《Marvel: Am I falling in love?》 Chapter 1 - Origin of Everything IN NEW YORK 2015 Okay, I know you''ve heard this story a million times, but here we go one more time. My name is Peter Parker, I got bitten by a radioactive spider during a school trip to Oscorp Industries when it escaped from a containment box where it was being studied. And for a year, I was the first and only Spider-Man. And the rest, you already know. "With great power comes great responsibility," and inspired by these wise words from Uncle Ben, I decided to use my powers to combat the city''s crime, becoming the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Anyway, I also saved the city from my crazy professor, Dr. Curt Connors, who was conducting experiments with reptile DNA to cure his arm. He had injected himself with the serum containing lizard DNA samples, but he ended up getting so addicted to the drug that he turned into a giant lizard, whose desire was to turn all of humanity into lizards, claiming that this would be "the next step in human evolution." It was pretty crazy. At this point, you might be wondering, "Where were the Avengers?" Well, after that incident in New York, the Avengers disbanded, and each went their separate ways. However, after the events involving the Winter Soldier and Hydra''s infiltration within S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury, the former S.H.I.E.L.D. director, made the radical decision to reactivate the "Avengers Initiative." After all these events, the Avengers returned to being "Earth''s Mightiest Heroes." And guess what, they''re throwing a party at Stark Tower, and since I work for J.J. Jameson at the Daily Bugle, of course, I''m going. Was I invited? Well, the answer is no, but anyway, I''ll be there as a professional to interview them, and who knows, maybe even get an autograph from Iron Man. IN QUEENS 6:00 PM - Thursday Peter was in his room, getting his camera ready for the interview at Stark Tower when the door opened gently, and his aunt walked in. "Oh, hi, Aunt May" Said Peter, greeting his aunt with a warm smile on his face before turning his attention back to his camera. "Do you remember the party that Mr. Stark is organizing?" Peter continued, still focused on his camera. "Yes, I heard about it, but what does that have to do with you?" May Parker asked, still not understanding the question. After being questioned by May, Peter interrupted what he was doing with his camera and turned to answer his aunt. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. "Well, I was invited as one of the reporters" Peter said. After hearing all of that from her nephew, May adopted a worried look on her face. "So... are you really going?" May asked, still somewhat concerned. Peter looked at his aunt, noticing the concern on her face. He could understand why she was so worried. A superhero''s life was full of dangers, and a party with the Avengers could easily turn into a confrontation with supervillains or unexpected threats. However, Peter tried to reassure his aunt with a comforting smile. "I know it may seem risky, Aunt May, but don''t worry. I''ll be careful and stay in my reporter role. I don''t intend to get involved in any trouble" Peter said, trying to reassure his aunt. "Besides, you know that ever since I was a kid, my dream has always been to meet the Avengers, especially Iron Man" Peter continued, now a little more excited. "Peter, I know you''re excited about this, but I just want you to promise me that you''ll be careful. And no wandering around aimlessly" May said, sighing, still worried but trusting her nephew. "I promise, Aunt May. I won''t do anything reckless. I''ll be there just to do my job as a reporter, get some good stories, and maybe, if the opportunity arises, get an autograph from Iron Man" Peter reassured his aunt, with a big smile on his face. Aunt May smiled, still somewhat apprehensive, but realizing her nephew''s genuine enthusiasm, she just smiled and replied. "All right, Peter. I trust you. Just promise me that you''ll stay safe and won''t get into any trouble." Peter affectionately hugged his aunt and then said. "I promise, Aunt May. And don''t worry, I always come back home." "Aunt, I have to go now, or I''ll be late and won''t make it to the subway in time to catch the train" Peter said, picking up his backpack and giving his aunt a hug. "All right, you can go. Just remember to be sensible, young man" May said as she pinched Peter''s cheeks. "You got it, Aunt May" Peter said. Peter was in a hurry not to miss his train, so he quickly headed for the door of his house, with evident haste in every step he took. Upon leaving the house, Peter began to make his way toward public transportation. He walked briskly along the city sidewalks. As he approached the station, he took a cellphone from his pocket and checked the time. Observing the illuminated display, he noticed he had only a few precious minutes before the next train departed. After boarding the train, Peter headed to the city center, where he encountered Avengers Tower. Since there was a large crowd gathered in front of the building, Peter ended up being stopped by one of the security guards who prevented him from entering. "Please stop right there, kid. What''s your name?" A tall man with an unfriendly demeanor asked, blocking Peter''s entrance. Upon being confronted by the security guard, Peter promptly responded while displaying his identification badge and firmly holding his camera. "My name is Peter Parker, I work as a reporter at the Daily Bugle." The security guard examined the badge and the camera, apparently assessing the legitimacy of Peter''s information. After a brief moment of suspicion, he finally relented and allowed the young man to enter. "Hmm... you can go in" The man said, still maintaining a cautious gaze but granting Peter the opportunity to explore the interior of the Avengers Tower. "Thanks, buddy. You have no idea how much you''ve helped me just now" Peter expressed his gratitude. The security guard, though keeping a serious expression, nodded in acknowledgment. "You better get in quickly before I change my mind" He warned, emphasizing the importance of not lingering. "Thanks, I will" Peter replied, in a hurry and with a relieved smile on his face as he hastened his steps toward the entrance of the Avengers Tower. He could hardly wait to explore the interior and perhaps capture an interesting story for the Daily Bugle. Chapter 2 - Meeting the Black Widow INSIDE STARK TOWER A few minutes later... 6:30 PM As Peter enters the building, he immediately heads to the elevator and presses the button to go up. His heart is racing with excitement as he''s about to meet his heroes in person. "Wow, it would be incredible to be an Avenger! Just imagine, me fighting alongside Earth''s mightiest heroes." Peter whispers to himself as his eyes sparkle with the idea. (But that''s impossible; stop dreaming, Parker. They would never call a kid from Queens to join the world''s greatest superhero organization. That would be crazy, and they''re not crazy. I can''t believe I''m actually going to meet Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, and Iron Man.) Peter thinks with a mixture of nervousness and excitement. He can''t believe he''s about to meet Earth''s mightiest heroes, the Avengers. He tries to compose himself; he doesn''t want to look like a fool in front of them. "The next time I meet Jameson, I have to express my gratitude to him, even if he''s a pain sometimes. It''s because of his help that I''m going to fulfill my dream." Peter whispers softly to himself. As the elevator doors open, Peter is greeted with an impressive sight: a massive room filled with people. There are reporters with microphones and cameras, elegantly dressed guests with forced smiles, and in the midst of it all, he sees them. They''re the Avengers, Earth''s most powerful heroes, whom he admires so much. Peter feels a knot in his stomach and a twinkle in his eyes as he enters the room and walks toward them. Along the way, he is approached by Maria Hill, Nick Fury''s loyal assistant, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. "Hi, can I know who you are?" Agent Hill asks, looking the young man up and down. "Excuse me, I''m Peter Parker, a reporter and photographer for the Daily Bugle." Peter replies, showing his press badge. "Ah, I see. As you may have noticed, the Avengers are all busy right now, which makes everything even more challenging, so I can''t guarantee anything. However, I might be able to help you get a photo or something. What do you think?" Maria Hill says, trying to find a solution to assist the young man. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! "I would be very grateful for your help. And I apologize for my ignorance, but could you please tell me your name?" Peter asks, slightly embarrassed. "Don''t worry, I''m Agent Maria Hill, right hand and trusted person of Mr. Fury, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D." Agent Hill responds while shaking the young man''s hand. "Thank you very much, Ms. Hill." Peter says, accepting her handshake. "You''re welcome. Go to that person over there, and she will grant you the interview you''re looking for." Agent Hill points to a bar where the heroine Natasha Romanoff, also known as Black Widow, is seated. "I''m very grateful, Ms. Hill. I don''t even know how to thank you." Peter says. "Has anyone ever told you that you talk too much, kid? Go there quickly before she changes her mind, and you miss this one opportunity." Maria Hill says, looking at Peter. "I''m sorry, I didn''t even notice." With an embarrassed sigh, Peter apologizes to Agent Hill and slowly walks away, heading toward Black Widow. Peter, with a confident look, walks toward the bar where Natasha is. She is wearing a red dress with golden accents. She is sitting on one of the barstools, enjoying a glass of whiskey. Peter gets closer and closer to Romanoff, his steps echoing in the now silent bar. "Good evening, Miss Romanoff." Peter says, greeting a petite woman with a sculpted body. "Good evening! And who are you?" Natasha asks with a puzzled face. "I apologize for my lack of manners. My name is Peter Parker; I work as a reporter and photographer for the Daily Bugle. I''m here to take some photos and, if possible, conduct an interview for the newspaper." Peter replies as he introduces himself to Black Widow. Peter notices the intense gaze that Natasha is giving him. "Oh, did I say something wrong?" Peter asks, not understanding Natasha''s look. "Well, we just defeated Hydra, and I wanted to make sure you''re not a spy in disguise. You know, it''s always better to be safe than sorry." Natasha responds, looking at Peter. "I completely understand, Miss Romanoff." Peter says with a somewhat nervous smile. "Earth''s security is obviously a priority, especially for such an important group like the Avengers." Peter continues, now less nervous. Upon hearing my words, Natasha begins to assess my response before relaxing a bit, perhaps realizing that I pose no threat. She takes a sip of her whiskey and then looks at me again. "All right, Mr. Parker, I''ll trust your word for now. But be aware that I''ll be keeping an eye on you." Natasha says, giving me a penetrating look that makes it clear she''s not joking. "Of course, Miss Romanoff, I''m at your disposal for anything you need." Peter says while maintaining a respectful tone of voice. Natasha gets up from the barstool, takes her whiskey glass, and gives me a slight smile. "Well, now that we understand each other, what would you like to know?" Agent Romanoff says as she settles into the bar chair. "Well, to start our conversation, how about you tell me how you, the Avengers, managed to defeat Hydra?" Peter says as he begins a brief interview. Natasha nods in approval and starts sharing details about the recent mission. As she talks, I can''t help but admire her confidence and grace, even after an intense battle. I do my best to stay focused and make mental notes. As the conversation continues, Natasha proves to be a great interviewee, answering my questions clearly and concisely. When we finally finish the interview, Natasha smiles at me and says: "I hope you got what you needed, Peter. It was a pleasure talking to you." "The pleasure was all mine, Miss Romanoff." Peter says, thanking Natasha. Chapter 3 - The Maximoff siblings IN SOKOVIA 2015 AT THE SAME TIME Wanda and Pietro Maximoff were twin siblings who experienced an unimaginable tragedy when they lost their parents in a devastating incident. The house they lived in was struck by a missile manufactured by Stark Industries. This traumatic event marked the beginning of a deep and lasting hatred for Stark, which intensified when they discovered that Stark had become the country''s leading arms manufacturer. After the catastrophic events that occurred in New York in 2012, they made the decision to volunteer for experiments conducted by the Hydra organization. Hydra was conducting research on the Mind Stone, an artifact of unimaginable power. In that facility, Wanda and Pietro were subjected to inhumane conditions. They went through a true hell, being tortured and treated like animals. Food was scarce, and often they had to make do with the bare minimum to survive. However, despite the terrible circumstances, they chose this life rather than facing the dangerous streets of Sokovia. In that place, daily survival was a constant uncertainty. They were willing to endure anything, even the most brutal conditions, if it meant a chance to escape life on the streets and perhaps, just perhaps, have the opportunity to live one more day. On a specific day, Wanda realized that the Mind Stone seemed to be trying to establish a connection with her. During this communication, she caught a glimpse of the silhouette of a mysterious woman. The woman had long red hair and wore a red suit with black details. She seemed to be enveloped in a bright yellow light. However, after that experience, she never managed to see the image of that woman again. And everything changed when the Hydra base was invaded by the Avengers, forcing Wanda and her brother to flee the place. Despite the vision being brief and fleeting, the image of that woman remained etched in Wanda''s mind. However, no matter how hard she tried, she never saw the woman again after that event. Another question lingered in Wanda''s mind. Who was she? What did that vision mean? Was the Mind Stone trying to deceive her? These questions haunted her for a long time. After the Avengers'' invasion of the Hydra base, my brother and I were left with nowhere to go and were forced to return to our hometown in Sokovia. It was a place where we had many memories and painful reminders that we would prefer to forget. The streets of that city were filled with painful memories that the Maximoff siblings had to confront after losing their parents. