The seven students stared at Joseph with expressions full of confusion and curiosity.
None of them understood how he had passed the dream assessment. After all, they had been classmates for years. Everyone knew that Joseph had no superpowers whatsoever—apart from being a top student in academics. He didn't stand out in combat training or physical tests. He was always the quiet one, buried in books, not someone you'd expect to take charge of a mission.
Could it be Professor Charles?
That was the thought crossing everyone's mind. Perhaps the headmaster had a hand in this.
Among the group, Colossus—honest, strong, and a longtime friend of Joseph—was the first to react. With no hesitation, he nodded. "If this is a task given by the Professor, I'm in."
Bobby Drake, the Iceman, gave a sideways glance at the girl known as Rogue, standing silently in the back. Then he turned to Joseph and asked, "How long will this mission take?"
Joseph offered a faint, knowing smile.
He found Bobby quite intriguing. As an Omega-level mutant, Bobby's potential was nearly limitless—something not fully appreciated in the early years. Joseph had watched his performance in many timelines and stories. This was someone worth investing in.
Rogue, on the other hand, was another story.
Joseph didn't like her much.
Sure, she was attractive, but she always seemed like a ticking time bomb—emotional, unpredictable, and far too careless for someone whose powers could kill with a touch. Instead of working to master her abilities, she seemed more interested in teenage drama, boys, and attention.
Joseph hadn't forgotten what happened the night before.
He had used his psychic magic to enter the dreams of every upperclassman at Xavier's School. It was a secret evaluation method devised with Professor Charles—a test to see how students would react under simulated crisis scenarios.
Rogue was the first to be eliminated.
Instead of focusing on the task, she had been distracted, overwhelmed, and ultimately defeated by her own lack of discipline.
Maybe she'd grow into a better mutant someday—maybe she'd even become a qualified member of the X-Men.
But today?
In Joseph's eyes, she was all looks and no substance.
The thought flickered briefly through his mind before he answered Bobby's question.
"It's not a dangerous mission," Joseph said clearly. "If at any point you feel uncomfortable, you're free to back out. But whatever happens, keep everything confidential."
Relieved, Bobby nodded. "Then I'm in."
With two students already onboard, Roberto da Costa—better known as Sunspot—smirked and shrugged. "Guess I'll come too. Can't let you two have all the fun."
Joseph nodded approvingly.
But his attention soon shifted.
He turned to the tall, lean student standing toward the back—Kevin, the shapeshifter.
Kevin's abilities were unique. He could transform his appearance like Mystique and also had limited telepathy, enough to pass Joseph's dream test. He had promise, and Joseph was particularly interested in what Kevin might accomplish in the future.
Unfortunately...
Kevin was standing beside John Allerdyce—better known as Pyro.
Not only him, but Carl, Petra, and Lucas Bishop were all huddled nearby, whispering among themselves. It didn't take a genius to realize what was going on.
These were the students who had been standing across the playground earlier, talking about their powers and making subtle jabs at others. They formed a clique around Pyro—the rebellious, hot-tempered firestarter.
It reminded Joseph of American high school culture, the kind you see in every teenage drama. There's always the charismatic troublemaker who draws people in with their defiance and confidence. Even in a school full of mutants, things weren't all that different.
Some things never change.
"Sorry," Kevin said flatly. "If it's not a mandatory mission, I'm not interested."
Carl and Petra exchanged a glance, then shook their heads.
Lucas Bishop hesitated. Joseph saw the flicker of interest in his eyes. But then the young mutant glanced toward Pyro, who met his gaze with a raised brow.
Lucas said nothing.
He remained still.
Joseph didn't push.
"Alright," he said simply, turning his attention back to Bobby, Colossus, and Roberto. "You have half an hour. Meet me at the front gate then."
Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked away, with Katie and Jubilation Lee silently following behind him.
Storm blinked in surprise.
Was that it?
Just like that?
Joseph was different now. There was no trace of the quiet, humble student she once knew. He walked with purpose, spoke with authority, and made decisions without looking back.
He didn't ask for validation. He didn't explain himself. He simply expected others to follow.
In that moment, something struck her.
This attitude… this command… it reminded her of someone else.
Magneto.
"Charles," she murmured to herself. "Do you even know what you've created?"
There were too many questions. Storm decided to gather the rest of the students and then head straight to the principal's office. She needed answers from Professor Xavier.
Before she could move, however, a furious voice rang out across the field.
"This isn't fair!"
It was John—Pyro—who stepped forward, eyes burning with anger.
Storm turned around, surprised. "What's not fair?"
"Why wasn't I included in the dream assessment?" John shouted. "If even Bobby got a B-rating, I'd definitely get an A. So why wasn't I chosen?"
His voice echoed across the playground.
He didn't really want to join the mission, of course.
But the fact that Joseph hadn't even considered him—had completely ignored him—was a slap in the face.
"You—" Bobby began, pale with embarrassment, but Joseph raised a hand to stop him.
Joseph turned back slowly, his expression unreadable.
"I told you earlier not to waste my time," he said, voice calm. "Was that not clear enough?"
His eyes locked onto John, cold and sharp. "You weren't in the selection pool. Not by mistake. But by design. You were never even a candidate."
A beat of silence passed.
"Where exactly did you get this imaginary A-rating from?"
John froze.
He wasn't expecting that. Not at all.
He had assumed it was an oversight, a mistake. But Joseph was saying it outright—he hadn't even bothered to consider John for the team.
That was a direct insult.
Humiliation.
Right in front of everyone.
Pyro's face twisted with rage.
"You bastard!!!"
He reached into his pocket and yanked out a lighter, his go-to weapon.
With a click and a hiss, flame burst forth—and with a flick of his hand, it exploded into a roaring inferno, surging toward Joseph like a tidal wave of fire.
Gasps erupted from the crowd.
"John, you're insane—!" Storm shouted.
She immediately reached out to summon the wind, but before she could act—
Snap!
A sharp snapping sound echoed through the air.
In an instant, a force field enveloped the area, flinging Storm and all the nearby students back a hundred meters in the blink of an eye. They tumbled through the air like ragdolls before landing—unharmed, but far from the scene.
Only two people remained standing at the center of the field:
Joseph and John.
The blazing flames roared toward Joseph, their heat distorting the air around them.
But Joseph didn't flinch.
He stood still, the corners of his mouth lifting into a cold, contemptuous smirk.
It wasn't fear.
It wasn't even concern.
It was mockery.
He looked directly at John—right into his soul.
"You don't know anything about fire."