozens of mutants and run a structured test inside them?
That was next-level psychic engineering… right under the nose of Professor Xavier himself.
How could even a powerful telepath do that unnoticed?
Storm's thoughts raced.
Charles hadn't shown any particular attention to Joseph before today. That meant even he hadn't known what Joseph had done last night. And now, after spending two hours in the principal's office, Joseph was here, casually announcing the results of a psychic trial only he had orchestrated.
Her heart skipped.
This wasn't spontaneous. This was planned.
Joseph had predicted everything—from how the principal would react, to how the students would perform, and who would stand out.
He had orchestrated it all from the shadows.
Storm's admiration turned to wariness.
This wasn't just talent.
This was foresight. Strategy. Leadership.
She stared at Joseph for a long moment, then turned to the students and shouted:
"Quiet!"
A crack of thunder split the sky. Static electricity filled the air, making hair stand on end and silencing the entire field instantly.
Her voice echoed with authority.
"According to Joseph's instructions, those who received a B grade or higher in the dream assessment—step forward now."
Hesitantly at first, then with growing confidence, several figures stepped out from the crowd.
'Iceman' Bobby. 'Colossus' Peter. 'Sunspot' Roberto.
'Mimic' Carl. 'Shapeshifter' Kevin.
Lucas Bishop, the energy absorber.
Petra, the earth manipulator.
Seven in total.
Each of them powerful, respected, and talented.
Storm's eyes widened again.
These were the future X-Men. The elite.
Of course, it made sense. Xavier's School didn't admit weaklings. The Epsilon-class mutants—those with unstable or weak powers—often found themselves gravitating toward Magneto's faction.
But even among this elite academy, these seven were the best of the best.
Storm tried to keep her expression calm, but a trace of worry betrayed her thoughts.
She looked at Joseph urgently.
"Joseph, you can't take them all."
Her tone was more anxious than commanding. The X-Men needed new recruits too. If these seven left now… what would remain?
She knew—if they left, they might never return.
Joseph, still calm, gave her a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry, Teacher Ororo," he said. "I'm not forcing anyone. Whether they accept the mission or not is up to them."
Then, turning to the seven students, he added, "If you want to come, return to your dorms, pack your things, and meet me in one hour. If you'd rather stay here, no hard feelings. The choice is yours."
For a long moment, the field remained silent as the students processed everything.
And then, slowly, the seven chosen nodded.
They understood the stakes.
This wasn't just a mission—it was an opportunity.
A chance to stand beside someone who didn't just rely on brute force but possessed vision, strategy, and control over powers they couldn't even comprehend yet.
Joseph wasn't just a peer.
He was a leader.
And they were ready to follow.