Anton as Superman sat confidently in the commander's chair, a faint smile playing on his lips as he examined the cosmic spiritual orb in his hand.
So far, he had collected three Infinity Gems.
He already possessed the Space, Reality, and Power Gems.
Only two remained beyond his grasp: the Soul Gem and the Time Gem.
The Time Gem was still on Earth, guarded by the Ancient One. It wasn't yet time for him to intervene.
Although Anton, now possessing Shazam's and Superman's power, had the strength to challenge her, he saw no need to clash with her. No reason to tear off the mask of civility.
Ancient one was not an enemy.
Though she secretly drew power from the Dark Dimension to sustain her life, she did not succumb to its corruption. She remained Earth's strongest defense against interdimensional threats.
Moreover, in terms of timing, she was nearing the end of her life—what she called her "suicide."
Once Doctor Strange entered the scene, acquiring the Time Gem would become easier. No need for direct confrontation with her now.
She likely foresaw all this, but her strict adherence to fate meant she wouldn't resist its course.
Even though fate had become chaotic and the future harder to predict, the emergence of Doctor Strange was inevitable. So too was her death.
Her understanding of existence had long transcended life and death. What mattered to her was not her own survival, but the orderly flow and infinite potential of the future.
"After ancient one's death, the Time Gem can be arranged," Anton mused.
"That leaves only the Soul Gem."
"To acquire the Soul Gem, one must sacrifice someone dear… but that's actually easy to circumvent. Just find two death-row inmates in love and sacrifice one of them…"
Anton wasn't sentimental. Since they were destined to die, they might as well die for something useful.
But then, he reconsidered.
"Thanos has his eyes on the Soul Gem. He hasn't made a move yet, but it'll be hard for me to beat him to it. Better not risk open conflict with him right now. For now, I'll keep my profile low and continue developing in the shadows…"
The Soul Gem was already in Thanos' sights, making Anton's move inconvenient. Fortunately, the last two Gems weren't immediately attainable, so there was no rush. Patience was the better path.
Besides, he had other advantages—like the justice value within his system, which had risen considerably.
[Justice Value Balance: 53 million]
By stepping in as Batman to stop Tony and captain from their deadly feud, Anton had earned an additional 3 million justice points, pushing his balance to a staggering 53 million.
It was worth noting that Superman's actions in the void hadn't earned him any system rewards. But Anton didn't mind.
The void was chaos—no right or wrong, only clashing positions. Every side thought themselves just, especially the bold Ravager team led by Star-Lord.
Was it wrong to try and save lives?
Anton left Star-Lord and the others behind. They were already dead—there was no need to dwell on it.
At the moment, although Superman had departed, Gamora had chosen to follow Carol Danvers and Nick Fury. After some discussion, they decided to unite and form a new team.
With a shared enemy, cooperation was only logical.
Superman had offered a suggestion: they should call themselves the Guardians of the Galaxy.
The name struck a chord, and the group unanimously approved it.
Anton didn't particularly care whether this new iteration of the Guardians made a grand debut or not. What mattered was that this fresh lineup—Gamora, Carol, Nick Fury, and many Skrulls—was by no means inferior to the original.
In fact, if you thought about it, Superman—though technically a non-member—could be considered an honorary half-member of this new Guardians team.
And in that case, they weren't just on par with the original—they far surpassed them.
Their mission? To confront, and ultimately destroy, two of the universe's most formidable forces:
The Kree Empire… and Thanos.
They had a long road ahead.
Superman, however, had no intention of constantly fighting at their side.
His "appearance fee" was steep. While Anton's resources remained substantial, and Superman's fan value alone was enough to keep him around for months, it wasn't sustainable. Over time, even icons wear out.
That's why Superman wasn't meant for long-term missions aboard spaceships. He was built for pivotal moments—turning points. Not the daily grind.
So, for now, Superman remained a non-staff, half-member of the Guardians of the Galaxy.
After securing the four Infinity Gems in the war fortress, Superman's figure flashed—and vanished.
Inside DC Company Headquarters
Eyes closed, Anton appeared to be napping in his office chair as he remotely recalled the Superman clone.
Dididi!
A siren wailed from the road below, drifting in through the open window.
Anton opened his eyes, gazing at the traffic and the people flowing through the streets. For a brief moment, he simply observed.
Everyone outside was living their everyday lives, wrapped in their own routines. None of them knew that the man behind the Justice League had just completed another universe-shaking feat.
Not only had he repelled the Kree, but he had also slain the soul of the original Guardians of the Galaxy—Star-Lord—and taken down a major figure like Yondu.
On top of that, he had managed to persuade Gamora into joining, leading to an indirect encounter with Thanos.
For the leader of the Justice League, such things were just another Tuesday.
Life, in all its quiet grandeur.
Boom boom boom!
A sudden knock on the door broke the silence.
"Anton, there's an internal meeting today. You need to attend," said Betty, entering with a folder in hand.
Anton sat up, glanced at the papers, signed them effortlessly, and asked, "What's today's meeting about?"
"The company's future development plans," Betty replied. "Jim's been pushing hard. He's gearing up to film Justice League vs. Avengers, but he needs your support. He said you told him you could bring in real superheroes—like Spider-Man, Venom, even Ghost Rider—but you never gave him a straight answer. The project's been stuck ever since. He's afraid to move forward without your go-ahead."
"Oh, right? I haven't checked my mailbox lately."
Anton suddenly remembered.
He opened his computer and found an email from Jim. Sure enough, it was a proposal he hadn't yet reviewed. He had simply been too busy with other matters and had neglected the DC company's updates.
