As Anton had said, no one was more suitable for this task than Star-Lord.
With his objective achieved, Anton—incarnated as Superman—had no intention of staying with Carol, Nick Fury, and the others for long. Without hesitation, he left.
Although Anton could freely manifest his Superman incarnation without consuming Superman fan points, Earth needed him more than the universe at the moment.
Thus, his cosmic journey came to an end—for now.
Going forward, Anton planned to use a Superman clone for brief activities in space, a more practical approach for maintaining his presence in the universe.
Before leaving, he handed Carol a communication bracelet linked to war fortresses in other galaxies. These fortresses acted as relay stations, ensuring that any message Carol sent would instantly reach Anton on Earth.
Interstellar communication had its limitations. If the distance was short—within nearby galaxies—it wasn't much of an issue.
However, much like the interstellar pager Carol had left behind when she departed Earth, communication across vast galactic distances was unreliable.
Messages could take significant time to arrive, which could prove disastrous in an emergency.
But with the war fortresses acting as intermediaries, Anton had eliminated that risk.
Carol and Nick Fury had barely taken hold of the bracelet when Anton turned and left the bar.
"Wait!"
Carol instinctively called out, wanting to continue the conversation. But before she could say another word, Superman was gone.
Whoosh!
At the hotel entrance, Anton—still in his Superman form—soared into the sky, piercing through the dark clouds in an instant and vanishing into the starry expanse above.
Boom!
A shockwave rippled through the air.
Everyone standing at the door was left speechless.
This level of individual power was rare even on a universal scale.
Carol swallowed the words she had been about to say, her gaze locked on the direction Superman had vanished.
Seeing his speed firsthand, she now had a much clearer understanding of just how immense Superman's raw strength was.
His initial takeoff velocity alone surpassed that of some spacecraft designed for interstellar travel.
It wasn't that she felt inferior—rather, the sheer simplicity of the act highlighted an undeniable truth:
Superman was operating on an entirely different level.
"That level of speed… it surpasses even you," Nick Fury remarked, noticing Carol deep in thought. He smirked. "Now I understand why Batman has such high hopes for Superman."
"Not just that," Carol murmured, raising the communication bracelet in her hand and recalling Anton's parting words.
"He said this bracelet can bypass distance entirely—allowing instant contact with him anywhere, anytime."
She paused, then added thoughtfully:
"There are only a handful of people in the universe capable of such a feat."
Nick Fury's eyes narrowed slightly. "Oh?"
A realization dawned on him, and his expression shifted.
"Are you saying… there's an unknown, powerful force behind Superman?"
His mind raced with possibilities.
If that were true, what did it mean for Earth?
His voice dropped to a murmur. "Could this force be connected to our planet?"
"No, you don't understand," Carol sighed.
Superman had not only defeated Thanos and Ronan before anyone else could, but he had also known in advance that the Power Stone was on Morag.
That alone proved he wasn't simple.
Thanos. The feared warlord of the universe.
Ronan. A radical within the Kree Empire, a formidable figure in his own right.
Across the entire cosmos, very few dared to provoke either of them—let alone challenge them directly.
And yet… Superman had done exactly that.
Superman had managed to stay one step ahead, securing key intelligence about the Power Gem. On top of that, the Justice League had already obtained two Infinity Gems…
Was Superman's true goal really just to avenge Thanos' invasion of Earth?
This lingering doubt unsettled Carol the most.
If Superman had a different agenda, and given the power he had already demonstrated—combined with the sheer number of extraordinary individuals in the Justice League—how much force would the entire universe need to stop them?
Through teleportation, Anton returned to New York with ease.
Inside his office at DC Company, he took a moment to take in the familiar surroundings. Thinking back to everything he had seen and learned in space, a small smile crossed his lips.
With the groundwork laid for both the Reality Gem and Power Gem, all that remained was executing the next phase of his plan—securing two more Infinity Gems.
Once he had four of them in his grasp, he would be far more prepared for whatever changes the future held.
As for the Time Gem and Soul Gem…
The former was a complicated challenge—one that Anton couldn't claim for himself, but neither would he allow anyone else to obtain it easily.
