When Peggy Carter offered to exchange Gravitonium for Steve Rogers, Karl paused for a moment.
Gravitonium was an extremely rare substance.
If someone successfully fused with it, they could gain the ability to manipulate gravity itself.
Such a power would be extremely valuable.
However—
The process of fusing with Gravitonium was notoriously dangerous.
Very few people could survive it.
Karl glanced at Tony and then explained calmly.
"Tony, the Gravitonium she mentioned is a silvery liquid metal."
"If it successfully fuses with a human body, the host gains the ability to control gravity."
"It's a powerful ability."
"You might want to consider it."
"Worst case…"
Karl glanced down at Steve Rogers.
"I'll simply cripple him."
Steve Rogers stared at the blonde woman standing in front of him with disbelief.
This woman looked nothing like the elderly Peggy Carter he had seen lying in a hospital bed.
She looked young.
Almost identical to how she had appeared decades ago.
Questions flooded Steve's mind.
Was the Peggy Carter he had visited before a fake?
Or had something else happened?
Tony remained silent for a moment.
Then he nodded.
"Alright."
"Karl, you do it."
Tony understood the situation clearly.
Peggy Carter had never specified that Steve Rogers needed to be returned unharmed.
Even if Steve were crippled—
He would still technically be Steve Rogers.
Despite Steve Rogers technically being an elder figure to Tony due to their fathers' generation…
Tony felt no sympathy for him.
None at all.
"Okay."
Karl nodded.
If he didn't know the location of the Gravitonium, he would never have agreed to such a deal.
He could simply take it by force.
Karl raised his hand.
A stream of golden energy shot toward Steve Rogers.
The energy penetrated Steve's body instantly.
Inside Steve Rogers' body—
The energy began destroying the Super Soldier Serum factors embedded within his cells.
The enhanced genetic structures within his muscles, bones, and bone marrow began collapsing.
The regenerative properties granted by the serum were erased.
"AAAHHH—!"
Steve Rogers screamed in agony.
He collapsed to the ground, writhing violently.
The pain was unimaginable.
Even Clint Barton could barely look at the scene.
He turned his head away.
But when he thought about Steve Rogers' fate—
He realized his own future might not be much better.
A bitter smile appeared on his face.
He didn't attempt to run.
After all—
Even Captain Marvel had been beaten nearly to death and thrown to the ground like a corpse.
How could he possibly escape?
After several seconds—
The golden light faded.
Steve Rogers stopped screaming.
On the surface, his body did not appear drastically different.
But the Super Soldier Serum inside him had been almost completely destroyed.
He was no longer Captain America.
Now—
He was merely a slightly stronger ordinary human.
A Shadow Ninja quietly emerged from Karl's shadow and hid within Steve Rogers' shadow.
Watching him.
If Steve attempted anything suspicious—
The Shadow Ninja would kill him instantly.
"You can take him now."
Karl looked at Peggy Carter.
"Gravitonium will be delivered."
"Don't make me come looking for it."
"And I want all of it."
Even if Steve Rogers returned now, he would never regain his former strength.
Injecting him with another gene serum would only cause genetic collapse.
His body would die almost instantly.
Peggy Carter showed no reaction when she saw Steve Rogers' condition.
Her expression remained completely calm.
Karl found that strange.
Not even a slight emotional fluctuation appeared on her face.
Hadn't she once loved Steve Rogers?
But after thinking about it, Karl could understand.
Seventy years had passed.
How could feelings remain unchanged after such a long time?
In the original timeline, Peggy and Steve never truly ended up together.
They had feelings for each other, but fate had separated them.
Even though Steve eventually traveled back in time to live with her—
That was another timeline entirely.
Peggy walked over.
She lifted Steve Rogers with one hand.
Then she carried him back to the car.
Moments later, the vehicle disappeared into the distance.
Karl watched her leave.
Deep in thought.
Had Peggy Carter secretly undergone some form of Super Soldier enhancement herself?
Or perhaps something else entirely?
After thinking for a moment, Karl stopped worrying about it.
He patted Tony lightly on the shoulder.
Then he slowly floated back into the air.
Below—
Hulk and Juggernaut were still fighting.
Their battle continued without pause.
Blue energy began gathering around Karl.
Then it shot downward.
The moment the energy touched Hulk—
His body began freezing instantly.
Crack—
Ice rapidly spread across Hulk's body.
The colder his body became—
The calmer his emotions became as well.
And Hulk's strength was directly tied to anger.
With his rage suppressed by extreme cold—
His power stopped increasing.
Within seconds—
Hulk was frozen solid.
Encased in absolute zero ice.
Juggernaut also gradually calmed down.
The crimson magic of Cyttorak receded back into his body.
He turned and walked toward Tony and the others.
Karl then shifted his attention toward the remaining people.
The mutants who had accompanied S.H.I.E.L.D. suddenly exploded.
Their bodies disintegrated instantly.
The remaining S.H.I.E.L.D. agents had already been wiped out earlier by the Shadow Ninjas.
Only Pierce remained.
But he exploded as well.
Letting him go?
Karl had never even considered that possibility.
Now—
Only three people remained standing in front of Karl.
Clint Barton.
Matt Murdock.
T'Challa.
Suddenly, Natasha stepped forward.
"Mr. Karl…"
"Please spare Clint Barton."
"He never attacked anyone inside the manor."
"I'm willing to pledge my loyalty to you."
"In exchange for his life."
Natasha offered herself without hesitation.
In the future timeline, Natasha and Barton had already proven how much they valued each other.
They were like family.
They had even been willing to sacrifice themselves for one another.
Natasha knew she owed Barton her life.
Now she intended to repay that debt.
"I can confirm that," Tony suddenly said.
"Hawkeye spent the whole time fighting Loki."
He floated beside Karl.
Then continued casually.
"Besides…"
"You've got to leave me a few people."
"Earth still needs a team protecting it."
"I can take over the Avengers myself."
"What do you think?"
Karl thought for a moment.
Then nodded.
"Alright."
Hawkeye was not a threat to them.
He had simply followed Nick Fury's orders.
And since Tony had spoken for him—
Karl decided to let him live.
Natasha immediately looked at Tony gratefully.
She knew very well that she herself could never persuade Karl.
Karl then turned toward Daredevil.
His voice was calm.
"Didn't Stick warn you not to come looking for death?"
"Who would have thought…"
"The infamous Devil of Hell's Kitchen is actually blind."
Karl mocked him lightly.
After all—
Matt Murdock had originally been trained by Stick.
And Stick had long understood the dangers lurking in the world.
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