Chapter 26: PowerUp
S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier - Command Center
The massive flying aircraft carrier was impressive—proof of human engineering and technology. Loki was locked in a specially designed glass prison cell, suspended over a 30,000-foot drop.
The team gathered in the briefing room: Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, Natasha Romanoff, and Thor. Nick Fury explained the situation.
"Loki's planning something big," Fury explained. "He stole iridium from a facility in Germany."
"According to the data, the person who stole it was one of our S.H.I.E.L.D. agents," Natasha added, looking at her screen.
"What is metal iridium used for?" Steve asked.
"They use it as a stabilizer for space portals," Tony explained. "It means the portal won't collapse on itself. No limit to how many can come through and how long it stays open."
"That's troublesome. We need to find the Tesseract as soon as possible. Loki is simply a madman," Bruce said nervously.
"Be careful what you say. Loki is from Asgard, and he is also my brother," Thor said defensively.
"He killed at least dozens of people during his time on Earth," Natasha stated flatly.
"He was adopted," Thor immediately clarified.
But as they talked about strategy, something felt wrong. The team was becoming argumentative and on edge. Tony and Steve started arguing about leadership. Bruce seemed increasingly worried. They didn't know that Loki's scepter—still in a nearby lab—was quietly influencing their emotions, making negative feelings stronger.
Meanwhile, Lin Chen stood outside the lab, sensing the mental energy emanating from the scepter. His eyes narrowed as he analyzed it.
[DETECTED: Mind Stone (Infinity Stone) working...]
[ANALYZING...]
[DETECTED: Absolute Mind Manipulation]
[Ability: Can control intentions and emotions, manipulate minds, control over all types of consciousness, telepathy at universal scale, mental domination, memory manipulation, dream manipulation...]
[Mental Power +1,358]
[Mental Power +1,543]
[New Mental Power: 4,387.8]
[SYSTEM NOTICE: Mind Manipulation ability has been upgraded by fusion with Mind Stone properties]
[New Ability: Absolute Mind Control (Universal Scale+)]
- Can control minds across entire universes
- Can affect cosmic beings and abstract entities
- Can manipulate emotions, memories, thoughts, and consciousness
- Can create mental networks spanning dimensions
- Mental defenses are now impenetrable by any known force
[SYSTEM NOTICE: Multiple abilities have been upgraded to Universal Scale due to increased Mental Power reached cosmic scale]
- Cosmic Energy Manipulation: Now Universal Scale
- Subatomic Manipulation: Now Universal Scale
- Time Manipulation: Now Universal Scale
- Electromagnetic Manipulation: Now Universal Scale
- Space Manipulation: Now Universal Scale
[NEW ABILITY UNLOCKED due to strong mental power: Timeline Perception]
- Can sense other timelines and parallel universes
- Can view possible futures and alternate pasts
- Can detect temporal anomalies across the multiverse
Lin Chen's eyes widened as the overwhelming surge of power flowed through him. His consciousness expanded dramatically—he could now sense not just Earth and solar system, but other star systems, other dimensions, other timelines branching off like infinite threads.
"Incredible," he whispered. "The Mind Stone's power... it's beyond anything I imagined."
He could feel his abilities reaching across space and time. With a thought, he could sense life on distant worlds. With another thought, he could peek into alternate timelines where different choices had been made.
But he controlled himself. This power was intoxicating, but dangerous. He needed to remain focused.
---
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Explosions suddenly rocked the Helicarrier. One of the main turbine engines was destroyed in a fireball.
"We're under attack!" an agent shouted over the alarms.
The ship tilted dangerously as it began losing altitude.
Tony and Steve immediately rushed to repair the damaged engine. "I have to repair the cooling system first, then I can enter the turbine," Tony explained.
"What do you need me to do?" Steve asked.
"Get to the engine control panel and tell me which parts are overloaded," Tony instructed.
Meanwhile, in the lab, Bruce Banner was becoming increasingly stressed. The combination of the attack, the scepter's influence, and his rising worry was triggering his transformation.
"Bruce, you need to calm down," Natasha said carefully, backing away slowly.
"I'm calm. I'm very calm," Bruce insisted, but his skin was already beginning to turn green.
Natasha's eyes widened. "Bruce—"
"ROOOAAAR!"
Bruce's body exploded in size as he transformed into the Hulk. His clothes ripped apart. His muscles grew massive. His eyes glowed with rage.
Hulk immediately spotted Natasha and roared at her, seeing her as a threat. She turned and ran, sprinting through the narrow corridors of the ship.
"HULK SMASH!" the green giant bellowed, chasing after her and destroying everything in his path.
Lin Chen, who had been watching the situation nearby, immediately sensed the chaos.
