The Earth does not belong to any one person. Their actions should be restrained by law; otherwise, the planet won't be destroyed by invaders, but by superhumans themselves.
Opponents began listing examples: the Hulk, losing control and nearly leveling a city, causing tens of billions in damage. Then the battle with Ultron in Sokovia—an entire city wiped out. Such overwhelming destructive power terrified not only enemies but civilians as well.
And during Loki's alien invasion, casualties soared far beyond any acceptable limit. Was this considered protecting Earth? They were lucky the planet wasn't torn apart entirely.
At the same time, various countries began drafting laws and regulations to control superheroes. Some particularly fervent protesters even stood in front of the White House holding signs demanding superheroes be driven out. Their voices grew louder and louder, nearly shaking the gates themselves.
Americans were always direct: when there were major policy mistakes or agreements the public didn't understand, it inevitably resulted in radical demonstrations. If this were happening in any country with dictatorship, it would've been labeled a riot and everyone thrown into a small dark room.
Even the Avengers were behaving more cautiously during this turbulent period. Maybe the "black stewed egg"—Nick Fury—had sensed what was coming. He issued strict orders forbidding any superhero from going out. S.H.I.E.L.D. had become a heated topic among U.S. politicians.
And those politicians, lacking spine and prone to rash decisions, were no better. As long as something benefited them—boosting approval ratings, securing votes—they would take the people's side unconditionally, right or wrong. If they believed it would gain support, they'd sign any agreement or contract.
Under such pressure, S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers were frustrated and resentful. They devoted themselves to protecting Earth, yet the world now wanted to punish them.
Property damage? Destroyed buildings? Invisible scars left on civilians? All true. But what superhero wanted that outcome? If there had been better choices, none of them would've chosen destruction.
Now the public wasn't just divided—so were the Avengers. One camp was the compromise faction led by Tony; the other, the uncompromising faction led by Captain America.
The noise outside continued endlessly. As the instigator of this political struggle, Blaine simply watched the chaos unfold from his couch, bored.
"I wonder… will this civil war be exciting?"
"Looking forward to it."
He sipped tea, imagining the inevitable clash between Captain America and Tony playing out in his mind.
Although people continued shouting about restricting the Avengers, Blaine guessed the uproar wouldn't last long if the government only made verbal announcements. To push things into a full civil war, an opportunity was needed.
Sure enough, things unfolded exactly as he expected. The White House protesters shouted for nearly three days before their momentum started to wane.
That morning, Blaine switched on the TV as usual to check for any superhero-related news.
Cross Technology had collapsed, and the task of teaching Cross a lesson was finished. Tony had transferred the ten billion on time.
But ten billion alone—plus his savings totaling 11.132 billion—still felt lacking. It was a fortune by human standards, but for Blaine now, it barely qualified.
Yesterday, after receiving the transfer, Blaine checked the system mall. Any useful skill cost hundreds of billions. Even upgrading his physical stats by ten points cost tens of billions. He had no choice but to give up. It seemed he'd have to start saving again.
He still had the five 0.1-grade star cores and three third-grade ones collected months ago in outer space, but he didn't plan to exchange them for cash. There were too few—one 0.1-grade core was worth only ten billion. Third-grade ones were worth more, but he couldn't bring himself to trade them away.
Instead, he intended to use them to upgrade weapons or skills. For now, he remained short on funds.
The TV pulled him back to reality. The news remained focused on the controversial Avengers agreement. Every channel was the same—experts talking endlessly.
Just as Blaine was about to turn off the TV and head to the backyard to train, a sudden global broadcast caught his attention.
It seemed to be satellite footage authorized by a high-level government agency. The image showed what looked like a slum in Africa.
"Huh? Captain America? Another mission behind everyone's back?"
Blaine frowned. Why was Captain America out during the crackdown? Was the catalyst for the civil war approaching? He continued watching.
In the broadcast, Captain America was attempting to apprehend his target—and that target was unmistakably Crossbones.
Crossbones was relentless. Realizing he was cornered, he immediately pressed the detonator in his hand—planning a suicide explosion.
Captain America froze—not out of fear for himself, but because of the crowded slum around him.
African slums were densely populated. Hundreds of civilians surrounded him and Crossbones. If the bomb detonated there, not even Captain America would survive—and S.H.I.E.L.D. would be finished.
The timer was too short. Captain America had no time to strategize. Suddenly, a red glow enveloped Crossbones, wrapping him together with the impending flames of the explosion.
Blaine recognized it instantly—Scarlet Witch.
He had coveted the Chaos Magic for a long time, but never found the chance to copy it.
Captain America looked back at her with relief and approval. But Scarlet Witch's power could only contain the explosion temporarily, not eliminate it.
So she lifted Crossbones higher and higher with her magic, intending to send him far into the sky—so the bomb would detonate where no civilians could be harmed.
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