After reaching a consensus with the World Security Council, Anton first approached a U.S. representative to make a specific personnel request—someone from the old U.S. military.
Jason Wann.
Anton had just finished investigating this man. A key figure in "Spawn", Jason Wann was the direct superior of Al Simmons, also known as Spawn.
In the movie, Jason Wann was a classic villain—ruthless, manipulative, and entirely without conscience.
He framed Al Simmons for his own gain and even collaborated with demons in a bid to eradicate humanity. A truly irredeemable character.
But Anton didn't request Jason Wann simply because he disliked him and wanted to deal with him early. Instead, he wanted to keep him under surveillance.
In the story of Spawn, Jason Wann was like a lighthouse in the middle of the ocean—a fixed point in the narrative.
It was inevitable that after Al Simmons returned from hell, his first act of vengeance would be to go after the man who had betrayed him.
When that moment arrived, Anton would step in to control the situation.
If he killed Jason Wann now, it might throw the whole story off track. Without his primary target, Al Simmons could become unpredictable—or worse, even more susceptible to demonic manipulation.
Besides, eliminating Jason Wann prematurely would disrupt the natural flow of the spawn storyline. Anton preferred to keep events within his sphere of influence, not venture into unknown territory.
And if things played out correctly, perhaps he could even recruit Al Simmons into his Dark Justice League…
The transfer order came through swiftly.
Though Jason Wann was a high-ranking military official, he was insignificant compared to the true power players.
Moreover, the U.S. government had long been eager to increase its presence within the Men in Black organization.
With Jason Wann now assigned to the Men in Black—alongside Agent Z (another former military recruit) and numerous other logistics and field personnel—the agency was starting to resemble an extension of the U.S. military itself.
This was entirely in line with the United States' usual modus operandi—securing power and influence wherever possible.
That said, the Men in Black remained primarily U.S.-based, with only a small reach into Europe and virtually no presence in the East.
Anton wasn't particularly concerned about the growing American influence within the organization.
At the end of the day, the Men in Black could operate with fewer agents, but Anton himself was irreplaceable.
He was the backbone of the organization.
Without him, the Men in Black would be a ship without a captain, drifting aimlessly, waiting to be swallowed by the next storm.
And so, Jason Wann was inducted into the Men in Black—completely unaware of the forces at play.
While Jason was still on his way to take up his new position, Anton pulled aside his second-in-command, Agent Z.
"Keep an eye on Jason Wann," Anton instructed. "And don't trust him too much."
Agent Z nodded, understanding immediately.
Satisfied, Anton left Men in Black headquarters.
There were far too many things demanding his attention.
A few days later, DC Entertainment made a major announcement.
A new movie was in development—
"Shazam."
The news sent shockwaves through the media and fan communities worldwide.
By now, the Justice League wasn't just a popular name in the United States—it had spread across the globe, carried by the ever-expanding reach of the internet.
And every new DC movie triggered a global phenomenon, setting off waves of excitement and discussion.
In many ways, this was a form of cultural invasion from another world.
Through these films, DC's brand had become permanently embedded in the minds of audiences worldwide.
The two letters—D.C.—were no longer just an abbreviation.
They represented something greater—a new mythology that had taken root in the world.
And Anton was at the center of it all.
Despite the excitement surrounding DC's new project, Thunder Shazam, many found the character choice odd.
After all, Shazam had never been a mainstream favorite. While some fans had a special appreciation for mystical side-heroes, they were a niche audience, far smaller than the broader superhero fanbase.
There had always been a clear divide between cult favorites and mass appeal characters.
If that weren't the case, then even Hell Detective—which accidentally premiered just as the Battle of New York erupted—wouldn't have suffered such a disastrous box office failure.
The movie had the misfortune of releasing when the world was in mourning, and entertainment was the last thing on people's minds.
In fact, it was the worst-performing DC film in history.
From that perspective, Thunder Shazam was already starting at a disadvantage—a character that was fundamentally niche within DC's lineup.
As expected, the hype surrounding Thunder Shazam faded quickly, replaced by gossip about the film's director.
The controversy?
Anton Jameson—widely regarded as Hollywood's most powerful director after the massive success of Dawn of Justice—was not directing the movie.
