Chapter 332: Mantis: I'm good at helping people get a good night's sleep~
"In 1943, your father began researching the occult under that leader's orders. With the help of the Thule Society, he successfully deciphered ancient runes and learned the whereabouts of a sealed artifact from them."
Baron Zemo recounted everything he knew in a calm, steady voice.
"To obtain this artifact and help that leader rule the World, your father traveled to Mexico and slaughtered a large number of Mayans."
Using their skin and blood to perform black magic rituals, he successfully summoned that artifact to Earth."
"But for some unknown reason, your father was unable to control that artifact, so he could only leave it at its landing site in the North Pole and establish a secret underground Base to prevent it from being intercepted by others."
"Later, your father mysteriously disappeared, and this map eventually fell into my father's hands following the collapse of the Nazi forces."
Sin listened to Baron Zemo's narrative, but her expression remained largely unchanged.
"You think this thing is enough to buy your life?"
She sneered, then gave a perfectly sharp critique:
"A hammer that most likely cannot be lifted by anyone? Such a thing has no value to me."
An ordinary person hearing these words from Sin would likely have been scared out of their wits on the spot.
But Baron Zemo was no ordinary man; having ruled the HYDRA of Eastern Europe for so many years, he was naturally no fool without depth.
"Why engage in such meaningless testing, Miss Sin?"
Baron Zemo folded his arms, showing no fear of being intimidated by her. Instead, he wore a confident smile as if he had a plan all along.
"You and your forces have never considered returning to the embrace of HYDRA, yet now you'd rather risk being targeted by The Arbiter to trade with me. This fact alone is enough to explain the situation."
"So let's speak plainly. If I have the map to the treasure, then without a doubt, you already have the key to the treasure in your hands."
"Instead of trying to squeeze the last bit of value out of me, why not cooperate with me? Two people scratching lottery tickets together always have a better chance of winning than one, don't they?"
Sin didn't answer Baron Zemo's question directly, but the almost imperceptible smile that curled at the corner of her mouth said everything.
"Baron, you are indeed a clever man."
As she spoke, Sin stood up and walked toward the oil painting of Red Skull on the wall. She reached out and pressed the bottom right corner of the frame, and a hidden compartment popped open.
Inside was a palm-sized metal plate, densely inscribed with script that Baron Zemo had never seen before.
"My father did indeed leave some things behind." Sintucked the metal plate into her pocket.
"But whether it's the key you're talking about, we'll have to wait until we get to the site to find out."
Hearing this, Baron Zemo's eyes couldn't help but light up.
"So... shall we set off together?"
Sin glanced at him and finally extended her hand.
"I wish us a pleasant cooperation."
...
Meanwhile, above the Atlantic Ocean.
The quinjet flew steadily at an altitude of ten thousand meters. The atmosphere inside the cabin was completely different from when they arrived.
The previous tension and killing intent had been replaced by the relaxation of having survived a disaster.
Tony glanced at Wanda and Pietro, who were not far away, separated from the other Superheroes by a cabin door. He couldn't help but turn to Peter and joke:
"Buddy, I'm starting to understand more and more what people mean when they say the end of science is theology."
"Today's experience has made me poignantly realize that I really do need Anti-Wizard Armor. You'll have to help me with that when the time comes."
Peter looked at him with a playful expression.
"Who was it that just said so righteously in a global live broadcast that they would atone for the mistakes they made back then? What, changed your mind?"
Hearing this, the smile on Tony's face stiffened for a moment, but he quickly adjusted his emotions.
"I'm a man of my word. If I said I'd compensate those siblings, I will definitely give them compensation!"
"But at the same time, I still have my unfinished business to achieve. Until then, I cannot die no matter what."
"So... to avoid a situation like today's from happening again, I must have the ability to protect myself, or even conversely control that dangerous element."
"With all due respect, Tony." Peter patted Tony's shoulder lightly, his tone becoming somewhat earnest.
"If you always maintain such wariness toward Wanda, the hatred between you will never fade."
At this point, Peter instinctively glanced at the Superheroes who were gathering and chatting in the cabin, and he subconsciously raised his voice slightly.
"That girl is a natural Sorcerer Supreme, and at the same time, she has a strong sense of insecurity. Therefore, the more wary you are of her, the more easily the energy inside her will go out of control."
"What she needs has never been chains or a cage, but full trust."
Hearing these words, it wasn't just Tony who fell into deep thought; others present also showed contemplative expressions.
It had to be said that the power Wanda had previously displayed truly exceeded all their expectations and created an unprecedented sense of crisis in their hearts.
This sense of crisis stemmed from the fact that if Peterwere not on Earth or was too busy to handle her issues, none of them would be able to restrict her.
Forget about restricting her; if she wanted to crush them all to death, it wouldn't be much harder than crushing a swarm of ants!
Under such circumstances, asking them to give her full trust was no easy task.
"After she wakes up, I'll try to become friends with her." As Peter's most trusted main wife, Gwen was the first to respond.
Felicia followed immediately after.
"Although your concern for her makes me feel a faint hint of jealousy."
"But whether it's out of humanitarian concern or an early inspection of a potential future sister joining the family... anyway, count me in on making friends with her."
Compared to Gwen and Felicia, who could express their emotions without restraint,
Natasha, Daisy, and Sif were much more silent.
Daisy and Natasha were silent because they were not yet Peter's public girlfriends on the surface, and they didn't intend to directly join Peter's household and cause him trouble.
As for Sif, she simply couldn't let go of her pride as a goddess.
As a goddess, she felt she should treat everyone equally except for Peter.
So, even if that girl had unprecedented magical talent, Sifmaintained a "fight if you're not convinced" attitude.
Just when everyone thought no one else would speak up to state their position, Mantis weakly raised her hand and spoke timidly.
"Um... maybe, I can help too."
"I'm very good at helping people relieve stress and, in the process, helping them get a good night's sleep~!"
Chapter 333: The Real Monster and the Shop Refresh
"For real?"
Tony looked at Mantis, his eyes full of curiosity.
Even though they had already seen a glimpse of Mantis's abilities on the battlefield in Chernobyl earlier, they were still full of curiosity about this newcomer alien.
"Speaking of which, I haven't had a good rest in a while... Come, let's see what you've got."
Hearing this, Mantis instinctively glanced at Peter, who smiled and nodded at her.
She then carefully reached out and touched Tony's hand with her finger.
After sensing for a moment, her beautiful brows furrowed deeply:
"Such a strong sense of responsibility, or rather... guilt?!"
Mantis looked at Tony with pitying eyes, as if looking at a small animal, making Tony feel quite uncomfortable.
"Actually, you don't have to be like this. You shouldn't let these emotions crush you. Perhaps you should try to enjoy more things that make you feel relaxed."
"So you mean I should call up a hundred or so girls once I get back and have a wild time?"
Tony habitually put on the persona of a playboy to hide his inner vulnerability.
"That is bad behavior; you habitually hide your true self under your armor,"
Mantis shook her head like a caring older sister, then spoke persuasively:
"You should try to show your truest emotions. That's the best way to relax, and I can help you."
