Chapter 23

The duo walked into a Diner nearby while people watched them with surprise clear on their faces. Superman was a well known figure and they had just learned about Naruto, his interview had been playing on the TV and had taken their attention until all of it was finished.

To people who followed Superman closely, they would remember a similar scene with Flash. Both men had eaten lunch at a diner.

It wasn't just Flash, as the Man of Steel had been seen enjoying the normal things with other heroes as well.

Seeing Emperor with him increased Naruto's reputation in their eyes as a force of good.

The Diner became extremely quiet as the duo took a seat and the waitress took their order. All of them were curious what they were going to talk about.

"So, how's life been treating you?" Naruto asked as they took a seat.

"There were fluctuations over the years but, it has been great recently. What about you?" Clark responded casually like he was sitting with a friend.

Naruto was intent on treating him in a friendly manner so Clark reciprocated those feelings.

"Though, I had the displeasure of witnessing atrocities and handling disappointment for human kind. I am feeling fantastic as I love being active, and knowing that there are people like you in this world. The selfish and dark heart is a disgusting thing, so I really love feeling the positive from people like you. This is not act. To me you are a friend until you break my rules. You may be a Kryptonian but to me you are human because you believe that you are part of this world, and you have earned that right. You deserve it more than majority of humanity." Naruto responded as he took in Clark and told him the honest feelings.

Naruto hadn't and couldn't read Superman's mind for the same reason he couldn't with the Bat family. JL had safety measures taken against people like him.

Regardless, Naruto had data from all kinds of people and could make a proper conclusion based on it. The data impressed him and he would very much love to have the man stand by his side.

But, before that something's needed to change. Just like Batman, Superman would try to stop him as he believed that every living being had a right to exist.

People like Naruto who slaughtered people without blinking were the exact opposite of Superman.

Getting back, Clark was flattered to hear those words. It was very surprising and very rare for him to hear it from other people in his field.

"Thank you. I am flattered by your compliments. Does this mean, you get power from me?" Clark smiled and asked the question that came to his mind.

Naruto mentioned that humanity powered him, so did it also count him.

"Yes, as long as you believe you are part of humanity than I will get the benefit from even non-human's. How does that make you feel?"

Clark didn't know what to feel about that at the moment.

"That depends on your actions."

"Good, and what do you think of me now?"

"I feel like we can be good friends from the first impression. I just wish that you wouldn't start killing people."

"I already killed in the thousands, Superman. Killing is unavoidable, unless you are asking me to take back free will from humanity. We are at the starting line at the moment, so I can't insure zero deaths. It will take few years at max and then you will never have to worry about crimes and such.

Humanity will work together and all of us will be able to focus on outside threats. Doesn't that sound better? Or, do you prefer watching people commit petty crimes and innocent civilians dying?

You are already aware of the problem in the system, so why not give me a chance? I will prove with my actions that I am the better choice. Humanity needs a powerful leader with an iron fist to keep them in check. Unchecked freedom only leads to anarchy as desires will lead to confrontation and crimes."

Clark couldn't deny those points as he had seen things clearly for decades around the world. It wasn't just the top, as people were corrupt at all points in life.

The corruption had set into people and become normal. Societies used to be positive and friendly, but now there were many broken families and general aggressiveness in societies.

There was high level of selfishness along with unchecked sexual immorality that was completely poisoning everything.

Adultery was on the rise and children were being born of it. It affected both genders but in the last decade, women had won that race by miles.

Women in the modern society would have more than 20 partners by the age of 25. The media of all kind supports such a thing and discourages loyalty and persistence in relationships.

All these snowball into unhappy marriages and increase in divorce. Any person that has gotten used to sleeping around would most likely not settle for a single partner, and that is especially true for women.

Women in society are encouraged to indulge in immorality and they don't realize that they treat themselves as products.

When you sell pictures or videos of your naked body, you have become a product and you are aware of the use of that product.

Moving on from sexual immorality, businesses were busy trying to make everything into a product and reducing human rights one by one.

Large organizations were manipulating people and doing whatever they wanted freely, and just apologizing when they get caught.

People starving and homeless while there were millions of empty apartments and houses.

Barely anyone found such situations wrong and it had become the norm of society.

Was this really what humanity had become?

Was this outdated system truly the best we could do?

Did majority of the people just exist to work low paying jobs to slave away for the minority?

Would the system help these people when robotics was allowed to advance to a level where human labor could be replaced?

