People in Marvel: Starting to Create Miss 2B
Continue from WebNovel: marvel: I built 2b and called her my wife
Chapter 361: Complete Breakup!!!
His voice was not loud, but that oppressive presence made Steve and Tony stop their movements at the same time.
Fury stood at the doorway of the armor vault, looking at the debris all over the floor, the fallen armor, and the two blood-covered people, with no extra emotion in his single eye.
"You two, acting like two three-year-olds, can both of you wake up a bit? This is obviously someone deliberately driving a wedge between your relationship."
He walked to the middle of the two people, looked at Steve, and then looked at Tony.
"Stirring up relations? You're saying the video is fake, and Bucky's death is fake too!" Steve frowned and said.
"No, the video is real, and Bucky is indeed dead." Nick Furyshook his head and said.
"Then what do you mean by the so-called instigation?" Steve looked puzzled, not quite understanding what Nick Fury meant.
"Although the video is real and the death is real, Tony is fake. The person who killed Bucky in the video is not Tony."
"I said long ago it wasn't me, but this idiot wouldn't believe it. I don't need him to believe it anymore now; I just want him to get out of my house, and I never want to see him again!" Tony said very angrily.
Facing Tony's anger, Steve did not respond, but instead looked at Nick Fury in front of him.
"You mean someone impersonated Tony Stark and killed Bucky? But faces can be disguised, how do you explain that suit of armor? In this World, apart from him, there is no second person who possesses such armor."
"This matter is indeed very strange, so this is also the reason why I came here." Nick Fury said as he shifted his gaze to Tony. "Tony, has your armor ever gone missing recently?"
"Are you kidding me? How could my armor go missing? Let alone go missing, even if there is the slightest problem, Jarvis will notify me at the first moment." Tony said very confidently.
"Tony, nothing is absolute in this World; I think you'd better check it out.
After all, the armor appearing in the video is identical to yours. Apart from you, I can hardly think of anyone else in this World who can build such armor.
Of course, that pervert Loren is an exception, but with his strength, he has no need at all to specially build a suit of armor just to kill Bucky." Nick Fury said very seriously.
"So you mean someone stole my armor to kill Bucky, and then framed it on me?"
"Yes! Aside from this, I really can't think of any other purpose."
Hearing Nick Fury say this, Tony couldn't help but begin to doubt, so he immediately called up Jarvis to inquire.
However, the result told by Jarvis was unexpected by everyone, because Tony's armor did not go missing.
Moreover, according to Jarvis's analysis of the video, it was concluded that although that armor looked identical to Tony's armor, there were still differences in reality.
These differences were all hidden in tiny details; if you didn't specifically compare them, the naked eye couldn't tell at all.
"So the person is fake? The armor is also fake?" Facing the conclusion given by Jarvis, Steve looked incredulous.
"Yes, according to data analysis, that armor is indeed not the Iron Man Armor crafted by Mr. Stark."
"How do you explain that person? The person inside that Iron Man Armor is clearly him!" Captain America said, pointing at Tony.
"You've been frozen for more than 70 years, did it freeze your brain bad? Armor can be impersonated, isn't impersonating my face an even easier thing?"
"Before the truth is investigated clearly, you two stop infighting, otherwise you will fall into someone else's trap!" Nick Fury spoke at this time.
Hearing Nick Fury's words, Steve finally calmed down. He glanced at Tony, then picked up his shield, and turned to walk towards the door.
Natasha immediately called out to him: "Steve, where are you going?"
Steve did not look back and said: "To find out clearly who killed Bucky, and then make him pay the price."
"You want to just walk away after wrecking my place? Where in this World is there such an easy thing." Seeing Steve about to leave, Tony said very unhappily.
"What do you mean? You want to fight me again?" Stevestopped his steps and looked at Tony with a frown.
"You think I'm afraid of you?" Tony raised his hand, and the repulsor in his palm activated once again. The battle was once again on the verge of breaking out.
However, before they actually made a move, Nick Furyspoke again.
"Do the two of you want to see our S.H.I.E.L.D. completely fall apart to be satisfied? Do you want to see former partners turn against each other to be satisfied?"
Hearing Nick Fury's words, the two fell silent for a moment. Then Steve walked out the door without looking back, and Tony did not actually make a move.
Following Steve's departure, Tony lowered his head and looked at his own hand.
That glove was still worn on his hand, and the energy core of the repulsor had dimmed, like an extinguished eye.
"Stark." Fury walked up to him. "Are you alright?"
Tony raised his head; his face was covered in injuries, and the blood at the corner of his mouth had dried, turning into a dark red scab.
"Better than ever, three sets of my armor were smashed, half of the laboratory was destroyed, and people all over the World think I'm a murderous lunatic."
Fury looked at him, something flashed in his single eye, but it quickly disappeared.
"I will find the real murderer to clear your name, give me some time." Nick Fury said.
"No need, I will find the murderer myself. Although Buckydeserves to die, I am very pissed off that someone slandered me!"
Tony slowly stood up, took off the iron glove, and threw it on the ground.
Afterwards, he walked towards the other end of the laboratory and opened a hidden cabinet.
Inside the cabinet was a brand-new suit of armor. He placed his hand on that suit of armor and remained silent for a long time.
"Jarvis." He said.
"Sir."
"Record this, from now on, all armor must have biometric identification functions."
"Understood, sir."
"And." Tony paused for a moment. "Clear my schedule. For the next week, I won't see anyone, won't answer any phone calls, and won't process any emails."
"Sir, you have a meeting with the Department of Defensenext week."
"Cancel it."
"Sir, that meeting is related to..."
"I said cancel it, Jarvis."
"Understood, sir."
Tony turned around and looked in the direction of the door.
There was nothing there, only an open door and the blown-up, unrecognizable corridor outside the door.
Steve had already left.
Tony Stark and Steve Rogers had once fought for the same goal and had once reached out to pull each other in each other's darkest moments.
But starting today, their relationship completely broke apart!!!
Chapter 362 Resolve Personal Issues First
Although Nick Fury vowed to find out the truth, he knew this matter was far from as simple as he imagined.
And if he wanted to quickly investigate this matter, he knew only one person had such ability.
This person was none other than Loren.
In front of the gates of Morgan Manor, the night wind blew from the direction of the Hudson River, rolling up the hem of Nick Fury's black coat.
The courtyard wall of the manor gleamed with a cold grey light under the moonlight.
The iron art gates were tightly closed, and the two lamps at the top of the gateposts emitted a dim yellow light.
Fury had been standing at the entrance for twenty minutes.
He did not ring the doorbell because no doorbell could be found on the gateposts at all.
There was also no intercom system, no cameras, and none of the modern security equipment he was familiar with.
This manor seemed to have traveled through time from hundreds of years ago, stubbornly maintaining an ancient posture of refusing to be disturbed.
But Fury knew that from the moment he drove into the tree-lined path, he had already been discovered.
He raised his hand again and knocked on the copper ring on the iron gate.
The sound of the copper ring striking the metal traveled very far in the night, startling a few birds inhabiting the manor.
This time, there was finally a response.
Footsteps came from behind the door, unhurried, as leather shoes stepped on the stone slab road with a rhythm as steady as a metronome.
The footsteps stopped behind the door, followed by a sound of metal friction, and a small window on the door was opened.
Behind the window was a face without facial features, because this was not a human at all, but a Faceless Onesrobot built by Loren.
"The manor does not receive visitors, please go back!" The Faceless Ones said in a hoarse voice without any emotion.
"Hello, I am Nick Fury, and I have important matters to see Loren, please accommodate me a little." Nick Fury said very submissively.
"I know who you are, go back!"
