Starting With Batman

The man tilted his head, a curious glint flickering in his unnerving smile. He seemed almost amused, as though the arrival of this new challenger had piqued his interest.

At that moment, Felix struggled to his feet, his arm hanging limply by his side after being dislocated by a brutal kick. He supported his injured arm with his good hand, his expression a mixture of confusion and pain. The towering figure before him, clad in dark blue with a shield emblazoned with a star, was completely foreign to him.

Where was Batman?

And who was this man with the round shield?

Felix and Ethan exchanged bewildered glances, neither of them able to comprehend what was happening. They had never seen anything like this before. How could they possibly understand that Charlie had just used a feature unique to his secondary account—a team exchange?

In the world of gaming, Charlie was no stranger to such mechanics. He had encountered similar features in countless other games. After reaching a certain level, players could choose multiple heroes for each battle. If one character fell in combat, the next could step in to continue the fight. The feature also allowed for mid-battle swaps, enabling players to avoid damage or escape dangerous situations by switching characters at the right moment.

This was Charlie's first battle since unlocking Captain America, and he relished the opportunity to put the hero to the test. No one in this world had ever seen a figure like this before, and Charlie intended to make the most of it.

Without hesitation, Captain America raised his shield and charged directly at the smiling man. The star on the shield gleamed in the dim light as the Captain's boots thudded against the floor with a steady, determined rhythm.

The man's eyes narrowed as he assessed the approaching threat. With a swift motion, his arm transformed, the hand morphing into the barrel of a gun. He fired directly at Captain America, the bullets zipping through the air with lethal intent, aimed squarely at the Captain's head. But to his surprise, Captain America didn't even flinch. The bullets ricocheted off the vibranium shield, bouncing away harmlessly, as though they were nothing more than pebbles striking solid rock.

Felix watched in stunned disbelief, his mind struggling to process what he was witnessing.

The material capable of withstanding bullets at such close range was impressive enough, but what was even more astonishing was that Captain America didn't budge, not even an inch, from the impact.

In the real world, the kinetic energy of a bullet is far more significant than what's often depicted in movies. Even if bulletproof equipment can prevent penetration, the force of the impact is still considerable, often knocking the person wearing it backward. But this shield, it seemed, absorbed not just the bullets but also all the kinetic energy they carried.

How was this possible?

Almost in an instant, Captain America had closed the distance, his shield leading the charge like an impenetrable wall. The man, recognizing the immediate danger, moved swiftly, sidestepping and firing in quick succession, his body a blur of motion as he tried to maintain distance.

But Charlie, now fully immersed in his role as Captain America, expertly adjusted the camera angle with a flick of the mouse. The shield followed the man's every move, deflecting each bullet with precision. The resonating clang of metal on metal filled the room as the vibranium shield intercepted the onslaught, protecting the Captain from harm.

Seeing his bullets rendered ineffective, the man decided to switch tactics. Abandoning his gun, his arm shifted once again, this time forming into a slender, deadly blade. With a feral grin, he slashed at Captain America, aiming to cut through his defense.

The man's shapeshifting ability reminded Charlie of an old series called "Parasite," where characters could morph their bodies into weapons. But Captain America was no ordinary opponent.

The blade came down in a vicious arc, but Captain America's shield met it head-on. The blade skidded across the shield's surface, sending a shower of bright sparks into the air, but it left no mark. The shield's vibranium absorbed the force of the strike, nullifying the attack with ease.

The man darted to the side, his eyes narrowing as he searched for an opening. He feinted to the left, then struck from the right, the blade angled for a quick, lethal stab.

But Captain America was quicker. The shield shifted slightly, and there was a sharp clang as the blade was deflected once more.

The man's grin faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered, his expression twisting into one of manic determination. His left hand morphed into a larger-caliber gun, while his right hand, still a blade, danced in a blur of motion. He attacked with a flurry of strikes, the blade moving like a whirlwind as he fired shots from different angles, hoping to overwhelm his opponent.

But Captain America's shield moved like an extension of his own body, spinning and tilting with impeccable timing. The bullets and blade strikes bounced off harmlessly, unable to penetrate the Captain's flawless defense.

The man paused, his confidence wavering. Felix, watching the scene unfold, felt a deep sense of awe and disbelief. Was this new hero some kind of indestructible juggernaut?

Charlie was beginning to appreciate just how powerful Captain America's shield truly was. Unlike Batman's countermeasures, which required precise timing and strategic planning, Captain America's defense was straightforward and nearly invincible. All Charlie needed to do was hold down the right button, and the vibranium shield took care of the rest.

