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Link once again embarked on his journey to find Kamar-Taj. Since returning from Asgard, he had been searching relentlessly, only returning to New York when necessary. With the Space Stone in his possession, he could travel freely. However, despite his efforts, after over a month of searching in Nepal, he still hadn't succeeded.
This time, he headed back to the same place. He even quickly picked up the local language to ask around, but no one seemed to know anything.
Link had the feeling that the Ancient One was deliberately avoiding him, rather than him simply being unable to find her.
It irritated him—why wouldn't the Ancient One meet him?
Determined, he went again, wandering through the area, even flying high into the night sky, listening closely.
But all these efforts were in vain. It became evident that sorcerers weren't that easy to find. After a month of searching, Link had no choice but to return.
The Ancient One, of course, was well aware of his presence. She had been observing Link all along but chose not to reveal herself. Given Link's immense power, the Ancient One was hesitant to expose the secrets of the sorcerers to him. Furthermore, she didn't want to teach Link magic; he was already too strong. If he mastered magic as well, how could any future Sorcerer Supreme keep him in check?
At this moment, Link possessed two Infinity Stones, and the Ancient One wasn't even sure she could defeat him. So, she decided to stay hidden.
Link, meanwhile, understood the allure of magic. But with the Ancient One unwilling to appear, her stance was clear: she had no intention of teaching him. Thus, Link had no choice but to abandon the idea.
The plan to use the Reality Stone as a source of magic? Unfeasible.
…
"Hey, Link, I'm going in for surgery," Stark suddenly called Link.
Link was momentarily confused before realizing what Stark was referring to. Stark still had shrapnel lodged in his heart. Link had completely forgotten about it—something that shouldn't have slipped his mind.
"Tony, maybe you don't need surgery," Link said.
"...What do you mean?" Stark asked, puzzled.
"Remember the Infinity Stones?" Link reminded him. "When I went to Asgard, I obtained another one: the Reality Stone. I can help remove the shrapnel without the need for surgery."
"Seriously?" Stark was overjoyed. The surgery carried significant risks, but Pepper had pushed for it. Only by removing the shrapnel could they finally get married, something Stark had mulled over for a long time before agreeing.
And now? Surgery wasn't necessary?
Stark had witnessed the powers of the Space Stone firsthand, with its ability to open portals instantly. What kind of wonders could the Reality Stone perform?
"Hey, why didn't you mention this sooner?" Stark's voice was tinged with mock annoyance.
Link chuckled and replied, "Sorry, I didn't think of using it this way. If you hadn't mentioned it, I'd have completely forgotten about your injury."
"Alright then, do I need to prepare anything?" Stark asked.
"Well, you won't be completely avoiding surgery. Your chest will still need some recovery, which the Reality Stone can't help with. I can guarantee the safe removal of the shrapnel, but the post-op recovery will still require medical treatment," Link explained.
"Got it. I'll make the arrangements and let you know," Stark said, quickly hanging up.
Link shook his head with a smile. He had truly forgotten about Stark's condition. It wasn't that his memory was bad; he simply had a habit of overlooking less obvious issues. Seeing Stark so lively all the time made it easy to forget about his injury.
…
Meanwhile, the space station headquarters was operating smoothly. The command and communications towers had been installed, and the final "tentacles" were still under construction.
Peggy Carter, now the commander of the space headquarters, was fully immersed in her studies. With the help of artificial intelligence, she held a high level of authority within the station.
Steve Rogers was also stationed at the space headquarters. The two of them were enjoying a period of romantic bliss, and it seemed likely they would soon marry. However, their union would remain a secret, without any formal registration. Given Peggy Carter's rejuvenation, publicly revealing her identity would attract too much attention from the elites.
Natasha, on the other hand, remained stationed at the Earth base, maintaining open lines of communication with the space station.
Link had previously mentioned that each Avenger should be equipped with their own AI. For Natasha, her AI was designed to be a spy, complete with a suite of nanobot espionage tools to help her gather intelligence when necessary.
Since her identity was already public, covert missions had become problematic. Disguises weren't reliable, so advanced equipment was a better option.
Natasha's experience, combined with the right tech, would make her an unstoppable force.
As for Hawkeye, his AI and equipment focused on enhancing his archery, including a new set of AI-controlled flying bolts. Paired with his skills, his precision would become even deadlier.
Creating AI systems for Natasha and Hawkeye had been relatively straightforward. Stark, Link, Bruce, and Thor didn't require such support.
Once Bruce transformed into the Hulk, AI control became impossible. And for Thor, Asgardians were extremely confident in their own powers.
Stark and Link already had their own AI systems, so there was no need for further development. That left Captain America as the odd one out.
Cap's combat style relied heavily on his shield and physical abilities. Integrating AI into his combat might create more problems than benefits.
Peggy Carter had also requested her own vibranium shield, which complicated things further. So for now, neither Cap nor Peggy were equipped with AI.
Nonetheless, the introduction of AI helped compensate for some of Hawkeye and Black Widow's weaknesses.
With the AI systems for Natasha and Clint now complete, the Avengers were strategically stationed: Peggy and Steve in space, Natasha and Clint on Earth. Stark and Bruce remained at Stark Tower, while Link operated from the Osborn Tower, primarily focusing on research. Publicly, Link was viewed as a recluse providing support from behind the scenes.
Thanks to the Space Stone, Link could appear anywhere at any time, so for now, this structure worked well.
Thor couldn't be stationed permanently on Earth. His biggest issue now was his relationship with Jane Foster. They cared deeply for each other, but the difference in their lifespans posed a major challenge.
Even if Jane used the Super Soldier Serum or dragon bones, her lifespan would still pale in comparison to Thor's. The gap between them was too vast.
No amount of technology could bridge that gap. Their relationship was something the other Avengers couldn't help with. Only Thor and Jane could decide whether to pursue a fleeting love, leaving Thor to face centuries of heartache.
Would time eventually heal that wound? Would Thor, in his thousands of years of life, ever forget?
(End of Chapter)