The small window slammed shut with a snap.
Fury's single eye stared at that iron gate, the muscles at the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.
He was Nick Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., the highest head of the most powerful intelligence agency on Earth.
He didn't even need an appointment to see the President, he could mobilize aircraft carrier fleets, and a single phone call from him could put the security departments of any country into the highest state of alert.
But now, he was blocked outside by an iron gate.
He took a deep breath and knocked on the copper ring again.
This time, the footsteps behind the door did not appear immediately.
After waiting for nearly two minutes, Fury almost thought no one would come, but right at this moment the gate opened.
Just when Nick Fury thought the other party was going to accommodate him to see Loren, a fist struck out ahead of time.
Because the opponent's speed was simply too fast, to the extent that he couldn't react at all, he took a punch right on the spot.
The force of the fist was terrifying; just a single punch almost knocked the shit out of him.
He arched his body like a soft-legged shrimp, and then his knees couldn't help but hit the ground.
"I already said to go back, do you only feel satisfied after getting a beating? A black slave is a black slave, you never understand human speech!"
"..." Nick Fury.
Nick Fury never expected that when the other party opened the door, it wasn't to let him in, but to beat him up.
"An old man not sleeping in the middle of the night and running here to knock on doors, I think you're just courting death. Remember, if you dare to knock on the door again, I'll slaughter you."
The Faceless Ones spoke coldly, and then directly kicked Nick Fury flying with one kick.
Nick Fury knew he wasn't favored by Loren, but he didn't expect to be this unfavored.
But tonight, no matter what, he had to see Loren.
Because the Avengers were splitting up, and the relationship between Tony and Steve had shattered into powder.
For all of this, only Loren was likely to solve it.
Therefore, he struggled to climb up from the ground, but this time, he did not knock on the door ring.
Instead, he shouted directly.
"Loren! I know you can hear me, I won't beat around the bush with you, something has happened to the Avengers, I need your help."
The manor was dead silent.
Only the sound of the wind, and the sound of the river water beating against the shore in the distance.
"Tony and Steve started fighting." Fury continued to say, his voice echoing on the empty tree-lined path.
"Bucky Barnes is dead, someone impersonated Tony and killed him.
Now the whole World thinks Iron Man did it, the two of them have completely broken apart, I can't pull them back alone, I need your help!"
Just when he wanted to continue shouting, a cold voice came from inside.
"My Master said, the manor does not receive male guests, you have Natasha and Hill come over."
Hearing this, Nick Fury immediately showed a smile.
"Understood, I will have Natasha and Hill come over right away."
Nick Fury hurriedly walked aside and dialed the phones of Natasha and Hill. Not long after, Natasha and Hill arrived at the gate of the manor.
Then, before Nick Fury could speak, the gate opened. Natasha and Hill exchanged a smile and walked inside briskly.
Nick Fury still wanted to enter the manor together, but the moment he lifted his foot, he was kicked flying out by the Faceless Ones.
"..." Nick Fury.
Although wasn't their first time entering the manor, Natasha and Hill still felt very nervous.
The Faceless Ones led them across the stone road, walked up the stone steps, and pushed open a heavy oak door.
Behind the door was a long corridor, with several paintings hanging on both sides of the corridor, the contents of which Natasha couldn't quite understand.
Not figures, not landscapes, but some abstract, flowing patches of color, looking like the image of some Nebula she had never seen before.
At the end of the corridor was a half-open door. The Faceless Ones stopped, turned sideways, and stepped aside.
"Mr. Loren is waiting for you in the study."
Natasha pushed the door open, with Hill following behind.
The study was larger than she imagined, with three walls covered in bookshelves.
Extending all the way from the floor to the ceiling, some books on the bookshelves were printed, some were handwritten, and some looked like they had existed for hundreds of years.
In the center of the room was a huge oak desk, on which several sheets of paper and a cup of steaming tea were spread out.
Behind the desk, a person sat on a high-backed chair. Who else could that person be but Loren.
"Master, do you want to see us?" Seeing Loren, the two immediately knelt on one knee.
If Nick Fury were to see such a scene, his jaw would probably drop in shock.
"It's because that Black Egg is too annoying, so I had the two of you come over."
"Master, there is a big internal problem within the Avengers, so he wanted to find you to solve it." Natashasaid very respectfully.
"Stop, before reporting on work, resolve your personal issues first."
As Loren spoke, he hooked his fingers at the two of them.
Seeing this, Natasha and Hill immediately knew what it meant, and with joy on their faces, they came before Loren.
"Master, you still understand us best, we've been craving this for a long time!"
Chapter 363: Invasion from the Skrulls
After who knows how long, Natasha and Hill were finally satisfied. The two of them straightened their clothes and returned to their serious and capable demeanor.
At this moment, Natasha took a small holographic projector out of her pocket, placed it on the desk, and pressed the play button.
Blue light particles expanded in the air, forming an image.
It was the laboratory of Stark Tower, with shattered glass all over the floor, fallen armor, and two blood-drenched people.
Tony Stark leaned against the wall with his left arm hanging limp, the blood at the corners of his mouth already dried.
Steve Rogers stood at the doorway with his shield slung on his back, his silhouette as rigid as a rock.
"This just happened a short while ago," Natasha said.
"Bucky Barnes is dead. Someone impersonated Tony to kill him and then framed Tony. Steve thought Tony did it, so he rushed into Stark Tower, and the two of them had a fight."
Loren looked at the image in the holographic projection, his black eyes devoid of any fluctuation.
"Fury appeared in time to stop them from continuing to fight," Natasha continued.
"But their relationship has completely broken down. Tonytrusts no one, and Steve is immersed in grief and anger. Fury tried to mediate, but it was useless; the two of them have completely parted ways."
Hill took over the conversation: "The current situation is that the core of the Avengers has split. If there are any external threats at a time like this—"
"The person impersonating Tony is a Skrull."
Loren interrupted Hill, his voice still calm.
But when that name was spoken, something in the air seemed to vibrate slightly.
Natasha's pupils constricted slightly.
"Skrulls?" she repeated.
"Green skin, pointed ears, a shapeshifting alien race." Lorenleaned back against his chair, tapping his fingers lightly on the desktop twice.
"Their home planet is in a star system in the Andromeda Galaxy, and their civilization level is at least two dimensions higher than that of Earth. What they are best at is not fighting, but infiltration.
Turning into your appearance, turning into your neighbor's appearance, turning into your President's appearance, and then stealing everything without you even knowing it."
Hill frowned: "How do you know it's them?"
Loren looked at her and smiled: "That is not something you need to concern yourselves with."
As he spoke, he walked over to the bookshelf, pulled a thin booklet from the third shelf, and tossed it onto the desk.
The cover of the booklet was black without any text, but when opened, the inside was filled with page after page of handwritten notes, the handwriting as neat as printed text.
Natasha picked up the booklet and quickly flipped through it.
Page 1: Skrulls, shapeshifting race, home planet coordinates unknown, known abilities include appearance duplication, voice duplication, and partial memory acquisition. Weakness: Transformation stability decreases during emotional fluctuations.
Page 2: Secret invasion plan. The Skrulls attempt to dismantle Earth's defense forces from within to pave the way for a full-scale invasion. Phase One: Create internal division within the Avengers.
Page 3: Target list. The first name is Tony Stark, the second name is Steve Rogers, the third name is...
Natasha's hand stopped.
The third name is Natasha Romanoff.
She raised her head and looked at Loren.
"How long have you known about this?"
"A very, very long time. From the moment they set their attention on Earth, I knew. After all, my technological power is far superior to theirs," Loren said with a confident expression.
