DC Heroes in Marvel

After Anton returned home, he saw the old man with a somber expression.

"Anton," the old man began, his voice heavy, "the internet is flooded with negative news about us, and someone is clearly pushing this from the shadows."

He sighed and rubbed his temples. "But whoever is behind this isn't careless. The man who bombed Wayne Enterprises wouldn't leave such obvious clues."

Jonah Jameson had been in the business world for decades. This kind of negative publicity was nothing new to him. 

As long as the body regeneration technology proved to be real and effective, all rumors would eventually die down among the wise.

The real issue was the person behind the bombing of Wayne Enterprises—the source of the negative campaign. If this person wasn't caught, even if the current situation were resolved, there would undoubtedly be more severe problems in the future.

The old man had already mobilized his network, pressuring the police while also issuing rewards through the underground world. He was determined to find the mastermind behind it all.

"Old man," Anton said firmly, "you handle the surface-level issues and maintain Wayne Enterprises' reputation. Although we aren't afraid of rumors, letting public opinion spiral out of control will disadvantage us in the long run."

After a brief pause, Anton added, "Leave the rest to me. I'll find the man behind this!"

The old man was startled, looking at Anton with a trace of curiosity. He could sense the certainty in his grandson's words.

"Do you already know who it is?" he asked, surprised.

"I have some ideas under investigation," Anton replied, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

A human bomb...

Looking back at the Marvel Cinematic Universe, only one individual had a penchant for planting human bombs—literal human bombs—in New York. 

The details matched perfectly with what Anton had discovered during his earlier site survey, particularly concerning the cremation of human remains.

In his mind, Anton had almost identified the culprit. However, before making his move, he needed confirmation—both to ensure accuracy and to avoid taking the blame for Tony's troubles.

It wouldn't be worth it.

To be honest, Anton found the situation baffling. He had no personal grudge against the culprit, yet they had inexplicably decided to target him.

Meanwhile, at AIM, Aldrich Killian sat calmly in his chair, addressing his team.

"Are we ready?" he asked, his voice steady and composed. "Wayne Enterprises is already overwhelmed, and public opinion is turning against them. This is the perfect time to strike."

"But the Extremis virus isn't perfected yet," Maya Hansen replied, hesitant. "If we release it too soon, there will inevitably be errors."

Maya, once Tony Stark's one-night stand, was now Killian's collaborator and one of the leading researchers behind the Extremis virus. 

Her contributions had been instrumental in advancing its development. Without her, the virus—capable of transforming and enhancing the human body—wouldn't have progressed as quickly.

Despite its imperfections, the Extremis virus represented a breakthrough—a result that military scientists had been chasing for decades. 

Since World War II, efforts to unlock the potential of the human body and create super-soldiers like Captain America had been ongoing.

And yet, despite their resources, the military had made little progress in the last seventy years.

"Incredible," Killian thought with quiet satisfaction. "Decades of military research, and here we are, outpacing them all."

In recent years, the individual closest to the military's ideal of a super soldier was Bruce Banner, whose transformation was the result of an accident. However, Bruce Banner had long since distanced himself from the military and now had nothing to do with it.

As for other human enhancement experiments, most were either the work of supervillains or large corporations. These efforts produced inconsistent and unstable results, falling far short of the military's expectations.

The Extremis Virus, on the other hand, aligned perfectly with the military's vision. The only issue was its stability. When emotions spiraled out of control, the human body could potentially explode.

"Stability isn't the key," Killian said calmly. "The key is that we've mastered this technology. If Wayne Enterprises completely takes over the market, it'll be too late for us to catch up. We need to launch the product now. Let our people showcase it on stage. As for the results... we can fabricate them. Our own people will pose as patients healed by the treatment."

Most of the forces Killian had secretly built were composed of former disabled individuals. These people had survived the Extremis Virus, regrown their limbs, and rebuilt their lives. While the virus still posed risks, it was enough to deceive outsiders.

"Understood," Maya nodded reluctantly.

Although Killian had roped her into his schemes, a trace of conscience still lingered within her. She breathed a small sigh of relief when she realized his plan was to market the product and seize Wayne Enterprises' market share. 

While unethical, it hadn't entirely crossed her moral boundaries yet. Maya chose to comply and left without further protest.

As soon as she exited, another subordinate entered the room.

"Boss, we found the right person," the man said.

He was a tall, white man in a black suit, resembling a bodyguard. Raising his hand slightly, he signaled for someone to be brought in. Moments later, a scrawny man stepped forward.

"This is Trevor. He's an unknown actor," the bodyguard said.

Killian squinted, appraising the man. "Just him? Can he play a convincing clown? Other than his frame, I don't see any resemblance to the character from the movie."

"Why so serious?" Trevor suddenly smiled, a hint of mania glinting in his eyes. "Sir, believe me. I'm the best choice to play the clown."

Killian's gaze narrowed as he studied Trevor. After a moment, he waved dismissively. "Fine. As long as you can keep everything confidential and follow our rules, you're the clown I need. Take him to makeup—I want to see how he looks in character."

"Understood!" the bodyguard replied, leading Trevor away.

Killian remained seated, leaning back in his chair with his hands folded. A faint smirk played on his lips.

"Batman…" he murmured. "Who would've thought you'd inspire such a fascinating character like the Joker?"

Turning his gaze out the window, Killian spoke to himself, "Very well. I'll borrow this name. I imagine even you would appreciate seeing a real Joker appear in this world."

A short while later, Trevor returned, fully dressed as the Joker. His makeup was smeared, his face deranged.

"Why so serious?" Trevor cackled, spreading his arms wide. His expression was maniacal. "Look at me! From now on, I'm the Joker! I'm Batman's nemesis! Hahaha!"

"Not bad," Killian said, his smile widening. Trevor's performance wasn't as wild or unhinged as the original Joker from the movies, but it was good enough for their current needs.

"From now on, you are the Joker," Killian declared.

Suddenly, a strange noise filled the office. A sharp, electric hum emanated from every speaker in the room—phones, computers, even the cameras in the corners. The hum was followed by a voice, deep and chilling.

"Do you really think he can play the Joker?"

"Is this an insult to Batman… or the Joker?"

The sinister voice echoed through the room, sending a shiver down everyone's spine. Killian, Trevor, and the bodyguard all froze, their faces paling as the realization hit them.

….

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