American comic book: My Father is Superman, am I just an NPC?

Chapter 215 An Awkward Misunderstanding! The Tyrant's Wrath!
Ian's logic is always so impeccable.

Raven could also understand what Ian meant by the middleman—this guy had been trying to touch her forehead, and she knew he was after the power within it.

This power originated from the Three Palace Demon, so Ian's statement that going directly to the Three Palace Demon is to skip the middleman is a reasonable and vivid metaphor.

Because Raven was logical and intelligent, she couldn't find a way to refute him for a while, and her brows furrowed into a deep knot.

She looks just like a pretty little old lady.

Upon closer reflection, Raven realized that he seemed to be "infected" by some kind of terrifying thought meme—this guy dared to show off even the seventy-two demons of Solomon as a buffet, and had such an attitude towards the Three Palace Demons... it didn't seem entirely incomprehensible.

"Damn it! I can't think like that!"

The raven shook her head frantically, as if trying to shake away something unseen. The head-shaking worked well; her thoughts quickly returned to normal.

"His behavior might be due to his mixed heritage... Louise Lane's bloodline is probably not simple, otherwise how could she have given birth to such a child?"

"Feeding on demons..." Raven stared intently at Ian, his gaze seemingly trying to pierce through his seemingly human exterior to see what kind of extraordinary creature lay within.

She clearly hadn't uncovered Ian's true background; after all, it was a project personally overseen by Batman, and even those on the magical side would find it difficult to know the truth.

"Don't just stand there, sister! Come on, come on, let's go home! Let's get Baal's head... uh, I mean, let's get my Abyssal Barrel to do another job!"

On the other side, Ian was already impatiently urging them on.

Raven's eagerness distracted her, and she subconsciously asked, "Did you seal it in some special container? What kind of unsealing ritual is needed?"

She imagined a sacred urn or a cursed box sealed by layers of magic.

however.

Upon hearing this, Ian tilted his head and pondered for a moment, then said uncertainly, "A container? Hmm... I guess there is one. But there's definitely no seal at all."

"I just put Bal in the fridge—the big double-door fridge in our kitchen, the zero-degree crisper. Lately, some bastard has been stealing my chicken breasts, so I asked Bal to keep an eye on them and bite anyone who tries to steal them!" he said matter-of-factly and indignantly.

Raven: “???”

Put it...in the fridge? To look at the chicken breast? To bite the thief?
She was completely stunned, unable to tell whether Ian was talking about a bull-headed demon from hell or a domesticated guard dog.

"Are you sure we're talking about a minotaur, and not some hellhound?"

In the end, Raven couldn't help but ask a question, mainly because she felt that Ian's way of thinking was not quite normal, so some things had to be confirmed carefully.

"of course."

Ian thinks Raven is doubting his memory.

"Aren't you afraid he'll rebel? Take the opportunity to cause trouble, possess one of your neighbors, and then disappear into the crowd without a trace?" Raven had a long history of understanding demons.

The look in her eyes when she looked at Ian was very strange.

“If you had the same domineering aura as me, you wouldn’t have to worry about this.” Ian chuckled, his voice carrying a deliberately nonchalant tone.

His pretentious skills are still not very good.

"What do you mean?"

The raven shook its head blankly.

The spirit of a king?

What is this?
Ian was very understanding and did not criticize her for her limited cultural background.

"It's okay if you don't know now! My company is preparing to go head-to-head with Hollywood, so once my Green Fruit short series is released, watch more of the short series my company has produced and you'll understand!"

"It's packed with knowledge points!"

Ian even kindly offered guidance and provided directions for Raven to learn; he was such a gentle person, but Raven didn't seem to appreciate his kindness.

"??????"

The raven couldn't keep up with this leap of thought at all.

"Do you remember what we were talking about? I suspect you're using this as an opportunity to advertise."

Before she could figure out what the necessary connection was between "domineering aura," "Green Fruit Short Drama," and "The Devil in the Refrigerator," Ian urged her again.

"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Stop dawdling and come home with me to find my Abyss Demon Barrel! Don't keep Sangu Demon waiting! That would be disrespectful to your father!"

Ian's expression even took on a serious tone.

"To lure out the Three Palace Demons, to be honest, I wouldn't mind dyeing my hair blonde to accompany you to see your father." As he spoke, he subconsciously swallowed.

They were all willing to sacrifice their reputations.

It's clear that Ian is going all out for the profits that Sangu Ma can bring. He does have a grudge against Sangu Ma; he was tricked by Sangu Ma in Hell before.

