Chapter 12: Darkseid

The streets of Metropolis were filled with these strange humanoid creatures in green armor. They spewed abnormal flames from their mouths and primarily used their exceptional strength, speed, and durability to their advantage. Shots from regular weapons had little to no significant effect. Some of them wielded something resembling a plasma lance in their hands. People ran, screamed, and hid in their homes. Some even abandoned their cars in the middle of the road and fled in every direction. The attack had been meticulously planned and successfully executed thanks to a high-tech "box" that could open rifts to another dimension, the dimension of Darkseid's planet.

These invaders weren't focused on destroying humans; they were taking them away to an unknown destination. Only those who resisted were eliminated on the spot with their powerful clawed hands. Amidst all the chaos, the panic, and people running, a strange man walked calmly. He wore a black jacket with a cloak, a black fedora hat, matching trousers, and shoes. A sly smile played on his face, and the slant of his eyes concealed his true intentions even more.

"So noisy around here," he said in a bored tone, holding his hat with one hand. "Let's get started!" He raised his hand, lifting something into the air. "RISE!"

Around him, warriors in steel armor began to appear in a blue mist with a hint of flame at the edges. Beautiful red capes fluttered in the wind, and the blue glowing eyes from within their helmets were filled with determination. The soldiers and mages formed up into four groups in perfect formation. Each of them now had their own sheaths, and they drew their weapons in unison. Single-handed and two-handed swords glinted in the sunlight.

"Show these vile creatures what you're capable of!"

The team and several groups split up. The knights in the front ranks ruthlessly cut the lizard-like monsters into pieces. Mages supported with fireballs, turning the creatures to ash. The heroes took on the role of leaders and only occasionally intervened, leaving the "easy" work to the nameless units. Only Asta, the "Right Hand of the Empire," stood by her "New King," awaiting his command.

"Let's go, Asta. We shouldn't waste our time on such feeble opponents," they said, walking towards the one who had initiated all this in the first place.

Robin's group consisted of two dozen warriors. They cleared the streets of the city and moved deeper into the chaos. At some point, Robin raised his fist in the air and telepathically commanded everyone to scatter. Plasma shots could seriously damage their armor, making them vulnerable. Nearly everyone managed to evade in time. Only one of the knights chose to shield some innocent bystanders: a middle-aged woman with her son. The mother huddled around her child, creating a makeshift barrier, while the boy, who didn't fully understand what was happening, looked at his rescuer in awe. Robin landed nearby in a single large leap. A brief silent exchange took no more than three seconds, and then Robin placed his hand on the knight's shoulder and gave a nod. He signaled to the others to continue forward into the city.

"Please, do whatever you want with me, but leave the child alone!" The mother pleaded.

"Stanley!"

"It's okay, Mom. Can't you see he really wants to help us?" Fear momentarily left her, but caution and tension remained. The knight was content with this, and turning his back to them, he used his armored glove to gesture for them to follow. With uncertain steps, the woman and her son followed him.

It was challenging to move stealthily on his own when there was such chaos in the city streets. Fortunately, the loud battles happening elsewhere drew more attention than their small group. While he intended to help them and ensure their safety, he had little understanding of the local city's layout, and the inability to communicate with people made the task even more challenging. They moved slowly through the city's alleys, trying to avoid open areas. At some point, he noticed the entrance to the subway, where people had formed a defensive circle. The only reason they hadn't been attacked was that they were mostly being ignored. He pointed to the spot and then sprinted forward, with the group following him.

However, at one point, a small pack of twenty lizard-like creatures noticed the small group and charged towards them simultaneously. Their attempts to defend themselves with firearms were futile, and the knight had to fight them alone. A thrust pierced the head of one, the shield blocked the attack of the next, and he used his momentum to swing the shield upwards, cutting another one in half. The third one used a plasma staff and fired a shot that melted the shield, rendering it useless. Discarding the shield, the knight, wielding his sword with both hands, rushed towards his enemies. A couple of shots left significant holes in his armor, but he didn't care. He was determined to fulfill his duty. A cross-cut sliced two of them, and a finishing strike from a turn took out the third. At some point, the lizards decided to attack the nameless knight from all sides simultaneously, but his sweeping attack prevented them from getting close. Only one creature, seemingly reluctant to meet its end, managed to grab his legs with its hands and forcefully tore them away from his armor. He dealt a finishing blow to its head.

