Chapter 72: C 72
As soon as Anton knocked, the door swung open.
Matt, wearing his signature sunglasses, stood at the entrance, welcoming an old friend he hadn't seen in months.
"Batman, long time no see," he greeted with a calm expression. Despite his blindness, he immediately recognized the identity of the visitor. "You wouldn't show up unannounced just to say hello. What's going on?"
"Not even going to invite me in?" Anton replied with a smile.
"Come in," Matt said, stepping aside to let him enter.
In the modest living room, Anton made himself at home. He poured glasses of water for both of them before sitting down leisurely.
"The recent state of Hell's Kitchen hasn't disappointed you, I hope?" Anton began, making light conversation before getting to the point. "But I didn't come here just to chat. I've got a proposal—nothing troublesome, I promise."
Matt listened attentively, his face unreadable.
Anton continued bluntly, "I'm forming a superhero team—a network to support each other. I'm calling it the Justice League. I want you to join us."
"Us?"
"Me, Venom, and Spider-Man."
"Spider-Man?" Matt frowned.
Anton raised an eyebrow, surprised by Matt's reaction. It was clear he not only knew of Spider-Man but was quite familiar with him. From what Anton recalled, the two had only crossed paths once during the Kingpin incident.
Yet, it seemed there was more to their relationship than he realized.
As Anton considered this, he recalled that while Daredevil and Spider-Man didn't have significant interactions in the movie universe, their comic book relationship was strong. They were good friends, aware of each other's true identities, and had a mutual respect born of shared struggles.
"In the past two months, Spider-Man has been spending a lot of time in Hell's Kitchen," Matt explained. "I've encountered him several times. I've got a good impression of the kid."
After a brief moment of thought, Matt nodded decisively. "I'll join your team, but on one condition—I need the freedom to act on my own. Do you understand?"
"Of course," Anton agreed. "I have no intention of controlling anyone. The point of this alliance is to give everyone a place to lean on. And if a crisis arises that's too big to handle alone, we can count on each other for help."
"Good," Matt replied. "In that case, I could use your help with something right now."
"Uh..." Anton blinked, caught off guard. "Go on."
"Hell's Kitchen has been relatively calm lately," Matt said evenly. "As you mentioned, even the High Table has been abiding by some unspoken rules. I was planning to enjoy a few quiet days living like an ordinary person. But a new organization has started making trouble here."
Matt's expression darkened slightly. "The Foot Clan. I need you to take care of them for me."
Obviously, this guy just feels that Hell's Kitchen without Kingpin is too quiet.
For now, even Madam Gao; the Hand, and the Russian brothers have allowed the High Table to take over their affairs. So, for a while, Matt doesn't want to be a superhero. He just wants to live like an ordinary person—at least for a few days.
"How many days do you plan to live as an ordinary person?" Anton asked, his expression complicated.
He understood that, whether in the movie or comic versions, Matt Murdock's life as Daredevil has never been an easy ride. It's a story filled with endless grievances, struggles, and heartbreak.
Matt lost his mother at a young age, his father shortly after, and as he grew older, he saw one friend or loved one after another face misfortune.
Anton couldn't help but think of Matt's response in the comics when Captain America invited him to join the Avengers:
'The life of a superhero is torture to me!'
To be honest, Daredevil had been pushing himself to the limit for far too long. In other storylines, he even reached the point of breaking down or turning to darker paths.
This guy deserved a break.
It just so happened that, more than two months after the Kingpin incident, when Matt had finally decided to take it easy, Anton showed up at his door, asking for teamwork. Naturally, Matt saw an opportunity to pass the responsibility onto Anton.
But then again...
"Foot Clan?"
Anton's expression shifted.
He wasn't unfamiliar with the organization and said in surprise, "Why would they show up in Hell's Kitchen? That makes no sense!"
The two names didn't belong in the same space at all! One came from Mirage Studios, and the other was part of Marvel. What kind of chaotic fusion was happening in this world?
"They were originally a gang from Brooklyn," Matt explained. "Not as powerful as Kingpin, but still noteworthy. After Kingpin was arrested and the High Table moved into Hell's Kitchen, the resulting power vacuum created tension. The Foot Clan is one of the groups trying to capitalize on it."
Matt paused for a moment before adding meaningfully, "And they're the most active among those trying to move in. There might be more going on behind the scenes."
"Is that so?"
Anton thought for a moment before smiling. "Don't worry. I'll handle it. I'll take care of the Foot Clan."
After all, he didn't mind giving Matt a few more days off.
Having contacted both Spider-Man and Daredevil, Anton didn't have any pressing tasks. It might even be fun to deal with this situation himself.
The Foot Clan appearing in the Marvel Universe was unexpected, but it wasn't too difficult to piece together a rough idea of their motives.
What intrigued him more, however, was what their appearance implied. The presence of the Foot Clan likely meant that the four Ninja Turtles were somewhere nearby, probably still living in the sewers.
If he could recruit the Ninja Turtles into the Justice League—even just as mascots—it would be fantastic!
"The temporary base of the Justice League is set up at the Daily Bugle. If anything comes up, you know who to call."
With that, Anton left.
To be honest, Batman's identity was never a secret to someone like Matt.
Matt's super senses didn't rely on sight to recognize people—they depended on sound. Anton's voice, the rhythm of his footsteps, and even subtle changes in his tone were all cues Matt used to identify someone.
Hiding Batman's identity from someone with such heightened senses was nearly impossible.
As for Venom, whose true identity was Eddie Brock, the editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle... Anton wasn't entirely sure whether Matt had figured that out.
But Anton had reason to believe that solving such puzzles wouldn't be difficult for someone like him.
Why did Anton agree to Matt's request?
First, he sympathized with him.
Second, after learning about the presence of the Foot Clan, Anton couldn't help but feel intrigued.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Bringing those four unique turtles—and the wise rat master behind them—into the Justice League as full members would not only strengthen the team's combat abilities but also provide a chance to use them as unofficial mascots.
Besides, Anton had a personal fondness for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
In their original stories and movies, the Turtles were confined to living in the sewers, with the underground world as their domain. At most, they would venture out during events like Halloween parades.
But in a world like Marvel?
Anton felt there was no reason for the Turtles to hide so much.
Yes, the Marvel Universe was chaotic, but it was also highly inclusive.
The existence of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles wouldn't shock the world—in the grand scheme of things, they'd just be considered unusual.
Especially after the Battle of New York.
If people could accept aliens, then native Earth turtles wouldn't be a big deal.
And if Anton marketed the four turtles as a quirky "idol group" from DC, they might even spark a cultural trend of pet turtles becoming fashionable.
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