He charged over again.
This time, Thor did not wait for him to get close.
He raised mjolnir, condensed lightning on the hammerhead, and then slammed it fiercely into the ground.
The lightning Swirled outwards from him as the center, forming a circular Impact.
No matter how fast Pietro was, he could not rush past that barrier before the Impact Swirled—he was forced to slow down and was knocked back a few steps by the Impact.
Thor stood up and looked at Pietro.
"I told you, you are still far from ready."
On the other side, Loki was facing Wanda.
Dark red energy danced at Wanda's fingertips, like living snakes, slithering in the air.
She looked at Loki, her eyes holding a complex, almost wary light.
Loki stood opposite her, arms crossed over his chest, a half-smile hanging on the corner of his mouth.
He raised his hand, green magic light condensing at his fingertips: "A very interesting ability; let me see to what extent you can perform."
Wanda did not back down; she raised her hand, dark red light surging from her palms, turning into tentacles that coiled toward Loki.
Loki dodged to the side, the green light turning into a magic blade, slashing at those tentacles.
The dark red and green lights collided in the air, erupting into blinding brightness.
Wanda took a step back, her face turning somewhat pale.
She could feel that this man's magic was far more powerful than hers.
Her ability was chaotic, wild, and uncontrolled.
And his magic—precise, elegant, with every ounce of power used on the cutting edge.
"You..." Wanda's voice was somewhat tight, "Who exactly are you?"
Loki looked at her, a rare, almost gentle light flashing in those emerald green eyes.
"A... Traveler." He said softly.
Although he had come to Earth to see his sister, he was indeed traveling around now; Loki thought about it, and saying this wasn't a problem.
Wanda was stunned for a moment.
As the God of Trajectories, Loki saw through Wanda's confused and hateful gaze at a glance.
Loki pursed his lips into a smile and said: "You have been used by HYDRA. They gave you power and told you this was your 'mission.' But you know that is not true."
Wanda's hands trembled slightly.
"You actually do not want to hurt others, do you?" Loki said, "But you have no choice."
Wanda's eyes reddened: "How do you know?"
Loki lowered his hand, and the green magic light extinguished.
"But today, you have the power to choose."
Wanda looked at him, something flickering in those eyes; she opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but just then—
A golden-red light descended from the sky.
Mavuika landed between the two.
She looked at Loki, then at Wanda: "Resolved?"
Loki nodded. "Almost."
Mavuika turned to look at Wanda. Those amber eyes were calm and warm, like the rising Sun.
Wanda subconsciously took a step back.
She could feel—this woman's power was stronger than anyone she had ever seen.
Not just a little bit stronger, but strong to an incomprehensible degree.
"You..." Wanda's voice trembled somewhat.
Mavuika looked at her and smiled gently.
"Don't be afraid." She said: "We are not here to hurt you."
Wanda was silent.
In the distance, the battle between Pietro and Thor had also stopped.
Pietro stood in a ruin, panting, blood at the corner of his mouth, with several burns on his body.
Thor stood opposite him; although he had taken a few hits, he looked in much better condition than him.
Thor looked at Pietro, no hostility in his eyes, only a kind of... regret.
"You are strong," Thor said, "but you used it in the wrong place."
Pietro gritted his teeth. "Do you think I wanted to?"
Thor was stunned for a moment.
Pietro lowered his head, his voice becoming very low. "We had no choice."
The battle was over.
From the moment Mavuika and the other two arrived on the battlefield, the battle had already ended.
HYDRA's troops were retreating steadily under the counterattack from Natasha and Clint.
Without the support of the Maximoff siblings, those soldiers were simply no match for the S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents.
One by one, they were subdued, arrested, and killed.
Alexander Pierce stood in the command center, looking at the disappearing red dots on the holographic projection, his face livid.
His plan had failed, the helicarrier was destroyed, the Maximoff siblings were subdued, and HYDRA's troops were in rout.
He turned to leave.
Then he saw the person standing at the door.
Fury.
Fury stood at the door, holding a gun in his hand, that single eye watching Pierce, his gaze cold.
There was blood on his clothes—not his, but the enemy's—and there were a few abrasions on his face, but he stood straight, like a pine tree standing tall in a storm.
"Alexander Pierce." Fury's voice was low and calm.
Pierce looked at him, silent for a few seconds.
Then he smiled.
There was bitterness in that smile, unwillingness, and also a kind of relief.
"Nick," he said, "you always arrive faster than I expected."
Fury walked into the room, the muzzle of his gun always aimed at Pierce's chest.
"Your plan is over."
Pierce spread his hands: "Perhaps. But HYDRA will not perish because one person falls. You cut off one head, and two will grow back."
Fury looked at him: "Then we will continue, cutting them off one by one, until they can no longer grow back."
Pierce was silent.
He lowered his head, looking at his own hands—the hands that had once signed countless orders and decided the life and death of countless people—were now trembling slightly.
Then he raised his head, looking at Fury.
"Do you know why I did all this?"
Fury did not speak.
Pierce continued: "This World is too chaotic. War, hunger, disease, hatred—humanity is always repeating the same mistakes. I just wanted to... make it orderly."
"By killing?" Fury's voice was cold.
Pierce smiled bitterly. "Sometimes, sacrifice is necessary; you should know this very well."
Fury looked at him, noncommittal.
Regarding this statement, Fury actually agreed; he was never a person who rigidly pursued justice.
On the contrary, if sacrificing some people could save the vast majority, he would do it without hesitation.
"But not in your way; such methods are not called sacrifice, this is Carnage."
Pierce was silent for a long time.
Then he sighed softly. "Perhaps."
He raised his hands.
"I surrender."
At the other end of the corridor, Steve dragged his exhausted body and finally arrived at the S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters.
There were new scratches on his shield, bruises on his face, and blood at the corner of his mouth.
His left arm was injured during the battle and he couldn't use it, but he did not stop.
Beside him was Bucky.
Bucky's eyes had regained clarity; Wanda's mental control had been lifted.
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150 POWER STONE = BONUS CHAPTER
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