"Good."
Tony nodded in satisfaction. "Then during this time, none of you get to slack off."
His gaze fell on Wanda and Pietro.
"You two," his tone carried a hint of scrutiny.
"Even though that irresponsible guy just dumped you on me, your training continues. Jarvis, load up the training program. Difficulty: Nightmare level."
Pietro's face instantly fell. He had just survived Tony's laser drill a few days ago; now hearing "nightmare level" made his calves tremble.
Wanda, however, remained calm, simply nodding. After Henry's guidance, she just wanted to quickly master control over her powers instead of being ruled by hatred and anger.
Tony then turned his attention to Banner and Blonsky.
"As for you two," his tone softened slightly.
"I've got a small task for you."
He waved his hand, and a complex schematic of a new Iron Man suit appeared on the holographic screen.
"This is my latest concept—the next-gen prototype of the Mark armor," Tony said, pride gleaming on his face.
"It uses an entirely new design… and a remote… system. I need you two to refine the weapons systems and energy output modules over the next four hours."
"Banner, you handle theoretical calculations… simulations. Blonsky… you'll serve as… uh, the model."
Banner's eyes lit up instantly at the design. As a scientist, few things excited him more than hands-on tech development.
Blonsky, on the other hand, looked utterly lost.
"Model? What do you mean? Wear the suit and strike poses? I'm a soldier, not a runway duck!"
"Relax, no catwalk required," Tony said, seeing right through him.
"I just need your body data to test the armor's load limits. Simply put, you're a high-end human model."
Blonsky: …
He felt his dignity as a soldier being trampled once again.
...
Meanwhile, deep in the New Mexico desert…
Unlike previous stealthy approaches, this time Henry chose the flashiest entrance possible.
"BOOM!!!!"
With a deafening sonic boom, a black meteor tore through the clear sky, crashing down into the very center of the S.H.I.E.L.D. temporary base.
And the impact site? A mere ten meters from the crater holding the hammer.
The shockwave kicked up a storm of sand, sending tents and equipment flying.
Alarms blared immediately within the base.
"INTRUDER! INTRUDER!"
"All units, engage! Repeat: all units, engage!"
Hundreds of armed S.H.I.E.L.D. agents converged from all directions, guns trained on the descending figure.
As the dust settled, the agents saw Henry standing tall in his armor, his cloak fluttering unnaturally without any wind.
"It's him!"
"By God, it's Henry Stark!"
Some agent exclaimed, the previously tense air suddenly tinged with awe.
Every weapon felt unbearably heavy in the hands of the agents. Shoot? Impossible. Do nothing? Also impossible.
Who was this man?
This was Henry Stark—dubbed "Walking Catastrophe," "Superman Among Men"—the same man who, at a congressional hearing, vaporized two people with a glare in front of the entire world.
Because of that incident, the director had launched a massive internal purge of S.H.I.E.L.D., leaving Hydra spies terrified.
And rumors of Hydra's presence had been strategically leaked by Tony Stark himself.
These superhumans, along with Tony, had recently been clearing out Hydra bases worldwide. One after another had fallen like paper under their hands.
Going up against a monster like this? Might as well be suicide.
And who knew why he was here this time?
If they accidentally angered him… the entire base could be flattened.
Agents were gripped with apprehension. S.H.I.E.L.D. had already been destabilized by internal Hydra purges, and now a killing machine had landed in their midst.
At that moment, a sharply-dressed middle-aged man with a slightly receding hairline pushed through the crowd—it was Phil Coulson.
"Mr. Stark," he said, forcing a polite smile, though the twitch at the corner of his eye betrayed his inner tension.
"I never expected to see you here. Is this… an official visit?"
Damn it! That director threw this mess onto me again.
Coulson cursed internally. A hammer falling from the sky, now a superhero crashing in? He was just an eight-level agent—not a deity! Why him?!
Still, he smiled professionally, waiting for Henry to respond.
This one wasn't like Tony; Henry had no qualms about killing people on a whim. Better be careful. Hundreds of dollars a month—playing with one's life was not worth it.
"Official visit?" Henry glanced at Coulson, then surveyed the tense agents surrounding him. A playful smile crossed his face.
"Oh no, Agent Coulson, you misunderstand. I'm just a concerned citizen, passing by. Saw what looked like a large outdoor exhibition, so I came to check it out."
A concerned citizen… falling from the sky? Coulson felt his blood pressure rise.
"But…" Henry changed tone, pointing to the hammer in the crater.
"I must say, this exhibit is… unique. Borrowed from some museum? Looks pretty heavy."
Coulson followed the gesture, an apologetic expression forming. "Mr. Stark, that's a research project—top secret."
"Really?" Henry raised an eyebrow. "Coincidentally, I've been quite interested in archaeology lately."
Without waiting for a response, he strode toward the hammer.
Agents instinctively tried to block him—but Coulson stopped them with a glare.
Block him? How? With their bodies?
All eyes fixed on Henry as he approached the crater. He examined the seemingly ordinary hammer.
Then he reached out and gripped Mjolnir's handle.
"Alright, time to witness a miracle," Henry said, taking a deep breath.
He flexed every muscle, summoning all his strength, and yanked upwards!
All his power focused—yet…
The hammer didn't budge.
It was as if fused with the Earth itself. Ancient runes glowed faintly, mocking his efforts.
"Damn!" Henry muttered, releasing it with annoyance. Predictable. Being rejected face-to-face still stung.
Indeed, only a golden-haired musclehead could wield it.
Giving up, he dusted his hands and walked from the crater as if nothing had happened.
