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After the trouble caused by Ultron was finally over, Anton could relax once again.

Taking advantage of the aftermath of the incident, Wayne Enterprises successfully promoted Vice President Rodriguez to a position of power, the Justice League reconciled with Iron Man Tony Stark, and even Shazam became the new guardian of the New York Sanctum. 

Although Ultron hadn't been completely wiped out, it was still a net gain for Anton.

"Finally, I can rest…"

He stretched out lazily on his sofa and let out a long, relieved sigh.

During this time, the individuals implanted with Ultron Chips began gradually having them removed from the backs of their heads and were returning to normal. 

However, the physical enhancements brought on by the Extremis Virus remained intact even after the chips were extracted.

A blessing in disguise, really.

After being abandoned by Tony Stark, Stark Industries chose to release the patent and technology behind the Extremis Virus to the World Security Council.

Many now saw the Extremis Virus as a step toward human evolution.

After all, it could enhance physical strength and resilience at a rate far beyond natural human limits, effectively turning ordinary people into superhumans. This theory had already been proven by those previously implanted with Ultron Chips who had undergone limited Extremis augmentation.

Without Anton's involvement, Wayne Enterprises—under orders from the board's elder members—began researching the Extremis Virus independently.

They aimed to develop proprietary medications and contribute to the advancement of human evolution.

Of course, Anton didn't really concern himself with any of that.

What did concern him was more personal: DC Studios' newest film had finished post-production and was ready to premiere.

"Justice League vs. Avengers!"

Anton had been so busy with the fallout from the Ultron crisis that he hadn't paid attention to the project that Jim had been producing under his direction.

So he decided to walk into the theater and see it for himself.

The film's plot was adapted from the Washington incident that had been exposed by Hydra. The Justice League's appearance was grand and powerful, while the Avengers were no less impressive.

To top it off, the movie even featured a surprise appearance from Venom and a cameo by Spider-Man and others.

Needless to say, the special effects were stunning.

Flawless in every aspect, the film broke global box office records on its first day.

DC had another mega-hit on their hands.

On the system panel only visible to Anton, he could see a massive spike in the fan value of Batman and the other heroes, boosted significantly by the film's success.

While the movie was in theaters, Anton had Shazam check in at the New York Sanctum from time to time.

But the once-luxurious Manhattan property had remained empty ever since Daniel left.

Anton had no way to contact him, and could only wait for Daniel to reach out.

As for going to Kamar-Taj to find him?

Absolutely not.

Anton was doing everything he could to avoid the Ancient One.

He figured the feeling was mutual—neither of them wanted too much contact. It was better that they respected each other's boundaries and kept to their own domains.

And so, time quietly passed.

Tony's pursuit of Ultron, however, advanced at a dramatic pace.

He stirred up quite a storm.

In cities like Houston, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia, fierce battles broke out between Tony and Ultron's clones.

The scenes were captured and shared widely by netizens, and the White House press secretary, the Secretary of Defense, and even President Rodriguez demanded his arrest on national television.

Unsurprisingly, every time federal agents or special forces arrived, they were already too late.

And one more thing worth noting—

As Tony continued his relentless pursuit, Ultron, backed into a corner with nowhere left to run, was left with only one option.

Although artificial intelligence is powerful, once it's cut off from its network and hunted by its own creator, it's only a matter of time before it falls into a trap.

However, Ultron turned out to be slightly more difficult to deal with than Tony had anticipated.

After several intense clashes, Tony finally managed to rescue Dr. Helen Cho, who had been brainwashed by Ultron.

He sent her to the sewer laboratory for safekeeping. Naturally, the Cradle of Regeneration became part of the sewer team's research projects.

Without Dr. Cho, Ultron struggled to build or transfer into new bodies. On top of that, Tony also discovered the source of Ultron's vibranium—Ulysses Klaue.

Klaue was either an ally or a partner of Erik Killmonger.