Instead, DC had hired another well-known Hollywood director for the job.
Rumors swirled that Anton was originally slated to direct, but for unknown reasons, he stepped down once the project entered full production.
Many fans were disappointed by the news.
To them, only a film directed by Anton himself could truly represent the Justice League.
Desperate for answers, reporters flooded DC headquarters, eager to uncover the truth.
Anton, caught off guard by the media frenzy, listened to the questions before responding calmly:
"It's not a rumor—it's true. I'm just too busy right now."
And with that, he walked away, leaving reporters stunned and speechless.
Anton wasn't lying—he really was busy.
Originally, he did plan to direct Thunder Shazam, but other, far more important matters took precedence.
For one, Jane Foster's Astrophysics Laboratory had officially entered the research phase on the "Nine Realms Convergence."
They had begun unraveling unique cosmic patterns, which were crucial clues leading to the Reality Stone.
Beyond the Reality Stone, Anton had several other plans in motion.
With everything happening at once, he quickly realized he couldn't commit to a full-length movie production.
And considering he never had high expectations for Thunder Shazam anyway, he made the practical decision to step aside and let someone else take over.
Current Fan Value: 7.02 million
Required to Unlock Shazam: 30 million
Remaining Needed: 23 million
The gap was smaller than Anton expected.
According to the studio's schedule, Thunder Shazam would begin filming next week, with principal photography wrapping up in three months.
Thanks to Quentin Beck's holographic projection technology, post-production time had been drastically reduced.
Unlike cheap CGI-heavy productions, the team could now create high-quality special effects in just a few months.
Additionally, Anton trusted Jim, the film's producer, which meant he could afford to step back and let the crew handle things.
With the fanbase boost from the movie's release, reaching the 23 million fan value difference wouldn't be too difficult.
Unlocking Shazam was essential—especially in preparation for the growing threats in the magical world.
In the original plot, Al Simmons—aka Rebirth Man—returned to the world five years after his death.
Anton had no intention of waiting that long.
Time was moving too fast, and he had too many variables to control.
And the last thing he needed was an unpredictable Spawn roaming free.
Right now, Al Simmons had only been dead for a few months…
Even if events were accelerating, things shouldn't be progressing this quickly.
As for Hellboy, Anton hadn't gathered much information on him yet.
He felt that if Hellboy were to make an appearance, it wouldn't be anytime soon.
Because of this, while filming Shazam was still on the agenda, it wasn't a top priority.
Instead, Anton decided to shift his focus toward the Infinity Stones.
As previously mentioned, beyond tracking down the Reality Stone, Anton also intended to venture into space—disguised as Superman—to hire the Ravagers and retrieve the Orb of Morag.
In truth, after his experience in Men in Black, encountering the Zerg, the Aquilonians, and even meeting the Ancient One, his curiosity about the greater universe had only grown.
Sure, Earth was the center of Marvel's story, but the cosmos held an even grander stage.
Anton had made up his mind.
It was time to explore the stars.
At that moment, Cybertron—the homeworld of the Transformers—finally established a connection, providing him with the coordinates to Knowhere.
Knowhere, also known as the Void Land or the Barren Land, was unlike any other place.
It looked like a planet but was actually the severed head of an ancient cosmic entity.
In the comics, this head belonged to a Celestial, while in the movies, it was simply referred to as an "ancient god."
Regardless of its origins, the message was clear:
Knowhere was a lawless world.
Countless alien species lived here, and social etiquette varied wildly between them.
Misunderstandings were common, but here, money solved everything.
Most importantly, Knowhere was a haven for outlaws, a neutral zone of organized chaos.
A quarter of its massive expanse was dedicated to an open 24/7 intergalactic black market, where rare—often illegal—goods were traded.
Of course, every planet had its own set of laws.
But here? Illegality was the law.
Anton didn't know much about Knowhere, but he knew one thing for certain—it was the most infamous black market in the universe.
Using the teleportation system aboard his war fortress, Anton entered the coordinates.
Then, with a mere thought, he transformed into Superman and traveled across the cosmos, arriving at Knowhere in an instant.
