After getting over my initial shock, I continued my research.
Oliver Queen was still presumed dead, meaning he was either on the island or in Russia. According to the timeline I knew, he was supposed to return in five years, and based on what I was seeing, he had already been missing for four. That meant he would be back in about a year.
I wonder how that's going to play out?
When Oliver first returned, he was straight-up executing people on his father's list. But now, with Superman and Batman already active, things might turn out differently. Only time would tell.
I kept digging and came across something even bigger.
Mutants exist.
It was public knowledge, and Magneto was considered a terrorist. The X-Men weren't widely recognized as heroes yet. While searching, I even found a short clip of Superman fighting Magneto.
At first, Superman had the upper hand—until Magneto started using civilians as shields. He hurled cars with people still inside and even collapsed a building with hundreds of people in it. Superman had no choice but to stop fighting and save them, which gave Magneto the perfect opportunity to escape.
I kept watching more clips of the Brotherhood of Mutants. Their current lineup seemed small: The Blob, Toad, Pyro, and Avalanche.
But there was no sign of Mystique.
Either she was still with Charles or working from the shadows. I hoped for the former—but realistically, I doubted it. My guess? She was already gathering intel for Erik, hidden in plain sight.
After finishing my research, I made a decision.
If I could, I was going to help the mutants.
They'd been dealt a shit hand. And their two main leaders? One was basically Mutant Hitler and didn't even realize it, and the other was too soft and had no problem reading minds without consent.
I could do better.
I would be the leader that mutants actually needed.
Shifting gears, I looked into Lex Luthor. He was currently in jail for turning the sun red and killing hundreds of people. That was insane, but it also meant Lena Luthor was now running LuthorCorp. If she was anything like her Arrowverse counterpart, she might be a good ally. Hopefully.
I also took note of major companies in this world:
Stark Industries
Oscorp
The Baxter Building
CatCo Worldwide Media
The Daily Planet
The Daily Bugle
Wayne Enterprises
Queen Industries
S.T.A.R. Labs
I needed to invest in some of these companies.
Finally, I looked into Spider-Man.
Judging by his suit, he had just started out, and it looked a lot like the MCU version.
That meant he was still inexperienced… and that this world was still evolving.
This universe was insane. And I was just getting started.
I stopped my research when I heard footsteps approaching. Turning around, I saw Starlight entering the room. She was still in her hero outfit.
I should probably get her some regular clothes… or just give her money to go shopping.
"How are you feeling?" I asked.
"I'm okay," she replied, though she still seemed a little uneasy.
She hesitated for a moment before asking, "Why did you bring me here? And… can you bring others from my universe?"
"Maybe," I admitted. "But it's random. Even if I do summon someone from your world, they might not be the exact same person you knew. They could be from an alternate version of your universe."
She frowned slightly. "Then why me? Why bring me here?"
"Because I need help. I need allies who can help me survive in this dangerous world—and make it better."
She crossed her arms. "Dangerous like my world?"
"No." I shook my head. "This world is much more dangerous than yours."
Her expression darkened. "How?"
I explained everything I had learned so far.
She tensed the moment I mentioned Superman. I could tell she was already drawing comparisons to Homelander. Before she could spiral, I quickly explained the huge difference between them. That seemed to ease her nerves—but only slightly.
I continued, telling her about mutants, metahumans, and how many were about to emerge soon.
I told her about S.H.I.E.L.D. and how it was infested with HYDRA.
I mentioned Wonder Woman and the existence of magic.
And finally, I told her the worst part—there was a very real chance this Earth could be invaded by aliens.
Starlight sat in stunned silence, her face pale.
"So let me get this straight…" she said slowly, taking a deep breath. "Some people are just born with powers here. Aliens, gods, and magic are real. A secret Nazi organization is inside the government. There are actual supervillains. Homelander is basically called Superman here, except he's actually a nice guy—who also happens to be an alien. Did I miss anything?"
I smirked. "Nope, that about covers it."
"What do we do now?" Starlight asked.
"First, you buy some new clothes. Then, we start training. I need your help learning how to control my powers."
She nodded. "Okay… but when can I start going out and saving people?"
I knew that question was coming. She was a true hero at heart.
"Not for a while," I said firmly. "We need to get you a new suit first—and we have to be careful."
She frowned. "What's wrong with my suit?"
"It makes your identity way too obvious. S.H.I.E.L.D. could track you down in seconds. Do you want a normal life too, or just be a hero 24/7?"
She considered that for a moment. "But Superman doesn't wear a mask, and no one recognizes him."
I smirked. "That's because of two things. First, no one expects the most powerful man in the world to be some random reporter. And second—his glasses? They're alien tech. They subtly alter his facial features and perception, making it almost impossible for people to recognize him."
Her eyes widened slightly. "Wait… seriously?"
"Yep. Welcome to the world of comic book logic."