The latter…
Required the sacrifice of a loved one.
Anton had no intention of actively seeking it out. However, he would closely monitor any developments related to it.
If someone managed to acquire the Soul Gem, he would simply take it from them.
Regardless, with Superman securing the battlefield, Anton's goal of collecting all six Infinity Gems was steadily coming within reach.
His thoughts shifted.
Everything was proceeding smoothly, and for the first time in a while, Anton had time to rest.
He decided to go home and get a good night's sleep.
Lately, he had been dealing with one crisis after another—from the Skrull invasion to the Men in Black, to laying the groundwork for the Infinity Gems—not to mention overseeing DC Company's newest project, Shazam.
It had been far too long since he last took a break.
Time passed quickly.
Over the course of the week, all preparations for "Thunder Shazam" were completed, and filming officially began at a Los Angeles studio.
However, Anton wasn't focused on that at the moment. Instead, he was headed to Wayne Enterprises.
In just one year since its founding, Wayne Enterprises had completely overtaken Hammer Industries in the arms market.
And it wasn't just Hammer Industries that had fallen.
The Washington incident, triggered by Hydra, had crippled MARS Arms Company, a major player in foreign weapons markets.
Meanwhile, the War Factory, controlled by Destro, had been one of the world's largest weapons manufacturers—until it, too, was absorbed into Wayne Enterprises.
Wayne Enterprises had risen atop the corpses of these corporate giants, step by step.
This expansion not only deepened its ties to the military but also opened the doors to global markets.
With Stark Industries having officially exited the arms business, Wayne Enterprises had become the undisputed new leader in the field.
Of course, Osborn Industries had played a significant role in Wayne's rise.
After Norman Osborn regained his sanity, he abandoned most of Osborn's military contracts in a desperate attempt to cure his family's genetic disease.
To the outside world, Wayne Enterprises and Osborn Industries appeared to be practically inseparable.
And, in truth, that wasn't far from reality.
However, while it might appear on the surface that Osborn Industries is helping Wayne Enterprises grow, the reality is that Osborn is now inseparable from Wayne.
"You're here?"
Anton's "cheap old man" had now officially joined Wayne Enterprises. Standing at the entrance, John Jameson, heir to J. Jonah Jameson's legacy, greeted Anton with a smile and led him inside.
On the way, admiring gazes followed Anton.
He took it in stride.
A year ago, such attention might have made him uncomfortable. But after everything that had happened, he had long since grown used to the respect and admiration from strangers.
This recognition wasn't just for his personal achievements—it was also a reflection of the halo effect from the Justice League.
On one hand, as a world-renowned director, Anton's fame on the internet now far surpassed even Tony Stark.
After all, Iron Man, once a beloved member of the Avengers, had let down many who had once placed their hopes in him.
On the other hand, as an official member of the Justice League—and, in the public eye, the only non-superpowered member—Anton occupied a unique position that no one else could claim.
Of course, opinions about him were divided.
Some critics argued that Anton didn't deserve his place in the Justice League.
They claimed that DC Company, under his control, was merely profiting off the Justice League's reputation, exploiting its members for financial gain.
But just as many people believed the opposite.
Without Anton, they argued, the world wouldn't have truly understood the Justice League's story. Without his incredible storytelling and character development, these inspirational heroes wouldn't have reached the hearts of people across the globe.
By that logic—Anton absolutely deserved his place.
This ongoing debate didn't bother Anton in the slightest. If anything, it only amplified his fame.
No matter where he went, he was the most talked-about person in the room.
Soon, the two of them arrived at John's private office—a spacious, well-secured space.
Standing by the door, Anton spotted a familiar face—John Wick.
Once known as New York's most feared assassin, Wick had now taken on an entirely different role: Head of Security for Wayne Enterprises.
He was personally responsible for the safety of Jameson, his son, Anton, and the entire company's leadership.
In a way, Wick had merely shifted from one kind of killer to another. But now, he was an executive, leading a life he had never imagined for himself.
And it had completely changed his future.
Now, Wick cherished his new life and held an optimistic vision for what lay ahead. His loyalty to the Jameson familywas absolute.
