Bab 68: The Choice!
Maxim stepped off the discreet jet onto Madripoor's private airstrip. Instead of just teleporting back, he decided to relax himself for a bit while pondering which game he'd choose for the future templates.
As Maxim moved through LowTown and HighTown, he could spot how the lines were continuously being blurred between the two. Access to HighTown was no longer restricted for the LowTown folkes.
Paired with that was the fact that reconstruction was occurring all over. Maxim could hear the chatter of workers and the changing of tools as many buildings were in the process of being torn down while others were being reconstructed using the workers and the help of the NanoBot Swarm.
Plus, the integration of a new energy system and energy shields had come to fruition, meaning Madripoor no longer needed to rely on the rest of the world for their energy, and were another step towards being fully self-sustainable.
As he spotted all this change made in just around a week already, he smiled, walking before spotting an unmistakable cluster of activity near the Northern District.
A newly constructed building bore a faintly glowing "X" emblem near its entrance. The X-Men had fully moved in, creating a facility here as a sign of the alliance, finally not needing to be under the constant watch of the US Government.
Outside the facility, he saw Logan barking orders at a group of young mutants who were unloading equipment from a truck. Nearby, Ororo Munroe, or Storm, was guiding a team as they worked on planting greenery along the building's perimeter.
Maxim approached, drawing Logan's attention. The older mutant straightened and crossed his arms, his usual gruff demeanor softened by a nod of acknowledgment. "Took your sweet time getting back, kid. We all saw what you did" Logan said, a faint smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"Yeah I had to help them out," Maxim replied with a slight smile. His eyes swept over the bustling scene. "Looks like things are coming together."
"Yeah," Logan said, his gaze following Maxim's. "Still a lot to do, but having a base here helps alot. Those US Rats finally out of our way."
After exchanging a few more words, Maxim excused himself, his thoughts already shifting to the next task at hand. He left the X-Men to their work and made his way toward lab at the High Table Headquarters.
The soft hum of A.N.G.E.L. greeted him as he entered, "Welcome back, Maxim," she said in her calm, mechanical tone.
"Thank you," Maxim replied, shedding his jacket and settling into a chair by the main console, "Give me updates on the key projects. Start with Project TikTok."
A.N.G.E.L.'s holographic display shifted, showing graphs and global statistics. "Project TikTok has exceeded all projections. It's release was already massively successful, with the algorithm manipulation, we already had tens of millions of downloads and daily users."
"The alien invasion caused a massive surge in activity, an 1100% boost in content creation and a 500% increase in user registrations and daily retention within days. The platform's rapid dissemination of information, paired with subtle device integration, has cemented its dominance internationally. Millions continue to join daily, daily users are continuing to increase."
Maxim smirked. "Good. How is it doing monetarily?"
"Fantastic." A.N.G.E.L responded before continuing, "Advertisers from all over the world are flooding our emails to sell them ad space. Some businesses have already registered and paired with the TikTok store, providing another revenue stream, and Virtual Gifts are making slightly higher than predicted level."
"That's good. What about the other two Projects?" Maxim asked.
"Project Overwatch and Project Genshin Impact are proceeding flawlessly. Promotional trailers and materials have been widely acclaimed, creating substantial hype. Release dates are highly anticipated, with pre-launch merchandise already generating significant revenue."
Maxim leaned back, processing the information. "Excellent. Push forward with the release schedules as planned. Anything else I should know?"
A.N.G.E.L. immediately responded, "There is one development worth noting. As expected multiple companies and countries have tried to illegally access our private data and files seeing the success of our products. Most have quit after lack of success, but Hydra have continuously attempted to plant subversive elements within our framework and access our info, but obviously with no success."
"Good work," Maxim said, his tone resolute. "Keep Hydra on a short leash. If they get too bold, let me know. I'll be taking care of them soon enough."
A.N.G.E.L. inclined her head, her expression serene. "Understood. Is there anything else you require, Maxim?"
Maxim stood, a shadowy aura flickering around him momentarily. "Not for now. Just keep everything running smoothly. Oh, and prepare the schematics for the combat suit prototype I mentioned to Natasha. I want it perfect before she gets it."
"Of course," A.N.G.E.L. said, her tone carrying a hint of approval, "Welcome home, Maxim."
Maxim gave her a faint smile before heading deeper into the lab, his mind already spinning with plans for the days ahead.
***
Hydra Headquarters – Undisclosed Location
The dimly lit conference room was filled with the faint hum of advanced machinery. A large oval table occupied the center, surrounded by high-backed chairs. At the head of the table sat Alexander Pierce, his hands clasped and his steely gaze sweeping across the room.
Around him were Hydra's highest-ranking members, their faces cast in the eerie glow of holographic displays.
On one of the monitors, a global map of TikTok's user activity and influence pulsated like a living organism. The numbers displayed alongside it were staggering: Hundreds of Millions of active users, trillions of views, and an unprecedented reach across demographics.
The Content posted on the app varied, from News about the Alien Invasion, Tutorials for tasks like Cooking, Coding, Video Editing, to Vlogs about daily life, political content, video games, podcasts and so many more, all having a wide reach.
