"No wonder he's called the Hulk, he just destroyed a Leviathan with one blow." The Chitauri troop transports were incredibly strong, even Stark needed multiple mini-missiles to take one down, but for the Hulk, it only took a few punches.
Similarly, the Hulkbuster armor was wreaking havoc, mainly targeting the Leviathans. Due to its massive size, the Hulkbuster had ample energy reserves, essential for keeping the Hulk in check.
"Damn, the military response is so slow. This is New York! They're quick to act internationally," Daniel panted deeply, hiding after several consecutive attacks. On this battlefield, the sky and ground were teeming with Chitauri, making him a prime target on his broomstick. Even he couldn't dodge every attack, and Stark was faring worse, being attacked even more frequently.
Direct attacks in battle were manageable, but stray bullets and errant shots were a constant threat, impossible to guard against.
"Fury, when is backup arriving?" The Captain's heavy breathing came through Daniel's earpiece. He was now joined by Black Widow, Shuri, and Carter, rescuing survivors amidst the ground chaos. Despite the numerous monsters, the tall buildings still sheltered many survivors.
"Hang on a bit longer, support is on its way." On the helicarrier, Fury angrily kicked a chair aside. He hadn't anticipated the military would delay, with some generals doubting the alien invasion altogether.
Although the World Security Council was communicating with the military, the lack of immediate action suggested they were stalling.
Fury wasn't surprised by the Council's behavior; after all, its members came from the five major powers. As long as the threat wasn't in their own countries, they weren't in a rush to intervene and were perhaps even curious to observe the alien combat prowess.
"We need support here." As Daniel continued to hide and occasionally take down a Chitauri, the Captain's voice came through again, providing his location.
"I'm a bit far off, might take some time," Stark replied wearily. Unlike Daniel, who found moments to rest, Stark had been in relentless aerial combat, losing several suits already. The sheer number of enemies made evasion impossible, even with Jarvis's control.
"Truly a righteous man," Daniel muttered, deciding to move out. The Captain needed support because they had rescued many survivors and were now targeted by swarming monsters.
This time, Daniel didn't use his broomstick but moved using Apparition.
"This place is really lively," he remarked upon arriving at the Captain's location, seeing them surrounded by monsters. He had to admire the Captain's ability to attract them. The confined underground space was packed with Thanos's Outriders, known for leaving no survivors.
The Outriders were renowned across the universe for their ruthlessness, attacking in overwhelming numbers. Though fewer than in the original timeline's Avengers 3, this invasion still seemed like a test from Thanos.
The Captain and his team held out by leveraging the terrain, finding refuge in a bank vault. The bank's manager had wisely sought shelter here instead of fleeing blindly.
"Fiendfyre." Daniel unleashed a torrent of flames, consuming the monsters. These creatures were strong, struggling in the fire for some time before collapsing. After clearing the basement, Daniel extended the fire outside to hold off more incoming monsters.
"Good thing you arrived in time," the Captain and Carter breathed a sigh of relief, sitting down to rest after Daniel's intervention.
If not for the Captain's timely search for survivors, coupled with Carter and Shuri's efforts, they would have perished. The bank vault was sturdy, but panicked employees had compromised its security, nearly leading to disaster.
"The monsters track by scent or life force. We can use that to lure them together so I can wipe them out in one go," Daniel suggested as Carter and the Captain deliberated.
"I have a wide-area attack spell," he explained. The spell was Fiendfyre, a devastating curse needing ample preparation to unleash fully. Although it could clear out enemies, it didn't distinguish between friend and foe, posing a risk to any hidden survivors. Given the media scrutiny, Daniel wanted to avoid unnecessary civilian casualties.
In the aftermath, despite the chaos of war, people would certainly scrutinize such actions. While he was willing to help, he wasn't as selflessly dedicated as Stark or Coulson.
"First, we need to gather all the monsters," Carter noted, and they quickly decided to split up. The Captain and his team would lure the monsters, while Daniel would eliminate them en masse.
