On the edge of the bottomless pit.
Hawk calmly watched the Hulk at the bottom of the pit slowly being submerged by the pouring lake water, while thinking about the Reality Stone that could completely turn his Little Universe into reality.
His Little Universe gradually calmed down.
At the same time.
The Phoenix Cloth glowed with brilliant golden light, then disintegrated and reassembled into the vivid form of a Phoenix, merging into the projection of his Little Universe behind him, awaiting Hawk's next summons.
Hawk reappeared, shirtless and wearing only a pair of battle-damaged casual pants.
The dense wounds on his body were also healing rapidly at a visible speed.
Behind him—
A massive S.H.I.E.L.D. command aircraft landed vertically on the grassland.
Maria Hill declined the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent's escort, walked to Hawk's side, and handed him a S.H.I.E.L.D. T-shirt she was holding.
"Here."
"...Thank you."
Hawk glanced at the T-shirt Maria Hill offered, didn't refuse, said thank you, and then put it on.
The next second.
He looked at the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo printed on his T-shirt, chuckled, and looked at Maria Hill, who could be considered an old friend: "Does this mean I've joined your S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
Maria Hill smiled and said, "If you want to."
Hawk laughed heartily.
"Forget it, I'm not interested, and I don't have the time."
"You could be an external consultant."
Maria Hill didn't give up, but she wasn't forceful either, instead joking, "For example, if there's a World crisis, you'd come out and help us, right?"
Hearing this, Hawk looked at Maria Hill with some curiosity.
"I remember the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. is Nick Fury, right? How come both times I've dealt with a S.H.I.E.L.D. Commander? Shouldn't the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. be the one dealing with me?"
"He's been suspended. You don't want to deal with me?"
"No."
Hawk's expression showed a sudden realization as he listened to Maria Hill's explanation, then he smiled and looked at Maria Hill, saying, "I thought you understood my preference, knowing I don't like dark-skinned people, so you wouldn't let them appear before me."
A full year had passed since he awakened his Little Universe, and at this moment, Hawk was qualified to express his views from a position of strength.
Yes.
He didn't like dark-skinned people.
Discrimination?
Yes, it's discrimination. So what? Unconvinced? Bite me, or take a Phoenix Wings Soaring!
Hawk thought to himself.
Maria Hill, on the other hand, showed little surprise hearing Hawk express his views so directly.
After all, ever since the Quantico battle, Hill had spent most of her time studying data related to Hawk collected from all directions.
And...
Yes.
Nick Fury was suspended again.
In a word.
The reason Nick Fury was reinstated at that time was because he sold Hawk's information to Thaddeus Ross, and as a condition of the deal, the powerful backers behind General Ross pushed for Nick Fury's reinstatement.
But...
The joint operation was agreed upon, but when General Ross acted, Nick Fury's side decisively played dead after Hawk attacked Quantico Base.
As a result, General Ross died.
This infuriated the powerful backers, as General Ross was their hard-won leverage to infiltrate the federal Military, and he had just died like that.
Thus, Nick Fury was suspended again due to the efforts of the powerful backers.
Made by the powerful backers, ruined by the powerful backers.
Of course.
Ostensibly, the reason for Nick Fury's second suspension was Maria Hill's report to the Security Council that Nick Fury leaked S.H.I.E.L.D. secrets.
Yes.
After the Quantico battle, Maria Hill secretly collected evidence and finally found proof that Nick Fury provided Hawk's information to General Ross. She then directly brought the matter to the Security Council, completely bypassing Director Alexander Pierce.
And so, first defying orders, and now the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. leading the way in leaking intelligence, the Security Council was furious. Once again, under Alexander Pierce's strong advocacy, Nick Fury was saved, only receiving a suspension.
Nick Fury really should kowtow to Alexander Pierce.
Maria Hill couldn't help but frown, thinking about Alexander Pierce, who once again protected Nick Fury.
She couldn't figure out why Alexander Pierce was so determined to protect Nick Fury.
Was it merely because Nick Fury was the successor he personally chose back then?
