Leaving the desert behind, Allen headed to a bar in Puente Antiguo with the others. He wanted to rest after completing his task, although he technically didn't need it while on stream. The experience with Sukuna and the stress generated by the Hulk encounter were heavy burdens.
Allen sat at a table with Stan Lee and left the hammer on the counter. People were excited about his achievement, but not him. Allen had been more cautious since he discovered that his world was like DC Comics.
To summarize Marvel and DC Comics, there's an easy example:
"Oops, I stubbed my toe! Boom, the universe is destroyed..." or maybe "Look, a harmless box in a commonplace. Boom, the universe is destroyed!"
Of course, that's an exaggeration, but with so many potentially dangerous things everywhere, it happens that at any moment, something could occur that puts the world at risk.
Allen felt pressured and decided to have a drink. Well, it's not a solution, but being so stressed, he needed to relax somehow.
Allen ordered something simple with little alcohol. However, the old Stan Lee ordered strong whiskey and began drinking non-stop, then he began telling his life story to Allen.
"I'm telling you, it would have been the best idea!" said Stan, ecstatic after getting drunk. "A superhero with spider powers."
"Haha, would he shoot webs from his mouth or his butt?" Allen asked, laughing.
"Hahaha, I was thinking of some web shooters, technologically or maybe organically, I don't know," Stan Lee took another big gulp and burped.
"That sounds interesting, would it be something like Superman?"
"No, Spiderman would be more human, with more weaknesses," the old man paused and adjusted his sunglasses. "An ordinary kid who gains spider powers... Spiderman. Also, he wouldn't be entirely loved like Superman or feared like Batman... he'd be like a friend, a neighbor to everyone, a superhero closer to ordinary people."
"Mmm, but according to your story, isn't it quite cruel to make loved ones die, and those who don't die end up far away from him in one way or another?" Allen shivered, knowing the miserable life Spiderman would have if his life were written by this old man. Fortunately, Allen has his system to avoid tragic canon events.
[Don't worry, host, we'll fight fire with fire, if the plot bothers you, we destroy it, that's it.]
'System, that's very violent.'
[Desperate measures for desperate situations]
Stan fell silent for a moment and looked around the bar where everyone was drinking. "People empathize more with misfortune, that's why good stories always have tragedies..." Stan Lee said with a smile, looking Allen in the eyes.
Allen felt uncomfortable and drank his drink before looking at the old man again, seriously. "Old man, why didn't you publish it as a comic?"
Stan Lee grunted and then sighed. "I almost did several times, but life is complicated. I had many problems that prevented me from devoting myself to creating comics," Stan added in a low voice, "eventually... I opened a business and ended up abandoning my dream..."
Allen felt a little sorry for the old man; apart from the cruelty toward his character, his stories seemed to have a lot of potential.
===
– I think it's a good idea...
– Spiderman... I don't know, I feel like I'd like him to exist...
– No, that would be cruel. Didn't you hear that after getting powers, he loses his uncle?
– The phrase the old man said about 'with great power comes great responsibility' touched my heart.
===
"What do you say, are you interested in my story?" asked the old man with a mysterious smile.
"I'm not an artist..."
"Haha, I didn't mean that..." Stan Lee laughed and then patted Allen on the shoulder. "Well, I have to go, see you..."
Allen turned to the old man and found that he was no longer there. "Old man?" Allen searched the entire bar and didn't see Stan Lee.
===
–Where did the old man go? :(
– He was here a second ago, but just as someone passed in front of the camera, he disappeared! D:
– Don't tell me that all this time Stan Lee was a ghost?! D:
===
Allen also felt it was strange, but Batman can also do that, so he didn't take it too seriously.
After a while of drinking while talking to his viewers, Allen saw Tony and Phill enter. They moved to a table. There, Tony, Bruce, Allen, and Phill sat down.
Tony took off his suit and left it standing outside. Hulk ate half a ton of food, was satisfied, and was in a good mood to let Bruce Banner out. Allen got the man a plaid shirt, shoes, and pants.
Bruce repeatedly thanked Allen, not only for stopping Hulk but also for helping him understand his green alter ego a little better.
Bruce looked tired and disheveled but gathered the courage to speak. "I always treated him as a monster... maybe I should have accepted his existence within me from the beginning and not denied it." Banner leaned back in his chair.
