Bella's smile was light, almost teasing, as Tony's words of praise hung in the air. She didn't let it get to her head.
"Leave the rest to you," she said simply.
Before anyone could respond, she opened a glowing portal and stepped through without a moment's hesitation. The shimmering circle collapsed behind her, leaving the rest of the group staring at empty space.
Truthfully, she had no interest in hanging around. If it hadn't been for Mephisto, she wouldn't have come in the first place. She much preferred her peaceful life—taking little Sally to play with adorable animals, enjoying good food, chatting with Angie, and watching the city lights at night.
The only reason she had rushed out this time was, absurdly enough, because of a toilet—well, a magical one. If she stayed away from the boat for too long, Angie might start thinking she was constipated.
As for the clean-up after Mephisto? That was S.H.I.E.L.D.'s problem. They still existed for a reason, didn't they?
Her sudden and decisive exit left the others glancing at one another and shrugging helplessly.
Meanwhile, in the smoking ruins of the battlefield, Selena and Kraven finally dared to move. The moment the artificial sun faded from the sky, they peeled off their scorched coats, revealing skin that had been burned badly by the light.
Luckily, as pure-blood vampires, their healing abilities would restore them in time. But the experience had left a deep mark—especially on Kraven.
Though he had survived, the sight of Bella holding the sun like a goddess was now etched into his mind and soul. It was a shadow he knew he'd never escape. From this day forward, whenever anyone mentioned the "Goddess of Judgment," he would remember this moment and feel that same tremor in his chest.
Selena's breathing slowed, her gaze still locked on the place where Bella had stood.
That woman… is she a god?
She didn't like admitting it, but she was afraid. Not afraid of dying—she had faced that risk countless times—but afraid of Bella herself. It was the primal fear of the strong.
And yet… there was a strange pull inside her. She yearned for that same kind of strength. She longed for the light Bella commanded. She never wanted to feel like a helpless ant again, at the mercy of someone else's power.
"Alright," Tony said, breaking the silence. "Mission complete, everyone. How about we grab some supper? I know a royal butter chicken place that's open late."
But Ghost Rider Johnny shook his head, the flames in his eyes dimming to a deep ember. "It's not over. Mephisto wouldn't appear in the world this easily. He has other moves in play. I'm going to keep looking."
His voice was low, edged with seriousness. Johnny didn't care who got the kill as long as the demon was gone—but something about this felt unfinished, and he wasn't going to let it slide.
"Alright," Captain America said, nodding. "If you need backup, S.H.I.E.L.D. and the rest of us will be ready."
Johnny revved the engine of his flaming motorcycle. A trail of fire split the ground behind him as he sped away, disappearing into the night.
When the sound faded, Captain America turned to Selena and Kraven. He hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"We'll handle the follow-up here."
Kraven barely heard him, still replaying the image of Bella's sun in his head. Selena, however, answered in his place.
Her faction of the Blood Clan—Victor's faction—wasn't insignificant. A small town of tens of thousands was well within their control. This time, they had essentially done the Avengers a favor. She didn't expect gratitude, only that the team wouldn't decide to treat Victor's faction as an enemy.
She had seen their power firsthand. If the Avengers ever turned their attention fully on Victor Manor, the Blood Clan might not survive it.
Steve didn't argue. While he wasn't as cold toward vampires as Bella was, he had little fondness for them. Any race that could turn an entire town into monsters overnight was a danger in his book.
Bella, for her part, had already moved on. Her goal was accomplished.
And more importantly, her power had reached a near bottleneck—which actually made her happy. She spent the next several days in unusually good spirits. Angie noticed and teased her about it endlessly.
The first sailing trip wasn't long, but it was wonderful. Bella, Angie, and Sally enjoyed every moment. When they returned home, life settled back into its comfortable rhythm.
Angie returned to the hospital to finish her internship, which she said was nearly over. Bella stayed at the villa, occasionally taking Sally out for small vacations.
A month passed in the blink of an eye.
One weekend, Bella and Angie took Sally—and their pets—back to Fox Town for Angie's father's 50th birthday. Angie's father hadn't planned anything at first, not wanting the fuss. But the fiftieth year is special, and he missed his daughter, so he agreed to a proper celebration.
The party was lively, with relatives and friends filling the house. Barbecue, roast turkey, and other local specialties covered the tables. Laughter and music drifted into the night.
Bella brought a gift—a gold-plated Colt Python revolver. The regular version cost about a thousand dollars, but this one was worth around eighty thousand. The Colt Python was considered one of the best revolvers ever made, with a smooth double-action mechanism and beautiful craftsmanship.
At first, Angie's father was reluctant to accept something so expensive. Only after much persuasion from Angie and Bella did he finally take it. A fully customized gold version would have been worth over two hundred thousand, but Bella had chosen a simpler gold-plated edition—anything fancier would have been refused outright.
During the party, Bella also ran into Jacob. They spoke briefly, but her sharp senses told her everything she needed to know—he was far stronger now. The power inside him had grown to at least five times what it had been before, his aura close to that of extraordinary beings like Selena.
Her perception also told her something else—there were far fewer werewolves in town now. Where once there had been over a dozen, only a handful remained. And, as if to make the evening worse, she sensed the presence of the ever-annoying vampire Edward lurking in the shadows.
His eyes were full of longing, his expression practically dripping with melodramatic love. The look was so embarrassingly intense that Bella nearly turned around and left on the spot.
Headache.
Yep. This is why I don't come back here.
So, when the party ended, she didn't waste a moment. That same night, she got in her car and left town, relieved to be heading home.
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