Dozens of falling stars were about to strike the S.H.I.E.L.D. building, causing widespread panic.
"Oh no!"
Natasha couldn't help but cry out in alarm.
At that moment, her clawed ghost soldiers seemed to receive a command, transforming into shadows that slipped through the window cracks and then returned to human form, leaping towards the beams!
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The ghost soldiers used their bodies as shields to block all the beams, each explosion more powerful than a rocket launcher.
"The power! It's stronger than a rocket launcher!"
Hawkeye was shocked at the explosion's power, unable to believe he had caused it.
"Cough, cough!" After the shock, he suddenly felt very tired and kneeled down, his arm in great pain.
"Is this the side effect of Falling Star Style?"
Hawkeye immediately understood.
"Oh my god, what just happened!"
"Did Agent Barton do that? It's amazing!"
"Luckily, there were those shadow creatures. But what are they?"
The office workers were all shocked by what had just transpired, their brains struggling to process all the information.
"Barton, are you okay?"
Natasha helped Hawkeye up, concerned.
"I'm fine, but your little soldiers..."
Hawkeye looked guiltily at the window. The ghost soldiers had been blown into black smoke, leaving him breathless. Not even bodies remained—such terrifying power.
Natasha bowed her head. Though she had only just met the ghost soldiers, they were hers, and their sudden demise saddened her.
But then, the black smoke that had been drifting in the air suddenly returned to Natasha and reformed into the ghost soldiers, kneeling before her.
This sight scared everyone. How could they revive after being blown to bits?
"Maybe because they're shadows, not real life forms."
Natasha quickly understood, removing the mask to examine it closely.
This defied logic. Was it magic?
Her worldview took a significant hit at that moment.
"Natasha! Barton! Come with me immediately!"
Fury rushed over, his expression grim after watching the events unfold on the monitors.
Powerful beams and unkillable soldiers—each was of immense importance. He quickly led the two back to his office.
"Everyone listen up. The director ordered that the surveillance footage from earlier be deleted. Anyone who keeps a copy or leaks it will face severe consequences."
Hill warned each person before following Fury.
Everyone else exchanged glances, then quickly returned to their work, pretending nothing had happened.
No one noticed someone secretly sending two videos out—one of SCP-173 and the other of the recent events.
The screen was filled with comments.
Luffy: "Hey, what does 'reward' mean?"
Naruto: "It's like us ninjas completing missions and getting rewards."
Tony Stark: "Natasha, and Barton, what exactly did you receive?"
Nick Fury: "Sorry, that's classified information."
Tony Stark: "The more you say, the more curious I get. I'll see for myself when I arrive."
Nick Fury: "Suit yourself."
Fury understood the value of the Razo Mask and Falling Star Style and wouldn't reveal it easily. With these two, he was confident S.H.I.E.L.D. could better protect the world.
However, he was increasingly wary and curious about the entity behind the screen. It could conjure items and grant skills out of thin air, making him both cautious and intrigued about what more rewards might be possible.
He sensed this might be S.H.I.E.L.D.'s opportunity.
Kamar-Taj
The Ancient One smiled, shaking her fan. "It seems the entity behind this screen is helping us."
"What?"
Mordo was puzzled.
The Ancient One didn't explain but continued watching the screen.
With Ryner
"SCP-173 containment successful. Host receives the reward: SCP-173's high-speed movement."
The system notification echoed in Ryner's mind, and suddenly everything around him seemed to slow down. Or rather, he sped up!
"Awesome!"
Ryner clenched his fist in excitement, looking forward to future rewards. The people of different worlds must work hard to succeed!
The next SCP to appear—Carnivorous Vines.
As the screen displayed this message, everyone fell silent, staring at it in shock.
DC World
Bruce was stunned by the number. He thought there were over a hundred SCPs, but now it seemed there were hundreds. How many more were there?
He continued to record everything meticulously.
Carnivorous Vines are a type of climbing plant resembling ivy, with yellow-green stems and purple leaves. The vines drop a root every 30.5 centimeters (12 inches). These roots can penetrate most porous materials but not metal.
Once this plant detects a nearby warm-blooded creature, it grows rapidly to capture and consume it. Its reproduction ability is exceptional.
It hunts by injecting a paralyzing fluid into its prey, then dissolving all muscles, internal organs, and tissues, absorbing them through the roots.
Any part of the plant cut off from the root system can be considered dead and can be safely observed up close. However, the main root will not die and can regenerate even if cut or burned.
The screen then showed a peaceful-looking town.
In the footage, a few birds were building a nest, looking quite cute.
The harmonious scene left everyone confused, not understanding the connection to the SCP.
But the next second, something happened.
Three thick vines suddenly emerged from the tree roots, instantly capturing the birds.
Before they could react, the birds were crushed into paste by the vines and absorbed.
The viewers' jaws dropped. What kind of plant was this? How could it grow so quickly without water or fertilizer?
In the footage, some passersby were attracted by the scene and took pictures out of curiosity.
Their actions accelerated the tragedy.
The ivy rapidly reproduced, sending out more vines to capture the bystanders. Initially, they struggled, but soon they stopped moving, paralyzed.
A strange liquid flowed from their bodies, absorbed by the ivy, which then shrank their bodies into mere husks before splitting open like paper.
After consuming over a dozen people, the ivy's size multiplied tenfold. Dozens of thick vines wriggled like living creatures, searching for their next target.
Nearby passersby, vehicles, and birds in the sky all became targets.
The vines reproduced and spread endlessly, consuming any life forms in their path.
They broke through buildings, cars, and even sewer systems to catch prey.
In less than ten minutes, the eerie plant had grown to the size of a forest!
(End of Chapter)