Max looked up at the chained creature, his expression hardening.

"What the hell are you?" he asked.

"Are you going to free me if I answer you?" the creature shot back.

"I'm just being polite," Max replied flatly. "There are plenty of ways I could forcefully extract information, and most of them would end with your demise."

The creature smirked. "Hmm… worth a shot. As for what I am—I honestly don't know. I was always stuffed inside a tank until I broke out. And since I didn't have a proper body, I took over someone else's. The guy was dying anyway, bleeding out with no legs. I figured I'd relieve him of the pain."

"Mhh… seems like you were one of the failed experiments," Max muttered.

"Ouch. My feelings," the creature said dryly.

Max stayed quiet, pondering. The whole situation was puzzling. If what it said was true, then this thing was a failed experiment—but it carried far too many White Zetsu-like traits. Unsettling, to say the least. Still, he needed to be sure.

His Sharingan spun to life. He locked eyes with the creature.

"Cool eyes. What do they—"

The creature slumped as Max cast a genjutsu, slipping into its mind. Silence filled the room for minutes until Max finally pulled back, closing his eyes and rubbing his temple.

The creature gasped, regaining clarity, chest heaving. "What the hell was that for? I answered your question, didn't I?"

Max ignored it. Instead, he summoned his scythe from his system space and raised it high.

"Hey, hey—wait, that's not necessary, we can just talk about this—Ahh!"

His plea was cut short as Max brought the blade down, severing its left arm in a single strike. The dismembered limb swung from the chain, dripping pale fluid.

"Umm… was that supposed to hurt?" the creature asked, staring at the oozing stump.

"No," Max said calmly, dismissing the scythe. "That was just a test."

Before his eyes, the wound bubbled and knit itself together. Within moments, a new arm grew to replace the old.

"You have regenerative abilities too," Max observed.

The creature flexed its fingers, a crooked grin forming. "I didn't even know I had that. Guess I'm awesome."

The grin unsettled him, but Max pushed forward. "If I were to free you, what would you do?"

"I don't know," the creature said lazily. "Travel the world. Eat some people. Take a shit. Then die peacefully under the sun."

Max pinched the bridge of his nose. "I regret asking."

The creature tilted its head. "What, did you expect me to say I'd become a saint?"

"You have no real goal," Max said evenly. "So I have a proposition for you. In this world—"

"I'll do it," the creature interrupted, cutting him off.

Max blinked. "…You didn't even hear what I was offering."

"I mean, whatever it is, I can put my plans on hold," the creature shrugged.

Max sighed. He had been prepared to deliver a grand speech, but apparently, that wouldn't be necessary. "…Then welcome to the Akatsuki."

He turned and started walking away.

"Hey! You can't just leave me like this. At least get me out of these chains!" the creature shouted after him.

Max ignored the call, closing the door behind him. He leaned against the wall outside, deep in thought.

He had entered the creature's mind through a genjutsu and confirmed that the it hadn't lied. It had assimilated someone. In its fragmented memories, Max had seen flashes of Dr. Benjamin Mackenzie—the lead scientist for the operations in Rose island.

But Benjamin hadn't been possessed as Max first assumed. He had been completely assimilated, body and mind absorbed. That explained why this mockery of a White Zetsu could speak fluently, carry a personality, even hold memories of its host.

Which made it dangerous in a way but also useful.

With abilities it had showcased, the creature could serve as a valuable pawn. But Max knew one thing for certain—he'd need countermeasures in place. Because if it ever turned against him, he couldn't afford to be caught off guard

-------------------

The scene of Max beheading Waller kept replaying on every news channel, a grim reminder of the horror and brutality of Tobi. Once hailed as a hero for his pivotal role in repelling Darkseid's invasion, Tobi had now been unmasked before the world as nothing more than a wolf in sheep's clothing — a ruthless killer hiding behind the guise of a savior.

The footage was muted, the audio mysteriously stripped away. Whatever words had been exchanged between Waller and Tobi remained a mystery, leaving only the dreadful image of the scythe's arc and Waller's sudden, violent end.

After the killing, Tobi turned with deliberate calm, moving to her cabinet. When he opened it, whatever he found inside seemed to amuse him greatly. His shoulders began to shake, his body trembling in what could only be silent laughter , a detail that added another layer of villainy to the already chilling scene.

Finally, he raised his hand, forming an unfamiliar seal. In the blink of an eye, his figure vanished into thin air. A moment later, the screen dissolved into static, leaving behind silence, speculation, and fear.

On the Daily Planet's broadcast, the camera cut back to Lois Lane at the news desk, her expression calm but tight.

"A man once hailed as a hero now branded as the world's most dangerous villain. With Amanda Waller dead and no official statement yet from the government, questions are mounting. Civilians across the country are reeling — some in shock, others in anger, and many in fear of what Tobi may do next. For now, the world waits."

She shuffled her papers, the faintest edge in her tone as she delivered her closing quip:

"And if tonight has taught us anything, it's that heroes can fall, masks can lie, and trust is a fragile thing."

The broadcast ended on her steady gaze before the screen faded to black, leaving the weight of her words.

Meanwhile in the US PENTAGON

Behind closed doors, the U.S. government was in chaos. In a secure room deep within the Pentagon, a dozen officials sat around a polished oak table. At the front of the room, a massive screen displayed a frozen frame of Amanda Waller's severed head,they had heard everything since they have access to the unfiltered version of the footage. Silence hung heavy for a few moments before General Sam Lane finally spoke.

"Has the President been relocated to a safe bunker?"

"Yes, sir," one of the officials answered.

Lane's eyes narrowed. "And what guarantee does it have in protecting the President against that man?"

"It doesn't, sir, but it's better than nothing," the aide admitted.

"This is clearly an act of war. We cannot allow this Tobi to go undealt with!" an official said angrily.

Lane leaned forward. "I agree. But we cannot act rashly. If we provoke him without precision, we risk triggering retaliation. We need a single, decisive strike."

One of the officials spoke up, voice tight. "We can't order a strike without the President's clearance… and frankly, the President seems to have cold feet."

Lane slammed his fist on the table, silencing the room. "Cold feet?!" He stood, his voice booming. "That is not only insubordination—it borders on treason!"

He turned sharply to the nearest security officer. "Corporal! Drag this man out immediately."

The officer moved without hesitation. The official protested as he was escorted toward the door, but Lane's gaze was unwavering. "Speaking like that about the Commander-in-Chief in my presence is unacceptable. It's a crime to discuss the President in such a manner while lives hang in the balance."

Once the room had regained a tense calm, Lane returned his attention to the remaining officials. "Do not forget why we are here. Waller disobeyed direct orders—she continued Project Thena even after being instructed to shut it down. Now she has left a mess behind for us to clean up, and she has paid the ultimate price."

He let the weight of his words sink in. "We are not here to dwell on anger or assign blame. Our priority is the public. We must calm them. We declare Tobi a terrorist. Lethal force is authorized to neutralize him on sight. That must be the message. And to be clear: this is not a threat we can face alone. The Justice League has the firepower and capability that we lack. We will cooperate with them—but all decisions on engagement are to be coordinated. Any misstep could result in catastrophic casualties."

Lane leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers. "We have work to do. Calm the public. Contain the fear. And prepare to eliminate Tobi. That is all."

The officials nodded, notes being scribbled and murmurs exchanged as the meeting concluded.

End of chapter.