The Multiverse Hunter

'Now... how do l find a secret Hydra laboratory under New York and take down an Avenger in under two days?'

Ali leaned against the cool metal railing of the rooftop, staring down at the bustling streets of Times Square. Neon billboards flashed their colourful advertisements, while the city's people moved like ants below him-completely unaware that a predator now stalked among them.

In his hands, he scrolled through the news on the stolen phone he had taken from the drunk earlier.

'Not much about Hydra... Just old reports of their involvement in the wars, illegal human experimentation, and scattered cells operating in secret.'

He exhaled through his nose. That was expected.

Hydra was like a disease-it never truly died, it just went dormant, festering beneath the surface until it was ready to strike again.

Ali continued scrolling, his sharp black eyes narrowing slightly as he switched his focus to potential Avengers targets.

'Thor? No chance. He's a god. Hulk? The booklet literally described him as a walking natural disaster—suicide. Captain America?'

Ali smirked slightly as he stared at Steve Rogers' picture, a red-white-and-blue icon of heroism plastered across an article.

'Easy kill. A relic from the past with no abilities... just a shield. But he's also one of the most protected Avengers—and finding him alone? Unlikely.'

Ali's scrolling came to a stop when he saw a picture of a red-and-blue clad hero swinging through the city.

'Spider-Man.'

One of the only superheroes Ali actually recognised from his past life-one of the few movies he had watched as a child before his world had been ripped away from him.

'He's an Avenger. He's based in New York. He doesn't have any overwhelming abilities, and his fighting style is... manageable. Yeah. I'll go after him…'

Ali immediately searched for Spider-Man's name on the phone, quickly narrowing down the areas he was most frequently spotted in.

What Ali didn't know... was that there were Avengers whose identities were hidden from the public. Heroes working in the shadows-watching.

Somewhere in Queens...

Inside a small, cozy café, a stunning red-haired woman sat alone at a corner table, casually stirring her coffee with slow, deliberate movements.

Her emerald-green eyes, partially obscured by her long fiery-red locks, were focused downward, but her sharp mind was elsewhere.

Beneath her hair, a hidden earpiece was tucked discreetly behind her ear.

"What do you mean under New York? Where did you get this information from?"

Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow-kept her voice low and steady, ensuring no one around her could eavesdrop on the conversation.

On a floating Helicarrier, high above the Earth, Nick Fury stood behind a one-way mirror, watching an interrogation room where a restrained man struggled against reinforced handcuffs bolted to the table.

Pressing his own earpiece, Fury responded.

"The information isn't confirmed yet, but I need you to check for any signs of Hydra activity in New York." His voice was calm but firm, carrying the weight of a man who had seen too much.

"You're the only operative working this right now, but I'll be assembling the team soon. We have a lot to discuss."

The call cut off, and Fury turned his attention back to the man inside the room.

A Latino man, appearing to be in his late twenties, sat there with panic creeping into his dark brown eyes.

His hands clenched into tight fists as he glanced at his interface, his breathing growing uneven.

'Fuck... Why is this happening? I thought SHIELD would help me find the lab and complete my missions—but I'm being treated like a fugitive!'

A cold sense of dread settled in his gut.

'If I fail this world too, I'll be forced into the Arena. Another wasted mission means I'm dead meat...'

CLANK.

The metal cuffs rattled as he yanked against them-then suddenly—

SCHINK!

The skin on his forearms split open as two sharp metallic blades extended outward, gleaming under the interrogation room's dim light.

He lunged forward-

STAB!

A female agent in a military uniform was already behind him, injecting a tranquilliser directly into his neck before he could react.

His eyes rolled back, the blades retracting back into his forearms as he collapsed unconscious onto the table.

Fury's one good eye narrowed as he watched the metal seamlessly fold back into the player's skin.

"Get our best scientists to examine him. Maximum security." Fury ordered, his tone unwavering.

The surrounding agents snapped into motion, hauling the unconscious player away.

'

Hydra subject...? Or escapee?' Either way, Fury wasn't taking chances.

He pressed his earpiece again. Back in the Queens café, Natasha took another sip of her coffee as she accepted the call.

"An update, Natasha. Hydra might have dangerous test subjects, so l'm sending Cap to assist you."

Natasha raised an eyebrow, swirling the spoon in her cup.

"Want to tell me what I'm dealing with, Fury?"

"Check your phone."

The call ended, and Natasha tapped her screen, opening the encrypted file Fury had sent.

A video played, showing the restrained player releasing twin metal blades from his arms like a living weapon.

Her expression hardened.

If Hydra had more like him hidden away in their labs, they could be dealing with a serious crisis.

CLACK.

The café door swung open, and Natasha's instincts kicked in immediately.

Her eyes subtly flicked up, scanning the newcomer.

A towering figure, clad in a black hoodie, stepped inside. His broad shoulders and muscular build were impossible to hide, even beneath his clothes.

His movements were too controlled, too calculated-like a predator entering unfamiliar territory.

He strode to the counter with casual confidence.

"Ten of these. And five of these."

Ali pointed at the doughnuts on display, his voice low and cold.

The café owner hesitated. "I'll put them in a box for you to take away-"

"What box?" Ali interrupted, his voice sharper this time. "I'm eating them here."

The woman's eyes widened slightly. "Are... are you sure?"

"Fuck yeah, I'm sure. And two hot chocolates-with extra chocolate."

Ali tossed a wad of cash onto the counter-money he had stolen from the drunk man earlier.

The entire café went silent.

Some patrons subtly reached for their phones, ready to call the police if things escalated.

Ali ignored them, turning away and heading toward the only empty table-which just so happened to be right beside Natasha's.

He dropped into the chair, resting his muscular arms on the table before burying his head into them.

'So fucking annoying...'

Hours of tracking down Peter Parker had led to nothing-the kid hadn't even shown up to school today.

'At least I found his girlfriend...'

Ali had beaten up a student who knew Parker, forcing him to spill information about him.

Using the Force, he had placed a subtle energy mark on Parker's girlfriend-allowing him to track her movements anywhere in the city.

For now, he just had to wait.

But then—he felt a stare from his left.

He slowly lifted his head, meeting piercing emerald-green eyes.

Natasha felt his gaze.

Then—

"You single?"

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