Ultimate Superman [The Hero AU] (CH 2)

A/N: This story is rated M for mature content not suitable for children.

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Chapter 2: Aftermath

The Triskelion

The Ultimates' headquarters was now witnessing the consequences of the Hulk's rampage, with the wounded receiving care on-site. Naruto observed the situation with an impassive demeanor; although he had played a role in saving the day, he didn’t possess the same emotional sensitivity as his mother or her cousin.

The new god hybrid with blonde hair arrived because Tony Stark, also known as Iron Man, informed him that someone wanted to meet. Stark warned that this individual would become a problem in the future if the meeting didn't happen soon.

Naruto acknowledged that he was familiar with that kind of person; they would relentlessly pursue you for information, much like Batman and the Question.

"Once you've finished your meeting with General Fury, feel free to swing by my place to celebrate our win against the Hulk," Tony remarked, causing Naruto to roll his eyes. The victory belonged solely to him, but he chose not to correct the tech-suited man.

The reporter hurried over to Naruto and Iron Man, focusing predominantly on Naruto. However, with Iron Man standing beside him, Tony found himself swept up in the frenzy of attention from the media.

"Are you a fresh addition to the Ultimates?" a striking blonde reporter inquired, thrusting her microphone towards Naruto's face just as he was about to respond to another reporter. This time, a male journalist began to pose questions to him.

"Are you a mutant? If so, do you believe that individuals like you should be listed on a registry for public safety?" a white man in a suit and tie inquired, his expression stern as he gazed at Naruto.

Just as Naruto was about to respond, Tony stepped in with a grin and began addressing the media. The blonde hybrid felt grateful for Tony's timely interruption, as he sensed that some of the reporters were not there for genuine reasons but rather to promote an agenda he was unaware of.

Captain America observed the interaction, trying to understand whether Naruto was a mutant or some kind of robot. He aimed to avoid escalating the situation while others were assisting in providing aid to those in need, all while he was lifting a chunk of debris off a trapped woman.

Janet was assisting her husband, who had been rendered unconscious by the Hulk, in regaining his awareness so that he could contribute to the rescue efforts and cleanup.

Thor utilized his power to remove debris from the damaged structures, creating a secure landing area for the helicopters carrying rescue teams.

Naruto found himself standing before an African American man wearing an eye patch, accompanied by a white woman who regarded him with curiosity. He noticed a hint of sadness in her gaze, though he couldn't quite understand the reason behind it.

"You must be General Fury," Naruto remarked, glancing at the one-eyed man before shifting his gaze to the woman next to him. "However, I'm not familiar with who you are."

"I’m Betty Ross," the woman said wearily. "I was one of the individuals you rescued earlier from the Hulk."

Naruto glanced at the woman, attempting to recall if he recognized her. He had utilized his speed to evacuate everyone from the vicinity of the Hulk, but the name Betty sounded familiar, and then it clicked in his mind.

"I don't recall saving you, but I was rushing to get everyone to safety at super speed," Naruto remarked while examining Betty's face. "However, I do remember the Hulk calling out for a Betty. Can I take it that you are the one he was looking for?"

Betty recoiled as though she had been struck, and Naruto recognized that she was the target the Hulk had rampaged through New York to reach. He could see that she felt a sense of guilt for the Hulk's actions.

"Okay, that's enough," Fury interjected, irritated by Naruto's disregard for him. He wished to give Betty a chance to step away from the conversation with Naruto. "I'm going to ask you one time: who are you, what do you want, and are you a threat to this world?"

"To respond to your question in sequence, I go by Naruto or Superman, and I have no intentions of causing harm or wanting anything. I'm not a danger to your world unless it poses a threat to me first," Naruto said. Fury seemed displeased with the response, as he appeared ready to grab his weapon, much to the amusement of the blonde alien.

Fury remarked, "So you refer to yourself as Superman; you must think quite highly of yourself." He was attempting to provoke Naruto to gauge his reaction, but instead, he was met with a laugh.

"I picked the name Superman because it was a superhero name that a family member used, and the symbol on my chest resembles an 'S,'" Naruto said, clearly more amused than angry.

"Are you a mutant?" Fury inquired directly. Betty observed the situation unfold and noticed that Naruto seemed to enjoy teasing Fury, which was something an ordinary person would never dare to do.

"No, I'm not a mutant; I'm actually an alien," Naruto answered honestly. He didn't mind if they doubted him, but he decided against revealing that he was not just an alien but also a god, knowing they would think he was insane if he did.

"An alien, huh?" Fury remarked, expressing skepticism yet leaving room for the possibility since aliens are indeed real. "So, which planet do you hail from?"

"I'm originally from Krypton, but I'm uncertain if there's a Krypton in this dimension," Naruto said, deciding not to divulge to Fury that he is only half Kryptonian and was actually born on Apokolips, the realm of the new gods. Sharing that information would only make things more complicated.