"How's Helen?"
Seeing Wick after so long, Anton's first thought was about his wife.
Helen—the love of Wick's life.
In another reality, in a different story, Helen had succumbed to cancer, leaving Wick with only a small puppy as her final gift.
And because of that dog… a legendary bloodbath had unfolded.
That tragic tale had long since become the stuff of cinematic legend.
As the saying goes, in the world of movies, there are three things you should never mess with:
Liam Neeson's daughter John Wick's dog Hannibal Lecter's retirement fund
Of course, in this world, Anton had intervened early—which meant Wick's dog had never been harmed.
And that single change had completely altered Wick's fate.
At the very least, in today's world, cancer was no longer an incurable disease.
"With the help of life-extension medicine, Helen is out of danger. The doctor said that as long as she continues the treatment, her cancer can be fully cured..."
Wick nodded, gratitude in his eyes. "Anton, thank you for your help."
"No need to thank me. We're family now." Anton waved him off casually.
"You're here because of that astrophysics research group you invested in recently."
John grabbed a remote and pressed a button.
Hush!
The lights dimmed, and the room fell into darkness.
A hidden projector flickered to life, displaying a series of images in front of Anton.
Star maps.
Celestial illustrations.
None of them belonged to Earth's known universe.
They were charts of a different star system—one that had never been recorded before.
"This is the latest data from the research team," John said, watching Anton's reaction. "To be honest, I find it pretty fascinating."
Through these reports, John could tell that something wasn't right.
At first, he had assumed Anton was simply interested in the project because of its lead researcher—Dr. Jane Foster, a brilliant scientist who also happened to be quite beautiful.
But now, he wasn't so sure.
As an astronaut himself, John had a far deeper understanding of astrophysics than the average person.
And based on the detailed information Jane Foster and her team had gathered, he realized they were studying something extraordinary—something that shattered everything he thought he knew about the universe.
"The Nine Realms are converging…"
John turned to Anton with a curious look. "According to the research, this was your theory, wasn't it?"
"Every few thousand years, the Nine Realms—at least as the Asgardians perceive them—align perfectly. During that time, spatial pathways between worlds become fully open and unimpeded…"
John murmured to himself, "It's like turning a narrow alleyway into a massive highway. The Nine Realms connect, and maybe that's why Asgardians classify them as a single system… How did you even think of this?"
"It's common knowledge to Asgardians."
Anton's tone was casual, but his words held weight.
"Oh?"
John's curiosity deepened. "If that's the case, why are you so interested in studying it?"
"That's not something you need to worry about."
Anton shifted his attention back to the projections. "But I doubt you called me here just to chat about astrophysics. What happened?"
He glanced at John, narrowing his eyes slightly. "I know you have some knowledge of space science, but you wouldn't be this invested in it unless something else was going on."
"Sharp as always. That's why you're my son."
John smirked before fast-forwarding the presentation to the last set of images.
"Look closely."
Swish!
The images flashed across the screen.
Abandoned warehouses.
Dilapidated bridges.
Dark, filthy prison cells.
Different locations, but all of them shared one eerie characteristic—distorted visuals.
It wasn't an issue with the camera.
The scenes themselves were warped, as if space was twisting unnaturally in those areas.
Anton instantly understood what John was getting at.
"If your theory is correct," John said, his voice steady, "then the overlapping of the Nine Realms is happening in places like… an abandoned warehouse in the New York docks. Or under a bridge in London. Or even… inside a prison."
He leaned back. "The spatial fabric hasn't stabilized yet. The portals aren't fixed in place, which makes it impossible for sustained research. But fortunately, the research team you funded is… quite resourceful."
John's smirk returned. "They figured out how to stabilize a space portal."
"Oh?"
Anton raised an eyebrow. "Looks like they didn't let me down."
"But—"
John's tone suddenly shifted, turning serious. "Here's the real problem."
Anton's expression hardened.
"Your research team acted recklessly. Once they stabilized the space portal, they jumped in—without full preparation."
John paused for a beat before continuing.
"Since then… no one has heard from them."
A dry chuckle. "Gotta say—I admire their courage."
…
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