Before Tony or Natasha could even react, Kai dissolved into golden particles of light and vanished from the room.
Tony Stark blinked.
"Huh. Convenient as hell."
To this day, Tony still hadn't fully figured out Kai's "turning-into-light" trick. His tech scans couldn't even explain it, which annoyed him more than he'd ever admit.
Natasha, seeing Kai disappear like that, just sighed and turned to leave. She had more pressing matters—specifically, informing Nick Fury that HYDRA was slithering back into play.
Even though the Avengers operated separately from S.H.I.E.L.D., Natasha was still an agent at heart. And HYDRA was personal.
S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters, 219 West 47th Avenue, New York
In a dimly lit office connected through secure lines to the Triskelion, Nick Fury frowned at the holographic report in front of him.
"So… what's your take on this Kai kid?"
Phil Coulson stood nearby, still under the impression that he'd just been "injured" during the Battle of New York and sent on vacation. (S.H.I.E.L.D. cover stories were sometimes too good.)
He answered without hesitation:
"He's a good kid, Director. I saw the footage — saved a lot of people during the invasion. Brave, resourceful."
Fury grunted. That wasn't the part he was interested in.
"Since those aliens showed up, this world's only gotten crazier," Fury muttered. "We need more assets like him. I want a new team assembled. And Kai could be your first recruit."
Coulson nodded, then cracked a small smile.
"No problem, sir. But I doubt we can match Stark's offer — two million a month, after taxes, plus bonuses."
Fury stared at him for a moment.
"Two million? To slack off?"
"You hired Tony Stark, Director. You knew what was gonna happen."
Kai's Apartment, New York
Meanwhile, Kai had no idea Fury had just added him to his "potential Avengers expansion plan."
He was busy working on his Glint-Glint Fruit control — training his precision, reaction time, and ability to manipulate light energy without frying the furniture.
Practicing not only refined his control but also helped boost his role-playing progress.
Still, most of Kizaru's techniques were miles ahead of what Kai could currently handle. So he focused on smaller tricks — light bullets, reflection steps, minor teleportation bursts.
One night passed in peaceful training.
Next Morning
As soon as Kai woke up, his phone buzzed nonstop.
It was Natasha.
"Kai! Where the hell are you?"
"Don't tell me you're still in bed!"
Kai checked his watch lazily.
"It's not even eight yet. Not exactly work hours, Agent Romanoff."
There was a long silence on the other end. Then her icy voice came through:
"Eight o'clock sharp. Avengers Base. If you're late, I'll have Tony dock your pay."
Click. She hung up.
Kai didn't take it too seriously. Being made of light had its perks—he couldn't be late even if he wanted to.
After his breakfast of toast, bacon, and milk, he casually transformed into a golden beam and shot out the window.
Avengers Base – Mission Briefing Room
Natasha sat across from Steve Rogers, her expression tense.
"He's late again, isn't he?"
"Jarvis is still tracking the Viper Gang," Steve replied calmly. "A few minutes won't matter. And we can't rush HYDRA."
As HYDRA's long-time opponent, Steve didn't believe for a second that the organization was gone.
Natasha sighed.
"Yeah… maybe I'm just getting impatient. Been too relaxed lately."
Steve smiled faintly.
"Relaxation's not a crime, Agent."
Before she could respond, beams of golden light gathered right in front of them.
Kai appeared in his yellow-striped suit, hands in his pockets and sunglasses tilted down.
"Eight o'clock on the dot. Not late."
Both Natasha and Steve exchanged a look. They knew he could move fast — but seeing it up close was another thing entirely.
They'd only seen short bursts before. His full-speed movement? Untrackable. Even Jarvis couldn't keep up.
Only Tony Stark had a decent idea of what Kai was capable of — and even he couldn't measure it properly.
Briefing
Natasha quickly composed herself and activated the holo-display.
"Our target this time is the Viper Gang. Intel suggests they're backed by Madame Hydra — one of HYDRA's surviving leaders."
Steve added, projecting the files onto the table.
"Their members are mostly from Northern Europe and Afghanistan. But the real problem is the modified humans among them."
Several holograms appeared: Moccasin, Mambas, Bushmaster, Rock Python.
Each one looked half-human, half-serpent — twisted remnants of HYDRA experiments.
Kai raised an eyebrow.
"Wow. Discount Amazon Lily vibes… just uglier."
Natasha gave him a flat stare. Steve ignored the comment and continued.
"Their base is at the edge of Hell's Kitchen. S.H.I.E.L.D. isn't deploying; it's just us. Keep it clean, keep it quiet."
Steve looked directly at Kai.
"No showing off. No collateral damage."
Kai gave a mock salute.
"Aye aye, Captain. Minimal light explosions, got it."
Steve wasn't amused.
After final instructions, they prepared to move out.
Kai, of course, wanted to travel in style — like Kizaru, riding a missile to the target zone. Unfortunately, that idea was vetoed before he could even finish saying it.
So, naturally, Natasha became his driver again.
Inside the Viper Gang's Base
Deep underground, Madame Hydra (Ophelia Sarkissian) sat at the head of a long table, her expression dark.
"You've been compromised. Care to explain?"
Her hair slithered like serpents as she stared down the trembling lieutenants before her.
Rock Python, the boldest of them, spoke up first.
"My Lady, we've followed every order. We've never used your name, never revealed your involvement. We've operated solely under the Viper Gang banner."
Ophelia's hair gradually stilled, her voice softening.
"Perhaps. But it's not entirely your fault. Captain America's been sniffing around again… that man's like a hound. He always finds us eventually."