The hero of DC and Marvel

It was going to take us a couple of hours to reach the location, and I had to admit—I was nervous. I knew I was strong, and the chances of me getting seriously hurt were low. But still, today, I was going to take lives, and I didn't like it. I knew it was necessary, but that didn't make it easier. I had to focus on the lives I was going to save instead of the ones I was taking.

'The hardest choices require the strongest will.'

"It's okay to be nervous on your first mission," Toshinori said.

I turned to him, surprised. "How can you tell? I'm wearing a mask."

He chuckled. "Your body language gave it away. It's natural to feel nervous, even scared. Just don't let it stop you. I've seen plenty of heroes get hurt or even killed because they hesitated. But don't ignore fear either—sometimes, it can help you."

I took a deep breath, nodding. "So… don't let fear paralyze me, but listen to it when I need to?"

"Exactly. It's tricky to balance, but it will help you."

"Got it. Thanks."

Annie smirked. "Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd get a second chance at life and get to punch Nazis."

I laughed. "Yeah, and since this is my first big fight, this is probably going to be the craziest thing I've ever faced."

"I actually fought a superpowered Nazi once—with some help, of course," Annie added.

I turned to Toshinori. "What about you? What's the craziest thing you fought in your world?"

"Several things, actually," he said, crossing his arms. "One of the toughest was a creature called a Nomu. It had multiple quirks, but the most annoying were its healing factor and shock absorption. I had to hit it three hundred times to bring it down."

"Three hundred?!" Annie echoed in disbelief.

Toshinori nodded. "If I had been in my prime, it would've only taken five."

I raised an eyebrow. "So… you just kept hitting it harder until it worked?"

"Pretty much."

Annie and I burst out laughing. "That's such a you solution," I said.

Toshinori chuckled. "It was effective."

I grinned. "I can't wait to see you at full strength. With Mercy here, it'll be easier to heal you up."

"I hope she can help, too," he said, a bit wistfully.

Annie leaned forward. "Hey, since we've got time to kill, can you tell us more stories about your hero days?"

Toshinori smiled. "I'd be happy to."

And so, he did. He told us stories about his days as a hero, his battles, his struggles, and his triumphs. I was pretty sure he was just trying to keep our nerves in check.

And honestly? It was working.

We finally arrived.

"Okay, guys, it's showtime," Church said through our earpieces.

I took a deep breath. "Remember the plan: Toshinori, you're the distraction. Annie, you focus on rescuing the kids and scientist. I'll go after the boss and take out any hostile scientists along the way."

"Got it," they both confirmed.

"Good. Stratosphere, open the door and keep circling the base until it's safe to land."

"Understood, Father," Stratosphere responded over the radio.

The back hatch of the plane opened, revealing the night sky and the facility below. Without hesitation, we jumped.

Annie, being able to fly, controlled her descent with ease. Toshinori and I, on the other hand, didn't bother. We were durable enough that the landing wouldn't hurt.

Midair, Toshinori transformed into his All Might form, his body bulking up with muscle.

The moment we hit the ground, the impact sent out shockwaves, forming craters beneath us.

As dust settled around us, All Might stood tall, his voice booming across the battlefield.

"It's time for you all to tremble in fear... BECAUSE WE ARE HERE!"

Alarms blared across the base. The guards surrounded us, raising their guns. We all knew what to do.

Without hesitation, I charged toward the building alongside Starlight. I used my full strength, taking down guards with a single punch, while she relied on her powers to knock them out. We forced our way through the doors and immediately split up to reach our targets.

Starlight's POV

I made sure to only knock out the guards with my powers. With Church guiding me, it was easy to locate the captives. I reached the first cell and grabbed the door, grounding myself before ripping it open.

Inside, a girl sat in the corner, fear in her eyes. Frankie Kane. A metal suppression collar was locked around her neck.

"Who are you?" she asked, backing away.

"I'm Starlight, a superhero. I'm here to rescue you."

Her fear melted into hope. "You are?"

"Yes, I am."

Gunfire erupted from behind me, bullets bouncing harmlessly off my body. Annoying. I turned, spotting the guards, and rushed them. With a burst of energy, I sent them flying into the walls, knocking them out cold. Then, I turned back to Frankie.

"Okay, now we can go. There are more people to save."

She nodded and followed close behind. I made sure she stayed behind me as we moved through the facility. A few more guards tried to stop us, but they didn't stand a chance. With Church's help guiding me, I quickly found the next prisoner.