The nameless knight looked around and noticed that the last remaining creature, which had been biding its time all along, was heading toward the family he had been escorting and protecting up to that point. His body was incapacitated to reach them in time, so leaning on his left arm and raising his right with the sword, he took careful aim and hurled his sword. The cutting, ear-piercing sound. The weapon struck the creature in the head, piercing it through.

"Mr. Knight!" the boy shouted worriedly, running to his rescuer.

"Stanley! Come back to me! We need to find cover before they return!"

This time, the knight agreed with the mother's words. He leaned on his left arm and raised his right hand in a "stop" gesture, then pointed to the mother.

"Do you want me to go with her? What about you?"

He showed the boy a thumbs-up, as if saying, "It's all good. Everything is okay."

The child's eyes sparkled with gratitude, and he managed to force a smile.

"Thank you, Mr. Knight! I'll never forget you!"

The words brought a warm feeling, something he hadn't experienced in his cold, barren existence. It was an indescribably beautiful and unforgettable feeling. But the orders of the new king could not be disputed. Therefore, he quickly crawled to the creature's body, retrieved his sword, and headed towards the direction of the deafening explosions.

Robin, the "Symbol of the Hunt," was perhaps the most... different from his fellow spirits. Yes, like the others, he had initially been immersed in indifference and cold-bloodedness. But when he was given a second chance, he immediately accepted it, wanting to reclaim something long forgotten and lost. And now, as he fought the invaders, he realized what he wanted to regain: "The Thrill of the Hunt." The only thing that separated him from what he desired was the role of a commander, as silly as it might sound. Robin didn't see anything wrong with getting carried away with his prey. He simply loved his job—what's wrong with that?

An arrow, woven from his own soul, formed in his bow. Drawing the string, Robin released the arrow into the open air, where it split into dozens of its copies and struck all the targets with incredible precision.

Trask, the "Defender," after all the events that had happened to him, began to recall something inexplicably important related to their "Heroes." But it was always Maria who occupied the top spot in his mind. Trask would undoubtedly always protect Maria. But he couldn't remember why or for what reason. It just seemed... right to him? And even despite the new king's orders to split up and clear the city of invaders, he deliberately planned his route so that they would eventually meet.

Maria, the "Holy Light," didn't like violence and battles. But she understood the necessity of these actions to save people's lives. Using Holy Magic, Maria transformed her squad into the deadliest and most dangerous force. They were frighteningly strong and fast, and after their "Crusade," only dismembered monsters remained. However, this power came at a terrible cost. Her special status, "Chosen by the Light," indicated that in her past, while still alive, Maria had been chosen to bear this holy and pure power bestowed upon her by the Bright Gods. The status "Rejected by the Light" indicated that after she became undead, the Gods had practically turned away from her. Maria was cursed to seek forgiveness from them for the rest of her days. Every time she invoked her power, it felt as if her soul was tearing apart from within, but the ancient and dreadful curse prevented her from leaving this world.

"Pain is nothing when it comes to protecting comrades and these people."

Astoria and I moved slowly, assessing the situation in the city. For some reason, important figures like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman were late. While we could understand the absence of the latter two, why wasn't the beloved hero of the city present? It was unclear. I mentally shrugged. For Astoria and me, it meant more fun.

"Asta, this opponent is not one to take lightly. So, I ask... no, I command you not to hold back and go all out," I said with a brief nod, exhaling with relief. I hoped everything would go well.

Finding Darkseid wasn't particularly challenging, to be honest. A two-meter titan with asphalt-colored skin, flying in the center of the city and occasionally firing his omega beams from his glowing red eyes, which emitted both boredom and arrogance, was hard to miss. Checking his status, I was surprised to see that his strength and agility stats were near eight hundred, while his wisdom and intellect were around three hundred. The difference between him and me was monstrous, and Astoria lagged behind him in stats by only a third.

Attributes: "Pride," "Master of Hand-to-Hand Combat," "Manipulator," "God of His World," "Walking Avatar," "Being That Defied the Will of the Gods," "Savior/Destructor."

He had a special status, "Pride." If Astoria restrained herself due to Honor, he held back simply because he didn't consider it necessary to fight at full strength against insects like us. That could be exploited. We approached him, using a ghostly step. With such opponents, it was essential to make the right first impression. He hung in the air and stopped firing his eye beams. Externally, the titan didn't express curiosity, but the mere fact that he didn't attack me right away warmed my heart. When the distance between us was about five meters, I removed my hat and respectfully bowed.