While Harry, standing nearby, couldn't help but imagine some inappropriate scenes, Mantis's pupils suddenly dilated until they almost covered her entire eyes.
At that moment, Tony suddenly burst into loud wailing.
The sound was so filled with extreme sorrow that it sounded more like a tragic laugh, giving everyone present goosebumps.
They watched in shock as Tony first cried until he was breathless, then pulled out his phone and frantically poured out his love to Pepper on the other end.
This complete contrast in behavior made them all shudder.
Consequently, the way they looked at Mantis was even more fearful than how they had looked at Wanda before.
This woman is the real monster!
She wouldn't take their lives, but she could cause them social death at any moment.
"Uh..." Harry looked at the heart-wrenchingly sobbing Tonyand couldn't help but ask:
"Are you sure he won't kill you once he snaps out of it?"
"Why would he kill me?" Mantis tilted her head innocently, her large eyes filled with confusion.
"You can probably understand it as him not wanting his vulnerable side to be seen by others," Peter explained reasonably.
"Is that so? Earthlings are so strange," Mantis muttered, then placed both hands on Tony's temples:
"Forget everything that just happened."
Tony's sobbing stopped abruptly.
He sniffled and looked at the phone in his hand with a look of utter confusion, not knowing when he had taken it out:
"What just happened?"
"Nothing, nothing!" Everyone waved their hands repeatedly, insisting nothing had happened, while instinctively moving two steps further away from Mantis.
Good grief! Not only would they suffer social death, but they wouldn't even remember how it happened afterward!
Who could handle that!
Noticing their behavior, Mantis puffed her cheeks out like a little bun and asked Peter aggrievedly:
"Do they not like me?"
"Don't worry," Peter gently patted Mantis, then spoke with a profound expression:
"Many of them will likely seek you out for private chats later, and I guarantee they will like you very much."
Just as he spoke, his phone suddenly rang.
Peter pulled out his phone and saw that the caller was Coulson.
"What's up?" Peter put it directly on speakerphone.
"Director, we just received news of a massive explosion in Eastern Europe. Based on our analysis, the underground facility is very likely the HYDRA headquarters in Eastern Europe!"
Hearing this, everyone present immediately forgot about Mantis and turned their eyes to Peter, waiting for him to make a decision.
"Are there any survivors at the scene?" Peter asked.
"None."
Coulson's voice came through the speaker. "Experts judge it was an internal detonation. The explosive yield was equivalent to two hundred tons of TNT. It seems to have happened very suddenly; the entire Base was wiped clean, leaving not a single soul alive."
"Internal detonation?" Daisy's eyes widened instinctively.
"What's this? Bushido spirit? Knowing you'd definitely come after them, they just decided to blow themselves up?"
Harry couldn't help but chime in:
"Man, they're literally giving their lives just to spite you!"
"It's not that simple!" Captain America, however, gave a different answer.
"I know those guys. They're a bunch of lunatics. Under normal circumstances, it's impossible for them to make such a choice!"
"Based on my understanding of them, once they feel they've reached the end of the road, their first choice would definitely be to strap on bombs and take it out on society, not gather together for a mass suicide!"
Hearing this, Gwen couldn't help but add:
"So you mean... they might be cutting off their own tails to survive? Sacrificing a large number of subordinates just to hide the truths they don't want us to find?"
"Most likely!" The Captain gave Gwen an appreciative look.
Then he looked at Peter and said:
"Director, let Bucky and me investigate this. Consider it a way for us to settle a long-standing wish in our hearts."
Peter also felt that HYDRA's actions were definitely not that simple.
But even he couldn't imagine what kind of desperate turnaround those weaklings from HYDRA could pull off in this situation, so he simply ordered:
"In that case, I'll leave it to you. I'll have Agent Coulsontake full responsibility for intelligence coordination with you. Also..."
He looked around at everyone present, hesitated for a moment, and then said:
"Natasha, I'll leave it to you to protect them."
The current Natasha, with the boost from the Okuchi no Makami Fruit and the symbiote suit, was no longer the bottom-tier combatant of the Avengers from the original story.
Her current individual combat power was second only to Felicia, who possessed the Ten Rings, and Daisy, who had Quake abilities.
More importantly, Natasha was a teammate Petercherished. The status bar of Stand United allowed him to monitor her health at all times to determine if she was in danger.
Once Natasha encountered a crisis, Peter could instantly arrive at the scene to provide support!
After seeing the Captain and Natasha off the jet, it just so happened to strike midnight.
A system notification rang in Peter's ear right on time:
"[Countdown reached zero]"
"[Monthly items have refreshed. Welcome, Host, to browse and purchase!]"
Chapter 334: The Episode with the Highest Drop Rate
Has another month passed already?
At that thought, Peter's spirits instantly soared.
Using the excuse of wanting to rest, he sat back in his seat and pretended to doze with his eyes closed, while thinking to himself:
"System, open the Mall!"
Come on, let me see what good things this refresh has provided for us.
The moment the system panel popped up, a heart-pounding number caught his eye:
[Current sacrifice points: 510,642]
A full five hundred and ten thousand sacrifice points!
Of those, 400,000 sacrifice points came entirely from the Power Stone, while the rest came from various odds and ends like Ego's egg-shaped spaceship.
Life is finally starting to feel rich!
After such a sigh of emotion, Peter cast his gaze toward the eight items displayed on the light screen.
[Item 1: Senbonzakura]
[Source: Shinigami]
[Effect: Kuchiki Byakuya's exclusive Zanpakuto. Upon purchase, the host will automatically master the Shikaiform of Senbonzakura. Subsequent Bankai and derivative moves require the host to possess a certain level of strength to unlock.]
[Note: The Zanpakuto is not bound to the host's soul. Other Zanpakuto can still be refreshed in the future, and the host may also gift Senbonzakura to others.]
[Price: 20,000 sacrifice points]
Wuhu~ A classic good start!
Without any hesitation, Peter chose to take this Zanpakutodirectly.
To be honest, Peter wasn't actually very used to fighting with weapons.
The number of times that Vibranium tang long saber had seen action since it fell into his hands could truly be counted on one hand.
But Peter was certain that Senbonzakura was completely different.
On one hand, whether it was the Shikai or Bankai, Senbonzakura wasn't a standard "blade," but rather more like flying daggers or flying swords.
This characteristic made Senbonzakura very worry-free to use, not affecting Peter's ability to settle opponents with his fists during combat at all.
As for the other hand... that was the old cliché.
Being powerful is a temporary matter, but being cool is a lifelong pursuit!
Who could refuse shouting "Scatter, Senbonzakura" and then becoming the "flower boy" in the hearts of thousands of young girls?
The subsequent Senbonzakura Kageyoshi and Senkei: Hakuteiken are so cool they have no friends.
Such a sharp tool for showing off, and the price is only twenty thousand sacrifice points—who could resist!
Without any hesitation, Peter chose to take it directly.
[Item 2: Skill Book "Three Parts Returning Essence Qi"]
[Source: Feng Yun]
[Effect: Xiong Ba's exclusive cultivation method. Not only is its power astonishing, but it also possesses effects such as healing and self-recovery, neutralizing the opponent's internal energy, and condensing protective Gang Qi.]
