Elsewhere, on a similar high-rise and in a similar alley.
Maria Hill stumbled as she was yanked through the portal. Instinctively, she fired a shot at Fenris.
Bang!
She aimed for his leg, hoping to create a more favorable situation in the face of this strange and unknown threat.
Ding!
Battle detected. Reward acquired: 5 points.
Fenris looked down at the bullet hole in his pant leg. Female agents, beauty determines their fate, body determines their survival. Maria Hill had both the looks and the figure, so…
"Pay up."
Maria Hill's eyes widened in shock. She was willing to pay, sure, but could someone explain how his leg could block a bullet?
Bang bang bang! Bang bang bang!
Clearly not realizing how lucky she was, Maria Hill fired repeatedly at Fenris. She emptied her entire magazine without hesitation.
Forehead, throat, chest, abdomen, she even shot at the unspeakable area, vividly embodying recklessness and arrogance born of long-standing privilege.
"Well then, now it's no longer something money can fix," Fenris said, expressionless.
His overwhelming presence made even the formidable commander of S.H.I.E.L.D. instinctively retreat several steps.
"You–"
"Kneel, and I'll spare your life."
Fenris's voice was cold, and his crimson eyes made him look like a terrifying demon.
Maria Hill's throat moved as she swallowed hard, summoning all her courage to push through the fear. "Impossible. I will never–"
Boom!
Fenris stomped his foot, mimicking the Ancient One. The ground surged, catching Maria Hill off guard and slamming her down on her knees with a heavy thud.
"…"
The atmosphere turned awkward for a brief second.
Just as Maria Hill tried to get back on her feet, the ground beneath her rose like a wave and lifted her directly in front of Fenris.
She looked up, and saw his hand coming toward her.
Thud!
Maria Hill felt like she was floating.
No, it wasn't just a feeling. She really was floating. She looked down and saw "herself" lying motionless at Fenris's feet.
"I–I'm dead? So souls really do exist after death?"
Amidst her shock, her first thought was: Didn't you say you'd spare me if I knelt?
Even though it was involuntary, I still knelt. Why go back on your word?
Maria Hill didn't fear death, but dying in such a "humiliating" way left her feeling bitter and dissatisfied.
"I don't believe I've done anything to warrant a S.H.I.E.L.D. investigation. So why are you investigating me?" Fenris asked.
He raised his hand, and the ground rapidly formed a stone chair. Sitting down slowly, he looked at the soul-form of Maria Hill.
"Jessica Jones."
Maria Hill had learned about Fenris and started investigating him because of Jessica Jones.
"The S.H.I.E.L.D. Threat Assessment Report?"
"You know about that too?" Maria Hill was visibly surprised.
The S.H.I.E.L.D. Threat Assessment Report was a list evaluating individuals with special abilities and dangerous objects.
Whenever a superpowered individual appeared, S.H.I.E.L.D. would send a team to investigate and submit an asset report for registration.
A comprehensive threat and psychological evaluation would follow.
S.H.I.E.L.D. prioritized recruiting these individuals into their agency or the "Avengers" program.
Those not recruited would be placed under long-term surveillance.
And those with high threat levels and psychological instability? S.H.I.E.L.D. would neutralize the threat.
"During our investigation of Jessica Jones, we found her emotional and psychological state to be highly unstable. If she continued her relationship with Trish Walker, the presence of family might stabilize her social ties and emotional condition."
"But then you showed up."
"You took her in and gave her a job. So we looked into you and found. You were highly suspicious."
"All your money comes from selling gold, silver, and jewelry without any legal documentation or verifiable origin. We recovered some of it for investigation and discovered something bizarre."
"One of the rings was a wedding band. We found its original owner. But that person was still wearing their identical ring."
"They never lost the original, nor did they commission a duplicate."
Maria Hill's tone shifted. Though her body was gone, the commanding presence of a S.H.I.E.L.D. commander began to return.
"Of course, that's not the main point. What matters is that we dug deeper and found no trace of your past. Nothing. No records, no evidence of a previous life at all."
"It was as if you simply materialized out of nowhere, like you never existed in this world before."
"So tell me, who exactly are you?"
Fenris responded calmly, "I'm someone you can't afford to cross."
Maria Hill wasn't satisfied. She pressed on, trying a different approach.
"S.H.I.E.L.D.'s duty is to protect the public from special events and enhanced individuals. I don't want to antagonize you. I just want to confirm your identity, your intentions with Jessica Jones, and ensure you pose no threat."
"You, more than anyone, should understand the damage someone like you could do to normal people."
"I hope you understand. This isn't personal. It's my responsibility."
"No," Fenris said. "From the moment you pulled that trigger, it became personal."
"And another thing. Don't try to reason with me when I'm angry. I go deaf!"