"Greetings, all-powerful Darkseid. May I inquire about your visit to our world?"

"Why should I speak of my plans to a foolish mortal?"

"Well, maybe because I live here? I mean, there's a purpose behind all actions, right? I want to understand you better."

"Reap, dominate, enslave – that's all me. I am your Savior. I want to show all of you mortals that you've been living wrong all this time. You don't seem to feel yourself, which is why you piqued my curiosity. You're like an anomaly standing before me due to some stupid mistake. If you kneel right now and acknowledge me as your lord, I might spare your pitiful life."

"Warning!

"Attempt to manipulate the mind!

"Failed!

I won't succumb so easily to the attempts of some insignificant creature who fancies itself a God. Only a third stronger than Asta, ha! I need much more impressive achievements, not empty words from some 'Supreme Being.' Darkseid reminds me of the Nazis. Just as foolish, wanting absolute power over the world. The only difference is power. Darkseid has it. I mockingly, with a crooked smile, knelt down and threw my dagger at him.

"Fool..." - Darkseid muttered, releasing a huge burst of Omega beams. Interestingly, I could see through the system that these beams had their own consciousness during those split seconds. This is why they could pursue their target, altering their trajectory. I disappeared from the line of fire and found myself behind him, catching the dagger and striking, piercing his back. I noticed with slight annoyance that out of the five thousand health points he had, I had only taken a hundred and fifty-six. What protection...

One of the beams suddenly changed its trajectory and headed back towards me, while Asta, taking the attack on herself, swiftly closed in on Darkseid, almost hitting him with a left fist in the jaw. Boom. The air trembled with an invisible wave, and his face only shifted slightly. Crimson blood began to ooze from the corners of his lips. The beam hit me, and I immediately turned into a pile of ash. Another space distortion – the result of the false erasure of time. Omega beams are a dangerous attack. But they can never harm me, as this attack has consciousness and is oriented only towards eliminating its target. No opponent can do anything against that. I destroyed the concept of an aura, that is, my own presence. Instead of hiding my aura from it, it's better to get rid of it; otherwise, high-ranking beings can easily bypass me.

"Your master is dead, warrior. Perhaps you..." - Asta's aura turned red, and her strength tripled. Berserk?! When did you learn that?!"

The blue blade of the Soul with fragments of a shattered sword made several strikes in a fraction of a second, which the Titan managed to block with his hands at the last moment, but due to the huge recoil, he was thrown into the nearest skyscraper. An unbelievably monstrous roar echoed throughout the city. I came out of stealth and, shrugging, spread my arms wide.

"Sorry, Darkseid, but she's already occupied. Forward! Let's wipe that arrogant expression off his face!"

As it turned out, we weren't the first ones to decide to stand up to Darkseid. Green Lantern, Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Shazam, and Batman teamed up to teach him a lesson. However, Darkseid was a formidable opponent, and even with their numerical advantage, he could easily overpower the superheroes. Only Bats, realizing his uselessness against such a foe, tried to help by taking out the regular lizard-like enemies that seemed to multiply even with my assistance. Here, Supes lands several punches on the titan's face, but in the next moment, Darkseid sends him flying with a jaw-shattering blow and tosses him aside by grabbing his long cape like a toy. And there's Wonder Woman with her double-edged sword, trying to inflict at least a couple of scratches, but the armor successfully defends the titan from such attacks. A swift blow to the solar plexus sends the superhero flying. I catch her in mid-air and, gently setting her down, tip my hat and introduce myself.

"Nice to meet you, Diana. I've heard about you. I would continue our introduction, but alas, 'business'," I point my thumb in Darkseid's direction.

Next in the fray was Asta. After all, she couldn't be left out of all the fun, could she? Diving like a falling comet, the strike of her sword left a spherical grid of cracks on the asphalt. Darkseid grimaces and gets angry. Apparently, he didn't expect this from some knight. Now he wrests her sword from her. A series of lightning-fast attacks ensues, among which it was impossible to distinguish anything except for the yellow flashes of sparks and the roar of blows. With my stealth abilities, my attacks become simply unfair due to the enemy's inability to detect me. Time and again, the armor is covered in slashing strokes, and as soon as I reappear during an attack, I disappear again, annoying him like a mosquito.

"Enough!" In a fraction of a second, his hands glow with the familiar omega beams, and I, already realizing what's going to happen, quickly give the command to my partner.