"Dr. Banner, are you okay with this? I can't imagine what it's like to be trapped in my own body..." Tony commented, looking pityingly at Banner. He didn't realize that Banner and Hulk were two people; he simply thought Banner went crazy when he became Hulk.
Bruce took a deep breath before continuing, "It's okay... it was my fault that Hulk was born. Besides, I believe he existed long before the accident in the lab, and the gamma radiation just shaped him." Banner lowered his head and rested his face on his hands. "All that anger that I never knew I had inside me nearly destroyed the world..."
Coulson took out a folder with photographs, showing people with different mutations in parts of their bodies. "From what we know, you absorbed the gamma radiation from Ross's devices to prevent people at that restaurant from mutating completely, is that correct?"
"Yes... but I never imagined that would happen. I didn't imagine that would happen to Hulk and I couldn't contain the gamma radiation in my body and the anger inside me." Banner banged his head against the table. "I wouldn't know how to live if I had massacred people in that state."
Allen noticed Bruce starting to get agitated and decided to change the subject.
"Bruce, will you share conscious time?" asked Allen, leaning on the table.
"Yes... I'd like to try to get along with Hulk, instead of trying to destroy each other," Banner smiled defeatedly, not that he willingly accepted this, but he knew it was the best choice.
Allen thought about what to do with Hulk and looked at Tony drinking wine. "In that case, Tony might need help... isn't that right, Ironman?"
"Kid, don't try to throw your shit at me..." Tony sighed.
Allen straightened up and mocked Tony while leaning his elbow on the table. "You say that as if you don't need help, being a superhero must be very hard, right?"
Tony clicked his tongue, but he knew Allen was right. Lately, being a superhero was very difficult; the help of someone like Hulk was invaluable. "Alright, you win, kid. I admit it, I could use a scientist as incredible as Banner and the help of a super-strong giant like Hulk."
"What do you say, Dr. Banner?" Allen turned his gaze to Bruce and to Hulk, who must have been listening. "Due to the 'seal' I put on you, no one will risk trying to arrest you, but you must make amends for your actions."
"Wait!" Coulson interrupted. "Shield can take care of Hulk."
"Sure, such a good and reliable organization like Shield should have Hulk at their disposal," Tony said sarcastically, crossing his arms. "I'd rather have to pay enough food for an entire regiment than leave Hulk in their hands."
Coulson frowned, feeling offended. "Mr. Stark, I know your opinion of Shield isn't the best, but we are still an organization that has done more for the world than you have."
"Come on, don't fight. In the end, it's Bruce and Hulk's decision," Allen intervened in the conversation while checking comments. Gwen conducted a survey, and the result was that Hulk should go with Tony.
Banner remained silent. He knows that returning to his former life is impossible; people already know what Hulk is capable of. At this moment, it's thanks to Allen's lie that he can be free, but he needs to win people's favor.
Bruce sighed. "Stark... do you have an extra-large bed?"
Tony smiled. "No, but I can design one sturdy enough for a Hulk."
Coulson sat back down and didn't say anything else. It seems he gave up on recruiting Hulk. Allen narrowed his eyes at this. While Coulson is a simple man, he's still a veteran agent of Shield; he wouldn't back down so easily. Besides, it was even more surprising that Fury gave up on recruiting Hulk.
...
In his office, Fury received a call from the higher-ups, who complained about not being able to recruit Hulk.
Fury reassured them, saying he hadn't given up. But it wasn't true; he had been investigating some people within Shield. No one can imagine his hilarious reaction when he will discover in the future that he has aliens and Hydra members in his organization.
"Is it okay to leave Hulk with Stark?" Maria Hill stood in front of Fury, unable to believe her boss had given in.
"I just believe Hulk is better off there," Fury turned while looking out the window. Maria knew the real reason behind this. Fury mistrusted several people in Shield; he wouldn't hand a weapon of mass destruction to them.
...
Back in the bar, everyone chatted for a while. Banner talked about his experience inside Hulk, and Tony discussed the work of being a superhero and the future of Stark Industries.
"What do you say, kid? Interested in a part-time job at Stark Industries?" Tony asked, waving a blank check.
Allen was tempted, but he had already declined to be a superhero. "It's more profitable and safer to be a mercenary. Just call if you need help... of course, you must be willing to pay, and I don't come cheap." Allen leaned back in the chair, putting his feet on the table.