There must be another reason.
Maria Hill pondered, but she hadn't yet figured out the specific reason, though she was already searching for it in secret.
After a while.
Maria Hill composed herself, put away her thoughts, and looked at Hawk, recalling his comment about skin color. She smiled casually and said, "Is that so? Then that's very fortunate. Luckily Nick was suspended, otherwise, if he were to contact you, the outcome probably wouldn't be very good."
Hawk chuckled, calmly looking at Maria Hill.
"Just say what you want directly. I'm not a tyrant. If others don't offend me, I won't offend them."
"Alright."
Maria Hill met Hawk's gaze with a smile, then leaned forward to look at the bottomless pit before them: "What's going on with this black Hulk?"
Hawk turned his head to look, then sat down on the grass beneath him, looking up at Maria Hill who was standing beside him.
Maria Hill smiled slightly and sat down next to Hawk as well.
Hawk propped himself up with his hands on the grass behind him, feeling the gentle breeze after the battle, and answered Maria Hill's question.
"Didn't you see? Hulk. It's the result of Bruce Banner's life for a life. The Hulk who returned from Hell is naturally the Hulk."
"Then Mephisto, whom you were talking to in the air just now…"
"The Lord of Hell. The Hulk was just a toy he threw up to test my strength."
Hawk spoke without concealment.
He felt somewhat relieved.
Because...
He had confirmed the status of his sister Anya in Hell.
And it was personally verified by Mephisto.
Hawk was very certain that before his own death, or before he went to Hell, his sister Anya would be doing very well, even in Hell.
That was enough.
As for whether Mephisto would threaten him with his sister when he eventually went to Hell, that was a matter for later.
He trusted the wisdom of future generations and left it for future Hawk to worry about.
At least for now, Hawk was very happy.
The Phoenix Cloth was forged.
He also had news of his sister Anya.
At this moment, Hawk, who had been silently and swiftly moving forward without stopping since awakening his Little Universe, felt an urge to pause and take a short rest.
So...
In a great mood, with a hint of lazy restfulness, Hawk accepted all of Maria Hill's questions.
He was idle anyway.
What's more...
Maria Hill knew he had no clothes and even brought him a shirt.
One doesn't hit a smiling person.
Most importantly.
If others treat me with respect, I will return it tenfold.
This was also Hawk's code of conduct.
Soon.
Maria Hill got the truth of the matter through her questions.
Bruce Banner exchanged his life, and Mephisto, the Lord of Hell, took this opportunity to transform the deceased Hulk into the Hulk and threw him back to test Hawk's strength.
Only...
Maria Hill was somewhat shocked.
"Why would Mephisto suddenly want to test you…"
"Because I repeatedly provoked him."
Hawk smiled slightly, then, meeting Maria Hill's shocked gaze, added, "More than once. I've said many times that he needs to take good care of my sister. If even a single hair on my sister is harmed in Hell, when I go there, I will pluck off his head and use it as a urinal."
Maria Hill's pupils dilated in shock.
Hell, huh?
She knew about it.
To be precise, the fact that Hell truly exists was in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top-secret database.
S.H.I.E.L.D. agents from the Texas branch had also dealt with demons a few times, and although they were eventually resolved, each demonic incident caused heavy losses for S.H.I.E.L.D. Texas.
Even individual demons were difficult for S.H.I.E.L.D. to handle, let alone Mephisto, the Lord of Hell, the greatest demon.
However...
Maria Hill listened to Hawk's explanation, recalled the information about Hawk's protectiveness towards his sister Anya, and nodded with a smile.
"You're a good brother, Hawk."
"Thank you."
Hawk smiled slightly, then, after resting well, stretched, and then looked at Maria Hill, who was also getting up: "Do you have any other questions? If not, I'll be leaving."
He had been out long enough.
Now that the saint cloth was forged, his mission was complete, and it was time to go home.
Hawk thought to himself.
Maria Hill nodded quickly.
"One last question."
"Over there…"
"Can you tell me about it?"
"…"
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