"Hatred…?"
Ryuuto frowned when Banner mentioned the name. It rang a bell—but when he finally remembered who that was, a cold shiver ran down his spine. The Abomination. The monster who once clashed endlessly with the Hulk.
He wasn't scared—just shocked. He never expected that lunatic to resurface… much less gain control over S.H.I.E.L.D. and Captain America.
"Wait," Ryuuto muttered. "You're saying the Abomination's behind this? Controlling S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
Banner nodded weakly. "Yeah. Somehow, he's seized command. I don't even know how."
Ryuuto's eyes narrowed as another thought clicked. "Hold up… Ant-Man. The guy who stole Loki's scepter from my room. You're telling me he and the Abomination are working together?"
Banner blinked. "What? Ant-Man—stole it?"
"Yeah. I grabbed that damn scepter from Loki myself," Ryuuto said, folding his arms. "Then it vanished. I figured it was S.H.I.E.L.D. being petty since I declared war on their suits. But if it's the Abomination pulling strings…"
Banner shook his head, exhausted. "I don't know why he took it. I barely escaped here from Mexico—no vehicles, no flights. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s surveillance is everywhere. Every time the Hulk stirred, I had to vanish into forests for days."
"So you can control your transformations now?"
"More like… we've reached a ceasefire," Banner sighed. "The Hulk and I share a common goal. That's the only reason he lets me steer the wheel."
"Then let's get to the point," Ryuuto said flatly. "You came here asking for help—what kind?"
Banner's face hardened. "I need you to defeat the Abomination."
He explained grimly, "S.H.I.E.L.D. isn't just some spy agency. They've got world-level weapons—hundreds of thermal missiles capable of vaporizing entire cities. You saw what happened to the Fantastic Four's base, right? If the Abomination gains full control, he could annihilate countries before breakfast."
Ryuuto fell silent. He didn't need more convincing—he already wanted that scepter back. The Mind Gem hidden inside it wasn't something he could afford to lose.
"Who else did the scepter get its hooks into?" Ryuuto asked.
"So far… Captain America."
Ryuuto exhaled slowly. "Doesn't matter. Either way, I'm taking the damn thing back. It's been too long since I stretched my legs."
Just then, the door slammed open. Susan stormed in, breathless.
"Ryuuto—something big just dropped!"
He raised an eyebrow. "What now?"
"The new Avengers were just announced."
"Come again?"
"It's all over the news!" she said, pointing at the monitor.
Ryuuto pulled up the live feed. A press conference played—Emil Blonsky himself, the Abomination, dressed in a polished military uniform.
"Before I announce today's decision," Blonsky said smugly, "I must first express disappointment. The old Avengers—once heroes—have fallen under the influence of a traitor named Ryuuto. Ever since his X-Men declared hostility against the government, they've become a global threat. But fear not! Captain America himself has words to share."
Applause erupted. Steve stepped up next, his expression eerily calm.
"As of now," he said, "four Avengers have defected—brainwashed by Ryuuto. To protect the people, we are forming a New Avengers team, devoted to justice and order."
Blonsky's voice returned. "I will lead this team. Members include myself, Hawkeye, Falcon, and Captain America. We welcome anyone with ability to join us—unlike those mutants who seek to rule humanity. Beware X-Men, for their dream is your nightmare!"
Ryuuto killed the projection with a flick of his wrist. "This guy's a bad Joker impersonator," he muttered. "Banner, why didn't you finish him when you had the chance?"
Banner grimaced. "I did knock him out and ran. The military branded me a fugitive back then. I thought they executed him."
"Guess not." Ryuuto's eyes gleamed. "Then we'll do it right this time."
"I'm in," Banner growled. "He almost killed me once."
"Good. He's probably still on the Helicarrier. We go there first."
Before Ryuuto could move, a familiar voice rang in his head.
[Ding! Mission Alert!][Rescue Iron Man (Tony Stark), currently approaching Axville Academy!][Reward: Character Data Package!]
"Shion?" Ryuuto blinked, startled. "Finally decided to wake up?"
[Hmph. The system was upgrading, okay? You try optimizing cross-universe compatibility sometime.]
"Upgrading, huh? Got any new tricks for me?"
[Of course. But let's save the patch notes for after you bail out Stark.]
Ryuuto smirked. "Fine by me."