Chapter 26: Chapter 26: This is Superman!
The figure in the sky stood silently for a long time.
The sea of fire that had engulfed the mountains below was now gone, extinguished by him. What remained were scattered embers, flickering like distant stars.
Leon, adhering to proper fire safety measures, carefully inspected the area, ensuring that no lingering sparks remained. Only after confirming the fire was truly out did he turn his attention to the remnants of the Ten Rings base, now nothing more than rubble.
From the perspective of the middle-aged reporter nearby, Leon's actions were those of a righteous hero—meticulously ensuring that no villain escaped justice.
"The damned Ten Rings have committed countless atrocities, but now, justice has arrived! Superman is here, and we have hope! Superman is here, and we will finally know peace!"
At that moment, the reporter saw the figure in the sky as nothing short of divine. His body trembled with emotion, his eyes filled with a mix of relief and exhilaration, vengeance mingling with newfound hope.
"He must be here to help us! To save us!"
"He is the messenger of Allah… No, he is Allah on Earth, His reincarnation!"
Overcome with emotion, the reporter collapsed to his knees, tears streaming down his face.
"Everything will be fine now! It's finally over!"
"Superman is here… Oh, Superman! I must tell him—the Ten Rings still have other bases in this land!"
Driven by urgency, he scrambled to his feet, using a nearby tree for support, ready to shout.
But when he looked up, he found himself face-to-face with the figure clad in blue and red. The cape billowed like flowing blood, the colors vibrant against the night.
"Superman!" the reporter gasped, stunned that the hero had appeared before him without a sound.
"Thank you for your kind words, but I am no god," Superman said with a warm smile. "I'm just a man who refuses to turn a blind eye to injustice."
His voice was calm, firm, and reassuring.
"What's your name? Risking your life to film near a terrorist stronghold takes courage. You're a hero in your own right."
"No, no! I'm just an ordinary man. You are the real hero!"
The reporter's face flushed with excitement. "M-my name is Hafizullah Abdullah. Thank you for saving me! I… I…"
Now that he was this close, he could finally see Superman's face clearly.
His deep black eyes held an unfathomable depth, like the night sky itself.
His features were sculpted with perfection—strong, chiseled, and impossibly handsome.
A perfect man.
How could someone so perfect not be a savior sent to this world?
Abdullah was certain that if he were a young woman, he would dream of Superman every night for the rest of his life.
No, even as he was, he would still dream of him!
"Don't be nervous, Abdullah. I need your help."
Leon noticed the strange glint in the reporter's eyes, sending a slight chill down his spine.
Clearing his throat, he quickly moved on. "You filmed what happened at the Ten Rings base, correct?"
"Yes! Yes, I did!" Abdullah stammered before hurriedly offering his camera. "Please forgive me for recording without permission! You can take the footage—"
"That's not what I meant." Leon gently pushed the camera back. "I want you to release these videos to the media."
"In your name."
"Tell them you risked your life to capture this footage. And make sure they understand—foreign military forces must leave this land. Their invasion must end."
Abdullah's eyes widened. "Are you declaring war on the United States!?"
"It's not a declaration of war. It's the end of one," Leon replied.
With that, he turned, his cape swirling in the night air.
With a final nod, he lifted off the ground, vanishing into the clouds.
"Goodbye. I will remember you—a brave hero."
Abdullah stood frozen, watching the figure disappear into the sky. Slowly, he brought his hands together in prayer.
"Superman above… He is the Holy Spirit, the savior… He has a pair of… Wait, why… why can't I remember his face?"
"Jarvis, send all footage from the battle to Tony."
Leon had no idea of the lasting impression he had left on the reporter. His focus was elsewhere.
"Also, if he's still asleep, give him a wake-up call."
"Understood, Master Leon. Transmitting image data to Los Angeles now," Jarvis replied in his usual composed tone.
Leon smirked. "Tony's going to love my little gift."
High in the clouds, he shifted his focus.
"Before I proceed, check the local time, Jarvis."
"It's 9:47 p.m. local time."
"Alright. Let's wrap up the rest of the Ten Rings bases before 11. Then, I'll head for the Eagle's base."
"Master Leon, do you intend to take action against the U.S. military installation? Shall I inform Mr. Stark in advance?"
"No need. As a taxpayer, I believe it's my right to refuse to fund those idiots who misuse my money for the wrong causes. It's time to set things straight."
"Besides, I need to establish a reputation first. That way, when I move to dismantle HYDRA, it'll feel natural."
"Truly a master strategist, sir."
Across the ocean.
S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters.
"Director, you need to see this."
A middle-aged agent with thinning hair placed a tablet in front of his boss, his usually easy-going expression now grave.
Sitting behind a pristine white desk was a bald, one-eyed man.
Moments ago, he had been gazing out the window, his posture calculated to appear mysterious and authoritative.
At the sound of his agent's voice, Director Nick Fury slowly turned his chair, his expression unreadable.
"What is it, Coulson?"
"The largest Ten Rings base in Afghanistan has been completely destroyed, sir."
Fury glanced at the screen absentmindedly. Then his expression changed.
"What the hell!?"
He shot to his feet, eyes locked onto the satellite feed.
There, in the footage, a lone figure stood amidst the wreckage, effortlessly incinerating incoming grenades with heat vision.
"What the hell am I looking at?"
"There's more," Coulson said grimly, fast-forwarding the video.
The footage showed Leon standing tall amidst the aftermath of a Jericho missile strike, entirely unharmed.
Fury's mind raced, overwhelmed with exclamation marks and question marks.
Since when did Earth have someone like this? And why the hell didn't he know about it?
"Who is this? What have we found?"
His fingers instinctively moved toward his communicator.
The pager—the one that called Captain Marvel.
Whenever an existential threat emerged, she was his last resort.
And right now, the man on screen triggered every alarm in his head.
Coulson's voice was steady, yet filled with awe.
"Director… this is Superman."
...
Author's Note ✍️:
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