In the Helicarrier, the mood among the Avengers was heavy. No one spoke for a while, and the silence in the control room was telling.
Though Alex had left of his own will, the team couldn't help but feel uneasy about his sudden departure.
Tony, in particular, looked frustrated. He had been genuinely intrigued by Alex's ability to manipulate metal—an ability that could've made future advancements in his armor much more efficient. The possibilities for collaboration had excited him, and now, just like that, it was gone.
Captain America was also unusually quiet. He had thrown himself deeper into training ever since, as if trying to distract himself. He hadn't said much, but it was clear he felt guilty. On the day Alex arrived, he had even shared a few of his hard-earned techniques, giving Alex pointers on how to grow stronger. In a way, he saw Alex as someone worth mentoring, someone who could carry the team forward.
But now, the situation had turned sour, and he hadn't been able to help at all. That weighed on him.
Suddenly, the silence was broken by a sharp "Ding-dong."
Tony's phone buzzed. He reached for it lazily, but the second he saw the sender's name, his expression changed.
It was a message from Alex.
He tapped the screen quickly—only to find the message completely blank.
His mind instantly sharpened.
"Jarvis, locate the source of this message. Track Alex's current position immediately."
"Understood, sir," came Jarvis's calm voice.
Within seconds, the holographic display lit up. Jarvis accessed SHIELD's surveillance systems, cross-referencing transmission signals and nearby networks. It didn't take long before a red marker pulsed on the map—Alex's location had been found.
By the time the trace completed, Tony had already suited up in his armor. His mind was made up.
"Wait—Tony," Captain America called out as he pulled on his combat gear, adjusting the straps on his uniform and tightening the shield on his back. "I'm coming with you."
Tony glanced back once, unimpressed by the vintage look of Steve's uniform."No. I've got this."Without another word, his thrusters lit up with a sharp roar, and the Iron Man suit shot into the sky like a crimson missile.
Steve let out a quiet sigh, clearly irritated but not surprised. Tony was always like this—charging ahead alone whether or not it was the right call.
Without wasting time, Steve turned and jogged straight to Director Fury, his tone firm.
"I need a jet. Tony's already left, and I'm not going to sit around doing nothing."
Fury didn't respond right away.
He understood why Steve was concerned. A blank message from Alex, sent just after leaving the Helicarrier, didn't feel like a coincidence. It was either a silent cry for help—or a message that something had gone terribly wrong.
Fury's instincts kicked in. He considered the worst: what if someone had been waiting outside to ambush Alex the moment he left SHIELD protection?
The possibility felt too timely… almost intentional.
But then again—another thought crept into Fury's mind.
What if this was exactly what Alex wanted? What if the message was a setup, designed to bait the Avengers into walking into a trap?
He weighed both options quickly.
"Why are you hesitating?" Steve pressed. "I need a fighter now. Tony's already gone—do you want me just standing around while something happens out there?"
That did it.
Fury, realizing hesitation would only make things worse, gave the order to prepare a fighter jet.Even if this was a trap, sending Steve meant one more person watching Tony's back—and if Alex was truly in danger, they'd be able to respond quickly.
If Bruce hadn't been so difficult to control in the field, Fury might've sent him along as well.
Alex, wearing the vibranium glove, raised his left hand and opened his palm, using it like a miniature shield. The incoming magic blast struck the glove squarely, but the impact didn't even make him flinch.
Inwardly, he nodded in approval."This vibranium glove… not bad at all. It's basically a compact version of Cap's shield," he thought, watching how the glove absorbed the full force of Loki's magic without any recoil.
He had barely finished assessing when he launched himself forward using shaving, a high-speed movement technique that blurred his figure like a streak of light. In an instant, he was face-to-face with Loki, his Wushuang Sword already coated in Armament Haki, its black blade gleaming like venom under moonlight.
The sword thrust forward, straight at the Mind Scepter.
There was a sharp metallic clang as the two weapons collided. Though Loki was a mage by training, he was far from helpless in close combat. He met Alex's sudden advance without panic, deflecting the sword with practiced precision.
Alex wasn't surprised. As his sword was parried, his left hand, still covered with the vibranium glove, shot forward. This time, he didn't hold back. He poured his Haki-infused strength into a punch and struck Loki hard on the shoulder.
Bang!
The hit forced Loki to stumble several steps backward. He didn't fall, but his expression betrayed his surprise. He glanced briefly at the glove on Alex's hand, his eyes narrowing as if trying to understand its construction.
Alex didn't pause."This glove's strength enhancement is no joke. With my body's base power, plus over 200 crystal points, this punch should be pushing near fourth-level Awakener strength."
He moved again, footwork flowing smoothly as he closed the gap once more. The Wushuang Sword danced through the air, producing several overlapping strikes that blurred into arcs of light, all aimed to corner and overwhelm Loki.
The attack landed.
Or so it seemed.
Puff. Puff. Puff.
Every strike passed through Loki's form—illusory. Just an illusion, again.
Alex narrowed his eyes, instincts flaring. This was classic Loki. He was never where you thought he was.
As expected, Loki's real form appeared behind him the very next second. The Mind Scepter gleamed with light, and another orb of magic—glowing like a supercharged grenade—blasted toward Alex's exposed back.
Block!
Alex reacted on reflex. He twisted at the waist, bringing the Wushuang Sword up across his body just in time to intercept the shot.
The force from the blast still pushed against him, but before he could reset his stance, Loki's hand shot forward and grabbed his wrist.
Alex felt it immediately—a sudden surge of biting cold rushed through his arm, spreading like a wave of frost across his chest and down to his legs. His blood felt like it was slowing, freezing inside his veins. His limbs stiffened, refusing to move.
Loki's expression curved into a victorious smirk.With a flick of his wrist, he pointed the glowing tip of the Mind Scepter directly at Alex's chest....