Just as Anton had predicted, no one was better suited for this mission than Star-Lord.
With the objective accomplished, Anton—disguised as Superman—had no intention of lingering with Carol, Nick Fury, and the others for long. He bid them farewell and departed.
Even though Anton could transform into Superman without consuming any Superman fan points, Earth currently needed him more than the cosmos did.
Thus, for now, his interstellar journey had come to an end.
Moving forward, he planned to use his Superman clone for brief missions in space, a more practical approach given the circumstances.
Before leaving, he handed Carol and Fury a communication wristband, linked to a war fortress located in another galaxy. The fortress would act as a relay station, ensuring that any messages they sent would instantly reach Anton on Earth.
Interstellar communication was complicated. If the distance was short, limited to nearby star systems, it wasn't much of an issue.
For instance, when Carol had left Earth, she had given Fury a cosmic pager—but its range was restricted to just a few neighboring systems.
If the distance was too great, things became unpredictable. Carol might still receive messages, but the time delay could be significant.
And in emergencies, a time lag could mean disaster.
With the war fortress in place, Anton could mitigate that risk entirely.
Carol and Fury accepted the wristbands, but before they could say anything, Anton was already rising from his seat, leaving the bar.
"Wait—"
Carol had originally wanted to talk to Superman a little longer, but before she could say a word, he was already gone.
Whoosh!
At the entrance of the hotel, Anton—disguised as Superman—soared into the sky, piercing through the dark clouds and vanishing into the starry expanse within moments.
Boom!
The air trembled from the sudden burst of force.
The people at the entrance stood there, stunned.
Even in the vast universe, power of this magnitude was in a league of its own.
"That speed…"
Carol swallowed the words she had been about to say and simply gazed in the direction where Superman had disappeared.
Witnessing his sheer velocity firsthand, she could feel the overwhelming force he had just unleashed—so strong that it left her far behind in comparison.
That initial takeoff speed alone surpassed some starships capable of interstellar travel.
It wasn't that this power made Carol feel inferior, but rather, this single, seemingly simple action had given her a clearer understanding of just how powerful Superman truly was.
"This level of speed… even you can't match it."
Beside her, Nick Fury noticed her deep contemplation and chuckled. "Once again, I understand why Batman places such high expectations on Superman."
"Not just that."
Carol raised the communication wristband Superman had given her before leaving, recalling his words.
"He said this wristband allows us to contact him instantly, no matter the distance…"
She paused for a moment. "In this entire universe, there are only a handful of beings capable of something like that."
"Oh?"
Nick Fury seemed to realize something. "You're saying that Superman might have a powerful force backing him in the universe?"
His mind immediately made the connection, and his expression shifted.
"If that the case," he muttered, "could this force have ties to Earth?"
"No, you don't understand."
Carol sighed. "The fact that Superman knew about the Power Stone on Morag before Thanos and Ronan did already proves he not just some ordinary figure."
Thanos—the cosmic warlord.
Ronan—a radical of the Kree Empire and a high-ranking power holder.
These two were among the most feared individuals in the universe. Few dared to provoke them, let alone outmaneuver them in their own domain.
For Superman to beat them to such a crucial piece of intelligence regarding the Power Stone—combined with the fact that the Justice League had already secured two Infinity Stones—
Was Superman truly acting out of revenge for Thanos invasion of Earth?
That was what unsettled Carol the most.
If Superman had another agenda, then with the abilities he had already displayed—alongside the sheer number of extraordinary individuals in the Justice League—
Just how much power would the universe need to stop them?
Earth.
Using teleportation, Anton smoothly returned to New York.
Inside his office at DC Corporation, he took in the familiar surroundings and let a faint smile form on his lips.
Thinking back on everything he had witnessed in space just moments ago, he felt an undeniable sense of satisfaction.
At present, the plans for both the Reality Stone and Power Stone were in place. Once the events unfolded as expected, both Infinity Stones would soon be in his grasp.
By then, possessing four Infinity Stones would give him the leverage he needed to handle whatever unpredictable changes lay ahead.
As for the remaining Time Stone and Soul Stone…
The former was tricky. If he couldn't obtain it, then no one else would either.