I ripped open another door. Inside was a girl—Rahne Sinclair. She was skinny with a pixie cut, her eyes filled with uncertainty.

"Who are you?" she asked cautiously.

"I'm a hero"

Frankie stepped forward. "She's telling the truth! She's been taking out guards this whole time."

Rahne hesitated before nodding. "Okay. I believe you."

One by one, I freed the captives. Rahne. Frankie. Dani. Illyana. Samuel. Roberto. With only Tyrone, Tandy, and the scientists left to find, I followed Church's directions to a large, reinforced lab.

The moment I kicked the door open, I saw them—Tyrone and Tandy—strapped to medical tables, sedated. Scientists turned in alarm. Some grabbed sharp instruments, desperate to fight back.

Big mistake.

I rushed them, knocking them out effortlessly. Once the room was cleared, only three remained standing—Cecilia Reyes, Richard Parker, and Mary Parker.

"I'm here to rescue you," I said.

Cecilia's eyes widened. "Who are you? And what's happening outside?"

"I'm Starlight. The fighting you hear is my teammates—All Might and Arsenal. We're here to get you all out."

They exchanged shocked glances.

I turned toward the two kids on the tables. "Are they okay?"

"Just sedated," Cecilia confirmed.

"Good. We're staying put until it's safe to move."

I called the other kids into the room for safety, then activated my comms.

"Arsenal, All Might—mission complete. The hostages are secured."

Ed POV

I made my way toward the boss, cutting down every guard that got in my way. I used bursts of electricity to take them out faster and swung my shield, cutting through them with precision.

I didn't like killing. But I knew it had to be done.

It only took me a few minutes to reach the office. Just as I was about to break down the door, I heard Starlight through the comms:

"Mission complete."

Good. That meant the hostages were safe. Now, it was my turn to finish this.

I braced myself and kicked the door down. Inside, Clifford DeVoe—The Thinker— sat behind his desk. Beside him, Marlize DeVoe stepped back in alarm.

DeVoe narrowed his eyes. "Who are you?"

"The name's Arsenal. New hero."

A smirk tugged at his lips. "Well, 'hero,' you have no idea who you're messing with."

I took a step forward. "I know exactly who I'm dealing with. You're Clifford DeVoe, aka The Thinker. And you're working with Hydra."

His smirk faltered for a second before returning. "If you know who I am, then you just signed your death warrant. I already sent out a distress call. In three minutes, they'll be here."

I shook my head. "That's a lie. A friend of mine made sure this place is a dead zone. No one's coming to rescue you."

His confidence wavered. Then, trying to regain control, he sneered. "Even if that's true, they'll find me eventually. And when they do, they'll kill you all."

I locked eyes with him. "They won't. Because you'll be nothing but ashes—along with this entire place."

For the first time, fear flashed across his face. He took a shaky step back. "But… you're a hero. You don't kill."

I exhaled slowly. "Yeah. They don't." I clenched my fist. "And I hope I never have to do this again. But today, I will."

Panic took over. DeVoe lunged for the gun on his desk and fired.

The bullets bounced off me.

I surged forward, grabbed him by the throat, and lifted him off the ground.

His hands clawed at mine, eyes wide with terror.

With one swift motion—I snapped his neck.

His body went limp. I let it drop to the floor.

Silence filled the room.

I turned toward Marlize. She had backed into the wall, staring at me, eyes filled with fear.

I raised my hands slightly, my voice softer. "It's okay. I know you're a prisoner too. I'm here to rescue you."

She swallowed hard, then nodded. "The kids… and there are others—people in the same situation as me."

"I know," I reassured her. "One of my teammates already has them safe."

I pressed my earpiece.

"My mission is complete."

"My mission is complete as well. It's safe to come out now," All Might said over the earpiece.

"Good. Stratosphere, you can land now."

"Copy that, Father," Stratosphere responded.

I turned to Marlize. "It's safe for us to go now."

As we walked through the base toward the exit, I noticed the way Marlize's eyes lingered on the bodies of the people I had killed. Her face twisted in disgust, but she said nothing. I didn't blame her.

We stepped outside. The battlefield was a wreck—a war zone. Smoke rose from burning wreckage, bodies littered the ground, and the distant echoes of battle still rang in my ears.

Starlight and the hostages were already aboard the plane. All Might stood nearby, waiting for me.

"I'm guessing it's over?" he asked.

I exhaled. "Almost."

