Atreus didn't need to drive; he hopped into the pre-hidden off-road Jeep, leaving the driving to someone else. Instead, his focus was on the system's glowing screen in front of him.
After taking out nearly a hundred members of the Ten Commandments gang, the system judged his [Good-Evil Points] to have shifted 7 points toward the good side—still nothing compared to the 100-point bounty from taking down Black Mask.
But hey, even small gains count!
The key thing Atreus discovered was that these red souls he had been accumulating could be used to enhance his skills, boosting his proficiency. These souls pushed his [Basic Combat] skill directly to level 12.
Unfortunately, the higher branches of the skill tree remained hidden, likely requiring the defeat of a boss, much like [Basic Firearms].
Atreus couldn't help but regret the missed opportunity—when he remotely detonated the bomb that injured Black Mask, it likely also killed many of Black Mask's men. But because he hadn't gone near the Black Mask Club, he missed out on collecting those red souls.
"Damn it! What a waste!"
Still feeling the sting of his loss, Atreus turned his attention to the criminal underworld of Gotham City…
The following day marked a turning point for Tony Stark's fate.
He successfully escaped using the first version of the Iron Man suit but crash-landed into a soft sandbank, about 10 kilometers away. Using the satellite distress system he built, Tony contacted the U.S. military as soon as he freed himself.
To his surprise, upon being picked up by the military, Tony found that Yinsen had already been rescued and brought to the base.
"You… you're still alive after all."
"Mr. Kratos is a man of his word. He and another women stormed in, shot a bunch of terrorists, and saved me. If they hadn't saved you, I would've been on a plane to New York by now." Tears streamed down Yinsen's face as he spoke.
The two kidnapped men, both unlucky in their own way, embraced each other.
"It's okay, Yinsen. Come with me. I promise you'll live a good life."
Everything else went smoothly after that.
Tony survived by the skin of his teeth, and the experience made him reflect deeply on his life. He transformed from a reckless, carefree playboy into a… slightly more responsible playboy.
Upon safely returning to New York, Tony immediately announced that Stark Industries would no longer produce weapons. This, of course, enraged his business partner, Stane.
But this time, it wasn't Stane operating in the shadows while Tony remained in the light.
Before Stane had the chance to activate the "Iron Monger" suit—based on Tony's first Iron Man suit, which he had built in collaboration with the Ten Commandments' low-level leader, Zara—Tony had already arranged for special forces to arrest him.
This dulled the debut of the official "Iron Man," robbing it of some of its legendary flair.
However, all of that paled in comparison to the shockwave Tony sent through the world when he publicly declared:
"I am Iron Man!"
It was undeniably a groundbreaking move.
Compared to the masked "superheroes" over in Gotham, who people saw as weirdos with eccentric costumes, Tony's open declaration of his identity was all the more astonishing.
Some even maliciously speculated that heroes like Batman and Spider-Man were just fame-hungry show-offs.
But with the U.S. military backing Tony, he wasn't worried about any criticism, whether public or secret, nor any attempts on his life.
After his bold move, Tony received a private call from "Kratos" on a secure line, though he wasn't sure where the call came from.
"Hey, Tony. Remember our agreement?"
"Of course! That money of yours was a bit dirty. But like the little toy you wanted, I got everything sorted."
"And?"
"I regret to inform you that, while you now own 5% of Stark Industries, due to some unfortunate timing, and given that we're no longer in the weapons business, you've lost about 70% of your investment based on today's stock prices," Tony boasted smugly.
In Tony's mind, he fully expected Kratos to fly into a rage. Once Kratos showed weakness or frustration, Tony planned to "graciously" offer to let him reinvest at the lower stock price, making him the second-largest shareholder in Stark Industries.
But to Tony's surprise...
"Heh. Doesn't matter. It was a windfall anyway. What's more important to me is our friendship."
Tony's heart skipped a beat. Kratos was clearly not someone to be taken lightly. If he wasn't concerned about the money, then either he had far greater plans in mind—plans Tony Stark couldn't yet fathom—or…
"Kratos, we've been through life and death together. If there's anything I can do for you, just say the word."
