Steve flexed his gauntleted hands, feeling the weight and responsiveness of the living armor resonating with his heartbeat. "I… feel it," he said slowly. "Strength. Defense. Like my body's been reinforced from the inside out. Even without moving, I know I could tank artillery fire in this."
A surge of energy rippled across the armor's surface, acknowledging his words, as if Aegis itself was proud.
Hill closed her eyes for a moment. Luma shimmered faintly around her shoulders like a phantom cloak. "My senses feel… extended," she murmured. "I can feel the room from every angle. Emotions… breathing patterns…" Her eyes snapped open. "I can see weak points. In all of you. Not physically—mentally. Like I know what hesitation would look like before it even forms."
Alex smirked. "That's the Dream Eater's influence. Illusions, mental disruption, emotional manipulation. If you train enough, Hill, you could put an entire army to sleep or make them see each other as enemies without lifting a gun."
Hill exhaled slowly. "That's… terrifying."
"And efficient," Alex added casually.
Fury watched with a calculating expression. "So, they have physical and mental reinforcement… Good. And what about ranged or offensive capability?"
Steve raised his arm, and with a thought, Aegis reacted—its gauntlet reshaping and forming a heavy cannon-like structure for a moment before returning to its armored form.
"I think I can project force… kinetic waves," Steve said, steadying his breathing as he tested the connection. "Feels natural. Like throwing my shield—but amplified."
"Not just that, It can also turn into any weapon you desire not just the amplified version of your shield throw" Alex added with a roll of his eyes as, Steve looked at his gauntlet hand and then it turned into a hand gun " you are right" he said surprised as then he looked at Hills.
Luma fluttered once, and a ripple passed through the air—Fury took an involuntary step back as, just for an instant, Steve appeared as Loki in his vision.
Hill's eyes widened. "Did that—"
Alex nodded. "A taste of it. That was just a reflex twitch from Luma. With control, you can make entire squads turn on each other with a single thought."
"So, I can make illusions, huh? That's a good ability for me," Hill said, smiling and thanking Alex, who just nodded in response.
"Well, anything else? If not, I have left my poor nurse all my work," Alex added.
Fury glanced at him. "Yes, there is one more agent who needs powers. He's away, but he should be here in about ten minutes. Until then, let's see Steve and Hill spar."
Fury gave a sly nod. Steve grinned. "I want to try it too."
Steve and Hill stepped into the center of the hall, their new partners at their sides. Aegis shifted nervously, testing the ground, while Luma's wings flickered with uncertain light, responding tentatively to Hill's emotions.
"Okay," Steve said, holding his shield awkwardly, "let's start slow. I don't want to break anything—or anyone."
Hill chuckled softly. "Don't worry, I can handle illusions. Mostly."
Alex stepped back, arms crossed, watching them carefully. "Remember, this isn't just about strength. Your partners respond to your intent, your focus. If you panic, they hesitate. If you lose control, they may act unpredictably. Keep that in mind."
Steve nodded, but his hand shook slightly as he raised his shield. Aegis mirrored him instantly—but with a small delay that caused it to overcompensate, slamming its fist into the floor and sending a tremor across the hall. Dust and small debris scattered, and Steve yelped as he tried to stabilize himself.
"Uh… okay, maybe we go even slower," Steve muttered, trying to control both his balance and the massive armor moving with him.
Hill raised her hands, focusing on Luma. The butterfly-like demon expanded its wings, but instead of creating a controlled aura, it released a burst of flickering light that sent multiple distorted images of Hill flying wildly in all directions. One of the images nearly collided with Steve, who barely ducked in time.
"Whoa! Whoa—hey!" Steve shouted, trying to figure out which Hill was real. Aegis swung, misjudging the illusions, and nearly collided with one of the phantoms itself, creating a loud crash that reverberated across the hall.
Alex sighed. "Beginner mistakes. Keep calm. Feel your partners, don't force them. Let them respond to you, don't try to dominate them."
Hill took a deep breath, centering herself. Slowly, Luma's projections began to stabilize. She reached out mentally, guiding the phantoms to mimic her exact motions. The chaotic images aligned, moving fluidly with her intentions.
Steve, seeing this, clenched his fist, taking a deep breath and focused on Aegis. This time, the armor responded perfectly to his commands. It blocked a phantom's sudden rush and countered with a heavy swing—but still, the force of his own strike sent him stumbling backward slightly, learning the limits of Aegis's weight and momentum.
Fury added, seeing this, "We had the same situation with Black Widow when you gave her powers out of nowhere. She stumbled a lot, and half of the Helicarrier was covered in webs, as if we were under a spider invasion." He sighed.
Alex smiled. "Hahaha, I would have loved to see that," he said, already wondering what kind of face Widow might have made after all that blundering.
The battle continued. Hill experimented with sending her illusions in waves, learning to time them with her thoughts. Sometimes they faltered, overlapping incorrectly or moving sluggishly, but eventually she began controlling multiple forms at once, predicting Steve's movements and testing defensive strategies.
Steve, meanwhile, struggled with Aegis's immense power. Every swing needed careful concentration, or the armor would either overextend or crash too weakly. He accidentally sent a phantom of himself flying across the hall at one point, drawing a frustrated groan from Alex.
"Focus! Feel your bond! Not just your body!" Alex shouted. "Steve! Your shield isn't just a weapon—it's your connection to Aegis!"
Steve nodded, sweat dripping from his brow. He concentrated, feeling Aegis's presence like a second heartbeat. Slowly, movements became fluid—the swings precise, defensive blocks timed perfectly. He even managed a controlled shockwave that disrupted one of Hill's illusions without destroying the hall.
Hill's eyes widened. "Wow… you're getting it!" she called, smiling as Luma wrapped around her arms, feathers glinting with controlled energy.
Steve grinned despite his exhaustion. "I feel… powerful. But exhausting!"
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