By now, Ethan Hunter had started to get used to all of this. He didn't hesitate; he simply took the folder and glanced at the cover.
"Patient files from Arkham Asylum?"
"Keep looking," Nick Fury said flatly, giving no other expression than a silent prompt to continue.
Ethan nodded and opened the first page. A table appeared, with a small photo in the top-left corner.
A head of bleach-blond hair, with the tips permanently dyed red and blue.
And no matter how he looked at it, the face was almost identical to Margot Robbie's version of Harley Quinn.
Maybe whoever created this mash-up world thought the comic book costumes and styles were a bit over the top?
Ethan snorted. Sometimes, he really had no words for the American comic obsession with skin-tight suits.
"Real name: Harleen Quinzel. Height: 170 cm. Weight: 64 kg."
"Special consultant psychologist at Arkham Asylum, assigned to treat Gotham City's most deranged criminals—namely, the Joker."
"But became obsessed with the Joker herself, descended into madness, released him from custody, and adopted the alias Harley Quinn, becoming his criminal accomplice. Later, during a bank heist, she was severely injured by the Joker and taken into Arkham Asylum for treatment."
"Sir, I hope you don't mind me asking, but what good is looking at a lunatic's medical file?"
"Oh, didn't I text you?" Nick Fury said, feigning surprise. "I want you to take the lead in forming a team. And Harley Quinn will be the first member you recruit."
[Ding! Mission 'Team Formation' Activated]
[Mission Brief: A young agent, officially forming your squad. Your first task is to recruit the first member—persuade Harley Quinn to join.]
Hmph. The system sure wastes no time!
"A team? With all due respect, Sir… I trained to be a Joint Bureau agent, working solo and handling everything myself. If you need someone to infiltrate enemy territory and dismantle a tactical nuke, call me. If you need someone to assassinate high-value targets behind enemy lines, call me. But team collaboration? That's really not my strong suit." Ethan Hunter's expression was all righteous indignation, mixed with a hint of awkwardness.
"And… are you seriously sure a patient from a mental asylum can be an agent for the Joint Bureau?"
Of course! If this were an ordinary parallel world, maybe it would be fine.
But this was a chaotic mash-up world of countless properties. Who knew what kind of crazy surprises were waiting?
If Nick Fury's team starts with Harley Quinn, what's next?
Avengers-level superhero teams?!
Starting off by playing with that bunch of superhumans?
Some knockoff Phil Coulson?!
That guy died in the Battle of New York!
Sure, he was later resurrected via the Tahiti Project—but the pain he went through was worse than death itself.
If they tried forming the Avengers again here, characters from other works would 100% crash the party.
Like the medical file of Harley Quinn in Ethan's hands.
Ethan sighed internally. This was the downside of a mash-up world.
All the story predictions he relied on? Useless!
Everything was brand-new and unpredictable.
"You're right," Nick Fury said. "That's why you need to learn to be the leader of a team now."
As with all leaders, once the decision was made, advice was just advice.
"By the way, you're a Level Six agent, right?"
"…Yes. Level Six."
Ethan nodded as Nick Fury's tone shifted.
In the World Federal Investigation Bureau, agents are ranked from Level One to Ten. Level Six might not sound high, but it's the highest level a frontline agent can achieve. Think of it like military ranks—you wouldn't send a decorated special forces soldier into battle with a general's rank, would you?
"Then welcome to Level Seven, Agent Ethan Hunter," Nick Fury said, returning to his desk. "Since you're a talent I personally borrowed from the Republic Headquarters, you only answer to me. You can ignore orders from other senior agents."