"Asta, cover me!" The heroine shields me with her body, embedding her sword in the asphalt. The explosive wave blinds me for a few seconds. When my vision returns, I only see a battered Asta, still trying to stand. He certainly gave it his all. Eight blocks were simply wiped off the face of the Earth with just one attack. Now it felt like we were in the middle of a lifeless wasteland.

"Well done, you did great," I say, lifting my hat off the asphalt and dusting it off before putting it back on. I place my right hand on Asta's shoulder, gradually healing her with time manipulation. A smoke curtain gave us a brief respite. Diana approached me from behind.

"Who are you?"

"Ah, I apologize for my rudeness. I addressed you, but I didn't introduce myself," I express regret in my tone. "I'm Alex T., the Keeper, and this is my partner, Asta. We decided to kick this god's arrogant behind. His name is Darkseid."

"Do you know him?" she asked with a hint of suspicion, gripping the hilt of her sword tightly. Hey, why such distrust? I'm fighting him!

"We met him a couple of minutes ago. I asked him, 'Why are you destroying everything?' and he replied, 'Because I'm evil.' That's the entire dialogue," I shrug and look satisfied as Asta confidently gets back into battle position.

"So someone like him decided to have a conversation?"

"I think anyone with immense power can talk. And if they can't, it makes you a 'Dragon,' whom everyone wants to kill to become a 'Hero.' However, heroes like that always run the risk of turning into a dragon after killing it."

I would love to continue discussing philosophical topics with her, but alas, the situation doesn't allow for it. I'd like to get to know her better. The most amusing part is that her power, as well as Supes' power, seemed to be on the same level as Darkseid's, but there were still question marks regarding their true capabilities. The stats I observed were for the "current" moment. They're holding back, right? After all, everyone wants to have a whole city, don't they? Diana and Clark didn't even have an idea of their true strength. Although Diana might have some insight, but Clark definitely doesn't. And it's strange that he didn't react to my advances towards her. Has he already started his relationship with Lois Lane? I'm thinking about all the wrong things.

Darkseid flies out of the partially destroyed building at tremendous speed, grabbing Asta by her helmet in a sudden attack and using her as a battering ram to plow through houses while simultaneously delivering furious blows to her armor, leaving significant dents and damage. A strike from Asta's semi-ruined sword helps push Darkseid aside. Two pairs of familiar beams once again attempt to turn my faithful partner into ashes, but a light barrier absorbs them. From the dark alleys of the city, my soldiers and mages sequentially emerge, rushing towards him.

Robin, coming out of invisibility, hovers directly above Darkseid and fires his spiritual arrow. Another deadly beam disperses the arrow like an illusory phantom mist. At some point, the titan decided to get rid of my army with his beams. Trask successfully shields Maria from the attack with his massive shield, but unfortunately, the others couldn't boast such an achievement and were knocked down by the powerful stream of his deadly beams. Something needs to be done about those beams. Maybe try to gouge his eyes out?

"Distract him!" I address the future Justice League team, then disappear into invisibility, adding quietly, "Please."

Despite Hal Jordan intentionally sabotaging the squad and trying to show how cool he really is, Wonder Woman managed to give him a small lecture about how this is not a game, but rather their lives and the lives of the people in the city at stake. It helped, and now they were working together as a well-coordinated team to take down Darkseid as if he were a real "Raid Boss." Flash created a tornado that lifted him into the air. Shazam delivered a shock therapy of his white lightning, and Wonder Woman lassoed his throat with her lasso, literally riding him and attempting to stab him with her sword. Superman simply pummeled his face with his fists. I ordered my army not to interfere in the current situation; they would only disrupt the coordinated efforts of these heroes. I just waited for the right moment to strike, as despite all our attempts, Darkseid's health bar didn't seem to be dropping significantly. So, is it all thanks to his suit, or is it just plain immortality?

In the next moment, Victor, a newly-minted hero nicknamed "Cyborg," appeared. He managed to reprogram the portals to send the creatures back to Darkseid's dimension. Almost all the lizard-like monsters were sucked into the orange-white portal singularity. Only the titan remained. Our team prepared to ram him into the portal vortex. However, Darkseid, apparently understanding the not-so-complicated plan, decided to use his trump card: an energy bomb made of omega beams. The heroes stepped back, realizing the danger of this move, and I knew that there wouldn't be a better moment to strike.

"You're repeating yourself..."