It also cost him the reward that a demon god could bring. It would be a real villain not to seek revenge. Ian plans to make up for the experience points he was forced to lose by the Three Palaces Demon.

Of course, he couldn't use such a vengeful approach in public. Ian remembered that he was a superhero, so he had to use the plausible excuse that he had become Galactus and was consumed by eternal hunger.

Ian had already mentally prepared his excuses.

All he could think about now was a huge harvest. If he could find a way to summon the Three Palaces Demon to the mortal world, even just a clone... how many experience points would that be?

I don't dare think about it! Just thinking about it makes me excited!
"Please, please, stop drooling."

Raven, seeing the undisguised "appetite" in Ian's eyes that was directed at her father, also weighed the urgency of her own mission to track down the Triple Demon's conspiracy.

She finally made up her mind.

“But you’re right, I don’t want my father to wait too long either—we have too many scores to settle, and he has to pay for everything he’s done.” Raven took a deep breath, suppressing the complex emotions in his heart, and his tone became cold and firm, filled with a deep-seated hatred for Sangu Demon.

"You're right! The father and son of demons... this is how the father-daughter tradition should be!"

Ian played the straight man for a bit.

The two reached a bizarre consensus.

Just as the raven was about to cast a spell to take the two away.

Ian suddenly leaned closer again.

"Although we are no longer ordinary strangers, but strangers who have met once, I still need to make it clear that after finding the Three Palace Demon, I want a 30/70 split."

Ian made the suggestion in a serious and earnest tone.

The raven paused for a moment.

“If we can really kill him… everything he has is yours. I don’t want anything.” Raven’s answer was unwavering. There was not a trace of desire to inherit that terrible power in her tone, only a pure and twisted “daughter’s love” for the complete destruction of Sangu Demon.

Upon hearing this, Ian was deeply moved.

"I knew it!"

"Sangu Ma is a demon after all. Just like a rat's son can dig holes, I am Superman's child and I am Superman too. Sangu Ma's offspring will definitely be a demon ball!"

He gave the raven a thumbs up.

"Since you hate the Three Palaces Demon so much, don't use his surname anymore. I've thought of a new surname for you. If we meet again in the future, just call me your benefactor."

"Then I'll call you Rachel Garfield."

Ian's proposal was too advanced for Raven to comprehend.

"???"

She was just about to ask Ian what had gotten into him when Ian's correction interrupted her train of thought. The boy's gaze was unwavering.

"Oh, right, and about that earlier, I think you misunderstood my way of expressing it. What I meant by a 30/70 split is actually the common profit-sharing ratio in the modern era."

"It means you fry it until it's three-quarters cooked, and I'll eat it over seven days—don't worry, I'm already in my teens, I don't need you to feed me."

Ian didn't want Raven to take advantage of him because of his age.

Therefore, he chose to reveal his age in a vague manner.

"..."

Raven fell silent.

The person was in a stiff, constipated state.

She opened her mouth, but found that any words seemed pale and powerless in the face of this "plan," so a wave of frustrated blush rose to her cheeks and ears.

"Let's go! Time waits for no one!" Ian was already completely immersed in the anticipation of being treated to a "three-quarters cooked father's feast" by Raven.

Completely oblivious to Raven's emotional shift, he grabbed Raven's wrist, who was still in a state of shock, and activated his superhuman family's unique ability.

flight.

Of course, while many superheroes can fly, the skies over Metropolis only allow people with the same last name to stand there, and Ian is already bribing local officials about the relevant traffic rules.

boom!
Ian crashed through the beautiful stained-glass window of the church. Amidst the sound of shattering glass, the two of them shot into the sky and instantly disappeared into the night sky as tiny black dots.

Only Jonathan, Jordan, and Damian remained, still firmly tied to the pillar.

"No, we're still tied up!"

A night breeze blew through the broken window, bringing a chill and causing the candlelight to flicker. The three unfortunate brothers looked at each other, utterly forgotten in the suddenly desolate and quiet church.

Jordan blinked and said with difficulty, "So, we were just abandoned like that? That woman took our crazy brother to find that woman's father?"

"That's why he's my idol. I hope that one day, the great Ian will take me to fry my dad, and make him scream and beg for mercy."

The real Demon Orb is still here.

Damian's sighs were full of filial piety towards Batman.

“I was just saying that when I opened the fridge last night… something bit me, almost biting my finger off. I thought I was hallucinating because I was too sleepy.” Jonathan, on the other hand, felt guilty for eating Ian’s chicken breast.

of course.