The latter…
It required sacrificing someone dear.
Anton had no intention of seeking it out actively, but he would be keeping a close eye on any developments.
The moment someone acquired the Soul Stone, he would strike and take it for himself.
No matter what, with Superman maintaining order, Anton goal of collecting all six Infinity Stones wasn't as distant as it once seemed.
His thoughts shifted.
With everything now moving according to plan, he finally had some time to rest.
He planned to head home and get a proper night sleep.
Lately, he had been overwhelmed with tasks—from dealing with the Skrulls large-scale invasion, to handling the Men in Black, and carefully executing his strategy for the Infinity Stones.
On top of all that, he still had to oversee DC Corporation new projects, including the pre-production for Shazam!
It had been far too long since Anton had allowed himself to relax.
Time flew by, and a week passed.
During this time, all preparations for Shazam! were completed, and the film officially began shooting at a studio in Los Angeles.
However, Anton paid little attention to this matter—his focus was elsewhere.
He had arrived at Wayne Enterprises.
Despite being established only a year ago, Wayne Enterprises had already fully replaced Hammer Industries as the dominant force in the arms industry.
And it wasn't just the declining Hammer Industries that had suffered.
After the Washington Incident caused by HYDRA, MARS Weapons Company, which had dominated many international markets, was met with worldwide sanctions and suppression.
At the same time, the War God Factory—one of the world largest weapons production lines, controlled by Destro, the financier behind the Cobra Organization—had also fallen into the hands of Wayne Enterprises.
Wayne Enterprises had climbed to the top, stepping over the corpses of these once-great companies.
Not only had it strengthened its connections with the military, but it had also successfully expanded into foreign markets.
With Stark Industries having withdrawn from the arms business, Wayne Enterprises had become the undisputed new giant in the field.
Of course, Oscorp had played a major role in Wayne Enterprises rapid ascent.
After Norman Osborn regained his sanity, he was desperate to acquire the Life Serum that could cure his family genetic disease.
In exchange, he willingly gave up most of Oscorp stake in the weapons industry.
To outsiders, Oscorp and Wayne Enterprises looked like two criminal organizations working hand in hand.
And in truth, that wasn't far from reality.
On the surface, it seemed that Oscorp was aiding Wayne Enterprises growth, but in reality, Oscorp was completely dependent on Wayne Enterprises.
"You're here?"
John, who had officially joined Wayne Enterprises and was preparing to inherit his old man Jonah Jameson mantle, smiled at Anton at the entrance and led him inside the company.
Along the way, pairs of admiring and reverent eyes were cast upon Anton.
He was used to it.
A year ago, he might have felt a little uncomfortable under such gazes, but after a year, he had long grown accustomed to the admiration and reverence from strangers.
This was both a result of his own achievements and the aura of the Justice League.
On one hand, as a world-class director, his fame on the internet had far surpassed that of Tony Stark.
After all, Tony—formerly known as Iron Man and a member of the Avengers—had greatly disappointed those who once held high expectations for him.
On the other hand, as an official member of the Justice League—and, in the eyes of the public, the only non-superpowered member—Anton was undeniably the most unique existence.
Some believed Anton was unworthy of being a member of the Justice League.
They also thought that his DC company was merely leeching off the Justice League many members.
However, many others believed that without Anton, far fewer people would have learned about the Justice League story.
If not for these captivating narratives, the essence of these heroes—so moving and inspiring—would never have been seen by the world.
Therefore, Anton was more than deserving of his place.
These debates had no effect on him. On the contrary, they only made him even more well-known.
No matter where he went, Anton was always the most dazzling presence.
Before long—
The two of them entered the office.
This was John private office—spacious and equipped with ample security measures.
At the door, Anton saw someone he hadn't met in a long time—John Wick.
Once the king of New York underground assassins, Wick had now become the head of Wayne Enterprises security division. He was personally responsible for the safety of the Jameson family—both the old man and Anton so-called father.
In a way, Wick had transitioned from being a killer to someone who dealt with killers. Moreover, he had risen to the ranks of a corporate executive, living a life he had never imagined before.
