C 98

Seeing Obadiah holding a wine glass and mingling with others, Anton walked away with a big smile plastered on his face. However, his mind was preoccupied with a surprising revelation.

The "Artificial Sun" experiment, spearheaded by Obadiah and Dr. Otto Octavius, was set to kick off so soon!

For a moment, Anton felt a pang of sympathy for New Yorkers. Just as they were recovering from the Green Goblin incident and the collapse of the Foot Clan, they were about to face yet another crisis.

'It's awful. Truly too much.'

New York wasn't just a dangerous city—it was arguably the most perilous place in the entire universe. Crisis after crisis seemed to strike without reprieve.

Anton smirked, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "If someone became a contractor specializing in post-disaster reconstruction in New York, they'd probably be a billionaire in three to five years."

As he mused, Tony Stark approached him, a faint smile on his face. "Anton, you've really impressed me lately."

Tony's gaze lingered on his old acquaintance, memories of their tense confrontation more than half a year ago flashing through his mind. Compared to then, Anton's transformation was undeniable. 

The once carefree playboy had evolved into a sharp and resourceful director.

Tony had to admit, everyone grows up eventually—even himself. But Anton Jameson's evolution from a prodigal son to a visionary filmmaker was especially remarkable.

Then there was Batman.

Batman's meteoric rise to popularity had captivated not just the United States but the entire world. And at the center of this phenomenon was the Daily Bugle, which Anton owned. 

The newspaper's close association with Batman had led to endless speculation.

And there was more—Anton wasn't just involved with Batman through the Daily Bugle. He was also the director of the blockbuster film Batman Begins!

Tony's sharp mind couldn't ignore the implications. While the internet buzzed with rumors that the Daily Bugle had helped "create" Batman, Tony knew the truth: Batman Begins was entirely Anton's project.

Jarvis had run comparisons on Anton's movements, abilities, and personality. The data was clear: there was a 70% probability that Anton Jameson was Batman.

The remaining 30%? That came down to two factors.

First, Batman's character and skill set were starkly different from the Anton Jameson Tony had known in the past. It was hard to reconcile the two personalities.

Second, and perhaps more damning, was the night Batman Begins hit a global box office milestone, earning over $600 million. At the celebration party, Anton and Batman had been spotted in two different places at the same time.

But Tony wasn't one to be easily swayed by appearances. If he wanted to, he could have Jarvis control a Mark suit remotely and make it "Tony Stark" appear on the other side of the world while he lounged at home. 

The technology existed, and he was certain Anton could pull off something similar.

The evidence kept pointing in one direction. There was really only one conclusion left to draw:

Anton Jameson was Batman.

This whole situation made Tony feel even more skeptical—it defied all logic.

Having known Anton for so long, Tony had never seen any indication that Anton possessed the qualities of a superhero. 

In Tony's case, his transformation into Iron Man was born out of a life-or-death ordeal, an extraordinary mind, and a newfound determination to take control of his destiny.

But Anton? What did he have? How could he be Batman?

Tony couldn't reconcile this idea in his mind, which was why he had organized this party. He needed to observe Anton up close and see for himself if there was any truth to the rumors that Anton had changed after his mysterious disappearance.

However, the moment Tony laid eyes on Anton, he felt his doubts solidify.

Especially when he saw the woman accompanying Anton.

This woman was stunning, exuding an allure that seemed to radiate from her every move. Her presence was magnetic, making her stand out even in a room filled with glamorous people.

Tony smirked. 'With a woman like that at his side, Anton hasn't changed at all. He's still the same old playboy.'

"It's all thanks to your support, Tony," Anton said warmly, greeting his old friend.

"This is your first party since you got back safely. We can't just stand around."

Anton gestured to the side, drawing Tony's attention. "Look, they're betting on us again!"

Tony followed his gaze and smirked. "Do you want to keep our little gambling tradition alive?"

"If you insist!" Anton replied with a casual shrug.

"I've invited the ten most famous cover girls from Playboy Magazine this year," Tony said, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. He glanced at Natasha beside Anton, twirling his mustache as he added, "If you can charm them all away from me right here, I'll admit defeat this time."

"You don't seem interested in competing with me yourself," Anton said, raising an eyebrow in mock surprise.

Tony's expression softened for a moment as his eyes flicked to Pepper Potts, who was chatting with other guests across the room. "I've already found someone who suits me."

"It seems you're about to step into the tomb of marriage," Anton teased, releasing his arm from Natasha's slender waist. With a grin, he added, "Congratulations on finding true love, my friend."

With that, Anton turned and made his way toward the nearest cover girl, ready to take up Tony's challenge.

Tony, left alone with Natasha, squinted at her curiously. "He doesn't seem to take you very seriously, does he, beautiful lady?"

"My name is Natasha," she replied, her tone calm and unbothered. "And he's just my boss."

"Is that so?" Tony said, raising an eyebrow.

Meanwhile, Anton was making quick work of Tony's challenge. He charmed the first cover girl effortlessly, then moved on to the second. Each woman was captivated, laughing and smiling as he worked his way down the line.

By the time half an hour had passed, Anton returned to Tony with all ten cover girls in tow, their laughter and admiration trailing behind him.

"Tony," Anton said with a triumphant grin, "I think it's safe to say you've lost this one."

"It's really no contest!"

Surrounded by ten stunning cover girls, Anton grinned triumphantly, holding one on each arm.

Natasha maintained her smile but cast a glance at Anton and the women around him. For the first time, she began to doubt the accuracy of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s intel. 

Anton's behavior seemed worlds apart from Batman's disciplined and calculated demeanor.

Unbeknownst to her, Tony Stark, standing nearby, had just crossed another possibility off his mental list.

Tony's eye twitched slightly as he watched Anton revel in his victory. 'How could I have even considered this guy might be Batman?'

He chalked it up to lingering effects from his recent ordeal. 'I've clearly been back too long, and the concussion must not have fully healed.'

"Good luck tonight," Tony muttered under his breath, feigning a smile as he nodded to Anton. Then, without waiting for a response, he retreated to a quieter corner and addressed Jarvis.

"Jarvis, send a message to my personal doctor. Have him bring all the professional equipment tomorrow morning for a full brain scan."

He sighed in frustration and added, "Damn it, my brain is my most valuable asset. There cannot be anything wrong with it."

Just then, Pepper walked in and overheard Tony's instructions to Jarvis. Her expression shifted immediately.

"Tony, why are you calling your private doctor?" she asked, concern evident in her voice.

"It's nothing," Tony replied quickly, attempting to soothe her worries. "Just a routine check-up!"

Meanwhile, across the room, Anton turned to Natasha. "Maybe we should head back to the hotel," he suggested with a playful smile.

"Are you sure?" Natasha asked, glancing at the ten cover girls still fawning over him. "I wouldn't want to intrude."

"Intrude? Not at all! With you and these lovely ladies, we'll have a perfect twelve—just enough for three tables of mahjong!" Anton chuckled.

Amid envious and hateful stares from the other partygoers, Anton led Natasha and the ten cover girls to a luxury hotel in Los Angeles.

The group spent the entire night playing mahjong. By the end, Anton had not only cemented his reputation as a charmer but also won tens of thousands of dollars.

And yes, don't bother asking why the Los Angeles hotel conveniently had mahjong tables—let alone three of them!

…

patreon.com/Vks_sh