Maria finished reciting the prayer that granted us an incredible boost in stats. One arrow, shot by Robin, split into dozens, piercing Darkseid through. Now he remotely resembled a pincushion. The arrows were not meant to inflict damage but to restrict his movements. Asta found herself up close to Darkseid and pierced his shoulder with her sword. The blade got stuck somewhere inside, disrupting his concentration. His scream, full of pain and hatred, was like music to my ears. Asta rammed him towards the portal with all her might, and when she was almost at the entrance, she delivered her famous "Sparta" strike to the titan's chest. He managed to grab her hand when he was halfway inside the portal. Did you want to take with you the one who essentially made you bleed, Darkseid? It won't work!

I immediately appeared next to them and, with a swift motion of my dagger, severed Asta's hand. Our Raid Boss was finally defeated. Well, relatively. It would have been more logical to kill him. How many casualties were there among the local population? A few thousand? And worldwide? Millions? And for what? For a dubious victory. That's why I can never get used to the role of a hero in this world. Someone has to take responsibility for what others are incapable of, and yes, I'm talking about you, Batman. I feel your scrutinizing and wary gaze.

"Asta, Robin, Trask, Maria, and... all of you. I couldn't have done it without you. Thank you," I mentally addressed them all and sent them back to their space with a casual gesture.

"Well, I think it's done with him. For now..." I said to myself and took out the black hat from my inventory, which I had decided to put away, fearing for its integrity.

"And why are all of you so gloomy? Isn't the fact that some 'god' from the dark realm lost a reason to rejoice?" I added.

"The damage to ordinary people is extremely... substantial," Batman spoke up.

"How boring you all are. He could have destroyed the planet, turned everything living into a wasteland! But here, we've spoiled all his plans."

"Next time he'll be more careful..."

Wow! It's strange to hear such words from Batman. Doesn't he like the fact that we didn't finish off Darkseid together? Probably. You really know how to surprise me, Bruce.

"Alright, come up with something interesting. Call me," I waved my hand and, turning away from them, headed towards the nearest hotel.

"Wait! You have to answer my questions!"

It's nice when Wonder Woman herself addresses you. Apparently, I was something of an unknown anomaly to her, someone she wanted to study under a microscope. Funny... I wouldn't mind chatting, but there's no need to rush into whose hands? Right, into the hands of an Amazon who didn't care about public opinion regarding her attire and who had just begun to understand the world. I just want to figure out whether I should take on the challenge of trying to play with such a woman, who has centuries/millennia of life experience behind her. Won't I just be a boy to her? Who will be playing with whom in the future? But that just adds to the excitement! An opponent worthy of my attention! It sounds strange considering that we didn't become enemies, but as future... partners, perhaps. Who knows? I can't see the future for now.

"Should I?" I turn slightly to face her, holding onto my hat against the gust of wind. "I'm sorry, but I'm not ready to share secrets with a stranger," I assess her with my gaze, and with a somewhat forlorn and sad tone, I continue, "Okay, with very attractive strangers," I'd bet anything my compliment was well received, and she barely blushed. Damn, how cute! Well, the key is not to give myself away and quickly change the subject. "Look over there! Why don't you play with Clark? He's our all-around super guy."

Clark raised his hands in a 'I surrender' gesture.

"Hey, I actually want to live a normal life. Don't involve me in this," he added.

"Yeah, yeah, living a normal double life. I wonder, is it convenient for any of the heroes to live like this, or do they all prefer to live in constant tension?" I ask rhetorically.

"You can't just leave now," Batman interjects. "The public needs to know about us and our feat. We also need to create a group of heroes to prevent such an event from happening again."

"Haha, you've already planned everything in advance, haven't you?" I reply. "Fine, I'll play by your rules for now. Not because you asked, but because it benefits me. I'll do almost everything you want, except one thing. I won't be a member of your hero group. Never and for nothing. Is that clear?"

"Perfectly," it seems like they heard me and were expecting such an answer.

"Since I've been detained as an important figure in this event, it seems I have no choice but to give you some attention, Diana Prince," I say with a hint of mystery.

"How do you know my name?" she questions.

"I know a lot of things," I reply, drawing out my vowels and giving her a mysterious smile. I point my index finger toward my face. "Let's do this: after all these proceedings, just you and me. I'll choose the location. Deal?" I extend my hand as a sign of agreement.

