"You!" Wizard Shazam was nearly overwhelmed with frustration at Billy's response. In the past, so many had yearned for the powers he now offered, and he'd chosen Billy as his successor, seeing in him persistence and optimism. Yet here was Billy, reluctant to inherit his powers, unwilling to confront the Seven Deadly Sins demons.
What Wizard Shazam didn't realize was that Billy's persistence was driven by his desire to find his mother. The supernatural powers offered couldn't compare to the weight of that goal. Accepting Shazam's powers would mean diverting from his plan, and if he were to inherit those powers, it could lead to great risks. The wizard had been dormant for centuries—if Billy, too, had to sleep for eons after facing the Seven Deadly Sins, his mother would be long gone.
For a young boy, waking up in an unfamiliar future after an eternal slumber was an unimaginable burden. As a result, Billy felt not only indifferent but even averse to the powers Wizard Shazam offered.
"If he doesn't want it, maybe I can try?" Frank asked eagerly. "Without the Seven Deadly Sins present, is there no way for you to test me?"
"I can sense persistence within you too," the wizard replied, "but your ambition for power is far too strong. My last successor was much like you. I don't know if you'll walk down the same dark path as he did." Despite reaching the end of his life, Shazam hesitated to pass on his powers to someone with ulterior motives.
The Seven Deadly Sins had already fused with Sivana, becoming a dire threat. If Frank ended up like the last successor, it could spell doom for the world. And if Frank freed that previous successor, the world would be on the brink of destruction. Shazam wasn't aware of Earth's current protectors like the Avengers; he only sensed that the gods no longer watched over Earth.
Due to his pact with the gods, Shazam could still use divine power stored in the contract, even as the gods themselves had moved on from Earth.
"If you need proof of my worthiness, I'm afraid I can't give you much," Frank said with a resigned shrug, unsure of what he could do to earn the wizard's trust.
Some things are just ironic: Frank, who desperately wanted Shazam's powers, wasn't deemed worthy, while Billy, whom Shazam had chosen, didn't want the power at all.
"If you refuse to inherit my powers, and he is unqualified, the Seven Deadly Sins could destroy the world. Doesn't that worry you?" Shazam asked, casting a final hopeful glance at Billy.
"I'm just a kid. This shouldn't be my responsibility. All I want is to find my mother and live a normal life. Besides, you don't trust Frank—if the world falls apart, that's on you." Billy shook his head, turning the wizard's moral plea back on him with startling clarity.
"And if you did receive these powers, what would you do with them?" Shazam, stunned by Billy's response, had no choice but to turn to Frank.
A surge of divine energy pulsed from Shazam as he directed his gaze toward Frank, testing him for signs of corruption or malicious intent. At the very least, the Seven Deadly Sins needed to be sealed before any potential missteps from Frank could endanger Earth.
"I want to be a superhero and join the Avengers!" Frank blurted out under the influence of the wizard's power, revealing his true ambition for the power he sought.
"A superhero, is it? That will do for now," Shazam said with a sigh of relief. At least Frank's goal aligned with fighting the Seven Deadly Sins. Shazam handed him his staff. "Come over here, grasp the staff, and say my name."
"Your name? Shazam?" Frank repeated, excitement and confusion mingling on his face as he tried out the wizard's name.
Crack! A bolt of lightning flashed, and in the smoky aftermath stood a muscular man clad in a red suit and white cape, a lightning bolt emblazoned on his chest.
"What…? Is this divine power? How did I suddenly grow up?" Frank murmured in wonder, examining his transformed body. His drastically changed appearance was a complete surprise.
"Remember, you must fight the Seven Deadly Sins," Shazam advised, handing his staff to the bewildered Frank. "Through the staff, you can share your power with others, granting them part of your strength…"
"Why didn't you just share this power earlier?" Frank began, but then his expression shifted. Wizard Shazam's form crumbled into dust, disintegrating as if he'd been eroded by time.
"What the…?!" Billy gasped, stumbling back in horror. As an ordinary boy, watching the ancient wizard turn to dust was terrifying, even without blood or gore.
In the next moment, both Billy and Frank felt a jolt. They blinked, and suddenly they were back on the subway, with Frank still holding the wizard's staff.
"Were we… transported out?" Frank muttered, frowning in confusion. "That shouldn't be possible. Since I inherited the wizard's power, I should be able to freely enter and exit the Rock of Eternity. Also… how am I supposed to change back? Am I stuck like this forever?"
"Frank, what just happened? And what about that old wizard…?" Billy asked, wide-eyed, fear flickering in his gaze.
"Huh?" Frank snapped out of his thoughts, realizing they were drawing attention from curious onlookers. He whispered urgently, "Stay quiet. We need to leave!"
Frank quickly grasped the gravity of the situation. The powers of Shazam had attracted the attention of various groups, including government agencies, all watching the children who had shown potential as Shazam's successor. Rather than intervening directly, they waited for these children to reappear, hoping to identify any who had gained extraordinary abilities.
And now, Frank was clearly marked. The odds of blending in were slim with his strange attire—a bright red superhero costume was an obvious tip-off.
Without a moment's hesitation, Frank grabbed Billy and shot away, leaving a blur of motion that even the observing agents couldn't react to.
Though still getting used to his powers, Frank sensed he could move much faster if he pushed himself to his limits. Within moments, they arrived in a secluded park.
"I didn't want to drag you along, but since you spoke to me, I couldn't pretend I didn't know you. If I'd left you behind, they'd definitely come after you too," Frank explained, his tone much sharper in his grown-up form.
"Why would they come after me? I barely know you!" Billy said, bewildered and growing fearful, sensing that something bad was unfolding.
"I already told you, didn't I? Shazam—" Frank began to explain but was cut off as another bolt of lightning struck.
Crack! With a flash, Frank was suddenly back to his original, child-sized form, his divine power gone.
"So that name… it's the switch for my powers? But Wizard Shazam also said it without transforming," Frank pondered. "And thinking it in my head doesn't work either. I guess I have to say it out loud."
"Why did you change back? And what were you saying?" Billy asked, staring at Frank in confusion.
"Oh! As I was saying, it's not just me; government agencies and various organizations are also keeping a close eye on kids like us. Without a way to test for supernatural abilities themselves, they're watching anyone who could be chosen," Frank explained.
"So when you showed up in the subway looking like that… and I talked to you, they'd track me down too," Billy murmured in growing alarm.
"Exactly. They won't care that we're not close friends. They just need any information you might know about me or the Rock of Eternity," Frank said, his voice serious.
"What do we do? They'll figure out who I am soon," Billy said, panicking.
"We call for help from someone else," Frank replied. Taking a deep breath, he pulled out his phone and dialed the Avengers' emergency line. "Hello, this is Frank Castle, Jr. I'm in Fawcett City. I've inherited the wizard's powers and have divine strength now. Please send help right away; I'll stay here until you arrive…"
"Who are you calling?" Billy asked, shocked as he watched Frank reveal everything over the phone.
"Relax, it's the Avengers," Frank said confidently after hanging up. "Government agencies might be untrustworthy, but we can rely on the Avengers to help us out."
No sooner had he finished speaking than a figure materialized beside them—Diana, who'd previously been turned away by Wizard Shazam. When she realized there was no divine power left near the Rock of Eternity, she expanded her senses and located Frank. At that very moment, she also received an alert from JARVIS about Frank's call.
"Zeus's power… and not just his? How intriguing…" Diana remarked, surprised by the divine energy she sensed within Frank.
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