Pierce leaned forward, his voice cutting through the tense silence. "This," he said, gesturing to the map, "is the most powerful tool we have ever seen. Forget conventional espionage or propaganda; TikTok is the ultimate weapon. The question is, why isn't it in our hands?"
A middle-aged man with sharp features spoke up, his tone laced with frustration. "We've deployed every measure at our disposal, cyber-infiltration doesn't work, their security is perfect. Their Base is in Madripoor and none of our inside men can get close without their bodies washing up from the sea a couple days later. The security protocols on this platform are... unlike anything we've encountered. It's as if it anticipates every move we make."
"Anticipates?" Pierce repeated, his gaze narrowing.
"Yes," Strucker replied, "Our analysts believe the platform is not just protected by algorithms but by something far more sophisticated."
Pierce frowned, processing the information. "A.I.," he muttered. "That would explain the precision. We underestimated that bastard again. I can't believe we let him slip from our grasp. He's not just an enhanced individual; he's a visionary, and that makes him more dangerous than we anticipated."
A woman seated near the end of the table crossed her arms, her tone icy. "Dangerous or not, Novikov is not untouchable. Every system has its weakness. We simply haven't found his yet."
"We don't have time to find it," Pierce snapped, his patience thinning. "This app is reshaping public perception in real-time. It's not just a platform; it's a cultural phenomenon. If we control it, we control the narrative. And with it, the world."
Another Hydra member, a younger operative with dark circles under his eyes, spoke hesitantly, "There is... another option. We could attempt a hostile acquisition. Physical, not digital. If we locate the central server infrastructure,"
"No," Pierce interrupted sharply. "That would draw too much attention. The world is watching like hawks. A move like that would turn him into a martyr, and we'd lose any chance of salvaging this quietly."
Another guy leaned forward, her voice a calculated whisper, "Then perhaps we should turn our attention to the law. Those capitalists on Wall Street are salivating at the intense money making abilities of this app. Sanctions, anything possible, we have our men in the Government. Use them!"
Pierce shook his head, his expression grim. "You think I haven't considered that? Did you forget the massive Alien Invasion that occurred? Imagine the news, 'US Government targets Foreign App while tens of millions still homeless due to the attacks.' The capitalists are stupid, not that stupid."
The room fell silent, tension hanging thick in the air.
After a moment, Pierce continued, his voice low but resolute. "Here's what we'll do: We'll double down on our surveillance. Find his vulnerabilities, personal, professional, anything we can exploit. At the same time, we'll deploy our assets to infiltrate his business at the ground level. Employees, contractors, vendors, anyone with access, no matter how small. We'll plant seeds, and when the time comes, we'll use them to dismantle his empire from the inside."
***
Meanwhile, back in Madripoor, Maxim had finally made his decision,
"System, choose Injustice!"
***
Judging from the comments, most persons wanted Injustice, so time for another vote!
- Martian ManHunter
- Superboy Prime
- Raven
- Doctor Fate
- Doomsday
Bab 69: The Next Template!
ONE WEEK LATER!
The midday sun casted sharp shadows across Madripoor's High-Tech training area that had recently been built. It was a massive underground facility, carved deep beneath the High Table Headquarters.
It was made using some of the remaining vibranium alloy to create a strong surface when combined with energy shields to contain the raw power of the combatants inside the facility.
In the center of the arena stood Maxim, shirtless, his body rippling with barely restrained energy. His muscles were hardened and honed to perfection, without even a single scar, and he unleashed an aura of unrelenting strength and inevitablility.
Every breath he took seemed to shake the air, and his eyes glowed with a deep unstoppable power.
"Doomsday, feels nice." Maxim muttered to himself, thinking about the character he had chosen. After some deliberation, he decided to go with Doomsday, mostly for the adaptive physiology.
Whatever hurts him will literally make him stronger now!
Maxim cracked his knuckles and looked around, spotting a group of challengers surrounding him in a loose circle. Some of them were members of the X-Men, and alongside them were Wanda and Pietro, both were eager to prove themselves.
Logan's claws were already extended as he circled Maxim like a predator,"This ain't personal, kid, but I'm not holdin' back."
Storm hovered above the ground, her eyes glowing white as clouds began to swirl in the simulated sky above, "Nor will I. This is for your benefit as much as ours."
Wanda Maximoff stood near the rear, her fingers weaving scarlet tendrils of Chaos Magic. Pietro cracked his knuckles, his trademark cocky smirk masking the unease he felt facing Maxim.
Cyclops adjusted his visor, the red glow of his optic blast intensifying. "We're doing this together. Do not underestimate him. He's more than we've ever faced."
"Begin!" A.N.G.E.L.'s calm voice announced from above to signal the start of the fight.
~BOOM~
Pietro instantly moved first, a sonic boom echoing in the background as he became a blur of silver streaking toward Maxim. He aimed a rapid series of punches and kicks at Maxim's torso and legs, his superhuman speed turning each strike into a battering ram.
WHAM~WHAM~WHAM!