[Price: 8,000 sacrifice points]
Tsk~
Another classic case of something that would be fantastic in another World or when Peter had just obtained the system, but for the current Peter, it was purely a chicken-rib existence.
If this were a period when sacrifice points were scarce, Peter definitely wouldn't have given this skill book a second look, but right now, his main issue was having too many sacrifice points with nowhere to spend them.
Therefore, after a brief hesitation, he still chose to buy this item.
He planned to give this Three Parts Returning Essence Qito Daisy to practice.
This cultivation method paired with Daisy's own inherent Vibration Ability would likely be a good combination and would presumably help Daisy practice and better utilize her ability.
Thinking this way, Peter continued to look at the third item.
[Item 3: King Engine]
[Source: One Punch Man]
[Effect: The exclusive ability of S-Rank hero KING. King once used this ability to force back four Dragon-level monsters in one go!]
[Price: 100,000 sacrifice points]
Peter:???
How much?!
One hundred thousand?!
The moment he saw this item, Peter, who was faking sleep, almost lost his composure.
What the hell is this?
And is this price of up to one hundred thousand sacrifice points serious?
If he hadn't been a veteran otaku in his past life, he might have actually thought this was some god-tier ability.
In fact, calling this thing an ability is giving it too much credit.
This so-called King Engine, to put it bluntly, is just making one's heartbeat particularly loud, thereby creating a very strong sense of pressure.
For this thing to sell for one hundred thousand sacrifice points, Peter estimated that the system specifically used it to scam those newbies who hadn't seen One Punch Manand hadn't downloaded a national anti-fraud app.
"Whoever spends a hundred thousand sacrifice points to buy this thing, I'll laugh at them for a lifetime..."
Complaining like this, Peter didn't hesitate at all and directly passed on this item.
[Item 4: Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan (Uchiha Sasuke)]
[Source: Naruto]
[Effect: Uchiha Sasuke's Eternal Mangekyo. It not only possesses extremely strong insight but also features three ocular techniques: Amaterasu, Kagutsuchi, and Susanoo. Because it is the Eternal Mangekyo, using the ocular techniques will not affect vision no matter what.]
[Price: 30,000 sacrifice points]
Tsk~!
Another item that made Peter feel incredibly conflicted.
If these eyes were Obito's Mangekyo, even if it wasn't the Eternal version, Peter would have snapped it up in a second—anyway, the noble Horse Talisman could dispel all negative effects in his body.
But Sasuke's Mangekyo... this was among the most useless of all Mangekyo, wasn't it?
The never-extinguishing Amaterasu sounds intimidating, but in reality, looking across 700-plus episodes of anime, not a single person was burned to death by Amaterasu.
Kagutsuchi was even more useless, having no value for the current Peter who could already activate Zhurong Modehimself.
It could be said that the only attraction this thing had for Peter was being able to pilot a mecha.
And even for the mecha-piloting part, Wood Human Jutsuwas already on duty.
Was it necessary to spend these thirty thousand sacrifice points just for the legendary Susanoo-clad Great Buddha?
Peter agonized for a long time before finally choosing to acquire it.
On one hand, it was for the sake of famous scenes like the Susanoo-clad Great Buddha that weren't realized in the manga.
On the other hand, he held a faint expectation in his heart that the system might refresh Hashirama cells in the future; in that case, he estimated he could directly evolve the Mangekyo into a Rinnegan.
If considered from the perspective of the Rinnegan's future upper limit, thirty thousand sacrifice points was a fairly acceptable investment.
After painfully paying another thirty thousand sacrifice points, Peter continued to look at the next item.
[Item 5: Senzu Beans (50 pieces)]
[Source: Dragon Ball]
[Effect: Mysterious beans grown by Karin. A person on the verge of death can immediately recover full health and energy after eating one.]
[Price: 30,000 sacrifice points]
Another useless item for Peter, yet he still chose to buy it without hesitation.
This was something that could be used to save lives at critical moments!
As the opponents he faced became more and more terrifying, he would inevitably run into situations where he was tied down by enemies and couldn't provide immediate healing or support to Gwen and the others.
In such a situation, leaving a jar of Senzu beans for Gwenand the others, especially Uncle Ben and Aunt May, for self-defense was more reliable than any life-saving tool.
These thirty thousand were well spent!
Continue, continue!
[Item 6: Noble Phantasm · Excalibur]
[Source: Fate Series]
[Effect: The trump card Noble Phantasm of the King of Knights, Artoria. When fully released, it can exert destructive power on a city-destroying scale, but it consumes a large amount of magical energy when used.]
[Price: 30,000 sacrifice points]
Chapter 335: Changing Profession to an Evil Cultivator from Today?
Good heavens, the moment he saw Excalibur, Petercouldn't help but exclaim.
The drop rate for this shop refresh was simply too high.
Aside from that huge trap, the King's Engine, everything else was a top-tier item!
This Excalibur Noble Phantasm was a super light cannon, a divine skill for mowing down enemies.
Even without using the Noble Phantasm, it was a peak Divine Construct, and its sharpness was likely not inferior to uru metal.
Spending thirty thousand to get it was definitely not a loss.
Peter had already planned that after getting this sword, he would give it to Sif to use on a daily basis.
When he needed to face a large number of enemies, like when Thanos brought his Chitauri army to conquer Earth,
he would take Excalibur from Sif and give that Thanos a blast, letting him see what the hell a surprise looks like!
"There are two items left. I hope this trend continues so my sacrifice points don't go to waste."
Thinking this, Peter looked at the final two items.
[Item 7: Roman Artillery: Pumpkin]
[Source: Akame ga Kill!]
[Effect: One of the forty-eight Teigu, a gun-type Teigu that converts the user's mental energy into an Impactwave. Its power increases with the intensity of the user's mental output, but it will temporarily become unusable due to overheating after a powerful attack.]
[Price: 6,000 sacrifice points]
This was the cheapest item in this shop session, but its effect wasn't useless.
Peter planned to buy this item as a gift for Mantis.
As a genius capable of easily manipulating others' emotions, Mantis's mental strength was naturally high.
Giving her Pumpkin, although she would likely only be able to fire one shot at a critical moment, would at least give her, who had no combat ability, the means to protect herself in a crisis.
[Item 8: Ten Thousand Soul Banner (Blank)]
[Source: Immortal Cultivation World]
[Effect: A common artifact for evil cultivators. It can store deceased souls for the user's use and refine them into pure demonic energy to nourish the host's soul.]
[Price: 80,000 sacrifice points]
Holy moly!
The moment he saw the Ten Thousand Soul Banner, Peterfelt like the entire vibe was shifting in the wrong direction.
Aren't I a superhero?
Though I pride myself on not having any of those pretentious principles typical of Superheroes,
isn't getting a Ten Thousand Soul Banner a bit too extreme?
But to be honest, this thing is really tempting!
If I stuffed those super big shots from the Marvel Universe, like Thanos or Dormammu, into the Ten Thousand Soul Banner...
Wouldn't that be killing two birds with one stone?
Not only could I fleece them for sacrifice points, but I could also refine their souls through the banner to nourish myself.
Even though demonic energy sounds like something not quite reputable,
this thing is truly sweet!