He was not lying. As an existence possessing ultra-advanced dark technologies like Alice and Nymph, any entity attempting to spy on Earth could not escape their detection.
Therefore, from the very beginning of the Skrullsattempting to invade Earth, he had already known; it was just that he hadn't taken them seriously before.
After all, compared to single-Universe-level and dimension-lord-level existences like Chthon and Mephisto, the Skrulls were truly nothing more than small fries in his eyes.
If he wanted to deal with them, calling it a piece of cake was completely without any problem.
Loren continued: "The infiltration by the Skrulls did not just begin recently. They have been lurking on Earth for at least 50 years, changing countless faces and infiltrating countless organizations.
There are people of theirs inside your S.H.I.E.L.D., people of theirs inside HYDRA, and even people of theirs on the reserve list of the Avengers."
Hill's voice turned horrified: "Do you have evidence?"
"Of course, but don't expect me to hand the evidence over to you.
It's not because I'm stingy, but because if I give it to you, that idiot Nick Fury will definitely take that evidence to Congress."
"And Congress will hold three months of hearings for deliberation, and during those three months, the Skrullswill have already completed their invasion plan."
Hearing Loren say this, a flash of embarrassment appeared on Hill's face. Although she didn't want to admit it, what Loren said was correct.
"Since you know everything, getting rid of them must be very easy, right?" Natasha looked at Loren with full respect and asked.
Loren nodded: "Yes, very easy. As easy as making you ascend to heaven."
Hearing Loren's words, the faces of Natasha and Hillflushed red in a flash once more.
"You have no seriousness!"
"Since you can easily solve them, do us a favor and take care of them. That way, Tony and Steve might be able to make up!" Hill said full of anticipation.
Hearing this, Loren shook his head: "I am not your babysitter. If you can't even handle such small fries, then you S.H.I.E.L.D. might as well just disband."
Loren walked back to the desk, braced his hands on the tabletop, and stared straight at Hill with his black eyes.
"Besides, wanting Tony and Captain America to stand together again right now is practically impossible. After all, Bucky murdering Tony's parents is an irrefutable fact.
And Steve shielding Bucky is also an irrefutable fact. Do you expect Tony to become friends again with someone who shielded his father's murderer? Don't you think you're making things difficult for others?"
"At least Tony didn't really kill Bucky. I think with Steve's breadth of mind, he is willing to patch things up with Tony," Hill said.
"That is Steve, not Tony. Steve is righteous and lofty, but Tony Stark is a mortal. Before joining the Avengers, he was even a playboy wandering through the romance scene.
So don't waste time. Your focus shouldn't be on reconciling their relationship, but on how to deal with the upcoming invasion operation of the Skrulls."
"We will report this matter up the chain of command, but with you here, I think no matter how big the matter is, there's no need to worry. I hope you can lend us a hand a little bit when the time comes."
"On what grounds?" Loren looked at Natasha and Hill with a half-smile.
Hearing this, Natasha and Hill exchanged glances, then smiled charmingly and said, "On the grounds of our practiced skills!"
With that, the two of them surrounded Loren, one from the front and one from the back.
Chapter 364: Master, please withdraw your divine powers!!!"
Seeing Natasha and Hill pressing in step by step, Lorendidn't hold back.
Not knowing how much time had passed, the battle finally came to an end.
Yet Loren looked like nothing had happened, full of life and vigor as usual. After all, he was the only Super Saiyan in this World.
It was already a miracle that he hadn't shaken Natasha and Hill apart; expecting him to get tired was simply wishful thinking.
After putting on his clothes, Loren picked up a piece of paper from the desk, wrote a few lines on it with a black pen, folded the paper, and tossed it to Natasha.
"There are two addresses on it. The first is a stronghold of the Skrulls in New York, and the second is their liaison station in London. What happens next is up to you."
"Thank you, Master!" Natasha took the piece of paper feebly and carefully tucked it into her pocket.
"No need for thanks, considering you've already thanked me with your bodies, and I enjoyed it very much!" Lorensaid with a half-smile.
Hearing Loren say this, the two of them rolled their eyes at him simultaneously.
"I really don't know what your body is made of. We even teamed up to deal with you, and yet you're completely fine. It's simply terrifying!"
"What does a duo teaming up even count for? Usually, there are dozens of people teaming up against me!!!"
"Dozens of people teaming up?!" Hearing Loren's words, Natasha and Hill were both dumbfounded, their eyes filled with disbelief.
"What's wrong with a dozen? Just look at how many people are in my estate!" Loren shrugged, looking completely calm.
"Good grief, is your body made of iron?!" Natasha shook her head, looking at Loren as if he were a monster.
"Please don't insult me with iron. My body is not something mortal stuff like steel can compare to. The two of you should have experienced this very deeply just now; could it be that you want to dance once more?"
"No, no, no, very deeply! Our experience was extremely deep, absolutely no need to experience it again. Let's wait for next time!"
Hearing Loren say he wanted them to experience it again, Natasha and Hill were so scared their legs were trembling.
It was already very difficult for them to remain conscious right now; if they came for another round, they would literally pass out on the spot.
That feeling was simply too intense, so much so that they wouldn't dare continue for a while.
They really didn't want to pass out; after all, that would be too embarrassing.
Seeing Natasha and Hill wave their hands repeatedly, Loren finally let them off.
At this moment, Agent Hill spoke up again, "Master, there is one more matter. Is there really no way to make Tonyand Steve patch things up and be as good as before?"
Loren looked at her, a flash of light passing through his eyes.
"Of course there is a way, it's just that I don't want to do it. As I said just now, making up with each other is not your job.
Your job is to let them know the truth. Although the truth won't make them reconcile, the truth will let them know who they should swing their fists at.
As for matters between them, time will handle it. When the time truly comes that it's needed, I will naturally make a move."
Hearing Loren say this, Agent Hill felt as if she had been given a shot of adrenaline, and she couldn't help but heave a sigh of relief.
As long as she had Loren's word, there was nothing left to worry about.
"Master, can you briefly reveal what your method is like?" Natasha asked curiously while putting on her clothes.
"The method is very simple! Just directly delete their memories regarding this matter."
Loren said very indifferently, as if he were talking about a trivial matter.
"What! You can delete their memories?" Agent Hill looked at Loren with a ghost-seeing expression.
"What is it, is there a problem? To be exact, I can delete anyone's memories, including the two of you. Want to try?"
"Try? How do you try this?" Hill looked at Loren with a curious expression, completely unable to figure out how such a thing could be tested.
"It's very simple, watch closely!" Loren smiled craftily, then raised his hand and made a gripping motion in the air. Immediately, a ball of black energy condensed above his palm.
And this ball of black energy was none other than the Dark Force of Chthon that he had integrated not long ago.
His Dark Force was the source of all dark power, the progenitor of dark power.
Although this Dark Force was not as powerful as Wanda's Chaos Magic, it was still enough to modify the real World.
Therefore, deleting someone's memories was a total piece of cake for him.
Just at this moment, his gaze fixed on Hill before him, and he said, "Hill, you didn't eat the sausage just now; only Natasha ate it alone."
"??????" Hill.
Hearing Loren say this, Hill was completely dumbfounded. She clearly remembered eating the sausage together with Natasha just moments ago!
What do you mean she didn't eat? Isn't this talking nonsense with eyes wide open!
Just as she was still dumbfounded, Loren suddenly snapped his fingers.
Instantly, a flash of black light swept past in front of her, and in that very split second, her gaze suddenly turned blank.
That feeling was just like someone who had slept for a long time suddenly waking up from a dream. Then Hilllooked at Loren and Natasha beside her as if she had suffered a blackout from drinking.
