Thousands of Asgardian warriors were restrained with electromagnetic chains—a testament to the overwhelming power of the genetically enhanced super-soldiers from the Umbrella Corporation. Ordinary Asgardians could never have subdued them.
The Earthlings brought by Thor looked at Kain with increasingly complex expressions. But one emotion stood out—hatred, burning in Bruce Banner's eyes.
And who could blame him? After all, part of the reason he became the Hulk was Betty's departure. Later, in his desperation to contribute to military research, he was exposed to gamma radiation. Then there was Tony Stark—once a famous billionaire playboy in the U.S., now stripped of even his company.
As for the others, they were naturally into Nick Fury's agenda. S.H.I.E.L.D. prioritized stability. Kain pursued power. Conflict between them was inevitable.
Just like how Tony Stark wanted to create Ultron but was misunderstood, Kain also understood the dangers of the future. If development stopped, survival would be left to fate—and he refused to accept that.
Still, all these people had "met" before, but their flea-like resistance was over.
"Sharon, send them to the mines as well. I don't want any more trouble."
"Yes, sir," Sharon replied with a nod. Her eyes briefly met the captured Nick Fury and the others. When she saw Captain America again, she felt... nothing.
As a child, Sharon grew up hearing legendary stories about Captain America from her aunt. But as she matured and stripped away the aura of heroism, she realized something—Steve Rogers was barely capable of doing anything that mattered anymore. Whether it was Brera or the Super Personnel Bureau, super soldiers like him had been pushed out of the "superhuman warrior" tier.
In the new world order, a superhuman was someone with abilities that clearly exceeded a super soldier's. Captain America, Natasha Romanov, Hawkeye, T'Challa, and the rest? Their utility was too low—so low that Kain didn't even hesitate before sending them to the mines.
"You'll destroy humanity... and the peace of Earth!"
Steve Rogers glared at Kain and spoke coldly before being dragged away.
Sharon instinctively stepped forward to silence him, but Kain stopped her with a raised hand.
"How rare," Kain mused, smiling slightly. "A weapon of war suddenly worried about humanity's fate. That's rich. It'd be even better if you could say that in your true, human form... Let me help you return to what you once were, Steve Rogers."
With those words, Kain raised a dark weapon. As he silently recited an incantation, black mist began to swirl around him, accompanied by a devil's low, bone-chilling laughter that seemed to echo in everyone's soul.
Suddenly, the black mist vanished—disappearing as though it had never existed.
The next second, Steve Rogers let out a strangled gasp and began violently convulsing, unable to speak.
"Steve!"
"Captain!"
The remaining Avengers surged forward in alarm, but they were quickly pinned down by Super Personnel Bureau agents.
Steve's convulsions didn't last long. But when they ended, his body had changed drastically. From a tall, powerful super soldier, he had reverted to the frail, skinny man he was before enlisting. If anyone weighed him now, Steve Rogers likely wouldn't even break ninety catties.
"That's enough. Take them away," Kain said flatly.
There was no point in speaking to losers. They had failed—and none of them had the strength to resist. Letting them live was punishment enough. As for Thor, he would eventually be broken too. The once-mighty god of thunder, now a bloated drunk, would take at least ten years to rot into irrelevance.
As the prisoners were dragged away, Kain noticed a meteor-like object flying rapidly toward Earth. He had used the power of the Infinity Stones to place surveillance runes across the planet, and though Asgard remained quiet, someone else had arrived.
"The same energy as the Space Stone… Did Nick Fury call for backup? What a troublesome guest."
Despite his words, Kain—wielder of two Infinity Stones—remained unfazed. Captain Marvel was just a nuisance, nothing more.
Carol Danvers, whose powers originated from the Space Stone itself after an engine explosion, now surged toward Earth with a sonic boom. As she descended, she immediately noticed Nick Fury being dragged away.
Without hesitation, she fired a burst of energy at the agents, trying to free Fury. She had no idea what was going on—but in her eyes, Nick Fury was no criminal. First, she'd save him. Then, she'd ask questions.
Boom!
The energy blast from Carol Danvers' fist was instantly blocked by Kain's magic. In the next moment, a stone pillar erupted beneath her feet, launching her into the air.
"Attacking the moment you show up? How rude," Kain muttered.