Guilt is temporary.

When the fear of losing muscle takes over his mind again, he still can't control his hands and mouth. That's how athletes are, especially those who love fitness.

"We must save ourselves!"

Jordan struggled a bit, but it was no use; Raven was very good at binding.

"Jordan! My belt's over there!" Jonathan cried to his brother. "Quickly use your super telekinesis to get it for me! I can transform and use my abilities to cut this ridiculously long magical rope!"

His equipment was placed not far away, about twenty meters away. Although it was right in front of him, he couldn't grow a rubber hand that could extend indefinitely like Ian.

“Mine too! My gear bag is over there!” Damian Wayne immediately chimed in, clearly acknowledging Jordan’s convenient access to the kit.

Only Jordan himself was unaware that he possessed this ability.

"..." Jordan looked at the expectant and matter-of-fact looks in his two teammates' eyes, and his face showed an expression of extreme helplessness and amusement.

"Are you all misunderstanding me? How could I have something that even my father doesn't have? If I had that ability, I wouldn't need to use the method of lowering cortisol before going to bed at night..."

He didn't finish his sentence.

It leaves endless room for imagination.

"No matter what, even if I really did have that ability... that woman put more than one kryptonite on me! I'm lucky I can still speak!"

Jordan Kent, who almost let slip the truth about the human form of the "God of Suppression," quickly changed the subject, saying in a dejected tone that he was now even worse off than an ordinary person.

The three of them looked at each other again.

A sense of desolation arose spontaneously.

After a moment of silence, Jonathan, as the eldest brother, sighed again, a resolute expression on his face: "In that case, I have no choice but to use my trump card."

Upon hearing this, Damian's eyes, hidden behind his bat mask, immediately lit up, revealing a hint of curiosity and an "I knew it" tone: "I knew it! You're the eldest son of the Kent family, you must have some hidden, unknown ultimate means! Is it some kind of Kryptonian secret technique that requires a price to activate?"

His mind had already drifted to classic scenes from various superhero comics. Jordan also looked at his brother expectantly, wondering what secret weapon Jonathan would pull out.

Jonathan took a deep breath, focusing his energy in his lower abdomen, his chest slightly bulging, as if brewing some earth-shattering energy—at this moment, Damian and Jordan unconsciously held their breath.

I waited anxiously.

next second.

Then Jonathan opened his throat and, with all his might, let out a deafening and extremely penetrating cry for help.

"Great God! Kind old father! Is there anyone free to come and save us?" His voice echoed repeatedly in the empty church.

The shock caused dust to fall from the roof, and the sound even traveled far through the broken windows.

Meanwhile, near the Orion Arm, inside a twisted star system that strikes fear into the hearts of countless advanced civilizations and is considered an absolute forbidden zone.

This place should have once been home to a massive, living planet—Apokolips—its surface covered with lava rivers and terrifying spires. But now, it is only a desolate, empty space, still shrouded in terrifying energy fluctuations. It's as if a giant eraser has completely wiped Apokolips off the canvas of the universe.

Not even a speck of debris or dust remained.

In a desolate environment.

Only two outsiders were suspended in the vacuum environment.

One of them, dressed in a classic blue bodysuit and red cape, with the "S" logo on his chest still shining in the vacuum of space, was the elderly father of the three Kent children.

Clark Kent.

He frowned, his expression grave as he surveyed the empty space.

What did you figure out?

Superman turned his head.

Beside him stood Batman Bruce Wayne, clad in a heavy, black Hellbat armor adorned with spikes and demonic wing-like structures, exuding an aura of hell.

This is why Lois suspects Superman is often dating Bruce behind her back.

The two of them have been frequently teaming up lately.

"immediately."

Batman responded in a deep voice.

This ultimate battle suit, which should only be used in the most critical moments, is now constantly operating, with the red light on the faceplate flashing continuously, seemingly analyzing the surrounding environment.

at this time.

Superman's ears suddenly twitched slightly.

He turned his head, as if he heard some extremely distant, extremely faint sound. The solemnity on his face was instantly mixed with a hint of helplessness and headache.

"Bruce."

Superman turned his head and looked towards the distant Milky Way galaxy.

"I need to go back to Earth."

His tone was filled with the weariness of an elderly father. Batman didn't respond immediately; he was intently operating the complex instruments extending from his armored arm, scanning the void. Strings of data scrolled rapidly across the instrument's screen, emitting a soft beeping sound.

The King of Gotham's expression grew increasingly grave.