They each took a Chitauri flyer with Daniel's help, ensuring swift movement, with Stark's drones providing additional protection.
"Tony, after I finish here, you need to destroy the Chitauri mothership in space," Daniel instructed. Knowing the Chitauri's weakness, they wouldn't waste the opportunity.
"Got it. I'm on it," Stark replied, preparing the necessary explosives.
"These brothers are still fighting?" Returning to Stark Tower, Daniel saw Thor and Loki still engaged. Despite Thor's superior strength, his reluctance to seriously harm Loki made the battle seem even.
"Please," Daniel said to the Hulk, who was now under Banner's control. The Hulk was crucial to his plan.
Roar.
The Hulk charged, knocking Thor away and kicking Loki aside. As Thor prepared to retaliate, Daniel intervened.
"Leave Loki to him. Don't worry, he won't die. We need you to clear a path," Daniel pointed to the heavily guarded portal.
"Got it," Thor said, noticing the situation and taking off with Mjolnir.
Thor couldn't fly on his own; it was Mjolnir's rune technology that enabled it. As he swung Mjolnir, the sky filled with storm clouds and lightning, striking down Chitauri in droves.
If Thor could fight in space, taking down the Chitauri mothership would be easier.
"Could Asgard's Bifrost destroy the mothership?" Daniel pondered, watching Thor's prowess before dismissing the thought. He didn't understand the higher powers' workings.
Picking up Loki's discarded scepter, Daniel found Loki nearly defeated by the Hulk. Despite his resilience as a Frost Giant prince, being beaten by a mere human had shattered his ego.
"Never thought I'd use Grindelwald's forbidden spell," Daniel murmured, drawing a red circle of fire around him with his wand.
Casting Fiendfyre to its fullest required preparation, and he began to channel the spell's power.
"Something's wrong, the Asgardians refuse to leave," Natasha reported through the earpiece.
"The Asgardians, Sif and the others," Daniel recalled Thor's companions. Learning they were engrossed in battle, he couldn't help but sigh. Asgardians loved fighting, and even now, Sif and her group were reveling in the chaos.
Despite the threat, they had seized Chitauri flyers and engaged closely with the monsters, enjoying the fight. Their rune-enhanced equipment made them formidable.
"Troublesome lot," Daniel sighed, instructing Natasha to use Thor's authority to order them out.
Thor's name carried weight, and Sif's group complied, reluctantly breaking off their fight and taking Chitauri flyers.
"Tony, how's it going? Thor's cleared a path," Daniel radioed Stark.
"Ready," Stark replied, having prepared to destroy the Chitauri mothership.
With Fury's help, Stark had acquired a nuke from the helicarrier, ensuring the mothership's destruction. Unlike the original timeline where Stark manually carried the nuke, Jarvis-controlled drones handled the task.
The Chitauri's overconfidence left their mothership unprotected, conveniently close to the portal.
As Stark prepared to launch, the Captain and Carter had drawn a mass of monsters to Stark Tower.
Flying to safety, Daniel unleashed Fiendfyre. The red dragon-shaped flames roared, consuming monsters and buildings alike.
Satisfied with the spell's effectiveness, Daniel prepared to close the portal with Loki's scepter.
"Watch out, a nuke is headed your way!" Fury's urgent message interrupted, making Daniel curse inwardly at the new complication.
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"What?" Stark, the Captain, and others couldn't help but shout when they heard Fury's words. The military had remained inactive during the intense battle, but now, just as they were about to win, the military was deploying a nuclear bomb.
This was Manhattan, New York, once the most prosperous place, not some desert or mountain. A nuclear explosion in the city would be catastrophic. Even if the bomb's yield was small and the destruction limited, no one would want to live in New York due to the nuclear radiation. Even the most carefree people couldn't ignore this.
For the USA, losing New York, an international metropolis, would be a disaster.
