"Oh great heroes please save our world!" This the first thing I hear after coming back from my complete lack of sensory input, now I find myself in a barely lit amongst a cluster of rocks, with a circle under my foot that I can tell is something magic simply by the pattern on it.
These men in front of me don't know the level of pain I'll put them through for not only taking me away from my work, but for thinking they could just make Lex Luthor their... There's something in my arm, a shield I never seen in my whole life is on it and for the life of me I can't seem to drop it off. In fact the shield strap isn't even connected to my arm, merely just floating a few minuscule inches above my suit
Is this part of whatever ritual they have used to bring me here? If they think a object like that will stop Lex Luthor they are... No, it wouldn't be wise of me to act so hastily when I don't know what this thing is, could be a form of collar to put me in line. A magical item to make me their slave, something I can't take off and that will punish if not outright kill me if I step out of the line.
I hate sorcery. But this is only a set back, I can find someone to take this thing off and-
"You can forget!" A voice comes in from my side, it would seen I wasn't alone in this magical abduction. I see three other boys to my right, carrying weapons that were engraved with gold details, unlike the silver shield that I have.
So th spell wasn't targeting me, otherwise why would it bring these three ordinary teens I never saw in my life here? If this summoning was truly to bring random individuals amongst the 8 billion collective people on Earth, then I must have been one of the unlucky few to get picked. Still I wonder why they have those weapons, they must have a bigger purpose than just slaving whoever is stuck with them... Ah, here we go.
As I gaze the small cube in my vision, a holographic display is presented to me and I am quick to notice that this didn't bring anyone's attention other than mine, so it must be projected directly into my brain. I'll savor in the details of this while they demand rewards from these peasants
[Name: Alexander "Lex" Luthor]
[LV 1] [Race: Human]
[Class: Shield hero]
[Equipment: legendary shield (locked), otherworldly clothes, modified motherbox]
[Health Points: 140]
[Magical Points: 20]
[Soul Points: 40]
[Attack: 1]
[Magic: 20]
[Physical Defense: 40]
[Magical Defense: 24]
[Agility: 20]
Much more technological than magical in nature I see, already making a statistics sheet of myself. I would complain of this 1 attack limitation it seems to have impose onto me, but that would imply that I am unable of changing it. If this is more tech than magic then it won't take long for me to take it apart and... Seems like these idiots have come to a agreement, we'll meet their king to discuss the rewards and the situation at hand
Good, I want to show to however rules this place that he shouldn't have taken me from my office to do his biding, I don't care if this place is doomed or what not. I won't be made a mere servant to a place I have no intention of staying, I can consider helping them in exchange for the rulership of this country, but that will depend on how smart the king is.
Going up a flight of stairs, I zone everything distracting like those three imbeciles to focus solely on the status window. Functions are beyond my initial expectations, adaptability seems to be it's main focus considering the absorbing properties it has, converting any form of organic or inorganic mass into a new form of power to grow stronger. I can certainly make use of this, after a recalibration to remove the ridiculousness of the attack limitation, a weapon that can't do harm is not a weapon, therefore it is flawed from the very beginning of the concept.
Arriving at the large doors of the throne room our guide speak to us of manners, that we should be respectful of the king and to act as such. I'm not going to obey a sniveling man in a cloak, I will show the king who is in charge here and depending on his response... Maybe I'll give him the gift of courtesy, right now this is a hostile business meeting that I don't intend on being treated as anything less than what I'm worth.
"Announcing the entrance of the legendary heroes" someone from the other said shouted as the doors opened, we make our way into the room and it's large, but I had bigger offices than this before. Can see some people on the high balcony that I assume are the nobles from this backwater place, look at them... Quietly judging us and seeing if we are worth any interest, they are just investors trying to see what benefit we can bring to them, but I am the one who should judge wether or not they are worth my time.