Demonic energy nourishes the soul; the stronger the soul, the more divine power Peter can absorb through Dual God Resonance.
The more divine power, the stronger the nourishment for his body, and the stronger his constitution becomes.
This is simply... taking the direct express to ascension!
Better yet, Peter possesses the Tiger Talisman.
The Tiger Talisman will forever maintain the balance of Yin and Yang, so even if he inhales a large amount of demonic energy, it's impossible for Peter to suffer from Qi deviation or have his temperament affected.
After only 0.01 seconds of hesitation, Peter discarded his moral qualms and decisively spent 80,000 sacrifice pointsto purchase the Ten Thousand Soul Banner.
After a massive shopping spree, Peter had 300,000 sacrifice points left, and he had obtained a total of seven items.
Looking at the five items that automatically transferred into his storage ring (the Zanpakuto was stored directly in his mental World, and the Mangekyo was attached directly to his eyes, taking up no space), Peter was incredibly satisfied.
He just had to wait for the quinjet to return to America, and then he would find an opportunity to start his gift-giving spree!
...
A few hours later, the quinjet hovered over the landing pad of Avengers Tower.
There was no need to land to see the dense crowd of reporters and cameras gathered below the tower.
"Hey, Tony and Harry, I'll leave this to you guys."
Peter patted their shoulders, his voice carrying a light, impatient tone.
"Dealing with the media—that's your specialty, isn't it?"
"Peter, you guy..." Harry was about to complain, but Peterhad already taken Gwen and Felicia's hands, and at some point, the Eye of Aurora was already around his neck.
"Remember to say hi to everyone for me."
Peter raised an eyebrow at the two of them, then pointed at Mantis and said to Daisy:
"You'll be responsible for taking her to S.H.I.E.L.D. to get settled. I'll come find you all later."
Having said that, he nonchalantly snapped his fingers.
"To Parker Manor~"
Hum—
An invisible spatial ripple passed through, and the three of them vanished instantly, leaving Harry and Tony shaking their heads.
To be stuck with such a troublesome friend... is truly the luck of three lifetimes!
...
After returning to Parker Manor, Peter didn't hesitate for a second and gave them a big hug.
"Should I be lamenting that I didn't come at the right time?" Felicia, seeing Peter and Gwen stuck together, couldn't help but roll her eyes.
"No, you came at exactly the right time." Peter was a master of responding to every quip.
That night, the wind was sweet, the moonlight was warm, and it seemed as if the whole World was offering its blessings for this intense reunion.
The next morning, after having a breakfast made with love with his 'East and West Concubines,' Peter began his gift-giving journey.
First was S.H.I.E.L.D.
"Here, this is for you. It's a gift I specifically prepared for you, the kind that Gwen and Felicia don't have~"
Peter slapped a simple, thread-bound book into Daisy's hands. On the cover, five large words were written in a flamboyant script—Three Parts Returning Essence Qi.
"What is this? A martial arts manual?" Daisy had just flipped through it curiously when she found the manual in her hand had instantly vanished.
"What... what's going on?!"
Feeling the various cultivation points regarding Three Parts Returning Essence Qi in her mind, Daisy couldn't help but cover her mouth in shock.
It wasn't just because this scene was completely beyond her comprehension, but also because she realized that for her, Three Parts Returning Essence Qi was truly a once-in-a-lifetime cultivation manual!
Although she didn't have internal energy in her body, the various ways Three Parts Returning Essence Qi mobilized internal energy shared a similar logic with her Quakeabilities.
She could completely substitute it with her own Quakepowers, and even use it to exert effects stronger than the original internal energy!
"Thank... thank you, Peter." Daisy's cheeks flushed slightly, her voice as quiet as a mosquito's hum.
Yesterday, because Peter had left directly with Gwen and Felicia, she had actually been quite jealous and hadn't slept well all night.
"Between us, is there a need for that?" Peter gently ruffled her hair, and Daisy squinted her eyes comfortably, enjoying it for a moment before opening her arms to Peter with a mischievous expression:
"I didn't rest well at all last night. So, Great Arbiter, would you mind granting a confused girl a sweet dream?"
Chapter 336: A Matter of Reciprocity
After coaxing Daisy to sleep, Peter found Mantis again, who was squatting in front of a large fish tank watching small goldfish.
Upon seeing Peter, Mantis couldn't help but reveal a cute smile; clearly, the happiness Peter exuded was a supreme delicacy to her.
"Ah~ So happy. It's like pink bubbles are about to pop up. It's wonderful!"
Peter pinched her cheek as if playing with a doll, then took out Roman Artillery: Pumpkin from his storage ring and handed it over.
"Here, a gift for you."
"A gift?" Mantis carefully took the Roman Artillery, her big eyes sparkling.
Although she was nearly a hundred years old, this was the first time she had received a gift.
"What is this? It's so beautiful!" Mantis said as she pointed the muzzle at her own forehead.
Cold sweat broke out on Peter's forehead as he saw this, and he quickly grabbed the barrel to force it away.
"This is a gun, a long-range offensive weapon. It converts your spiritual energy into bullets."
"Pour your spiritual power into it, and then press here..."
Before he could finish, an Observation Haki warning rang in his head.
Without any hesitation, he immediately pointed the muzzle at himself while activating Armament Hardening.
Boom!
An energy wave as thick as an adult man's upper arm blasted into Peter's chest.
The light beam lasted for about three or four seconds before gradually disappearing, and the Roman Artillery temporarily entered an unusable state due to overheating.
Hiss~
Peter sucked in a breath of cold air and subconsciously reached out to rub his chest.
Truth be told, the power was quite significant.
It was much more destructive than the Roman Artillery used by Mine in the original anime 'Akame ga Kill!'.
With Peter's current physique, he could withstand Tony's repulsor blasts unscathed while using Armament Hardening.
But after taking this shot from the Roman Artillery, he felt a faint pain in his chest, roughly equivalent to being pinched.
If Peter hadn't blocked it with his body, such destructive power hitting a S.H.I.E.L.D. wall would have surely blasted right through it.
It might have even shot straight out into the street, clearing an entire block.
And this was just a casual shot from Mantis...
"Giving you this weapon was definitely the right choice!"
Peter gently patted Mantis's small head and warned her with a serious expression:
"But don't play with it when you're idle; this is meant for self-defense in critical moments."
Seeing Peter's grimacing expression when he blocked the muzzle earlier, Mantis realized how terrifying this weapon was.
She immediately nodded obediently, indicating she wouldn't play with it recklessly.
But after Peter left, she was like a child with a new toy, caressing the Roman Artillery in her hands and couldn't help but mutter to herself:
"As long as I use about one-thousandth of the spiritual energy output from that previous attempt, it should be fine, right?"
And then... 'pew-pew-pew' sounds echoed continuously in the room.
The female Agent responsible for delivering food to Mantiswas nearly scared senseless on the spot after seeing the room's 'decor' style, which rivaled war-torn Syria.
Peter's final stop was a small house on the outskirts of New York, which served as Sif's residence and exclusive training ground.
In the training ground, Sif was focused on wiping her longsword.