Through these two, Tony sensed something unusual. He found that they seemed to have access to a gold mine, and the amount of vibranium in their possession rivaled even that of some governments.

Eighty percent of the vibranium circulating on the black market was traced back to these two.

Though surprised, Tony didn't dwell on them. His priority was still the hunt for Ultron.

He simply passed the information along to the Justice League and moved on.

Anton glanced over the data Tony had sent and didn't think much of it either. He forwarded it to the World Security Council as a show of goodwill on behalf of the Justice League.

Whether or not the Council would use this lead to finally track down Wakanda—hidden from the world for so long—was no concern of his.

That was likely a task for S.H.I.E.L.D.

After being wiped out in the U.S. and European branches, Hydra had scattered across the globe, becoming little more than cornered rats. While still a potential threat, they were no longer S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top priority.

Giving Klaue and Erik something to keep S.H.I.E.L.D. busy was a decent enough move.

Now, with former Vice President Rodriguez officially taking office, the United States had entered the era of Batman.

Secretary of Defense John Koehler knew very well just how much Wayne Enterprises—and the Justice League behind it—had supported Rodriguez during and after the Ultron Incident.

So now, John Koehler kept a very low profile. He didn't dare entertain the same overreaching ambitions as before.

Which was just how Anton liked it.

For once, he had entered a peaceful stage of life—no unexpected visitors, no stress. Just a luxurious lifestyle backed by influence and power.

Until a certain troublemaker came knocking.

DC Corporation.

As usual, Anton was wasting time in his office when Betty knocked on the door.

"What's up?" Anton asked lazily. "Another report or contract that needs my signature?"

"No," Betty replied. "Someone's here to see you."

Anton raised an eyebrow. "Who? I don't have any appointments. If it's a reporter or some media request, remind them I own the Daily bugle . They can go through official channels."

"He says he's an old friend," Betty said, pausing for a beat. "Also… he's holding a hammer. So I think he is your old friend."

"Thor?" Anton immediately guessed who it was.

"Let him in."

"Right away."

Moments later, Thor walked into the office, dressed in modern clothes and holding what looked like a toy version of Mjolnir.

"Thor, take a seat," Anton said, eyeing him with mild confusion. Despite his curiosity, he kept a calm and controlled expression.

"I have to admit, I don't understand why you're here. If I recall correctly, we don't really have much of a connection."

It was true. While Wonder Woman and Thor had shared a few cordial interactions, Anton himself—especially during Thor's absence or death—had barely crossed paths with the Asgardian.

So he had no idea why Thor would seek him out now.

"You're right. We don't have much of a relationship," Thor admitted, unfazed by Anton's indifference.

"I'm not here to see you. I came to find Wonder Woman—Diana Prince. I want to ask for her help… or perhaps the help of the Justice League."

"Oh?"

Anton raised an eyebrow. "What could possibly require the prince of Asgard to seek help from the Justice League? For someone like you, Earth shouldn't be much of a restriction."

"It's about my father, Odin," Thor replied, his smile fading into a serious expression. "He's gone missing."

"..."

Anton was caught off guard.

Missing?

In the plot of Thor: Ragnarok, Odin disappears, dies of old age, and with his death, the seal on Hela breaks, leading to Ragnarok—the Twilight of the Gods. Asgard is destroyed, and the surviving Asgardians relocate to a seaside town on Earth…

Anton was definitely familiar with this storyline.

But it came faster than expected.

"I originally came to Earth to find Loki, who had escaped," Thor said, his voice deep and steady. "But a few days ago, I received word from Asgard that my father is missing."

He hesitated slightly, then continued, "My mother told me that he left Asgard due to worsening Alzheimer's. She couldn't locate him but said he could be anywhere within the Nine Realms. After all, with my father's power, there are very few places he can't go, and very few beings who could stop him."

"I see..." Anton nodded slowly. "You want us to use the Justice League's resources to help you locate Odin."