"Not good," he muttered. "If Hulk tears through the ship, many people will die."
He opened a portal and appeared in the corridor between Hulk and Natasha.
"Sorry, Natasha," Lin Chen said calmly. "I'll handle this."
Before Hulk could attack, Lin Chen opened a large portal directly in front of the green giant. Hulk charged through—and appeared in a remote desert location thousands of miles away.
Lin Chen followed through the portal, closing it behind him.
---
Hulk landed hard in the sand, creating a small crater. He looked around in confusion, then spotted Lin Chen floating nearby.
"ROOOAAAR!"
Hulk charged at full speed, sand exploding behind him.
Lin Chen didn't move. As Hulk swung his massive fist—easily capable of destroying a building—Lin Chen created an energy shield that stopped the blow effortlessly.
[Strength +130 tons]
[Physique +220]
The impact created a shockwave that flattened the sand for hundreds of meters, but Lin Chen didn't move an inch.
[ANALYZING: Bruce Banner - Hulk Form]
Physical Attributes:
- Strength: 878 tons
- Physique: 2,284
- Agility: 87 m/s
- Mental Power: 2.1
Abilities:
- Superhuman Strength (increases with anger)
- Superhuman Durability (increases with anger)
- Regenerative Healing Factor
- Anger Empowerment (the angrier Hulk gets, the stronger he becomes)
- Thunderclap (shockwave generation)
- Adaptive Evolution (body adapts to threats)
"Interesting abilities," Lin Chen said calmly. "But let me show you the difference in our power."
Hulk roared and swung with his other fist. Lin Chen blocked it with another energy shield.
"You're strong," Lin Chen acknowledged. "Very strong. But you need to learn control."
[Strength +170 tons]
[Strength +177 tons]
[Physique +233]
Lin Chen released a gentle energy pulse that pushed Hulk backward, sending the green giant sliding through the sand.
Hulk roared in frustration. Lin Chen's system continued analyzing and picking Hulk's attributes.
[Strength +230 tons]
[Physique +255]
[Strength +244 tons]
Hulk charged again, faster this time. He tried to grab Lin Chen, but Lin Chen simply dodged with his super speed, moving so fast he appeared as a blur.
[Strength +343 tons]
[Physique +358]
[CURRENT STATUS UPDATE]
Physical Attributes:
- Previous Strength: 310 tons
- Strength Gained: +1,294 tons (130+170+177+230+244+243)
- New Strength: 1,504 tons
- Previous Physique: 2,747.8
- Physique Gained: +1,066 (220+233+255+358)
- New Physique: 3,813.8
"HULK STRONGEST THERE IS!" Hulk roared, slamming his fists together.
BOOOOOM!
The shockwave exploded outward with devastating force, creating a crater dozens of meters wide and sending sand flying in all directions.
[Strength +196 tons]
New Strength: 1,700 tons
The shockwave washed over Lin Chen's shield harmlessly. His physique was so far beyond Hulk's that the attack couldn't hurt him at all.
"My turn," Lin Chen said.
He clapped his own hands together filled with fraction of cosmic power.
BOOOOOOOOOM!
The resulting shockwave was like a nuclear explosion. Sand was vaporized in a massive area. The ground cracked and split. The sound was so loud it could be heard for miles.
Hulk was thrown backward, tumbling through the desert like a ragdoll.
[DETECTED: Anger Empowerment]
[Anger Empowerment: Power increases proportionally with emotional rage. Strength and durability increase as anger rises. Provides combat adaptation and survival instinct enhancement.]
[CONFIRM ACQUISITION? Y/N]
"Yes," Lin Chen confirmed.
The ability merged into his system. Now Lin Chen could use anger to boost his physical power—though with his already immense strength, he doubted he would ever need it. But wit his growing power who can make him angry, isn't that means this ability is almost useless.
Hulk slowly stood up, dazed and confused. For the first time in his existence, he had been completely overpowered. Someone had hit him harder than he could hit them.
Lin Chen decided it was time to end this peacefully. He didn't want to completely destroy Hulk's confidence or force him into submission through violence.
Instead, he activated his now-vastly enhanced telepathy, reaching carefully into Hulk's mind. He didn't force control—that would be cruel. Instead, he projected calming thoughts, peaceful images of safety.
Hulk's roar stopped. His aggressive posture relaxed slightly. The rage in his eyes dimmed.
"It's okay," Lin Chen said gently, both aloud and telepathically. "No one wants to hurt you. You're safe now. You can rest."
Hulk blinked, confusion replacing anger. The telepathic influence wrapped around his consciousness like a warm blanket.
"Sleep now, big friend," Lin Chen said softly.