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. (However, we didn''t have many options. We only had two choices: continue to serve as subjects for Hydra''s experiments or perhaps face an even worse fate. Besides, this was the only place we knew. And we hoped to find some kind of refuge there, or maybe lead a normal life.) Wanda thought as she walked through the wreckage of the city alongside her brother. "How good it is to be home" Pietro said, relieved, with an excited smile on his face. "Uh-huh" Wanda replied, a bit despondent and nervous. "Wanda, are you okay?" Pietro asked, getting his sister''s attention. "I''m fine, just a little lost in thought... Did we really make the right decision letting Stark have the Stone? What if this results in more problems? Will we be held responsible? These thoughts won''t leave my mind" Wanda replied, looking down. Pietro, who was listening carefully to everything his sister was saying, let out a sigh and said: "I warned you, but you didn''t want to listen to me. Now, there''s nothing more we can do; they must be very far away... and not even my speed would be of great help." Pietro gently touched his sister''s face in an attempt to reassure her and spoke. "You don''t need to worry; I won''t allow anything bad to happen to you. After all, as your older brother, it''s my responsibility to protect my dear little sister." "Thank you" Wanda said, giving her brother a long hug. Suddenly, a newspaper was carried by the wind and passed between them. With quick and precise reflexes, Pietro reached out and managed to catch the newspaper before it flew away. As he picked up the newspaper, Pietro found an article that caught his attention and began to read it: "A real threat to everyone, an individual known as Spider-Man nearly brought the metropolis of New York to complete destruction. He found himself battling a mad scientist who, after a failed experiment, transformed into a giant lizard. Their battle was so intense and chaotic that it caused extensive damage to the city, with buildings collapsing and streets completely destroyed." "Wasn''t this Spider-Man guy here when the Avengers came?" Pietro asked, somewhat confused, to his sister. "Who is this Spider-Man? I''ve never heard of him before" Wanda replied to her brother, deep in thought. "Neither have I, but based on what I just read here, he seems quite strong. After all, he managed to defeat this creature that turned into a giant lizard all by himself. That alone requires great strength and remarkable skill" Pietro said, pondering as he responded to his sister. "Yeah..." Wanda said, still staring at the newspaper, completely immersed. "Haven''t you ever thought about it, Wanda? Imagine if we could do what he does - save people. It would be incredible. Finally, we would have the chance to use our powers for good. We could make a difference in the world, help people, and no longer be a threat" Pietro said, excited. "Yeah" Wanda replied, still looking at the newspaper, lost in thought. (Spider-Man, it''s intriguing how you''ve sparked this new interest in me. I can''t quite identify what it is, but there''s something about you that makes me want to know more. Maybe it''s your courage, or your determination, I don''t know what it is. But whatever it is, you''ve certainly captured my attention.) Wanda thought, not understanding the new feeling she was experiencing at that moment. Chapter 4 - Getting to know the Avengers (1) IN THE AVENGERS TOWER SOMETIME LATER 7:10 PM "So, Miss Romanoff, could you share with us your experience of being a part of the Avengers?" Peter asks while sitting at the bar counter. "Well, it''s fun and quite stressful at the same time. After all, having to put up with Stark almost all day isn''t an easy task." Natasha says, taking a short pause and looking at Peter before continuing. "But despite all that, we still stick together as a team, always looking out for each other. And that also includes dealing with Stark''s big ego." Natasha adds with an ironic smile on her face. "But how do you feel about being the only woman on the team?" Peter asks, jotting something down in his notebook. "I actually find it pretty cool, especially now with Agent Hill joining the team. However, I still surprise myself by realizing that I''m more skilled and smarter than all of them." Natasha responds to Peter''s question. Peter listens attentively to everything Natasha says and, with a friendly smile on his face, replies: "I understand... well, that was all, I don''t want to take up too much of your time. And thank you very much for taking some time to do this interview." "You''re welcome, it''s always a pleasure to help out a fan." Natasha says, expressing her words while gently sliding her hand over Peter''s arm. That unexpected touch caused a certain nervousness and shyness in the young man. He begins to feel a bit uncomfortable, but at the same time intrigued by Black Widow''s actions. "Oh, uh, that''s nice..." Peter says, expressing his words, his face turning red with embarrassment. He was caught off guard, something that rarely happens, and it made him a little uneasy. With her perceptiveness, Natasha notices a subtle change in the boy''s expressions. His words, which were previously full of confidence, now carry a tone of discomfort and nervousness. She sees the unease on his face, a clear sign that the play had gone too far. Understanding the situation, she decides to act. With a quick movement, she withdraws her hand from Peter''s arm. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. In an attempt to ease the boy''s discomfort a bit, Natasha says: "Peter, you seem like a nice young man. Anyway, I suggest you go interview the others before they consume too much alcohol and it becomes nearly impossible to conduct an interview." "Thank you very much, Miss Romanoff. It was a pleasure to have met you." Peter says, thanking Natasha for the time she spent talking to him. "The pleasure was all mine." Natasha says, watching Peter slowly walk away. "Parker? Why does that name sound familiar to me? Where have I heard that name before?" Natasha thinks, still watching Peter getting farther away. As he leaves the area, Peter starts walking towards the other side of the room, where Hawkeye, one of Natasha''s teammates, is currently comfortably seated on the couch. Hawkeye, absorbed in his own thoughts, is sitting quietly on the couch with a glass in his hand. "Good evening, Mr. Barton?" Peter asks as he approaches Barton. "That''s me. What would you like to know?" Clint asks as he looks at the young man standing in front of him. "Sorry for my rudeness, my name is Peter Parker, I work for the Daily Bugle. Would it be possible to grant an interview or maybe even a photo for our newspaper?" Peter says with a friendly smile, extending his hand toward Clint. Clint, who was comfortably seated on the couch, gives Peter a quick look, who is standing in front of him. He begins to analyze the young man''s facial expressions, trying to determine if he could be a spy. However, upon noticing the sincerity in his face and the press badge hanging around his neck, Clint feels more at ease in the young man''s presence. "Peter Parker, huh?" Clint says, getting up from the couch. "Yes, Mr. Clint." Peter replies respectfully. However, Clint intervenes gently, preferring a more informal approach. "No ''Mr.'' please, just Clint is fine." Clint says with a friendly smile. While the conversation between Peter and Clint continues, a figure approaches quietly, moving with graceful steps. His eyes are filled with curiosity to find out who Clint is talking to. Upon noticing his friend''s presence, Clint decides to call him. "Hey, Bruce, come over here really quick." Clint says, calling Bruce. "What''s up, Clint?" Bruce asks as he approaches Peter and Clint. "Could you take a picture of us here for the kid and the newspaper he works for?" Clint points to Peter. "Sure, what''s your name?" Banner asks, looking at the young man in front of him. "My name is Peter Parker, and I work for the Daily Bugle. It''s a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Banner..." Peter says, shaking Bruce''s hand. "Your work on anti-electron collisions is unmatched. I''m a big fan of yours, I can say I like Dr. Banner more than the Hulk." Peter expresses his admiration to Banner. "Ah, thanks..." Bruce says as he takes the camera from Peter''s hand. "Actually, the photo I need to take is just of Mr. Clint. Unfortunately, I can''t appear in the photo for professional reasons. Orders from my boss." Peter says, looking at Bruce and Clint and then continues. "But I can take a photo of you two together." "Sounds good." Bruce and Clint say together. "So, it''s all set." Peter says as he takes the camera from Banner''s hands and positions himself to take a photo of them. He adjusts the camera settings and frames both of them in the camera''s viewfinder. With a nod, he signals to Bruce and Clint to get closer to each other. They comply, and Peter captures the moment with a click of the shutter. "Ready." Peter says after taking the photo, and he turns his attention to Clint and Bruce. "This one''s definitely going in the newspaper... Thank you for taking some of your time." Peter continues, now focusing his attention on the camera lens. Chapter 5 - Getting to know the Avengers (2) "No problem, we''re here for whatever you need" Clint says, patting Peter on the shoulder. "Yeah, if it interests you, Steve is up there with Sam, and you can interview him" Bruce says, extending his arm and pointing in the direction where Captain America was engrossed in conversation with Falcon. "As for Tony and his big ego... he''s over there on the other side of the room, chatting with Thor" Bruce continues, extending his arm again, this time pointing to the other side of the room where Iron Man and the God of Thunder were. "Got it, thanks for the information, Dr. Banner" Peter says, thanking Bruce. "No problem, kid" Bruce accepts Peter''s gratitude with a handshake. "What a cool kid, huh?" Bruce asks Clint. After Peter moves away from where he was, he began to make his way toward where Captain America and Sam Wilson, also known as Falcon, were. He had a clear purpose, which was to interview both of them. "For sure, but I just think he should loosen up a bit more. He needs to control his nerves better. But despite that, he''s a good kid " Clint responds to Bruce''s question. Peter approaches slowly to where Steve Rogers and Wilson were. "Good evening" Peter says, getting the attention of Rogers and Wilson. "Good evening, young man. Need something?" Steve asks, looking at Peter. "My name is Peter Parker, and I work as a photographer for the Daily Bugle. Could you grant me an interview or a photo?" Peter asks, looking at Steve and Sam. "What do you think, Steve?" Wilson asks, looking at Steve. "I''m not a big fan of giving interviews, but maybe, who knows, a photo?" Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Steve replies, looking at Peter. "All right, you have no idea how important this is to me, I mean, to the newspaper, not to me" Peter says, realizing what he said and getting embarrassed. "Feel free to ask any questions you want" Steve says, standing up and looking at Peter. "I understand... Mr. Captain America, could you tell me what it''s like to be a part of the Avengers, the world''s greatest organization?" Peter asks, taking out his phone from his pocket to record the interview. "No need for the ''Mr.''... just Steve. Well, after I was frozen for 75 years, everything became new to me. This new world, with the existence of gods and aliens, is so different from what I knew, where I know almost nothing. I''m not sure if you can understand" Steve says, looking at Peter, who was listening carefully to everything Rogers said while taking notes in his notebook. "I understand, and how do you feel knowing that you were frozen for 75 years? And that the world is not the same as you remembered?" Peter asks Rogers, still writing the interview report in the notebook he carried in his pocket. "It''s quite strange..." Rogers says, pausing briefly before continuing. "it''s hard to describe the feeling. Imagine waking up from a long dream, but that dream was basically your entire life. Seventy-five years is an incredibly long time, and the world I see now is a very different place from what it was before." As Steve spoke, Peter, who was listening attentively, wrote down every detail of the conversation in his notebook. Seeing this, Rogers continued: "Everything has changed, technology, politics, people. I''m still trying to adjust to this new reality. It''s both exciting and quite scary at the same time. Many friends and comrades are gone, and I still miss them. But at the same time, I see this as a new opportunity to do things differently." Rogers lets out a long sigh before continuing. "But one thing in me hasn''t changed, and that''s my commitment to fight for justice and protect those who can''t defend themselves. I believe that, no matter how different the world is, there will always be room for people willing to do what''s right." After Rogers finished speaking, Peter carefully noted the course the conversation had taken in his notebook, knowing he was witnessing a unique moment in history, the perspective of a man out of his time but still faithful to his principles and moral code¡ªhonor, integrity, and courage. "Basically, that''s it, I don''t want to take up too much of your time " Peter says, before continuing a bit embarrassed: "Thanks to you, Captain, I''ll be able to write a great article for the newspaper." "Calm down, kid, no need to be so excited" Wilson says, trying to calm down the embarrassed Peter. "It was a tremendous pleasure to talk to you" Peter says, shaking hands with Steve and then shaking hands with Wilson. "The pleasure was all ours" Steve and Wilson say together as they accept Peter''s greeting and shake the young man''s hand. As he says goodbye to Steve and Wilson, Peter slowly walks away from them. With a final wave and a friendly smile, he leaves them behind. His footsteps echoed in the silence of the place as he walked toward Thor and Tony, who were a little further ahead, chatting peacefully, probably with Tony bragging about something, as usual. "The kid has talent; he just needs to work on his nervousness" Wilson says to Steve. "Yeah, he seems to have a good heart" Steve says, still thinking about Peter. (Lucky me! I managed to get two interviews and even secure a photo for the front page of the newspaper.) Peter thought as he approached Tony and Thor. As he walked toward Thor and Tony, Peter began to think about a few things. (I hope that pain in the neck Jameson stops giving me a hard time after this article. After all, look at the content I got: a statement from Captain America, Black Widow, Hawkeye, and even the Hulk... that''s right, the Hulk. And I still have the possibility of getting an article with Iron Man and the God of Thunder. He''ll never get a better story than this.) Chapter 6 - Conflicts "Good evening." Peter says shyly as he approaches where Tony and Thor were. "Who are you?" Tony asks, wanting to know who the young man who had approached them was. "My name is Peter Parker, I work as a reporter at the Daily Bugle, I wanted..." Peter was saying before being interrupted by Stark. "I already know, a photo or an interview, your fame has spread around here, kid." Tony says sarcastically, interrupting Peter while looking at him. "Hearing that from you is very inspiring for me, Mr. Stark." Peter says, looking at Tony. "But that wasn''t a compliment." Tony says indifferently. "Oh..." Peter says, not understanding. "It''s nothing personal, kid, but I''m not like the others, I don''t give interviews or take photos for just anyone, and I certainly won''t spend my precious time giving an interview to a newspaper that defamed us when we were putting our lives on the line to save theirs." Tony says, somewhat agitated, looking at Peter. "Tony, try to calm down." Thor says, trying to calm Tony. "Furthermore, considering your abilities, it''s surprising to see a talented young man like you wasting time at that newspaper when you could be working at a higher level, do you understand what I mean?" Tony says, raising his voice a bit. "Stay calm, Tony." Thor looks at Tony. Tony, who was visibly upset, his words laden with concern were evident in his voice as he spoke: "No, there''s no calm, and furthermore, if he''s a man, he''ll put everything I''ve said here in the article without leaving anything out." At that moment, Steve approaches where Tony was, accompanied by Natasha. Their arrival added a new dimension to the situation because no one knew what might happen now. "What''s going on here?" Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Steve asks as he approaches Tony. "Oh, of course, as if you didn''t know what''s going on here, Captain." Tony says sarcastically, pointing to Peter before continuing. "It seems like you guys don''t understand, but this guy is trying to sell our photos and interviews to a newspaper whose only goal is to defame us. Without a doubt, tomorrow this will be headlines all over New York as a big story: ''The Avengers, instead of protecting our city, are throwing a party while people suffer from thefts, wars, and deaths.''" Tony says, already upset. "Try to calm down, Tony." Steve holds Tony''s shoulder. "Don''t ask me to stay calm, and you..." Tony points to Peter before continuing. "Get out of here now, and never set foot in this tower again while you''re working for that liar." As he listened to every word his idol said, Peter felt a weight settle on his shoulders. He lowered his head, allowing his curls to fall over his forehead, partially hiding his face. A look of sadness began to appear on his face, his eyes showing a mixture of disappointment. "Tasha, please, take the kid out of here." Steve looks at Natasha. "You got it." Nattasha confirms, taking Peter''s arm before continuing. "Come with me." "Okay..." Peter says, still feeling disheartened. As they headed for the elevator, Natasha chose to start a conversation with Peter in an attempt to make him feel more at ease. "I''m sorry for everything Tony said." Natasha says, still looking ahead. "No need to apologize, you guys are not to blame for anything. In fact, I should apologize to you." Peter says, still with his head down. "Don''t take it to heart; Tony is like that, but he doesn''t mean any harm." Natasha tries to cheer Peter up. "I know, but I just wanted to hear, maybe, something positive... from the person I admire." Peter said calmly and softly before continuing to whisper, almost unnoticed by Natasha. "But it seems that, besides not being welcome here, I''ll never be either." "But you weren''t planning to write a story that would defame Tony or us, were you?" Natasha asks, almost hesitating. "No, I would never do something like that; I admire you guys a lot... I even wanted to be part of the team." Peter says excitedly. "What do you mean?" Natasha asks, somewhat confused. "In fact... I didn''t mean that; I just wanted to say that I usually only take photos of Spider-Man, and even then, Jameson keeps badmouthing him, even though I don''t like it." Peter says, stumbling over his words, trying to clear up the misunderstanding. "I''ve heard of this Spider-Man guy, but I''ve never seen him. Do you know him?" Natasha asks with a curious look while looking at Peter. "Well... I don''t know him personally, I just take photos of him, that''s all." Peter says somewhat embarrassed. "Hmm..." Natasha murmurs with a tone of suspicion in her voice. As they approached the elevator, Natasha observed