"Master, Natasha, we've finished talking about our business. Shouldn't we do something else now?" Hill said while making coquettish gestures and casting seductive winks at Loren.
Seeing this scene, Natasha on the side was dumbfounded. She quickly pulled Hill in front of herself and scrutinized her very seriously.
"No way, did you really forget? We just did that thing!"
"??????" Hill.
"What on earth are you talking about, Natasha? Ever since we entered the estate, we've just been talking about the secret invasion of the Skrulls. When have we ever done that kind of thing? Are you out of your mind?"
"..." Natasha.
"Alright, if you don't want to do it, step aside. This lady has been holding back for a long time, and I'm going to have a hearty feast today!"
Hearing Hill's words, Natasha was dumbfounded, looking at Loren with an incredulous expression.
Suddenly, a terrifying thought popped into her mind: was the epic battle she and Hill just had with him definitely their first time meeting?
If Loren erased their memories midway, wouldn't that mean Loren could farm them infinitely?
Good grief, this ability is simply too terrifying!
Just at this moment, Hill over there was still continuously teasing Loren.
Seeing this, she quickly said, "Master, please withdraw your divine powers quickly! Otherwise you'll play her to death!"
Chapter 365: Officer, You Really Don't Have To!
An hour later, Natasha and Hill finally walked out of the study, exhausted.
The corridor was very quiet, and their footsteps echoed on the stone slabs.
"Natasha, today is so strange! Clearly I haven't indulged in a long time, but today when I was having fun with Master, I always felt weird!"
"..." Hearing Hill's words, Natasha wore a look of helplessness.
She very much wanted to tell the other party the truth, but she was worried that she wouldn't believe it, so she simply stopped talking.
"Hey, Natasha, did you hear me? I said I feel weird." Hillgrabbed Natasha's shoulder and said.
"Yeah, got it. How is it weird?" Natasha nodded and asked very helplessly.
"I just feel dry!"
"Dry? That means you're dehydrated!"
"Dehydrated? How could I be dehydrated? That makes no sense!"
"You know, some things just don't make sense."
"What kind of nonsense are you talking about? Could there be something wrong with my body?"
"Is it possible that there's something wrong with your brain?"
"There's something wrong with your brain! I find that you're talking very strangely today. Are you hiding something from me?"
"I am so wronged. You and I are good comrades-in-arms who have shouldered rifles together. Even if I hid it from anyone, I wouldn't hide it from you!"
"That's more like it. Whatever, I won't think about it anymore.
I'll rehydrate well these next few days, and maybe next time we fight again, it won't happen!" Hill thought for a moment and said.
Before long, the two of them left Morgan Manor.
As soon as they stepped out, Nick Fury walked up quickly.
"You're finally out. A three-hour meeting—you must have talked about a lot, right?"
Seeing Nick Fury appear suddenly, Natasha and Hill were both startled.
"Officer, have you been waiting here the whole time?"
"Of course. You are my subordinates. Since I sent you to risk yourselves, as an Officer, I naturally have to guard outside."
"Officer, actually you really don't have to. It's not our first time entering Loren's manor, and he is still very polite to us, right Hill?"
"Yes, very polite. It made us feel like a spring breeze and very comfortable. In the future, Officer, you can just wait for our news at the agency."
Hearing Natasha and Hill's words, Nick Fury always felt something was a bit strange, but he couldn't put his finger on what was weird.
But that wasn't the main point now; the main point was whether they had obtained the things or answers he wanted.
"What did Loren say? Is he willing to make a move? Or did he provide us with any clues?" Nick Fury asked curiously.
"Loren explicitly stated he won't make a move, but he definitely provided us with some clues."
As Natasha spoke, she tossed a document bag to Nick Fury.
Receiving the document bag, Nick Fury couldn't wait to open it, and immediately saw "Secret Invasion" written on the cover.
"Skrulls! It's actually them, I should have thought of it earlier!"
Looking at the contents of the document bag, Nick Furyhad a sudden realization; obviously, he had known about the existence of Skrulls long ago.
As for why he hadn't thought of it before, perhaps it was because the Skrulls in this Universe hadn't contacted Nick Fury as early as those in the Main Universe.
After finding out who was pulling strings behind the scenes, S.H.I.E.L.D. quickly took action.
A few days later, at an abandoned textile factory warehouse in Brooklyn, a three-story brick-concrete structure with half its roof collapsed, the outer walls were covered in graffiti.
This area was waiting for demolition, with no residents within a two-block radius, only stray cats and vagrants.
For Skrulls, this was a perfect hiding spot.
Being in the city made it easy to gather intelligence, while being remote enough not to attract attention.
Natasha Romanoff crouched on the opposite water tower, night-vision binoculars pressed tightly against her eyes.
She had been lying in the cold wind for three hours, her long red hair tied into a soldier's helmet, her black combat suit blending into the night.
Beside her was Hawkeye, his bow already strung, the arrow point aimed at the window on the second floor of the warehouse.
"Target confirmed." Natasha's voice was transmitted back to the temporary command post via the communicator.
"There are two life signs inside the warehouse, one of which has an abnormal energy reading."
"How abnormal?" Fury's voice came through the communicator, carrying a tension that only Natasha could detect.
"I've seen similar readings during the Battle of New York, Hulk-level."
The communication channel fell silent for two seconds.
"Attention everyone, the target may be an out-of-spec individual. Do not approach rashly, wait for further instructions."
But further instructions didn't have time to be issued.
Light suddenly lit up inside the warehouse—not ordinary lighting, but the characteristic blue cold light of an arc reactor.
Natasha's pupils shrank violently behind her night-vision goggles, and she rolled to the side almost instinctively.
The next second, an energy beam shot out from the second floor of the warehouse, cutting the water tower she had just been crouching on right in half.
Hundreds of gallons of water poured down, bursting into a silvery-white waterfall under the moonlight.
The upper part of the water tower plummeted with a crash, smashing into the ground and producing a deafening roar.
"Discovered!" Natasha adjusted her posture in mid-air, rolling to absorb the impact upon landing, while drawing the stun gun from her waist, "Everyone scatter!"
Hawkeye had already moved to the roof of another building, his arrow shooting out while in motion.
Not shooting at the enemy, but at several utility poles around the warehouse.
The arrowhead pierced into the utility pole and exploded, releasing a large area of smoke grenades.
Thick white smoke rapidly filled the area around the warehouse, providing cover for the ground troops.
But to the enemy, this seemed completely meaningless.
The warehouse wall exploded.
Not the door, not the window, but the entire brick wall was shattered from the inside, with broken bricks and dust splashing in all directions like cannonballs.
A gold-and-red figure walked out from the ruins, the red and gold armor gleaming with cold light under the moonlight.
The mask was closed, and the red eyes glowed like two lamps in the smoke.
That was Tony Stark's mark armor.
But Tony Stark himself was sitting in a room at the Avengers Base.
"Fake verified," Natasha said in the communicator, her voice calm not like someone facing a monster that killed her comrade.
"He's wearing armor, repeat, he's wearing armor."
"What are the technical parameters of the armor?" Furyasked.
"Uncertain, but it looks no different from the Mark series."
"Then treat him the way you'd treat the Mark series. Attack his joints, sensors, and reactor connections; don't let him fly."
The ground troops were already in position, twelve S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents flanking from three directions, holding energy weapons in their hands.
Conventional ammunition had no effect on Tony's armor.
But for this operation, Fury had specially approved a batch of energy rifles developed based on reverse-engineered alien technology.
"Fire!"
Chapter 366: Captain America and Iron Man Team Up Again!
The moment the order was given, twelve energy beams shot simultaneously toward that red-and-gold figure.
