Besides Constantine choosing to open a branch of Oblivion Bookstore in Gotham, Night Master Jim had also reopened an Oblivion Bar in Gotham's Inner World, using it as a base for his team's activities in Gotham's Inner World and the magic academy.
Night Master's team had yet to fully take shape, but it already had several regular members: Deadman Brand, Gorilla Detective Bobo, Black Orchid Susan, Madame Xanadu, the vampire Bennett, and others. Night Master was still actively reaching out to Swamp Thing, Doctor Mist, and others. He had even approached Wonder Woman.
Jim stood behind the bar, polishing glasses. Gorilla Detective Bobo sat backward inside the bar with his pipe clenched between his teeth, his legs crossed and his hands resting between them. He swung his black-furred feet and asked in a low voice that resembled a primate's growl, "Still worrying about recruiting people?"
"How could I not be?" Jim repeatedly polished the glass in his hand until it gleamed. "Maybe you think we should be happy that Earth's magic defense network was set up so easily, but after all these years, I know these mages too well. Do you really think they would be sincerely happy about it?"
"I've always had a pessimistic view of humanity." The gorilla sighed. The gesture looked a little comical, though it was not as though a detective gorilla in a detective cap and monocle, smoking a pipe, became especially funny simply by wearing a serious expression. That sigh alone was enough to make everyone feel pressured.
"We used to argue about this all the time." Jim sighed softly as well, lowering his head slightly and tracing the bottom of the glass with his fingers. "I thought you were too pessimistic. Humanity has endured hardships to develop this far, so there must be