the metal door sliding smoothly until it opened automatically. Peter, without hesitation, took a step forward and entered the well-lit elevator space. Natasha, who until that brief moment had been in complete silence, decided to break the silence with a soft voice as she said goodbye to Peter. "Well, you can get home by yourself, right?" Natasha asks, breaking the awkward silence. "Yes, I can, and I thank you very much for everything, Miss Romanoff." Peter responds, nodding his head. "You''re welcome." Natasha accepts Peter''s thanks. "Goodbye!" Peter says goodbye to Natasha. "See you later!" Natasha also says goodbye to Peter. Natasha watched attentively as the elevator door slowly closed. She was on the top floor of the tower, leaning against the iron bars that surrounded that small space, with her posture still upright. Her focus was entirely directed downward, where Peter had already left the tower and was now standing outside. She gave one last look to the young man, who was moving further away with quick steps. As Peter slowly moved away from Stark Tower, he was immersed in his thoughts. His gaze remained fixed on nothing, but his mind was racing. (And so, my dream of joining the Avengers goes away. If I ever had a chance... now, for sure, I don''t have one anymore...) Chapter 7 - Ultron INSIDE THE TOWER 19:30 PM After escorting Peter to the elevator and seeing the doors close, Natasha turns around and returns to the room where everyone had gathered. "He''s gone." Natasha says with a serious expression on her face as she walks slowly towards everyone in the room. "I just hope he doesn''t publish anything in the newspaper speaking ill of us," Tony says, with a concerned look on his face, raising his voice slightly. "Tony, you could have been easier on the kid," Bruce said, looking at Tony. "Banner, don''t even start," Tony said, already somewhat agitated before continuing. "I tried to control myself, but I couldn''t stand that newspaper anymore." "So why didn''t you go to the newspaper and confront his boss instead of getting angry at the kid who''s innocent in this story?" Thor questions Tony, not understanding the situation. Tony was visibly frustrated with the situation. He began to speak hesitantly, searching for words to express his dissatisfaction: "Well... ah..." However, faced with the difficulties of arguing with Thor, Tony finally decided it was better to leave the room. His expression of disappointment and the way he paused before making that decision clearly indicated his frustration and helplessness in the situation. "I hope the kid understands," Steve said with a concerned tone in his voice. ON THE STREETS OF NEW YORK AT THE SAME TIME "Congratulations, Parker," Peter says with a despondent tone in his voice before continuing. "You just wasted your only chance to join the Avengers. But I didn''t have a chance to join anyway." As he walked through the streets of New York, Peter took his camera out of his backpack, his eyes showing a hint of sadness and disappointment. He accessed the photo gallery and began to examine the pictures he had taken at the party. "At least I''ll have this as memories of this day," Peter said, with a bitter smile forming on his face as he looked at the photos. BACK AT THE AVENGERS TOWER The party had already come to an end, and all the guests had left. Only the Avengers, Agent Hill, and scientist Helen Cho remained. They were chatting and attempting to lift Thor''s hammer in a friendly competition. However, no one could lift the hammer even an inch. Then it was Captain America''s turn. He managed to move the hammer a bit, but this went unnoticed by everyone except Thor, who interrupted them, saying they couldn''t lift the hammer because they weren''t worthy of it. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. When everyone was getting ready to leave, a loud noise echoed through the room. When they looked back, they were met with a surprising sight: a robot, completely destroyed and patched up with parts from other robots. The robot seemed to be trying to communicate with them, but all its efforts were in vain as the sounds it made were unintelligible. However, after many attempts, it finally managed to say something. "Worthy..." The robot said, and its voice echoed throughout the room before continuing. "No." "How could you be worthy?" The robot continued, its battered shell barely holding up, before going on. "If you''re all killers." "Stark," Steve said, looking at Tony with a serious look. "Jarvis..." Tony called out to Jarvis, but without success. "Sorry, I was asleep..." The robot said, almost falling, and then continuing. "Or was I dreaming?" "Jarvis." Tony insisted before continuing. "Initiate the Legion system reboot; it seems we have a defective suit here." "I can''t remember anything..." The robot said, keeping its gaze fixed on the Avengers, before continuing. "Except for the hellish noise the other guy made when I had to kill him." He continued before pausing. "He was kinda cool." "You killed someone?" Steve asked with a still serious expression. "It wasn''t my first choice, Captain," the robot replied with a brief pause before continuing. "But, in the real world, we have to make tough decisions." "Who sent you?" Thor asked, looking at the robot. The robot, with its voice programmed to play its last recordings, delivered a message in Tony''s voice: "I see a suit of armor around the world." Upon hearing those words being played by the robot, everyone in the room turned their eyes to Stark. Upon hearing those words being played by the robot, Bruce automatically shifted his gaze to Tony and said: "Ultron?" "That''s right, in the flesh..." Ultron said, looking at Bruce before continuing. "No, not yet, not in this empty shell." While Ultron spoke, tension spread throughout the room. Everyone was preparing for a possible attack. Thor held his hammer, Agent Hill had her gun ready, and everyone else was on high alert. "But I''m ready..." Ultron said, with his voice echoing throughout the room, before continuing. "Ready for my mission." "What mission?" Natasha asked, already preparing herself. "Peace in our time." Ultron said, turning his head to the Avengers. Suddenly, a series of robots violently burst through the walls. ON THE STREETS OF NEW YORK AT THE SAME TIME As Peter patiently waited at the bus stop for the next bus, his eyes were completely focused on the bustling city street, watching the people passing by. Suddenly, a loud noise echoed through the city, causing everyone to stop and look. The sound seemed to come from the Avengers Tower. "Should I go take a look?" Peter wondered as he looked at the Avengers Tower. Then he added: "I don''t think so, they made it very clear that I wasn''t welcome there." "But they didn''t say anything about Spider-Man." Peter said as he looked at his reflection on his cellphone. In the midst of the crowd, Peter quietly walked into a dark and deserted alley. He opened his backpack, took out his suit, and put it on. With a quick and precise movement, he attached his backpack to the wall of the alley and shot a web toward the top of the building. Suddenly, a robot came at him. Peter managed to dodge it in time and delivered a blow to the robot. Seeing that the robot was about to fall, he shot a web that attached it to the building. "Sorry, old tin can, but today is recycling day!" Peter said as he shot a web towards the building''s window. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Rafael Borges???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY. Chapter 8 - Attack on Avengers Tower In the Avengers Tower A few minutes later... 7:50 PM Amidst the chaos of the battle, Steve grabs the nearest table and uses it as a shield to defend himself against the robots. Meanwhile, Thor, using a powerful strike, manages to knock down one of the robots with his hammer, but Rhode wasn''t as lucky and ended up getting hit by a robot, which threw him back with the force of the impact, sending him to the second floor. Clint hides under the stairs, and Bruce and Natasha take cover behind the counter. While Bruce was on top of Natasha, she says something. "Don''t turn green, please." "I''ll try," Bruce nods in agreement. In the midst of all that confusion, one of the robots manages to advance and grab Loki''s scepter, which contained the Mind Stone. Meanwhile, Natasha manages to hit one of the robots, causing a momentary distraction. Seizing this opportunity, Steve makes an agile move and jumps on top of the robot, trying to immobilize it with a Rear-Naked Choke. However, the robot resists and manages to throw Steve against the wall. Without wasting time, Tony also jumps on top of the robot, following Steve''s example. Meanwhile, Thor uses his superhuman strength to dismantle one of the robots. "Stark!" Thor shouts as he destroys another robot. "Just a second, I''m almost done" Tony replies as he inserts a pen into the robot''s neck. A robot without its lower parts was moving towards Dr. Cho, about to attack her. However, before it could complete its attack, an unexpected event occurs. The glass behind Dr. Cho shatters, hitting the robot directly. It''s Spider-Man, who had launched a web to prevent the robot from killing the scientist. He then jumps into the tower, grabs the robot with his hands, and splits it in half. "Today, apparently, is not my lucky day" Spider-Man murmurs as he enters the tower. "Who are you?" Steve asks, looking at the young man dressed in red in front of him. "I just want everyone to know that I''m here to help" Spider-Man replies, throwing the dismembered robot to the ground. (Hmm...) Ultron thought, as he stared at the new guest in front of him. "Look what we''ve got here, the famous Spider-Man everyone''s been talking about." Ultron said as he stared at the mysterious person standing next to Dr. Helen. "Or should I call you..." Peter, realizing the robot''s intentions, acts quickly and throws a web in the robot''s face. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "Wait a minute, old tin can, we''re not going to give away any spoilers any time soon." After Peter said those words, Ultron began to stare at the young man with disdain and deep hatred, but before he could say anything, he ended up being interrupted by Steve, who managed to grab one of the robots and with a quick, strong movement, threw it towards Thor, who managed to destroy it by hitting his hammer on the robot''s head. Meanwhile, Clint spots Captain America''s shield lying on the ground. With agility and precision, he picks up the shield and throws it to Steve, who reaches out and catches the shield in the air and throws it again towards another robot. Stark had managed to deactivate one of the robots. "I did it, I found where to shut it down" Tony says as he deactivates the robot by inserting a pen into its neck, but he falls onto glass shards in the process. Meanwhile, Natasha and Bruce were under attack from another robot. Seeing this, Steve throws his shield. Peter, with his spider-like agility, leaps and grabs the shield in mid-air. Without wasting time, he throws it back with even more force, managing to destroy the last robot. "That was dramatic..." Ultron says, taking a pause before continuing. "I''m sorry, you''re not bad people, you just don''t think straight..." At this moment, Steve approaches a little closer to where everyone was. "You want to protect the world, but you don''t want it to change. So, how will humanity be saved if you don''t evolve?" Ultron says, picking up a completely destroyed robot carcass from the floor before continuing. "Like these puppets, there''s only one path to peace." Ultron looks at everyone present in the room and says. "Your extinction, Avengers." After uttering those words, Thor, who couldn''t take it anymore, ends up throwing Mj?lnir towards Ultron, destroying him, and the hammer then returns to Thor''s hands. "Hey." Spider-Man said in a relaxed manner, approaching the group. "Who are you?" Thor asked as he stared at a young man dressed in red and blue in front of him. "I''m Spider-Man" Peter replies, looking at Thor. Tony, who was sitting on the stairs with his arm all cut due to a fall on glass shards, gets up with some difficulty. He points at the young man and, with a curious expression, says. "Who?" Tony throws the question out there, waiting for someone to respond. "He''s the masked vigilante everyone''s been talking about, the one who saved the city from the giant lizard, while we sorted out HYDRA''s base and the enhanced ones." Natasha explains in response to Tony''s question. "I have to admit, that day was crazy." Murmured Peter, in an undertone before continuing. "Well, since things around here are already settled, I think I''ll be on my way" Peter said as he turned and prepared to jump off the building, but was stopped by Tony. "Easy there, pal. Who are you really?" Tony asks, stopping Peter from leaving. "Sorry about that, but unfortunately it''s not going to happen." Peter replied as he stared at the group in front of him. "Do you know us?" Steve asks the shield on his back, looking at Peter. "How could I not know the greatest heroes on Earth?" Peter says with a slightly excited voice. "So, why don''t you show your face?" Thor asks. "For two reasons: firstly, I don''t see any reason for it; and secondly, if I reveal my identity and someone finds out, I could end up putting the life of someone important to me in danger. I hope you understand." Peter explained as he turned around again and prepared to jump. "Because there''s no need for it." Clint, who had been silent until now, decides to say something. "Of course, there is, let''s... take off that mask already." Thor was starting to get irritated, and on impulse, he throws his hammer at Peter. To everyone''s surprise, Spider-Man manages to dodge the hammer, which ends up going through a wall before returning to Thor''s hands. Thor, surprised, looks at Peter and says. "How did you do that?" "I have Spider-Sense; with it, I can sense and dodge any threat directed at..." Peter couldn''t complete the sentence because Thor had thrown his hammer once again, but Peter easily dodged it. "Seriously, Thor?" Spider-Man says, looking at Thor. "Great reflexes" Steve praises Peter. "Thanks. Like I said, I need to go" Peter says, preparing to jump out of the broken window. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Rafael Borges???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY. clement MARIE???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY. Chapter 9 - A new member? Just as Peter was about to jump off the building, something interrupted his thoughts. Natasha began to sneak up on him with a gun pointed at his head. However, Peter had already sensed her presence with his spider-sense and before she could do anything, he was faster than her and, without her realizing it because of his speed, managed to disarm her. "If I were you, I''d take off that mask. Otherwise, I won''t hesitate to pull the trigger. And I''m pretty sure that, considering the short distance between us, you won''t have time or space to dodge the projectile." Nattasha said in a serious voice as she threatened Spider-Man. Peter, with all the tranquility in the world, turned to Natasha and said. "But what weapon would you do that with? With this one, from here?" Peter said as he showed the gun he had taken from the Black Widow in his hands. Natasha, somewhat discredited by what had just happened, almost loses her pose, but manages to pull herself together quickly. "How did you manage to do that?" "Excuse me, but a magician doesn''t reveal his secrets." Peter said in a more playful tone. "I''m a real fan of yours, but unfortunately my time has come and I''m going to have to go." Peter said as he turned again and prepared to jump, only this time he was interrupted by Thor, who threw the hammer in his direction again. Peter, with his keen spider-sense and quick agility, simply moves to the side to dodge the hammer, which then falls back into the hands of the God of Thunder. "Really, Thor? Haven''t we been through this before?" Peter asked, not quite believing what Thor had just done. "That was the only way I could get your attention and get you to listen to us." Thor explained as he stared at the young man in front of him and paused briefly before continuing. "If I were you, I''d stay here and help us solve all this trouble we''ve gotten ourselves into." "And why would I do that? That''s your problem, not mine." Peter retorted with a serious tone as he stared at Thor. Thor, with his serious expression, looked directly into Peter''s eyes and said: "If I remember correctly, Ultron somehow knows what your real identity is, so wouldn''t it be more logical for you to ally yourself with us?" After Thor said this, Peter became a little interested in the subject. "You had commented before that you couldn''t reveal yourself because it could put someone you care about in danger, but if Ultron really did discover your identity, those people wouldn''t be in danger?" Thor asked, still staring at the young man. After Thor said those words, Peter began to stare at him, pondering what the God of Thunder had said. He knew there were truths there. Ultron posed a threat they couldn''t ignore, and even more so now that the villain had probably discovered his identity. "You have a point." Peter said, finally breaking the silence and looking at Thor seriously. "But that doesn''t change the fact that if I got involved I would end up putting those close to me at risk. I can''t just ignore that." Thor nods, understanding Peter''s concern. "I understand your concerns, but you only have two options: either you leave and fend for yourself, or you help us and we''ll make sure these people are safe." Peter took a deep breath and considered his options. He knew Thor was right. If Ultron really knew his identity, he would most likely go after him first because he was alone and had his aunt to protect. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. "All right." Peter said, finally agreeing. "I''ll help, but I''ll do whatever it takes to keep the people close to me safe." "But can''t you take off the mask? You''ve kind of seen the faces of all of us, if we don''t know who you are, can''t that end up putting us in danger?" Bruce asked, looking at the young man. "So you''re going to take the mask off?" Bruce asked, pausing briefly as he looked at the young man. "I think it''s the most sensible thing to do, after all, you''ve kind of seen all of our faces, if we don''t know who you are, it would kind of put our lives at risk." Peter looked at Bruce, pondering the suggestion for a moment before replying. "I will." Peter replied as he removed his mask. "I don''t believe it!" Clint exclaimed, with an expression of surprise on his face. "So, it was you... I had my suspicions." Declared Nattasha, looking at Peter. Tony, with a puzzled expression on his face, raises his hand in a pause gesture and says: "Wait a moment, I''m confused. You''re the same kid I cursed at two hours ago." "Yes, it''s me." Peter replied, with a serious look behind his mask before walking back. "And as you said, I don''t belong here. But I promised I would help and I will, but unfortunately I have to go now." When he realized that the young man was moving further away and was about to jump off the building. Steve, with an authoritative tone of voice, interrupts Peter. "Kid, wait a minute." When he heard Steve call his name, Peter decided to turn around and face the captain. He was curious to know what the leader of the Avengers wanted to talk to him about. "You can stay. No, we want you to stay." Steve says, looking at Peter. "Well, it''s just that..." Peter''s words are abruptly cut off when Thor interrupts him. "Do you have something more important to do?" Said the God of Thunder, looking at Peter. "I need to take care of my aunt, who''s alone" Peter explains, trying to avoid further questions. "If you want, we can figure that out" Nattasha says calmly, looking at Peter. "Now, can you stay?" "Alright, I''ll stay" Peter responds, looking at Steve. Clint, who was a little distant from the conversation, observes Tony from afar. He notices Tony''s slightly open mouth, wearing an expression he can''t quite decipher. Intrigued by the scene, Clint decides to approach Tony. "Tony, you''d better close that mouth... so no flies get in" Clint teases his friend, who seems somewhat bewildered by all the events. IN SOKOVIA AT THE SAME TIME INSIDE AN UNDERGROUND HYDRA BASE After being destroyed and managing to escape through the internet, Ultron awakens in a new body. He stands up and begins to examine the other bodies around him, which he could inhabit if destroyed, and declares: "Now we can begin our plan... the extinction of the Avengers." LATER 8:00 PM IN THE MAIN ROOM The Avengers, along with Peter, were gathered around a table, looking at Ultron''s carcass¡ªor what was left of it, a jumble of twisted metal and burnt circuits. Present were Tony, Iron Man, who was examining the robot''s remains. Meanwhile, Natasha, Black Widow, and Steve, Captain America, watched Tony study Ultron''s body. "All our work was in vain" Bruce said, running his hand through his hair in frustration before continuing. "Ultron managed to use the internet to escape." "Ultron!" Steve declared with a serious face. "He was in contact with everything, files, cameras..." Natt said, pausing briefly before continuing. "he probably knows more about us than we know about each other." "And if he decides to access something a bit more interesting" War Machine said, holding his injured arm from the fall. "For example, nuclear codes?" Maria Hill asked, seated in a chair. "That... we need to make some calls, if we still can" Rhode confirmed while looking at everyone in the room. "Will he go after bombs? He wanted us dead" Nattasha asked from the other side of the room. "That''s not what he said; he said extinct" Steve replied, looking aside. "But he also mentioned that he had killed someone" Clint said from upstairs. "Before getting here, I did a check... and there was no one else in the building" Peter intervened in the conversation before continuing. "unless the building has some kind of self-defense mechanism." When Peter uttered those words, Tony, with wide eyes and raised eyebrows, turned to look at him. An expression of pure surprise spread across his face. He couldn''t believe that this kid had such keen insight, enough to be so intelligent. "The kid''s right... there was someone else inside the building" Tony said as he walked towards the center of the room. In the center of the room where everyone was gathered, Tony, with a simple hand gesture, activated a hologram. What appeared before them was a three-dimensional representation of a brain, glowing in shades of orange. However, it wasn''t a perfect image¡ªthe holographic brain seemed to have been damaged, with some parts of it looking shattered and fragmented, as if it had suffered severe trauma. "But... this is madness" Bruce said, perplexed by the image before him. "It makes sense. Since Jarvis was the first line of defense, he tried to stop Ultron. However, he couldn''t" Steve said with a pensive expression. "But, Captain, that doesn''t make sense..." Bruce argued, pacing restlessly back and forth before continuing. "Ultron could have easily absorbed Jarvis; this isn''t strategy; it''s hatred." The conversation was abruptly interrupted when Thor, dressed in his uniform, appeared in the room. With an angry look and an imposing presence, he moved quickly towards Stark. Before anyone could react, Thor reached out and grabbed Stark by the neck, lifting him in the air with surprising strength. "And it seems to be spreading" Peter said, looking at the scene. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Rafael Borges???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY. clement MARIE???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY. Chapter 10 - Meeting Tony, with some difficulty, manages to say: "Please, speak using words, buddy." "Stark, I can define you using much more than just words" Thor said, squeezing Tony''s neck with a furious look. "Thor, what about Ultron?" Steve asked as he approached Thor. Upon hearing Steve call his name, Thor looked at him almost instantly. And with a quick and precise movement, he released Stark, who fell violently to the ground. He lay there for a moment, gasping as he tried to catch his breath. "He escaped my grasp after 150 kilometers to the north, and what''s worse, he has the core now. And once again, we''ll have to retrieve it" Thor said, casting an angry look at Tony, who was still on the ground. "Our new enemy can move freely through the internet" Nattasha said, getting up from a chair and pausing before continuing. "And to make our situation worse, he''s free. And his name is Ultron." "I can''t understand" Peter said, drawing everyone''s attention to him. He paused before continuing. "Was it you who created this program, Mr. Stark? Were you trying to kill all of us?" Upon hearing Peter''s words, Tony Stark began to walk slowly toward a computer. In that place, Bruce was standing facing everyone. Tony, with an ironic smile on his face, began to laugh softly, finding the situation amusing. "Do you find this situation funny, Stark?" Thor said, approaching Tony but being stopped by Steve. "Of course, it''s not funny... right? This is terrible, a complete disaster" Tony said sarcastically. His tone of voice was laden with irony, and he struggled to contain his laughter. "This could have been avoided if you hadn''t toyed with something" Thor said, looking in Tony''s direction but being interrupted by him. "You know what''s even funnier?" Tony said as he approached Thor before continuing. "You guys not understanding why we need this." Tony was in the middle of an argument with Thor when Bruce, another member of the group, decided to intervene in the conversation and express his concerns about what Tony was saying. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. "Tony, maybe this isn''t the right time..." "Are you serious, Bruce?" Tony questioned, turning to focus all his attention on Bruce. He then continued: "Every time someone comes yelling at you, are you going to lower your head and wag your tail like a dog?" "Only when I end up creating a killer robot" Bruce said ironically, looking at Tony. "We didn''t create it, not even close" Tony said frankly. Upon hearing those words, Bruce stared at Tony, incredulous at what he had just heard, and replied. "No, Tony, we did create it... it just didn''t turn out the way we wanted." "I know, we made some mistakes in our calculations," Tony said, looking at Bruce, and continued. "But were we close to developing an interface? No... we were far from it." "Something you managed to do right, and very well, especially here. However, the Avengers should be very different from S.H.I.E.L.D." Steve said as he slowly moved away from the sturdy wooden table. He began to walk with firm and determined steps toward Tony, who was on the other side of the room. His look was serious and determined as he continued. "We, as the Avengers, don''t manufacture weapons of destruction; we eliminate them. And we are not initiators of wars; we are those who end them. Our mission is to bring peace and security, not conflict and destruction." "Has anyone forgotten that I had to carry a nuclear bomb into a wormhole?" Tony questioned, with a serious and piercing look, as his eyes scanned each face present in the room. "No, nobody talks about that" War Machine said, standing next to Agent Hill. "I saved New York" Tony added. "Nor that either" Rhode said, looking at Tony. "You remember, a hostile alien army invaded through a hole in space, and we were 100 meters below..." Tony said, taking a brief pause before continuing: "We are the Avengers; we can deal with arms dealers all day long, but... up there, it would have wiped out everything, and how would we have put an end to that?" "We would have done it together" Steve replied to Tony''s question and continued. "We would have lost together." Tony approached Steve, saying. "If we had to lose... we''d lose together." Steve, with the help of the other Avengers, and now with a clearer plan in mind and the assistance of Peter Parker, began to prepare to face Ultron. Tony, who was a bit more distant, looked at everyone gathered. Despite differences of opinion and the tension in the air, he knew they needed to work together if they wanted to defeat Ultron. "So, what''s the next step?" Nattasha asked, looking at Steve. Steve picked up a folder from the table and opened it, revealing a series of information and plans. "First, we need to track Ultron''s activity on the internet. He could be hiding anywhere, but let''s start where he was last seen." As Steve explained the plan in detail, Bruce Banner looked at Tony with a worried look. "Tony, do you have any ideas on how we can neutralize Ultron? You created him, you know his weaknesses." Tony sighed, recalling the mistakes he made in creating Ultron. "I know I made a mistake, but I don''t have a specific plan to shut him down. Ultron is smart; he has become autonomous. We need to be careful." Steve nodded and looked at Peter. "Do you have any special skills that could be useful on this mission?" Steve asked. Peter nodded in response to Steve''s question. "Well, in addition to my spider abilities, I''m also good with technology. I can help track Ultron online and maybe find a clue that leads us to him." "So, that''s our plan" Steve declared, leaning slightly forward, making eye contact with each member of the team present. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Rafael Borges???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". clement MARIE???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 11 - Getting to know Ultron IN SOKOVIA AT THE SAME TIME 2 HOURS LATER... As Wanda and her brother Pietro were walking through the devastated streets of Sokovia, something unexpected happened. Wanda felt a strange sensation, as if a wave of dark energy had invaded her body, causing her to stop abruptly. Her heart began to beat faster, and a shiver ran down her spine. "Did something happen, Wanda?" Pietro asked, concerned for his sister. "I feel a bad energy coming from that church" Wanda said, pointing her finger at the church in front of her. "But that church has been abandoned for many years. No one has entered it since we were children" Pietro said, looking at a completely destroyed building. Wanda looked at her brother and spoke. "I can''t explain it, but it seems like there''s someone inside." She then suggested: "Maybe we should go take a look." Recognizing his sister''s curiosity, Pietro chose to accompany her to confirm if there really was someone inside. "Let''s go" Pietro said. As they approached the entrance of the church, Pietro noticed that his sister was holding a photo. Intrigued, he asked. "Why are you holding his photo?" Pietro pointed at the picture. "Well, considering that he''s the only hero who didn''t join the Avengers... I thought maybe he could help us" Wanda said, trying to hide her curiosity about Spider-Man. "Well, if you say so. But that''s strange" Pietro muttered, taking a pause before continuing. "Why would anyone come here? This church has been abandoned for years." As they entered the church, they noticed the presence of someone sitting in a chair in the dark. Wanda approached the individual next to her brother and spoke. "So, it was you emitting that negative energy." Wanda inquired with a serious tone. "Did you know that this church is right in the center of the city..." This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Said the unknown person, still sitting in a wooden chair, with only his arm visible, before continuing. "Priests'' requirement so that everyone would be equally close to God, I liked that geometry of belief..." Observing that Wanda was trying, unsuccessfully, to read his mind, the stranger said. "You must be wondering why you can''t read my mind." "Sometimes it''s not so easy, sooner or later, all men reveal themselves as they truly are..." Wanda retorted. As soon as Wanda spoke, the stranger stood up, revealing himself as Ultron. The robot that Stark had created, but now he was in a new body. Upon seeing who the stranger was, Wanda and Pietro backed away. "Yes, most change..." Ultron said as he approached the siblings, before continuing. "But you needed more than just a simple man, so you allowed Stark to take the scepter." "I didn''t expect..." Wanda said, pausing briefly before continuing. "However, I saw fear in Stark''s eyes, I realized that fear would consume him, leading him to self-destruct." "Humans always create what they fear..." Ultron said as he began to walk, before continuing. "Men of peace create weapons of war, invaders form Avengers, humans create... Oh, smaller beings, children! I forgot the word for a moment. Yes, children, created to succeed them, to lead them to their ultimate destiny." "So, is that what you were created for?" Pietro asked while looking at Ultron, and his sister added. "Did you come to destroy the Avengers?" "I was created to save the world, but also... I''m here to destroy them" Ultron said, turning in Wanda''s direction. BACK AT AVENGERS TOWER 30 minutes later... 10:30 PM Peter was at the top of the room, sitting on a couch that had been occupied by Clint just a few minutes ago. He could hear the chatter of the other team members gathering downstairs. He held his phone in his hand while calling his aunt. "Hello, Aunt May?" Peter said, getting up from the couch and moving to a quieter place. "Peter, where are you?" his aunt asked from the other end of the line, with a tone of evident concern in her voice. "I''m still here at Mr. Stark''s tower, Aunt" Peter replied, trying to reassure his aunt. "But I heard the party is over" Aunt May questioned her nephew. "Well, I received an internship offer from Stark Industries, and my first day starts tomorrow" Peter declared, trying to persuade his aunt. "Peter, you''re not lying, are you?" May asked from the other end of the line. "No way, Aunt May. When have I ever lied to you?" Peter responded as he paced back and forth. However, May was not willing to easily accept Peter''s story. She knew how skilled her nephew was at creating excuses to hide things. "Peter, you know very well how important it is for me to know the truth. I don''t want you getting into trouble" May insisted firmly. Peter sighed and looked around the room, searching for Tony Stark, who was in the midst of a meeting with other Avengers members. He was caught in a dilemma: whether to tell his aunt the truth and risk revealing his secret identity as Spider-Man or try to find a way to calm her concerns without involving Tony Stark. "I need to be sure this is true; pass the phone to Tony Stark" May said, somewhat suspicious of everything her nephew had said. "But, Aunt, he''s in a very important meeting right now" Peter said, trying to change the subject. Natasha, in her Avengers uniform, appeared on the upper floor where Peter was talking to his aunt on the phone. "Any issues with your aunt?" Nattasha asked, with a serious but understanding expression. Peter sighed, concerned about the situation. "Yes, she''s somewhat suspicious about me receiving the internship offer from Stark Industries. She wants to talk to Mr. Stark, but Tony is busy at the moment." Nattasha nodded. "I understand her concern, but I can talk to her and confirm that it''s all true. She would trust one of the Avengers, right?" Peter reluctantly agreed, feeling relieved. "Yes, I''m sure she would trust you." RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Rafael Borges???