Skynet

"This isn't what you promised!" Bruce glared angrily at the dangerous situation. "You're controlling the global network? What is this!"

"Calm down." Aeo pressed his hands down, his gaze sincere and steady as he looked at Bruce. "This is just a means of self-preservation. I need to protect my interests. I have no ill will towards you, or anyone else..."

"But you've infringed on others' interests!" Seeing the AI Life from Krypton using the supercomputer funded and built by Wayne Enterprises to sweep up all of Earth's networks, communication technologies, and other internet information, Bruce could no longer remain calm.

"I thought you were just building a computer database..."

"It is a computer database," Aeo said calmly, looking at the screens in the vast basement. "It's just a bit larger in scope..."

"This is a weapon, a weapon similar to Skynet!" Batman's face darkened as he looked at him. "If you wanted to, you could probably destroy most of Earth's conventional weapon launch sites and space-based weapons..."

"And monitor all criminals in real-time!"

Bruce choked, but then he calmed down. Suppressing the urge within him, he said coldly, "No matter what you say, this is an extremely dangerous weapon, a global surveillance network! I won't allow you to do this!"

Aeo had anticipated this. He spoke with surprising words, "What if I entrust this weapon to you for safekeeping?"

"What?!" Even Bruce, with his deep composure, couldn't help but tremble all over.

Leaving the secret base, which was absolutely confidential for both of them, they traveled in silence.

After a long while, Bruce, who was driving, couldn't help but ask, "Zod, why do you trust me so much?"

Aeo, who had been gazing out the window, turned his head.

"Because your will is the most resilient, Bruce..." Aeo said, his expression serious as he looked at him. "You'll let go at the crucial moment! Unlike others who get lost in it and can't pull themselves out!"

"Entrusting such a weapon to Stark, or S.H.I.E.L.D., would ultimately lead to them researching it obsessively under the guise of benefiting humanity, and that's not what I want."

"Whether you believe it or not, Bruce, I just want to protect my own interests. I have no dangerous political ambitions towards your Earth..." Aeo said sincerely. "I am, after all, just an outsider..."

"...Sorry."

Bruce finally withdrew his scrutinizing gaze and said dejectedly, "I'm not..."

"It's alright." Aeo shook his head. "As I said, distrusting outsiders is a natural reaction for all life. I understand..."

This made Bruce feel even more embarrassed, but... "Listen, I don't want this to happen again! You must report to me beforehand. When you do something this dangerous again, don't tell me you don't know what I dislike..."

Although he felt sorry, Bruce also felt that the youth's existence was simply too dangerous for Earth...

Reading his expression, the youth knew Bruce had actually accepted the fact, but was just too embarrassed to show it. He immediately smiled.

"Of course, Commander!"

"..."

After resolving the most crucial aspect on Earth, Aeo was temporarily free. After all, as he had said before, he wasn't that enthusiastic about being a superhero, and Earth might not necessarily like him as 'Superman'. So why not have the best of both worlds?

"Hey, Bruce, can't you just take a break?" Aeo, basking in the sun on the rooftop of Wayne Tower, couldn't help but say. He now wore an exquisite, art-piece-like over-ear earring. It was a simple communication device Aeo had made using Kryptonian technology combined with Earth materials, used to communicate with Eiffel, who had transformed into Skynet. He had made three such devices, giving one to Bruce and another to Old Alfred. "Do you have to go fight criminals in broad daylight? Come on, how many times have you sent criminals to the police station? Aren't you tired of Director Gordon?" (Everyone thought Detective Gordon was dead then, but after rescue, he miraculously survived, truly a tough life.)

"Zzzzt." With a barely audible electric current, Batman's deep, charming voice sounded in his ear. "No, it's rare that Mr. Liu has been captured by us. And with Skynet's surveillance, all criminals in Gotham City are in plain sight. I want to round them all up before new gangs replace them and strike fear into Gotham's dark forces!"

Accompanying Batman's low voice was the rumbling of the Batmobile, clearly indicating that Batman was 'on the job'. Aeo shrugged and ignored him.

Not long after, an unexpected person chimed in.

"Hey, Aeo, where are you? I want to chat." Stark's slick voice came through.

"..."

"What? Did I dial the wrong number? J.A.R.V.I.S. found it, isn't this the phone Bruce got for you? Hey, buddy, say something."

Shaking his head helplessly, Aeo spoke, "Stark, I didn't expect you to be so free! Weren't you busy saving the world? Why are you suddenly looking for me? You're Iron Man, hey, is there anything I can help you with?" he teased.

"Just tell me where you are." Tony, likely taken aback by Aeo's bluntness, replied with a hint of helplessness.

Seeing that he genuinely seemed to need something, Aeo stopped teasing him and casually said, "Top floor of Wayne Tower, I'm sunbathing."

"...And you say you're not busy! Never mind, Wayne Tower, right? I'm on my way!"

"Huh?"

Buzzz, a high-tech iron suit flew from the horizon. At supersonic speed, it quickly arrived in Gotham City.

"I see you." Iron Man's voice came through.

"You're too reckless, Tony." Even Aeo couldn't help but twitch his lips at the playboy's antics. "Hey, do all you super-rich guys like to race your battle vehicles in broad daylight?"

"What?" Stark didn't understand at first, but as he flew over Gotham City, he connected to the public surveillance equipment via J.A.R.V.I.S. and spotted Batman chasing criminals on the main road, instantly understanding.

"Hey, Bruce, need a hand?" The two super-rich individuals appeared simultaneously in the view of Gotham's citizens in an extremely showy manner—Bruce rarely appeared in broad daylight, so he was immediately caught on camera by the television crew.

As expected, the viewership of VBS, which had dispatched helicopters for live broadcasting, soared. Everyone was delighted by the sight of two superheroes together.

"Wow, is that Iron Man?"

"So exciting! Iron Man and Batman are taking down a criminal at the same time. Okay, I've already received the best Christmas present of the year."

"Come on, Batman, don't lose to the New York kid (Stark), beat that villain!"

At this moment, good-natured people and citizens across the federation couldn't help but cheer.

Bruce, who was capturing the second-in-command of the Manoni family, heard the voice in his ear and said with slight annoyance in a low voice, "Stark, I don't need your assistance. I'll catch him soon. You should go back to saving your world, get lost!"

With that, the Batmobile suddenly accelerated, speeding far ahead.

Meanwhile, another billionaire superhero, as if deliberately provoking him, locked onto the criminal Bruce was trying to catch with J.A.R.V.I.S.'s help. He increased his speed, flying above Bruce, and with a repulsor blast from his palm, blasted the engine of the fleeing vehicle belonging to the second-in-command of the Manoni family to smithereens.

"Don't thank me!" The vehicle violently crashed into the guardrail by the roadside.

Watching Stark fly away, Bruce angrily slammed his fist on the Batmobile's steering wheel. "Tony, you bastard!"

Unfortunately, the swarm of police cars following behind didn't care about the two superheroes bickering like pampered noblewomen. They gave chase, sirens wailing.

Seeing this, Bruce had no choice but to abandon his current target and make his escape first. "Don't let me see you again, Tony Stark!"

"I was just planning on visiting your place... uh, I mean, you're most welcome, my dear."

Aeo, who had watched the entire scene unfold, chuckled.