"Wow, that's done. This guy only has one unusual trait—immortality. Everything else is pretty ordinary."
Tony's helmet visor retracted automatically, revealing his mustached face, relaxed and amused.
"Hey guys, I don't mean to—"
Before he could finish, Barton pointed sharply at the lake, frowning.
Everyone turned to look—and their eyes widened. The familiar figure appeared again, hockey mask in place, machete in hand.
Tony shouted, astonished, "How is this possible?!"
"J.A.R.V.I.S., reopen the sealing device."
Liquid cold air hissed from the device beneath Tony's feet, but the supposedly frozen monster had vanished. Nothing remained.
"Damn… this guy…" Tony frowned.
"Teleportation? Or some quirk of immortality," Natasha mused, frowning.
"And hasn't he gotten stronger?" Bucky added, twisting his neck. The monster felt far more powerful than before.
"Try again," Natasha ordered.
Bucky acted swiftly, kicking the monster from the lake to the shore. Psylocke restrained it with her psychic-enhanced ropes, and everyone deposited it into the freezing device once more.
But again, the monster was not fully sealed—just observed.
Moments later, the monster disappeared from the freezing device—and reappeared behind Dr. Bruce Banner like a phantom, swinging its machete at him.
Roar!!
Hulk, sensing danger, appeared instantly. Towering over the monster, he grabbed the machete and punched the creature in the head.
Boom!!
The impact drove the monster into the ground, cracking the earth like a spiderweb. Dust and debris flew into the air. Natasha's palm strike blew away the rubble, but the monster didn't vanish. Even under Hulk's devastating punch, it twisted, cracked bones audibly, and climbed out, leaving everyone stunned.
"Hulk!!"
Hulk, provoked, swung his fist. But the monster blocked it with one hand.
Bang!
A shockwave radiated outward, sending Barton off balance. Everyone gaped—the creature had withstood Hulk's full strength.
Tony could barely believe it. Even Hulk's punches, capable of leveling tanks, were no match. Natasha and Bucky blocking Hulk? Impossible for ordinary humans. This monster's physical endurance was extraordinary.
Bucky's earlier observation confirmed it: each resurrection made the monster even stronger.
The Avengers' relaxed mindset vanished. Natasha's voice was serious:
"This is troublesome. Everyone, focus on breaking its joints and restraining it. We can't kill it, but we can try to bind it."
Boom! Bucky acted decisively. Moving like a cheetah, he dismantled the monster's joints. Psylocke reinforced the restraints with psychokinesis. Barton shot special arrows, creating a gravitational field to immobilize the monster completely.
Yet, the monster vanished once more. It reappeared, attacking Barton by teleportation, only to be intercepted by Natasha and Bucky. The creature grew even stronger, teleporting and assaulting repeatedly.
Tony lifted Barton to safety and surveyed the battlefield from above. Psylocke and Ava, shifting between real and phasing states, kept the monster under pressure.
"Damn, this monster is practically invincible," Barton muttered.
The monster's endless energy, rapid learning, and teleportation ability made every engagement exhausting. Each attack forced the team to adapt instantly.
"If we continue like this, it will only get stronger each resurrection. This will be endless," Tony groaned.
"Move the battlefield farther away," Natasha ordered decisively.
Following her lead, Hulk, Bucky, and the others shifted the battle 800 meters from Crystal Lake Camp. The monster grew restless, attacking faster, but eventually stopped, standing and watching before vanishing.
Psylocke and Ava exhaled in relief. Facing the monster up close was deadly—its machete could easily slice a tank, and its strength was beyond human endurance.
Tony set Barton down, exhausted. "This thing grows too fast. Ordinary humans have zero chance."
Bucky analyzed, "The key is Crystal Lake. It seems the monster dies, resurrects there, and grows stronger each time. If we control the lake, it won't attack humans."
Ava nodded, helmet off. "Every death and resurrection happens at the lake's center. There's likely something there controlling him. Find it, and we may have a way to stop him."
Tony instructed J.A.R.V.I.S., "Retrieve all information on deaths at Crystal Lake since the first murder."
A holographic display appeared, showing decades of data and black-and-white photos.
"In 1958, a murder claimed two lives, followed by strange deaths until 1980," J.A.R.V.I.S. reported.
Natasha and the team focused. Tony continued, "The culprit is likely Jason Voorhees. Deformed from childhood, afraid of water, bullied by classmates, and drowned at Crystal Lake during summer camp. His mother was involved in the initial death."
Natasha reasoned, "Jason was drowned, resurrected in the lake, and his killings continued. The mask covers his deformed face. The lake is central to his immortality. This confirms our monster is Jason Voorhees."
Tony added, "His mother might explain his abilities. If he uses resurrection strategically, who knows how strong he could become—maybe strong enough to rival a Saint Seiya warrior."
Hearing the Saint Seiya reference, Natasha frowned, then relaxed. "This is serious. I'll need outside help."
Without hesitation, Natasha dialed her phone. A lively voice answered:
"Hey, Natasha."
"Yelena, I need your help."
(End of Chapter)
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