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". clement MARIE???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 12 - Confidence Nattasha took the phone from Peter''s hand and began to talk to May. "Good evening, Mrs. Parker" Said Nattasha, changing her tone of voice. "Good evening, who am I speaking to?" May asked, her voice somewhat concerned by the sudden switch. "This is Nattasha Romanoff, also known as Black Widow. I''m here with Peter at the Avengers Tower, and I can assure you that everything he said is true. He really received an internship invitation from Stark Industries, and his first day is tomorrow" Nattasha tried to maintain a calm and reassuring tone while explaining the situation to May. May hesitated for a moment, but Natasha''s confident voice reassured her. "I see, but what about his things?" "Later, I''ll ask Stark''s driver to pick up his things from there. Don''t worry" Nattasha said calmly and serenely. "Thank you for taking care of my nephew. Could you please pass the phone to him?" Nattasha nodded, even though May couldn''t see it, and then handed the phone back to Peter, maintaining the reassuring smile. "Peter, your aunt wants to talk to you" Nattasha said as she handed over the phone. Peter took the phone and brought it back to his ear. His voice still trembled with nervousness as he said. "Aunt May, see, I told you." May sighed with relief on the other end of the line. "Peter, as soon as your internship is over, I want you to come straight home. No hanging around in the streets, understood?" Peter smiled, feeling a great weight lifted off his shoulders. "Aunt May, I promise I''ll be careful." May, hearing those words from her nephew, felt her heart calm even more. "That''s all I ask, my dear. Take care, and remember that I''m here for you no matter what happens." Peter hung up the phone and looked at Nattasha with gratitude in his eyes. He was still getting used to the idea of being at the Avengers Tower and having Black Widow as an intermediary in a conversation with his aunt. It was all so surreal. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "Thank you, Miss Natasha. You just saved my life" Peter said, still smiling. Nattasha nodded, placing her hand on Peter''s shoulder in a comforting gesture. "You''re a good kid, Peter. Just so you know, our flight leaves in half an hour, and I count on your presence. If you''re not there, you know what will happen" Nattasha said with a serious look and a threatening tone. Peter felt a shiver run down his spine at Natasha''s subtle threat. He knew Black Widow wasn''t joking, but at the same time, he was grateful that she had talked to Aunt May. "Don''t worry, Miss Natasha, I''ll be on that flight on time" Peter replied, still somewhat scared. Nattasha nodded in satisfaction, removing her hand from his shoulder. "I''m glad to hear that, Peter. Now, go get ready. And just a quick question, did you make this suit yourself?" Peter looked down at his homemade Spider-Man costume, feeling a bit embarrassed. He never expected someone like Black Widow to be interested in his suit. "Well, actually, I made this suit myself" Peter confessed, scratching his head. "It''s kind of simple, I know, but it gets the job done." Nattasha examined the suit with some curiosity, her trained eyes capturing every detail that most people wouldn''t notice. "Hmm, not bad for an amateur job. You''ve got talent, kid" Nattasha commented as she assessed Peter''s suit design. "Do you have any plans to improve it or make it more functional?" "If Mr. Stark helps me, who knows?" Peter replied playfully, earning a laugh from Nattasha. "Considering how stingy Tony can be, I have my doubts" Nattasha replied, laughing. "You can tell." Peter and Nattasha continued their conversation, and then they headed outside the tower, where the sunlight reflected off the Quinjet''s metallic surface. With its doors open, the aircraft appeared ready to take off at any moment. With a mutual nod, they boarded it, their footsteps echoing in the empty interior of the vehicle. Once inside, Tony turned to Steve, his eyes meeting those of Nattasha and Peter. He opened his mouth to speak, his voice filled with a seriousness rarely seen. "Are you really planning to take this kid... into our fight against Ultron?" Tony said, his tone somewhat agitated. Steve Rogers, Captain America, who was standing next to Tony, intervened with his usual calmness. He knew that Peter had proven his worth and deserved to be there. "Tony, you''ve seen what he can do. He''s strong, his reflexes are excellent, and his combat skills are impressive. Plus, he''s already faced tough situations before" Steve argued. Tony sighed, running his hand over his face and looking at Nattasha, who nodded in agreement with Steve. Peter remained silent, letting the two leaders discuss his role in the mission. "All right, you guys know best." "What do you think about an apology?" Steve asked, looking at Tony. "No, absolutely not, I didn''t do anything wrong" Tony said with a serious look, glancing at Steve who was beside him. "If you say so." Tony and Steve continued to exchange tense looks for a few more seconds before Steve finally broke the silence. "Tony, I know our dynamics haven''t always been perfect, but we''re all here for the same reason: to stop Ultron from causing more destruction. And Peter is a valuable ally, and he deserves our trust" Steve explained with empathy in his voice. The Quinjet cut through the skies, leaving the Avengers Tower behind. The silence inside the aircraft was palpable, each of the occupants immersed in their own thoughts and concerns. Tony Stark was focused on adjusting the Quinjet''s weapon systems, while Steve Rogers looked outside, lost in his thoughts about the upcoming battle against Ultron. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Rafael Borges???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". clement MARIE???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 13 - Traumas SOMEWHERE IN THE OLD HYDRA BASE 00:00 PM ¨C Friday In a dimly lit corridor, the hum of machines echoed through the environment. It was possible to see the machines created by Ultron, an intelligent program developed by Tony and Bruce. The original intent was for Ultron to be a peace project, but it ended up betraying its original principles. Instead, Ultron adopted the idea of eliminating the Avengers and, consequently, humanity. Ultron watched as his robots worked diligently on the carcass of an alien creature. This creature was a Chitauri, one of Thanos''s soldiers who had invaded Earth with Loki in the past. Ultron used the remains of the Chitauri to manufacture his own army and create his vibranium armor. "We are ready to begin, but there''s still something missing to make our plan work." Ultron said as he was joined by Wanda and Pietro. Ultron turned to face the siblings; his eyes glowing with a cold blue light. "What we lack is the final piece of the puzzle, the key to our success. We need Loki''s scepter." Pietro raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest. "But didn''t we let Stark take the scepter? How are we going to get it back?" "I have my methods." Ultron replied quickly, an enigmatic smile forming on his metallic lips. Wanda closely observed the robots in front of her and exclaimed with a neutral expression, "But they all look identical..." "I know... they are all me" Ultron said calmly, looking at Wanda before continuing. "I have what the Avengers don''t have: harmony. I have a unique and cohesive mind, unlike them, who are discordant. Stark is already causing conflicts among them, and when you enter their minds..." Ultron tried to continue his explanation, hovering and pulling an iron chain, but was interrupted by Pietro. Pietro approached Ultron, voicing his concerns, "We don''t want to kill anyone..." Ultron, feigning interest, responded: Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. "I know what you want, but have patience. Try to see the bigger picture." Wanda tried to interrupt her brother, but he continued, revealing their painful pasts, "I don''t see a big picture, I see a small photograph... I take it out of my pocket and look at it every day." Ultron showed fake empathy for Pietro''s story. "I know, I''ve seen your records... you lost your parents in a bombing in Sokovia." Pietro, with a melancholic expression, continued: "Records aren''t images. We lived through it, felt it in our bones." Wanda tried to ease the situation. "Pietro." But Ultron insisted on hearing the complete story, feigning empathy, "No, go on." "We were only 10 years old, the four of us were at a family dinner. My sister and I, and our parents. Suddenly, a missile struck our building, two floors below where we were. The impact was so strong that it created a crater in the ground. Our parents tried to save us and ended up falling, and then the entire building started collapsing around us. I acted quickly, grabbed my sister, and took her under the bed, in an attempt to find some shelter. While we were there, trying to hide, a second missile hit our building. However, by some miracle, it didn''t explode. It stayed there, lodged in the wreckage, just a few meters from our faces. And the strangest thing was that there was a word written on the side of the missile..." Pietro paused dramatically, and Wanda added with seriousness. "Stark." Pietro continued, reliving the trauma, "We were trapped in the rubble for two days. With every movement, every attempt to escape, we thought that thing would blow us up. We spent two long and agonizing days, waiting for Stark to kill us." Wanda looked at Ultron with anger and hatred in her face. "We know the truth about them, and that''s why we don''t want to become like them." Pietro, trying to calm his sister, added calmly, "We don''t want to cause more deaths." "I kept wondering, why did only you two survive Straker''s experiments? Now I know, you were special... you and I can hurt them." Ultron said, pointing at Pietro. "And you will tear them apart from the inside." Ultron said, looking at Wanda. Wanda, with eyes filled with resentment and pain, stared intensely at Ultron. "We don''t want to become weapons of destruction, no matter what we''ve been through. We don''t want to cause more suffering." Pietro nodded, reinforcing their decision: "We just want justice, not revenge." "You have the potential to use your gifts powerfully, not just to hurt us, but to reveal to the world the truth about the Avengers and all those who hide behind their hero masks." The Maximoff siblings were at a crossroads, confronted with the choice to join Ultron or follow their own path in search of justice. However, they knew that this decision wasn''t just about themselves; it was about the future of the world and the balance of power in the hands of those who could shape it. While the dark corridor seemed even darker with Ultron''s sinister presence, Wanda and Pietro pondered what to do next, aware that their choices would shape the fate of everyone involved. The Maximoff siblings began to realize that, although Ultron could be a threat, he also shared a common enemy: those who had caused so much pain in their lives. It was an opportunity for them to use their powers for a greater purpose, without falling into the abyss of revenge. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Rafael Borges???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". clement MARIE???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 14 - Infiltration Plan BACK TO THE AVENGERS'' BASE AT THE SAME TIME Tony was completely focused on the task of locating Ultron. He was surrounded by computer screens, codes, and holograms projecting real-time maps and data. Tony knew that time was crucial, as Ultron was currently posing a threat to everyone. At this moment, Steve Rogers and Maria Hill arrived in the control room of the tower, entering via the elevator. As they ascended the metal stairs leading to the third floor of the base, Steve maintained a serious expression, while Maria Hill carried a tablet containing some information about Ultron''s recent activities. "He''s all over the world" Agent Hill said, with a serious expression, before continuing her explanation. "We''ve received reports from people who claimed to have witnessed robots entering and leaving robotics laboratories and weapon depots, emptying the locations and disappearing shortly after." Steve looked at Agent Hill, absorbing the gravity of the situation. "Any casualties?" he asked, concerned about the safety of civilians. Maria responded with a calm demeanor that reflected her experience in dealing with such situations. "Only when they tried to stop them. Most were left in a trance, talking about old memories, nightmares from the past, and something so fast they could barely see it." "The Maximoff twins?" Steve inquired as he climbed the stairs. "Yes" Agent Hill replied, also ascending the stairs. "It makes sense for Ultron to go after them; they have something in common." Steve expressed his opinion as he reached the third-floor ground. "They had." Agent Hill, following closely behind, made a brief statement. "They did." She handed Steve a tablet containing a photo of Baron Strucker dead in a cell and a message written in his blood: "Peace." Steve nodded with seriousness, understanding the urgency of the situation. "We need to find Ultron and stop him as soon as possible before he becomes an even greater threat." Upon arriving on the third floor of the base, Steve turned to get Clint''s attention. Clint was a bit further away, talking on the phone. "Barton, we have updates" Steve said, calling his friend''s attention before continuing. "I have to go." Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Clint whispered as he hung up the phone. "Who were you talking to?" Steve asked, somewhat curious. "Girlfriend" Clint replied as he approached Steve. 20 minutes later... After everyone gathered in the control room, Steve, with a serious expression, walked toward Thor, who was in the center of the table. He held a tablet in his hands and handed it to the God of Thunder. Thor looked at it confused and asked: "What is this?" Steve, standing next to Thor with crossed arms, spoke with a serious expression. "Ultron killed Strucker and left a message at the crime scene for us." Natasha, who was sitting in a chair, spoke without taking her eyes off the monitor in front of her. "This is becoming a smokescreen." "Why would he send us a message right after threatening us?" Natasha turned and directed her gaze at Steve. "Strucker possibly knew something that Ultron wanted to keep from us, so Ultron chose to silence him" Steve said, looking at Natasha. Steve then turned and walked toward Tony, who was busy analyzing some information on a screen. "Tony..." Steve asked as he approached him. "Have you found any leads on Ultron''s whereabouts?" Tony, immersed in his analysis, responded without taking his eyes off the screen. "I think I found something. He''s using his own communication network. I''m trying to hack into that network. Once I trace the signal''s origin, we can go there to investigate." SALVAGE YARD 2:30 PM - Tuesday After a month of relentless searching, filled with trial and error, the Avengers finally had a breakthrough. They managed to trace a precise location that led them to a cargo ship anchored at the African coast dock. This ship was no ordinary vessel; it belonged to Ulysses Klaue, a criminal and arms dealer in the black market. During their investigations, they discovered a vital clue: Ultron would likely seek out Ulysses to negotiate the vibranium stock he had stolen from Wakanda. As the team approached the estimated location, Tony, Nat, Bruce, Peter, and Steve gathered in the aircraft''s control room to discuss the action plan. As the Avengers'' aircraft approached the cargo ship, they could see activity on the deck. Armed men guarded the perimeter, and it was evident that Ultron was inside the ship, negotiating with Ulysses Klaue. "We''ve arrived" Tony announced as he landed the aircraft at a somewhat discreet point on the ship. "Wow, my first mission with the Avengers" Peter said excitedly as he looked out the jet''s window. Peter continued to observe the scene with a mix of excitement and nervousness. After all, this was his first real mission with the Avengers, and the responsibility was enormous. As the infiltration group prepared to disembark from the aircraft, Tony gave Peter some final instructions: "Kid, remember what I told you. Stay close to us and follow our orders. And no impulsive moves, got it?" Peter nodded in agreement, understanding the intention behind Tony''s words. He was aware of the mission''s importance and the danger many people would face if something went wrong. With the infiltration group ready, they quietly disembarked from the Quinjet and began to move through the ship, avoiding initial contact. Steve led the ground support team, preparing to intervene if anything went wrong. Thor watched closely; his hammer ready to be thrown at any moment. INSIDE THE SHIP Klaue stood inside a cabin, a serious expression on his face as he watched through binoculars his henchmen tirelessly carrying boxes of weapons and ammunition. Sweat trickled down their faces as they moved the heavy cargo, all destined for a lucrative future sale. However, his attention was abruptly interrupted by the shrill sound of the phone on his desk. Klaue let out a brief sigh, setting aside his binoculars and walking toward the phone. He picked up the phone and answered with a serious voice. "Speak." On the other end of the line, a person responded with a trembling voice. "Sorry to bother you, Mr. Klaue." The mercenary listened attentively, his gaze growing increasingly serious as the conversation continued. "I don''t care if your men fooled you" Klaue retorted, his voice growing more intense. "I sent you six heat trackers. And what do I get? A damn ship full of junk." "How about this?" Klaue asked, maintaining a serious tone in his voice. "Either you present me with a good offer, or the next missile I send your way will be so fast you won''t even notice when it hits you." Klaue hung up the phone rudely on the desk. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Rafael Borges???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". clement MARIE???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 15 - The Confrontation Right after hanging up the phone, Klaue, with an expression of fury, was overcome by a wave of anger and without thinking twice, he swept his arm across the table, sending everything crashing to the floor with force. "Damn it, damn it... how did those idiots manage to steal my merchandise?" Klaue muttered, his voice filled with anger and frustration. He ran his hand through his hair, trying to calm himself. At that moment, an electrical malfunction occurred, and everything turned dark. Klaue realized it wasn''t a simple power failure but rather someone attempting to infiltrate the ship. With extreme caution, he made his way to his weapon, which had fallen to the ground during his fit of rage. As he picked up the weapon, he saw a shadow dart quickly across his field of vision. He tried to shoot, but something incredibly fast not only dodged the bullet but also snatched the weapon from his hand. "Well, look who we have here... the enhanced ones" Klaue said calmly, looking at Pietro and Wanda. "The mesmerizing-eyed girl and her speedster brother" Klaue added ironically, taking a seat before continuing. "Care for a sweet treat?" Klaue remained seated in his chair, observing every move of the enhanced siblings. He knew he was at a disadvantage and was well aware of their abilities, but he tried to maintain his composure. "You two really know how to make a dramatic entrance, don''t you?" Klaue taunted, shaking his head. "But let''s get straight to the point. What do you want here?" Klaue inquired, looking at the Maximoff siblings. "If you were trying to intimidate me, unfortunately, it didn''t work" he added mockingly. "And from what I can see, you two aren''t in charge." Klaue continued to stare at the siblings. "And I only speak... to the man in charge." At the exact moment Klaue uttered those words, a robotic figure emerged from behind him. This was Ultron, who suddenly appeared, his imposing and dominating presence filling the entire space. With a swift and powerful motion, Ultron extended his hand and shattered the glass behind Klaue. The sound of shattering glass echoed throughout the room, and shards flew in all directions. Without giving Klaue time to react, Ultron grabbed him by the neck and threw him away with surprising strength. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Ultron began to walk in the direction Klaue had been thrown. "There is no man in charge" Ultron said seriously, crouching down before continuing. "Shall we talk business?" WITH THE AVENGERS Meanwhile, inside the ship, Tony, Peter, and Natasha were approaching the area where the meeting was taking place. They could hear Ultron''s voice but couldn''t hear the conversation clearly as they were still a bit distant. As they got closer, they were able to hear the conversation more clearly. BACK TO ULTRON AND KLAUE While Ultron maintained his serious gaze in Klaue''s direction, the mercenary began to compose himself slowly. He coughed and, with a discomforted expression, reached for his sore neck. "Business?" Klaue said, rising with some difficulty before continuing. "But I only sell weapons and ammunition... you probably won''t be interested in anything here." Ultron remained impassive, revealing few emotions on his metal face. "I don''t need those outdated things" Ultron replied, looking at Klaue. "What I want is the stockpile of vibranium you stole from Wakanda." Ultron said with a subtle smile, a smile that didn''t reach his cold eyes. "Vibranium, you say?" Klaue murmured, choosing his words carefully. "Well, my friend, you''re in luck. I have exactly what you''re looking for." Ultron didn''t react, just continued to watch Klaue closely. "Follow me" Klaue said, leading Ultron and the Maximoff siblings to a room hiding a secret door. At first glance, upon opening the door, all they saw were barrels containing toxic substances, nothing out of the ordinary. However, when Klaue pressed a button, an elevator revealed itself, descending to reveal a room where Ulysses kept his hidden stockpile of vibranium. "Using this stone, I will build my church" Ultron said, tossing the container containing the vibranium to Pietro. "I obtained this at a high cost... a very high cost" Klaue added, running his hand over his neck scar before continuing. "This is worth billions." "Great, now you''re valuable too" Ultron said, hacking into Klaue''s account and transferring the funds to it. "Now they''re under your orange property" Ultron continued, looking at Klaue and his henchman. "Finances are complicated. But as I like to say, keep your friends and enemies rich, and you''ll see who''s who." However, after Ultron uttered those words, Klaue and his subordinate couldn''t help but look at Ultron with surprise. "Stark..." Klaue said, looking at Ultron. "What?" Ultron said, slowly turning his head in an intriguing manner, his eyes still fixed on Klaue, trying to understand what he had said. "Tony Stark used to tell me those same words. You and him" Klaue continued as he approached Ultron with a serious look on his face. "What do you mean?" Ultron said, with a serious expression on his face as he grabbed Klaue''s arm. "Do you think I''m one of Stark''s puppets? Look at me. Am I Iron Man?" Ultron expressed angrily, while, with a swift motion, he severed Klaue''s arm. "Don''t compare me to Stark... Stark is a disease!" Ultron said, kicking Klaue in the face, causing him to tumble down the stairs, completely dazed. "Oh, Junior..." Tony said, suddenly appearing behind Ultron, surprising him with his unexpected arrival. Turning around, Ultron, who still had Klaue''s arm in his hand, found himself facing Thor and Captain America. "So, you''re breaking Daddy''s heart" Tony Stark added, with a mix of disappointment and sarcasm in his voice as he observed Ultron. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Rafael Borges???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". clement MARIE???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 16 - Provocations "Maybe I wanna do this." Ultron said, tossing Klaue''s bloody arm onto the floor as Wanda and Pietro, who were a bit farther away, approached him. Meanwhile, Clint was positioned on the upper deck of the ship, advancing with extreme caution and attention to every step he took with his bow at the ready. Natasha, on the other hand, was on the opposite side, strategically positioning herself on the deck, remaining alert. Peter, on the other hand, was a bit higher up, near the ship''s walls, establishing an elevated position that provided him with an additional tactical advantage over the others. Ultron, with his metallic and sarcastic voice, attempted to provoke the assembled heroes in the room. He was determined to highlight the weaknesses and flaws of each of them. "Ah, the glorious Avengers, defenders of humanity, or at least that''s what they say." Ultron began, his voice echoing menacingly throughout the room. "But let''s take a closer look, shall we? Let''s start with Captain America." He pointed his metallic finger in the direction of the team leader, Steve Rogers, who stood with an erect posture and his shield in hand. "You, Captain America, the man who thinks he''s a saint but can''t live without a war. So tied to the past, clinging to a time that no longer exists. A man out of his time, lost in modernity. How can you lead when you yourself don''t belong in this world?" Steve looked at Ultron with a calm face, but the robot knew that his provocation had struck a nerve. He continued his ruthless analysis. "Next, Nattasha, the deadly spy. Who hides secrets as well as she fights. How much trust can you have in someone who lurks in the shadows? You hide behind masks and lies, but how long can you evade your past?" Ultron said, directing his gaze toward where Nattasha and Clint were hiding, making a brief pause before continuing. "Clint Barton, the archer who seems to have a normal family but always returns to action when called. Will you ever be able to leave this dangerous life behind and find the peace you seek?" "And Iron Man, Tony Stark. The man who considers himself the genius behind everything but often acts as if he''s the only one who knows what''s best for the world. You''ve built your suits and your machines, but have you ever considered the human cost of your inventions?" Ultron continued, his red eyes gleaming with disdain. "So, all of you, gathered under the name of the Avengers, believe that you''re the solution to the world''s problems. But I''m here to show you that you are, in fact, part of the problem. Your actions have consequences, and they''re not always positive." Ultron slowly moved around the room, looking each one in the eyes, as if challenging them to contest his words. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Thor, who stared at Ultron with determination, wasn''t shaken by the villain''s provocations. "No one will break anything here; we can find a way to resolve our differences without resorting to violence." Declared the god of thunder, making it clear that he was willing to solve the situation peacefully. However, Ultron mocked Thor with a sarcastic smile. "Sure, you''ve never made an omelet." "You took the words right out of my mouth." Tony quipped. "How funny, Mr. Stark, feeling comfortable..." Pietro said in an ironic manner as he approached Ultron. "Like in the old times?" Pietro continued, looking at some missiles that Klaue had stolen from Stark Industries, a dark reminder of the past. "My life has never been about this." Tony said, pointing toward the bombs, his tone carrying a weight of sadness. Meanwhile, Peter, nearly invisible on the ceiling, observed Pietro and Wanda for the first time. He noticed that the two siblings were also young, just like him. With the decision to interact with them, Peter shot a web to the ground and positioned himself between Thor and Tony. "I don''t know what you''ve been through." Peter said empathetically before continuing. "But I believe you can still get out of this." Ultron watched Peter with interest, while Wanda and Pietro exchanged glances before turning to the young hero. The tension on the ship''s deck was palpable, but Peter maintained his calm and determined posture. "You don''t know us, kid. You don''t know anything about what we''ve been through." Pietro said challengingly. Peter took a step forward, keeping a steady gaze on the twins, trying to convince them to reconsider their alliance with Ultron. He understood that they had their reasons but was determined to show them that the path they had chosen was fraught with dangers. "I know you have your reasons to be on Ultron''s side." Peter began. "But believe me, he''s not the solution. He''ll only bring more destruction and pain." Wanda seemed intrigued by Peter''s words, and her powers began to spark erratically. Ultron, realizing that the twins were wavering in their decision, decided to seize this opportunity to advance and try to convince them to remain on his side. He used his powers to create an illusion, showing them a distorted vision of a supposedly perfect world under his rule. "You can have everything you desire, everything that was taken from you in the past." Ultron said, his hypnotic voice echoing in the twins'' minds. "This is the future I can offer you. Join me, and we''ll end the pain and loss." Steve, seeing that the twins were swaying in their decision, tried to intervene and change the course of the situation. "Don''t listen to him." Steve said, his expression serious. "I know you''ve been through hardships." Thor, on the other hand, couldn''t contain his anger at the situation. "ULTRON." Thor thundered menacingly, his voice echoing like thunder before continuing with a calmer yet imposing tone. "If you truly believe in peace, then let us keep it." Ultron responded with a touch of irony in his voice. "My dear friend, I think you''re confusing peace with silence." Ultron said, looking at Thor challengingly. Thor stared at Ultron and was about to respond when a cutting voice interrupted him. "Ahem, if you have no ulterior motives, then why do you want the vibranium?" The voice belonged to Tony, who had momentarily stepped back during the conversation but now returned with a direct question, pointing at Ultron with a hint of sarcasm. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Rafael Borges???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". clement MARIE???