"Seriously, still thinking about your safety even after having so much power?" Tony rolled his eyes, incredulous at Allen.
Allen crossed his arms stubbornly. "No matter my strength, I still believe in self-preservation."
"Whatever you say, hahaha," Tony got up and threw a few hundred dollars on the table to pay the bill. "I'm leaving; I should be back, and I have important matters."
"A woman?" Allen looked at the cheeky Tony. Some habits never die.
"A date with two models, nothing special," replied Tony, then turned to Bruce.
"I guess we're off..." Bruce stood up and nodded at Allen. "Thanks again, and see you, Allen. I think Hulk will want to see you from time to time, so come visit us."
Allen smiled. "No problem, I'll visit often."
Just as everyone was about to leave, a blond man entered the bar, looking agitated. "Mjolnir!" the man shouted and ran toward the hammer on the table. Then he grabbed the hilt to lift it, but he couldn't move it.
"What?!" the man exclaimed in surprise, pulling harder, to no avail.
"Who are you?" Allen asked, confused, looking at the strong-built, long-haired blond man, but the man ignored him.
"No!... it can't be... I... Father, why have you abandoned me?!" The man shouted in front of everyone, and after a moment, the man knelt on the floor.
===
– You should hit him, Allen.
– What, a crazy person out of nowhere? :(
– This is better than a movie; something always happens XD
===
Allen ignored the comments, grabbed the hammer, and showed it to the man. "Are you the owner?"
"That's impossible!" The man's mouth opened in shock as he looked at Allen. "You're a mortal! How can you be worthy?"
===
– That mortal is my Allen Walker, show some respect :(
– This guy gives off vibes of being very egocentric and arrogant.
===
"Mortal! What kind of sorcery did you use on my hammer? You can't be worthy!" The man stood up, glaring at Allen.
"And who are you?" Allen responded, annoyed by the blond man's attitude.
"Of course, I am Thor, son of Odin, the father of all! Prince of Asgard, God of Thunder, Scourge of Giants..."
"I'm Allen Walker, a content creator... that's about it, I suppose."
"And I'm Little Red Riding Hood, hahaha," Tony started laughing.
"What's the Norse god of lightning doing in a bar?!" Phill asked with a hand on his pistol.
Thor growled at everyone. "It's none of your business! I just came for my hammer!"
"Why should I give it back to you?!" said Allen calmly. "You can't even lift it."
"The hammer is not just a weapon; it grants the right to the throne of Asgard and the power of a god..." Thor looked at the hammer and could see the inscriptions on it, the spell from his father.
Allen rolled his eyes. Thor wasn't supposed to say that; saying so would make people less likely to want to return the hammer to him.
"Damn it!" Thor pointed at Allen. "It's a reality that Mjolnir is now in your hands, but I won't give up, Allen Walker, I challenge you to a duel, mortal! If you win, I'll leave; if I win, I'll reclaim Mjolnir."
Allen put on a blank expression. "I don't know, Rick, I don't see any benefit for me in betting the hammer." Allen ignored Thor and walked away with the hammer on his shoulder. "So, technically, am I the future king of Asgard?"
Allen was a little tipsy, and he approached the bar and then climbed onto it.
===
Gwen – He's going to do something stupid, isn't he?
Mary Jane – He definitely will -_-
===
Allen gripped the hammer firmly and addressed the crowd. "As my first royal decree, I declare Fridays to be miniskirt days!" The next moment, the hammer became heavy and dragged Allen to the ground. Allen was taken by surprise and fell with his face on the floor. "Ughh..."
"..." Both the people in the bar and the viewers in the chat were speechless, except for Rick, who couldn't stop laughing.
"Okay... no miniskirt Fridays..." the hammer became light again, and Allen was able to get up. His face was expressionless, and he didn't seem to have any injuries. While the physical damage was nothing, Allen felt embarrassed inside. 'Damn hammer!!'
[Host, the hammer has a will of its own.]
'Yeah, I noticed! Couldn't you have said that earlier?!'
"What kind of joke is this?!" Thor shouted angrily. "Do you understand what it means to be the king of Asgard?!"
"Tell us, young one, what it means to be a king?" Stan Lee said from the table. At some point, that old man appeared again, and Allen looked at him suspiciously.
Thor's anger calmed a bit; his eyes wandered for a moment before focusing on Allen. "I..."