Captain America was practically a walking fortress—whatever the smiling man threw at him, the shield deflected it effortlessly.

What made the shield so remarkable wasn't just its durability. Vibranium, a material unique to the Marvel universe, absorbed energy in a way that defied the laws of physics. Whether it was kinetic impact, superhuman abilities, or even magical forces, the shield could absorb and nullify them all, making it one of the most resilient defensive tools ever created.

And unlike Iron Man's various suits of armor, which were often dismantled or destroyed in battle, Captain America's shield had a long history of surviving the toughest fights. It could block bullets and explosions, smash through enemy defenses, and even serve as an air cushion for high-altitude landings. It was a versatile tool, useful in both battle and everyday life, making it the ultimate weapon for a soldier like Captain America.

The man swung his blade again, but this time, Charlie timed his response perfectly. Captain America raised his shield at just the right moment, and the air rang with the sharp "ding" of metal on metal as sparks flew from the impact.

Perfect shield block!

In many action games, there's a shield counter mechanic—when an enemy attacks, raising the shield at the precise moment can trigger a counter effect, stunning the enemy and creating an opening for a counterattack.

The man staggered back, his blade curling from the force of the block. He struggled to regain his balance, his mind racing as he realized how dire the situation had become. He raised his gun, aiming to fire at point-blank range to keep Captain America at bay. But the moment he pulled the trigger, the bullet ricocheted off the shield and struck him in the face.

Though the man's body was tough, able to heal itself from most injuries, being struck by his own bullet was still a humiliating blow.

Captain America seized the opportunity. With a powerful swing, he slammed the shield into the man's face. The impact was devastating—the man's head snapped back as he was sent flying out of the room, crashing into the corridor. He slid across the floor, his momentum only stopping when he collided with the wall in the living room, embedding himself in the plaster. A TV mounted on the wall dislodged from the impact and fell directly onto his head.

Felix stared in disbelief as the man's body was flung across the room like a ragdoll.

What kind of power is this? Felix wondered, his mind reeling. Is it really possible for a human to send someone flying that far with a single blow?

Which of these two was the real monster?

What was even more shocking was that throughout the entire confrontation, the man had been using every trick in his arsenal—shapeshifting, attacking from all angles, trying desperately to find a weakness in Captain America's defense.

But Captain America had simply held up his shield, deflecting everything, and when the moment was right, he had delivered a single, devastating blow that sent the man flying.

Captain America: simple, effective, and nearly invincible.

Yet, the man was unbelievably resilient. After a moment, he began to stir, lifting the rubble and the TV that had fallen on him. Gasping for breath, he started laughing again, the sound filled with a mix of madness and grim determination.

"Haha, interesting... so what about this?"

As he spoke, his hands began to shift once more. His forearms combined, morphing into a long, thick, black cylinder.

Felix's eyes widened in horror as he recognized the shape. His heart pounded in his chest, panic gripping him.

Al bazooka!

What kind of ability is this? Felix thought, his mind racing. Can he even replicate heavy weaponry like this?

Before he could process what was happening, Felix instinctively dove to the side, kicking over a table that was already on the verge of collapse to use as cover.

A deadly whistling sound filled the air, the unmistakable noise of a rocket launcher firing.

The explosion was deafening, the blast so powerful that it felt as if the entire building was shaking. The roar of the explosion rattled Felix's bones, the sheer force of it pressing against his eardrums. Shrapnel tore through the flimsy table, scratching his skin, and the shockwave rocked the entire room, sending debris flying in all directions. The force of the explosion, accompanied by an ear-splitting bang, made it feel as though the entire world was collapsing around him.

Captain America was at the center of the blast, taking the full brunt of the rocket head-on. The impact hurled him backward, engulfing his figure in a cloud of smoke and flames. The room shook with the force of the explosion, the walls cracking under the pressure.

The man's laughter rang out again, louder and more deranged than before. The corners of his mouth stretched into a grotesque smile, his teeth bared in a mocking sneer. His laughter seemed to say, "Let's see you block that, if you can."

But his laughter abruptly stopped, freezing in his throat.

As the smoke and dust began to settle, a figure emerged from the haze. Captain America walked forward, his shield held firmly in front of him. The iconic star on the vibranium shield gleamed through the lingering smoke, untouched by the explosion. Although the wall behind him bore the outline of a human-shaped hole, Captain America himself was completely unharmed.

Felix, who had been lying on the ground, slowly lifted his head, his eyes widening in shock and disbelief as he took in the scene.

Did this guy just take an RPG shot... and walk away unscathed?

Was this man even human?

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