Right at that moment, the armor's thrusters ignited.
But instead of flying upward, it rushed forward.
Skrulls crossed through the barrage at a speed that defied physical intuition, the energy beams striking the ground behind him and blasting open smoking craters one by one.
But not a single one hit the target!
The armor's movement trajectory was not a straight line, but an unpredictable zigzag, with every change of direction rendering the S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents' targeting systems completely useless.
Skrulls crossed a distance of fifty meters in three seconds, rushing into the center of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents' formation.
His right hand grabbed the nearest Agent's helmet, lifting the person up entirely and flinging them toward a distant wall like throwing a ragdoll.
That Agent slammed into the brick wall with a muffled thud, sliding to the ground and moving no more.
Skrulls's left arm swept horizontally, and another Agentwas hit in the chest, flying backward and knocking down two companions behind him.
"Spread out! Keep your distance!" Natasha shouted in the communicator, while she herself had already rushed forward.
She knew close combat was a foolish choice, but if she didn't stall this monster, the twelve Agents would be completely wiped out within thirty seconds.
She leaped onto an abandoned car, bounced off the force, and clamped her legs around Skrulls's neck.
This was a standard choking maneuver, but the armor's neck plating rendered her attack meaningless.
Skrulls grabbed her ankle, yanked her down from the air, and slammed her hard onto the ground.
The moment Natasha's back collided with the ground, all the air in her lungs was squeezed out.
Her vision went dark momentarily, but her well-trained body reacted in the next second.
She twisted her body and kicked with her other foot toward the armor seam on Skrulls's wrist.
This blow accurately hit the joint, and Skrulls's hand loosened for an instant.
Taking the opportunity, Natasha rolled away to escape, kneeling on one knee on the ground and panting heavily.
There was blood at the corner of her mouth, and the pain in her back made her arms tremble, but her eyes were still fixed firmly on the target.
"This guy... is much faster than the real Tony." She said in the communicator, her voice a bit hoarse.
"Not just fast, he has other tricks." Hawkeye's voice came from above, his arrow finally finding an angle.
An explosive arrow shot out from the roof, flying precisely toward Skrulls's mask.
Skrulls raised a hand to grab the arrow shaft, crushing it the second before it exploded, but Hawkeye never shot just one arrow.
The first arrow was a decoy.
The second arrow flew from the completely opposite direction, silent and soundless, with an electromagnetic pulse generator installed on the arrowhead instead of explosives.
The moment the arrowhead hit the back of the armor, blue arcs of electricity exploded across the armor's surface, and the electromagnetic pulse penetrated the armor, interfering with the internal electronic systems.
The armor's red eyes flickered once.
Just once.
Skrulls turned around, looking in the direction where Hawkeye was.
Even through the mask, Hawkeye could feel that gaze.
It was not anger, not surprise, but an evaluation that sent chills down one's spine, like looking at an object, judging whether it still had any utility value.
"His armor has electromagnetic pulse protection, and the EMP round only interfered with him for less than half a second." Hawkeye said, tension appearing in his voice for the first time.
"Then use physical means." A low voice came from the communicator.
Everyone stopped moving at that very instant.
That wasn't Fury's voice, not Natasha's, not Hawkeye's.
That was Steve Rogers's voice, cutting into the communication channel with a cold, unquestionable resolution.
"Captain?" There was a hint of surprise in Natasha's voice.
"I'm on the way." Steve said, "Tony is also on the way, we've locked onto your location, arriving in two minutes."
The communicator fell silent for half a second.
"You guys together?" Natasha asked.
No answer.
Steve cut off the communication.
Natasha and Hawkeye exchanged a glance; across a distance of dozens of meters and the armored monster opposite them, they completed a brief communication with their eyes.
Tony and Steve coming together was a miracle in itself.
Perhaps the truth of that video made them temporarily set aside their differences, or perhaps the threat of Skrulls was greater than the rift between them.
Perhaps it was simply because they were both Avengers, possessing the instinctive belief deep down that when someone needed saving, everything else could be put aside.
Whatever the reason, they came.
And that was enough.
"Everyone fall back, establish a perimeter defense line." Natasha ordered in the communicator.
"Don't let him leave this area, but don't get close to him either, wait for reinforcements to arrive."
S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents began to orderly fall back, the injured dragged behind cover.
Those who could still move rearranged the shooting formation, completely sealing off the three exits around the warehouse.
Skrulls stood in the center of the ruins, the red eyes beneath the mask scanning their surroundings, seemingly not in a hurry to pursue.
He raised his head, looking at the sky.
A speck of light on the horizon was growing larger.
Not a star, not a plane, it was Tony Stark.
The Mark XLVII armor flew in from the direction of Manhattan, the sonic boom breaking the sound barrier exploding in the night sky like a muffled roar of thunder.
His flight path was a straight line, his target clear, his speed extremely fast, without any fancy maneuvering actions.
But in the fractions of a second before Tony arrived, another figure appeared from the ground.
Steve Rogers rushed out of an alley, his shield reflecting the moonlight on his back.
He didn't take a car or an aircraft, he simply ran across the Brooklyn Bridge on his own two legs.
Ran across six kilometers of city streets with his legs, arriving at the battlefield in an impossible amount of time using his legs.
He was less than a second slower than Tony.
The two of them arrived simultaneously, one high and one low, one in the air and one on the ground, like two swords drawn from their scabbards at the same time.
Tony hovered ten meters directly in front of Skrulls, his palm energy cannons already fully charged.
Steve landed eight meters behind Skrulls, the newly forged circular Vibranium shield already taken down from his back.
Held in his left hand, his body pressed slightly downward, center of gravity forward, ready to charge forward at any moment.
There was no communication between them at all.
No eye contact, no gesture signals, no tactical communication.
But their positions, angles, and distance formed a perfect pincer formation.
That was the tacit understanding carved into their bones from fighting side by side countless times; words weren't needed, thinking wasn't even needed, their bodies instinctively knew what to do.
Skrulls looked at the Iron Man in front, then looked at the Captain America in the back.
The mask opened.
Tony Stark's face appeared behind the mask, that face identical to Tony's, every single detail frighteningly precise.
Chapter 367 Powerful Skrulls!
"You finally made it. I've been waiting for you for a long time," said the Skrulls, using Tony's voice, but with a completely different tone.
Steve gripped his shield tightly.
"Where is Bucky?" he asked in a voice so low it sounded like it came from underground.
The Skrulls smiled, a smile that was identical to Tony Stark's.
The corner of his mouth curled up slightly to the upper right, revealing a row of teeth on one side with an innate arrogance.
"Bucky Barnes? He's dead. I killed him with my own hands, blasting his head to pieces with a repulsor ray."
"His eyes were wide open until the very end—blue and very pretty. Do you know what his last words were?"
Steve didn't move, but the shield in his hand emitted a dull hum.
That was the sound characteristic of Vibranium under immense pressure, the vibration transmitted to the metal as Steve's fingers tightened in anger.
"He said Steve wouldn't fall for it. He was right, you really didn't fall for it, but what difference does that make?" The Skrulls tilted its head.
Right at that moment, the real Tony's repulsor fired.
Without any warning or sign, two energy beams shot out from Tony's palms, heading straight for the Skrulls's face.
At the same time, Steve launched from behind, the shield spinning as it flew out, cutting through the air with a sharp whistling sound, aiming straight for the Skrulls's knees.
Two people, two directions, two attacks, with a time difference of less than a tenth of a second.
This was the kind of coordination only the two core members of the Avengers could pull off.
Perfect timing, perfect angles, without any redundant movements, every strike went straight for the vital spots.
But the Skrulls didn't dodge. It did something unexpected by everyone.
