Cloning Joker

Reid didn't involve himself further in the discussions about the partnership. With Tony there, there was no need for him to expend any effort on the matter.

The agreement was reached remarkably quickly. Within just half a day, Tony had wrapped up all the business related matters and left Gotham City to return to New York.

As for Wayne Enterprises going public, the topic was no longer brought up. Everyone could see that while the partnership between Stark Industries and Wayne Enterprises was mutually beneficial, Alfred's influence played a significant role in shaping the terms.

One of the unspoken prerequisites for the partnership was halting the plans to take Wayne Enterprises public. This wasn't explicitly written into the agreement, but it was something all parties understood.

...

Back at Wayne Manor, Reid had returned once again. With the partnership finalized, Alfred's roleplay percentage had reached 100% and stabilized.

This meant that even if Reid, while maintaining Alfred's appearance, committed heinous acts in Gotham, the roleplay percentage wouldn't drop.

At the same time, this also signified that Reid could now use the card to create a clone, allowing the real Joker to manage everything related to the Joker gang.

However, Reid wasn't in a rush. Instead, he focused on checking Alfred's character mission.

Even now, it remains completely unchanged.

Despite successfully securing the partnership with Stark Industries, there was no change at all.

"Could this still not count as completing the mission? System, come out and explain this!"

The system, feeling rather wronged, reluctantly appeared. It was like an old, forgotten piece of scrap paper—only remembered when Reid needed something. Most of the time, this ungrateful host completely ignored it.

But what could the system do? It wasn't like those overpowered systems from web novels that could threaten to erase their hosts.

[I'm here, my esteemed host. What seems to be the problem this time?]

Hearing the system's tone, which sounded like a servant from some feudal era, Reid couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine. He had no idea what kind of strange phase his system was going through, but it didn't matter as long as it answered his question.

"Why hasn't Alfred's character mission been completed yet?"

[Oh, that…]

The system breathed a sigh of relief, afraid that its unreasonable host might once again cause some major trouble and draw out the souls hidden within the system.

Now, hearing such an ordinary question, no one could have imagined just how relieved the system truly felt.

[It's like this, host. The system doesn't have the ability to foresee the future, so for a task like maintaining Wayne Enterprises, after the conditions are met, it requires a period of time to maintain the status quo before we can determine if the task is successful.]

"Is that so?"

Reid nodded. It made sense, just like in video games, after meeting the conditions for a quest, you often had to maintain the status for a while before completing it.

"Alright then, you can go now."

[Understood~ Host, the system is leaving now.]

Like a servant arriving, then leaving just as humbly, Reid couldn't help but wonder if his system had become obsessed with watching Qing Dynasty dramas.

But most people who watch these period dramas usually get immersed in roles like the Prince or Princess. Why did his system... seem to be so caught up in the role of a eunuch?

But after a moment of thought, Reid realized that his system couldn't turn into a pretty big sister or a handsome little brother. It was probably genderless.

Looking at it that way, calling the system a eunuch wasn't entirely wrong.

[Ah~choo!]

Just as the system had left, it suddenly sneezed.

[Wait, I don't even have a body. How could I possibly get sick?]

The simple minded system had no idea that someone was talking about it behind its back.

[Could it be that the souls inside are stirring up trouble again? I might not be able to control the host, but do you really think I can't deal with you?]

...

Let's set aside the imagined scene of the system and its internal souls engaging in some chaotic battle. After learning that the character mission required more time to complete, Reid didn't hesitate. He reached into himself and pulled out Alfred's card.

Following the instructions in the system's manual, he activated the card with a focused thought.

A green glow enveloped the card, and as the light took form, the Joker appeared before Reid.

"Oh~ my dear friend, I knew it! You're far more trustworthy than that little Bat!"

"No, no, no, I'm not your Bat. Save that sentiment for the day I pull Batman out of the system." Reid said, shaking his head firmly.

The Joker's peculiar interest in him made Reid uneasy. Even though the Joker would obey his commands unconditionally and couldn't harm him due to system restrictions, Reid couldn't shake the discomfort.

He didn't want to wake up in the morning and find his bed surrounded by scary little ghosts, transformed by the Joker from children.

"Alright, my friend." the Joker relented with a grin. "What do you need me to do?"

The Joker didn't push the matter further. After all, while Reid's personality was a bit darker, it lacked the purity that made Batman so fascinating to him. Reid intrigued the Joker, but not obsessively.

"What I need you to do is exactly what you'd normally do in Gotham." Reid replied. "Just don't destroy the city. Do whatever you want, but remember, I need Gotham under my control, not in ruins."

"Okay! My friend, wait for it. I will send the gift to you."

....

There were no complicated plans. Reid simply told the Joker his plan, and the rest was left to the Joker to carry out.

The system had granted Reid the abilities of the Joker and Alfred, but Reid was aware that in terms of action, the Joker was far more professional.

"Now, I am finally liberated."

Since the Joker and Alfred were integrated, Reid returned to his original appearance.

Now, he had time to explore this world that had originally only existed in fiction.

Of course, it wasn't Gotham City, but Westchester County and New York City—these were the key locations.

He had to figure out the general development of this world. Was it developing according to the comics or the movies?

'As for the first stop, let's go to Westchester.'

Having made his decision, Reid gathered the necessary information for his identity, then drove a Wayne family luxury car, leaving Wayne Manor and heading toward Westchester County.

The reason he was going to Westchester was that in the Marvel Universe, a certain group existed, and if they were real in this world, they would surely establish a presence there.

That group was mutants, and the famous Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, home to the X-Men, was located in Westchester County, New York.

**

**

**

Thank you for reading! If you'd like access to extra chapters and want to support my work, you can visit my P@treon:

P@treon/SilverShark769

Your support means a lot, thank you!