In fact, the military high command was also bewildered. They didn't understand why a nuclear bomb appeared. As time passed, the military realized the alien invasion was real and were discussing mobilizing the army. The USA's military wouldn't be so slow; they weren't fools. Even if they were initially skeptical, the overwhelming evidence convinced them. The current situation was entirely due to Hydra's interference, aiming for greater benefits.
For Hydra, New York's destruction was beneficial. Without such an attack, their subsequent insight plan wouldn't exist. The potential casualties didn't matter to them as long as they survived.
Hydra could only seize the greatest advantage amidst global panic. As for the alien attack, they planned to deal with it after unifying Earth.
Unlike ordinary people, some well-informed tycoons and officials had already used their advantages to escape, with New York's mayor being the first to flee.
"Damn it." Daniel Davis, who was about to close the upper space portal, stopped his actions upon hearing Stark's voice. He planned to handle the nuclear bomb.
In this situation, sending the nuclear bomb into outer space was the safest solution. Stark thought of this plan, though holding a nuclear bomb and flying was terrifying. It seemed heroic when watching, but actually doing it was something 99.99% wouldn't dare to attempt.
Even Stark might not have had the courage if he had more time to think. He acted because there was no time to fear.
"That guy." Watching Stark fly towards the space portal with the nuclear bomb, Daniel sighed lightly. For him, solving the nuclear bomb was simple, a portal could do it. Unfortunately, Stark acted before he could intervene.
"Connect Pepper." Stark, holding the nuclear bomb, instructed Jarvis to contact Pepper, preparing to leave a final message.
"Connection failed, sir," Jarvis replied calmly, "Would you like to leave a message?"
"No need," Stark said calmly.
Stark then flew through the portal into outer space, where he began to suffocate due to the thin air. If his Iron Man suit were intact, he could survive in space for a while, as it had excellent airtightness and a built-in air supply system, as well as a water recycling system to purify waste for drinking.
Stark never used this system, having designed it as a precaution after his experience in the desert.
"Thank me." Seeing Stark falling from outer space, Daniel quickly created a portal at the fall site, allowing Stark to land safely on the ground.
Stark wasn't like the Hulk or Thor; falling from such a height would be fatal for him.
After ensuring Stark's safety, Daniel picked up the scepter to shut down the machine. The Tesseract was protected by a force field, making it indestructible. Daniel suspected even a nuclear bomb couldn't destroy it. The scepter could approach it likely due to the power of the Mind Stone.
With a loud bang, the machine holding the Tesseract was destroyed, and Daniel held the Tesseract in his hand.
"Two Infinity Stones." Holding the two Infinity Stones, Daniel momentarily considered taking them. These were rare treasures in the universe.
Especially the Space Stone, which could eliminate travel concerns. For Daniel, it had another crucial use: significantly reducing the time to communicate with dimensional spaces, speeding up his exploration of other worlds.
"Room." Thinking this, Daniel used the powers of the Op-Op Fruit, covering the Tesseract in his left hand. Through its power, he clearly sensed the Space Stone inside.
"This is pure spatial law, even the essence of space. How come no big shots covet this? Is it because this world doesn't rely on cultivation?"
In the Marvel world, getting stronger through cultivation wasn't impossible but couldn't surpass limits. Kamar-Taj and Kunlun practiced cultivation, but their limits were the peak of ordinary humans. Some magical abilities extended life, but that's all.
The Ancient One's strength came from absorbing the Dark Dimension's power, Dormammu's power. She was far stronger than Kaecilius, who became Dormammu's minion after absorbing his power, whereas the Ancient One maintained her consciousness.
Kunlun practitioners, like Madame Gao, had longer lifespans but couldn't necessarily beat the Captain in a fight. As for Iron Fist, he wasn't worth mentioning.
Other powerful beings gained strength through accidents or birth. Hulk and Captain Marvel were due to accidents, while Thor, Loki, and other gods were born strong, needing only to master their internal power.
Ego, Star-Lord's father, became strong through devouring.
