Alex leaned back in his chair, staring out the massive glass window of his office. It had been a year since everything changed, a year since he'd decided to stop working under others and carve his own path. His previous job as a cashier had ended unceremoniously, but that setback became the push he needed to forge something greater. Now, he sat atop Permission Enterprises, a company that had grown at an unprecedented rate, securing partnerships with LexCorp and political backing from Margaret and her Republican Party.
He had worked tirelessly, using his knowledge and abilities to push technology beyond what this world had yet conceived. With a flicker of blue light, his form shifted, compacting into a tiny, gray-skinned Galvan—his Azmuth form. While he had no intention of playing god, he understood that progress required vision, and in this world, he was willing to be the catalyst for it.
His lab was a testament to that vision. Machines of sleek, futuristic designs whirred and hummed around him, guided by the artificial intelligence he had developed—AM. The Allied Mastercomputer was a far cry from its twisted, genocidal counterpart from the world of fiction. Instead, Alex had given it a clear sense of purpose: to assist, to guide, and to never harm human life.
He walked—well, waddled—toward the main workstation and tapped a console. A holographic display of his latest projects flickered into existence.
Advanced AI Systems – While artificial intelligence had begun taking strides in recent years, AM and his subsidiary AIs were decades ahead of what should have been possible. They managed everything from healthcare diagnostics to city infrastructure analysis, ensuring efficiency without overstepping into the realm of control.
Plaster Band-Aids with Micro Antibodies – A revolutionary self-healing medical adhesive that released programmable antibodies into the bloodstream, capable of detecting and neutralizing infections, diseases, and even minor internal injuries. The potential was enormous—especially for hospitals and emergency response teams.
The Arc Reactor – Tony Stark's greatest achievement, replicated as best as Alex could. While he lacked the Tesseract-derived element Stark had developed in his world, Alex had re-engineered the original Palladium-based model into something more stable and safer for long-term energy production. If successful, nuclear plants would become obsolete within the next decade.
Gotham Initiative – Partnering with Wayne Enterprises, Alex had found a way to assist Gotham without endangering civilians further. He created low-cost, high-security shelters equipped with automated security drones and biometric verification to keep out criminals while providing sanctuary for the homeless and those escaping gang violence.
Even LexCorp had extended its hand in support. And while Alex remained wary of Luthor's true intentions, the billionaire had unsurprisingly refrained from interfering in a way that felt uncharacteristic, after all he had transformed into a Hypno to put him into a coma.
A familiar voice chimed through the speakers. "Alex, you have a visitor approaching."
Alex smirked, shifting back to human form in a flicker of green light. "That'd be Margaret."
He grabbed his blazer and headed downstairs, stepping outside just in time to see a sleek, black SUV pull up to the curb. The tinted window rolled down, revealing Margaret, who looked exhausted but still managed a smile. In the back seat, James sat, his nose buried in a book, while Mary, the newborn, cooed softly in her car seat.
Alex chuckled, stepping forward. "Late night in politics?"
Margaret sighed, rubbing her temple. "Trump versus Harris. You can imagine the battlefield that's become. But enough of that—how's my favorite tech mogul?"
Alex grinned. "Tired, but making progress. AM has most of the workload handled."
Margaret shook her head with an amused look. "Still amazes me how far you've taken this company in just a year."
"Well," Alex said, opening the passenger door and sliding in, "when you have knowledge from multiple universes, it's easy to be ahead of the curve."
As the SUV pulled away, the city lights blurred past, a testament to how much had changed in the past year. He wasn't just a spectator in this world anymore—he was shaping its future.
And deep down, he knew this was only the beginning.
"Let's head home," he said, closing his eyes for a moment of rest before the next big challenge.
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Alrighty friends and haters, I am making a new fanfic named 'Vari Joy, the Male Joy' and I'm posting the first chapter today. Little spoiler is that there is NO system, mainly because making one is too much work and I'd rather go with the flow. Anyways I hope you enjoy.