"So these are the legendary heroes? Very well I'm king Aultcray Melromarc XXXII" the voice of the king calls, I have to see he looks about what you would expect from a king. Wearing expensive jewelry amd clothing to compensate for his decrepit state, I will give him the benefit of ignorance because clearly this fool isn't the most capable leader, but maybe his appearance is misleading
"Can the heroes name themselves?" The old man requested and the other three introduced themselves, all seem to be japanese from their names but other than that? Nothing special, no real achievement to their name, no meta human power to speak of, they're just average. But when compared to the biggest criminal mind on the Earth, everyone else is playing catch up anyway, so better to introduce myself to this people and show what truly is a man worthy of the name 'legendary hero'
"I'm Lex Lu-"
"So Ren, Motoyasu and Itsuki?" ... He skipped me, this arrogant little king thought he could just over look Lex Luthor? That my introduction was somehow lesser than of these idiots?... Oh, I am going to enjoy putting him in his place
"I think you're forgetting someone" I call not only his attention but of the entire room, I won't have myself be seen as a less important detail. I won't settle for anything but the center of attention, because now I have to show this fool who really is the top dog as of now.
"Ah shield hero! Forgive me, please introduce yourself to the court" faking ignorance, huh? You shouldn't even try to considering you're already a intelectual inferior, but sure try to keep up appearances, we both know that you did that on purpose and I can tell in that look of yours... You hate me, even though you don't know anything about me? I suppose you're feeling intimidated by my presence, after all you're an out of shape old man playing king past your prime.
"Lex Luthor, CEO and owner of Lex Corp. One of the biggest and most influential multinacional corporations on Earth, I was the president of the United States of America for a time so I wouldn't like to be skipped over like some common trash." Their reactions tell me that either they are shocked or angry by my tone, the audacity I'm showing in front of the king, but I don't care for what they think.
This is a matter of setting down one thing straight, Lex Luthor should not be seen as anything less from anyone, no matter if they are a king or not.
"But I suppose a less advance society like yours isn't the type to understand more complex concepts such as democracy, the time of monarchs has long been gone back in my world. So I will let it slide, just know that I too ruled over a entire country before, so you aren't better than me by just being king." The gasps in the room, the shocked expression amongst all these peasants watching, they now know just who they are dealing with. But I wonder how you will react Aultcray, maybe sent your guards to kill me? Put me down in my knees for blasphemy? Or a verbal scouting for insulting your position? I want to see you try...
"... Thank you for sharing, shield hero." Backing down, first wise decision you seem to have made so far in your whole life. I can tell you're just wishing for my head to be impaled for disrespecting you in front of your subjects, but you were the one who thought skipping me was smart move. If you didn't want to be humiliated, you should ha e treated Lex Luthor with the upmost respect instead of spitting in my face
"Now I suppose you all want to know the circumstances for your arrival, my country is in need of your help" He gave a description of these Waves. They could happen anywhere at any time, lasting for multiple hours or until the boss controlling that wave is killed. He also said something quite troubling for sure, during the time of the wave monsters would continue to pour out of the cracks in the sky that begin said wave and even after it is stopped by killing the boss or by a set amount of time passing, any monster already here would remain until slain.
I can see why they would be struggling to deal with this invasion, but I'm sure someone from the Justice League would have gladly accepted to help them, why involve me into this? Doesn't matter as long as there is a way to return, and it so happens that we will be allowed to go back once the Waves are done... How convenient for them.
"We summoned you because the waves are said to be stronger later on, so we thought best to get the heroes while the waves are still weak so they can strengthen yourselves" I tire of this nonsense, if they want us to get stronger then I hope he has plans to supply us with everything needed for this Wave, but I can tell he'll just give us a little bit of cash and sent us in our merry way because to this idiot, he can't possibly even want to use more than the bare minimum to save his country, because he expects us to do everything ourselves
Or I suppose it would only be me doing the hard work, I doubt these three are capable of thinking anything out of the ordinary, they are a liability if I stick to them. But maybe they can bother themselves to fight against this invasion while I focus on more important matters, after all they are kids... All they want is to live out the fantasy of being heroes, but Lex Luthor is not someone easily satisfied with just small victories, I have far bigger ambition to fulfill.