"Nothing right now. But if I'm in danger, promise me Iron Man will come to my aid."
Tony hesitated for a second, then agreed. "Okay! Both Yinsen and I owe you our lives."
"Don't worry. I can be a force for good too. As for my dividends and that little gadget I asked for, handle those accordingly…"
The call ended, but Tony still felt an immense pressure.
Yinsen, who had been listening, asked, "Tony, what if he asks you to do something you don't want to?"
Tony gave a bitter smile. "I was an arms dealer, covered in blood from head to toe. What's one more bad deed?"
---
Meanwhile, Atreus, along with Black Canary, quietly returned to Dubai.
Upon seeing them, Louis nearly broke into tears.
"Boss, I… I feel so guilty."
What triggered Louis' guilt was the outrageous hotel bill.
Staying in the presidential suite at Dubai's seven-star Burj Al Arab hotel cost $18,000 a day, and with all the additional expenses, Louis had been feeling the pressure after just a few days.
After several days, the bill had ballooned into the seven figures.
Was it worth it? Sure. Was it expensive? Absolutely.
What if Atreus returned and refused to pay?
Atreus, back at the hotel, signed the bill while the manager looked on with a smile.
"Beep beep! Black Gold Card processed!"
Cough cough—successful transaction.
It wasn't even a credit card charge but a direct payment.
Atreus's interest in his Black Gold Card grew.
He suddenly remembered a famous saying from before he crossed into this world: "For real trust-fund kids, the real money sink isn't eating, drinking, and having fun—it's starting a business. That's the real bottomless pit."
Honestly, Atreus was thrilled to get a free ride.
And if he knew why he could keep getting free rides indefinitely, he'd be even happier.
Up until today, he had been a little worried that the bank might one day tell him he owed an eight-figure debt and that he'd end up sleeping under a bridge.
But after today? He didn't care!
As long as the world didn't end, he could live off Stark Industries' dividends until he was 100.
Wait, what? Did I just set up some kind of ominous flag for myself?
Pushing the frightening thought out of his mind, Atreus couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy. He had a vague idea of who was really backing him. Gotham City was never known as a hub for new-age internet companies.
It was an ancient city.
Every lucrative industry was controlled by one or more established families.
Only the gritty and d4ngerous underworld ever saw changes in leadership.
Gotham had originally been founded by four powerful families, who still controlled most of the city's industries and infrastructure today.
Can you guess which families?
The Wayne family, to which Batman Bruce Wayne belonged;
The Kane family, to which Batwoman Kate Kane belonged;
The Elliott family, from which the villain "Hush" came;
And the Cobblepot family, to which the Penguin Oswald Cobblepot belonged.
Any other big families? They were all just getting by under the thumb of these four.
"Wait! I grew up drinking the 'clean and sanitary' water of Gotham. If that rumored super-wealthy old man finds out I've teamed up with Tony, will he want to kill me?"
Atreus could only mutter these thoughts to himself.
Taking Black Canary and Louis, Atreus boarded his Gulfstream private jet and finally returned from his 'vacation.'
Little did he know, it was the middle of the night in Gotham's poor district, and Sara Lance had just returned home after a long day of work.
In USA, the greatest d4nger for a young woman walking home late at night might be the street food.
That curse of "gaining three pounds every holiday" is real, you know!
But in Gotham, a woman walking alone at night risks far more than a few extra pounds. She might end up with not even bones left.
Not that Sara was afraid. Like her sister, she had been blessed with a supernatural gift—sonic scream attacks—and she was highly skilled in combat. Unlike in the history books, she never joined the League of Assassins.
Instead, she lived an ordinary life as a regular woman in Gotham.
But that night, when she came home after working late, she was greeted by the stench of rotting flesh as soon as she stepped inside.
She searched frantically for the source of the smell, and suddenly, she saw a familiar silhouette behind the living room curtain.
"...Sister?" Sara asked tentatively.
(End of Chapter)