Inside Marvel X DC World

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Mike took photos with his phone as he walked down a street. He wasn't sure how long he had been walking when a particular building caught his attention.

It was a memorial hall.

From time to time, adults walked in and out with their children. Some kids held plastic five-star round shields, their eyes filled with excitement and admiration.

Seeing this unique scene, it was easy to guess what kind of memorial this was.

The Captain America Memorial Hall.

As the first superhero created in human history, Captain America's influence in this country was undeniable, even though he had died in a plane crash over half a century ago. In the military, many American soldiers still saw him as the ideal soldier.

Mike had heard about the hall before, but this was his first time seeing it.

This was a landmark you couldn't miss when visiting New York.

Mike stood at the entrance steps of the memorial, wondering if he should go in for a quick tour, when a tall man walked out.

The white youth was dressed in casual pants, a jacket, and a cap pulled low. From Mike's perspective at the bottom of the stairs, he could clearly see the man's features.

"Mr. Steve?" Mike asked, surprised.

The young man looked up, briefly stunned, then nodded.

It was none other than Captain America, Steve Rogers himself!

---

In New York Park, a thin layer of ice floated on the central lake, glistening under the sun.

On a wooden bench by the lake, a white man and a boy sat side by side.

Captain America, Steve Rogers, looked at Mike with a slight smirk, "Thanks for not calling out to me back there. I'd have been swamped if people realized who I was."

"That's not my style. I don't like drawing too much attention." Mike shrugged, then added, "Captain, you're... alive?"

"They pulled me out of the ice in the Arctic Ocean recently." Steve said with a casual wave.

There was a natural, unspoken understanding between the two, as though neither viewed the other as anything special.

"You just said you don't like attention." Steve sighed, "In my day, everyone wanted to be noticed. Has that changed with this generation?"

"Times have changed, Captain."

Mike resisted the urge to be sarcastic and replied, "Actually, people are more desperate for attention now than ever."

"I just like a peaceful, quiet life."

Steve seemed taken aback by Mike's words.

"Let me ask you something. If you had a choice, would you be an ordinary person or a hero?"

"This…"

Steve paused, as though Mike's question had stumped him.

After a moment, he whispered, "I used to think I could be both. But, unfortunately, it's too late now."

Though he looked like a young man in his twenties, the weariness and loneliness in Steve's expression made him seem much older.

Mike had an inkling of what Steve meant.

As a hero, you give yourself to the world; as an ordinary person, you're there for someone special.

But when that someone is gone, things can lose their meaning.

"Why are you asking about that?" Steve asked, puzzled.

"Nothing. Just crossed my mind." Mike said with a shrug.

His aunt had once hinted at this very dilemma.

To be extraordinary or to remain ordinary. Just a single thought could change everything.

"Mike!"

"Senior!"

Suddenly, two voices called out. Mike turned and saw Gwen and Kara approaching.

How did they know where to find him?

"Kid." Steve patted Mike's shoulder meaningfully, "Take it from someone who's been there—cherish what you have now. And take care of yourself."

"Captain, you've got it wrong." Mike chuckled awkwardly, wondering why Captain America always seemed so playful.

"See you around, Captain." He waved, stood, and walked toward Gwen and Kara with his backpack.

Steve made an "OK" sign.

"Mike, who was that you were talking to?" Gwen asked, glancing curiously at the distant bench.

Mike looked back, but Captain America was no longer sitting there.

"Oh, just someone I ran into." Mike said casually.

"Really?" Gwen blinked, intrigued but not pressing further.

Kara, beside her, looked thoughtful.

The three continued exploring the city, and before long, darkness had fallen.

New York, the city that never sleeps, was even more alive at night.

For a group of young friends, nighttime was the perfect setting for new adventures.

Inside a local hotel in Queens:

"What? Only one room left?" Mike frowned at the front desk, considering his options. He pulled out his card, "Fine, I'll take it."

"Mike, is that… really okay?" Gwen's ears turned red, and Kara looked unsure.

"What's going through your heads?" Mike chuckled, scratching his head, "You two can have the room. I'll find another hotel nearby."

The two girls blinked in surprise at his response, thrown off by the unexpected outcome.

The receptionist, overhearing, was left speechless.

After settling Gwen and Kara in, Mike let out a sigh of relief. With his backpack, he wandered along the street looking for a place to stay.

Under the night sky, neon lights flickered as crowds filled the streets.

Nearby, in a dark, damp alley, a pool of murky water started shifting on its own. The black, gelatinous liquid crawled up the walls, as if alive, observing the people walking by.

"Is there a suitable host?"

"I can't last much longer…"

The creature's hoarse whispers filled the alley. It had no limbs, no brain—just a dark, viscous liquid, but the words seemed to come from nowhere.

Just then, a young boy with a backpack passed the street outside the alley.

The liquid surged forward, latching onto the wall to trail Mike quickly and quietly.

Thump!

Mike paused on the street, feeling as though someone had nudged him. Turning, he saw no one there.

"Was that my imagination?" He murmured. He didn't notice that a pair of curious cat eyes were peeking out of his backpack.

Soon, he found another hotel down the street. He stepped toward the revolving door, but just as he entered, his body suddenly went rigid.

A strange feeling washed over him from within.

"What's happening?" Mike looked at his hands, watching in horror as his body and clothes began melting like a snowman under the summer sun! The sticky black liquid dripped to the floor.

In an instant, Mike melted into a pool of black liquid, along with his backpack!

---

Inside the revolving door compartment, a ball of dark liquid quivered on the floor.

It was suffocating, oppressive.

Mike felt as though he couldn't breathe. No, he *couldn't* breathe!

An instinct deep within him took over, and his body began transforming from within.

"If this goes on, I'm done for…" Mike writhed, squirming in distress.

"Meow!"

The sound drew his attention. An orange cat poked its head out of his fallen backpack.

It was Kerry!

Summoning all his strength, Mike—the black liquid—lunged forward, enveloping the little orange cat and merging with it!

At the hotel's front desk, the receptionist saw the revolving door spin. She glanced up and saw a small black kitten.

"Where'd this stray come from?" She approached, intent on shooing it away.

The black kitten stood still, then suddenly grabbed the backpack in its mouth and darted back out into the street.

After some time, the black kitten stopped on the rooftop of a five-story building, setting the backpack down. It gazed out over the city lights below.

"Who am I?"

"I'm a symbiote, Venom… no, I'm Kerry, the young…"

"No, that's not right!!"

The black kitten held its head in frustration, then its eyes lit up in understanding.

"I remember now. I'm Mike, just a regular student from Washington."

"What… happened to me?"