I turned toward All might and Marlize. "Both of you, get on Stratosphere."

They didn't argue, quickly boarding the plane. Stratosphere positioned itself at a safe distance, just far enough to avoid what I was about to do.

I took a deep breath and focused. Lightning Dragon Magic surged through me, crackling along my body. I called upon Weather Report, pushing my abilities to their absolute limit.

Clouds began to gather over the base, darkening the sky within minutes. The air grew heavy with static. I could feel the energy building—every ounce of magic, every last drop of power I had left.

Then, with all my might, I unleashed it.

A colossal lightning strike tore through the sky.

For a split second, everything was blinding light—a roaring storm of raw destruction. Then, in an instant, the base was gone. Where it once stood was now a deep, smoldering crater.

I staggered, breathing heavily. "That... took a lot out of me."

Forcing myself to stay upright, I turned and made my way toward the plane.

As soon as I was inside, Stratosphere lifted off. We were heading home.

As I caught my breath, I finally took a good look at the hostages. The adults seemed physically fine, but the kids... they were in bad shape. Too skinny, malnourished. Their clothes hung off them like rags, and each of them had metal collars around their necks—probably power suppressors.

I walked over to Frankie, who tensed as I approached. She looked scared.

"It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to take off that collar. Is that alright?" I asked gently.

She hesitated, then nodded.

I made sure to be careful, not wanting to startle her, and gripped the collar. With a sharp pull, I tore it apart effortlessly. Frankie touched her neck, her eyes wide with relief.

I did the same for the rest of the kids, making sure to be gentle. Even Tandy and Tyrone, still unconscious, were freed. Once that was done, I sat down and let exhaustion take over.

Hours Later

"Ed, wake up."

Starlight's voice pulled me out of my sleep.

We had arrived back at base. The kids were rushed to the medical wing, where Mercy was already waiting. She took over immediately, and I let her—she was far better at this than I was.

I left the medical wing and made my way to the bar. Sitting down, I pulled off my hood and mask, just thinking.

Today, I took lives. I didn't like it. It didn't sit right with me, no matter how necessary it was. But what bothered me more… was how much time I had spent building the base and planning everything, neglecting my training for two months. That was a mistake.

I needed to fix that.

And I needed a Black Ops team—a specialized unit that could handle the missions where killing and rescue were both necessary. I already knew who I needed: Anissa.

I knew it was dangerous, but the system had a failsafe.

More than that, Anissa could help me train. With her around, I could get stronger—faster.

I made up my mind. Pulling my hood back up and putting my mask on, I headed for the training room. It was far away from everyone else, just in case things went wrong.

Standing in the center, I took a deep breath.

"System. Summon Anissa."

A blinding flash of light filled the room. When it faded, she was there.

Anissa's stance was guarded, her eyes locked onto me as she assessed the situation.

"Hi. My name is Edward, but you can call me Ed," I said, keeping my tone even. "Can you tell me about your world? And… what was it like coming here?"

She studied me for a moment before speaking.

"My name is Anissa. I'm a Viltrumite. I was fighting in a war—protecting Earth from Thragg and his army. I… died in that battle."** Her voice was steady, but there was a weight behind her words.**

She continued. "I woke up in a white void. Something spoke to me. It offered me a second chance—to live again, in a new world where I could do better." She paused. "Because in my old world, I wasn't good. I did… terrible things before I finally turned to the light. And I regretted them all—except one."

Her expression darkened. "I had a son. I regret how he came to be, but not him. I can't change the past… but can you tell me, is my family okay?"

I met her gaze. "Your side won the war. Your son became a hero."

Her lips parted slightly, and she whispered, "Just like his father..."

I cleared my throat. "The reason I summoned you is because I need your help. This world is dangerous—more than yours. We have alien threats, gods, magic, advanced technology beyond comprehension, people born with unnatural powers, and cosmic-level threats."

She raised an eyebrow. "I've dealt with most of what you just said."

"Well, mine is ten times worse. Will you help us?"

Anissa was silent for a long moment. Then, she exhaled.

"I was given a second chance. Even though my family isn't here… I want to be someone they'd be proud of. I'll help you."

I let out a breath of relief. "Thank you. Right now, it's late, so get some rest. We'll talk more later."

She nodded.

"Church," I called.

A holographic figure materialized beside me.

"This is our new teammate. Take her to the living quarters so she can rest."

Church gave a small nod. "Understood."

As Anissa followed him out, I stood in the empty training room.

