The figure hovered high in the sky, silent and unyielding, for a long time.
Below, the sea of flames that had once ravaged the mountains and plains was now extinguished. The remaining firelight flickered faintly, like distant stars. Leon, however, adhered to his own meticulous approach. Following the forest fire prevention principles, he carefully checked the area once more, extinguishing every remaining spark one by one.
He then cast his gaze downward, surveying the ruins of the Ten Rings Gang's base, now reduced to rubble. He leisurely glanced from side to side, inspecting the surrounding area. To the middle-aged reporter, however, those actions were nothing short of the righteous acts of Superman, ensuring that no evil had been left unchecked.
"Damn Ten Rings Gang," the middle-aged man muttered to himself, his voice full of contempt. "They've caused so much harm. But now… Superman is here! We have hope! Superman is here, and peace is within our reach!"
At that moment, the reporter's heart swelled with a mix of awe and relief. The figure above seemed like a divine entity. His body trembled involuntarily as he gazed at the majestic presence in the sky. It wasn't just the satisfaction of vengeance that filled his heart, but an overwhelming sense of hope and anticipation.
"He must be here to help us! He is here to save us!"
"He is the messenger sent by Allah… No, wait! He is Allah in the world, the reincarnation of the True Lord!"
Overcome with emotion, the man fell to his knees, prostrating himself and crying out in gratitude. Tears streamed down his face as he sobbed with the relief of knowing that the nightmare was finally over.
"Everything will be alright! Everything is finally coming to an end!"
His fervent prayers were interrupted as he suddenly remembered something crucial. "Superman!" he shouted, scrambling to his feet. He searched for the figure in the sky, his eyes wide with urgency. "Superman! The Ten Rings Gang has many more bases scattered across this land!"
In his panic, he desperately grabbed the nearest tree for support, hoping to call out to Superman. But just as he looked up, he was met with the sight of a fluttering blue cape and the blood-red colors of Superman's costume right in front of him.
"Superman!" the reporter gasped, stunned. He hadn't noticed the hero's descent.
Superman's smile was warm and reassuring. "Thank you for your kind words. But I'm not the True Lord, just someone who helps when he sees injustice on the road."
The reporter, still in awe, stammered, "I… I'm just an ordinary man! You're our hero!"
His face flushed red as he struggled to find the right words. "My name is Hafizola Abdullah, and I—I want to thank you for saving me! I… I… I…"
Now that they were face-to-face, Abdullah could fully take in Superman's appearance. His eyes, dark and deep as the night sky, were mesmerizing. His chiseled face, every line sharp and perfect, radiated strength and grace. It was as if he were a perfect being, carved by the gods themselves.
Abdullah was certain that such a flawless individual could only be a divine being sent to save the world.
"If I were a woman…" Abdullah thought to himself, "I would dream of this Superman every night."
"No," he corrected himself. "Even if I'm not a woman, I would still dream of him!"
Superman, noticing the odd look in Abdullah's eyes, quickly shifted his focus. "Don't be nervous, Abdullah. I need a favor."
Abdullah snapped out of his reverie, but Superman's next words immediately drew his attention. "You filmed everything that happened at the Ten Rings Gang base, right?"
Abdullah nodded, his panic returning. "Yes, yes! Please, I beg of you, forgive me for taking such a risk. Take back what's in the camera…"
"That's not what I meant," Leon interjected, pushing the camera back toward him. "I need you to make this footage public, in front of the media. And you should do it in your own name."
Abdullah's eyes widened with disbelief. "You want to declare war on the United States?!"
Leon shook his head, his expression calm and resolute. "Not a declaration of war. It's a post-war declaration."
As he spoke, Leon began to walk away, casting one last glance at Abdullah. "I want you to tell the media—every foreign military force must leave this land immediately and cease their invasions."
Abdullah, confused and still awestruck, could only stare in stunned silence as Superman began to rise into the air once more.
"Goodbye, Abdullah," Superman called over his shoulder. "I will remember you. You're a brave hero."
Abdullah stood frozen in place, eyes glued to the sky where the hero had vanished. He instinctively placed his hands together in a prayer-like gesture. "Superman is above… He is a perfect holy spirit, a god, a savior. Wait, what did he look like again?"
Meanwhile, in the sky, Leon was already thinking about his next steps. "Jarvis," he called, "send all the footage to Tony."
On the other side of the world, in Los Angeles, Tony Stark was still asleep. But Leon wasn't concerned. He had something he wanted to share with his old friend.
"Also, if Tony hasn't woken up yet, give him a wake-up service," Leon added with a grin. "I believe he'll love this gift."
"Yes, Master Leon," Jarvis replied, the AI voice polite as always. "Sending the image data now."
Leon nodded to himself. "I'm sure Tony will appreciate it. But before we get to him, let's check the time."
"Okay, the local time is 9:47 PM," Jarvis informed him.
"Then we'll push forward," Leon said. "Let's finish clearing the remaining Ten Rings Gang bases before eleven o'clock, then head over to the Eagle's base for a visit."
"Master Leon," Jarvis said, his tone curious, "are you planning to attack the U.S. base? Should I inform Mr. Stark?"
"No need to tell him," Leon responded with confidence. "As a taxpayer, I have every right to refuse those people from wasting my money on bad deeds. It's time to correct the chaos."
"Besides," he added with a sly grin, "I'll make a name for myself first. That way, it'll be more convincing when I eliminate Hydra later."
"You're always so thoughtful," Jarvis replied, his voice almost amused.
Back on the other side of the world, in S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury was in his office, looking out of the window as he pondered over recent events. The door opened quietly, and his agent, a middle-aged man with a half-bald head, entered, holding a tablet in his hands.
"Director, you need to see this," the agent said with a tone of urgency.
Fury turned slowly, his one eye cold and calculating as he gazed at the footage on the tablet. He didn't react immediately, but his expression grew serious.
"What's this?" he muttered. "Who did this?"
The tablet screen showed a figure in a blue costume, his presence dominating the battlefield as he effortlessly neutralized the Ten Rings Gang's defenses with heat vision. Fury's eyes widened as the man on screen calmly faced a barrage of missiles and explosions without any visible harm.
"This… this is insane," Fury muttered. "Who is this?"
The agent, Coulson, gave a grim nod. "It's him, Director. This is Superman."
Fury's face twisted in disbelief. He had never seen anything like it before. This wasn't just another hero; this was something far beyond what he could have imagined.
"Motherfucker!" Fury exclaimed, standing up abruptly. "Who the hell is this guy?"
He reached for his pager—the one he used to summon Captain Marvel when things got dire—but his hand hesitated. He knew this person could be the kind of threat that would require more than just a call for help.
Coulson continued, "We don't know who he is yet, but we're working on it."
Fury's mind raced. Whatever this Superman was, it was clear that Earth had just gained a new and powerful player.