NOVEL NEXT Chapter 13: Unmasking Hydra
As Ned was about to grab the scepter, the elevator doors suddenly opened with a "ding," and several S.H.I.E.L.D. agents emerged. Upon seeing Ned reaching for the scepter, they immediately quickened their pace and ran towards him. One of the bald agents shouted loudly, "Put that down! It doesn't belong to you!"
"Hey!"
The Avengers, having just gone through a war with Ned, were not about to let these clearly S.H.I.E.L.D.-affiliated agents bully someone and snatch what they considered their spoils of war.
Tony Stark, who already harbored a dislike for S.H.I.E.L.D. and had a knack for defying authority, stepped in front of Ned without hesitation.
With his palm repulsor glowing faintly, Stark aimed at the leader, Sitwell, and said, "Hey, four-eyed bald guy, take another step and see what happens."
Click-clack!
Before Stark's words had fully landed, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, led by Brock Rumlow, chambered their bullets in unison. Their rifles were aimed directly at Stark's unprotected head.
"What's the meaning of this?!"
Thor, who had been slow to catch on, finally realized what was happening. With a thunderous shout, he leaped into the air and landed beside Stark, wielding Mjölnir, which crackled with lightning, as he glared at the agents.
He had initially assumed they were allies.
Stark, on the other hand, wore a dark expression as the tension escalated. The glow of his palm repulsor intensified, signaling that he was ready to fire at any moment.
Amid the standoff, Black Widow and Hawkeye exchanged a glance and then silently positioned themselves behind Ned. Using Stark and Thor as cover, Natasha raised her dual pistols, and Clint notched an arrow on his bow, a habit he maintained even during missions.
The reason they didn't side with the S.H.I.E.L.D. strike team was twofold: First, their instincts aligned more with Ned's position. Second, they knew Nick Fury well enough to be sure he wouldn't sever ties with the Avengers so recklessly. Something about this situation was clearly off.
Seeing Natasha and Clint take their place behind him rather than joining S.H.I.E.L.D., Stark's expression softened slightly but remained stern. His repulsor's glow grew even brighter, signaling his readiness to attack.
Crack.
Crack.
Hmm?
Before Stark or the others could react, there was a series of glass-like shattering sounds. In the next instant, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents vanished entirely, leaving everyone confused.
Not far away, Loki, who was restrained and had been observing, narrowed his eyes at the scene. His gaze lingered on Ned, who was now holding the scepter at the center of the group.
As the self-proclaimed greatest sorcerer of the Nine Realms, Loki immediately detected spatial fluctuations. However, he couldn't discern what kind of magic Ned had used, nor could he figure out where the agents had been sent.
"Everyone, give me a moment."
Ned suddenly spoke amidst the confusion. Leaving those words, his body began to fade and, within a few seconds, disappeared entirely.
"Hmm?" Captain America quickly pieced things together and said, "He's a sorcerer. What did he do?"
The Avengers had already deduced that Ned was behind the agents' disappearance, but they were clueless as to what exactly had transpired. Their gazes all turned toward Peter.
"Uh… would you believe me if I said I have no idea what's going on either?" Peter said awkwardly, scratching his head under the group's scrutiny.
"Ahhh!!!"
Inside a mirror dimension, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents were caught completely off guard. The ground beneath them suddenly disappeared, and they plummeted into a free fall.
At such heights, survival was impossible. Rumlow shouted over the roaring wind, "What the hell kind of tech is this, Stark?!"
"How would I know?!"
Sitwell's face was distorted by the rushing air, his glasses long gone. Hearing Rumlow's question, he shouted back before crashing onto the ground.
Bang!
Bang!
One after another, the agents hit the ground. Their lifeless bodies lay scattered, blood splattering everywhere. Ned, who had just arrived, couldn't help but twitch at the sight.
With a wave of his hands, Ned opened a portal and dumped the corpses and remnants back onto the New York battlefield. He then turned and left without a second glance.
After all, those agents were Hydra operatives infiltrating S.H.I.E.L.D., so eliminating them caused him no guilt whatsoever.
"Sorcerer."
"Sorcerer."
When Ned reappeared, the Avengers quickly gathered around him. Natasha and Clint seemed hesitant to speak.
"They're dead," Ned said preemptively, knowing what they were thinking.
Natasha and Clint weren't surprised. Shrugging, they didn't press further. After all, they weren't exactly known for their mercy.
However, Tony and Steve looked visibly uncomfortable. While they hadn't been fond of the agents, Ned's quick decision to eliminate government personnel so decisively unsettled them.
As for Peter, the young Spider-Man had already retreated to the side, grappling with his own thoughts.
Mid-conversation, Ned noticed something that others couldn't see—a future version of Captain America, dressed in a uniform, was beckoning to him from the shadows.
Ned turned to the group and said, "Alright, this isn't over yet. Cap, you need to lead the rescue efforts. Stark, you've got other work to do."
"Well."
Tony shrugged and headed toward the elevator. The others followed suit, leaving only Ned and Hulk behind.
"Hey, hey, hey! You're not planning on getting in too, are you? Forget it. Two big guys? Take the stairs!" Stark called out, mocking them as the elevator doors slowly closed with a "ding."
"ROAR!!"
BAM!
Enraged by the insult, Hulk roared and smashed the elevator doors, leaving a massive dent and startling the team inside.
"Hey, Hulk," Ned called, opening a portal. "Try this. It's faster than the elevator."
"Wizard, good. Iron Man, bad."
Hulk's expression softened as he grumbled and stepped through the portal.
Ned, however, stayed behind. As Hulk walked away, Ned created a clone to accompany him while his real body sneaked into a secluded corner. Once Hulk was out of sight, the real Ned stepped forward to meet the future Captain America.
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