125

Chapter 125: First Arrival, Meeting Ceremony

Diana stood on the edge of the cliff of Paradise Island, gazing into the distant horizon.

Paradise Island, where the Amazons reside, floats amidst an endless blue sea. The tranquil waters mirror the clear sky, enveloping the island in serene isolation.

She finds solace in this place. Whenever life becomes overwhelming, she retreats here, closing her eyes to absorb the mountains, rivers, sea, and sky—the essence that brings her peace.

Today's training duel marked a significant triumph: she defeated her martial arts instructor, Antiope.

Yet, her victory was unconventional; it came from the unexpected force generated by the clash of their wrist guards.

As she matured, Diana began noticing subtle differences between herself and other Amazon warriors.

Her physique was superior, her strength formidable. While she seldom showcased it, today's duel laid bare her exceptional abilities.

She became an anomaly among her fellow Amazons, viewed with a mix of awe and discomfort—a sensation she found unsettling.

According to the anticipated timeline, her next encounter would involve outsiders stumbling upon Paradise Island: a skilled World War I pilot and spy named Steve, a handsome man with blond hair and blue eyes. This would propel her into the world of humans, culminating in her pursuit of Ares, the God of War.

But fate had other plans; today, tranquility shattered as two uninvited guests disrupted the island's peace at once...

Peter emerged unscathed after his encounter with the colossal god who darkened the sky.

His lv4 steel body and divine powers ensured his defense and strength were unmatched. The god's hasty blow left Peter relatively unharmed, even managing to inflict a minor wound in return.

It was evident the god's power fell short of multiversal standards—somewhere between singular and multiversal states.

Uncertainty loomed regarding how the Time Management Bureau persuaded the Titan to intervene—whether it was timely or premeditated.

Nonetheless, the Bureau's association with powerful entities and their ability to manipulate time implied a deeper, intricate scheme at play.

Was Peter the catalyst for these events?

Regardless of his injuries, the god's energy was overwhelming. Unable to contain such power, the universe expelled Peter from its realm.

It appeared the god functioned as a universe's self-defense mechanism—an immune system, eliminating anomalies with excessive impact.

Even the Space-Time Administration itself might serve as part of this mechanism.

With the Time Team defeated, deeper, more profound mechanisms emerged. The fall of the Bureau was imminent, prompting the activation of these deeper layers.

Whether ancient organizations, multidimensional gods, or cosmic powers, their objective remained constant: ensuring the seamless execution of absolute plot points and eradicating anomalies.

Peter's true adversary wasn't the Time Administration but the foundational rules governing Marvel's universe—a struggle for authority and control.

It wasn't about power alone. Even a mere mortal could wield authority over Marvel's narrative and structure.

Peter aimed to liberate himself and Gwen from Marvel's narrative constraints, establishing an independent "Black Superman" universe—an audacious, long-term goal.

Despite being in its infancy, this pursuit already placed Peter leagues ahead of most beings in existence.

As he traversed the universe, Peter found himself above a vast sea upon his return.

Even he needed a moment to acclimate after his cosmic journey.

And in that fleeting moment,

Boom!

A biplane, propelled by a combative force, collided head-on with Peter—only to be shattered by the Man of Steel.

The debris crashed into the sea.

Peter furrowed his brow, approached the wreckage, and retrieved the pilot.

It seemed humans inhabited this world, having reached early 20th-century technological standards...

Newly arrived and disoriented, Peter surveyed the unfamiliar world. Aside from a nearby small island teeming with life, the horizon seemed barren, as if veiled by an unseen barrier.

This unfortunate incident presented an opportunity—Peter could gather intelligence about this world.

His superhuman intellect quickly devised strategies and plans.

Yet, before he could execute them,

A human head surfaced from the sea—a familiar face atop it...

Diana, upon witnessing an outsider's fall, had leaped into the sea to rescue them.

She now regarded Peter with a puzzled expression as he hovered in mid-air.

In that instant, all of Peter's elaborate plans to gather intelligence were rendered moot.

Peter's mouth twitched slightly. He seemed to have identified this world.

As expected, American comics intertwined Marvel and DC.

Peter lamented, feeling he had disrupted a pivotal meeting.

"Are you... a man?" Diana, having returned to shore, queried with genuine curiosity.

For Amazons, men were rare commodities. A flying man, rarer still!

"Yes," Peter responded casually.

Diana's gaze flickered to Peter's feet. As Black Superman, Peter habitually hovered a few centimeters above ground level.

"Can you fly?" She asked, half in jest.

"I believe the person who fell into the water beside me needs your attention more." Peter deflected, sensing Diana's concern for the unconscious man in the sea.

"Uh... my apologies. I've only read about flying beings—gods and birds," Diana apologized hurriedly.

Turning her attention to the unconscious man, she rushed to his aid.

When Steve awoke and beheld Diana's striking visage, he was momentarily stunned, then promptly inquired:

"Where are we?"

"Paradise Island."

"Paradise Island..." Steve began, cut off by a commotion from the sea.

Both turned to witness a massive warship and accompanying smaller vessels closing in.

"The Germans. They're enemies. We must flee," Steve panicked.

"German soldiers?" Diana questioned.

Only then did Steve notice Peter's presence. Clad in a sleek black jumpsuit accentuating his impeccable physique, adorned with a white cloak—albeit not of the era's style—Peter cut a striking figure.

Steve, recalling his plane's collision, widened his eyes at Peter.

Simultaneously,

"Diana!"

From the cliffs, Amazon warriors, alerted by Diana's absence and the ensuing chaos, converged on the beach.

Their attention fixated on the unfamiliar men, with Queen Hippolyta bellowing:

"Stay away from her, I command!"

As German troops closed in, Amazons armed themselves with bows and arrows, preparing for battle. Steve, bewildered by the sight of bow-wielding Amazons confronting modern weaponry, anxiously queried:

"Do they have guns?"

These natives were ensnared due to him.

But then, a searing crimson beam swept across the sea, obliterating the warship and its fleet in an instant.

The sea returned to tranquility.

...