As Carol was propelled skyward, the Infinity Wand in Kain's hand glowed with a purple halo. A beam of purple energy shot out, hitting Carol Danvers directly and blasting her off the planet. She didn't stop until she nearly crashed into the moon.
"I'll handle this one. Sharon, continue managing things here."
With that, Kain stepped forward and vanished, chasing after Captain Marvel.
There was no need to reason with Nick Fury's allies. Even if Carol Danvers learned the full story, she'd likely still side with him. Eliminating her—or at least neutralizing her—was the best option.
Once the two had left, Sharon gave orders to detain the Asgardian warriors and the remaining Avengers who had tried to escape.
Per Kain's decision, all relevant data was to be recorded before the prisoners were transferred to the Australian mines. Sharon didn't question the order. While the captives might have value elsewhere, it was clear Kain had no such intentions—and Sharon wasn't about to overstep her bounds.
Suddenly, a spaceship descended from the sky. It landed smoothly, and a woman stepped out.
Sharon recognized her immediately. She was one of the reasons Asgard had come to Earth: the seductive enchantress Lorelei, an escapee from Asgard.
Lorelei hadn't taken part in the battle. She understood Umbrella's strength and knew Asgard was no match for Earth. So she stayed at a distance, observing, and only arrived after the conflict had ended.
She had come to personally escort Sif to the Australian mines.
"It's finally over. That woman was a real pain," Sharon muttered.
It was already late at night when Kain returned to Earth. Captain Marvel had proven to be more troublesome than he expected.
If he had to describe her in one phrase, it would be: "The cockroach that refuses to die."
Empowered by the Space Stone, she was resilient beyond reason. If she'd been affected by the Reality Stone instead, Kain might've had an easier time. But with only the Space and Power Stones, and without exceeding Carol Danvers' own limits, the best option was to contain her.
Kain had thrown everything at her—Tailed Beast Bombs, soul control magic, killing curses, and more—but she recovered rapidly. Her persistence was maddening.
In the end, Kain used the Space Stone to trap Carol within the gem's inner dimension, a sealed realm from which she could never escape. Unless she gained power exceeding the Space Stone itself—which was highly unlikely—she was now permanently sealed away, unable to access any energy source.
Back at the villa, Kain was surprised to find several women waiting.
"Why are you all here?" he asked.
"Sharon came to give me information about that woman, but couldn't reach you," Betty explained, visibly relieved. "That alien seemed dangerous, and when you didn't respond for hours, we got worried and came to Kain Manor."
Meanwhile, Lorelei laughed gleefully in front of the imprisoned Sif, clearly exhilarated. She was both physically and emotionally aroused, eager to let it all out.
"It's done," Kain said calmly. "Barring any miracles, I'll never see that woman again."
He glanced at Carol Danvers' file and tossed it aside. Anyone trapped in the Space Stone's inner dimension would need power exceeding the gem itself to escape—a practically impossible feat.
"Master Kain," Lorelei purred, gazing at him with dewy eyes, "from today onward, your power will spread through the Nine Realms. No one in the universe can stand against us."
Earlier that day, Lorelei had feared her time was up. The mighty Odin himself had descended to Earth, and as a fugitive from Asgard, she thought she was doomed. But then Odin had been scared off by Kain, unable to even retrieve his warriors.
Now, Lorelei was elated—so much so that she personally delivered her old enemy Sif to the mines. Dressed in a sheer, silky white one-piece beneath a windbreaker, she arrived glowing with triumph.
"There are still some potential threats in the universe," Kain mused. "Some civilizations are open to trade. But others—like the Kree Empire and that lunatic Mad Titan—are gearing up for war."
"If you encounter Loki, try talking to him. He—"
Kain trailed off.
Lorelei had already climbed onto his lap, teasing him with slow, deliberate movements. Her breath was warm, her eyes half-lidded with desire.
From the side, Betty clenched her fists. She could barely take it anymore. She rose to leave—but after only a couple of steps, she felt a rope coil around her waist.
With a sharp tug, she yelped and fell backward—right into Kain's lap.
Betty, usually dressed in a tight suit skirt, wore her usual black silk stockings and heels. As she landed, a strange current seemed to flow through her waist and spine, softening her body all over.
The lights in the villa dimmed into a warm, golden glow. Somewhere in the background, a sensual symphony began to play.
….
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