Chapter 59:
The Void Ring truly lived up to its name, astonishing Mark with its incredible power.
Through extensive testing, Mark discovered that the Void Ring could not only control gravity but also manipulate other things.
One of its most impressive abilities was teleportation, which didn't rely on gravity but on a stronger force similar to the Ender Hand force. After some thought, Mark named this power the Void Force Field.
With his mastery of gravity manipulation and Void Walking, Mark became a force to be reckoned with, like a combination of Pain and Minato Namikaze from Naruto. He had incredible mobility, immense destructive power, and wielded an indestructible greatsword, making him truly formidable.
Mark was eager for a real challenge as he continued to explore the Void Ring's capabilities.
Meanwhile, Nick Fury returned to S.H.I.E.L.D. base to report the incident to his superiors.
The alien invasion became a hot topic, and its seriousness was highlighted. Even the most powerful people had moments of panic, which caused widespread fear. Seeing his opportunity, Nick Fury proposed his Avengers Initiative.
Although the plan had been rejected before, Nick Fury was fully prepared this time, and the circumstances had changed.
The Destroyer's destructive rampage, captured on video, clearly showed how dangerous the aliens were. With the destruction of the S.H.I.E.L.D. base, the threat level had increased significantly. As a result, many senators started to support Nick Fury, and Congress quickly approved his plan, allowing him to assemble a team to fight the alien threat.
With the green light, Nick Fury wasted no time and took immediate action.
He had already made a list of potential team members, personally evaluating each one. The list included Tony Stark (Iron Man), Steve Rogers (Captain America), Dr. Bruce Banner (the Hulk), and his skilled agents, Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff) and Hawkeye (Clint Barton), who were currently under mind control.
But there was one wildcard that needed further consideration.
And that was Mark.
Honestly, besides Captain Marvel, who could destroy Kree spaceships with her bare hands, Mark might be the most powerful person Nick Fury had ever met. And Mark's power seemed to be constantly growing.
But being an Avenger required more than just raw power.
Mark's unpredictable personality was a real concern.
However, the situation was urgent, and they needed Mark's help. After all, nothing could be worse than the world being destroyed, right?
Nick Fury now truly understood how dangerous the Tesseract was.
While S.H.I.E.L.D. had been studying the Tesseract, their knowledge was limited to creating a few energy weapons. During World War II, the Nazis had used its power to create devastating technology that could have destroyed the world. Captain America had stopped that from happening. How could such a terrifying artifact fall into the wrong hands?
Nick Fury had been sincere when he said he wanted to give the Tesseract to Mark.
He also realized that the most dangerous thing about the Tesseract wasn't its immense power, but the fact that it could be stolen and used by anyone, at any time.
Nuclear bombs themselves weren't scary, but the thought of someone stealing one and using it was terrifying.
So, Nick Fury instructed Natasha to find Dr. Banner, sent Agent Coulson to inform Captain America, and even had agents contact Thor, who was currently on his honeymoon. As for himself, he went to Tony Stark's house.
Tony Stark was busy researching a new element, and time was running out. He needed to work faster.
Luckily, Tony was a fast learner.
At first, he struggled a bit and seemed confused while watching a video left by his father, Howard. He couldn't grasp the main idea. But then Mark called him and suggested he visit his company to relax. At the company, Tony Stark quickly decoded the physical layout diagram of the 1974 World's Fair, which led to a breakthrough.
Everything clicked into place.
Following Nick Fury's plan, everyone gathered at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier.
Captain America was the first to arrive, having just woken up and with no other obligations. Dr. Banner and Natasha joined shortly after, but Tony Stark, focused on his new element research, arrived later than expected.
Soon, all the Avengers were assembled, except for the unpredictable wildcard—Mark.
After a moment of thought, Nick Fury decided to call Mark directly. Mark answered immediately.
"What's up?"
"All the Avengers are here, and everyone is waiting for you," Nick Fury informed him.
"But it's Saturday, and I have to cross New York... I'm stuck in traffic," Mark's casual voice replied. "I might be late."
"How much longer?"
Nick Fury thought for a moment before asking.
"Until Monday."
"...What? Can't you fly?" Nick Fury felt his blood pressure rising. "Damn it! The world is at stake, and you're taking a taxi?"
"Can't I get reimbursed for the taxi fare?" Mark replied. "Ask the driver for a receipt, and I can expense it. Isn't that great?"
"You, a sorcerer who knows alchemy, and I'm advising you not to show off your wealth. And you want S.H.I.E.L.D. to pay for your cab fare???" Nick Fury was exasperated. "What are you thinking?"
"You don't want the Tesseract anymore?"
"Boom!"
Suddenly, a loud noise came from above, followed by blaring alarms. A figure gracefully landed next to Nick Fury, placing a hand
on his shoulder.
"Relax, mate. I'm here."