The moment Bella raised her hand, the air around her pulsed with golden energy.
A blinding beam of light erupted from the ground, forming a radiant cage that enclosed the two men standing before her. They were stunned—caught off guard by the sudden display of magic. Before they could even react, chains forged from pure magical force erupted from the earth, coiling tightly around their limbs and torsos.
"Damn it!" the middle-aged man cursed, his body straining against the glowing restraints.
His younger companion, with a rebellious glint in his eyes, struggled wildly. But the more they resisted, the tighter the chains pulled, sending jolts of searing pain through their bodies. Their movements slowed, their faces twisted in agony.
Bella narrowed her eyes, tightening her fist gently.
With a chilling creak, the chains constricted further, choking the breath from their lungs. Their consciousness dimmed. The older man attempted to dissolve his body into yellow sand—a trick he had used countless times to escape. But this time, it was useless. The golden chains pulsed with anti-magic runes, anchoring their targets firmly in reality.
Still watching them struggle, Bella gave a soft sigh.
She raised her right hand, bent her index and middle fingers slightly, then flicked them forward with sharp precision.
Bang!
Two invisible blades of wind shot forward, striking both men squarely on their foreheads.
Thud. Thud. Both bodies crumpled to the ground, unconscious. Bulging bruises bloomed across their brows.
But Bella didn't even glance at them.
A sudden roar—deep and feral—shook the air.
A green blur launched out of the sea like a missile, waves crashing violently behind him. Hulk had arrived, his body soaring straight toward Bella. But she remained calm, simply leaning her head to the side.
A massive green arm swept past her ear.
Before Hulk could pull back, Bella's left hand clamped around his thick wrist like a vice.
Crack. Crack.
Bone dented under her grip.
"ROOOAARRRRR!!" Hulk screamed in agony.
His pain fueled his rage. His body swelled even larger, muscles ballooning with fury. Desperate, he tried to yank his hand back, even bracing his feet to gain leverage, but Bella's grip didn't budge. In fact, the ground beneath them cracked from Hulk's struggling—not from Bella's strength.
Hulk changed tactics. With a guttural roar, he threw a punch with his free hand, aiming straight for Bella's face. The wind from the blow howled through the air.
But Bella was faster.
Her right hand moved like lightning, catching Hulk's left wrist mid-swing.
Now, both of Hulk's arms were trapped, bent backward like those of a child being disciplined.
To an outsider, the image was absurd. The Hulk—an unstoppable force of nature—was pinned effortlessly by a woman half his size.
He thrashed wildly, his face contorted in pain and fury. His cries echoed across the island, disturbing the birds in the sky.
In a final, wild act of defiance, Hulk slammed his head forward, hoping brute force might accomplish what strength couldn't.
Bella saw it coming.
Instead of clashing foreheads, she launched herself slightly upward, and drove her right knee directly into Hulk's face.
BOOM!
The impact was thunderous. Hulk's eyes rolled back. His massive body stumbled and collapsed, unconscious. As he lay there, his monstrous frame began to shrink.
Bruce Banner's frail form slowly emerged, lying limp on the shattered earth.
Bella barely gave him a second glance.
As she stood there, she could feel it—a surge of power coursing through her veins. Her magical core pulsed, swollen with newfound strength. But she had no time to reflect.
She lowered her stance, placed a hand on the cracked ground—and with an explosive burst of speed, launched herself like a missile toward the horizon.
Her destination: Guillermo Cay.
Just a few nautical miles away, hidden beneath the surface, three high-tech submarines lurked in silence.
Within their metallic hulls, elite agents huddled near terminals, eyes glued to sonar displays. Weapons were primed.
"Sir, torpedoes are armed."
"Cruise missiles ready for launch."
The commanders waited, their hands twitching near the communicator. The screen in front of them showed live feeds of Guillermo Cay, their designated target zone.
Then came the alarm.
A rapid beep beep beep echoed through the control room.
"Alert! Unidentified energy surge inbound—!"
Before the officer could finish, a golden sphere of energy crashed through the hull.
Boom!
Boom!
BOOM!
Three massive underwater explosions lit up the depths. Flames and shockwaves tore through the submarines. Steel buckled, computers exploded, and dozens of agents perished before they even understood what hit them.
On the surface of the sea, Bella hovered, golden light still radiating from her fingertips.
She lowered her raised hand, calm as a storm after devastation.
"They posed a threat to Angie," she murmured. "That alone is reason enough."
With the immediate threat neutralized, Bella turned her gaze to the sky.
"Heimdall," she called. "Send me to the New York battlefield."
A beam of brilliant light erupted from the heavens, enveloping her instantly.
In the blink of an eye, Bella vanished.
---
Manhattan, New York.
War had come to the city of dreams.
The skies thundered with explosions. Buildings burned. The Chitauri army swarmed through the city, overwhelming police, civilians, and even local heroes.
Once-grand skyscrapers lay in ruins. Fires raged in the streets. People ran, screamed, and hid wherever they could.
From above, Tony Stark soared in his damaged suit, picking off enemies mid-flight.
"Status report," he muttered. "JARVIS?"
"Sir, only two drones remain operational. Damage to the Mark system is critical."
Tony's face was grim. Sweat clung to his brow.
"Thor? Found Loki yet?"
Thor's voice came through, equally stressed. "No. He's hidden himself well. Heimdall can't see him."
Tony cursed. "This narcissist loves watching his own chaos. Why the hell is he hiding now?"
Another voice cut in—Captain America, gasping for air.
"Tony—it's been five minutes! Where's the national guard? The army? Anyone?!"
Tony hissed. "How should I know? Fury's probably tangled in S.H.I.E.L.D politics again…"
But he didn't finish his sentence.
Because suddenly, his HUD picked up something—something massive.
A blinding flash streaked across the city sky, brighter than anything else in the chaos.
"...what the hell is that?" Tony whispered.
End of Chapter.
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