"It seems I'll have to find a way to get the Space Stone from Asgard. Although difficult, it's not impossible. Odin doesn't care much about the Space Stone; otherwise, he wouldn't have left it on Earth. Even if Thor takes it back, it'll just sit in the treasure vault. So why not keep it with me?"
For Daniel, obtaining the Space Stone had another major benefit: delaying Thanos' arrival. The universe had many wormholes to shorten distances, but it was so vast that even Thanos needed significant time to travel.
But with the Space Stone, he could appear anywhere instantly. He could fight Stark and others on Titan and then appear on Earth the next moment. Without the Space Stone, Thanos couldn't travel so quickly.
Moreover, if Thanos attacked, Daniel could use the Space Stone to teleport him away. When Thanos returned, years would have passed.
Thanos' focus on the Space Stone showed its importance. He even let Loki take the Mind Stone, revealing his strategic nature and patience, outliving Odin and the Ancient One before acting.
"Though risky, it's worth a try." Thanos' plan was good, but Daniel's foresight gave him an advantage.
As Daniel made his decision, the military finally acted. Though the Chitauri died after their mothership was destroyed, Daniel also used Fiendfyre to kill many Outriders, but some still escaped Manhattan.
Until all these Outriders were eradicated, New York remained unsafe.
"I..." Stark, awakened by Carter and others, was relieved to find himself alive.
"Barbecues after battle are a lie." With the battle nearly over, the aftermath was left to officials. Stark had suggested a big meal, but no surviving restaurants remained, and Fury wanted to see them. So, they boarded Hill's Quinjet back to Washington.
Captain America, Hawkeye, Natasha, and Shuri stayed behind to continue clearing Outriders as S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.
Loki, under the guard of Sif and others, was taken to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters in Washington. With them, Loki couldn't escape easily.
The battle was over, but the helicarrier was severely damaged and needed major repairs, so Fury returned early.
"What was with that nuclear bomb?" At S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters in Washington, Stark directly questioned Fury, with Carter also looking grim since she and the Captain had been there too.
"This is under investigation. Don't worry, we'll give you an explanation. For now, let's focus on the immediate issue."
"I must take Loki back for trial," Thor stated directly when attention turned to Loki.
Earth judging Loki was unacceptable to Thor and Asgard.
"Alright, but we hope Loki won't return to Earth," Fury agreed without hesitation.
A meeting between the Security Council and world leaders had decided to let Thor take Loki. They couldn't judge Loki on Earth, fearing a war with Asgard. Loki was Asgard's second prince, and with Daniel's intel, Earth would surely lose.
Moreover, a war with Asgard could lead to internal conflict on Earth. Asgard's gods greatly impacted Earth's religions, spawning fanatical organizations. Some even claimed Asgard should rule humanity.
Fanatics' actions are unpredictable. Under such circumstances, it was better to let Thor take Loki, appearing magnanimous.
Otherwise, Asgard could easily rally those organizations. Plus, with the Bifrost and Heimdall, they could execute surgical strikes anytime.
Thus, leaders didn't demand compensation from Asgard, letting Thor take Loki. The damaged areas weren't in their countries anyway.
Without Hydra's interference, world leaders were intelligent. Even the USA, despite its frequent wars, only fought easily winnable battles.
"No problem." Thor confidently promised, unaware of Loki's cold smile behind him.
After resolving Loki's issue, the focus shifted to the Tesseract and Space Stone. Knowing its value, leaders grew greedy.
But Fury quelled their greed, warning that another portal could bring more aliens, possibly stronger than the Chitauri. If not for the Chitauri's peculiar hierarchy, the battle might still be ongoing, with New York possibly lost.
Unable to keep it, they decided to send it away, letting Asgard and aliens deal with it.
The plan proceeded smoothly until Daniel spoke.
"Why not give me the Space Stone?" Daniel's words drew everyone's attention.
"This thing brings disaster. Many in the universe covet it. I believe mages can handle it better," Daniel continued.
"Asgard fears no enemy," Thor declared.
"Really? What about Thanos?" Daniel asked, smiling at Thor.
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