The two lock eyes, with General Fury posing questions while Naruto provides mostly concise answers, carefully withholding too much information.

"Alright, I need to take off," Naruto said, fed up with the interrogation. He took off into the air before Fury could intervene, causing the black man to frown while Betty watched with an amused expression next to him.

"Well, he did make the effort to come see you," Betty remarked playfully, attempting to ease the tension and distract herself from thoughts of her ex who had caused the chaos surrounding them. "He seems like a decent guy."

"Perhaps, but he's a threat," General Fury remarked, his gaze fixed on Naruto's previous position. "He took down the Hulk effortlessly when the Ultimates were overwhelmed. We'll need to monitor him closely."

Having said that, Fury and Betty stepped into an elevator that descended to the lowest level of the facility, where Bruce Banner, also known as the Hulk, was being held.

Stark Tower

Naruto quickly discovered Tony's residence; it was impossible to overlook his towering skyscraper adorned with the name Stark. Upon arrival, he was welcomed by Captain America, Tony, Thor, and Jarvis, the butler.

"Well, you finally arrived," Tony remarked with a grin, gesturing with his hands. "This is where I live; it might not be extravagant, but it has a cozy feel to it."

Naruto sighed and rolled his eyes at Tony's blatant joke, responding with a snicker, "If your home doesn't impress you, I'd love to see what you think is actually is."

Thor laughed at the joke while they were gathered in the dining room, where Jarvis was pouring wine and serving their meal.

"Greetings, my friend! I am Thor, the god of Thunder," he announced, holding a large jug. Raising it to his lips, he took a hearty swig. "We haven't had the chance to be formally introduced."

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki, or Superman," Naruto remarked as he grasped Thor's extended hand in a shake. Feeling Thor's firm grip, Naruto smiled and matched his strength in return.

The outcome had Thor grimacing in discomfort, and once the handshake ended, he had to shake his hand to alleviate the pain. "You really have a strong grip," Thor remarked, studying Naruto with curiosity. "I can also sense a divine presence about you."

"Actually, my people were occasionally confused for sun deities," Naruto responded, sidestepping Thor's question. Fortunately, Tony stepped in at that moment.

"I haven't given you a tour of my place yet," Tony remarked, in his typical attention-seeking manner, prompting groans from the others who had already seen it. "Allow me to show you around."

Naruto glanced around Tony's place while the man showed him around, and he observed that a few members of the Ultimates were missing. "Where's the woman with the nice teats? Please tell me you didn't leave her out of the invitation."

"You’re talking about Janet," Tony said with a chuckle, fully aware that Janet would never escape the embarrassment of exposing herself to the Hulk to halt his rampage. "She and her husband Hank are probably running late."

"I really hope she shows up; I’d really like to chat with her," Naruto told Tony with a smirk. Tony had intentionally brought up that Janet was married to gauge Naruto's reaction, but it seemed like he didn't mind at all. Tony realized that Naruto was quite like him in that they both had a way with women. He found it amusing to think about whether Naruto could actually win Janet over, even if it might stir up some trouble within the team.

Janet and Hank Pym Place

"Hank, can you please hurry? We need to head over to Stark's tonight," Janet said to her husband, exasperated. He had been fiddling with something for quite a while, and they were running late for their team gathering at Stark Tower.

Janet wore a purple nightgown and nothing more while Hank focused on his work at the table, paying no attention to her. In response, Janet walked directly over to him.

“Come on, Hank, you know you get grumpy if you spend too much time indoors,” Janet playfully urged, hoping to motivate her husband to get ready and join her outside.

"I'm not going, Jan. I have more important things to focus on, like finishing my Ant-Man helmet," Hank said without even glancing at his wife, who was wearing a sheer nightgown. She had hoped to provoke a response from him, but there was none.

"Please don’t be like that, Hank. I genuinely want to go, and who knows, maybe that new hero will be there as well," Janet said, attempting to spark her husband's interest. If the possibility of talking to an alien couldn't pique his curiosity, then she wasn't sure what else would. However, she realized she had struck the wrong chord; Hank struggled with insecurities, particularly when it came to his wife mingling with other men.

"Ah, so that's your reason for wanting to attend Stark's party—to catch another glimpse of your crush," Hank teased, directing a sly grin at his wife. "Or perhaps it's really about getting some private time with Captain America, considering you have a thing for men in suits. But have you thought about how they might react if they find out you're a mutant?"

"Sure, I may be a mutant, but you wouldn't have been able to create the Ant-Man formula without my DNA," Janet said angrily, stepping closer to Hank. "All you can do is command ants with your helmet, and Bruce is far more gene man than you'll ever be."