Sif's sword was considered a low-grade artifact.
Although it couldn't cast any strange magic, the sword had a transformation effect.
Normally, it looked like an ordinary two-handed sword, but with a twist of the hilt, Sif could turn it into dual swords, or by clashing the hilts together, it could become a polearm similar to a double-headed spear.
"Even though your sword is already great, I still highly recommend you try this."
Peter said as he handed over a sword wrapped in magnificent silk.
"This is?" Sif stopped her movements, her gaze falling on the sword.
"The Excalibur, Excalibur." Peter unwrapped the silk, revealing a beautiful longsword emitting a faint golden glow.
"In Earth's legends, this is the holy sword held by Britain's King of Knights after receiving the blessing of the Lady of the Lake."
Sif's breath hitched for a moment; as a battle-hardened Asgardian god, she could sense the sword's extraordinary nature.
This wasn't some overhyped decoration; its value might even be higher than the divine sword personally bestowed upon her by Odin!
She couldn't help but reach out and grasp the hilt; the blade immediately emitted a slight hum, as if responding to its new Master.
"It's beautiful and powerful!" Sif couldn't resist pouring some of her divine power into it.
Hum~
With a sword chime, visible energy covered the blade. With a casual swing from Sif, a massive sword qi flew out, leaving everything in the yard in a shambles!
"Oh my god!" Even Sif's expression changed at this power, and a brighter smile than ever before appeared on her face.
She couldn't help but throw herself into Peter's arms and said emotionally:
"Thank you. I love this gift very much, but..."
At this point, her expression dimmed slightly:
"I can feel that I haven't earned 100% of this sword's recognition. I can't even unleash its maximum power. Right now, I'm not worthy of this sword."
Saying this, she prepared to return Excalibur to Peter.
"What are you thinking!" Peter gave her head a light flick.
"Practice with me for a while, and sooner or later, you'll earn its recognition!
Besides, leaving this sword with me would only let it gather dust. Only in your hands can it truly radiate its brilliance."
To completely ease Sif's concerns, Peter first took out his Vibranium tang long saber, then simply took out Senbonzakura as well.
"See, I'm not lacking in weapons. Besides, when I truly need it..."
As he spoke, Peter beckoned with his hand.
Excalibur instantly flew back into Peter's hand as he channeled magic power from his body into it.
A pillar of light from the Excalibur shot into the sky, even startling the citizens far away in New York City.
But the light pillar appeared for less than a second before Peter withdrew it, making those who saw it doubt whether it was just a hallucination.
"When I need it, it will still show its highlight. This sword won't be buried in our hands; instead, it will forge a reputation even more resounding than its previous owner."
Hearing these words, Sif finally let go of her last concern. After carefully putting away Excalibur, she wrapped herself around Peter like an octopus.
"Since that's the case... let me think carefully about how I should respond to such a generous gift from you~"
Chapter 337: Your Acting Is Very Fake
After experiencing Sif's very sincere gratitude, Peterplanned to return to his company, Parker Tech, after a long absence to see how the development of the latest model of the Unicorn Phone was going.
Along the way, he also wanted to ask Herman how the research and development of the electric car was progressing.
But before he could offer his congratulations, Hill called:
"Director, Wanda Maximoff is awake."
Hearing this, Peter's footsteps, which were originally intended to go to the company, stopped instantly:
"How is her condition?"
"Her body is fine, but her emotions are unstable. Also..." Hill paused, "She said she wants to see you."
...
Five minutes later, in the special care ward under the supervision of S.H.I.E.L.D.,
Peter saw the newly awakened Wanda and Pietro, who was already watching over her.
"You're here." Wanda didn't look at him, just greeted him with a flat voice, and then signaled Pietro to leave first with her eyes.
Pietro glanced at Peter warily but still obediently chose to leave.
"How do you feel?" Peter wasn't polite either, sitting directly on the edge of Wanda's hospital bed.
This act of having no sense of boundaries made Wandainstinctively shrink back.
"Not great."
She finally turned her head, her beautiful big eyes swirling with complex emotions.
There was anger, confusion, and a trace of vulnerability that she hadn't even noticed herself,
"Why did you bring me here? To Stark's territory?
Do you want to show off your spoils of war to the whole World? Or are you not worried at all that I'll go find him for revenge while you're away, or... start a massacre?"
Speaking of this, a terrifying red light instinctively appeared in her eyes, and the fluctuations of Chaos Magic even made everything in the room vibrate slightly.
But facing Wanda's threat, Peter did not show the expression of facing a great enemy as she had imagined.
This guy even went ahead and... peeled an apple.
And then... handed it directly to Wanda's mouth:
"You haven't eaten for over a dozen hours, you must be hungry."
At this moment, Wanda was stunned.
She never expected that in the face of her aggressive pressure, Peter's first reaction would actually be to care whether she was hungry.
This feeling... since her parents passed away, she had never felt it from anyone other than Pietro.
But...
Slap~!
Wanda slapped Peter's hand, her intention being to knock the apple away.
But Peter anticipated her move, retracting his hand to catch the apple back and even taking a bite.
On the contrary, Wanda herself, because she couldn't control her strength, hit her finger on the steel handrail of the hospital bed, making her hiss in pain.
"Not very big, but quite a temper."
Peter complained, casually extending a finger to touch Wanda's finger.
The moment their fingertips touched, the Horse Talismaninstantly dispelled the pain in Wanda's fingertip and even made her feel a sense of comfort.
Chaos Magic was both a gift and a curse.
Ever since she awakened this power, various chaotic whispers that tempted her to destroy things had been echoing in her ears at all times.
Only when Peter used the Horse Talisman on her could she feel a long-lost peace.
"You..." Wanda couldn't help but narrow her eyes comfortably, and only after a while did she realize something seemed wrong, so she could only pretend to be calm:
"Don't think you can deceive me by putting on this act."
"Think whatever you want."
Peter shrugged indifferently, then stared into Wanda's eyes and said:
"Since I was confident enough to bring you siblings to America, I'm confident enough that you won't be able to cause any trouble under my watch."
"Put away that high and mighty look!"
Wanda showed signs of blowing her top:
"Otherwise, I guarantee you'll regret your arrogance for the rest of your life!"
"I believe you won't do that."
A light sentence, but it made the anger on Wanda's face freeze.
Believe?
"Why do you believe me?" Wanda's voice trembled slightly, she didn't even know if it was out of anger or something else.
Peter suddenly leaned close to her at this moment, the distance between them so close that if Peter lowered his head another centimeter, their noses would touch:
"If you were already blinded by hatred and wanted revenge regardless of the consequences, those HYDRA scumbags wouldn't have been able to stop you at all."
"Also, the girl who helped me transmit Celestial Energy to you before is a professional lie detector; I can feel the real emotions in your heart."
"You, guy, are just a little hedgehog with a tough exterior but a weak interior, holding your quills high on your back, but in reality, you only do it to protect your soft belly from being targeted by a Beast."
Speaking of this, taking advantage of Wanda's daze, Peterpatted her head as if stroking a cat:
"With me, there's no need to put on that cold, World-weary act, because in my eyes... your acting is very fake."
Rumble!
