Ethan Blake's expression remained completely indifferent. His gaze stayed locked on Black Bolt, steady and emotionless, as if the threat he had just delivered was nothing more than a casual remark. The air around them grew heavy, and the already tense atmosphere tightened further with every passing second.
Tony reacted first.
His armor sealed around him with a mechanical hiss, and the palms of the suit glowed bright red as the repulsors charged. The faint humming sound filled the ruined courtyard as he prepared for the worst.
"Ethan…" Tony began cautiously.
Pietro stepped forward as well, his face full of worry.
"Ethan, this is actually because of—"
"Shut up."
Ethan's voice cut through the air like a blade.
Pietro froze instantly.
The warning in Ethan's tone made it painfully clear that continuing to talk would only make things worse. Pietro knew that voice very well. It was the exact tone Ethan used right before losing his temper.
When that happened, things usually ended badly for whoever was standing in front of him.
Pietro rubbed his temples helplessly. On one side stood Crystal and the entire Inhuman royal family. On the other side stood Ethan and Wanda.
He was stuck squarely in the middle.
But the truth was simple. If things really escalated into a fight, he wouldn't hesitate for even a second. Ethan and Wanda mattered far more to him than anything else. Even if he liked Crystal, that didn't change where his loyalty lay.
Across from them, Medusa's anger erupted the moment Ethan delivered his blunt threat.
Her waist-length crimson hair suddenly lifted into the air without any wind, floating around her like living flames. Each strand seemed to move with its own will.
Medusa's power was formidable.
She could freely control the growth and movement of every strand of hair on her body. At her command, those strands could harden to a level stronger than steel, capable of piercing armor or crushing stone. Even if a lock of hair were cut off, she could still maintain control over it.
The rising sea of crimson hair began to coil like serpents, ready to strike.
But just before she attacked, Black Bolt raised a hand and stopped her.
He shook his head.
Medusa paused, clearly unwilling to back down. But when she looked at her husband, she saw something unusual in his eyes.
Concern.
Black Bolt had no intention of fighting Ethan.
Although he had previously been under Maximus's control, that didn't mean his memory had disappeared. Everything that had happened earlier remained vivid in his mind.
At first, Ethan resisting the destructive force of his voice had already been surprising. Later, the lightning attacks Ethan unleashed had been powerful as well, though not enough to truly frighten him.
What truly unsettled Black Bolt was something else.
When he finally broke free from Maximus's control, he had unleashed a roar with nearly his full strength. That devastating sonic blast should have obliterated everything in its path.
Yet Ethan had stood directly within it.
Not only had he emerged completely unharmed, but it almost looked like he had been enjoying it.
That realization made Black Bolt uneasy.
If Ethan was immune to his voice, then the king's greatest weapon meant nothing.
And aside from Black Bolt himself, the Inhumans simply didn't have anyone strong enough to challenge someone like Ethan. If he insisted on confrontation now, there was a real possibility that Attilan could be destroyed.
So Black Bolt chose the only rational option.
Compromise.
After stopping Medusa, he began gesturing again.
Medusa frowned as she watched his hands move. She clearly didn't like what she was seeing, but she had no choice except to translate.
After all, Black Bolt was the king.
Within Inhuman society, the king's word was absolute law.
Medusa turned toward Ethan.
"Respected guest," she said reluctantly. "His Majesty has agreed to allow Crystal and Pietro to marry."
She paused before continuing.
"He also asks that you disperse the thunderclouds above Attilan."
Ethan wasn't surprised at all.
Unless Black Bolt was as stubborn as Thor—someone who would charge into battle even when defeat was obvious—there was no reason for him to choose war.
Black Bolt clearly wasn't that type of person.
Ethan nodded slightly.
The black thunderclouds gathering above the city immediately began to dissipate. The crackling lightning faded away as the sky slowly returned to normal.
Wanda also lowered her hands, allowing the crimson glow around her palms to disappear.