"Deal," she responds, shaking my hand with a firm grip, almost to the point of discomfort. My smile cracks slightly. It seems she doesn't quite like the idea of me holding all the cards.

However, this all sounds very easy. After all the investigations. Only, these "investigations" were not the most... pleasant ones. The government was ready to issue an order for all the heroes who participated in defending the Earth to undergo registration and become official defenders of their region. Horrible. Considering that such registration would turn the lives of heroes into a real nightmare. Our close-knit group was firmly against this idea. I, on the other hand, couldn't care less. But the problem is that such a system would create even more problems worldwide. The government doesn't understand that this kind of registration would lead to a civil war among the heroes and sow the chaos that villains need to carry out their evil deeds. The only valid reason the request was denied was that the people actively supported the heroes' decision. When the Prime Minister of Security asked what would happen if such an incident occurred again, Batman replied that he would create a group of heroes who would successfully oppose such incursions, minimizing casualties among the local population. The name of this organization, as you can probably guess, is the "Justice League." Everyone who joined it became an independent figure for the defense in various world-scale situations. In other words, no public and no government. It was entertaining to watch the "elite" explode with angry comments about Batman's audacity. "It's insane," "unreliable," "stupid." Though it was amusing when he asked what percentage of the military would be able to effectively resist this invasion.

"Let me tell you: zero point ten thousandths of a percent," I respond. "And that pitiful figure was only revealed during a single attack on the White House. The anti-aircraft artillery defense managed to fend off a small group. You can criticize me and my plans as much as you like, but you cannot ignore the facts. We are needed by you. If not, I'll be happy to hear your suggestions. I'm all ears."

Strong words, and I actually kind of liked them. After this tedious circus, we were awarded the title of "Defenders of Earth," and our Dark Knight was given the opportunity to open his club for anonymous world saviors. At the moment, we represented symbols of security, walking through the city with smiles on our faces, instilling confidence in the people's future. I even decided to rewind time a bit and restore some buildings along the way. It drained quite a bit of my energy, but the faces filled with kindness, admiration, and adoration made it worth it.

"You've changed," Bruce says briefly, noticing my manipulations. "But I haven't forgotten about the Black Mask."

"Want to try to arrest me and put me in prison in front of all these people?" I speak rudely from behind, by the way. Although I think he's already used to it.

"And I also believe that people are capable of change and redemption."

Relationship with Batman/Bruce Wayne: -200. Suspicion.

Suddenly, everyone found their own excuses to leave. Superman disappeared for his "business," Green Lantern was called by the "Guardians," and Shazam had school and teenage problems. The government initially wanted to dissect Cyborg and study him under a microscope, but thankfully, the Flash intervened in time and warned them that it would be a disastrous idea. Apparently, Victor's body had a life of its own and reacted to threats just like animals do, by eliminating them on the spot. It's a good thing the Flash had decent skills in dealing with superpowered individuals and their psychological issues; he managed to calm down our iron friend, who had already formed some kind of ultra-sonic death ray from his hand. In the end, only Batman, Wonder Woman, and I remained.

"Just don't lead me to a church. And don't think that all of this is for the common good. I'm a constantly changing entity and only do what's necessary to achieve my goal. So, consider me your 'partner' for now, nothing more. I always try to maintain a partnership. You want something from me, and I want something from you. That's it," I smirk and finish with another restored building.

"And Diana?.."

"That's our business now. I strongly advise against intervening. It would be extremely impolite of you. You'll ruin the whole romantic atmosphere."

"You... and her? Seriously?"

"That sounds so awful! Have you never thought about spending personal time with a nice girl? Oh, wait, I'm sorry, you're married to 'Gotham.' It takes all your time and money. Like a wife. Please forgive me. My apologies," he bows respectfully. "Although you've managed to mess up in a few places," I whisper quietly and with a slight smirk, pretending he didn't hear me. I turn my back and start walking towards Wonder Woman.

"I probably made you wait, didn't I? Let's do it this way: I don't want just an ordinary date, so I want to spend tomorrow in a special way. After all, it's not every day that you get to get close to such a well-known figure."

"A date?! I didn't say anything about a date; I just want..."

"Yes, yes, to talk. But when a man and a woman talk about personal matters, it starts to look a lot like a date. That's why I phrased it that way. I'll make this day special. You'll see!"

Something in me started to awaken the romantic in me. It must be because I want to achieve something that no one else in this world has ever achieved. To make Wonder Woman a woman. It will be a challenging test, but I accept this challenge!