Chapter Thirty-One: The Aerospace Carrier Under Attack, Emergency Support!

"Nick!" Captain America glared fiercely at Nick Fury. "I told you, you should have left it at the bottom of the ocean!"

Nick was left speechless, unable to shift the blame. What could he do? Could he simply admit that the reason for studying the Cosmic Cube was to gain control over more powerful weapons, so agents could threaten everyone with it?

Obviously, he could not.

If he confessed, the freedom-loving Captain would surely turn against him—there was no other possibility.

"Enough! Stop arguing!" Natasha’s voice cut sharply through the room, silencing everyone. She turned to Thor, "Thor, you once said Asgard rules the Nine Realms, and Earth is one of them. Now that Earth is facing invasion, can you offer any support?"

Natasha saw things clearly; being treated as a backyard was of little consequence, as long as someone offered help. It was just a title, after all. Asgard would never descend to actually rule Earth.

"No," Thor shook his head. "The Rainbow Bridge is destroyed. Teleportation requires immense energy; Asgard’s armies cannot come. For now, I am the only one who can provide support."

"Besides, this time Asgard also wants to reclaim the Cosmic Cube to repair the Rainbow Bridge."

"The Space Stone belongs to Earth!" Nick’s possessiveness prompted him to blurt out the words.

Thor laughed with disdain. "So you want to face the next invasion, then?"

Suddenly, Nick Fury was at a loss for words. He couldn’t just call back Captain Marvel, the savior of the galaxy, to protect the Cube. He remembered well: Carol was harder to control than anyone and wouldn’t give him the slightest respect.

"Beep beep!" Suddenly, alarms blared throughout the Helicarrier.

"What’s happening? Hill! Coulson?!" Nick hurried out of the meeting room, shouting toward the corridor.

Hill, adjusting her weapons as she ran, replied, "Enemy sighted! A Quinjet has breached the perimeter and is attacking the bridge! One turbine has already been destroyed!"

"Damn it! Captain, head to the bridge and hold the enemy! Thor, guard Loki—do not let him escape! Natasha, capture Hawkeye!"

Everyone in the meeting room scattered, each rushing toward their target. The storyline of Avengers One was now moving along its original world line.

Meanwhile, in the Illuminati’s headquarters meeting room, Dr. Banner was searching for traces of the Space Stone using spectrometers worldwide, while the others stood fully armed, ready to deploy at any moment.

"I’ve found the Space Stone!" Banner slapped the table in excitement. His enthusiasm was so great that his arms briefly tinged green, startling everyone into a chorus of calming words.

"Stay calm, Doctor! Calm!"

"Peace, Banner, keep your peace!"

Banner’s face flashed green for a moment and he glared at them. "Relax, Hulk’s already had some exercise today, so he’s not in a rush to come out."

"By the way, I found a gamma signal. S.H.I.E.L.D., Trident Tower! The invaded surveillance system also spotted Erik’s face inside."

"Trident... Jarvis, analyze the buildings around Trident Tower immediately. Send warnings to nearby police stations and request evacuation of civilians! Pepper, issue a request in Stark Industries’ name, asking businesses near Trident Tower to temporarily allow Stark to use their commercial land!"

"Analyzing location now..."

"I’ll contact PR and Legal departments right away." Pepper left for now, and Tony turned to Hao Yun.

"Hao Yun, has there been any discovery from the satellite controlled by Shockwave?"

"I’m not sure, but there was an explosion above coastal New York, yet the Helicarrier wasn’t visible... Wait! The Helicarrier just appeared! There’s fighting going on up there!"

"Rhodey, Hao Yun, let’s go!" Tony sprang to his feet. To better resist the aliens, they had to save the Helicarrier—some things only Nick Fury could handle.

"Wait, I’m coming too!" Angel stood up, clad in the armor Hao Yun had given her, beside Baymax.

"Mom, you’re coming? No way!" Hao Yun refused outright.

"Son, you’ve chosen the path of a hero, and your mother has chosen to walk it with you. Some things must be faced." Angel came over and ruffled Hao Yun’s hair... She hadn’t done that since Hao Yun met Tony Stark.

"You said the whole universe is headed for disaster, and I can’t avoid it. Only your own power is truly reliable. Do you want your mother to be powerless and inexperienced, so she’s killed by a passing villain?"

"Uh... but there’s Baymax, and AI..."

"But in the end, a person must control them." Angel interrupted Hao Yun’s protest. "Your Aunt Pepper has already decided to join the fight. Tony agreed—surely you won’t refuse?"

Hao Yun looked at Tony... Tony gave him a sour, helpless smile. Well, clearly this guy couldn’t resist his aunt’s pleading and had made her a supporter’s armor.

Hmph, knowing Tony’s personality, he probably wanted Pepper to fight alongside him all along.

"Fine, but Mom, your first time in battle, you absolutely can’t stop Loki from escaping! For the sake of the future, this fight must happen!"

To prevent Angel’s strong sense of justice from interfering with the Battle of New York, Hao Yun stressed its necessity once more.

Angel nodded, agreed, and climbed onto Baymax, pressing down her wind visor.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh!" Flames flared as Hao Yun, Tony, Angel, and Rhodey soared into the sky in their armor, heading straight for the Helicarrier under Shockwave’s guidance.

On the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, Hawkeye, well versed in S.H.I.E.L.D. codes and the Helicarrier’s layout, was already leading Loki’s mind-controlled team through defenses, arriving at the bridge for direct confrontation.

"Boom!" A bomb exploded, blowing open the steel doors of the bridge. Steve, guarding the entrance, was sent flying, crashing through the deck and forced down to the lower level, unable to effectively stop the invaders.

Hawkeye rushed in with his bow, glanced around, and signaled the others. The intruders immediately split off, heading straight for Loki’s holding cell.

Just then, Natasha, a step slower, witnessed the scene. Unable to stop them in time, she charged at Hawkeye!

With a low sliding tackle, Natasha closed in, inverted herself, and locked her legs around Hawkeye’s neck for a perfect throw.

Hawkeye was undaunted; as he fell, he rolled away from Natasha, using his longbow to block her flurry of kicks. The bowstring was taut, ready to slash at Natasha’s throat.

Natasha, still on the ground, tried to counterattack, when a red laser shot through the air—Hawkeye’s bow was severed immediately, and he was grabbed and slammed to the deck by a sudden two-meter-tall robot, knocked out cold.

Natasha eyed the supporter strangely. On the back of the plump red robot, a shapely woman in white armor stood tall, like a valkyrie.

Wait—since when did New York have another armored, robot-accompanied superhero? Tony Stark, you gave away another suit?! If you have extras, could I get one too?