Chapter 115: Chapter 115: The Final Decision
**
What exactly is Hydra?
This question lingered in everyone's mind. Was it just an organization founded by the Red Skull?
Link wasn't opposed to the idea of dismantling S.H.I.E.L.D., but he knew it was important to raise these concerns so everyone could reflect on whether they were truly capable of solving the issue at hand.
For a moment, everyone found themselves in a dilemma, uncertain about which path to take.
Seeing their hesitation, Link smiled and said, "Are you all overthinking this? It's just Hydra."
"S.H.I.E.L.D. isn't completely infiltrated by Hydra. With this exposure, Hydra will surely be in trouble. The loyal agents will rise up and retaliate."
"There will be casualties, but that's part of their duty."
"When the dust settles, most of Hydra's agents will be revealed. All we need to do is be more cautious moving forward. There's no need to be overly conflicted."
"Of course, S.H.I.E.L.D. must still bear the consequences. Nick Fury, in particular, should take responsibility. He can resign as Director and let Maria Hill take over."
"Also, from what I know, Fury has been quietly preparing a new version of S.H.I.E.L.D. He sensed something was wrong long ago and has been making secret preparations."
"The only thing he didn't foresee was that Alexander Pierce was also Hydra."
After hearing this, Stark asked, "Link, how do you know all this?"
"You've forgotten? I mentioned before that during my time as an agent, I uncovered several issues, especially regarding the massive funding connected to it," Link explained. "And don't forget, 'The Hand' also possesses resurrection capabilities, something Fury kept hidden."
"Coulson was in charge of that mission. He should know the details, or maybe Clint and Natasha, since they participated in the assault on The Hand?"
Natasha nodded. "Yes, we handled the initial raid, but Coulson oversaw the aftermath."
"We can ask Fury about it directly."
Steve turned to Link. "Do you think we should keep S.H.I.E.L.D. operational?"
"S.H.I.E.L.D. is supposedly a global organization led by the World Security Council, but its headquarters are in the U.S. Don't you think other countries would have their own equivalent agencies?" Link posed the question instead of answering directly.
This new angle caught everyone off guard, and they exchanged thoughtful glances. Stark was the first to respond, "There must be."
"Exactly!" Link smiled. "Unlike interstellar civilizations, Earth is home to nearly two hundred nations. If nothing else, the big five nations certainly wouldn't place their complete trust in S.H.I.E.L.D."
"Remember, S.H.I.E.L.D. originated from the Strategic Scientific Reserve, a U.S. organization."
"So, it's inevitable that the other major powers would establish their own counterparts. While S.H.I.E.L.D. might be in jeopardy, it won't affect the entire world."
"And you're all too fixated on this. What are we, after all?"
Bruce hesitantly answered, "The Avengers?"
"Exactly. When Nick Fury approached us and invited us to join, his primary goal was to address extraterrestrial threats," Link reminded them. "We're not saviors, and none of you should see yourselves as such."
"We're a private organization, united to protect Earth, not to interfere in its political affairs."
"We made it clear from the start that we wouldn't get involved in politics. Earth's progression and the conflicts between nations are a natural part of civilization's growth."
"The Avengers don't have the power to unite the entire planet. Until Earth advances to the level of an interstellar civilization, our responsibility is to safeguard its security."
"That's why I plan to move the Avengers into space."
Natasha suddenly asked, "Link, how are you able to open space portals?"
She'd been curious about this since it was a valuable ability for a spy like her.
Link raised his left hand, displaying a ring adorned with a blue gem. "This is an Infinity Stone. The Tesseract was merely a shell; it's the Space Stone that opens the portals."
"When the universe was born, six Infinity Stones were created, each holding immense power."
"They represent Power, Space, Time, Soul, Mind, and Reality. If someone were to gather all six stones, they could fulfill any wish with just a snap of their fingers."
"…" Everyone was speechless. This defied their understanding of science.
Link turned his hand, and suddenly, the Power Stone appeared. "I found this one in the cosmos and sold it to an immortal being known as The Collector. He runs a vast corporation with extraordinary wealth."
"He's rumored to have lived for billions of years, but I don't know much beyond that."
Stark eyed the Power Stone and reached for it, but Link quickly pulled back. "Don't touch it directly. Its energy is too volatile. Humans can't handle its power—it would turn you to ashes."
Link always kept the Power Stone wrapped in vibranium for protection, partly as a precaution to conceal his unique resilience.
Steve asked, "You sold such a powerful stone? Won't that cause trouble?"
Link rolled his eyes. "Steve, these stones have existed in the universe for eons, passing through countless hands. No matter how dangerous they are, it's not our job to worry about it."
Steve was taken aback but soon realized the truth. He was overthinking things.
The universe had existed for an unimaginably long time, and these stones had been part of it from the very beginning.
Link added, "The real danger is bringing all six stones together, as their combined power is too great."
"Now, think about why Odin left the Tesseract on Earth. He must have once tried to collect the stones but decided to scatter them out of fear."
Bruce chimed in, "That makes sense. By selling it, you prevented more stones from coming together, which benefits us. Besides, we can't control the happenings in the wider universe."
"Earth is still too weak. While we don't know everything, we now realize that countless civilizations exist beyond our planet."
Steve nodded. "Let's vote. It's time to decide S.H.I.E.L.D.'s future."
Link clapped his hands. "Alright, then. Let's vote. Who's in favor of keeping S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
Everyone raised their hands. It was unanimous. Steve then added, "But we can't let Nick Fury continue to lead. I don't trust him."
"He seems to have too many secrets."
Link agreed, nodding. "That's settled, then. Unanimous!"
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