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 17 - Time for twists and turns Ultron smiled, looking directly into Stark''s eyes, and provocatively said: "That''s good you asked me." Ultron said with an ironic smile on his face. "Because I really wanted this time to explain my evil plan." Ultron continued while making a hand gesture that began to glow in a blue hue. Immediately after, Ultron fired a beam in the direction of the heroes. Peter, with his spider sense, easily managed to dodge it. However, Tony was not as lucky and was hit directly by the beam, which pulled him in Ultron''s direction. Stark seized the situation to launch himself towards Ultron, and the two started fighting in the air. At that moment, with a simple hand gesture, Ultron summoned a swarm of robots that appeared in droves, like a tide of metal invading the ship. Thor, the God of Thunder, raised his hammer Mj?lnir, ready to face the approaching robots. He threw the hammer with force, hitting the robots and knocking them down shortly after. The battle between Tony and Ultron in the air was getting increasingly difficult. The two fought fiercely, exchanging punches and firing energy blasts at each other. The environment was filling up with debris and sparks. Returning to Steve, who raised his shield and threw it towards the robots. He blocked the robots'' attacks and, at the same time, counterattacked with great skill. While Thor and Steve fought against the horde of robots, the other heroes joined forces to face the threat. Natasha fought a robot on the upper deck, while Clint shot his arrows in the direction where the robots were emerging, simultaneously helping his teammates. They covered each other while neutralizing the robots with their combat skills and precise aim. "Ah, this must be a joke." Peter said with an indifferent expression behind his mask as he looked at the robots invading the ship. As the battle unfolded intensely, a gray beam of light suddenly appeared out of nowhere and hit Thor, who was in the midst of destroying a robot. In another part of the battlefield, Steve tried to advance against Wanda. However, with a quick and precise movement of her hands, she unleashed a burst of her magic. The force of the magic was so intense that it sent Steve flying. At the bottom of the ship, where Klaue had fallen, he rose with a furious expression and impatient gestures as saltwater dripped from his clothing. He turned to one of his henchmen, a hulking figure covered in tattoos and scars, and growled: "Come on, shoot them." If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Klaue said, still struggling due to the pain of his arm being cut by Ultron. "But who, boss?" Said the tattooed and scarred henchman. "EVERYONE." Klaue shouted angrily. After Klaue said those words with a furious grin on his face, his henchman quickly rose and went to the other thugs who were hiding behind crates and barrels. He signaled for them to prepare to attack while grabbing a machine gun hanging from his shoulder. "THE BOSS SAID TO SHOOT EVERYBODY." The tattooed henchman shouted at the other thugs. The thugs nodded in response. After the arrival of the criminals on the ship''s deck, the environment turned chaotic. The heavily armed thugs began firing in all directions, turning the place into a war zone. However, Natasha, with her cunning and skill, managed to dodge the shots. She moved with agility, disappearing and reappearing in the shadows, and with each reappearance, another thug fell unconscious. Meanwhile, Clint wasted no time. With his remarkable archery skills, he shot his arrows with impressive speed. Each arrow was launched with deadly accuracy, finding its mark among Klaue''s thugs. With each arrow fired, a thug fell, reducing the enemy''s forces. As for Steve and Wanda, Captain America tried to approach the sorceress but ended up being thrown away by her magic. To make matters worse for Steve, Pietro appeared to help his sister. He appeared so quickly that time seemed to stand still around him, and he took advantage of the opportunity to punch Steve in the face, knocking him to the ground. Seeing this, Peter had an idea. "Thor, the hammer." Peter said, who was on the other side of the deck, drawing Thor''s attention with a simple hand gesture. Understanding what Peter meant, Thor acted quickly. He hurled the hammer Mj?lnir in Pietro''s direction, who, upon seeing the hammer passing slowly in front of him, had the incredible idea of trying to grab it. But when he grabbed it, he was also thrown away. The battle between Stark and Ultron intensified to the point where they ended up outside the ship. On the other side of the deck, Steve and Peter had just destroyed all the remaining robots, and with Thor''s help, Peter had managed to defeat Pietro. "Stay put, speedy." Peter said before launching a quick attack that made Pietro faint, temporarily removing him from the fight. He acted swiftly to prevent the brother from further interfering in the situation. Ultron, realizing that his main plan wasn''t going as smoothly as planned, turned to a destroyed robot near Wanda. With a sinister tone, he said: "Wandinha, it''s time to play some mind games." After hearing those words from the robot possessed by Ultron, Wanda nodded and left the deck, heading outside the ship, where Bruce was waiting anxiously inside a ship, just waiting for the signal to turn green. Ultron was determined to carry out his evil plan, even in the face of setbacks. While the battle on the ship''s deck was reaching a momentary truce with Pietro and the defeated robots, Ultron focused on his next moves. Wanda, following Ultron''s orders, left the deck and headed outside the ship, where Bruce Banner was waiting in a ship. The scientist appeared visibly apprehensive. Meanwhile, Stark and Ultron continued their battle in the air, exchanging blows and firing energy blasts at each other, creating an increasingly chaotic and destructive environment around the ship. Sparks flew, and debris fell into the sea. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Rafael Borges???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". clement MARIE???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 18 - Peter VS Wanda and Pietro Already inside the ship, Wanda was heading towards Bruce to fulfill Ultron''s request, but upon encountering Thor on her way, she reached out to him, using her mental powers to try to manipulate his mind. Thor, typically resistant to mental influences, felt his mind being invaded by Wanda''s magic. His hammer, Mj?lnir, fell to the ground, and he began to stagger, clearly under the control of the Scarlet Witch. Meanwhile, inside the ship, Bruce was anxiously awaiting orders. He knew that something very bad was happening outside the ship, but he didn''t have a clear view of what it was. He was prepared to act at any moment; he just needed the signal that it was safe to go out. While Thor struggled to resist Wanda''s mental control, Steve Rogers, Captain America, was recovering from Pietro''s attack and preparing to face the Maximoff siblings again. He raised his shield and approached Pietro, who was lying on the ground after Peter Parker''s attack. Steve knew he had to neutralize the two as quickly as possible. With a quick gesture, Steve activated the communicator in his ear, trying to establish communication with Thor: "Thor, how''s the situation on your end?" Steve asked, with some effort due to the recent fight with Pietro. The God of Thunder responded with a touch of arrogance and confidence in his voice: "The girl tried to manipulate my mind, but as I am stronger than her spell, I managed to resist. I doubt you mere humans could do the same. Be careful." But after saying those words, Thor found himself in a place he knew all too well, Asgard. There he was surrounded by a familiar environment, with parties and orgies happening all day. Confused and alarmed, Thor tried to understand what was happening. It seemed that Wanda''s powers had transported him into a disturbing illusion. He looked around and saw his Asgardian friends involved in behaviors he knew well. Thor tried to focus on his Mj?lnir, which was on the ground where he had been controlled by Wanda, but the illusion was too powerful. He couldn''t lift his hammer and felt powerless against the Scarlet Witch''s magic. After regaining consciousness, Pietro observed the situation with a smile on his face. Seeing that his sister''s strategy was working on Thor, he decided to help her do the same with the other Avengers. First, he knocked down Steve, and then his sister manipulated his mind. Then the two Maximoff siblings approached Natasha, who was fighting a robot with agility and skill. She didn''t notice their presence until it was too late. Wanda reached out to Natasha and began using her mental powers to control the Black Widow''s mind. Natasha''s eyes became glazed, and her expression changed, now under the control of the Scarlet Witch. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Meanwhile, on the other side of the deck, Peter Parker was facing and defeating several robots with his agility and webs. He easily pinned them to the ship''s walls, demonstrating his incredible dexterity. However, one of the robots managed to hit him in the face, throwing him off balance for a moment. "Seriously, spider sense? You only work when it suits you?" Peter said sarcastically, rubbing his face where he was hit. "This won''t end like this, your old tin can" Peter continued, pointing to the robot with a serious expression behind his mask. Inside the ship, the situation was getting worse. Wanda and her brother Pietro were using their abilities to manipulate the minds of the Avengers, incapacitating them so they couldn''t do anything. Tony, on the other hand, continued his fight against Ultron, but the robot proved to be incredibly strong and resistant, dodging Tony''s attacks and striking with increasing force. Tony, concerned, exclaimed: "Friday, we have to figure this out. I''m running out of energy here!" The AI in Tony''s suit replied: "I''m doing my best, Mr. Stark, but he seems to have an endless source of energy. We''re in a tight spot." Meanwhile, with his incredible agility, Peter quickly approached the fallen robot. The android tried to shoot him, but thanks to his spider-sense, Peter dodged the shots with agility and tore a piece of metal from the ship. With sharp reflexes and exceptional agility, he pierced the robot''s chest, causing it to fall apart in a heap of scrap. "Easy peasy" Peter said with confidence before continuing. "These robots didn''t stand a chance." He continued with a changed expression when he attempted to shoot a web at the wall, but the web shooter failed. "Great, now everything just got better." Peter then took a spare web cartridge from his belt and replaced it right there. Wanda, realizing Peter''s momentary distraction, approached him stealthily, extending her hand toward the young hero. Her eyes began to glow with the intensity of her mental powers, ready to enter Peter Parker''s mind. (Let''s see what you fear the most, Spider-Man) Wanda thought as she moved her hands toward Peter. However, as soon as she reached out to him, his spider-sense alerted him to the imminent danger. He jumped backward and shot a web that ensnared Wanda''s hands. Surprised by the agility and reflexes of the young hero, Wanda was caught off guard by the web that bound her hands. She attempted to use her mental powers to manipulate Peter''s mind, but it was in vain. "Your mind games won''t work on me, kitty" Peter said confidently, pointing at Wanda. "My spider-sense will always alert me when you try something that could harm me." He continued approaching Wanda but was stopped by Pietro, who punched our hero in the face. (What a day, everyone''s taking shots at me. This spider-sense isn''t helping) Peter thought as he got up and saw Pietro picking up Wanda and leaving. But not before our hero threw something at him. "You better run..." Peter whispered, still in pain. (Everyone''s giving me a hard time today) Peter thought as he walked toward the lower part of the ship where Thor was still trapped in Wanda''s illusion. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Rafael Borges???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". clement MARIE???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 19 - Reflection After a while of walking, Peter finds Thor standing, staring into nothing. He then approaches the God of Thunder and tries to wake him up, shaking him and calling his name, but it all ends up in vain. "Thor, you need to wake up! This isn''t real, it''s an illusion" Peter exclaimed, determined to bring Thor back to reality. Realizing that everything he had done had no effect on Thor, Peter decided to seek help from the Avengers. "Hello, anyone there?" Peter says with a communicator in his ear. After a few seconds of tense waiting, a familiar voice responds on the communicator: "You can talk, this is Clint. What''s going on?" Said Clint from the other end of the line. "Hey, Hawkeye, how''s it going?" Peter asked, almost forgetting the main focus. "Everything''s fine here, how about your side?" Clint replied. "It''s a bit complicated here. The witch tried to invade my mind, but with my spider sense, she couldn''t get anything. Unfortunately, she got Thor" Peter said, turning his head to look at Thor. "I think I might need something similar" Clint said, laughing on the other end of the line. Meanwhile, outside the ship, Tony Stark was still immersed in an epic battle against the villain Ultron. The confrontation unfolded in the midst of the sky. After hours of relentless combat, Tony was getting exhausted but didn''t give up. The exchanges of blows were frenetic, with energy blasts, powerful punches, and deafening crashes echoing through the sky. The sound of metal colliding reverberated throughout the area, creating a symphony of destruction. After much effort and an intense battle, Tony finally managed to bring Ultron down and disarm him. "Give up, you can''t escape" Tony said, pointing his missile launchers at Ultron. "First of all, I''m not even here anymore; this body is just another shell" Ultron said, looking at Tony calmly. "And second, how are you going to stop me when you''ll be busy dealing with Dr. Banner?" Ultron continued, with a mocking smile, as he pointed at the robots carrying the Vibranium stock. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Upon hearing this, Tony looked at Ultron with a face full of anger and without hesitation, fired a projectile that destroyed Ultron and headed in the direction where Banner or the Hulk might be. He had a new problem to solve. Back with Peter, he went to where everyone was lying on the ground. Natasha dreamt of her training and tortures suffered to become a Black Widow, and Steve of the dance he never got to have with Agent Carter. "Damn, what do I do now?" Peter whispered with a somewhat worried expression. "Go after them, kid" Clint said as he put Natasha''s arm over his shoulder. "Are you sure?" Peter asked, looking at Clint. "I am, you can leave them to me; I''ll handle it" Clint replied, gently tapping Natasha''s face in hopes of waking her up. Peter looked at Clint and, with a subtle nod of approval, walked away. "Thanks." SOME TIME LATER Peter had just arrived outside the ship, where he found the Maximoff siblings. Wanda was sitting on a rock while her brother stood in front of her, trying to remove the webbing stuck to his hands. Peter approached the Maximoff siblings cautiously and spoke. "You can try as much as you want, but this webbing won''t come off so easily." Upon hearing that voice, Pietro turned, preparing to fight. "It takes, at most, an hour to dissolve" Peter said, raising his hands in a gesture of peace. "I''m not here to fight" Wanda, still suspicious, looked at the young hero and asked: "Then what do you want?" "I want to get you out of this path" Peter said, looking at Pietro and Wanda. "Why would you do that? You don''t even know us" Pietro said without lowering his guard. "Because I''m just like you" Peter said, removing his mask and showing the siblings that he was also young like them. After revealing himself to the Maximoff siblings, Peter continued to hold his hands up slightly, showing that he didn''t pose a threat. Wanda and Pietro exchanged looks of surprise and confusion upon seeing that he was young like them. "So, you''re the..." Wanda started to ask with a curious look but was interrupted by Peter. "Yes, I''m Spider-Man, strange, isn''t it?" Peter said, somewhat embarrassed, while letting out a brief laugh. Pietro, still trying to remove the webbing from his sister''s hands, asked with a tone of distrust. "I thought you were older." "No, I''m only 17 years old, and I haven''t finished high school yet" Peter said, looking at the Maximoff siblings before continuing: "In fact, I wanted to tell you that there''s still time for you to change sides." "No, not until Tony Stark pays for everything, he did to us" Pietro said, with a face full of hatred. Peter took a deep breath before replying. "I understand that you''ve suffered, but I want you to understand that seeking revenge isn''t the solution to change the world. You can see the damage that Ultron is causing, and he''s not the ally you imagine. If you continue on this path, the situation will only get worse. I also grew up without my parents and was raised by my aunt and uncle. Unfortunately, my Uncle Ben lost his life on the same day I gained these powers," Peter added, with a sad expression, remembering his uncle. "I know what I''m talking about. At some point, I stopped holding back my anger; I became bitter... It took a long time for me to overcome that darkness. But I did, and believe me, if I could do it, you can too." "So why are you on their side?" Wanda said, raising her voice a little. Peter looked into Wanda''s eyes, understanding the intensity of her emotions. He knew he needed to explain himself properly so that the Maximoff brothers would understand his position. "I''d actually been kicked out, but they convinced me to come back and I ended up staying. I have a motto: sometimes it''s good to think of others before you think of yourself." RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Rafael Borges???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". clement MARIE???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 20 - The Hulks lack of control "Are you telling us to abandon our revenge and let Tony Stark escape unpunished?" Pietro said, looking at Peter with a less hostile but still skeptical expression. Peter shook his head, maintaining a calm tone in his voice. "I''m not saying to forget what happened. I''m saying you can use your powers to make a difference in a way that helps people, without becoming villains. I know pain and anger can be powerful, but so can redemption." Upon hearing those words, both Wanda and Pietro looked at each other. "We all have choices, and that''s what sets us apart from the villains we face. Revenge only perpetuates the cycle of destruction. But I can help you, if you want." Peter said, crouching down and becoming the same size as Wanda. "Let me take this off for you." He said, dissolving the web fluid that was on Wanda''s hands. "See..." Peter continued, still crouched and looking at Wanda''s face. "Much better than waiting an hour for it to dissolve, right?" He added with a slight chuckle. Upon seeing that smile, Wanda couldn''t help but give a faint smile as well, and she kept staring at Peter''s face, somehow finding it very captivating. Peter slowly stood up and looked Wanda in the eyes before continuing. "By the way, what''s your name?" Wanda stared at him and replied with a gentle voice: "Wanda, Wanda Maximoff, and yours?" "Peter P..." But before he could finish, Peter was interrupted by a powerful punch to the face from Pietro, sending him flying. "Pietro, why did you do that?" Wanda asked in concern, looking back to see Peter lying on the ground. "It doesn''t matter now. Let''s go! Do you remember our mission?" Pietro said, making a brief pause before continuing. "The big guy." "Alright." Wanda replied, still looking shaken. After getting confirmation from his sister, Pietro picked her up and carried her to the Quinjet, which was opening at that moment. When the aircraft opened fully, they saw Bruce inside, looking concerned. