Marvel, start by marrying the Scarlet Witch

The Bronx, New York.

A five-story residential building was suddenly engulfed in flames, the result of faulty, aging electrical circuits.

Although the building wasn't particularly tall, thick black smoke was already curling out of broken windows. Most of the residents had evacuated and were gathered outside, staring in horror at the fire as they waited for the fire brigade.

Suddenly, a young couple let out a heart-wrenching scream and rushed toward the burning building. Thankfully, a few sharp-eyed neighbors stopped them just in time.

Everyone knew charging into a fire like that was suicide.

As it turned out, the couple had put their baby to sleep and gone to the supermarket just ten minutes earlier. But when they returned, they were met with the horror of their home ablaze.

While the couple collapsed in despair and the crowd murmured in helpless sympathy, a figure in a black windbreaker suddenly appeared in front of them.

"I should be just in time for the newly refreshed mission," he murmured to himself.

It was Carl.

He had Apparated to the scene after spotting a task: rescue a baby trapped on the fifth floor of a burning building. The reward was two full days in the Small World—a priceless bonus.

"Which window is your child behind on the fifth floor?" Carl asked the distraught parents.

The couple, who had nearly given up hope, recognized Carl's outfit and remembered the news broadcasts of a mysterious superhero appearing all over New York. Their eyes lit with a flicker of hope. The mother quickly pointed, her hand shaking.

"There! That window… please, please save our baby!"

Carl nodded without hesitation. In the blink of an eye, he Apparated to the window. With one powerful punch, he shattered the glass and climbed inside.

Apparition required either line-of-sight or prior knowledge of the location. Since he hadn't been inside this particular apartment, he had no choice but to teleport to the exterior window.

This was exactly why he had spent weeks traveling across most of New York City—to familiarize himself with as many areas as possible for fast Apparition access during missions.

Inside, the heat was oppressive. Flames hadn't reached the fifth floor yet, but the thick smoke had. Carl quickly located the baby lying unconscious in a stroller.

"Still breathing… I made it just in time."

He placed a hand over the child's chest and channeled Palm Healing jutsu, a ninjutsu that purged toxins and restored breath to those on the brink. Thick smoke is deadlier than fire; two or three breaths can knock someone unconscious, and ten minutes of exposure is often fatal.

Luckily, the nursery door had been closed, limiting smoke exposure. Even so, the baby had already passed out.

Any longer, and it would've been too late.

Cradling the baby carefully, Carl jumped out of the window. He ran down the exterior wall with chakra-assisted footwork, leaping past the burning second floor and landing smoothly on the ground.

He didn't Apparate with the baby because the magical force of Apparition felt like being squeezed through a narrow tube. It was uncomfortable even for an adult, let alone a newborn.

"My baby—oh my God—thank you, thank you, sir!"

The young mother burst into tears as Carl handed her the unharmed baby. The father clutched Carl's hand with trembling gratitude. Applause erupted from the gathered crowd.

Carl nodded once but said nothing. Instead, he turned to face the building again and raised his wand.

"Meteolojinx Recanto!"

With a twist of his wrist, dark clouds gathered above the burning structure. Thunder rumbled, and a gentle rain began to fall.

Weather magic—rare and difficult—was often used in herbology or to regulate indoor climates in magical offices. Its effectiveness depended on the caster's strength. Carl could only summon clouds over an area the size of two basketball courts.

But it was enough.

He had once seen Grindelwald conjure a storm large enough to blanket a city, and even use bolts of lightning as weapons. Carl was nowhere near that level, but he didn't need to be—yet.

With the fire suppressed by the rain, Carl formed a quick series of hand seals.

"Water Style: Evil Mouth!"

Water chakra surged into the earth, drawing moisture from deep below. A powerful stream burst forth, directed by Carl's will, and surged into the building.

The water jutsu, while not offensive in nature, worked perfectly with the artificial rain. Thick streams flowed through the structure, dampening flames and choking off the fire's oxygen.

Environmental synergy was key to ninjutsu effectiveness. Water jutsu worked best during storms, near rivers, or at sea. Fire was stronger near volcanic zones or large blazes. Lightning was deadlier during actual thunderstorms, while Wind and Earth had their own elemental boosters.

Combining Weather Magic with Elemental Ninjutsu was proving to be one of Carl's most effective strategies.

As the fire dwindled to embers and steam hissed into the air, sirens wailed in the distance. Fire trucks were finally arriving.

Carl didn't stay.

With a sharp crack, he vanished again—off to the next mission point.

Each time he rescued someone, gratitude poured from those he saved. It was always moving, always humbling.

But Carl knew he wasn't here for the applause. His real goal was time—precious time in the Small World, where he could grow stronger, train harder, and prepare for what was coming.

Still, he always prioritized missions that involved children or vulnerable lives, even when it meant less reward. It was a quiet rule he followed, one of the few concessions he made to his own sense of morality.

To the world, however, Carl had become something else entirely.

A hero.

While Iron Man paraded through headlines and press conferences, basking in fame and adoration, Carl—alongside Scarlet Witch—operated in shadows and silence.

They didn't chase terrorists or grand conspiracies. They put out fires. Stopped robberies. Found lost pets.

And because of that, they were beloved. Not just as superheroes—but as neighbors.

And as their reputation grew, the world had no idea just how much more Carl was preparing for… in this world and the others now slowly beginning to open—including one filled with Fantastic Beasts.