Clark knew the answer to the questions and they were not looking positive. The current system didn't care about human life and once robotics took over, poverty and unemployment was going to rise without stop.

It's not because technology was bad, but the humans at the top were cruel and inhumane.

This was the reason that Batman and the rest of the heroes hadn't given technology to these blood suckers. Even the government kept it out of their hands.

This did lower the rate of advancement but that was a calculated sacrifice that was acceptable. Only with a proper system such things should be let free into the world.

People at the top had to come up with answer to the questions and Clark could sadly say that he didn't trust them to do the right thing.

To make matters worse, alien forces were moving in and making use of such weakness in humanity. People were unaware of the real dangers out there, as true slavery of the worst kind was just a single mistake away from them.

Clark looked at the friendly looking figure and couldn't imagine any tyranny from him, but he knew that looks were deceptive.

Was Emperor also one of those alien threats?

Was he really a friendly neighborhood Will of Humanity?

All these thoughts went through Clark's mind in less than a nano second.

"Don't kill the criminals and I will support you." Clark put forth and Naruto smile widened but it was easy to tell that he was annoyed.

Naruto put his hand on his face and massaged his head.

"Superman, do you really understand the human mind? Do you not know why crime has continued to increase instead of decrease over time? I know you don't like it, but fear is useful and necessary at times. Criminals have zero need to be afraid while committing a crime, if they know that they can live through the ordeal. They can just come with an escape plan latter.

To make matters worse for you, the prison is a private business and criminals can pay the owners to help them out. I don't have to tell you such a thing, you are a smart guy.

Let's forget all this and just go by morals. Is it moral to value the life of a criminal above that of an innocent?

If a man or woman is raped, how is that person punished?

If a person is murdered, what is the punishment that is appropriate?

In both these extreme cases, the victim is never really compensated. Let me ask you, how would you feel if your lover was raped and traumatized while the criminal was just jailed?

What if that criminal got out safely?

What if your loved one was murdered and tortured, will you be happy that the criminal is living normally behind bars?

Remember, human beings are logical but there are many times that they are just emotional. Do you think the victims are satisfied with this result?

Do you think such punishment has done its job to compensate the victim and discourage people from the crime?

You should understand why the death penalty was removed from most things and things were spread to discredit its effectiveness. Barbaric it might be, but seeing it with your eyes is truly the only method to keep people in check."

Naruto was speaking to Clark in an honest manner and even showing his emotions. This was to win Clark over as the man was sensitive and Naruto had nothing to lose from it.

This way he showed the people that he wasn't some emotionless monster.

All those questions were filled with power and everyone that heard them could feel helplessness and rage in their hearts.

"Do you intend to start public executions?" Clark couldn't answer the questions as he was unwilling to even think about such things happening.

The words spoken whispered to the edges of his heart and he knew that he would kill without discrimination if such a thing took place.

"I won't need to, because people will know that I know what you do. And, everyone will know the results and why they took place.

Though, if necessary then I will partake in such an act. I know who is wrong and who is not. The doer of good is to be rewarded. The evil scum has no right and forsook the right to be considered part of humanity.

Your naïve approach of treating them like human has cost millions of lives and it will delay my plans for the future. These things don't deserve anything if they can't even change after what I put them through. They are fortunate that I didn't just erase them.

You won't be able to stop me, Superman. It is a futile effort. People will support me and start to hate you as time goes on.

This is a game that you can't win. The result has been set, so I only ask of you to remain neutral and join me once my actions bear fruit.

Or, you could stand by my side and keep me in check. What do you think?" Naruto stood up and looked down on him before dispersing into light green energy that flew into a nearby civilian.

Clark looked at his confident smirk and to the people around them, and he could see that they were heavily influenced by his words.

His future plans were set and hearing him talk, it was obvious that he had confidence in his actions. If things truly went along his plans, people will fall in love with him and hate anything that came against him.

Nations will fall if he was truly the Will and with Gaia on his side that would be hard to resist, especially with the public on his side.

It was obvious from his words that he despised people he considered scum.

The last action was surprising and Clark was unable to stop it, his hand went through the energy and Naruto took over the body of the civilian.

Naruto had mastered the use of chakra and clones to a very high level. Turning into chakra, he could infiltrate the body of others and cover them up, this way he could use the body like a puppet.

He also utilized mind control and the infiltration was to hide, and strengthen the puppet.

"If I wanted to, I could control everyone. I can take away your free will at a whim, but that is counterproductive to my goals." Naruto said as he looked at Clark with the new body and used the body like it was his own, showing that he had full control.