Coming back to her senses, the Chaos Magic inside Wandasurged wildly, even causing the entire ward to begin shaking violently.
Noticing this, Peter realized that if he stimulated her any further, the Hajimi was about to enter Spinosaurus mode in a second.
So he instantly backed away from Wanda.
"HYDRA blew up the entire Base, most likely to hide something. If I find any clues, I'll contact you immediately. Also, here's a small gift; I'm sure you'll like it."
Also, here's a small gift; I'm sure you'll like it.
As he spoke, the storage ring on Peter's hand flashed, and a jade bed, icy blue all over and emitting wisps of cold air, suddenly appeared in the spacious special care ward.
It was the cold jade bed that Peter had acquired a long time ago; now he had finally found a suitable user for it.
After leaving such a bed, Peter waved at Wanda and left the ward.
"Whew~"
Pietro, who pushed the door open and entered, felt the chill of the cold jade bed and instinctively shivered:
"Man, it's really cool, no need to turn on the air conditioner."
Noticing his sister's look as if she wanted to eat someone, he was stunned for a moment and then immediately changed his tune:
"What was that damn guy thinking? My lovely sister just recovered from a serious illness, yet he left such a big block of ice. Does he want to freeze my lovely sister to death!"
Wanda rolled her eyes at him and then spoke somewhat weakly:
"I'm starving, go get me something to eat."
"As you wish~" Pietro winked at her, and his whole person left the ward again like a gust of wind.
After Pietro left, Wanda pursed her lips, but in the end, she still walked over as if possessed and slowly sat down on the cold jade bed.
The moment she sat on the cold jade bed, something wonderful happened.
The icy chill surged through her body into her limbs and bones. Instead of feeling bone-chilling, it felt more like a clear spring flowing through a dried-up riverbed, making her feel incredibly comfortable.
Those whispers that had begun to gradually resurface after Peter left actually disappeared at this moment!
The World was more peaceful than ever before.
Her mood was also more peaceful than ever before.
What shocked her even more was that when she tried to feel the Chaos Magic in her body, those energies that were as hard to control as runaway horses in the past now became more docile than ever!
This... this was simply a miracle!
Wanda stroked the cold jade bed beneath her, her mind filled with a thousand thoughts for a moment.
She seemed to owe that guy... more and more.
Chapter 338: hammer of skadi, Fear Itself Begins
In the North Pole, the biting cold wind swept across the ice fields like a knife, whipping up ice shards into the air.
In the boundless white World, a team had appeared at some unknown point.
Sin—Cynthia Schmidt—walked at the front of the group, wearing a thick fur coat.
She seemed completely indifferent to the severe cold here, her pace steady and without the slightest pause.
Baron Baron Zemo followed behind her, wrapped up as tightly as a bundle, yet he still felt the chill seeping in through every crack.
Damn this ghost weather!
Baron Zemo cursed inwardly, staring at the woman's back with a cold and resolute glint in his eyes.
From Sokovia to Budapest, and then to this godforsaken ice field.
He had endured nothing but humiliation along the way.
This bastard child of Red Skull and a maid didn't respect him, a noble Lord Baron, at all; her bossiness throughout the journey had crushed what remained of his dignity.
Cooperation?
Baron Zemo sneered in his heart.
He never believed in cooperation, especially at such a life-and-death moment; he only believed in himself!
At this thought, he subconsciously tightened his clothes, feeling the hard object beneath his coat, which brought him a full sense of security.
Once the time was right, everything would fall back into the hands of the great Baron Baron Zemo!
Just as he was thinking this, the team stopped in front of an iceberg.
"It's right here!"
As the leader, Sin repeatedly compared the map in her hand with the iceberg before her, then turned back to address her subordinates:
"This is the place. Search around for any clues."
Her subordinates, the Sisters of Sin, immediately scattered, carefully searching every possible inch for a lead.
"Boss, the ice here seems thinner, as if it froze over later!"
Sin's eyes lit up upon hearing this. She rushed over, first spraying ginger juice to soften the ice, then swinging an ice axe over a dozen times.
Crack!
After the surface ice shattered, an inconspicuous red button appeared before everyone.
Sin took a deep breath and pressed the button.
Accompanied by bursts of rumbling,
The iceberg collapsed rapidly. Before long, a steel building half-buried in snow was revealed to the group.
It was the secret North Pole Base established by Red Skullduring World War II, and the final destination of Baron Baron Zemo's journey!
Kaka~!
As the heavy steel door, engraved with the HYDRAemblem, slowly opened, everyone's attention was drawn to it.
Baron Zemo's breathing became slow and long, like a venomous snake lurking in the snow, patiently waiting for the opportunity to strike a fatal blow.
His hand silently reached into his coat, gripping a specially made, poison-coated dagger.
This was his final trump card!
Now!
At the very moment the door was about to open completely,
His movements were as swift as lightning and silent as a shadow. All his strength was concentrated in his right arm as the dagger in his hand turned into a streak of dark light, piercing straight toward Sin's heart!
He had practiced this strike countless times. The angle, power, and timing were all perfect.
He could almost see the dagger sinking into her body, see the look of disbelief on her face, see her collapsing at his feet, while he would emerge as the final victor.
However, the expected sound of tearing flesh did not come.
Squelch~
Accompanied by the dull thud of a blade entering flesh, crimson blood seeped from Sin's shoulder.
It worked!
A look of wild joy appeared on Baron Zemo's face.
He was about to laugh triumphantly toward the sky.
But his pupils suddenly constricted. Before he could react, a dark shadow struck his face with extreme speed.
"Slap!"
The crisp sound of the slap was exceptionally loud on the empty ice field.
Baron Zemo was sent flying by the massive force, his body sliding a long distance across the ice before finally coming to a stop.
His half of his cheek swelled up high, blood leaked from the corner of his mouth, and several broken teeth could be seen on the ground.
He struggled to lift his head, his eyes filled with disbelief.
"That's it?"
Sin looked at the poisoned dagger on the ground as if nothing had happened, treating it like a child's toy.
"Baron Zemo, I always thought you were a smart man. I didn't expect you to do something so stupid."
"How is this possible? How did you react?" Baron Zemoclutched his face, shocked and furious. "Besides, the dagger is coated with a neurotoxin strong enough to take down an elephant. How can you be fine?"
"No one knows better than I do what kind of scum my father's colleagues were! Do you think I would cooperate with a piece of trash like you without preparing a backup plan?"
Sin casually kicked the dagger away and walked toward Baron Zemo step by step.
Her snow boots crunched on the ice, the crampons making a "creak-creak" sound that felt like it was stepping on Baron Zemo's heart with every stride.
"Besides, didn't you know? As the daughter of Red Skull, the Super Soldier Serum naturally flows through my veins!
My metabolism is more than ten times that of a normal person. You thought a mere neurotoxin could control me?"
As she finished speaking, she raised her foot and mercilessly stepped on Baron Zemo's chest.
"Crack!"
The sound of bones shattering reached Baron Zemo's ears clearly.
Intense pain washed over him, but he couldn't even scream. He could only gape like a fish out of water, his eyes full of despair.
"Don't worry, I won't let you die so easily."
