American Comics: Multiverse of Madness

186. The Master of the World.

In the end, old Barton couldn't bring himself to kill Melissa. Maybe letting her continue living, continuing to bear those pains, is the greatest punishment for her?

Old Barton thought to himself, but the real reason he didn't strike—only Barton himself knew.

As Hawkeye was about to leave, Melissa pulled out a map from her pocket. It was something she had specifically prepared for old Barton. She knew what Clint wanted was revenge, and even though he had spared her, that didn't mean he would spare others.

This map was from Moonstone and marked the community that Moonstone had established in the north. A few months ago, Moonstone had invited Melissa, hoping her old teammate could help establish the community. However, Melissa refused. She had long since withdrawn from worldly affairs. Now, living in this world was nothing more than an attempt to atone for her past sins.

Now, handing the map over to Barton, Melissa finally felt like she had done something 'good.'

She requested Hawkeye to take her along. If he didn't want to kill her, then her redemption would have no meaning. Melissa knew that Barton's journey wouldn't be easy, and even if Moonstone was dealt with, killing Baron Zemo wouldn't be simple. So, this time, Melissa decided to no longer remain silent.

-------------

"Are you really handing over Osborn City to the Blood Baron?"

Sitting in an armored off-road vehicle, Ashley finally couldn't hold back and asked Alex her question.

"I thought you were planning to stay silent forever."

Alex chuckled. Two days had passed since they set off, and Ashley had remained silent the entire time. If she didn't speak soon, Alex would have thought she had been scared out of her mind. After a pause, Alex replied.

"Trust is essential. John might not be a big player, but he's very clear about the outcomes from different perspectives. I believe he'll handle everything well."

"Do you trust him that much? He participated in the massacre of heroes back in the day," Ashley expressed her dissatisfaction tactfully.

"You really want to ask why I let him go, don't you?" Alex saw right through Ashley's thoughts and continued.

"Ashley, you have to understand, there's no one in this world who is 'clean,' including your father. Even though he was a hero before, I can't just start a massacre because the world is in chaos. I need order; I need stability, and for that, I need people."

Seeing Ashley still somewhat confused, Pietro chimed in.

"Listen, kid. In my world, things aren't much better than they are here. The biggest problem in both worlds isn't the rulers; it's the societies. Only when people are stable and society is harmonious, filled with hope and vitality, can these problems be solved. It's not just about killing or replacing one ruler with another."

"Killing rulers and starting a misguided revolution will only make things worse. Look at Krypton—our downfall is a prime example. Only by ensuring that everyone is on the right path can civilization continue," Kara added.

Hearing the explanations from the three 'veterans,' Ashley fell into thoughtful silence. Before, she had never considered these things. Or rather, back then, thinking about them wouldn't have been useful. Ashley was born in the wastelands. From the time she was aware, she watched the gangsters around her rob and plunder. She was raised with the belief that only the strong could live better lives.

In such an environment, Ashley developed a narrow mindset, where her views became distorted. She even slowly abandoned basic humanity and familial bonds, becoming extremely selfish and arrogant, believing that only by being this way could she live well. But after battling Osborn's League of Villains, Ashley was abruptly shaken.

She had never imagined that Alex and his team would possess such terrifying power. She couldn't understand why, despite their immense strength, Alex and the others still treaded so cautiously, avoiding drawing attention. This was the first time Ashley encountered something that completely contradicted her previous beliefs.

In the past, she would never have wasted time on something so meaningless. To her, it would have been a waste of time—time better spent stealing something practical.

But now, things were different. The terrifying power of Alex's faction forced her to confront the problem that troubled her. She couldn't fathom what Alex and his team were aiming for with their actions over the past few days.

Seeing Ashley fall back into silence, Alex kindly refrained from disturbing her. He knew that changing Ashley's mindset wasn't easy. Some things she needed to see and experience herself to develop new insights and overturn her previous 'naïve' views.

Maybe this is what people call maturity?

After a pause, Alex tilted his head, glanced at the map, and asked, "Venom, are you sure we're on the right path? Why is the navigation showing that we've entered the Master of the World's territory?"

"Yes, sir, we're on the right path. Moonstone's sanctuary is on the Canadian border. This is the quickest route to get there."

Venom emerged from Ashley's shoulder, extending its body from the backseat to where Alex was driving, looking at the map as it spoke.

"You should've said something earlier." Alex frowned but didn't say much more.

"To be honest, sir, I'm not very familiar with this area. I really don't know when the Master of the World's territory expanded here," Venom said, a bit troubled.

"It's okay, I'm not blaming you. It just feels a bit troublesome." Alex sighed quietly.

"Master of the World? Who is that?"

Kara and Pietro had never heard of the name before. Seeing Alex's somewhat exasperated expression, Kara couldn't help but voice her curiosity, which also caught Pietro's attention. Even Ashley turned her gaze toward Alex.

"The Master of the World, huh? An ancient being who has lived for forty thousand years, a product of alien technology modification. Advanced technology replaced his original body, greatly extending his lifespan, allowing him to live until now," Alex explained after thinking for a moment.

"He considers himself the ruler of this world and goes by the title 'Master of the World.' He was once the nemesis of the Alpha Flight. The annihilation of the Alpha Flight and the fall of Atlantis during the Old War were both his doing."

...…..

📢20 advanced chapters on p@treaon📢
For advance chapters: /Uchiha_Itachi007 (replace @ with a)
187. Breaking Through the Blockade.
188. Sentinel Robot!
189. Just in Time.
190. The Shock of Songbird and Hawkeye.
191. Another Conversation with Hawkeye.