Multiverse: Deathstroke

Chapter 199: Ch.198 Era of Heroes

Chapter 199: Ch.198 Era of Heroes

While Captain America graced the front page of newspapers, the explosion in New York the night before was barely mentioned, hidden like a small classified ad alongside detective agency listings and house rentals. To avoid causing public panic by making people think it was a German air raid, a gag order had been issued, with the official story being that a gas explosion occurred in the sewer.

But Dr. Holloway didn't buy it. When he drove to the scene, he saw with his own eyes a human-shaped fireball flying away into the sky.

Some people in the city didn't believe it either, and some even knew more than the doctor.

But all of them, just like everyone else, saw Captain America on the front page, his face hidden by a blue helmet emblazoned with an 'A,' standing boldly for all to see.

The government's intention was clear: Captain America's masked image was meant to represent the millions of American soldiers, to inspire their fighting spirit, to sell more war bonds, and to encourage them to fight bravely on the battlefield.

A masked figure with no distinct identity was perfect for becoming a symbol, a beacon, an icon.

But to certain individuals, it had a different impact.

Captain America's appearance reminded them how one could achieve great things while keeping their identity hidden.

So, almost immediately after the newspaper was published, New York saw a sudden surge of masked figures.

They donned homemade uniforms, wore crude masks, and set out to do their own thing.

Some sought to fight evil, while others engaged in more dubious activities. But with a mask on, who could tell who they really were?

Most of these people had no superhuman abilities. Dr. Holloway, with his fighting skills and detective talents, was already one of the most capable among them.

He now went by the codename "Avenging Angel," fighting crime throughout the city day and night. Though it required constant back-and-forth between the nursing home and his secret base, he enjoyed this lifestyle.

At this time, society's attitude toward masked individuals was quite complex.

The home front during wartime was stifling. People had access to only limited news or the grim announcements of soldiers killed in action.

The arrival of these masked figures provided New Yorkers with something to talk about, allowing them to escape the harsh reality.

It was as though they had left the war behind and temporarily entered a world full of romanticism.

The masked figures each had their own codenames. Some were heroes, some were villains. The lines were clear, and everything seemed so simple.

It must be said that these early villains and heroes were quite inexperienced. Not only did they lack superpowers, but they were also rather naive when dealing with the media.

For example, a man in a purple hood proudly told reporters that he planned to perform an evil ritual in the sewers near the docks. He claimed to be very, very evil, though he couldn't quite explain how. But he made sure to emphasize that he was a truly bad villain.

He warned that if the ritual succeeded, he might turn all the people of New York into frogs.

The newspaper published the interview, and New Yorkers prayed for a hero to stop the evil plan.

And of course, there were heroes. These newly emerged masked vigilantes were eager for action. They rushed to the docks, and someone found the purple-hooded man, beat him up, and left him at the police station.

The final outcome?

The police released the purple-hooded man because, after all, no law specifically prohibited boiling frogs in a large pot in the sewer.

His "evil" ritual was nothing more than a prank, and in the end, the bored rich kid paid a bail fee. He just wanted to join in the masked madness.

It was all a big game, like a theatrical production. He played the villain this time, and next time he wanted to try being a hero.

But newspaper editors didn't like this reality—it was too mundane, too real. It didn't help sell papers. New Yorkers wanted dramatic battles between good and evil, thrilling stories with satisfying conclusions!

It wasn't people who shaped the era, but the era that shaped people!

That's when the editors took the stage.

The next day, the newspapers delivered to the stands told a completely different story. What had been a small prank was now an epic battle, a tale straight out of a fantasy novel.

The fight was said to have been incredibly fierce, spanning from New York's sewers to the Atlantic Ocean, from the Atlantic to Mars, and finally back to Earth, where the hero defeated the evil sorcerer in Moscow's Red Square. Along the way, the hero even showed off in front of Stalin, making him tremble and admit, "Americans are truly incredible."

Now that was a story! The public was thrilled, and they scoffed at the police's official statements.

People believe what they want to believe. They were convinced the government was covering up the truth, and that only the newspapers were telling it like it was.

During this time, The Daily Bugle, once just a tabloid, saw its subscriptions skyrocket thanks to the fantastic stories crafted by its talented editors. The paper's business soared.

New Yorkers eagerly kept their eyes on the papers, waiting for the next villain or hero to make their appearance.

And with this, more and more masked individuals emerged.

When people found that the new "actors" weren't enough or didn't suit their tastes, they took matters into their own hands, donning masks and ill-fitting costumes, doing things they had never dared to do before.

Almost every newspaper declared that this was an era of heroes, and anyone could become one.

Su Ming had been gathering intelligence lately, enjoying the spectacle. The recent stories in the papers were a real show.

If the Bugle stories were true, then even ten Thanos' with all the Infinity Stones wouldn't be a match for someone like "Rat Man."

In one black-and-white photo, a person wearing shabby fur, dirty from head to toe, with a large rat head for a helmet, was supposedly Rat Man. Was this guy really a hero and not some villain?

He did look a bit shifty.

All the good codenames had already been taken by the early pioneers. New heroes were now forced to go by names like Cockroach or Flea.

Stinkbug Man, B.O. Man, Snot Man—these names had Su Ming laughing uncontrollably.

Meanwhile, Steve Rogers had embarked on a tour across America, promoting Wilson Enterprises' many products.

Every performance, he would go onstage with a group of dancing girls, recite the lines pasted on the back of his shield, and pretend to beat up an actor dressed as Hitler, earning thunderous applause.

Under the colorful lights and the roaring crowd, Steve felt like he was in a dream.

Then the girls would subtly promote Wilson Enterprises' products, and all Steve had to do was stand in the background in his Captain America costume, smiling and giving two thumbs up.

Instant noodles? Great!

Canned stew? Great!

Super-strength drink? Great!

Nylon stockings? Great—wait, what? I've never worn stockings!

In the audience, Vodka and Senator Brandt exchanged a satisfied smile. They liked this win-win situation.

Steve was relatively content with the arrangement too. After all, it was for the war effort—selling war bonds meant raising money to buy weapons, which would end the war. Nothing wrong with that.

Besides, he had never had so many fans asking for his autograph.

But who knew what the future would hold? He had only performed ten shows in New York and Washington so far, and there were at least 400 more scheduled across the country.

So far, everything seemed fine. But deep in the ocean, a young man with a receding hairline had other thoughts.