Don't forget to read the ending
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"Ha‑ha! This evening was unusually wonderful!" I laughed heartily, sprawling in the chair like a king after a victorious campaign. "Everything went perfectly. I am such an amazing actor… No, really, I need to find a mirror — immediately. I must see this incomparable man for myself." I craned my neck as if searching for one.
"I liked today's show too!" giggled the White Rabbit, covering her lips with a gloved hand. "Alex, you were born to be a villain."
"I'm just glad we didn't have to fight," Katana said, settling onto the sofa beside Lorina. "Taking souls is never a pleasant task… although, I wouldn't have minded putting Ulysses Klaue's into the blade. I haven't met such a nasty man in a long time."
"His personality leaves a lot to be desired," I agreed, leaning back. "But he's a reliable supplier, and our cooperation will bear fruit. Most importantly—we got what we came for."
I produced one of the glass capsules filled with pure vibranium ore, holding it up to the light and admiring its dull, absorbing shimmer.
"There's one thing that bothers me," Tatsu said suddenly, her tone serious. "You always say you never lie. Yet tonight you performed an entire act based on lies. You contradict yourself, don't you?"
"Not at all," I replied instantly. "You yourself called it a performance. That's acting — theater, pretense. I didn't lie; I played a role. To get the desired effect, I had to fully immerse myself in the character. There are many subtleties in my 'never lie' principle that might make it seem like I'm breaking it, but I'm not. For example, if I tell a joke, I can lie — that's fine. Or if I impersonate someone else and speak on their behalf? Same rule. It's not me lying; it's the role."
"I see… It's complicated," she said slowly.
"It depends how you look at it."
"What are you two talking about?" Rabbit asked with an exaggerated pout. "I don't understand a word!"
"We're talking about Alex's distinctive trait," Yamashiro explained patiently.
"Really? Which one?" The villainess perked up instantly, her bunny ears twitching.
"I never lie," I finished for my bodyguard.
"Honestly? Honestly‑honestly? How interesting!" she gasped, blushing and clutching her cheeks. "That means everything you've told me before has a whole new meaning! We must celebrate! I'll tell them to set the table, and then we'll continue this conversation."
Lorina Dodson bounced to her feet and left the room, white boots tapping on the floor, her ridiculous ears swaying with each step.
"Alex, besides the two of us, she's the only one who knows Jack of the Shadow's true identity. If anyone else wants that information, they'll come for her. Can she be trusted with such an important secret?" Yamashiro asked bluntly.
"You don't need to worry about that," I said without hesitation. "She'll never talk."
"Why are you so sure?"
"Three reasons. First — my intuition says so, and my intuition doesn't get things wrong. Second — her feelings for me. She likes me, though in… a slightly perverse way, because she's not exactly 'healthy' by normal standards. And third — precisely because she's crazy, she's one of the hardest people in the world to break. If she doesn't want to betray a belief, nothing will make her. So our secret is safe. Still… I'll need to consider every possible scenario and be ready to protect Miss Dodson's life. She's my responsibility now."
"…And not only that," the swordswoman murmured.
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[Eight o'clock. Morning. Gotham City — Babylon.]
"Two kilos of vibranium, as ordered." I set the box on the lab table with a satisfying thud. "Sign here." I slid a sheet and pen toward the two women in white coats.
"Well, that was fast," Kavita Rao remarked with a crooked smile.
"Delivery services are quite punctual these days," Pamela Ivy added dryly.
"You're lucky it didn't come through Gotham's courier service." Pamela smirked.
"Never mind…" Ivy was already lifting the box lid.
Inside, the precious gray‑silver metal gleamed with its strange, light‑and‑sound‑devouring sheen. Pamela handled it with almost maternal care, removing the containers one by one.
"You've got the vibranium," I said. "How long until you can grow the flower?" I turned to the red‑haired beauty, now donning protective gloves.
"A day," the dryad replied without looking up.
"This flower is unfamiliar to me — these past days were for studying it," Pamela explained. "Now that I understand it, the actual growing will be quick. As soon as I prepare the soil with these adorable little nuggets"—her green eyes sparkled—"the babies will sprout."
Yes… I had clearly underestimated her florokinetic powers. She was Mother Nature, incarnate, and I couldn't be happier I'd persuaded her to join Team Me.
"Well, my work here's done," I said, dusting off my hands.
Two kilograms of the rarest metal on Earth — as fertilizer. It sounded insane, but there was no more accurate way to put it. That left me with eight kilos.
Five, I decided, I'd keep for myself — vibranium isn't just valuable; it's irreplaceable, with applications limited only by imagination. The remaining three… I'd probably pass on to my dear friend.
Well, not pass on. Sell. After all, he had far more money than me — and I'd spent a small fortune to pull off this deal.
[Later — Wayne Tower.]
"Buddy, today you're getting the deal of the century!" I announced, placing a small, locked case on Bruce Wayne's desk. "Three kilos of vibranium — thirty thousand per gram! A dream come true, no? No need to thank me. But just so you know, acquiring this rare mineral involved fire, water, and copper pipes. Applause, please. Go on."
Bruce's eyes narrowed. "How much did you pay for it?"
"Ahem… you don't need to trouble yourself with that detail. Let's just say it wasn't cheap." I waved a hand airily. "And frankly, it's rude to grill your business partners about procurement costs."
"Business partners don't — but a friend does." His gaze sharpened. "And my instinct says your price is… inflated."
"All right, fine… $29.99 thousand per gram. See how generous I am today?" I spread my hands in mock benevolence.
"Twenty‑five," he countered flatly. "No more."
"Hey! I risked my life for this 'scrap metal.' My starting price is more than fair, given the risks."
"Nothing personal, Alex. Just business."
"I'm starting to see exactly how you made your fortune." Content orıginally comes from 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵※𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮※𝓷𝓮𝓽
"I inherited it," Bruce replied, expression dead serious.
I sighed. "Fine. Shake."
We clasped hands. "You owe me $75 million — pocket change for a billionaire."
"It's a pleasure doing business with you," he said with the ghost of a smirk. "But why so generous?"
"I thought your… night‑time alter‑ego could make use of vibranium. As a sign of friendship, I sold you a chunk of my haul."
"Did you keep some for yourself?"
"I'd never shortchange my beloved self. Don't worry."
"Will you tell me how you got it?" Bruce asked, curiosity breaking through his usual steel control.
"I'll find out anyway." The Dark Knight's voice dropped to a theatrical growl. "Better confess now."
"Oh, frightening," I mocked. "But all right — I'll tell you, in all its glory. It happened on a Tuesday…"
And so I recounted: being tasked with sourcing the rarest mineral on the planet; tracing its trail into Marvel's New York; staying at the lair of the villainous White Rabbit; arranging a tense meeting with the unpleasant Ulysses Klaue; becoming possessed by the demon persona known as Jack of the Shadow; watching him steer the negotiations with perfect menace until the deal succeeded; securing Klaue's agreement for future work; and, finally, wrestling that dark persona back into the mask where it belonged.
Because when the time came, I could don it again — to become Jack of the Shadow: scourge of mankind, nightmare of heroes… and, in particular, of one brooding bat in Gotham.
After all, he's exactly the villain this world deserves.
But not the one it needs right now.
Thank you all for reading, hope you all enjoyed it.
Btw, today's word is "Obfuscate"
One again, a gentle reminder to let you all know where you have to drop your power stones.
Don't forget that you all can read 40 extra chapters on [email protected]/annihilator009
Just by replacing @ with a.