New York, State University
After paying his tuition, John walked into the university, where every student exuded a youthful energy that seemed to heal his dark heart. He found his classroom and took a seat in the second-to-last row by the window, propping his chin on his hand as he admired the beautiful scenery with his X-ray vision.
To those nearby, he appeared as a handsome, sunny young man deep in thought—a picturesque scene. Just then, a person who looked like a nerd sat at the desk next to John, disturbing his enjoyment of the view.
Reluctantly, John turned off his X-ray vision and said, "Hello, my name is John—John Starr," extending his hand.
The nerd nearby froze, as if no one had ever greeted him proactively before. After confirming the greeting was meant for him, he replied, "I-I'm Peter. Peter Parker," and shook John's hand.
Peter Parker? Spider-Man? John thought. He hasn't gained his powers yet—fresh out of college. But I've heard he has a very beautiful aunt.
John smiled and said, "Peter, you seem like a very studious person. I think we'll get along well," patting Peter's shoulder.
"Alright, John," Peter said quietly, not wanting to elaborate.
John silently put his phone away. He had originally wanted to add Peter on Skype to get closer, but Peter seemed too cautious. Maybe next time.
Just then, a beautiful blonde girl entered through the door. Peter immediately stood, greeted her, and then returned to his seat to read his book.
Is that Gwen Stacy, one of Spider-Man's ex-girlfriends? John wondered. She is beautiful but not my type. I wonder if Spider-Woman exists in this world. He considered approaching her but hesitated.
At that moment, a teacher entered. The students who had been standing and socializing quickly returned to their seats, causing John—who was about to get up—to sit down again. His expression soured.
Peter noticed but dismissed it, thinking it didn't matter since they weren't close.
That night, John felt a surge of displeasure as he recalled the morning's events. Slipping on his slippers, he got out of bed, opened the refrigerator door, glanced inside, and cursed under his breath with a U.S. expletive, "The milk's already gone!"
Quickly dressing, John grabbed his phone and wallet and headed out to buy milk.
After searching many convenience stores, he finally found his favorite brand. After paying, he opened a carton and drank it rapidly.
Mrs. Chen, the Chinese store owner next to him, was startled by his intense expression as he drank, suspecting the milk might be addictive. Just as she was about to suggest a different brand, John swiftly left the store.
"Damn it, why can't drinking milk calm my superpower rampage now? Damn Vought Group! Do I have to kill two more people to relieve it?" John murmured softly before ducking into an alley.
He pulled out a Batman mask from his bag and quickly took to the skies, heading toward Hell's Kitchen.
(Actually, this isn't a rampage. It's increased aggression caused by John's lack of love after leaving his family. The protagonist just doesn't realize this.)
He sought to suppress his uncontrollable powers through killing.
John smiled as he flew rapidly through the night toward Brooklyn.
Brooklyn
"Hand over your money. Now." A black man with a stocking over his head brandished a knife, threatening a beautiful white woman.
Frightened, she knelt, clutching the man's leg and pleading, "Please, this is for my child's formula. Just leave me a little—just a little, please!"
Her plea didn't move him. The man's eyes gleamed with greed as he snatched all the money and disappeared deeper into the alley, leaving the woman crying helplessly. She usually worked and had her family prepare formula money, which was now gone.
Suddenly, a calm voice broke the despair.
"Hi, ma'am. Excuse me, is this money yours?" John Gentleman asked as he helped the woman up.
Seeing her money returned, she gripped John's hand tightly, saying, "I don't know how to thank you, Mr. Batman. Really, I don't."
She reached for some money to repay him.
"No, this is for your child. I can't accept it," John said, gently pushing her hand away.
Still, he found it hard to resist her gratitude and feigned difficulty. "Actually, I do have something I need your help with. You just had a child, right?" he asked hesitantly.
Returning home in the early morning, John relaxed on his bed, thinking, My way to suppress Vought's psychological barrier has shifted—from drinking milk to now killing. How long can this keep my superpower rampage in check?
Why do others transmigrate directly into someone else, while I ended up with Homelander—perfectly inheriting all his flaws?
Still, he was grateful to Azu. After all, his body was strong enough to let him survive in this world.
John was worried about the coming days.
I need to find time to visit Wakanda. The heart-shaped herb not only boosts physical fitness but, more importantly, grants entry into the spiritual world. Maybe it can cure the illness I brought with me from the transmigration.
Excited by the thought, John walked to the refrigerator and took out a cold bottle of milk. His eyes glowed red as he heated the milk with his Cyclops vision, then lay back on the bed and drank it.
It's 2008 now, and the Iron Man storyline is about to begin. I can make some money by buying Stark Industries stock. Later, as a superhero, I'll definitely need funds for missions, hiring extras, and even water armies.
Robbing gang members like that might be exhausting, but if it calms my rage and brings money, I suppose it's worth it. Still don't know how real superheroes manage to fight crime every night and stay so energetic.
John pondered his future plans for a while before giving up and falling asleep.