Manga World: Extracting Superman's Power

Each time Azuma Shoyo crossed through the Gate of American Comics into a comic-inspired world, he would gain one opportunity to extract an "entry" (a trait, ability, etc.) from a character in that world. By completing specific achievements, he could earn additional extraction opportunities.

Every comic world came with a "clearance achievement."

Completing this achievement would grant him multiple entry extraction chances and unlock a new comic world to explore.

That, in essence, was the full scope of the system's functionality.

"I see!" Azuma finally understood.

However…

This meant the first randomly selected comic world was crucial.

"I wonder which world I'll end up in? Hopefully not one that's too chaotic—those tend to get people killed easily!" Azuma thought to himself.

Now that he had a system, Azuma wasted no time preparing.

He quickly whipped up dinner, then took a shower, brushed his teeth, and changed into pajamas.

After that, he flopped onto his bed and closed his eyes.

Perhaps due to his excitement or the fact that it was still early, Azuma couldn't fall asleep at first. But after a while, exhaustion set in, and he drifted off into a hazy slumber.

When he opened his eyes again, he found himself floating in a void. Before him loomed a massive, swirling entity resembling a black hole. Before he could even take a closer look, it sucked him in with a whoosh.

When his vision cleared, Azuma realized he was lying on an unfamiliar bed.

"An unfamiliar ceiling…" he muttered.

He lay there for a few more seconds before sitting up.

The pajamas he wore were different—not the ones he'd had on before—but his body was unmistakably still his own. There was no mistaking that.

"Where am I?"

"Was that black hole thing the Gate of American Comics?" Azuma wondered.

At that moment, a brief piece of information flashed into his mind:

Azuma Shoyo, second-generation immigrant. Parents died when he was 14. Currently 17 years old. Dropped out of school a year ago. Unemployed, living off the insurance payout from his parents' deaths. Life is relatively carefree.

And this place? Metropolis. Yes, that Metropolis from DC Comics!

Superman's main stage!

Specifically, he'd arrived in the world of the movie Man of Steel.

"Superman!" Azuma's eyes lit up.

He already knew whose entry he wanted to extract.

By the way, each comic world he entered via the Gate of American Comics was an independent entity. If these worlds were connected in some way, Azuma's experiences in one would carry over to the next.

For example, in this Man of Steel world, he wouldn't find Wonder Woman or The Flash—they didn't appear in this movie. But the Wayne Enterprises corporation still existed.

If Azuma later entered the world of Batman v Superman, his identity and actions from this Man of Steel world would persist.

That's how it worked.

"Got it. In that case, my goal is crystal clear!"

Even if he could find Wonder Woman or others in this world, Azuma's top priority would still be Superman, not anyone else.

Right now, he only had one extraction opportunity. And just moments ago, he'd learned the clearance achievement for this world.

It was simple:

Defeat General Zod!

He could team up with Superman, but his participation had to be at least 50%. In other words, Azuma couldn't just hang back and watch from the sidelines—he'd have to pull his weight.

"I wonder if Superman's debuted yet?" Azuma mused.

He quickly dashed to the living room, grabbed the laptop on the coffee table, and powered it on.

He searched "Superman."

No results matched what he was looking for.

He tried "Arctic expedition." Plenty of hits came up, but none were relevant to what he needed.

"Wait—the oil rig explosion at sea! I remember that made the news in the movie," Azuma recalled, digging into his memory of the plot. He typed "offshore oil rig explosion" into the search bar.

The latest result was from six years ago.

"So, Clark Kent isn't Superman yet," Azuma concluded, lifting his hands from the keyboard and leaning back on the sofa to think.

If Clark Kent wasn't Superman yet, finding him might be tricky.

"Do I just wait around?" Azuma frowned.

Waiting idly wasn't his style. Taking the initiative was more his speed.

"Maybe I should head to Clark's hometown first."

Where was Clark's hometown?

Not Krypton, obviously—that planet was long gone.

No, Azuma meant the home of Clark's adoptive parents: the Kent Farm in Smallville, Kansas.

Smallville was located in Kansas, a long way from Metropolis. The fastest way there would be by plane.

"How much money do I have?" Azuma checked his bank account balance.

Not bad. The system hadn't saddled him with a dirt-poor identity. He had about $60,000 to $70,000 in savings.

That might not sound like much, but in the U.S., most working-class folks not only lacked savings—they were drowning in debt. It's why losing a job here could turn someone into a homeless drifter in no time. No savings, no income? Goodbye, stability.

Especially since houses in the States came with annual property taxes. Couldn't pay? The government would foreclose and auction it off.

Since he had money, things would be easier.

Azuma immediately booked a flight to Kansas online, hoping to try his luck at the Kent Farm.

What if Clark hadn't left home yet?

After all, Clark's worldwide search for his origins only began when he was older. Before that, he'd stayed in Smallville his whole life.

To be fair, Man of Steel never specified the exact year Clark became Superman, so Azuma couldn't pinpoint where the plot was based on time alone.

For now… he'd have to see for himself!