"Anton, wake up, Anton!"
Betty Brant sounded both frustrated and helpless as she stood over Anton, the new editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle. She couldn't believe how quickly J. Jonah Jameson had handed over the reins of the paper—a symbol of his lifelong dedication and hard work—to his grandson, a college dropout with no discernible skills.
It was hard to understand, even harder to accept. 'Had Jonah completely lost his mind?'
"Huh?" Anton blinked awake, groggy and disoriented. He rubbed the drool from the corner of his mouth and stared at the blonde woman in front of him, still half-asleep. For a moment, he wasn't sure if he was dreaming.
"Anton, you need to review and sign off on tomorrow's front page," Betty said, handing him a document.
Anton took the papers without thinking, scrawled his name at the bottom, and handed them back to Betty, who then twisted gracefully on her heels and left, her silhouette drifting out of sight.
As she walked away, Anton found himself watching her, something nagging at the back of his mind. The sight of his name at the top of the document he'd just signed sparked a revelation, and his mind suddenly whirred to life.
'Wait... this can't be right.' He felt uneasy. "That wasn't my name on the document. Anton? Since when do I go by 'Anton'? I only scored 70 in my English exam and barely passed my Level 4 course after four attempts. How am I supposed to understand any of this?"
Anton froze, realization dawning as he mentally replayed what he'd seen on the newspaper's front page. In an inexplicable moment of clarity, the entire page burned into his mind, each word and image sticking like glue.
'I have a photographic memory!' This realization should have been thrilling, but instead, it left him slumped in his oversized leather chair, holding his head in both hands, the weight of the situation pressing down on him.
Tony Stark? The Daily Bugle?
These names, this setting—they were all starting to make too much sense. Anton finally grasped what kind of story he'd stumbled into. He wasn't just lost in the 21st century; he was in an alternate universe where heroes, villains, and extraordinary powers were a reality.
"Is this... some kind of superhero plot?" Anton mumbled, rubbing his chin, trying to make sense of it all.
Suddenly, he was somewhere else entirely—a futuristic, laboratory-like space filled with high-tech equipment and walls lined with suits of armor.
Each suit glowed faintly, suspended in glass cases that seemed unbreakable, like the protective glass shielding delicate artifacts in a museum.
As he walked closer, he could make out iconic costumes from the DC universe: Batman, Flash, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Cyborg, Captain Atom, and so many others. Each armor, gleaming and polished, looked as though it was waiting for him.
Tentatively, Anton reached out to touch one of the glass cases, only to feel an invisible barrier—a translucent light shield—that kept him from making contact. It was like a constant reminder of a barrier that wasn't meant to be broken, a frustrating tease.
A line of text appeared in front of him, floating in mid-air: "To unlock, increase hero fan value."
Anton sighed, scratching his head in confusion. Suddenly, information flooded his brain, rushing in like a torrential downpour, so intense that it left him reeling with a headache.
'So that's how it works,' he thought, gradually piecing it all together. These armors were locked by some sort of "fan value," meaning he'd need to build a following for each hero in order to unlock their powers.
In an instant, he realized that each armor contained all the powers of its corresponding hero. This wasn't just a collection of suits—it was a pathway to becoming the hero himself. He could become Batman, Green Lantern, Superman, Wonder Woman—although the gender issue there might be awkward. Regardless, it wasn't the important part.
As a longtime fan of both DC and Marvel universes, Anton was ecstatic. Here, he had the chance to live out his fantasies. He'd always admired Batman, and now, he might actually get to be Batman. The confusion he'd felt upon "waking up" in this strange new world was quickly fading, replaced by exhilaration.
His mind raced back to what he knew of this body's identity. 'So, this body's previous owner had a father named John Jameson, who was an astronaut. And his grandfather is none other than J. Jonah Jameson, the relentless mogul who owns the Daily Bugle and practically built it from the ground up.'
The Daily Bugle wasn't just a newspaper; it was an empire worth billions, with influence that spanned across all sectors of New York City. 'And now, I'm the heir,' he thought, marveling at his luck.
He'd heard that Jonah, tired from years of running the company, was ready to retire and live a quieter life. And rather than leave it to anyone else, he'd chosen his grandson, Anton, to step into his shoes.
"Not a bad set-up," Anton mused. Jonah's control over the Bugle was absolute, and this powerful legacy was now at Anton's fingertips.
A notification suddenly popped up, dragging him back to the present: "Please select a primary hero template."
Without a second thought, Anton chose Batman. "Batman, obviously! The only real choice!" Batman had always been his favorite DC hero, and while Superman's abilities were certainly impressive, Anton couldn't resist Batman's allure.
A series of promotional messages flashed across his vision: "Congratulations! You have selected Batman. Special offer: Unlock Batman's armor package for only 9.98 million fan value—a 50 million fan value original, now available at a steal!"
The pitch was almost comical, like a sales pitch from a cheesy commercial. But as soon as he confirmed, the Batman armor in front of him lit up, shimmering as holographic images projected various Batman suits and armors, each with a unique look and purpose.
From the standard Batsuit to specialized armors like the Justice Buster, Hellbat, and Thrasher suits, the sheer range of options left Anton in awe. Even versions from alternate timelines and realities appeared: Red Death, Dawnbreaker, the Merciless, the Batman Who Laughs, the Devastator—all the twisted and dark iterations of Batman were there.
The sight took his breath away. "If I can unlock all of these…" he whispered, barely able to contain his excitement. With these armors, he'd be unstoppable.
After what felt like ages exploring this "system space," he finally returned to reality. A warm breeze drifted through an open window, carrying with it the sounds of the bustling city below. The everyday noise of New York was somehow reassuring, grounding him.
Yet, he felt different. The enormity of his new life and its possibilities overwhelmed him with excitement. All he needed now were fan values and justice values to start unlocking his arsenal.
Each armor came with a price, of course. For instance, the Batsuit, discounted by a "fracture card," would still cost him nearly 10 million fan value. And the special armors in Batman's template came with additional requirements; rather than fan value, they required justice points.
Fan value was fairly straightforward—gaining popularity would translate to more fans, and thus more points. Justice value, on the other hand, rewarded him for doing good deeds or fighting crime.
The larger the act of heroism, the more points he'd earn. These two measures would make it possible for him to claim more suits, advance his powers, and truly make a name for himself.
Anton studied the justice values needed for each armor. The Thrasher suit required 5 million justice points, Azrael's armor demanded 8 million, and most of the others required over 10 million. The ultimate Batman form, "Sixth-Dimension Batman," would require hundreds of millions of points, a seemingly impossible amount.
"This isn't going to be easy," he realized, beginning to understand the system's intentions. It didn't want him to simply rack up points by any means necessary; he had to earn them honestly, by making a genuine difference.
Expanding the DC heroes' legacy in the Marvel world would be one thing, but doing it with honor and integrity would be another.
"Interesting!" Anton smirked. He had a new mission in this world, one that combined the best of both universes, and he couldn't wait to get started.
….
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