"Your words are surprisingly philosophical..."
Clark let out a long sigh.
Hearing that, Axel smirked and continued.
"What use is philosophy? It mostly exists to comfort people who lack the strength to change things.
You don't need comfort, Buddy. I believe in you.
By the way, how is your mother? Is she getting used to living at the manor?
And don't worry about her safety. From now on, that's my responsibility. No one has the right to harm the people under my protection. You can live more freely without constantly worrying about your family."
As he spoke, Axel patted Clark on the shoulder.
Clark took a deep breath and nodded.
"Thank you, Axel."
"Haha, don't mention it. I haven't done many good things in my life, and I don't expect a few decent actions to earn me a good reputation.
You and I aren't the same kind of people, Buddy, so I won't try to control you. Just be yourself.
Still, I hope this family holds some place in your heart.
The purpose of a family isn't for everyone to gather and accomplish something extraordinary. It's about having people you can rely on when you can't do something alone.
You rely on this family to help protect your mother.
Likewise, I rely on you to help protect the family when I'm away.
We don't have to be best friends, but we should at least be partners.
Besides, despite my flaws, the people around me are pretty decent. You'll get along with them."
"Uh..."
Clark swallowed awkwardly.
His thoughts immediately drifted toward Bruce.
In Clark's eyes, almost everyone in this so-called family had issues.
Bruce was obsessively suspicious.
Lex was a cold, relentless scientist.
Victor had once been a criminal who dealt in drugs and violence without hesitation.
Floyd was a hired killer.
Selina was one of the most notorious thieves in America.
Zatanna possessed incredible magical talent but could still be surprisingly immature at times.
As for Clark himself, he was a young man burdened by uncertainty despite his growing power.
And Axel...
Clark glanced at him and swallowed again.
What he saw was someone who followed his own rules without apology.
Yet that same freedom often made him appear heroic to certain people.
In Clark's opinion, the most normal members of the entire Wraith family were Alfred and Pierce.
Just as Clark was lost in thought, the ward door opened.
Martha Kent stepped out holding a freshly peeled apple.
The moment she saw Axel and Clark standing together, she paused briefly before looking at Axel's outfit.
"Young man, what's with that attire?"
"Haha! Finally, a normal person! You're the first one today to ask about it, Martha!"
Axel immediately brightened.
He walked over, took the apple from her hand, and bit into it.
"Didn't I go traveling? Consider this part of the loot. What do you think? Looks pretty good, right?"
He spun around dramatically.
Martha rolled her eyes.
"That apple was for Selina. Since you ate it, you can peel another one for your wife."
"Oh, right."
Axel suddenly remembered.
He pushed open the door and glanced at Selina lying in bed.
"Martha, why are you in Selina's room?"
"What else would I be doing? Besides taking care of the farm, helping people is about all I can offer.
Every one of you seems to come home more injured than the last. How could I sit comfortably in the house you provided and do nothing?
I may not be able to help much, but I can at least keep people company.
Now get in there. Selina has been talking about you all day. She's convinced something happened between you and Diana, and I want to know if she's right."
Stepping aside, Martha allowed them to enter.
The moment Axel walked into the ward, the doctors and nurses immediately greeted him.
"Boss."
"Mr. Wraith."
"Lord Wraith."
Ignoring the attention, Axel walked over and casually handed the half-eaten apple to Selina.
As she took a bite, he asked softly,
"How are you feeling?"
"I feel like I'm going to be stuck in this bed for a while, darling."
After swallowing the apple, she smirked at him.
Clark immediately turned red.
Axel chuckled and rubbed her hair.
"You'll recover."
"You say that like breaking both my legs is a minor inconvenience."
"Huh?"
"I'm joking."
Selina laughed before narrowing her eyes.
"How's Diana? The two of you disappeared together for quite a while."
"I handled what needed handling. She probably won't be visiting anytime soon."
"You never take me along for the fun."
Clark coughed loudly.
"Ahem! I haven't eaten yet. I'll leave you two to talk."
He immediately retreated.
Martha laughed.
"My good boy is embarrassed. And frankly, I can't blame him."
With that, she followed Clark out.
After confirming Selina's condition, Alfred also left with the medical staff.
Soon only Axel and Selina remained.
Selina grabbed the front of his armor and pulled him closer before kissing him deeply.