Naruto got out of the body, but it was still under his control.

"I don't want to talk to myself and stagnate. Looking at such robotic things is quite unpleasant." Naruto continued as he snapped his finger and the man snapped out of it.

Clark was lost in thoughts because of what he had heard and seen. He was incompatible with Emperor and couldn't fight him.

Zatanna, Shazam and Dr. Fate would be the best candidates if a fight took place.

But, it wasn't just the fight. He was just too good with his words and hadn't left him a chance to retaliate.

It was clear from the people and he knew what they wanted, death for the criminals.

"You won't mind my presence by your side." Clark took a breath and asked as Naruto sat down while the coffee finally arrived along with some pastries.

"I won't, but you can't interfere with my action plan. I will target every evil scum, give them the appropriate punishment and put them on a mission to repay their debts. I am not sending them to prison at the moment and the only people that will go to prison will be small time criminals, thieves and such.

I will heal the world, people and the environment. I will have people invest in the necessary services and productions, while spreading my message to teach people a better way at life.

You can be part of that, and it will make it easier." Naruto answered the question with a happy tone before taking a sip from his cup.

"I will think about it and get back to you. But, I will stop you if you step out of line." Clark warned in a harsh tone and hoped that it never came to such a point.

"That's what I wanted to here. I really like you a lot and we are friends from today, okay?" Naruto smiled and extended his hand.

Clark looked into his eyes and really couldn't get a read on him. Was this real?

Ignoring a hand of friendship was a Batman thing to do, so Clark took the hand.

"I would be happy to."

"Good, so let's move on from the serious topic and relax. How's your love life going, want some help?"

Clark blinked hearing that, "Do you also dabble in love talk?"

"I do. I also have emotions of love and know a lot about pleasure of the soul, and flesh. I was thinking you might be having an issue."

"Thanks for the offer, but we got it settled."

"Oh, should I expect a tiny superman sometime next year?"

"Don't you know the answer to that?"

"I wanted to hear it from your mouth. It gets boring knowing everything."

"We are still thinking about it." Clark didn't say it and Naruto didn't correct him, Lois was pregnant with his child and she had been infused with Kryptonian DNA.

Lois was now a Halfling so that she could actually stay by Clark's side and give birth to his child safely. Similar to Nightwing, Lois had been unable to have proper intercourse with Clark.

Clark had to depower himself to the point of damaging his health if he wanted to sleep with Lois, or his semen would kill Lois.

To solve the issue they got genetic modification similar to Lana Lang, turning Lois into a Super woman.

Lana Lang was Clark's childhood friend. She had ended up getting hit by radioactive energy from Clark when his powers had become unstable.

This almost led to her death and Clark saved her by modifying her DNA. Lana Lang gained powers similar to Superman on a lower scale and became Superwoman.

Lois preferred her job as a journalist, so she rarely ever helped out with hero business directly. She went by the name of Superwoman while Lana changed her name to Ultrawoman.

"Well, I will be waiting for the day I can see some super babies. I know they will be good kids. What about Bat's, when do you think he will get married? I met Cat, she was a good woman. Do you think they will settle down soon?"

"I didn't take you for a gossip, Emperor."

Naruto shrugged, "Now you know, this Emperor can be serious and carefree. Have you thought about having sports for super people, doesn't that sound interesting? What do you guys think?

Won't it be fantastic watching Superman play football or soccer? Just imagine the scene with superheroes."

All around them images popped of such scenery and people couldn't help but agree. That sounded pretty awesome.

Clark couldn't help but shake his head and smile. Emperor truly was a friendly guy.

He spoke to the heart of people and was very much relatable.

He didn't just go on a tirade about complex topics that the common man wouldn't grasp and he didn't look down on people.

From his demeanor, he seemed very approachable.

Clark wished that this was the reality and not some fever dream.

"I don't think they would agree to such games. Most of them are quite serious."

"What about you? Will you play a game of basketball with me or do you want try a real Pokemon battle?" Naruto asked as he transformed the ash tray into a basketball and created a Pikachu clone.

Pika Pika

The cute little creature looked at Clark and jumped on to his head.

It was clear flex of his powers and Clark could see it.

"Pokemon battle, please!" The children called out, breaking the silence.

Looking at the children, Clark caught the Pikachu.

"Okay, let us have a Pokemon Battle."

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A.N. Hope you enjoyed.

Such talks are common in the start of the story. It will become rare later on.

I just watched Fate movie yesterday and thought about a story using fairy tales.