Pietro, meanwhile, stood there completely stunned.
Marriage?
He was only eighteen.
He had just become an adult. All he wanted was a relationship with Crystal, not a sudden royal wedding.
He opened his mouth as if to protest.
But when he saw the bright smile on Crystal's face beside him, the words died in his throat.
In the end, he simply stayed silent.
Ethan glanced at Black Bolt thoughtfully.
"Honestly," he said casually, "your Inhuman population probably doesn't produce many strong individuals anymore. Long-term inbreeding between the same group usually weakens genetic diversity."
He shrugged slightly.
"If you start intermarrying with humans on Earth, you might produce someone like Professor X or Magneto in the next generation."
Black Bolt frowned as he considered the suggestion.
He didn't recognize those names, but the way Ethan said them made it obvious they referred to powerful individuals.
After a moment, the king nodded.
Medusa translated again.
"His Majesty says he will seriously consider your suggestion."
Black Bolt then made another gesture.
"The king also hopes you will stay in Attilan for a while so he may properly host you as honored guests."
"Sure."
"No problem."
Before Ethan could even respond, Pietro and Tony both spoke at the same time.
Ethan rolled his eyes.
These two clearly had their own motives. One of them had just secured a royal girlfriend, while the other was probably itching to study Attilan's advanced technology.
Neither of them was acting out of pure goodwill.
Still, Ethan didn't mind staying.
"Alright," he said finally.
Thinking about it more carefully, Black Bolt really did have remarkable composure. Half the palace had just been reduced to ruins, yet the king was still calmly arranging hospitality for his guests.
It seemed rebellions like this had happened more than once before.
While Ethan and his group spent their time eating, drinking, and enjoying Attilan's hospitality, something very different was happening back on Earth.
In a hidden location, a secret meeting was underway.
Only four people were present.
Wolfgang von Strucker.
Daniel Whitehall.
John Garrett.
And Ophelia Sarkissian, better known as Madame Hydra… or simply Viper.
These four individuals represented the highest leadership of HYDRA currently operating on Earth.
Strucker spoke first.
"Are you certain?" he asked coldly. "From the four Iron Man armors that left Tony Stark's residence and departed Earth… one of them belonged to the man named Ethan Blake?"
Once a close subordinate of the Red Skull, Strucker had taken control of HYDRA's European operations after his former master's death.
John Garrett answered calmly.
"There's no doubt about it," he said. "But we still don't know when they'll return."
Garrett was a Level-8 agent within S.H.I.E.L.D., and a veteran operative as well. After Alexander Pierce's death, he had quietly assumed control of HYDRA forces hidden inside S.H.I.E.L.D.
Daniel Whitehall leaned forward slightly.
"If they've already left Earth, they won't be back anytime soon," he said thoughtfully. "Tony Stark is gone as well."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"I believe this is the perfect moment to initiate the Iron Soldier Project. By the time they return, everything will already be decided. The world will belong to us."
Whitehall had once worked alongside the Red Skull as well. Through genetic experimentation, he had achieved an unnaturally extended lifespan and now controlled HYDRA's operations across Australia and Africa.
Garrett raised a concern.
"The problem is that Nick Fury is still the first commander of S.H.I.E.L.D., and I'm only the second."
Strucker's eyes turned cold.
"Then kill Nick Fury."
He looked directly at the silent blonde woman sitting across the table.
"Viper," he said calmly. "I'll leave that task to you."
The woman finally smiled.
Her lips curled into a dangerous expression that resembled a snake preparing to strike.
"Just assassination?" she said softly. "That's easy."
She tilted her head slightly.
"After all… poison is my specialty."
Ophelia Sarkissian—HYDRA's infamous Viper—possessed natural immunity to most toxins. She was a master of creating lethal poisons and often hid deadly compounds inside the hollow chambers of her teeth, striking like the venomous snake she was named after.
Across South America and parts of North America, HYDRA answered directly to her command.
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