"I want you to see with your own eyes how I lift that artifact and how I am crowned the new king of this World!"
As she spoke, she gave a look, and her subordinates immediately hauled Baron Baron Zemo up.
The group continued walking into the interior of the Base.
Frozen mummies were visible everywhere in the Base.
These people were once guards here, but after seventy years without communication with the outside World, the food, fresh water, and energy in the building had long since run out. How could they have survived here for 70 years?
Sin led her subordinates deep inside until she finally saw what she wanted.
It was a long-handled hammer covered in thick ice. The hammer's body was a dazzling gold, and it featured an elegantly shaped guard below the head.
Seeing this legendary artifact, Sin couldn't help but tremble with excitement:
"This is it—the legendary war hammer of the Winter Goddess, Skadi!"
She hurriedly took out the gold medallion from her pocket, looking at the ancient script on it and uttering strange syllables.
As the syllables were spoken, the thick ice enveloping the hammer began to melt visibly.
A brilliant light gradually bloomed from the hammer's body, as if responding to her call.
Finally, as the last syllable was uttered, the hammer of skadi officially revealed its sharp edge.
"It's mine!"
Baron Baron Zemo broke free from the restraints of the two subordinates and lunged forward like a madman.
But no matter how hard he tried, the hammer remained unmoved!
"Idiot!"
Meeting Baron Zemo's despairing gaze, Sin kicked him away, then took a deep breath and lifted the hammer of skadi high!
At that moment, magnificent battle armor covered her body, and simultaneously, a massive shadow slowly emerged behind her...
Chapter 339: The God of Fear Descends
In this moment, the cold winds of the North Pole seemed to stand still.
That massive shadow loomed over everything, casting down not darkness, but a chill that originated from the depths of the soul.
It looked down upon the tiny creatures on the ice field—a madman blinded by desire, and a fool blinded by hatred.
A low, sinister laughter echoed above the empty hall.
He laughed at Baron Zemo's lack of foresight and at Sin's lack of wit.
To think that lifting a hammer could grant power?
What a joke!
There were no winners in this scheming tug-of-war; the true winner was him alone—the God of Fear, the "Serpent," Cul!
Baron Zemo slumped on the ground, his broken ribs making every breath feel like a knife cut, but the physical agony was far less than the trembling of his soul.
He stared at the shadow in terror. What was that thing?
A god? Or... a demon?
Sin—no, at this moment she should be called Skadi, the "Breaker of Worlds."
She held the war hammer high, the ecstasy and ambition belonging to Cynthia Schmidt rapidly fading from her face, replaced by a hollow, inhuman divinity.
Her gaze swept over everyone present, including her once-loyal Sisters of Sin and the half-dead mad dog Baron Zemo on the ground.
In her hollow pupils, the fear, confusion, and despair on everyone's faces were clearly reflected.
Finally, she bared her teeth, a raspy voice emerging from her throat:
"Though they are but small appetizers, this fear... is truly a long-awaited delicacy!"
This voice was not Sinthea herself, but an ancient will that had existed in this World for tens of thousands of years—the God of Fear, Odin's older brother, Cul the "Serpent!"
Imprisoned in the deep seas of Earth for nearly ten thousand years, he had almost forgotten what fear tasted like!
"Boss?" A member of the Sisters of Sin sensed something was wrong and called out cautiously.
But the response she received was the whistling war hammer!
The wielder of the "Hammer of the Winter Goddess" swung the weapon in a wide arc, smashing it toward her former "subordinates."
Wherever the war hammer passed, time and space seemed to freeze instantly.
A visible deep-blue cold current erupted from the center of the war hammer, instantly sweeping through the entire area.
Fimbulwinter has arrived!
"Ah!"
Shrill screams rose and fell.
The members of the Sisters of Sin, female assassins who struck terror into the hearts of those in the Dark Dimension, were now like gnats trapped in amber, frozen one by one where they stood.
Ice covered them inch by inch, starting from their feet, moving so fast it surpassed their ability to think!
By the time they regained their senses, ice had covered their entire bodies, but strangely, their consciousness was not frozen.
Their eyes could still move, and they could clearly see the panic on each other's faces; they could feel the warmth being drained from their bodies bit by bit, their life force receding like a low tide.
The process of dying was stretched infinitely; every second was an ordeal.
And the purest, most intense fear and despair they produced during this process turned into strands of invisible energy, scrambling to pour into the hammer of skadi, and then through the hammer, into that imprisoned ancient soul.
"Heh... heh..." The shadow above the hall, the "God of Fear" Cul, let out a satisfied sigh.
This is the taste!
After thoroughly squeezing every bit of utility out of those subordinates and watching their lives vanish in a very short time,
Skadi slammed the war hammer down. An ice spear instantly pierced the thick walls of the steel fortress, tearing open a gap.
Looking at the gap, Skadi soared into the sky, flying straight in one direction—the Mariana Trench.
There lay Cul's place of sealing!
In the bottomless Mariana Trench, five ancient sea serpents, each as massive as a warship, were coiled there.
They were the Guardians left by Odin, fulfilling their duty for ten thousand years—
Ensuring the seal would not be broken by others, and ensuring the former King of Asgard would never make a comeback!
Hiss~
The sea serpents sensed danger and opened their massive vertical pupils in unison.
The sea serpents flicked their tongues and coiled their bodies, creating a terrifying underwater current.
But they clearly underestimated the power of Skadi, who had received the blessing of the Hammer of the Winter Goddess.
The undercurrent, strong enough to crush any giant ship, could not stop Skadi's arrival at all.
An ice-blue stream of light, carrying unrivaled power, broke through the ocean currents and smashed heavily onto the head of one sea serpent.
There was no Earth-shattering explosion; along with the frantic churning of the waves, the giant serpent's body quickly froze and quietly sank into the bottomless deep sea.
The death of their companion stimulated the remaining four sea serpents.
The sea serpents roared silently, attacking the Breaker of Worlds, Skadi, without fear of death.
But in the face of absolute power, their defeat was only a matter of time.
Finally, several hours later, all five sea serpents had perished, and the scarred Breaker of Worlds, Skadi, arrived before the giant stone gate inscribed with ancient seals.
After taking a deep breath, Skadi pressed the war hammer against the gap in the stone gate. Terrifying cold air seeped through the gap, invading and disrupting the flow of the magic circle.
With Skadi's frantic roar, the stone door finally burst open with a crash.
Endless darkness surged out, and when it dissipated, a hunched old man, who relied entirely on a massive scepter to barely support himself, had completely broken free from his bonds!
"I, Cul Borson, have returned!"
The "Serpent" Cul walked falteringly toward Skadi. As his finger touched Skadi's forehead, all the memories belonging to Cynthia Schmidt were read by him.
"Earth... Avengers... 'The Arbiter' Peter Parker."
"Peter Parker?"
Cul's will lingered on the name "Peter Parker" for a moment.
In Sin's memory, this man was powerful to an almost nonsensical degree, even possessing power comparable to a god.
"Hmph, just a brat from Midgard."
Cul snorted disdainfully.
He would not take such a lowly existence seriously at all.
But similarly, he was not blinded by his long-awaited freedom.