Its body began to change, its skin turning from white to green, and its build expanding from normal human proportions to over two and a half meters tall.
Muscles seemed to grow from within, bursting the joints of the armor.
That was Hulk! The Skrulls had actually turned into Hulk.
A Hulk wearing Tony Stark's armor.
Tony's repulsor struck its chest, but Hulk's skin combined with the armor's plating...
...greatly reduced the effectiveness of the energy beam, leaving only two charred marks on the green skin.
Steve's shield struck its knees. Vibranium and the iron armor collided, producing a dull, deafening roar.
The shield bounced back, while the Skrulls didn't budge an inch.
"You think I can only turn into Tony Stark?"
The Skrulls's voice was no longer Tony's; it became lower and deeper, carrying the Beast-like raspiness of Hulk.
"I've studied all of you—your abilities, your equipment, your combat styles."
Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Bruce Banner.
Thor, Natasha Romanoff, Hawkeye Barton, even Loren!
"I can transform into all of them. The higher-ups wouldn't send an incompetent person to execute such a formidable task."
It reached out and grabbed the shield in mid-air with incredible speed.
Steve's eyes widened.
He had never seen anyone catch a flying Vibranium shield with their bare hands, especially when it was spinning at top speed.
The Skrulls's fingers slipped past the edge of the shield, locking it firmly in its palm.
Blood seeped from the green skin, but that minor wound seemed completely insignificant to it.
"Returning your shield," the Skrulls said, flinging the shield back.
That force far exceeded human limits.
The shield flew toward Steve at three times the speed it came, and Steve didn't even have time to dodge, only able to instinctively turn sideways and take the hit head-on with his left shoulder.
The shield slammed heavily against his shoulder armor, and his left arm instantly went numb.
His entire body was sent flying by the immense impact, crashing straight through a brick wall behind him.
"Steve!" Natasha's voice came through the communicator.
"Stay back!" Steve climbed up from the broken bricks, his left arm hanging by his side, blood at the corner of his mouth, but his gaze remained sharp.
He shook his head to clear the dust from his eyes and picked up the shield that had fallen to the ground with his right hand.
Tony had already rushed forward.
He flew around the Skrulls, moving so fast he left a blur of afterimages.
Repulsor blasts and shoulder-mounted micro-missiles fired alternately, attacking the Skrulls from all angles.
But the Skrulls in Hulk form practically ignored these attacks.
The energy beams left scorch marks one after another on its green skin, and the missiles exploded into clusters of flames on its body.
But these were mere superficial wounds—not even counting as superficial wounds.
"Your armor is not bad," the Skrulls said, reaching out to grab Tony.
Tony accelerated to dodge, but the Skrulls's hand changed direction in a way that defied common physics.
Its arm elongated as it reached out, turning the entire arm rubber-like in an instant.
Tony was caught.
The Skrulls's fingers pierced through the armor's chest plate—not punching through, but deforming it.
Its fingers transformed into some kind of sharp form capable of penetrating metal, driving into the chest of the armor like five steel nails.
The arc reactor was punctured, its blue light flashing violently a few times before going out.
Tony's armor lost power.
"Your reactor technology is more fragile than I imagined."
The Skrulls lifted Tony up in front of it, looking at the shocked face hidden behind the mask.
"So what if you're the real Tony? Without your armor, you're just a pathetic wretch."
"But I am different. Even without this outer shell, I can still completely crush you all."
With that, it gave a heavy flick of its hand, hurling Tonyaway.
Tony crashed into a three-story building, smashing in from the first floor and flying out through the roof of the third floor.
Then he plummeted to the ground, rolling more than a dozen meters before stopping.
Multiple joints of the armor emitted harsh metallic friction sounds, the left arm's armor completely shattered, exposing the wiring and sparks inside.
Steve rushed forward once more.
This time he didn't use his shield; the shield was strapped to his back, and he clenched both fists, charging toward the Skrulls in a nearly savage manner.
The Super Soldier Serum had granted him strength and speed beyond human limits, but it was far from enough.
He knew this, but he still charged ahead.
Because he couldn't let Tony face this monster alone.
The Skrulls had already shrunk back to normal size—no, not normal, but a form somewhere between Tony and Hulk.
Its skin was still green, but its body proportions had returned to human standards, wearing the mark armor that automatically repaired itself after being stretched and torn.
It looked at Steve rushing over without any expression on its face.
Then it used Quicksilver's ability, its reaction speed reaching dozens of times that of a normal human.
In Steve's eyes, the Skrulls in front of him merely flickered, but in fact, the Skrulls had already completed three actions.
Sidestepping to dodge Steve's right fist.
Reaching out to grab Steve's wrist.
Turning around and hurling Steve's entire body into the air.
Chapter 368: The war has just begun!
Steve flew out, but he didn't lose his balance.
In mid-air, he adjusted his posture, and the shield slid from his back into his hand.
The moment he landed, he propped himself up with the shield, did a roll, and shed most of the impact force.
He knelt on one knee, raised his head, and his blue eyes stared intently at the Skrull.
"Your combat skills are very good," the Skrull said.
"I have studied all your footage, from World War II to Washington, from Sokovia to Siberia.
Do you know what your biggest weakness is? You rely too much on your body.
Your body is indeed very strong, but it is merely the limit of humans.
And the limit of humans, to me, is nothing at all."
While speaking, the Skrull directly disappeared from his sight.
It wasn't invisibility, nor was it teleportation; it was a speed so fast that Steve's visual system completely failed to capture it.
Steve only felt a gust of wind attacking from the side, and then his abdomen was heavily struck, his whole body curling up like a shrimp, and the sour water in his stomach surged up to his throat.
In the instant before he could react, the second strike hit his back, and the third strike hit the back of his head.
But he was wearing a helmet, and that blow did not cause fatal damage, but it was enough to make his vision go black and his ears ring.
The Skrull reappeared in front of Steve, standing beside his fallen body, looking down at him.
"Do you know why I chose to transform into Tony Stark?" the Skrull said.
"Not because of his armor, not because of his intelligence, but because his body is the most fragile one among you.
His power comes from the outside, from that armor; without the armor, he is nothing.
And you, Steve Rogers, your power comes from the inside, but the power from the inside has an upper limit.
And the upper limit of you humans is far too low; to be honest, I wouldn't even bother turning into a human."
Steve crawled up from the ground, the blood from the corner of his mouth dripping onto the ground, mixing with the dust and turning into dark red mud.
"Are you done talking?" Steve asked.
The Skrull looked at him, a trace of surprise flashing in his green eyes.
"If you're done, let's keep fighting. I can waste a whole day here with you!"
Steve raised his shield. His left hand could hardly be lifted anymore, but he still raised the shield.
"Hahaha, what a familiar sentence. This is your motto!
But are you really sure you can waste a day with me? I don't think so."
While speaking, the Skrull disappeared again.
When he appeared again, Captain America was sent flying backwards once more, the powerful impact smashing right through the wall of the building behind him.
"Even if you injected the Super Soldier Serum, you are nothing more than a human stronger than ordinary people.
And in front of us great Skrulls, humans are existence like ants.
And you are just a stronger ant, nothing more!" the Skrull said, looking at Captain America with incomparable arrogance.
"So are all you Skrulls chatterboxes?"
Right at this moment, Tony stood up from the ruins and said mockingly.
The left arm of his armor was completely scrapped, the palm repulsor on his right hand could still be used, the reactor on his chest had gone out, but the backup power source on his back was still running.
He limped over, every step accompanied by the harsh sound of metal friction, half of his mask shattered, revealing his true face.
Not the one disguised by the Skrull, but the face of the real Tony Stark.
