Nick Fury turned off the TV and said to Maria Hill, a Level Nine agent, "See that? Let's go!"
On the way, Hill asked the grim-looking—and even more ruthless inside—head of the agents, "Sir, why are we going in person? Agent Natasha has already..."
"Natasha did make contact with that man in secret, but I have a feeling he won't join us so easily. His ideals are somewhat different from ours..."
"Then?"
The head of the agents gazed out the plane window at the layers of clouds. "The world is facing more and more crises, and they're growing more serious, Agent Hill."
"But isn't our S.H.I.E.L.D. devoted to combating and handling all kinds of unusual events?" Maria Hill shrugged. "For a mere terrorist attack, we need to..."
Director Fury shook his head. "I'm not worried about that Joker. I'm worried that this incident will push Batman, Gotham City's golden boy, toward the darkness..."
The head of the agents spoke with a piercing gaze. "That Joker is extremely skilled at psychological warfare. If we're not careful, he might 'corrupt' our superhero... And S.H.I.E.L.D. needs to gather every resource it can use to ensure this world's safety. That's why I won't allow Wayne Enterprises, a force like that, to become an obstacle..."
Agent Hill fell silent. After a long pause, she murmured, "Even if he might become another Tony Stark?"
"Even if he becomes another Tony Stark!" the head of the agents declared firmly.
"..."
...,...
Gotham City was much quieter at night than during the day. It was even less lively than the city's usual neon-lit nightlife. As he walked along the deserted streets, a disdainful smile appeared on the lips of a young man hidden beneath his hood.
Ten years! Ten years had passed since he'd arrived on Earth. Aeo had always suspected that this world wasn't as simple as he'd imagined. Whether it was the Kryptonians' power or the bizarre rules surrounding the Power Stone, this wasn't the movie-and-comic-book world he'd known in his previous life. So, after reaching Earth, he'd spent the past ten years secretly building up Superman's powers by soaking up sunlight, while also studying the world's factions, culture, economy, and history to see how it differed from the one he remembered.
At last, after Eiffel spent more than a year organizing the information—back in 2002, Earth's internet was still underdeveloped—Aeo finally gained a general understanding of the world.
First, history before World War II was roughly the same as in his previous life. The difference came during the war! On this Earth, World War II had not only given rise to the planet's first superhero, but also to the precursors of the mighty organizations and businesses that would later become renowned, including S.H.I.E.L.D., Stark Industries, Wayne Enterprises, Pym Technologies, and the Osborn Group.
That's right. In this world, the Iron Man and Batman families were old friends, Ant-Man and the Green Goblin were business partners, and the predecessors of S.H.I.E.L.D. had been founded jointly by all their parents—or by the people themselves, in Dr. Pym's case!
Pretty crazy, huh?
Since when had all those people, who'd been worlds apart in his previous life, become so closely and harmoniously intertwined? How irresponsible had the editors and directors been in his previous life, leaving so much unexplained...
Or was this simply what a real world was supposed to be like? Every character was a living, breathing person, not someone who appeared only when a movie or comic needed them to make a brief impression?
Still, what made Aeo's eyebrow twitch was that he could accept all that, but what the hell were the Shadow Warriors, Cobra Commander, and the Dragon Group—the Rabbit's superpowered organization in this world; what, the Divine Spear Bureau?—all these ridiculous things straight out of third-rate novels from his previous life? Since when had the Cobra become a special operations force for the United States government? Wasn't that...
In short, the real world was far more dangerous than the Earth in movies like The Avengers, Captain America, and Iron Man! And that wasn't even counting the Nine Realms or Odin... He really couldn't understand how Tony Stark and Bruce Wayne managed to fight criminals and repel alien forces. The infighting alone could wipe them all out!
So, for the past ten years, the little Kryptonian had dutifully kept his head down, soaking up sunlight and training his senses! He'd also studied Kryptonian technology and other subjects. When he got tired, he'd lie down wherever he happened to be. When he needed money, he'd have Eiffel steal some from an ATM. The internet and its programs were still child's play compared to the highly advanced Kryptonian civilization and its AI. Anyway, even though he was only five, Fortier had awakened his talents and could already absorb solar radiation. He was no ordinary human, so he had nothing to fear from unsavory people trying to take advantage of him. Besides, he was careful. Even though he'd spent the past ten years wandering all over the United States, he'd managed just fine.
Then, a while ago, the news had been broadcasting nonstop that Tony Stark, the young billionaire playboy and head of Stark Industries, had revealed that he was Iron Man. Aeo finally understood: the "plot" had officially begun!
But just as he was getting ready to act, the Joker's terrifying declaration spread throughout the world like a plague!
Aeo frowned. Great, it was all happening at once... He rushed to Gotham City as fast as he could, only to discover that things were far worse than he'd imagined. The streets, once teeming with traffic, were now deserted. Thrill-seeking young people gathered in small groups to race their cars and fight; gangs and drugs ran rampant in the shadows. It was as though every demon and monster had suddenly come crawling out of the woodwork.
And ordinary people, faced with the madman on their television screens, were not only frightened and panicked but also furious. They fiercely protested the government's indulgence of Batman, blaming him for the disaster now unfolding—conveniently forgetting who had once hailed him as a hero. The streets were littered with protest banners and scraps of paper left behind by people who'd taken to the streets during the day to protest that Batman had put them in danger and demand that he leave Gotham City. Meanwhile, gangs of street racers and punk enthusiasts sped past from time to time. Several cars and oil drums burned on street corners, and now and then, thugs could be seen taking advantage of the chaos to rob and extort people in the alleys. The whole place was a picture of apocalyptic decay and disorder.
The Joker really was a master of psychological warfare. One simple video had left Gotham in a panic and thrown the city into chaos before a single blow had been struck. Those once so genteel, always preaching saintly ideals, were now cursing, blaming, and damning Batman for not coming out to save them. He'd caused this mess, and now he had to deal with it himself...
Watching all this, Aeo couldn't help wondering: maybe this so-called civilized world really was, just as the Joker said, a ridiculous joke?
...,...
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