Chapter 290: Endless War II (Part 3)
[September 12, 2030. Tony Stark was living at 487 Malibu Beach, in northern Los Angeles. This used to be a famous Jewish millionaire's neighborhood, with 27 miles of unbeatable ocean views. But after the baptism of a world war, it had become desolate, and this guy clearly wasn't living too well. You hired a group of swimsuit beauties to visit Tony Stark's home, but you ran into Pepper Potts, making things awkward for a while—Tony Stark even mistook you for someone else at first, though he quickly realized you weren't. After a few visits, through honest conversations, you gradually earned his trust.]
[He didn't tell you much, but between the lines you gathered that the root of this world's changes came from a man called the Mad Clown. He wasn't particularly strong himself, but possessed extraordinary evil and the power to corrupt. Through words, he seduced the Hulk, successfully driving him to the dark side, and then schemed to seize Stark Industries. Although Tony Stark, working with S.H.I.E.L.D., eventually killed the Joker after much effort, the Mad Clown used some unknown means to corrupt the entire Avengers—everyone except Tony Stark and Spider-Man.]
[Hearing Tony Stark's story left you silent. So the saying was true: once darkened, they're ten times stronger; once redeemed, they're far weaker. When the Avengers were saving the world, they didn't seem all that powerful. But once corrupted, they nearly pushed the entire Earth to collapse.]
[September 12–18, 2030. During this time, you stayed in contact with Tony Stark—sometimes chatting, sometimes discussing research. Perhaps because of his many setbacks, though his pride remained, he treated people with remarkable sincerity. In every respect, you two clicked instantly, as if old friends meeting again, quickly becoming close. You gained the achievement: Friends (II).]
[September 19–November 26, 2030. Over these two months, Tony Stark occasionally helped you with research. Together you upgraded Genwes and J.A.R.V.I.S. You also had the idea of building your own battle suit, but without equipment and vast funds, it had to be shelved for now.]
[November 27, 2030. Your research was progressing smoothly, but tragedy struck: your nominal father was killed in an ambush—betrayed by several of his mutant underlings: William Dawn the Fireman, Jason the Rockman, and Jamie Foxx the Electro. After the funeral, to everyone's surprise, you stepped forward earlier than expected, becoming the leader of the Caribou Gang—exactly seven months after crossing into this world. You gained the achievement: Mission Impossible.]
[December 30, 2030. Running the Caribou Gang was harder than you thought. Not only did you have to manage from the shadows, but you had to stand in the open as well. After more than a month, through strong-handed methods, you fully consolidated control. With the gang entirely under your command, you established your own research institute, focusing mainly on reverse engineering and improving the existing super soldier serum. In this world, shoddy versions of the serum circulated on the market; while they unlocked potential, they drastically shortened lifespans. If possible, you also planned to build a mech surpassing this world's level of technology.]
[January 1, 2031. At the toll of the New Year's bell, after hearing your ideas, Tony Stark fell silent. Soon after, through his introduction, you met a familiar one-eyed Black man—Nick Fury, the "Motherfer Man." All these years, he had been leading the resistance against the Joker Gang and the Illuminati. You were one of the top candidates he sought to ally with. Though you didn't particularly like Nick Fury and still felt little attachment to this new world, their presence—especially the Joker Gang—didn't sit well with you. Even if Nick Fury hadn't approached you, you already intended to team up with Tony Stark. After some thought, you decided to join them, forming an organization named the Dark Avengers Alliance.]
[For now, this alliance had only six members: you, Tony Stark, Spider-Man Peter Parker, Robert Reynolds—nicknamed Sentry, Doctor Strange, and a gorilla named Winston. You had heard of the Sentry; said to wield the power of a million exploding suns, though his incomplete soul and the Void within prevented him from unleashing his full strength. During your talks, Doctor Strange appeared as well, telling you he had observed countless futures: in all of them, the world was destroyed. Only in this timeline, if united sincerely, was there a chance at survival.]
[At this meeting, Tony Stark also played a video. J.A.R.V.I.S., having hacked into the networks, had captured it: at the start of 2030, the Joker Gang and the Illuminati clashed for the seventh time. With the Hulk and Injustice Superman Steve Rogers as the main forces, they fought a battle near California. The Joker Gang narrowly won, but most notable was their use of a weapon resembling a laser beam, which nearly destroyed half of Los Angeles. Tony Stark called it the Cosmic Cube.]
[After discussion, you agreed on a strategy of technological escalation. Aside from that unknown weapon, the Joker Gang's advantage lay in creating mutants and lizardmen—a strength you could match. What you lacked were manpower and equipment. In terms of core combat power, the Joker Gang outclassed you by far. As for the Illuminati, their strength lay in mass-produced super soldier serum and Iron Man armors—something only technological breakthroughs could overcome.]
[January 25, 2031. Through Tony Stark, you found Spider-Man Peter Parker, now 30 years old. He worked in a survivor group centered on Pym Technologies, researching the Enhancer path. Skilled in biogenetics, his work contrasted with Pym Tech's focus on mechs, but he had produced several results. As planned, you recruited him into the Caribou Gang with just a few words. That afternoon, you also met Winston for the first time. He was a gentle-looking gorilla, and according to Peter Parker, his IQ reached 170—ranking first in Mensa—and he had made contributions across multiple scientific fields, even serving as a battle hero. For some reason, Winston looked at you with complex eyes. Originally not considered a candidate, he nonetheless accepted your invitation without hesitation.]
[Soon after, Tony Stark also joined your team, bringing with him a trove of trust funds and stocks, proudly declaring that the world's three brightest minds were now united.]
[January 25–July 7, 2031. To your surprise, in this world Tony Stark's specialty wasn't mechanical engineering or energy research, but precisely biogenetics. This world's super soldier serum was his recreation. Winston's scientific prowess was in no way inferior; he was also deeply versed in the serum. With the four of you, plus your research team, working together for over six months, you successfully recreated the fourth-generation serum and improved it. According to Winston's gamma-ray scans, this new serum boosted results by 15% over the one he had once received. (You gained an Epic Item: Tony Stark's Super Soldier Serum [Fifth Generation].)]