Chpater 366: Allen's New Identity – Captain America
Allen, now dressed in a clean hospital gown, stepped into the main hall of the Arkham Fortress.
This time, he brought with him a box of videotapes and a guitar crafted from cursed relics.
He placed them all on the display shelf in the hall.
"Commander, sir. Shark Robin is currently being held hostage."
At that moment, Unita projected a video clip.
While Bruce was away from Gotham, Lex Luthor had sent his men to raid Arkham Asylum and abducted Nanaue.
"Is that bald freak sick in the head? Why the hell would he kidnap Nanaue? The guy doesn't even seem useful," Allen muttered, baffled as the video ended.
Unita, the world's most advanced AI, had tracked the culprits by hacking into the network and finally confirmed that Luthor was behind the attack.
"I suspect the enemy wants to force you to remove the plunger on your head," Unita analyzed.
"That's not a plunger! It's the Gagging Staff," Allen corrected her seriously.
Indeed, Nanaue's only value was as leverage against Allen.
And Nanaue's weakness? Pink dolphins. Controlling the dolphin meant controlling him.
"I'm Bateman, the embodiment of justice. I'll never compromise with evil," Allen said, his expression resolute. "Nanaue, I'll always remember your sacrifice."
"..."
Of course, Unita had long since built a complete behavioral model of Allen's psyche and easily deduced that this wasn't his real intention.
"I'm heading out for a bit."
Everyone else in Arkham Fortress was absent, and Allen had no interest in sticking around—it was dreadfully boring.
The current "comedy trio" were still trying to run for mayor.
They'd built up a solid reputation and had earned considerable public support.
The only problem: they had to wait for the next election cycle.
Naturally, the comedy trio wasn't about to sit around playing by the rules. They decided to return to their old ways—stirring up trouble to force the current mayor out of office and speed up the timeline.
But one major obstacle remained: Batman and the Bat-Family, determined to preserve Gotham's fragile order and prevent chaos.
Allen, for now, had no interest in that mess.
He had a mission: to rescue Nanaue.
Looking at the Batsuit hanging on the coat rack, Allen stood silently for a long time before sighing, "I'm not worthy to wear this and act as a symbol of justice anymore."
"..."
Unita rolled her eyes, seeing through him in an instant.
In truth, the guy was just bored of playing Batman. He didn't find it fun anymore. So now he was putting on a melodramatic act.
Otherwise, he would've suited up the moment he got back and gone off on another adventure.
Through the portal he went.
And straight into Stark Industries Tower.
Allen crept through the building, glancing left and right like a suspicious thief, seemingly unaware that every movement was caught by the surveillance system.
"Sir, how may I assist you?" came the voice of the building's AI butler.
"No thanks."
Allen snapped back to reality—this entire tower was under surveillance, ensuring that none of Stark Industries' core tech leaked out.
As the world's leading tech company, its reserves of data were an untold fortune.
"If you need anything, just say—"
Crash!
Before the AI could finish, Allen had already picked up a chair and smashed it through the dustproof glass.
Inside was the display case for the Captain America uniform.
Truthfully, he had his eyes on it during his last visit, but the timing hadn't been right.
Moments later, the uniform was on him.
[Ding! New identity unlocked: Captain Old Fart. Gained skills: Smooth Talker, Respect for Elders and Love for the Young.]
Allen stood with hands on hips, thoroughly satisfied with his new role.
"Danger approaching!"
His eyes shifted to the window—someone was zooming through the air. No doubt, Iron Man was rushing back.
Someone broke into his home, after all. Of course he'd be anxious.
Seconds later, the window shattered, and Tony Stark burst in, lifting his mask and frantically scanning the room.
But Allen was already gone.
The display case that once held the Captain America suit now held a folded hospital gown.
"Allen, are you insane?!"
Tony's furious roar echoed through the tower.
The culprit, however, was no longer anywhere in America.
After all, without the shield, what kind of Captain America would he be?
———
Gigenia.
A small nation in Europa.
Ruled by a military regime, the country was economically stagnant and rife with crime.
The most concerning trend catching the Avengers' attention was a surge in the use of super soldier serum across Europa.
This serum could amplify a normal person's physical abilities severalfold.
Naturally, many dictators favored buying it.
Compared to costly high-tech weaponry—often locked behind user permissions—super soldiers could be paid handsomely, threatened through their families, and used freely without the need for ongoing maintenance. It was a highly profitable deal.
But scarcity preserved value. If the serum became widespread, it wouldn't just lose value—it would draw the interest of major world powers.
BOOM!
A sudden explosion sent the street into chaos as panicked crowds fled in every direction.
A squad of agile operatives guarded a black briefcase as they fled a building, firing back occasionally to suppress pursuers.
At that moment, a shadow darted into the fray.
Wind whipped through tousled black hair as a man raised a black metal arm to shield his face and launched a surprise attack on one of the fleeing targets.
"Winter Soldier!"
The group immediately turned their guns toward him.
The name "Winter Soldier" now carried considerable weight.
Ever since Captain America's disappearance, the Winter Soldier had risen in popularity as the two had always worked as a pair—he was the Cap's ever-present partner.
"Watch your back!"
Just as Bucky was struggling, a voice rang from above. Falcon, using his personal flight rig, dove from the sky and drop-kicked a would-be attacker.
"We're not that close," Bucky replied flatly, unimpressed by Sam's save.
The two had interacted very little even within the Avengers.
More importantly, Bucky's identity made him a sensitive subject—something Sam sometimes joked about inappropriately.
"This operation is now under government jurisdiction. The Avengers have not received clearance. Leave immediately."
The new Captain America, John Walker, appeared with shield in one hand and gun in the other. Even while under fire, he took time to order Bucky and Falcon to withdraw.
"This guy's even more annoying than you," Sam scoffed.
"..."
Bucky said nothing—but his silence was agreement enough.
Walker, the new Cap, had been appointed as the face of the nation by the military. Naturally, he had no ties to the Avengers.
And none of the Avengers recognized him as a worthy replacement.
After all, Steve Rogers had embodied virtue and honor—aside from his foul mouth.
The fleeing group had clearly taken the serum, making them individually formidable. But they lacked tactical experience.
In contrast, the Avengers had the skill—and numbers.
For now, the standoff continued, with neither side able to claim an advantage.
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