"On my way back, I ran into someone—the rock guy I beat last time. Do you remember him?" Mark said, finally getting it out.
"I know," Jovian nodded. "That mob enforcer, right?"
"Yeah." Mark rubbed his forehead, still looking torn. "He told me he never wanted to be an enforcer. He says his boss has him under control—threatening his wife and kid, forcing him, squeezing him dry. He wants my help to take down the guy behind it all, get him arrested, and put an end to it for good so he can start over."
"But honestly… I'm confused. I don't know if I should help him."
An old enemy showing up out of nowhere and claiming he didn't want to be a bad guy, that he was forced into it—Mark didn't know what to do with that.
"…"
Jovian didn't say anything at first. He just sat beside Mark and patted his shoulder, like he was comforting a dumb kid who meant well.
Because Jovian already knew what came next.
Mark was going to get played.
That "rock guy" would use Mark to eliminate his own boss—the city's biggest underworld kingpin, Machine Head…
And just when Mark thought he'd acted like a real hero—crushed Machine Head, saved the enforcer's family, wiped out evil—
That rock guy would replace Machine Head and become the new crime boss.
And Mark would have no idea.
But none of that was the important part.
The important part was that this mess would become Mark's first clash with one of the strongest beings in the universe—Battle Beast.
And Mark would get absolutely brutalized.
Yeah. A monster standing at the peak of the cosmic food chain—someone who helped his people conquer galaxy after galaxy—showing up on Earth disguised as a mid-tier criminal's hired muscle?
That was one hell of a surprise.
And Jovian's goal was simple:
When Battle Beast finally revealed himself on Earth, Jovian would give him a surprise right back—by erasing him completely.
Then the whole universe—no, everything—would have one less obstacle in humanity's way.
As for why Jovian insisted Battle Beast had to die?
There was only one answer.
He didn't allow a universe where humans were meant to rule… to include a beast-man that badass.
"So, Jovian," Mark asked again, pressing his temples, "do you think I should help him? I'm seriously stuck."
"Go. Of course you go." Jovian's voice turned bright, encouraging—almost inspirational. "You're a hero's son. You inherited a hero's blood. A future hero."
"How can you see someone begging for help and not help?"
Jovian knew Mark would be used.
He still pushed him toward it anyway.
Because when that rock guy finally sat on the underground throne, Jovian would make sure Mark uncovered the truth himself—so Mark could learn what people were really like.
"Hero…"
Mark's eyes widened.
"Right. I'm a hero's son."
"I'm Invincible."
His uncertainty snapped into place like a lock clicking shut. He was Omni-Man's son—Earth's greatest hero's son. If someone needed help, how could he not reach out?
"You're right," Mark said, clenching his fists. "I'm going to help them."
"That's the spirit," Jovian said, giving him an approving look.
"Now take a hot shower, go to bed, and tomorrow, use that invincible strength of yours to kick those gangsters' asses."
"Yeah," Mark said, nodding hard, like he'd just been handed the secret to life. "You're right."
He headed toward his room, eyes shining with that intense, slightly-too-confident "I've got it all figured out" look.
"…Did I just accidentally break my kid brother's brain?" Jovian watched him go, genuinely a little worried.
Then he looked down at his own hand.
"Whatever. If he gets too stupid, I'll just use the corrective slap again."
Honestly… that last slap had felt pretty good.
A little addictive.
The next day…
Mark met up with the rock guy—Titan, the man who could coat his body in stone armor.
"So where are they?" Mark asked.
Wearing his blue-and-yellow suit, Mark smiled with easy confidence. A bunch of gun-waving gangsters didn't scare him at all.
"So you're agreeing?" Titan raised an eyebrow.
"I'm standing here, aren't I?" Mark spread his hands. "How is that not obvious?"
Titan let out a quiet chuckle.
"Come on."
He already knew the fish had bitten the hook.
All he had to do was let Mark and Machine Head tear each other apart. Then, when both sides were beaten down and exhausted, he'd step in and clean up what was left—taking everything for himself.
What Titan didn't know…
…was that high above the clouds, a figure in black-and-white silently watched him, eyes cutting through the night like it was glass.
Titan was, at best, a praying mantis—so focused on the prize in front of him that he'd never realize what kind of predator was staring down from above.
Titan brought Mark to a high-rise across from Machine Head's building. The two of them stood on the roof, watching their target.
"In a minute, I hit from the front," Titan said. "You, Invincible, hit from the back. We squeeze him from both sides—no escape."
"Wait." Mark shook his head. "Look, I'm not a genius, but I'm not clueless either."
"Even if we corner Machine Head, it won't matter as long as his guy who can teleport people is still around. If that freak is there, we can't hold Machine Head."
Mark frowned. He'd been watching Machine Head too. Honestly, he didn't care much about the other goons—but the teleporter was a problem.
Mark wasn't confident he could stop that guy before he warped them out.
"You mean Isotope?" Titan said.
"Relax. I already handled him."
Mark blinked. "How?"
Titan looked Mark dead in the eye and said it like it was the most normal thing in the world.
"I put extra-strength Viagra in his coffee."
"Guarantee he'll be in bed with his girlfriend all day."
"Whoa…" Mark stared.
Then, after a second, he grinned.
"Cool."
He honestly couldn't think of anything else to say.
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