"Was that just real or..."
"If we do nothing, that's what will happen next."
Viewing the future by connecting timelines was a power Ethan had only recently acquired, and coming to this world was the perfect opportunity to test it.
He didn't rely on the Time Stone or any other time-related treasure. He achieved this purely through his own power. Unfortunately, he still couldn't see an infinite number of futures. Doctor Strange or the Ancient One, with the power of the Time Stone, could see countless possibilities, even how different choices would lead to specific futures.
Ethan couldn't do that yet. At the moment, he could only see the future of the current world line.
For now, Brian's future hadn't changed fundamentally, which meant the rest of this world's story would likely still play out the same. Those plot points would still occur.
Sitting on the hood of the car, Ethan really wanted to figure out how to view an infinite number of futures, and how to determine what actions would lead to what changes in the future.
Achieving that through his own power was far too difficult. It involved the time laws of the universe, something Ethan still couldn't grasp.
After thinking for a moment, he pushed the idea aside. This trip was meant to be fun with Diana, not for training.
"Let's go."
"What should we do next?"
"I don't know either. Is there anything you want to do?"
Diana didn't have anything specific in mind. This world wasn't particularly special. According to Ethan, it was just an ordinary world, suitable for the two of them to travel around.
Because he had displayed special abilities in front of the authorities in their own world, they couldn't enjoy any private time together there. But here, there were no such restrictions. They could do anything they wanted.
Brian?
Ethan had already warned him. Since he was determined to become a wanted man, Ethan wasn't going to go out of his way to save him.
Everyone chooses their own path. Ethan wasn't his father, so why should he care so much?
So, after Diana expressed her desire to travel, Ethan decisively let go of Brian's matter and accompanied Diana around the world.
Starting from Los Angeles, they visited nearly all the famous tourist attractions in North America. Once they'd seen enough of North America, they went overseas and toured several popular countries.
Over the course of a few years, the two of them visited almost every well-known place on Earth, did everything there was to do, and thoroughly enjoyed several years of private time together.
While the two were traveling, Brian, just as in the original plot, released Dominic, quit his job as a police officer, and went to the East Coast to start a new life.
But as a protagonist, a peaceful life was never in the cards for him. He was later found by the FBI and asked to help take down a drug lord.
Naturally, Brian couldn't refuse. He became an undercover agent again and successfully helped the FBI arrest the drug lord.
Even though he wanted to return to a normal life, after a series of events, he eventually became an FBI agent.
But all of this was irrelevant to Ethan. After returning, he didn't go find Brian, who had moved back to Los Angeles. Instead, he and Diana went to find Gisele.
"..."
Diana finally understood why Ethan had wanted to come to this world. So that was it.
"What do you think?"
Ethan held a bag of peanuts in his hand, popping them into his mouth one by one, and looked at Diana across from him with interest, asking what she thought of Gisele.
"Too thin."
Compared to Diana, who had visible muscle definition, Gisele had the figure of a typical model: slim and slender. Thanks to her smaller bone structure, she looked better than someone who was just skin and bones.
But for Diana, a warrior raised on Paradise Island, such a thin and fragile-looking build completely went against her standards of beauty. As for the fact that the woman looked a lot like her, she didn't care much, as long as Ethan didn't have any dangerous intentions.
"You don't like this type, do you?"
Diana thought for a moment. Neither she nor Ada fit that type. Both of them were curvy, and even the petite Selina wasn't thin.
So she concluded that Ethan didn't like this kind of figure. He must've done this purely because Gisele resembled her.
Ethan hadn't expected Diana's evaluation of Gisele to be so simple. He had thought she would be at least a little annoyed.
"I don't like them too thin."
In fact, not only did he dislike overly thin women, but in the past, he also didn't like women with obvious muscle definition. He had thought women covered in muscles weren't beautiful at all, until he saw Wonder Woman.
For the first time, he realized that a strong woman with visible muscle lines could also be incredibly attractive. So even though he had the ability to reduce Diana's muscle definition without affecting her strength, he didn't do so.
Besides, if he really tried, Diana wouldn't agree. As a warrior, she liked her current look and had no desire to change it.
"You brought me here just to show me her?"
"Actually, I wanted to see your reaction."
"Now you've seen it. What next?"
As Diana asked this, Ethan suddenly felt the soft flesh on the inside of his thigh being pinched. He glanced across the table. Diana was holding a drink in one hand, stirring it with a straw in the other, acting like nothing had happened.
"Uh... that's all."
"You really are boring."
The soft pinch was released. Ethan laughed awkwardly. If he hadn't answered like that, it probably wouldn't have been just a light pinch.
"We've played enough these past few years. It's time to go back."
Diana sat up straight, resting her chin on her hand and looking at Ethan.
They had been in this world for nearly ten years, doing everything there was to do. There really was no need to stay any longer.
Even if they wanted to continue spending time together, they should change locations.
"You want to leave?"
Ethan thought about it. There really wasn't much left to see in this world. He did consider going to Brazil to meet Gisele's sister, but saying that would only cause problems, so he gave up on the idea.
After finishing the drink in front of him, Ethan set the glass down. In that moment, the two of them left that world and returned to Artemis.
Having spent nearly ten years playing together, even with their strong memories that kept everything fresh, there was still a subtle sense of unfamiliarity.
"Want to go out and play again?"
Diana smiled and gently kissed Ethan's forehead.
"No need. I was very happy during this time."
The two of them lived like an ordinary couple, enjoying a peaceful life without interference. They visited all the famous tourist spots on Earth, which made her very happy.
They had been in a relationship for a long time, but due to special circumstances, they were rarely together for extended periods. At first, it wasn't a big deal, but over time, Diana began to wonder, "Why can't we live like a normal couple?"
Ethan accompanying her for so long this time fulfilled that small wish, which made her feel very content. She even felt like their relationship had deepened, like that of a couple who had been together for many years.
"Even though I know you're happy, can you not kiss my forehead?"
It felt strange, like he was a child.
"Then hurry up and grow up."
They had spent nearly ten years in that world, but for a divine body, that much time was nothing. Even though Ethan had been diligently training, absorbing energy from other planes, and had used up all his stored magic stones, he still looked around fifteen years old.
"Next, I'm going to fix this problem."
He felt that he had maintained this state long enough. Before, he was anxious but could still tolerate it. Now, he was fed up and had made growing up his top priority.
Having stayed in a childlike form for so long, he had gained a deep understanding of his divine body and had figured out a way to accelerate his physical growth, even allowing himself to grow directly to the age he preferred.
"Then get to it. I'm going back."
"Alright."
Artemis was now connected to the DC Universe, and Diana could use the teleportation device to return, so he didn't need to escort her personally. As they were about to part again, Ethan reached out, wrapped his arm around her neck, and gave her a deep kiss.
He had forgotten, however, that he had previously informed Tony. So just as they were kissing, Tony happened to teleport in.
"Well, Diana, that's illegal, you know."
"Hi, Tony."
After greeting him, Diana stepped onto the teleportation device and returned to her world. Tony was still complaining to Ethan, "Did you call me here just to show off your PDA?"
Ethan lightly scratched his chin with a finger, quietly listening to Tony's long-winded complaints.
"I went looking for you earlier, but you weren't here. What have you been doing all this time? Don't tell me you've just been dating Diana nonstop..."
When Tony finally stopped talking, Ethan gestured for him to put on his nanotech suit.
"What for?"
"To show you something."
After Tony suited up, Ethan opened a portal and took him outside Artemis, pointing to the Kryptonian spaceship being towed behind them.
"This is a Kryptonian spaceship. It can travel faster than light. Interested?"
(To be continued.)