"Damn, my body is insane now. I barely feel anything." Maxim thought to himself as he felt Pietro's first crashing into his body. With Doomsday's powers, his physique had already grown far beyond its previous level.
"Is that all?" Maxim's deep voice rumbled, amusement flickering in his glowing eyes as he looked at Pietro.
Pietro darted back, confusion flickering on his face, "What the hell? That should've, "
He didn't finish his sentence. Maxim moved, faster than Pietro could comprehend, and backhanded him across the arena. Pietro smashed into the energy-reinforced wall, groaning as he slid to the floor.
"Next," Maxim said, his voice calm but laced with challenge as he stared at the various challengers surrounding him.
Storm and Cyclops attacked simultaneously. A bolt of lightning shot down from above, crackling with destructive energy, while Cyclops unleashed a concentrated optic blast aimed directly at Maxim's chest.
~BOOM~!
The lightning struck venomously!
~ZRRRACK~!
The optic blast followed, creating an explosion of light and sound. Dust and smoke filled the air, blocking everyone's vision of Maxim and what happened after the attacks hit him.
"He's down!" Cyclops called, but his optimism was short-lived as the smoke slowly cleared, and a silhouette emerged, unharmed.
Maxim's body seemed to radiate an otherworldly glow and he flexed his muscles, looking towards Cyclops and the others, "You'll have to do better than that guys." he said cockily.
~WHOOSH~
Maxim lunged at Cyclops, closing the distance in an instant without even breaking a sweat. Cyclops barely managed to dive out of the way, or so he thought.....
Maxim had anticipated his dodge long before Cyclops had even carried out the action. A swift kick sent Cyclops skidding across the grown, his visor sparking as he landed hard.
Suddenly, a crackle of scarlet energy echoed as a flood of crimson red tendrils bound Maxim, constricting him tighter and tighter as it tried to restrain him.
"I can hold him!" she shouted, "Hit him now!"
Maxim looked at the binds, feeling like he can snap them as easily as he snaps a twig and he let out a chuckle, looking at Logan who roared and charged towards him with his claws ready to slash.
As Logan leapt towards him, Maxim's body shimmered, and the bindings snapped like glass. Logan's claws struck hard, raking across Maxim's torso, only for the adamantium blades to skid harmlessly across his reinforced skin.
Maxim grinned,"Nice try."
Before Logan could react, Maxim grabbed him by the arm and flipped Logan over his shoulder, sending him crashing into the ground before wrapping his hands around Logan's torso, immediately hitting him with a German Suplex that shook the ground.
Wanda's eyes widened. She unleashed a wave of pure chaos energy that struck Maxim dead-on, the power of her attack bending the air around them.
The Magic crashed into Maxim, and he stumbled for a second before laughing, looking towards Wanda and unleashing a Psionic Blast that assaulted Wanda ferociously, sending her tumbling back as she clutched her head painfully and groaned in pain.
Pietro immediately rushed to her side, trying to help her whilst the X-Men regrouped, forming a defensively line shoulder-to-shoulder with grim expressions on their faces as they looked at the unharmed Maxim.
"We hit him together," Cyclops said, "Everything we've got."
Storm summoned a hurricane, winds howling as lightning danced across the arena. Cyclops unleashed his most powerful blast, the beam carving a molten path across the floor. Logan charged again, claws ready.
Maxim stood in the center of the chaos, his body absorbing every attack. The lightning just crackled off his skin, while the optic blasts slowly lost their effectiveness over time, and Logan's claws couldn't penetrate his skin at this time.
Once he allowed them to get their hits in, Maxim moved like a hurricane. His fist first connection with Cyclops, sending him flying, and then he caught Logan mid air and hurled him towards Storm, who he simultaneously assaulted with a Psionic Attack, leaving her defenseless.
The pack of mutants immediately collapsed in a heap
He moved like a hurricane, a blur of power and precision. His fist connected with Cyclops, sending him flying. He caught Logan mid-leap and hurled him into Storm, the two mutants collapsing in a heap.
"Enough!" Maxim's voice boomed, shaking the arena. He slammed his foot into the ground, creating a seismic shockwave that knocked everyone off their feet.
Dust and debris filled the air as the X-Men and Maximoff twins struggled to rise. When the dust settled, Maxim stood alone, his chest heaving but otherwise unscathed. Around him, the others lay defeated.
A.N.G.E.L.'s voice broke the silence. "Training session concluded. Combatants incapacitated: 100%. Maxim Novikov victorious."
Maxim exhaled, the glow in his eyes fading as he looked towards the others," Damn that was fun."
Logan groaned, pulling himself to his feet, "Kid... you're a damn monster."
Maxim offered a faint smile, "Maybe. But I'm your monster."
With that, he turned and left the arena, the echoes of his footsteps fading into the distance. Behind him, the others regrouped.
"Damn, he's grown even stronger. What does this guy do when he goes out?" Wanda whispered her question.
"But he's on our side," Storm replied, her voice steady despite the exhaustion. "And that makes all the difference."
****
When I began writing the chapter, Doomsday was the most popular option, so enjoy everyone. This will be fun. Probably lots of fighting this arc for him to flex his muscles.
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