Thank You,
Knight Teir: "Rue Ryuzaki", and "Tyronter"
For Becoming A Member On My Pa'treon. The Emperor Protect.
-----------
The Chitauri were annihilated, and Tony survived. Except for a few collapsed buildings, most of the city remained intact. Though some were injured, and a few perished, millions had been spared from the catastrophe.
Across the Terra Federation, joy surged like a tide of relief. The recently captured memory footage, however, was haunting. That bizarre-looking being, its twisted grin, was not something anyone could laugh at. No one could withstand that smile. Every recollection of it sent a chill crawling down spines. If someone printed that still image and hung it on a wall, it could easily serve as a guard, a guardian to keep malevolent spirits away.
Offline chat groups exploded in chaos. Discussions flared up everywhere. What was that last thing that appeared? Some even began investigating the true origins of the Chitauri. The sheer magnitude of the invasion had shattered people's worldview and expanded it beyond recognition. More than just shock, it reshaped their entire perception of reality.
Across the network, people debated the Nine Realms, the World Tree, and countless other cosmic mysteries. Even discussions about supernatural power surged in popularity. While its immediate impact seemed small, its influence crept in unseen, altering the very mindset of Terra's citizens, subtle but unstoppable.
When the Supreme Court's elders saw this change, they collectively sighed in relief.
Elder Gladwin smiled faintly. "That's fine, it spares us the trouble of calming their minds."
Hyeon nodded. "Their capacity to accept the truth is greater than we expected."
An Elder said solemnly, "From their perspective, it's mostly curiosity, spectacle over substance. The grin of that purple monster at the end of the footage stirred fear in some,but few understand the true gravity of it."
He sighed again. "After all, these are events from the Terra Earth Era, ancient history. People's attention will fade soon enough."
Elder Sith added, "That's good. Too much panic would only make our work harder."
Elder nodded. "It's like the old fear of artificial intelligence destroying the world. That panic caused more problems than this one ever could. After all, they share far too many similarities."
Another elder spoke. "As for that mysterious voice, keep it sealed off. Only we should know for now."
Everyone nodded. Every time that subject surfaced, tension filled the room.
Elder Gladwin turned serious. "We must accelerate all preparations. It remains our best means of dealing with possible future crises."
Hyeon added, "We should also start stockpiling nuclear weapons. When Tony launched that nuke into the sky, it obliterated the Chitauri."
Tony's act of courage, flying a nuclear bomb into space, not only decimated their army, but also exposed deeper secrets about those alien creatures. That fleeting glimpse of the gigantic lair-like structure gave the Supreme Court invaluable clues for future countermeasures.
Hyeon surveyed the room. "Given our current arsenal, the Plan should resume immediately. We'll construct a full-spectrum defense system for Terra's deep space."
The Plan had existed for years, but progress had been painfully slow. With the rediscovered science of the Terra Earth Era, however, its potential could finally be unleashed.
The other elders nodded in agreement.
"The Ark Reactor and Iron Suit can replace the old Suit Corps framework," one said. "Refine the platform's attack forms and expand its deep-space strike capacity."
Elder Sith's tone was dry. "Unfortunately, the Cube was taken by Thor."
The others exchanged glances but said nothing. Their faces betrayed a mix of resignation and intrigue.
The Administration, Director's Office
Dozens of experts were connected in a virtual conference. The number of battle analyses exceeded twenty. Several of the Federation's top medical scientists and biologists joined in, working to decode key data hidden in the recovered memories. This was an extension of the directive Elder Gladwin had issued, an urgent research initiative.
Darwin leaned back with a grin. "That final battle was nothing short of spectacular."
Tonio, who specialized in the same field, smiled faintly. "Mr. Darwin, have you any insight into Dr. Banner, Rogers, and their genetic mutations?"
Darwin clasped his hands politely in greeting before answering, "I still hold firm to my belief."
Tonio raised a brow. "The theory of evolution?"
Darwin nodded. "Exactly, evolution."
Darwin's evolutionary doctrine remained one of the cornerstones of biological thought within the Terra Federation. Species transform. Organisms adapt. Natural selection governs their survival. Two fundamental truths form the heart of evolutionary theory. Now, with the integration of multiple sciences, the Federation had forged a new synthesis, Modern Evolutionary Theory.
Darwin continued, his tone calm yet fervent, "Natural selection is the cornerstone of human progress. Viewed as a species, humanity acts according to that very law. Rogers and the Hulk may be only the beginning. With the Network accelerating human adaptation,The Federation might soon reach the peak of evolution itself."
He turned toward the director with a knowing smile, "Director, I suspect there are already more than a few citizens with extraordinary abilities among us."
The director froze, studying Darwin before replying evenly, "Mr. Darwin, your perception is sharp as ever."
The remark drew startled glances. That statement said far more than it seemed. Extraordinary abilities. More than a few.
Darwin's smile deepened. "Then it's natural selection at work."
His words left Tonio momentarily silent in thought.
Across the Terra network, search volumes for keywords like purple titan, Chitauri, Cube, and Asgard skyrocketed within hours. To everyone's astonishment, shopping platforms soon flooded with replicas, Thor's Hammer, glowing Cubes, Loki's Scepters, and the pre-orders were astronomical.
Workshops that once thrived on collectible figures were instantly outshined. But the hottest items, as always, were Iron Man suits, from Mark 1 through Mark 7.
Meanwhile, in the Immortal Warrior live room, viewership didn't fall, it surged. Then the broadcast flickered. A new memory began to play, slow and cinematic.
[ Melodious music drifted through a grand castle. A New Year's Eve ball was underway. Smiles glowed on every face. Tony stood beside a beautiful woman, their glances soft, their chemistry unmistakable. ]
[ Happy turned and said, "Half an hour until the New Year." ]
[ Tony leaned in. "Do you want to-" ]
[ Before he could finish, someone called, "Tony! Your speech was amazing!" ]
[ Happy rushed to pull the man aside. ]
[ Tony frowned. "Speech? When did I give a speech?" ]
[ He took the woman's hand and led her away, both laughing quietly. ]
[ She asked with a playful smile, "Where are we going now?" ]
[ Tony, cigar in hand, replied, "Your room. I want to see your research results." ]
[ She smirked. "You can see them, but don't get any ideas." ]
"Whoa, what's this?"
"Tony's Playboy side returns!"
"This must've been before the final battle, right?"
"Classic Tony, straightforward as ever."
"Research results? Sure, Tony."
"Man, he's unstoppable."
"Wait, is this live?"
"Didn't expect romance after the apocalypse, huh?"
The audience laughed, watching the flickering screen with amusement.
[ Tony was about to enter the elevator when a man on crutches appeared. ]
[ "Tony, I'm Killian!" he said eagerly. "A huge fan of your research! My work-" ]
[ Tony said coolly, "I've got too many fans." ]
[ The woman chuckled. "He meant me." ]
[ Killian stammered, "But Miss Maya, I've followed your research since you were two at MIT!" ]
[ Happy stood by as Killian slipped into the elevator. ]
[ "I'm actually here to buy in," Killian continued. "I've got a proposal, I'm building something big." He handed Tony two cards. "Advanced Idea Mechanics, A.I.M for short." ]
[ Tony smirked. "Yeah, I can see what's on your shirt." ]
[ The elevator opened. Miss Maya smiled. "Thank you, I'll be in touch." ]
[ Tony paused. "Maybe we can work together." ]
[ Killian's eyes lit up. "Really?" ]
[ Tony grinned. "Sure thing, meet me on the roof in five minutes. Something urgent first." ]
[ The elevator doors slid shut. Killian beamed. "See you at the top!" ]