That face was full of scars and dust, but those brown eyes flashed with a firm and determined light.
The two of them stood together again.
One had a shield with shattered edges, and one had armor that lost most of its functions.
One had broken ribs, and one had a dislocated left arm.
One had blood at the corner of his mouth, and one was bleeding from his forehead.
But they stood together, shoulder to shoulder, as if nothing had happened.
The Skrull looked at them, the expression on his face changing.
It wasn't anger, nor fear, but a strange expression, resembling respect and yet regret.
"You are more tenacious than I expected, but tenacity cannot change the result," the Skrull said.
His body began to change again.
This time, he transformed into another form, neither Hulk, nor Tony, nor Quicksilver.
Instead, it was a form that neither Steve nor Tony had ever seen before. His skin turned from green to silver, with some kind of energy flowing on the surface.
"My knowledge and power are beyond your imagination. I've had enough fun, it's time to end this!" the Skrull said coldly.
At this moment, he reached out his hand, and a silver energy wave spread out from his palm.
Wherever the energy wave swept, the ground cracked, buildings collapsed, and the air trembled.
Steve raised his shield to block in front of him. The shield bore most of the energy, but the aftermath still pushed him more than ten meters away.
Tony fired an energy beam with his remaining palm repulsor, but that energy beam was swallowed the instant it contacted the silver energy wave.
The Skrull walked up to them.
He reached out his hands and pressed them onto Steve's shield and Tony's armor respectively.
"You lost," he said.
Then he let go of his hands and took a step back.
He looked around, S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents were lying all over the ground.
Natasha leaned against the wall, her left leg seemingly injured, and Hawkeye crouched beside her, his bow already broken.
Steve and Tony stood in the ruins. Neither of them could stand steadily, but neither fell down.
The Skrull closed his mask—Tony's mask, the mark armor's mask—and his red eyes flashed one last time in the night.
"Tell Nick Fury that the real war has just begun, get ready!
Those of my kind won't be as soft-hearted as I am. Actually, I quite like this Planet," the Skrull said meaningfully.
Immediately afterwards, the thrusters of the armor he was wearing ignited.
The gold-red figure soared into the sky, dragging a white trail, and disappeared into the night sky.
A few seconds later, the sonic boom exploded again, like a sneer echoing over the ruins of Brooklyn.
Steve stood in place, looking at the sky, his shield hanging by his side.
Tony stood beside him, his mask completely shattered, revealing his tired, dust-covered face.
Neither of them spoke.
They fought side by side, they lost together, and they watched helplessly as the murderer who killed Buckyescaped from right in front of them.
Natasha walked out of the ruins, limping.
She looked at the backs of Tony and Steve, opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end didn't say anything out.
Some things are harder to face than not being able to beat a Skrull.
For example, two people who once shared life and death standing together, yet feeling as if separated by an entire galaxy.
"Let's go back! We need to replan, the strength of the Skrulls is beyond our imagination!"
Chapter 369: Silver Surfer?
In the study of Morgan Manor, the lighting was dim.
Loren sat in a high-backed chair, with a suspended holographic screen before him, where blue light particles formed a clear picture in the air.
The ruins around the abandoned textile factory in Brooklyn, the collapsed walls, the shattered ground, and that golden-red figure soaring into the sky.
The video had finished playing.
Loren reached out and dragged the progress bar back to a scene from two minutes ago.
The Skrull's body was changing, gradually shrinking, reorganizing, and transforming from Hulk's huge green physique.
It finally froze in a silver, slender form with ripples of cosmic energy flowing across its surface.
He pressed pause.
The silver figure solidified on the holographic screen, with slender limbs, a smooth head, and no distinct facial features.
The entire body was like a mirror, reflecting the firelight and moonlight of the surrounding ruins.
But that silver was not an ordinary metallic luster, but a living, slowly flowing energy field.
It was as if an entire galaxy had been compressed into a layer of skin, covering the surface of this creature.
Loren stared at that picture, a solemn look appearing in his gray eyes for the first time.
He recognized this form.
He did not recognize this Skrull; a Skrull's transformation ability could mimic the appearance of any creature.
But this appearance itself, this silver, mirror-like form carrying cosmic energy, he had seen before.
Silver Surfer.
The herald of Galactus.
Loren leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers lightly on the armrest twice.
His expression did not change much, but the air in the study became different.
It was deeper and heavier, like the oppressive feeling that made one's chest feel tight before a storm.
"Tifa." He spoke, his voice not loud, but it clearly reached outside the door.
The door was pushed open, and Tifa with her proud figure walked in, her blue eyes looking calmly at Loren.
She was now the housekeeper of Morgan Manor and one of Loren's most trusted people.
"Master, is there anything you need?" Tifa slightly bowed and asked.
"Call Alice over."
Tifa did not ask why, nodded, and turned to leave the study.
Loren looked at the holographic screen again and played the video from the beginning.
The scene of Tony and Steve fighting side by side, the entire process of the Skrull transforming from Tony's form to Hulk's form and then to the silver form.
And the final moment when the silver figure soared into the sky and disappeared into the horizon.
His brows furrowed slightly.
Silver Surfer.
This name represented a specific meaning in the Universe, not a person, but a position, a destiny.
Silver Surfer was a follower selected by Galactus from countless lives, endowed with a portion of cosmic energy.
Thus gaining extraordinary power and speed, at the cost of wandering forever in the Universe, searching for Planets available for his Master to devour.
Galactus.
One of the five genesis deities.
A multiverse-level existence.
Loren's fingers stopped on the armrest.
He thought of things on another timeline; as a transmigrator, he had seen information about Galactus.
That was an ancient existence born after the Big Bang, juxtaposed with Death, Eternity, Infinity, and Oblivion, being one of the cornerstones maintaining the balance of the Universe.
His duty was to devour Planets, not for destruction, but for balance.
It sounded contradictory, but on the scale of the Universe, destruction and creation had always been two sides of the same coin.
But this was not important.
What was important was that if Galactus set his sights on a Planet, that Planet would have almost no possibility of survival.
Countless civilizations were reduced to ashes under his devouring, countless Worlds were crossed off his menu, leaving not even a trace.
And now, the shadow of Silver Surfer appeared on a Skrull.
This meant that that Skrull had seen the real Silver Surfer, otherwise it would have been impossible for him to imitate Silver Surfer's form so precisely.
A Skrull's transformation ability was not imagined out of thin air; they needed to have seen the target with their own eyes to perfectly replicate its appearance and abilities.
At least a perfect replication in appearance; as for abilities, that varied from person to person.
The Skrull had obviously only imitated Silver Surfer's appearance and did not truly possess Silver Surfer's cosmic energy.
If he truly had Silver Surfer's power, Tony and Steve would never have survived.
But the problem was not how much the Skrull imitated.
The problem was, where did he see Silver Surfer?
If it was on Earth...
Loren closed his eyes and suppressed that thought.
It was still too early to jump to conclusions; he needed more information, which was why he called Alice.
Footsteps came from the end of the corridor, very light, almost inaudible, but Loren's ears caught them.
The door was not closed, so Alice walked right in.
Ever since Alice integrated the powers of Ultron and the Vibranium legion, her height had grown to 1.73 meters.
Her figure was slender, wearing a white V-neck sweater and black slim-fitting trousers.
Her facial features were as exquisite as if they had been carved, and in fact, they were.
Her dark long hair hung behind her shoulders, shimmering with a faint blue under the light.
But the most eye-catching thing was between her eyebrows.
A light blue gemstone was embedded on her forehead, about the size of a thumb, in a perfect oval shape, with a surface as smooth as a mirror.