"Alright," he said to a bewildered Coulson, shrugging.
"I admit your exhibit is sturdy. But I'm not interested."
"Now," he smiled slightly, "I'm more interested in its original owner."
"Oh, and by the way—this hammer is now requisitioned. Keep an eye on it… or else your legs might break!"
Without waiting for a reply, he blasted off from the ground, a black streak shooting toward the distant town.
Coulson took a deep breath and turned to the agents behind him.
Then he headed toward the temporary office, pressing the micro-comm in his ear.
"Director, looks like Superman is on duty today…"
...
Meanwhile, high in the sky, Henry's eyes scanned the world differently—everything turned transparent.
"Let's find that blond musclehead."
He remembered Thor had been taken in by the astronomer Jane Foster.
His gaze swept across the town—indoors, outdoors, everyone in sight.
Soon, he spotted his target.
"Jarvis, see the blond by the pet shop?"
"Yes, sir. According to town surveillance, if that's Thor, he's currently inside a pet store."
"Pet store?" Henry paused. What was he doing? Buying dog food?
Curious, Henry focused on the store's entrance, eavesdropping on the conversation.
Soon, he realized Thor… wanted to buy a horse?
Henry: …
This guy really had a screw loose.
21st-century Earth… buying a horse for transportation? Did he think he was still in Asgard?
Henry shook his head, accelerating.
...
At the entrance of Puente Antiguo's pet store, Thor argued furiously with a burly shopkeeper.
"I said! I need a horse! A tall, strong horse!" Thor's voice rose as he failed to understand why they didn't sell horses.
"Don't you sell animals? Why no horses?!"
"Hey! Big guy!" The shopkeeper, a beefy man with a thick face, brandished a baseball bat, shouting angrily…
"Damn it! Do you even understand human language?! This is a pet store! We only sell cats and dogs! If you want a horse, go to a farm in the next town! Keep causing trouble here, and I swear I'll break your legs!"
"Threaten me?! I am Thor, son of Odin!"
Just as the confrontation was about to escalate into a full-blown fight, a teasing voice suddenly came from the sky.
"I must say, the prince of Asgard is quite versatile. Not only does he forge, he also goes horse shopping."
Everyone froze, instinctively looking up.
A man in black armor hovered effortlessly in midair, watching them with amusement.
Thor's eyes widened in shock. Who was this guy?!
He pointed at Henry and shouted, "Who are you?!"
"Me?" Henry slowly descended to the ground, smiling confidently.
"I'm just a concerned citizen passing by. Saw someone yelling in public, disturbing the neighborhood, so I came to offer a friendly reminder."
As he spoke, his eyes suddenly flared with a hot red light!
The next moment, two beams shot from his eyes—not at Thor, but at the ground near his feet!
"Boom!"
A small explosion erupted, and the ground beneath Thor split into two deep craters, smoke curling from them.
Startled, Thor jumped back several steps. He stared at the glowing craters in disbelief.
Jane and Darcy gaped in astonishment, forgetting even the coffee in their hands.
Henry looked at Thor's shocked expression, a slow, amused smile spreading across his face.
"I am Henry Stark. Now, shall we sit down and have a civilized chat, Your Highness?"
"Stark?" Thor's eyes narrowed, wary. He could feel the immense power emanating from this man—power no mortal he had ever seen possessed, even stronger than Asgardian warriors.
He clenched his fists, ready for battle.
Henry studied Thor's defensive stance, inwardly amused.
The walking meme, former chubby man, now muscular powerhouse: Thor. Real-life Thor looked even more… goofy than in the movies. Golden hair, blue eyes—he'd make a wasted male model if he weren't Thor.
Yet the brute strength… exactly as the legends said.
"Relax, Your Highness," Henry said slowly, his tone casual.
"I just want to talk about your family drama, the hammer your father confiscated, and oh—your sly little brother Loki, with his green tights and horned helmet."
At the mention of Loki, Thor's face darkened instantly.
"How do you know that?!" he bellowed, chest rising and falling. This was beyond comprehension. How could a Midgard mortal know so much about Asgardian affairs?
Henry shrugged innocently, a harmless smile on his face.
"Secrets. But if you're willing to sit down and chat calmly, perhaps I can share some news about your future—and how to get your hammer back."
As Thor struggled internally, considering this mysterious man's intentions, two suppressed gasps came from behind him.
Darcy, standing beside Jane, finally recovered from shock and tugged Jane's sleeve, voice trembling with excitement.
"Jane! Look! Isn't that… Henry Stark?! My God! It's Superman!! The one who vaporized people at the Capitol! Another Stark genius!"
Jane adjusted her glasses, eyes wide as she scrutinized Henry.
Yes, though she had only seen him in news clips and videos, there was no mistaking that face.
The Stark brothers' names had dominated global headlines for months.
Tony Stark, as Iron Man, had declared war on Hydra with high-profile operations.
Henry Stark, on the other hand, had announced his presence even more directly—live at Congress, using his red-hot eyes to vaporize Justin Hammer and a Hydra congressman.
Though his methods were brutal, public opinion surprisingly favored him. Many applauded the deaths of a war profiteer and Hydra members. Most importantly, the Stark brothers' extermination campaign targeted only Hydra, never harming innocent civilians.
Through these events, both Iron Man and "Superman" had reached unprecedented levels of fame. They remained the world's heroes in the eyes of the public.
Darcy's heart raced uncontrollably.
A living blond alien, a legendary superhuman… appearing before her today?!
What insane luck… could this day get any better?
The Stark brothers, in the past few months, had dominated global headlines, outshining every celebrity and political figure combined.
***
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