He could feel that his current power was not even a thousandth of what it was at his peak.
More importantly, that brother of his, the one who subverted his rule, stole his authority, and sealed him here—Odin—was not yet dead!
Although Odin's aura was likewise aged, he had occupied a high position for a long time and could draw divine power from Yggdrasil at any time.
While he himself had been imprisoned for thousands of years, his body was weaker than ever before!
Before having absolute certainty of making that damned younger brother pay the price, he must not act recklessly.
"In that case... let fear descend first!"
"My apostles, I command you to spread fear to every corner of this World!
"Offer up a song of praise for the King's return!"
Chapter 340: The Worthy, Kuurth the Breaker of Stone
Cul slammed his scepter heavily onto the ground!
With this movement, a pitch-black and eerie inverted pentagram array instantly emerged.
Buzz~
The entire Mariana Trench trembled violently at this moment. Seven streams of energy, originating from the same source as Skadi's hammer, overflowed from the array, tore through the atmosphere, and turned into seven meteors, flying toward the vast, boundless firmament.
...
Meanwhile, at Avengers Tower.
Tony Stark was drinking coffee while admiring his latest achievement—the "Iron Legion," composed of hundreds of Iron Man Suits.
Because Peter had helped Tony solve the new element issue and had brought Vibranium early to provide a reference for Tony's nano-suit technology,
The research and development progress of the Iron Man Suits was much faster than in the original timeline.
Now, less than two months after the Battle of New Yorkhad ended, his suits were already nearly ready for lightweight mass production.
"Jarvis, calculate how long it would take to settle a conflict similar to the Battle of New York if this entire legion were deployed..."
Before he could finish his sentence, a piercing alarm rang through the entire laboratory.
"Sir! Our satellites have detected seven high-energy objects entering the atmosphere at extreme speeds! They are projected to crash at different locations across the globe within three minutes!"
Almost at the same time, the communicator on Tony's wrist lit up. Nick Fury's iconic one-eyed "black braised egg" look appeared on the screen, with deep space as the background:
"Peter, Tony! Did you see those seven'surprises'?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a holographic projection appeared next to Tony, forming a remote three-person virtual meeting.
"What's the situation?" Peter had been busy "sending benefits to his family" lately, so he hadn't paid any attention to the changes in the World or the Universe.
"It's not clear exactly what they are, but it's certain they aren't meteorites, nor is it a coincidence. It's definitely a man-made conspiracy."
Tony ordered Jarvis to freeze and enlarge the detection footage. Looking at the vaguely visible shapes in the pixelated images, he couldn't help but frown:
"Peter, don't you think these seven unidentified flying objects look a bit like..."
"Hammers?" Peter finished the second half of his sentence.
"Exactly!" Tony snapped his fingers and couldn't help but complain:
"It couldn't be that Thor got drunk and is throwing his toys around for no reason, could it?"
"Or... did he offend his cranky old man again?"
"It probably has nothing to do with Thor?" Peter shook his head gently.
In his past life, he didn't remember Thor having a plotline where he threw hammers around randomly.
Instead, he vaguely remembered hearing about a big comic book event that involved something like eight hammers.
Could it be... because Wanda's Chaos Magic awakened early, some monster sealed on Earth was released?
At that thought, Peter suddenly became excited.
Not just because the new items he had just purchased could be put to use, but also because... if these unidentified flying objects were all hammers.
Then wouldn't he be making a huge profit!
If these hammers were really related to Asgard's enemies, then they must be high-grade items made of uru metal.
Something this good would surely be worth twenty or thirty thousand sacrifice points each, right?
Eight of them added up would be nearly two hundred thousand sacrifice points, plus the extra gains from the behind-the-scenes big boss whose origin he wasn't yet sure of.
What crisis?
This was purely a visit from the God of Wealth!
With that thought, Peter immediately ordered:
"Nick Fury, find a way to determine the landing points of these seven hammers."
"Tony, notify my father-in-law to initiate a state of wartime alert. If necessary, start a global live broadcast for unified coordination."
"What about you?" Tony couldn't help but ask.
"Me?" The corners of Peter's mouth curled up unconsciously,
"I'm going to face them head-on, of course!"
As he spoke, Peter had already taken out the Eye of Aurora.
Peter then cut off the meeting and instead made a call to Sif:
"Sif, try to contact Heimdall and see if Asgard has noticed anything unusual."
A moment later, Sif called back:
"Strange, no matter how I call Heimdall, I get no response. It seems... Asgard has unilaterally cut off the Bifrost Bridgeand entered the highest state of combat readiness."
When she said this, her tone carried a hint of urgency.
Asgard was her home, after all. Not being able to get news from home was not something that would put anyone at ease.
"Don't worry. Let me first study what exactly is going on on Earth. Once it's settled, I'll personally take you to Asgard."
Just after finishing the call with Sif, Tony contacted Peteragain:
"The landing points for the seven hammers have been determined. The one closest to us will land on Staten Island in New York."
"OK, wait for my news."
Peter immediately activated the Eye of Aurora and instantly teleported to Staten Island.
...
Staten Island, cargo terminal.
A piercing screech tore through the sky.
A longshoreman subconsciously looked up and saw a massive fireball tearing through the clouds, trailing a long tail of flame, crashing straight toward the pier!
"Oh! My God!"
"Run!"
Boom!
After a deafening roar, the "fireball" smashed a large open area on the pier into smithereens.
The longshoremen gathered their courage and looked over.
They found that the body of the fireball was actually a... primitive-looking hammer.
How primitive was it?
The answer was that it looked like a rubber mallet used on a construction site, scaled up ten-fold.
"A hammer?"
The workers had confused expressions, and then they egged each other on to pick up the hammer.
After all... if they dragged it out here, the foreman would dock their pay later.
While everyone was egging each other on and passing the buck, but not a single person wanted to move the hammer, a middle-aged Black man named Bill Foster stepped forward.
In some parallel Worlds, this guy was also a superhero.
His code name was "Goliath."
But in the Universe Peter was in, perhaps because Pym Particles were always strictly controlled by the original Ant-Man, Hank Pym, this guy had lost the chance to become a superhero.
Seeing that his fellow workers were unwilling to step forward, the kind-hearted Bill took the initiative to stand out.
The moment his fingers came into contact with the hammer's handle.
Boom!
Majestic dark energy soared into the sky, completely enveloping Bill.
His figure swelled at that moment, his work clothes tearing apart piece by piece, and a set of earthy-yellow armor flashing with strange inscriptions appeared out of thin air, wrapping his burly body tightly.
At this moment, he was no longer Bill Foster.
He was Cul's apostle, one of the eight Worthy, Kuurth the "Breaker of Stone"!
"Power... endless power!"
Feeling the surging power within his body, the controlled Bill raised the war hammer high and smashed it wildly at the surrounding workers, forklifts, and other facilities.
For a moment, the entire pier was in chaos, and the emotion called fear spread frantically across the dock!
"Bill, please, don't kill me!"
A longshoreman was about to have his head smashed by Kuurth. Just as he closed his eyes in despair,
A hand abruptly appeared in front of him, steadily catching the Breaker of Stone war hammer in Kuurth's hand...