Over a hundred black Sentinel robots moved in unison, charging rapidly toward the Chitauri forces. As they approached, their various abilities were put on display, to the astonishment of Loki, Thor, and the Chitauri commander.
Boom!
One Sentinel's head opened, and a bright yellow-red laser beam shot out, hitting a nearby Chitauri ship. The vessel exploded in mid-air, scattering debris.
Having neutralized their initial target, the Sentinel robot's logic system recalculated and focused on the nearest Chitauri vessel. It flew over and engaged the target.
This was just the beginning. Some Sentinel robots transformed into a silver metallic form, crashing through the air and attacking a whale ship with their arms. Despite the Chitauri's counterattacks, the Sentinels suffered minimal damage. It took a special energy weapon from a Chitauri to inflict any significant harm.
Other Sentinels exhibited the ability to control crystals and freeze Chitauri ships—powers reminiscent of the Crystal Man, Yana, one of the Messiah's former twelve disciples. The capture of Yana allowed the Sentinels to replicate his abilities.
Loki, the Chitauri commander, and Thor watched in shock as the Sentinels showcased their diverse powers.
The Chitauri forces suffered substantial losses. The Chitauri commander, unable to believe what he was witnessing, was in disbelief.
"Impossible!"
"How could humans possibly create something like this?"
The Chitauri commander's mind raced. Had humans truly developed such terrifying technology? His thoughts were interrupted by a critical realization.
"Loki, I heard that human woman say these black figures were created to deal with so-called Omega mutants?"
"Two humans?"
He turned to Loki, who, equally stunned, nodded in confirmation.
The Chitauri commander was now filled with astonishment, muttering, "Created to combat two humans?"
"And now, they're being used against us, the Chitauri?"
The implications were staggering. Loki, too, was grappling with the enormity of the situation.
Could such formidable creations be merely intended for two individuals?
The two exchanged bewildered glances, their minds reeling.
Elsewhere
Thor stared with his mouth agape, incredulously asking Captain America and his team, "Hey, you guys never mentioned you had such secret weapons capable of taking on the Chitauri army!"
Black Widow Natasha and the others were equally stunned. They had only ever seen the Sentinels in combat with the Messiah and the White Knight, where the robots were easily destroyed. They hadn't anticipated that these Sentinels could be so effective.
Realizing their previous underestimation, Natasha explained, "The Sentinels belong to a different department. Fury tried to get involved, but it was blocked by the senators, so…"
They hadn't expected the Sentinels to appear in this battle.
Thor was still puzzled. "So, these are called Sentinel robots?"
"And they were made to deal with Omega mutants?"
Like Loki and the Chitauri commander, Thor was trying to understand the situation. Such powerful machines were supposedly designed to deal with just two individuals?
Thor was filled with disbelief and confusion.
With the Sentinels on the offensive, the pressure on Captain America and his team decreased significantly. The Chitauri commander's face darkened further.
Despite their numbers, the Chitauri were struggling against the Sentinels. The idea of relying solely on their numbers to overcome the robots seemed untenable, and the commander was frustrated with the unexpected turn of events.
The mother and her children's reaction only added to his frustration.
Seeing the Sentinels gaining the upper hand, the children clapped excitedly, cheering for the robots.
The mother, Melche, expressed her gratitude loudly, "Oh God!"
"Sentinel robots are indeed formidable. Even if they couldn't handle the Messiah and the White Knight, they're proving more than capable against these aliens!"
"Look at their power, it's impressive! Keep it up, and get rid of these disgusting aliens!"
Hearing this, the Chitauri commander's expression darkened further. The words of the human woman seemed to suggest that these powerful robots were mere toys compared to the Messiah and White Knight.
"What?" the Chitauri commander thought, "These Sentinels, which require significant effort to be dealt with, are easily handled by those two?"
The idea that such formidable robots were simply discarded by the Messiah and White Knight was inconceivable to him.
The Chitauri forces around him were also stirred by the woman's comments, their disbelief palpable.
Even Loki found it hard to accept the woman's claims, thinking that she must be exaggerating to undermine their confidence.
The Chitauri commander, regaining composure from his shock, said resolutely, "That human woman must know we're eavesdropping. She's deliberately making these claims to demoralize us and our troops!"
(End of Chapter)