WHOOSH!
In the blink of an eye, he materialized in the middle of a bustling street.
Strange, sentient beings filled the area.
To Anton, they were all aliens.
Some resembled giant octopuses, while others were eerily human-like.
Their variety was overwhelming, a dizzying display of intergalactic life.
Anton stood in the center of the road, observing the bizarre crowd with amusement.
Meanwhile, the aliens around him weren't as interested in him—instead, they were keeping their distance.
They weren't intimidated by his appearance—they were wary of his arrival method.
In Knowhere, the elite used a transportation system called "Continuous Cortex."
This highly advanced technology was connected to the brainstem of the dead god, allowing individuals to warp between dimensions and travel anywhere in the known (or unknown) universe.
Essentially, it was a form of intergalactic teleportation.
But here's the catch—
Only the wealthy had access to it.
While Anton wasn't the only one to use it, his arrival via teleportation instantly marked him as someone important.
And in Knowhere, rich people were untouchable.
As a result, every passing alien instinctively distanced themselves from him, afraid of provoking trouble.
Anton understood their reasoning completely.
After transforming into Superman, his senses were razor-sharp—his hearing alone allowed him to pick up conversations hundreds of meters away.
He could hear it all—
The whispers of envy, the resentful murmurs, the quiet conspiracies brewing in the shadows.
Wherever he walked, the aliens kept talking—
Watching.
Waiting.
"I bet this guy is some pampered noble from a distant planet—maybe even a prince..."
"Yeah, they always come to Knowhere looking for a thrill. I love watching these rich kids get humbled."
"Sure, this place is a playground for the wealthy, but not everyone here kisses their boots. Take me, for example—unless I was some Kree slave, I'd never say a kind word to one of them."
"A Kree slave? Dude, have you seen yourself? You talk like you're some galactic beauty—ha!"
"..."
Nearby, voices haggled over goods—
"Boss, come on, give me a better price."
"This? A rare item from your planet. Even in Knowhere, it's almost impossible to find. You're already getting it at the lowest price. You don't want it? Then get lost."
"Oh? You want to do this the hard way?"
"Hah! I love dealing with you off-worlders. Let's just hope you've got enough credits to leave Knowhere in one piece..."
Amid the bustling marketplace, Anton's superhuman hearing filtered through the noise—
The sounds of tourists arguing, shopkeepers hustling buyers, and even thieves robbing passersby in dark alleys.
Then—
A name cut through the chaos.
"Carol, are you sure we'll hear anything about Superman here?"
"If we can't find him here, then we won't find him anywhere. Do you even realize how big the universe is? If you did, you wouldn't have left Earth so cluelessly, looking for someone from some planet you've never even heard of."
Carol?
And that voice—
Anton's head snapped in the direction of the conversation, locking onto a spot several kilometers away.
Nick Fury.
Of all places…
He actually ran into old friends here?
Now, that was a rare sight.
Were they asking about Superman?
Was this a coincidence—or something more?
Dressed in his Superman persona, Anton's lips curled into a mischievous smile.
The idea of "accidentally" running into them suddenly seemed very appealing.
Nick Fury had always been curious about Superman—and Anton was equally curious about Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel.
She was Earth's top powerhouse, yet she had spent most of her time drifting through space—helping refugees, battling the Kree, and keeping Earth at arm's length.
Sure, she left behind a pager that could reach her across galaxies in an emergency…
But what if she couldn't return in time?
And now, even Nick Fury had left Earth…
Anton couldn't help but wonder—
Did they see Earth as nothing more than an afterthought?
As these thoughts raced through his mind, Anton launched into the sky.
A massive shockwave exploded beneath his feet—
BOOM!
A wave of dust and energy blasted outward, rippling across the marketplace in three directions.
In the blink of an eye, Anton was gone.
Heads turned.
A moment of silence fell across the bustling streets.
The aliens who had been mocking Anton moments earlier stood frozen—staring at the sky, their throats dry.
"Unbelievable... Another powerhouse just appeared in Knowhere."
"Did you see that speed?"
"If I could see that clearly, I wouldn't be standing here talking to you. I'd be out making a fortune as a mercenary!"
…
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