"Okay, so what are your powers—aside from summoning people?" Starlight asked, crossing her arms.
"I'm super fast, strong, and durable. My eyes can copy anything I see. I have an ability that shields parts of my body to make my attacks hit harder. I can float, have a danger sense, and I can summon a pink shield," I explained. "Oh, and I also get new powers—randomly. Once a month, I gain a new ability, but I never know what it's going to be."
Her eyes widened slightly. "That's impressive. All you need now is a super suit and a superhero name."
I smirked. "Already working on the suit. It's not finished yet—I'm still finalizing the design. As for the name, I've already picked one."
"Oh? What is it?"
"Arsenal."
She raised an eyebrow. "Arsenal?"
"Because I'm going to have an arsenal of powers."
A small smile tugged at her lips. "Fitting."
"Okay, what's your name? Mine's Annie January," she said.
"I'm Edward, but you can call me Ed," I replied.
"Nice to meet you, Ed. I'm happy to be working with you," she said with a small smile.
"Same, Annie," I said as I stood up and shook her hand.
One Month Later
Annie and I had been anything but idle. We trained constantly—she helped me control my strength and sharpen my danger sense. One of our drills involved me wearing a blindfold while she swung at me randomly, forcing me to rely on my senses to dodge. I had also mastered summoning my shield, which looked exactly like it did in the show. Armament Haki was still beyond my reach, but I felt like I was getting closer. My Float ability was easy to control, and with my enhanced body, I realized I could launch myself off buildings and soar through the air at high speeds. I hadn't tested it yet, but I was confident I could pull it off.
Aside from physical training, I spent a lot of time learning useful skills. One of my biggest accomplishments was creating an AI. I upgraded my computer with high-end components and programmed an advanced artificial intelligence, naming him Church—yes, just like in Red vs. Blue. He even had the same sarcastic personality, which made working with him entertaining.
I also made a major financial move. I bought an island. I needed a base where Annie and I could operate without interference. Right now, my priority was securing transportation—specifically, a large plane and a reliable pilot to transport us and the materials needed for construction. Eventually, I would hire people to transport supplies, but for now, I had to handle things carefully.
On top of that, I invested in several major companies:
The Daily Planet & The Daily Bugle – Information control. Most news outlets tend to bash heroes (looking at you, Bugle). I wanted to ensure they reported fairly and accurately.
Stark Industries – When Tony Stark disappears and later shuts down the weapons division, his stock will plummet. That's when I'll buy in heavily, securing a major stake in his company.
Oscorp – I needed to keep an eye on Norman Osborn and his super-soldier project. I had already tasked Church with hacking their system and copying all research files. They weren't close to completing it, but I saw other projects that intrigued me—specifically, Dr. Connors' Lizard Serum and Dr. Otto Octavius' Fusion Experiment. If I could buy a stake in Oscorp, I might prevent Norman from testing the serum on himself.
LuthorCorp – Mostly for Lena Luthor. In the Arrowverse, she was a good person (aside from that one mind-control incident). If I could support her, I could gain some influence over LuthorCorp.
Queen Industries – Nothing major, just securing a minor stake for leverage.
S.T.A.R. Labs? Nope. Because of Reverse-Flash. That man erased his own brother from history just because he was annoyed. I wanted no part of his attention… for now. Let him train Barry. I'd deal with him later.
Wayne Enterprises? No way. Bruce is too paranoid. If I invested, he'd start digging into me, and I didn't need that kind of heat.
But it wasn't all business and training. Annie and I took time to enjoy New York—visiting Central Park, the Statue of Liberty, and the Brooklyn Bridge. One time, while we were out, we witnessed a bank robbery. Annie instinctively wanted to intervene, but I held her back.
"Wait."
A minute later, Spider-Man swung in and stopped the robbers with ease.
When we got home, we had a serious talk.
She wanted to start hero work—badly. Watching the news and seeing people suffer made her restless. She wanted to help.
"It's not time yet," I told her. "We need to be careful."
"Why? What's stopping us?" she pressed.
"Your suit, for one. It's too recognizable. SHIELD would identify you immediately."
"Superman doesn't wear a mask, and no one recognizes him," she countered.
"That's because of two things. First, no one expects the most powerful man in the world to be a regular guy working at a newspaper. Second, his glasses are alien tech that subtly alters his face and perception."
She hesitated.
"Just wait until our base is ready," I continued. "Once I build a teleporter, we'll have a safe way to operate. Give me two months."
She was reluctant but eventually agreed.
I really hoped I could keep that promise.
Only one way to find out.
I sat down in my living room.
"System, use points."
"Activation Gotcha," the system confirmed.