Hulk's eyes closed. His massive body began to shrink, transforming back into Bruce Banner, who collapsed unconscious in the sand.
Lin Chen caught him before he hit the ground.
"You're stronger than you know, Bruce," Lin Chen said quietly. "But you need to master that rage, not let it master you."
He opened a portal back to the Helicarrier.
---
S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier - Command Center
Lin Chen stepped through the portal into the command center, carrying the unconscious Bruce Banner.
Nick Fury spun around, gun drawn by reflex, then lowered it when he saw who it was.
"Lin Chen," Fury said with visible relief. "Where the hell have you been?"
"Saving your ship and your people," Lin Chen replied, gently laying Bruce on a medical stretcher that an agent quickly brought over. "Hulk was about to tear through half your crew and possibly destroy this entire Helicarrier. I moved him to a safe location and calmed him down."
"How did you calm down that monster?" Natasha asked in disbelief, still catching her breath.
"Telepathy," Lin Chen answered simply. "Combined with overwhelming force to show him fighting was pointless, then kindness to show him he wasn't in danger. He's just scared and angry. I helped him find peace without breaking his spirit."
Fury's expression was serious. "We have bigger problems. Loki's forces attacked us during the chaos. Several agents are dead or mind-controlled. And—"
"Sir!" an agent interrupted, running into the room. "It's Agent Coulson! He's been stabbed by Loki! He's dying in the lower medical bay!"
"Where?" Lin Chen demanded, his expression hardening.
"Level 3, section Delta!"
Lin Chen disappeared through a portal before anyone could respond.
---
Phil Coulson lay on the floor in a pool of blood, his face pale and his breathing shallow. Several agents were trying desperately to stop the bleeding, but the wound was too severe—Loki's blade had pierced his lung and cut major blood vessels.
"Get out of my way," Lin Chen ordered, kneeling beside Coulson. "Only I can save him."
The agents immediately moved aside, recognizing Lin Chen's authority.
Lin Chen activated his subatomic matter manipulation, examining Coulson's injuries at the micro level. He could see every damaged cell, every torn blood vessel, every struggling organ.
"Hold on, Coulson," Lin Chen muttered, beginning his work.
He manipulated matter at the atomic level. Blood cells were repaired and multiplied to replace what had been lost. Damaged tissue was rebuilt atom by atom. The hole in Coulson's lung was closed, the torn blood vessels reconnected. Even the nerve damage was reversed.
Within thirty seconds, the fatal wound was completely healed.
Coulson suddenly coughed violently, spitting out blood from his lungs. He gasped for air, his eyes snapping open in shock.
"Am I... am I still alive?" he whispered hoarsely.
"You are," Lin Chen confirmed, standing up. "But you owe me one hundred million dollars."
Coulson managed a weak smile. "Worth every penny."
"Deal," Coulson agreed without hesitation.
Lin Chen turned to the stunned agents. "Get him to a proper medical bed. He's stable now, but he needs rest. No hard work for at least a few days."
"Yes sir!"
The agents responded, carefully lifting Coulson onto a stretcher.
Lin Chen opened a portal back to the command center.
Lin Chen stepped through the portal. Fury was coordinating repairs with his remaining staff.
"Coulson's alive," Lin Chen announced. "He'll make a full recovery."
Fury's expression showed genuine relief—one of the few times Lin Chen had seen real emotion on the director's face. "Thank you."
"By the way, Loki escaped," another agent reported. "He locked Thor in the containment cell and dropped it. Thor fell from 30,000 feet."
"Thor escaped that fall in mid-air," Lin Chen said calmly. "Even he fall down, that impact won't kill him."
"What about Loki?" Fury asked.
"He has the Tesseract and he's going to open a portal," Lin Chen said. "He needs a power source and a high place to make the portal visible. My guess? Stark Tower. It has the arc reactor technology to power the Tesseract, and it's the tallest building in New York with Stark's name on it. Loki's ego would love that."
"Then that's where we're going," Fury decided. "I'm calling in all available Avengers."
"Good," Lin Chen said. "But remember, Fury—I'm not an Avenger. I'll help stop Loki's invasion because it's a threat to Earth. After this is done, I'm going home."
"Understood," Fury nodded. "Just help us save the world one more time."
"One more time," Lin Chen agreed.
He turned away, his mind already working through possibilities.
I could capture Loki in a few seconds, Lin Chen thought carefully. But I want to see if I can absorb abilities from the Space Stone when the portal opens. The Mind Stone gave me incredible power—imagine what the Space Stone could do. I'll let the Avengers handle the invasion, and intervene only when necessary. This is their important moment to become a team.
He smiled slightly. Besides, my children are waiting for me at home. The sooner this is over, the sooner I can get back to them.
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