This change had redefined the latter half of his life.
In truth, Wick cherished his current life deeply. He now had great hopes for the future. And more than anything, his loyalty to the Jameson family was unparalleled.
"How Helen doing?"
Seeing Wick after so long, Anton thought of something and asked with concern.
Helen—Wick wife.
In his past life movies, Wick entire tragic story began when his wife passed away from cancer.
Before she died, she left him a dog, and because of that dog, a chain of devastating events unfolded, giving birth to one of cinema most iconic legends.
As the saying went, in the world of movies, there were three things you should never touch:
Liam Neeson daughter, John Wick dog, and Hannibal retirement fund.
Of course, in this world, Anton had long since interfered with Wick dog, altering the course of his life forever.
At the very least, in this world, cancer was no longer an incurable disease.
"With the help of the life serum, Helen is out of danger," Wick nodded, his face filled with gratitude.
"The doctors said that with long-term use of the serum, her cancer can be completely cured…"
"Don't mention it," Anton said with a smile. "We're family now."
Anton waved his hand dismissively.
…
"I called you here because of that astrophysics research team you recently invested in," John said as he picked up a remote and pressed a button.
Swish!
The balcony dimmed, plunging the entire room into complete darkness.
Then, from a hidden projector, beams of light shot out, displaying a series of images before Anton.
Star maps.
Various star maps.
None of them were from Earth. These were skies unseen from Earth—skies belonging to another world.
"This data came from that research team," John said, his gaze fixed on Anton. "Not gonna lie, I find this really interesting."
From the moment he saw the data, he knew this wasn't something simple.
Before, he had assumed Anton was only interested in the project because of its lead scientist—Dr. Jane Foster, a brilliant astrophysicist who also happened to be quite stunning.
But now, John had changed his mind.
As a former astronaut with an advanced education, he knew far more about astrophysics than the average person.
And from the detailed reports Jane Foster and her team had submitted, he realized—they were studying a truly astonishing astrophysical phenomenon.
Something that completely upended everything John thought he knew about astrophysics.
"The Convergence of the Nine Realms…"
John looked at Anton curiously. "According to the report, this was your idea?"
"Every few years, the Nine Realms, as seen by the Asgardians, begin to align. During that time, the barriers between worlds become seamless, allowing unrestricted travel between them…"
John murmured as he read, "Like turning narrow, winding paths into wide, open highways… Connecting all nine worlds in the process.
Maybe that the very reason Asgard defined the Nine Realms this way in the first place… How did you come up with this?"
"In Asgardian terms, this is common knowledge," Anton replied.
"Oh?"
John curiosity deepened. "If that the case, why bother studying it?"
"You don't need to worry about that."
Anton stared at the projected data and spoke slowly. "You didn't call me here just to talk about the Convergence.
What happened? I know you have some knowledge of astrophysics, but you're not the kind of person to get obsessed with this stuff, are you?"
"Smart. No wonder you're my son."
John smile faded as he skipped to the final section of the projected images.
"Look."
He gestured for Anton to pay close attention.
Swish, swish, swish!
One image after another flashed before Anton eyes.
An abandoned warehouse. A decaying bridge tunnel. A filthy, rundown prison. Different locations, but all had one thing in common—
The images were distorted.
This wasn't a camera focus issue. The scenes themselves were warped.
Anton was beginning to understand what John was getting at.
"If your theory is correct, then the Convergence has already begun—right in an abandoned warehouse at the New York docks… or under some bridge in London… or even… in a prison."
John spoke evenly. "Right now, space hasn't fully stabilized. The portals aren't permanently fixed, so they can't conduct continuous, stable research.
Fortunately, the research team you funded is actually competent—they found a way to stabilize the spatial passage."
"Oh?"
Anton raised an eyebrow. "Looks like they didn't let me down."
"However…"
John tone shifted. "Now comes the real problem."
Anton expression turned serious.
"The team you invested in was too reckless. Without proper preparation, they stabilized a portal—and then, on their own initiative, decided to step through it and explore the world on the other side."
John slowly added, "They've been missing ever since. No contact. No signal.
Gotta say… I almost admire their courage."