This was just the beginning.

The Next Morning

I woke up with a heavy mind, still thinking about what I had done yesterday. Had I made the right choice?

Shaking off the doubt, I got up and headed to the medical wing. I wanted to check on the kids.

When I arrived, Mercy was already there, wearing a doctor's coat. I wasn't sure where she got it from—or if she had even been wearing it last night. I had been too exhausted to notice.

"Hi, Dr. Angela. How are the kids?" I asked.

She looked up from her clipboard. "Not great, but not terrible either. These kids have been through a lot."

I nodded. "Yeah… I'm just glad we got to them in time. What about the adults?"

"After I made sure they were stable, Church took them to the living quarters."

"Good."

Angela studied me for a moment, her eyes sharp.

"Something's wrong. What is it?"

I hesitated before answering. "I just realized… the world won't pause just because I'm not ready."

Angela tilted her head. "That's true, but why do you say that?"

I sighed. "If I had just finished the base and teleporter sooner, we probably could've saved more kids. Not just eight. I feel like I've been too cautious. I kept thinking about how many lives I could have saved if I had just worked faster."

Angela was silent, clearly thinking over her response.

Finally, she said, "I think you did the right thing."

That surprised me.

"After what you told me about this world, I did some research last night. And… it's beyond anything I expected." She crossed her arms. "Aliens. Vigilantes. Gods. Super soldiers. I'm used to Super Soldiers, but still—this world is insane. Then I asked Church for more information, and what he told me was worse. Governments using criminals as a task force, trying to control everything in the shadows. I'm pretty sure if they found out your identity, they'd try to do the same to you."

She looked at me seriously. "You thought it was right to protect your allies first. That's a good quality in a leader."

I clenched my fists. "But what about the lives I didn't save?"

Angela exhaled. "There's something I've learned, both as a doctor and as a hero—you can't save everyone. Some lives will slip through your hands. You are not a god."

I chuckled bitterly. "Actually, I'm a demigod. But… I see your point. Thank you."

She looked surprised at that revelation, but nodded. "You're welcome."

I studied her for a moment. "I know it hasn't been long, but I have to ask—have you made your decision?"

She didn't hesitate. "Yes. Honestly, my answer was always going to be yes. As a doctor, it's my duty to help people."

I smiled slightly. "That's good. We need a good doctor."

"Happy to be of service."

With that, I left for the briefing room.

Briefing Room

Once I arrived, I called Church.

"Church, bring the scientists we saved yesterday here. I need to speak with them."

"Understood."

As I waited, I reflected on what Angela had said.

She was right—I couldn't save everyone. And maybe I did make the right call by focusing on building our base first. But I still neglected my training, and that was something I needed to fix.

With Anissa here, I could get stronger.

For now, my priority was getting the Ground Bridge operational so Annie and All Might could start their hero work. Meanwhile, I'd focus on training and getting stronger.

I also needed to recruit more team members.

Recruiting Spider-Man was a no-brainer—I had already asked Church to keep an eye on him. But we also needed people who were willing to kill to save lives.

I started considering candidates:

Punisher—easy to convince, but unpredictable.

Peacemaker—would do whatever it took for "peace."

Deadshot—a hired gun. He'd take the job, but I'd never trust him. No way in hell was he stepping foot on this island. Instead, I'd set up a throwaway base in the city for missions.

The Red Room—If it was still active, I could help the Widows. Some might even join me.

My thoughts were interrupted when the scientists finally arrived. They looked surprised—probably at how young I looked.

I gestured to the seats. "Please, everyone, take a seat. We need to talk."

Once they were settled, I sat down as well.

"You can call me Ed. I wanted to talk about your future. I need to know if you're willing to stay and help us do good work."

They exchanged stunned looks.

"You… want our help?" Richard asked.

"I do. You all have valuable skills that can help us."

Marlize looked doubtful. "But… we've done terrible things."

I met her gaze. "Not by choice. You were forced into it."

Cecilia clenched her fists. "That doesn't change what we did. Do you have any idea how many children we helped kill?"

I exhaled. "This is your chance at redemption."

Silence fell over the room.

"You can't change the past. None of us can. But we can work together to make the future better. You can help me rescue these kids from Hydra."

Cecilia narrowed her eyes. "And what will you do with them? They all have powers. Do you plan on making them soldiers too?"

I shook my head. "No. I want to give them a chance at a normal life. Let them choose their own futures."