"Take that back, you bitch," Hank responded as his rage took over. Before he knew it, he slapped his wife across the face. "Oh no, I am sorry, Jan," Hank said after realizing what he had done.

Janet grabbed a nearby radio and struck her husband in the face with it, her eyes blazing with anger as blood trickled from her split lip.

Stark Tower

Tony, Steve, Thor, and Naruto were gathered around a table enjoying their meal, with Jarvis and a female server standing nearby. Naruto was glancing at the server, who had attractive shoulder-length blonde hair and was wearing a black knee-length skirt, a white short-sleeve shirt, and a red vest on top.

"Are you actually Thor, the god of Thunder?" Tony inquired, his skepticism evident regarding the claimed Asgardian deity.

"Indeed, I am Thor, the son of Odin, the deity of Thunder," Thor declared before recounting how he came to realize his identity as Thor. While Naruto mostly tuned out the details, he caught snippets about Thor experiencing a nervous breakdown at the age of twelve, which led to the awakening of his memories. Thor claimed he was a living embodiment sent by his father to cleanse the earth.

"Do you genuinely think that?" Captain America questioned, now convinced that Thor was merely a madman endowed with extraordinary abilities from his tale. And who could fault him? If Naruto weren't a new god capable of sensing the divine essence within Thor, he would likely consider the man insane as well.

"Alright, but can you explain this whole purifying the earth concept?" Tony inquired, intrigued by its implications. He hoped it didn’t involve anything negative, as it would be unfortunate to have to confront a deity or someone who thinks they are one.

"Distractions like reality TV and video games are sapping the essence of reality," Thor stated firmly. "My goal is to awaken people so they can engage with the real world." Naruto simply rolled his eyes in response. While Thor's point held some truth, Naruto understood that sometimes, people require an escape from the harshness of reality.

"Being part of the team could advance your goals," Tony suggested, attempting to persuade Thor to join the Ultimates, but his offer was turned down. Naruto sensed that Thor had a laid-back, free-spirited vibe. He glanced at the female server, who was trying her hardest to stay focused while subtly avoiding his gaze.

"Are you actually an alien?" Tony inquired, catching Naruto's attention. The blonde Kryptonian shifted his gaze away from the female server, who had been looking directly at him the entire time, and wore a smug smile as if she had triumphed in whatever competition they were engaged in.

"Indeed, I am an alien, but not from this dimension," Naruto explained, anticipating further inquiries. "I belong to the Kryptonian race, an ancient and advanced humanoid species. I found myself in this dimension while battling a formidable foe, and I ended up in a realm where time and space are nonexistent. And just to clarify, I am neither insane nor a mutant."

"That's intriguing," Tony remarked as Captain America processed all the information for future reference, knowing Fury would be curious about anything related to Naruto. "Do you happen to have any extraterrestrial technology with you?"

Naruto glanced at Tony, who was gazing at him with the excitement of a child on Christmas morning. "I do," Naruto replied, initially considering teasing Tony by withholding his technology. However, he opted to entertain the human instead. "This is my mother box; it's mainly used for long-distance travel."

Tony observed the mother box with curiosity and shot Naruto a glance that seemed to plead for him to show off its capabilities. Naruto obliged by creating a small boom tube from his table to just behind the female server, then reached in and gave her a playful squeeze, eliciting a startled yelp from her.

"That was immature," Captain America reprimanded, his astonishment at the advanced technology overshadowed by the disapproving look the female server directed at Naruto. "You ought to apologize to her."

"Nah, she knows she enjoys it," Naruto remarked. If glares could cause harm, the blonde woman would have sent him to his grave already. "Plus, she's not as innocent as she appears."

Naruto noticed the woman tense up momentarily before her face went expressionless. This caused the revived Uzumaki to smirk, as he realized she was likely a spy, possibly sent by General Fury or another group. Her movements were too smooth and precise, reminiscent of an assassin.

"Wow, you’re actually worse than I am," Tony quipped, unaware of his little spy's tension, though Captain America noticed but decided to remain silent. "So, how does that function and what’s the name of it?"

The mood in the conversation became more relaxed as the four men discussed a range of topics, playfully teasing Thor for declining to join the Ultimates while offering his assistance if they truly needed him. Steve chimed in with a joke about working for free. Meanwhile, it was clear that at the Pym household, the husband and wife were engaged in a heated argument that turned physical.

Chapter End

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A/N: In the upcoming chapter, Naruto, Thor, Steve and Tony continue there conversation, alongside exploring the consequences of the conflict between Janet and Hank, among other developments.

A/N2: This chapter is relatively calm, but things will begin to intensify in the upcoming chapters. If you enjoy this story, please give it a like. Feel free to share any suggestions for the direction you'd like it to take in the comments. Additionally, paid commissions are available, so if you have a story you'd like to receive updates on outside of the polls, check out the pinned post for the link.