"They actually dared?!"
The moment the nuclear missiles launched, Clark, the Sentry, and others visibly tensed with fury and disbelief. At the same time, JARVIS and Victor Stone identified the nuclear activity in their data feeds.
The sudden escalation completely shattered the Avengers' hopes of observing events from a distance. As anticipated by the remaining official organizations, the Avengers, despite their semi-retirement, couldn't stand by and watch the Earth's civilization and biosphere suffer such devastating damage.
Although nuclear strikes wouldn't harm the planet itself, they would wreak havoc on its ecosystems, potentially wiping out life or triggering mutations that would irreversibly alter the world—a fate the Avengers found utterly unacceptable.
The planet's dimensional consciousness—a peculiar entity that evolved from the Celestial Seed embedded within Earth—was unlikely to intervene either.
History had shown that the planet's consciousness seemed to grow stronger with each catastrophic event, particularly those involving large-scale death and destruction. It was hard not to suspect that the dimensional consciousness thrived on these tragedies, making it all the more unlikely that it would stop a nuclear catastrophe.
If anything, the consciousness might welcome the annihilation of Earth's life forms, growing even stronger as a result.
Yet even if the dimensional consciousness fully matured, it wouldn't dare reveal itself. While its strength might surpass planetary norms, it could never match beings like Galactus—who had already been defeated by Robert. Fully aware of this, the dimensional consciousness preferred to remain hidden, parasitically integrated into Earth's core, awaiting the Celestials' return from other universes.
Should it ever emerge, Clark and Robert would certainly take action, and the consciousness knew it wouldn't stand a chance.
"You all focus on the remaining Doomsdays. We'll handle the missiles," Clark instructed firmly.
With that, he vanished into the sky, followed closely by Robert and the Sentry. This was not a task Clark could complete alone; their combined efforts were required to neutralize multiple threats across various locations.
As the trio left, Tony Stark turned his attention to JARVIS. "JARVIS, compile the list of nuclear strike locations," he ordered, his voice grim. "Superhuman events have already caused enough harm to civilians. Adding nuclear fallout to the mix is beyond unacceptable."
Standing nearby, Black Adam, who had been quietly observing, finally broke his silence.
"With power like yours, how did Vought International manage to overthrow you in the first place?" he asked, voicing the question that had been troubling him most since the start of this ordeal.
From Black Adam's perspective, the Avengers' strength was overwhelming. They could easily dominate the planet, imposing order by sheer might. Even if they didn't wish to rule directly, they could at least enforce obedience and deter rebellion without much trouble.
His confusion stemmed from his antiquated worldview. In his era, ordinary people were accustomed to being ruled, with little resistance to authority. But in the modern age, humanity's sense of individualism and self-determination had grown immensely.
Even with the Avengers' impeccable reputation, there were always dissenters who viewed them as hypocrites or power-hungry tyrants. These dissenters wouldn't hesitate to resist, potentially causing even greater unrest and casualties.
The Avengers understood this reality all too well. Their previous role—overseeing superhuman events and major criminal activities without interfering in global governance—had been their limit. Taking full control of human society would not only be impractical but also antithetical to their values.
"You'll understand this era better in time," Steve Rogers said softly, sighing as he tried to explain. "It's not something we can easily convey in just a few words. For now, just know that governing humanity isn't as simple as raw power. And more importantly, we don't want to rule. We'd rather avoid rebellion and unnecessary bloodshed caused by our presence."
Black Adam wasn't convinced.
"Rebellion and casualties? Those things happen no matter who's in charge. Do you think organizations like Vought governing people will somehow prevent rebellion or suffering?" he retorted.
In his view, resistance was inevitable, regardless of the ruler. He couldn't understand why the Avengers, with their unmatched power, would allow themselves to be pushed aside instead of asserting control.
The Avengers' hesitance puzzled him even more. To Black Adam, they were like the ancient Council of Wizards, who had ruled over humanity with unwavering authority. Yet, compared to those wizards, the Avengers seemed weak-willed and overly concerned with public perception.
Hearing Black Adam's words, many of the Avengers fell silent.
Even in their retirement, they were keenly aware of humanity's current struggles. Technological advancements had brought humanity laser weapons for self-defense, yet daily life for most people had deteriorated.
Population decline, rising dangers, and the greed of official organizations had driven countless people into poverty. Resources were funneled into creating Kryptonian mechanical warriors and Doomsdays, leaving little to improve ordinary lives.
The Avengers' moral dilemma had always been this: how to balance their power without becoming tyrants.
They understood that while they could regulate themselves, they weren't immortal. Someday, they would age and die, leaving behind a colossal organization with unchecked authority. What guarantee was there that this wouldn't lead to corruption and oppression in the future?
Their introspection made them hesitant to take absolute control. To Black Adam, however, this restraint seemed unnecessary, even cowardly.
"By the way, this 'nuclear strike' you're all so concerned about—what exactly is it? Could it really be more dangerous than these Doomsdays, to warrant sending your three strongest members to deal with it?" Black Adam asked, genuinely curious.
Victor Stone stepped in to explain.
"Nuclear weapons aren't more powerful than the Doomsdays, at least not in terms of raw destructive capability. They can't even hurt a Doomsday. But their danger lies elsewhere," he said.
"Nuclear explosions release a deadly form of radiation that contaminates the environment. This radiation can render entire areas uninhabitable for decades, killing any humans or animals exposed to it.
"If nuclear strikes were launched on a global scale, humanity would either have to retreat underground or face extinction. Civilization as we know it would collapse."
Black Adam's eyes widened in disbelief.
"A weapon that poisons the land itself?" he asked, looking around at the pristine environment still untouched despite the battle with the Doomsdays.
To him, such a weapon sounded like some curse or dark magic, far removed from anything he'd known in his time.
Meanwhile, Clark, the Sentry, and Robert were already intercepting the missiles, dismantling them mid-air with precision.
Their extraordinary power allowed them to neutralize the warheads without triggering fallout, ensuring the environment remained unharmed.
"This is a temporary fix," Robert said over the comms. "We should dismantle all the launch sites. In this day and age, nuclear weapons serve no purpose other than environmental destruction."
"Not just launch sites," Tony Stark added. "We should also decommission nuclear power plants. Most official organizations have already transitioned to advanced energy sources. If these plants get sabotaged, they'll become just as dangerous as the missiles."
Steve Rogers frowned. "Isn't that a bit drastic? What if some of these plants are still in use? Decommissioning them could cause massive disruptions…"
"JARVIS and Victor can identify which ones are still operational. We'll contact the organizations managing them and give them a heads-up," Tony replied coldly. "Don't forget, Steve, this nuclear crisis was orchestrated by those very organizations. It's time we stopped tiptoeing around them."
Steve sighed, nodding reluctantly. "I know. This whole situation is a direct result of their desperation—and it seems the latecomers have won."
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