I met their gazes, firm in my resolve. "If they want to live normal lives, I'll help them. If they want to be heroes, I'll train them. But it will be their choice."

Mary finally spoke up. "Do you want our research as well?"

I shook my head again. "I'm not interested in your Blank Gene research. I'm interested in your skills. With your help, I can develop my own research. I also plan on creating a company to gain influence—it will be for Earth's benefit, not exploitation."

Mary and Richard exchanged glances before Richard said, "We have a son. If we work for you, we want our family to be protected."

I nodded. "That can be arranged. And… we need to talk about your son. Peter is a superhero now."

"WHAT?!" they both exclaimed.

I sighed. "Thanks to the Blank Gene research, he survived a radioactive spider bite. He's been acting as a hero on his own."

Mary paled. "He's only sixteen! He's still a kid! You can't put him in danger!"

"He's already putting himself in danger. He's out there every night, alone, in a cheap suit. With our help, he can be trained properly and have better technology."

Cecilia finally spoke again. "And what about the kids already here?"

"I plan to build a school for them. And for others like them."

Cecilia nodded, resolved. "Then I'll stay—for them."

I smirked. "Good. We need caretakers for them."

Marlize's voice was sharp. "I'll join you—on one condition. We take down Hydra for good."

I nodded. "That's already the plan."

She clenched her fists. "Then I'll help you to the best of my abilities."

Her hatred for Hydra was clear.

Richard sighed. "We'll join you as well. But we want our son and family to live here. It's safer for them."

"That can be arranged. But you'll have to talk to Peter about his hero work."

This was just the beginning. But now, I wasn't doing it alone.

One week had passed, and I finally got the Ground Bridge working. Now, All Might and Annie could start their hero work. Annie would be stationed in New York, while All Might chose Gotham. That was his decision—he saw how dangerous the city was and wanted to change it. I warned him about Batman and advised him to stay away from him for now.

I also introduced them to Anissa, who would be helping me with my superpower training. When the time was right, she would become a hero too. Meanwhile, the rest of the people I summoned had finally made their decisions. They all agreed to stay, though some had conditions—mainly Ted.

Sabrina made it clear she didn't want to be a hero, which was fine with me. I gave her the Book of Shadows as well. Panda agreed to stay and fight with us, with no real conditions—except for one: he wanted to be the first to take a vacation once we had enough people. That was fair. His main role would be training recruits in hand-to-hand combat.

Escanor didn't want to fight, which I accepted. Instead, he would run the bar. Ted, on the other hand, had a list of demands: $100 an hour, unlimited beer while working, and the freedom to flirt with any new women. I agreed to the pay—after all, I had Batman and Iron Man levels of wealth—but set clear boundaries. No drinking on the job, and if a woman rejected him, he had to back off.

With everyone settled, we finally tracked down Peter and Aunt May. They were at their apartment, which made things easier. The moment we confirmed their location, we activated the Ground Bridge and teleported inside.

Aunt May let out a small gasp, her body stiffening in shock. Peter, on the other hand, immediately shifted into a defensive stance, his muscles tensing as if ready to throw a punch. His eyes flicked between me and Annie, sizing us up.

"Okay, before you do anything reckless," I said, raising my hands in a non-threatening gesture, "we mean you no harm. We come in peace."

Silence stretched between us. Aunt May's eyes darted toward the kitchen, maybe thinking about grabbing a weapon. Surprisingly, she didn't scream.

"Who are you?" she asked, her voice tinged with fear.

I gestured between myself and Annie. "We're new heroes. The name's Arsenal, and this is Starlight. And we need you both to come with us."

Peter narrowed his eyes. "Yeah? And why would we do that?"

"Because it's about your parents," I said evenly.

Peter blinked, his expression hardening. "What?"

"They're alive," I continued. "We saved them from some very bad people. They want to see you."

Peter took a step forward, his jaw clenched. "How do I know you're telling the truth? Why didn't you just bring them here?"

I sighed. "Because trust me, it's not safe. Just come with us, and you'll get all the answers you need."

Peter turned to Aunt May. Their eyes met, and in that moment, I could see the silent conversation happening between them. She gave him a small nod, a mix of fear and hope flickering across her face.

Peter turned back to me, still on guard, but he stepped forward. "Fine. But if this is a trick…"

"It's not," I assured him.

He kept himself positioned protectively in front of his aunt as we activated the Ground Bridge once more. In an instant, we teleported back to my base.