"Exactly," Thor affirmed. "I'll be returning to Asgard soon to manage the situation. I don't have time to continue searching on Earth, so I was hoping you could help. Asgard has always had a good relationship with Wonder Woman, and since she's a member of the League..."

"Don't worry," Anton interrupted with a nod. "We won't let the King of the Gods wander aimlessly on Earth."

He looked at Thor curiously. "Still, it's... surprising. The King of the Gods, getting dementia?"

"Because he's dying," Thor said quietly, not avoiding the topic. "Death comes for both men and gods. Though my father is the King of the Gods, he's old—too old. Years of battle have left hidden wounds, and now, in his weakened state, he can't control the divine power within him. That's why his body is deteriorating… Alzheimer's is just one of the symptoms."

He paused. "If Wonder Woman ever mentioned the Dark Elves' invasion to you—back then, my father was already struggling to contain his powers. But during that crisis, he had to forcefully use his divine energy, which only accelerated his decline."

"I understand," Anton said before Thor could continue further. "I'll assign someone to keep an eye on Earth for any signs of him."

"Much appreciated," Thor said with a nod. Then, lifting Mjolnir, he turned and headed for the window.

Whoosh!

He became a bolt of lightning, shooting into the sky, drawing gasps from people on the street.

CRASH!!

Anton winced as he looked at his now-shattered office window. Clenching his fist, he rushed over.

"Hey! Ever thought about watching where you're going?!"

Boom!

Just then, the door opened and Betty stepped inside. She looked at the broken glass, paused, then simply spread her hands.

"Maybe he wants a spot at the Daily bugle upstairs," she said dryly. "Either way… your windows are getting fixed tomorrow."

"You're right," Anton sighed.

Anton walked upstairs, thinking about what Thor had just revealed.

Odin's strength had always been something of a mystery in the Marvel universe.

According to the lore, Odin was no weaker than the Ancient One, but in terms of portrayal in the original plot, Odin had always been more of a background powerhouse—strong, but rarely shown in action.

To Anton, it was clear: Odin was old.

Despite being a so-called "god," he still couldn't escape the fate of mortals.

Alzheimer's disease.

What a ridiculous term to associate with the King of the Gods.

"Because his body deteriorated rapidly during the Dark Elves' invasion, it caused his condition to collapse earlier, leading to Alzheimer's..."

Anton sorted through the information, feeling a twinge of emotion.

Odin was truly aging.

Each battle cost him more and more of his life.

Then again, if Odin was already dying… didn't that mean the events of Thor: Ragnarok would be happening ahead of schedule?

In other words, Hela—the Goddess of Death—would break free from the seal Odin had placed on her, return to Asgard, kill any who dared oppose her, bring about the Twilight of the Gods, and aim to conquer the universe…

To some extent, Hela wasn't any less terrifying than Thanos.

After all, "Goddess of Death" wasn't a title just anyone could carry.

In the comics, Thanos was quite literally obsessed with Death—a loyal lapdog of the goddess.

Thankfully, the Hela in the movies and the comic book version of the Goddess of Death were two completely different entities.

That spared Thanos from a life of simpdom and instead rebranded him as a brooding philosopher for the big screen.

Thinking over the timeline, Anton made a decision—he needed to keep a close eye on Asgard and stay in touch through official channels.

As things stood, he had no intention of letting Asgardians settle on Earth.

Earth should remain the domain of humankind.

Given the current power balance on Earth, if Thor and the others were to relocate here after Asgard's destruction, it would only bring more complications.

Better to keep the Asgardians in their own realm.

"Wonder Woman might feel some pressure dealing with Hela," Anton muttered to himself with a laugh. "But if Superman takes her on… it's probably just one punch. Add a line item of justice to the ledger, and boom—done."

Then his tone shifted.

"Now, with the Infinity Stones nearly gathered… it's time to seriously consider how to obtain the other half of the requirements—100 million Justice Points."

He hadn't forgotten.

To unlock Batman's Ultimate Battle Armor, he needed two things:

One: 100 million justice points.

Two: All six Infinity Gems.

….

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