"Strengthen ourselve? Are we not legendary heroes? Are these not legendary weapons?" For once I will agree with one of the kids, a truly legendary weapon wouldn't need to grow stronger along with however wields it, the weapon should always stay at their strongest or else they are useless. But I will give it a chance to prove itself, test the shield's adaptability to see if it can become more than just a large chunk of metal
"Each weapon has it's own method of gaining strength, could you activate your status magic?" The old man ordered but I won't do as such, I already know of the status magic but the idiots by my side clearly are seeing it for the first time, I bet they aren't even going to inspect it further than when is convenient for them.
"This seems to be quite the big favor you're asking, risking our lives to save your world... I hope the reward is proportional to the danger where putting ourselves in"
"Each of you will be handsomely rewarded after every wave you defeat, it is only natural to reward your bravery"
"Hey, our room is over here." One of the other three idiots call out to me but I just give them a hand wave to go away, I don't have interest in spending the night with a collection of teenagers, I will be sleeping elsewhere.
This I enter one of the many other guess rooms, quaint but it will do. Sitting on the room's table I begin examining the shield more carefully, trying to understand it's design and where I could start taking it apart. Much of the status magic seems useful but it keeps on limiting my access to other functions, not even allowing me to see the settings for myself.
Doesn't matter really, this is but a tool and I intend on using it wisely, but to do that I must crack the shield's code and reconfigure it to fulfill my needs, Lex Luthor isn't someone who stands in the sidelines support others, I take on challenges head on.
Hours pass and I come to a impasse, the more I learn of the shield more limiting it feels. Seems to have a sense of it's own like a ghost reside in the machine, maybe a form of A.I to run the systems of the weapon, this place doesn't have anything I need to crack this... Luckily I brought my own
I was hoping to save this motherbox for later, once I had returned home. But seems that I can't create a portal out of this mess, some form of signal prevents me from leaving the planet's atmosphere or to open a portal back to my Earth. The Waves seem to be more of a hassle than I originally thought, but I will guarantee my own superiority against these mindless beast will remain uncontested
Letting the shield absorb the motherbox leads to a small change on the weapon's design, but it opened the doors for true customization on what this legendary weapon can truly become, like the attack limitation? Gone with a simple click, I say the rest of the night was a good one to spend making this thing feel more like something worthy of a Luthor
So in the next morning, I purposively evade the calling for the king's throne room so as to be the last one to enter, by now they all had gotten their little groups that surely these lesser 'heroes' will need to even stand a chance on this war against the Waves. But Lex Luthor doesn't need anyone but himself.
So I enter the throne room, and the look on their faces is just what you expect from these small minded fools would have upon seeing the work of a truly brilliant mind. The three idiots, the moronic king and all the nobles that came to see this gathering are now witnesses to that no longer was Lex Luthor bond to a puny shield, but something much more fitting for me. A war armor, made of the shield itself after countless modifications by the assimilation to the motherbox, allowing me to fully build this pathetic item into a true legendary weapon.
I wonder how long it will be until I have this whole world under the grasp of my hand, for their magic and monsters are nothing to the might of my brilliance.
[Author's notes]
Leave a review as it really helps the fanfic, your thoughts and opinions help the creative process
Did a little bonus chapter, focused on what would happen if Lex Luthor was chosen as the shield instead of Superman. Also tried doing it in a different narration than my usual one, going with a first person perspective to really show the ego and pride Lex has, admittedly writing villains is not my strongest point but I want to hear your thoughts on how this went down and if I did a good job.
Sorry for the lack of updates recently, been having some trouble on the writing of this fanfic ever since college started back up in full swing, so I can't really afford to focus on more than one thing in terms of writing.
Would really like to pick back up on this story but the inspiration is hard to flow right now, hoping that Absolute Superman puts me back in the mood for this story.