"Tell Jim… never mind. I'll speak to him directly at the meeting," Anton said with a nod.
"Got it," Betty replied, then turned and left the office.
"Justice League vs. Avengers…"
Anton stared at the proposal on his screen, a slow smile curling at the corners of his mouth. "Interesting… Jim's braver than I thought."
Although they had discussed the idea before—and it was Anton who had first hinted at it—coming up with a concept was one thing. Having the nerve to actually pitch it and move forward with production was something else entirely.
The characters involved were red-hot in the public eye.
Batman, Captain America, Iron Man!
With the Washington Conflict sparked by Hydra as the backdrop, adapting real-world themes made this project a guaranteed blockbuster from the moment it was proposed.
"If we're doing it, we're going big," Anton muttered.
He picked up the phone and called Eddie.
Later, at the internal DC company meeting
Anton praised Jim's concept and announced full company support for the production of Justice League vs. Avengers.
Daily bugle's editor-in-chief, Eddie Brock, and his trusted deputy, Phil, were even more enthusiastic.
They revealed they had already started reaching out to the Justice League through their media connections. And they had news—Venom and Hob Goblin were confirmed to appear in the film.
In addition, Daily Bugle was actively reaching out to Spider-Man, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Daredevil, and other Justice League-affiliated heroes.
Jim was over the moon.
It was proof of what backing from a major company like DC could achieve. Anyone might imagine a movie like this, but without real influence, who would dare to actually make it—let alone secure appearances from real superheroes?
Anton had one more announcement—a fresh direction for DC.
"I've been on break long enough. It's time to launch a new movie," Anton declared. "The Flash."
"The Flash's TV series has built strong momentum. With our ongoing comics, animation, and novel projects, now is the perfect time to bring him to the big screen."
He looked at Jim. "This one's yours too."
"No problem," Jim agreed readily.
He wasn't the director, just the producer—but managing two film crews didn't intimidate him. In fact, as a workaholic, he thrived on the pressure. The more projects, the better—it meant more opportunities to prove himself.
"Same rules," Anton continued. "Toby will lead the script. Get the first draft to me ASAP for review."
With that, the meeting concluded.
Anton ran into a long-lost face—Agent Z, deputy director of the Men in Black.
Z looked at Anton with a mixture of frustration and accusation, like someone confronting a ghosting ex.
"Anton, you haven't shown up in ages," he said. "Did you forget you're still the director of the Men in Black Organization? I've been handling everything—calls, emails—and you've ignored it all."
"Uh… I've been busy," Anton said, scratching his head with a sheepish smile. He couldn't exactly admit he'd completely forgotten.
"So, what's going on?" he asked, changing the subject.
"I knew it," Z muttered, exasperated. "Look—lately, Earth's been getting a lot of attention. Aliens are contacting governments via satellite, hoping to land. Some are even applying for immigration. The Men in Black—under the World Security Council—are supposed to handle all extraterrestrial affairs. But our director? He's acting like he doesn't exist..."
"What?"
Anton was taken aback. "Something like this actually happened?"
"If you'd checked your inbox properly, you'd have seen my report," Z said pointedly.
"Okay, okay." Anton waved his hand. "My bad. Let's go—take me to headquarters first."
The two got into Z's car and headed to the Men in Black headquarters.
"Where are the aliens?" Anton asked as they walked through the corridors. "What do they look like? Have you spoken with them?"
"Yes. We've communicated. They speak our language."
Z's expression turned slightly serious. "They're not ignorant about Earth either. In fact, they're very familiar with our languages. The strange part is—we know nothing about their background."
"Where are they now?"
Arriving at the command center, Anton looked at satellite footage and a series of intel streams. What he saw surprised him.
"They're on the moon," Z confirmed.
"Right. The old Skrull base." Anton nodded. "That's where they're staying for now?"
"Yes. The moon base left behind by the Skrulls has become their temporary residence. You know we haven't fully rebuilt or secured it. Some humans have visited it, but compared to those aliens—we're at a disadvantage in terms of infrastructure and technology."
"What's the World Security Council's position?" Anton asked.
"They're open to limited contact, but reluctant to engage too deeply," Z replied. "Their stance is that Earth should remain for humans."
Anton frowned. "Did I ever agree to that?"
Z raised an eyebrow.
"Why not designate a specific area?" Anton proposed. "If these aliens want to settle on Earth, let them. But under strict conditions."
"What do you mean?" Z asked, not fully following.
"Simple. They can come—but they must live disguised as humans, under constant monitoring."
Anton continued, "They'll have freedom to a degree—but they must follow all human laws. Blend in. Just like in the Men in Black protocols."
He was drawing from familiar fiction—fiction that, in this chaotic, movie-mixed universe, seemed to carry real weight.
The logic of Men in Black was still valid here. And in the Marvel Cinematic Universe context, since contact with aliens was unavoidable, it was better to act proactively.
As long as the risks were controlled, the idea was not only reasonable—it was inevitable.
Later, at the World Security Council meeting
Anton addressed the gathered representatives.
"We've entered a new era," he said. "The interstellar age. Contact with alien life is no longer speculation—it's a fact. According to intelligence gathered by Superman, there are countless civilizations and species in the universe. Humanity may be unique—but we're not special. And we certainly can't treat all aliens as enemies."
He paused.
"Superman. Thor. They're proof. Some aliens are already our allies. That's why we must take the first step—and this is where we begin."
For a long moment, silence hung over the meeting room.
Then—unanimous approval.
Anton's proposal passed.
Aliens would be allowed to immigrate to Earth, provided it was done under strict, risk-controlled supervision—exactly as Anton had outlined.
…
patreon.com/Vks_sh