Light was flowing inside the gemstone, not a fixed light source, but a rhythmic pulse like breathing.
That was the Mind Stone, one of the six Infinity Stones, possessing the power to control minds, read memories, and project consciousness.
She was a life created by Loren, an existence with Godfather-level strength.
Her current Vibranium body was almost indestructible, and her Mind Stone allowed her to connect to any electronic system and biological consciousness.
Her learning and computing capabilities exceeded the sum of all supercomputers on Earth.
In terms of electronic warfare capabilities, only Nymphcould compare with her.
But in close combat, Nymph was far from being her opponent; this was what made Alice so freakishly powerful.
"Master, you called for me, did you miss me? Do you need me to serve you well?"
Alice said looking at Loren with dreamy, charming eyes. As one of Loren's fangirls, Alice's love for Loren could be said to be carved into her bones.
She walked to the desk, bent slightly, and immediately, a vast expanse of whiteness was revealed through the V-neck.
She glanced at the image on the holographic screen, then raised her head to look at Loren and said.
"That is indeed one of the purposes of calling you here, but besides that, there is another more important matter."
Hearing that Loren actually missed her, the affection in Alice's eyes grew even more intense. She lifted her sweater and wrapped her arms around Loren's head.
"What else could be more important than serving my Master?" Alice asked curiously.
"I need you to help me investigate something." Loren said, turning the holographic screen towards her.
"This Skrull turned into a silver form at the end of the battle.
I need you to investigate where this Skrull has seen the person with this silver form."
Alice's gaze fell on the screen, and the Mind Stone between her eyebrows flickered slightly.
Chapter 370: The Five Creation Gods
"Is this silver person very important to Master?" Alice sat on Loren's lap and asked curiously.
"This person isn't important to me, but he concerns the fate of our entire Planet!" Loren said very seriously.
"Is it that serious? Oh!!!" Hearing Loren say this, Alice sat down slowly, her expression inevitably turning serious.
"I'm talking to you about something important! Can you be a bit more serious?" Loren looked at Alice with utter helplessness.
"Master, I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself. Go on, I'm listening!"
Loren was long used to Alice's behavior, so after saying that, he recounted the matter about Silver Surfer.
"The Five Creation Gods? Galactus? Silver Surfer? Are there such powerful beings in this World?"
After listening to Loren's introduction, Alice's eyes were filled with shock.
She had always thought that her Master, Loren, was already able to traverse the entire Universe, but she hadn't expected that there were still such powerful entities.
"The Universe is vast and boundless, and all kinds of entities exist within it.
And even with my current strength, I am merely one of countless ants.
This is also why I want you to go investigate that Skrull.
That Silver Surfer is a product imbued with cosmic energy by Galactus, capable of flying faster than light in the Universe.
His real name is Norrin Radd, an astronaut from an alien civilization.
He voluntarily became the herald of Galactus to save his own Planet, so he can do anything for his Planet.
Of course, that includes telling Galactus about this Planetof ours. If that really happens, we'll be in danger."
Holding Alice, Loren said with a solemn expression.
"Master, do you think that Skrull being able to transform into the form of Silver Surfer indicates that he has seen the real Silver Surfer?"
"Yes!" Loren nodded.
"So I need you to find that Skrull, read his memories, and figure out where he saw the Silver Surfer.
If it's on Earth, we're going to have a big problem."
"I understand, I'll go search for that fellow's traces right away!"
Alice didn't speak anymore, pushed open the door, and walked out.
Her footsteps receded along the corridor, growing lighter and lighter, eventually disappearing into the night of the manor.
Looking at Alice's retreating figure, Loren lowered his head to look at the mess she left behind, and smiled helplessly.
"Tifa, come in for a moment!"
He called out toward the outside of the door, and Tifaimmediately walked in briskly.
When she saw Loren's current state, she couldn't help laughing out loud.
"Sister Alice is really something, she doesn't even know to clean up. Master, you must teach her a good lesson next time."
As Tifa spoke, she knelt down.
"Tifa, you're still the most well-behaved!" Loren gently stroked Tifa's hair, saying with eyes full of doting affection.
"Th... That of course, Tifa... only listens to Master's words!"
Loren sat on the high-backed chair, slowly closing his eyes.
His fingers began to tap on the armrest once more, one, two, three.
The rhythm grew slower and slower, as if counting something invisible.
Three forty-seven in the morning.
Alice stood on the roof of Morgan Manor, the night wind blowing from the direction of the Hudson River, fluttering her long hair and the hem of her clothes.
She closed her eyes, and the Mind Stone between her brows emitted a faint golden light.
That light grew brighter and brighter, turning from pale gold to bright gold, and from bright gold to a nearly white, blinding light.
Through the power of the Mind Stone, her mind was traveling at the speed of light across cities, across state lines, and across the entire North American continent.
She was simultaneously connected to millions of surveillance cameras.
From Times Square in New York to Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, from O'Hare International Airport in Chicago to the Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Every camera was an eye.
Every eye was searching for what she wanted.
Her algorithm searched for that gold-and-red figure in every frame.
Not the real Tony Stark, but that Skrull wearing the mark armor who soared into the sky in Brooklyn.
She didn't need to identify the face under the mask; she only needed to identify the armor model, flight trajectory, and energy signature.
The Mark XLVII mark armor had a unique energy signature, which was a specific frequency of electromagnetic radiation coming from the fusion process of the arc reactor.
Although this Skrull's mark armor was a replica, its energy signature was almost identical; this was both his advantage and his weakness.
Because Alice had captured that energy signature above New York.
Not in the direction of flying away from Brooklyn, but in the opposite direction.
The Skrull flew north for about thirty kilometers, then landed on the roof of an abandoned apartment building in the Bronx.
He took off the mark armor and transformed back into human form.
A white male in his early thirties, with short brown hair, wearing a regular jacket and jeans.
Then he walked into that apartment building.
And never came out again.
Alice tracked the surveillance footage of all entrances and exits of that building.
Over the next three hours, twelve people walked out of that building.
Men, women, elderly people, children, with different heights, different ages, and different races.
Among them, at least one was a Skrull, perhaps two, perhaps all of them.
But what they didn't know was that Alice didn't need to see their faces.
She only needed to see their gait.
Although Skrulls could perfectly replicate a target's appearance and voice when transforming, it was difficult for them to replicate a person's unique gait.
That subtle, unconscious way of walking derived from skeletal structure and muscle memory.
This was a common weakness of all shape-shifting races—not a technical problem, but a biological one.
Because gait was not merely the contraction and relaxation of muscles.
It also included the collaborative work of the nervous system and skeletal system, forming a unique signature developed by a person's body gradually over their lifetime.
Skrulls could turn into another person in a matter of minutes, but they could not learn that person's gait in a few minutes.
Among the gaits of the twelve people, Alice's algorithm found an anomaly.
A woman, about fifty years old, with grayish-white hair, slightly plump, wearing a dark green coat, carrying a shopping bag in her hand.
Her gait looked very normal—left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot—with an even rhythm and moderate stride.
But there was a problem with her center of gravity shift; when a normal person walked, their center of gravity would transition smoothly between the left and right feet.
Yet her center of gravity had a slight jump every time she changed steps, with a difference of only a few milliseconds.
But that jumping pattern was identical to that of the Skrull from earlier.
Thus, Alice opened her eyes.
The light between her brows slowly converged, changing from a blinding white light back to a soft pale golden light.
She stood up from the edge of the roof and turned to walk toward the interior of the manor.
Her pace was fast, but every step was as steady as if nailed to the ground.
She needed to go to the Bronx.
At four forty-two in the morning, Alice stood at the entrance of that abandoned apartment building in the Bronx.