“Wait a minute, Clark.” Batman’s voice came through the visor of his armor, carrying a metallic hum and an unprecedented seriousness.

"The scan is almost complete... I need to confirm..."

A few seconds later, the instrument emitted a long beep, and the final analysis results appeared on the screen. Batman stared at the results in silence for a long time before letting out a deep, heavy sigh. The sigh could not travel in a vacuum, but it was clearly transmitted to Superman's ears through the communication system inside the armor.

“As expected… completely gone.” Batman’s voice carried a hint of disbelief and immense pressure. “Not even a trace of molecular residue can be detected… Apokolips, and everything that might exist on it… has been utterly annihilated. Without evidence, we have to be prepared to be blamed.”

His hands were sweating, and his fists were clenched. The members of Darkseid's Justice League knew that Steppenwolf, who was just a minor pony back then, had almost wiped them out.

"Is that so?"

Upon hearing this, Superman's expression of helplessness deepened, and he rubbed his temples.

"So... are we going to be the scapegoats for some unknown guy who can wipe out Apokolips at will? Earth is already in enough trouble..." Even the idealistic Superman felt a bit uneasy thinking about Daxide's vengeful nature and the crazy revenge he might unleash.

After all, he had previously teamed up with Golden Superman to fight Darkseid, and it was only thanks to Ian's equipment that they were able to force Darkseid to retreat. Who knows how fast Darkseid is growing.

If Darkseid were to find a time to lie low and wait before emerging again, even Clark wouldn't dare guarantee that his growth rate could keep up with Darkseid's.

To know.

They have already studied Darkseid's situation.

That thing was just a juvenile.

Nobody knows how terrifying adulthood can be.

“It seems a battle is inevitable.” Batman’s voice was cold and rational: “The most urgent task is to ensure that Darkseid’s retaliation does not fall directly on our territory.”

"we need to……"

Before he could finish speaking, Superman suddenly looked up, glancing behind Batman. His superhuman vision had spotted something approaching from the depths of space at an alarming speed, radiating boundless fury and an aura of destruction. Superman paused for a moment, then his voice came through the communicator to Batman's ears.

“Yes, the fighting won’t be on our turf… Now I can make that clear.” As he spoke, Superman raised his hand and pointed behind Batman.

"What! How could I be so unlucky!" Alarm bells rang in Batman's mind, and the Hellbat armor instantly went into high alert. He abruptly turned the armor around.

as predicted!

Then he saw it—Darkseid.

This tyrant of Apokolips, the ruler of the dark world, was currently floating in the void not far away. The ever-present cold expression on his rock-like face shattered completely, leaving only extreme shock and an indescribable, boundless rage that seemed capable of burning the entire universe!

He had clearly just completed a roundabout journey across countless galaxies, and after shaking off Superman, he had cautiously taken a longer detour before preparing to return "home".

However, Darkseid never imagined that what awaited him was not the kneeling of his subjects and the roar of the planet's engines, but rather... an emptiness where nothing existed.

Home?

Am I, a planet of such immense size?!

No!

If you can't find me, you steal from my house?
Who taught them these home-stealing techniques?!
"You—!!!" Darkseid's roar was like billions of supernovae exploding at the same time. The terrifying sound waves even distorted the surrounding space and shook the dimensional barriers of the multiverse.

"How dare you!!!" Darkseid, who had run around in circles and returned to find his home gone, completely lost his temper! He unleashed all his anger on the two people he hated most in the entire universe—Superman and Batman—who happened to be standing on the ruins of his home at that moment!
The destruction of Apokolips has nothing to do with Superman or Batman.

Darkseid was utterly incredulous.

What a coincidence!
"Damn it! I knew he'd think that!" Faced with this sudden, cosmic-level misunderstanding and rage, Batman reacted even faster than Superman!

Almost at the same instant Darkseid roared, Batman didn't hesitate. A card slot popped out of the arm armor of his Hellbat armor, and he pulled out a black bank card with the Wayne Enterprises logo in the blink of an eye, swiping it quickly on the armor's card reader!
[Sufficient funds confirmed! Welcome to use!]

A gentle notification sound came from inside the armor—Ian had actually referenced many of the awe-inspiring experiences he had received from new energy brands when designing this suit of armor.

Voice packs are also a paid feature. The fact that Batman's armor doesn't fly and requires payment for braking is already a testament to Ian McKellen's conscience as a capitalist.

Mr. Ian's kindness.

Everyone knows it.

(End of this chapter)