My new potential rewards flashed before me:
Tai Lung's Fighter Experience (Kung Fu Panda)
Yang Xiao Long's Semblance: Burn (RWBY)
Dr. Gero's Knowledge (Dragon Ball)
Mind Control Immunity
A Transformer Spark (Transformers)
An Unactivated X-Gene (Marvel/X-Men)
Anissa (Invincible) [Summon]
Phil Dunphy's Magic Skills (Modern Family—seriously?)
All Might (Weakest State) [Summon]
Tony Tony Chopper's Medical Knowledge (One Piece)
This was a great Gotcha pull.
All Might as an ally? That's huge. He's the greatest hero of all time in his world. And with Chopper's medical knowledge, I might actually be able to heal his injuries and bring him back to his prime. If that works, we'd have a true powerhouse on our side.
The X-Gene? That's interesting. I'll gain a mutant ability, but it's going to be random. Hopefully, I get something strong.
The Transformer Spark? I already have an idea for its purpose. If I can build my own Transformer, that would be insane.
Phil Dunphy's magic skills? Completely useless, but maybe I can joke around with it.
Tai Lung's fighter experience? Now that's something I can't wait to use. Tai Lung was an absolute beast in combat.
Yang's Semblance (Burn)? This could be my ace in the hole. Taking damage increases my punching power—if I use it strategically, I could turn fights around when things look bad.
Mind Control Immunity? Easily the best pull here. The number of telepaths in this world is ridiculous—Xavier, Jean Grey, Emma Frost, Martian Manhunter, Gorilla Grodd… yeah, this is a lifesaver.
Dr. Gero's knowledge? This solves a huge problem for me. Now I don't have to hire people—I can just build robots to do the work. That means security, and Androids if I push the tech far enough. And honestly, I never wanted to rely on hiring too many people anyway.
One thing that worried me was Anissa. As a Viltrumite, she wasn't exactly known for her heroism. In fact, she'd done some things in her world that I really didn't agree with. Still, I couldn't deny her potential—if kept in check, she could be a devastating force against even Kryptonians.
"I need to be careful with her."
I decided to clear up my concerns.
"System, will my summons ever try to harm me?" I asked.
"No. Summons cannot harm the host. There is a built-in failsafe—if any summon attempts to attack you, they will be immediately erased from this universe, and you will receive one Gotcha point as compensation."
That was a relief, but it also meant I had to be strategic. If a summon ever lost control or turned against me, I wouldn't get a second chance to bring them back.
"Is there a way to earn their loyalty?" I asked next.
"Yes. Each summon has a loyalty level. The host can check their loyalty status using the stats command."
That was useful. Knowing where they stood would help me build trust—or at least predict betrayals before they happened.
"Alright... show me my stats."
A translucent screen flickered into view in front of me.
Name: Edward Valtheris
Height: 6'2"
Age: 18
Race: Demigod
Powers: Brainstorm IQ (Ben 10)
Steven Universe Shield
Sanji's Cooking Skills (One Piece)
Pearl Jam (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)
Armament Haki
Deep Sea King Physiology (One Punch Man)
Quirk: Float
Eyes of the Lord
Quirk: Danger Sense
Yang Xiao Long's Semblance: Burn (RWBY)
Mind Control Immunity
An Unactivated X-Gene (Marvel/X-Men)
Summons:
Starlight (The Boys) loyalty level 5/10
Anissa (Invincible) [Summon] loyalty level 0/10
All Might (Weakest State) [Summon] loyalty level 0/10
Items: The Transformer Spark
"Okay, for now, I won't summon Anissa, but I will summon All Might," I decided.
"System, summon All Might."
A bright flash of light filled the room, and when it faded, All Might stood before me—in his Small Might form. His tired yet determined eyes locked onto me as he took in his surroundings.
"Hello, young man! Are you the one who summoned me here?" he asked, his voice still carrying that trademark heroic energy, even in his weakened state.
"Yes, I did," I confirmed. "What was your world like? And how did it feel coming here?"
All Might took a moment to reflect before answering.
"My world was quite peaceful after the final war. I must have... passed away in my sleep. The next thing I knew, I was in a white void. A voice asked me if I wanted to be a hero in a new world—one that needed saving. Of course, I said yes! If a world needs a hero, I will always stand up!"
His unwavering resolve was inspiring. Even in death, he was still a symbol of peace.
But now, there was something even more important to check.
"Do you feel your power?" I asked, watching his expression carefully.
All Might remained silent for a moment, his brows furrowing in concentration. Then, his eyes widened in pure shock.
"Yes... Yes, I can feel it!" He clenched his fist, and a faint golden glow pulsed around his arm. "My power—it's back! But how? I thought it was gone forever!"
A smile crept onto my face. "It must be because of my summoning ability. Looks like you've been restored a bit of your power."
All Might looked down at his hands, clenching and unclenching them as if trying to confirm that his strength was real. Then, he let out a booming laugh, his usual confidence returning.
"Well then, young man! If I am here and my strength has returned, that must mean this world is in need of justice! So tell me... what do we do first?"