Several minutes later, she leaned back, breathing lightly.
Her fingers traced the surface of the armor.
"When I recover, you absolutely have to wear this again.
I've never seen armor this impressive in my life."
Then she looked down at his feet and frowned.
"Though I have one complaint. Why does it expose your feet? Why should anyone else get to see them?"
Axel burst out laughing.
He removed the armor and changed into a pair of nano-fabric sleep pants before carefully lying beside her.
Moments later, he was asleep.
Looking down at him, Selina clicked her tongue.
"You're heavy, you idiot..."
The night passed quickly.
Early the next morning, Axel left the medical wing carrying several bottles of milk to feed the pandas roaming the manor grounds.
While they ate, Pierce wheeled Lex toward the laboratory.
Spotting Axel in the distance, Lex raised a hand.
Pierce stopped.
Lex then guided his wheelchair toward Axel himself.
Carefully eyeing the pandas, he spoke.
"Axel, I heard Israel is the territory you granted to those two African gods. Is that true?"
"Granted?"
Axel laughed.
"That's one way to put it. What's wrong?"
"I think humanity deserves justice.
Millions died. It doesn't matter what country they came from. Their deaths shouldn't go unanswered.
But I need to know where you stand. Are you planning to protect those gods?"
"Protect them?"
Axel shook his head.
"They asked for land. I pointed at a spot on a map and told them to enjoy themselves.
Why would I protect them?"
Lex nodded.
"Good.
In that case, I'll accelerate development of the Promethium project. Once it's fully integrated with our nanotechnology systems, we'll equip the entire family.
When we're ready, we'll head to Israel and eliminate them.
The dead deserve justice.
You won't stop us?"
"Of course not.
And even if I tried, would you listen?
I don't care much about avenging strangers, but you're my friends. If this matters to you, then I support it.
If I find useful technology during my travels, I'll bring it back."
Axel patted Lex on the shoulder.
Satisfied, Lex continued toward the laboratory.
Inside, Bruce was still suspended in place, working on the Promethium battle suit project despite his injuries.
Lex frowned.
"If I were you, I'd stop abusing your body.
Your injuries are worse than mine. You need rest, not another sleepless night."
Rolling forward, Lex smoothly took over the workstation.
Bruce exhaled.
"The people responsible for killing millions are still free. I can't sit back while the project stalls.
Since you're here, I'll rest briefly.
Two hours. Then I'll return."
He detached the support harness.
The movement immediately drew a grunt of pain.
Lex picked up the powered assistance device and attached it to Bruce's arm brace, restoring some mobility.
While adjusting the settings, Bruce asked,
"Is Axel awake?"
"He was feeding those dangerous bears."
"They aren't dangerous."
Lex smirked.
"Perhaps."
Then he returned his full attention to the latest phase of battle suit development.
Meanwhile, Axel finished feeding the pandas.
A burst of fire engulfed him.
An instant later, he appeared somewhere entirely different.
Towering futuristic buildings surrounded him.
Gunfire echoed through the streets.
Axel blinked.
Then he reached out, grabbed a gunman running past, and lifted him by the throat.
"Where am I? This isn't Neo-Gotham, is it?"
The man spat on the ground.
"Who the hell are you? You don't even have cybernetic implants. Another Jokerz idiot?"
Despite being choked, the man showed no fear.
A blade suddenly extended from his cybernetic arm.
The next instant, Axel crushed his skull.
Brain matter splattered across the pavement.
Pulling several data chips from the remains, Axel glanced at the cybernetic weapon and grinned.
"Change form."
His armor shifted instantly into a sleek suit.
Examining the chips, Axel spread his arms.
"So this is where you've brought me.
Interesting.
Then get ready for me, Neo-Gotham!"
As he finished speaking, a gang member rushing toward him was instantly killed by a single kick.
Axel grabbed the corpse and swung it like a weapon.
The remaining attackers exploded into a bloody mess.
Afterward, he casually waved toward the stunned civilians nearby.
"This is Neo-Gotham, right?
Can someone tell me where I can find the Iceberg Lounge?"
===
Read chapters ahead on Patreon, with every chapter organized into collections.
Subscribing a membership gives you access to "ALL" fanfictions,
Or you can buy only the collection you want, to gain access to chapters ahead.
P-a-t-r-e-o-n.com/_Zeph.