Tony Stark was stunned.
He hadn't expected Joseph's response at all.
Joseph had simply nodded when Tony offered cooperation in exchange for saving his life—then, unexpectedly, shook his head.
"I did come to talk business," Joseph said evenly, lifting the wine glass to his lips, "but I didn't come to threaten your life to get it done."
He took a sip and set the glass down with care. His gaze met Tony's with calm seriousness.
"Business should be a win-win. If I had to resort to coercion or bribery, then it wouldn't be worth it."
Tony blinked. For a moment, he was silent.
This wasn't how business worked. Not in his world.
As the head of Stark Industries, he had seen more than his share of manipulation, backdoor deals, and ruthless negotiations. Every ally had an angle. Every handshake hid a dagger. No one offered something without expecting leverage in return.
Yet here was Joseph—with all the cards, all the power—and he wasn't playing them.
"Are you being serious right now?" Tony asked, frowning slightly.
"Absolutely," Joseph said with a faint smile. "And to prove that I mean it…"
He slowly raised his right hand and extended it toward Tony's chest.
"…I'm going to remove the palladium from your system. Right now."
Tony's eyes widened, but before he could react, a radiant glow burst from Joseph's fingertips.
Three-Ring Magic: Element Extraction.
A soft silver-white light rose from Tony's body. Glimmering motes of energy streamed from his skin, drawn into delicate strands that wove through the air like threads of silk. They spiraled around Joseph's hand, shimmering as they broke apart.
Tony gasped.
A jolt of pain ran through his body—but then, almost instantly, it was replaced by relief.
Pure, euphoric, overwhelming relief.
His limbs relaxed. The sharp burn in his chest faded. The constant nausea and mental fog lifted. For the first time in what felt like forever, he could breathe.
"Ah—"
A soft moan escaped him, utterly unguarded.
He didn't even care.
He'd been living under the shadow of slow death for too long.
A few minutes later, the light faded. Joseph withdrew his hand and leaned back.
Tony sat upright, wiping the sweat from his brow. His face was flushed, his expression somewhere between shocked and overjoyed.
But it didn't last long.
A new realization quickly soured his expression.
"…It's not enough," he muttered.
Joseph nodded knowingly.
"This only treats the symptoms, not the root. The palladium poisoning comes from the arc reactor embedded in your chest. Even if I remove it all now, as long as you keep using the same reactor, the problem will return."
Tony sighed.
"I figured as much," he admitted with a grim smile. "Still… I'll take temporary relief over nothing."
That was Iron Man in a nutshell—no time to mourn, no time to complain. He'd been down in the depths of despair just hours ago, but now that he wasn't actively dying, his mind was already working again.
Joseph wasn't finished.
"So," he said, "you have two options. One: develop a new element to replace palladium and redesign the arc reactor entirely. Or two: undergo surgery to remove the shrapnel fragments in your chest and eliminate the need for the reactor altogether."
Tony's brow furrowed.
"…You know an awful lot about me."
He trailed off, then stiffened—realization dawning.
"You—wait. Don't tell me you—can you do both of those things?"
"I can," Joseph said simply.
His words rang through the room like thunder.
Tony's jaw dropped.
He had known this man was powerful. He had felt it in every misdirected pulse blast, every failed missile lock. But this? This was god-tier tech-meets-magic assistance.
And Joseph wasn't even asking for anything in return.
What kind of man was this?
Unbeknownst to Tony, Joseph had selected this moment for his intervention with care.
He had left Xavier's School for several reasons: first, to acquire psychic immunity and enhance his sense of safety; second, to take advantage of the upcoming catastrophic PR failure that would hit Justin Hammer during his Iron Soldier showcase—an opportunity that would crash Hammer Industries' stock, leaving Joseph's short positions wildly profitable.
But most importantly…
This was Tony Stark's lowest point.
Palladium poisoning. Depression. Self-destruction. S.H.I.E.L.D. hadn't even delivered Howard Stark's hidden clues yet. Natasha Romanoff had infiltrated his company, but the truth about the new element Tony's father had discovered was still buried.
Joseph had arrived first.
This wasn't just perfect timing.
It was precision intervention.
As the saying goes—offering warmth in a snowstorm trumps adding flowers to a vase.
And saving a life? That was the kind of sincerity no deal could match.
Tony's voice trembled. "You… you've already found a replacement element?"
"I have," Joseph replied.
Tony nearly jumped out of his seat.
"Wait—hold on! Stop! Let's finish the business talk first!"
Joseph raised an eyebrow.
Tony exhaled deeply, forcing himself to remain calm.
"You just pulled poison out of my bloodstream like it was dental floss," he said, trying to keep his composure. "You've basically saved my life. I can't ask for more without doing my part."
He stood up and poured himself another drink—this time, with a steady hand.
"Let's talk cooperation," he said seriously. "You helped me. I help you. What's the deal?"
Katie and Jubilation exchanged glances.
The man who had been staggering drunk hours ago… was now completely sober, sharp-eyed, and calculating. Not only had he recovered, he was actively resisting the temptation to take more.
This was the real Iron Man.
Joseph gave him a long look, quietly impressed.
"Fair enough," he said. "But know this—if you die, it does me no good. I want a partner, not a patient."
Before Tony could reply, Joseph leaned forward.
"Go check the three-dimensional model from the Stark Expo your father left behind."
Tony blinked. "The model? What about it?"
Joseph's voice was firm.
"Your father already discovered the new element. He encoded it into that design. He just didn't have the technology to synthesize it at the time."
That hit Tony like a freight train.
He stood frozen, remembering Howard Stark's final words, his cryptic hints, the seemingly useless Expo model.
"…That's why he told me to keep it…"
He sat back down, staring into space.
There was no doubt in his mind now.
But even with that knowledge, he didn't rush out. He turned back to Joseph.
"If I do create a new reactor and replace the element, my body will be fine?"
"You're the expert in arc reactors," Joseph said with a smile.
Tony nodded slowly.
"And if I want to get the shrapnel removed—completely—you'll help me?"
"I will," Joseph replied. "With magic."
"No strings attached?"
"No conditions."
Tony stared at him for a long moment.
Then, for the first time in a long time, he smiled.
"Well, now I'm really curious," he said, pouring himself a full glass of red wine. "What kind of business does a magician run?"
Joseph grinned and snapped his fingers.
A black game bracelet materialized in the air and floated gently toward Tony.
The air shimmered with power.
Joseph's tone was direct now.
"No more teasing. Let's get to the point."
"There are three components to our partnership."
"First," he said, "we want your help refining and integrating artificial intelligence."
"Second, we'll be collaborating to build a new arc reactor—one that merges science and magic."
Tony's eyebrows rose.
"And third…" Joseph's eyes gleamed, "Second World would like to invite you—Iron Man himself—to be the Chief Experience Officer of our revolutionary online world, Oasis."
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