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Noticing his sister''s hesitation, Pietro tried to encourage her with words. "Come on, Wanda, just with this, they will understand what we''ve been through." "Okay..." Wanda said, still hesitating, and she headed toward Bruce, who was too preoccupied to notice their presence. Wanda cautiously approached Bruce and began manipulating his mind, causing him to turn into the Hulk. The transformation was almost instantaneous. Bruce''s skin changed color to a shade of green, his muscles expanded, tearing his clothes, and his eyes gleamed with wild fury. He had become the Hulk. Without wasting any time, the Hulk ran off at astonishing speed, leaving behind a cloud of dust. His destination? The nearest city. The successful transformation had been accomplished, but the consequences of this action were yet to be seen. "We did it." Pietro said, looking at his sister. "Yeah..." Wanda replied, still feeling somewhat down. Wanda looked back to see Peter slowly getting up from the ground. Almost automatically, he crouched down and picked up his mask, which had been knocked aside by Pietro''s punch. He put it back on, then looked at the two siblings and, immediately after, at the completely uncontrolled Hulk causing destruction on his way to the city. "Do you realize what you''ve just done?" Peter asked with a trembling voice, his concern evident as he gazed at the devastation caused by the uncontrollable Hulk approaching the city. Pietro, still skeptical and seemingly indifferent to the consequences, responded coldly. "We did what was right, and as Ultron said, it''s easier to destroy you using yourselves." "Can you just be quiet for a second, Speedster." Peter said seriously, as he shot a web into Pietro''s mouth. Pietro tried to remove it but couldn''t. "Now it''s much better with your mouth shut; you''re quite the poet." Peter remarked. Seeing this, Wanda became somewhat concerned for her brother. "Pietro!" "Seriously, it''s nothing personal, but I don''t want to hear your voice for the next few minutes, okay?" Peter said, looking at Pietro and then starting to walk away. "Where are you going?" Wanda asked, curiously. "Well, what do you mean? Can''t you see there''s a big green monster heading for a city full of people? Where do you think I''m going? I''m going there for a picnic." Peter replied, with a touch of sarcasm and a slightly altered voice. "But he''s much stronger than you, you don''t stand a chance against him." Wanda said, looking at Peter with a worried expression before continuing: "So why?" "There''s no why, it''s what makes me a hero: putting my life on the line to save people." Peter replied, now with a calmer voice. "First, I always carry my motto: if I breathe, it means I haven''t fallen yet, so it''s still a fair fight." Peter said, looking at Wanda with a determined gaze. "And second, what''s it to you? Why would you care?" Peter continued, with a puzzled expression. "Ah... well, and why I..." Wanda tried to answer Peter but was interrupted by him. "Never mind, forget it. I''ve already wasted too much of my time with you two... and don''t forget, if you''re willing to change, you can come to me, and you''ll have my support." Peter said, looking at Wanda and turning to Pietro, who was still trying to remove the web from his mouth. "And you, Speedster, if you''re calmer when I come back, maybe I''ll take this web off your mouth." Peter walks away and leaves the two of them alone, reflecting on their actions. Determined to avoid an even greater disaster, Peter propels himself forward with his web and launches himself towards a building, swinging himself over the city''s skyscrapers. Wanda watches all this and ponders what he said to her about his choices causing even more destruction and death. Peter caught sight of the Hulk in the street, destroying everything in his path. The sight was chaotic, even for someone like Peter, who had faced several villains in the past. But he knew he couldn''t hesitate: innocent lives were at stake. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Gkiller???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". clement MARIE???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 21 - Tony VS Hulk With a quick and agile movement, Peter lands on the roof of a house and quickly assesses the situation. He knew he didn''t have the physical strength to defeat the Hulk, but he could use his intelligence to try to steer the Hulk in another direction. Taking a deep breath, Peter tries to stay calm, knowing the situation was explosive. He approached carefully, maintaining a friendly posture despite the tension he felt. "Easy now, Dr. Banner..." Peter says, raising his hands in a gesture of peace. "Do you remember me? We''re friends." Hulk, with his bright green eyes that seemed more like sparks of pure rage, stood there with his imposing and muscular figure, an intimidating presence. The confusion escalated even further when Peter, with a daring expression, dared to call the enraged giant by the name of Bruce, something that many knew was a trigger for the Hulk''s anger. His eyes, which had previously seemed to shine in a mysterious and almost wild way, now gleamed with uncontrollable fury. Hulk clenched his massive fists and emitted a guttural growl that made the air tremble. Peter, despite the challenging tone of his voice, was not prepared for Bruce''s quick reaction. The ground trembled as the Hulk, with titanic and powerful steps, began to run toward Peter. Each step was a demonstration of pure strength, and the earth yielded under the weight of his charge. "I... I didn''t mean that, Hulk!" Peter shouted in desperation as he backed away, his eyes widening in terror. But it was too late to retreat now, and the Hulk was in full momentum. With a deafening roar that echoed through the urban landscape, Bruce shouted the dreaded words: "HULK... SMASH!" But before the Hulk could land a punch on Peter, several mini-missiles struck him. Peter, looking surprised, directed his gaze to the sky, where he saw Stark flying. "Mr. Stark!" Peter said with a less worried expression. "Hey, kid, from what I can see, I think I arrived a little late." Tony said, looking at the scene of destruction that extended across the city, with streets in ruins and cars turned upside down. After being hit by the missiles, the Hulk let out a scream of anger. Seconds later, as the dust settled, both Peter and Tony realized that not only had he not been hurt, but he had become even angrier. "Where''s Natasha? At times like this, her Nina''s song would be a great help." Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Tony asked Peter. "She''s down too, just like the rest of the team, leaving only me, you, and Hawkeye." Peter replied as he looked at Tony. Tony remained silent for a few seconds and then said: "I''m going to have to call Veronica." "And you." Tony said, pointing to Peter before continuing. "Protect the civilians, get them to safety. Let me handle the big guy." "Alright." Peter said, giving a thumbs-up. While Tony prepared to face the Hulk, Peter knew that his priority was to ensure the safety of civilians in the area. He looked around and saw panicked people running through the streets, damaged cars, and buildings at risk of collapsing. With agility, he shot his webs and began swinging from building to building, directing people to take shelter in safe places. Amid the evacuation of civilians, Peter noticed something falling from the sky and hitting the city''s ground: it was the Hulkbuster. It had the same colors as Tony''s armors, but its distinctive feature was its size, much larger than the Hulk himself. This was plausible, as it had been designed with the purpose of being large enough to confront the Hulk. Tony approached the massive armor and entered it. "All of you, get away from here... now." Tony said from inside the armor, instructing the police and the people around to move away. Peter continued to guide civilians to move away from the area while the Hulkbuster rose imposingly, and the Hulk turned his attention to Tony inside the armor. Tony knew he couldn''t waste time. He began to communicate with the Hulk through the Hulkbuster''s loudspeaker system, trying to calm the giant green rage. "Can you hear me? That witch is messing with your mind, but remember that you are stronger and smarter than her. You are Bruce Banner." Hulk, with eyes still filled with rage, turned and looked back. His face was contorted in agony, and it seemed he was fighting against the influence that was driving him mad, his veins bulging in his neck. When Tony called him Bruce, the Hulk responded with a furious scream, giving him a look of pure anger. "Alright, alright, I won''t call you ''weak'' Hulk anymore." Tony said mockingly, taunting the Hulk and making him even angrier. Tony knew that taunting the Hulk was not the best strategy, but he was trying to divert the attention from the uncontrollable fury to gain time. The green giant lets out a deafening roar and launches a car towards Tony, then lunges forward with full force, slamming his massive fists into the Hulkbuster''s armor. The impact was so great that it threw Tony away, but he managed to activate the armor''s thrusters, and without wasting any time, he charged at the Hulk, slamming him into the ground. The Hulk, now even more furious, stood up and started tearing chunks of concrete out of the ground, throwing them like projectiles at the Hulkbuster. Tony used the shield built into his armor to protect himself from the attacks, but it was clear that facing the Hulk was an arduous task, even with the powerful Hulkbuster. However, Tony manages to anticipate the Hulk''s intentions and acts quickly, punching the green giant in the face and launching a bolt of lightning in his direction. The impact of the bolt knocks him into a truck. Hulk breaks free and immediately jumps on Tony''s back, hitting the Hulkbuster''s arm with an iron bar. "Getting me by surprise from behind, low blow, Dr. Banner." Tony said inside the armor. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Eduardo Tolentino???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Gkiller???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". clement MARIE???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 22 - Tony and Peter VS Hulk Meanwhile, Peter continued to ensure that civilians were safe. He used his webs to create protective barriers, directing people to safe areas and preventing unstable buildings from collapsing on them. Back in the fight, Hulk began to dismantle the Hulkbuster, tearing apart each piece of it. Peter, seeing this, had an idea. He grabbed a car with his webs and launched it in Hulk''s direction, causing him to be thrown away. "All right, now I definitely have your attention. Focus on me" Peter said, approaching Tony. "Veronica, lend a hand here, please" Tony said, calling a structure that was flying in the sky, from which several pieces emerged and went to the armor. They started replacing the damaged pieces of the Hulkbuster''s arm. "Kid!" Tony said quickly, looking at Peter, as the arm of the armor was being completed. "You can talk" Peter replied with a suspicious look at Tony. "Keep the Hulk busy for a few seconds while I fix my armor''s arm" Tony said seriously, looking at Pete. "I knew it, now it''s up to me to stop that green thing" Peter said ironically, directing his attention to a pizza truck nearby. Determined to keep the Hulk occupied, Peter swung on his webs toward the pizza truck. He knew he didn''t have the Hulk''s immense strength, but he relied on his agility and intelligence to face the challenge. Hulk, now very enraged, began to run towards Peter with a deafening roar. Peter, seeing Hulk approaching, lifted the pizza truck and threw it in Bruce''s direction. Peter''s attack with the pizza truck proved to be effective, momentarily stopping Hulk in his charge. Tony watched in admiration as Peter''s strategy worked. However, despite being stunned, the Hulk was not defeated. "That''s it, kid" Tony said, watching the scene. After receiving the attack, Bruce managed to free himself. Tony, realizing that Hulk had gotten up and was approaching, fired an energy blast in his direction. As soon as the last piece of the armor arrived, Tony didn''t hesitate any longer, and with a powerful crash, the fists of the Hulkbuster and the Hulk collided in an explosion of unimaginable strength. The collision generated a massive shockwave that swept everything in its path, debris flying into the air, and the earth trembling. The force of the impact seemed unbelievable, and for a moment, the world around them seemed to be collapsing. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Hulk tried to jump on Tony, but Tony managed to knock him down and hold him. With one hand, he restrained the Hulk, while with the other, he began punching his face continuously. "Time for a nap, big guy. Sleep, sleep, sleep" Tony taunted as he continued to punch Hulk''s face. Hulk, even after taking multiple punches to the face, found an opening and managed to grab the Hulkbuster''s hand. Tony Stark reacted quickly, locking Hulk''s hand into the armor and taking off with him struggling. "Okay, let''s take this battle to a safer place, where you don''t put civilians'' lives at risk!" Tony said as he tried to take Hulk out of the city. Hulk, not wanting to cooperate with Tony, ended up pushing them into a building. "Oh, no, not there, big guy" Tony grumbled as the Hulkbuster and the Hulk collided with the building, causing even more devastation. Inside the collapsing building, the battle between Iron Man in the Hulkbuster and the Hulk reached new levels of destruction. Walls were demolished, structures collapsed, and debris flew in all directions. Tony was determined to take Hulk away from the city and prevent further harm to civilians. Outside, Peter watched it all with a concerned look on his face. "Oh, no" Peter said, shooting a web toward the building. Tony began to press Hulk against a wall, but he kept struggling. "Come on, Bruce, help me help you" Tony said as he watched an elevator open up behind him. And to avoid further tragedy, he threw a sleeping pill in Bruce''s face, which didn''t do much good. To make matters worse, the Hulk propelled himself into the wall and kicked the armor, throwing Tony Stark backwards and causing the elevator behind him to plummet. Tony, realizing that Hulk wouldn''t give him a chance to save the people trapped inside the elevator, shouted Peter''s name, who was still down there. "Parker!" "Mark it, spit it out on the ground, I''m on my way" Peter said, looking up. After saying those words, Peter shot his web toward the building and propelled himself upward to reach the top more quickly. As soon as he got up there, he shot a web toward the elevator, holding it. "Let''s go, folks! The express has reached its destination. Everyone out" Peter said playfully, trying to ease the near-death atmosphere they had just experienced. The passengers inside the elevator hurriedly descended and ran into the building in search of a safe place. As for Tony, the Hulk had managed to escape, throwing Tony out of the building. Tony, seeing Banner free and no one around, spotted Peter with the elevator and had an idea. "Elevator, Parker" Tony said simply, looking at Peter, who instantly understood the message. Peter lifted the elevator with his webs and threw it on top of the Hulk. "Take this, big green guy, and don''t forget, kids... what goes down, comes up" Peter said, turning his head and looking forward. Seeing that the attack had worked, Stark wasted no time and delivered a punch with the thrusters of the armor activated to Hulk''s face. Peter landed on the Hulkbuster''s shoulder and saw Hulk looking at him with an angry gaze while spitting out a tooth. "My bad" Peter said, seeing Hulk looking at him even more angrily. The fight continued at full throttle as the Hulk, now even more enraged, unleashed a deafening roar and charged at the Hulkbuster with renewed ferocity. Tony stood his ground and activated a shield to protect himself from the green giant''s powerful blows. Meanwhile, Peter, realizing that the battle was far from over, looked down at his uniform, which was already destroyed and torn, and tried to throw his web, but it failed. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Eduardo Tolentino???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Gkiller???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 23 - Consequences of the Battle "Great, that''s all I needed to make it good" Peter said ironically as he checked his web shooters. "Ready, no more webs" Peter continued, disbelieving his bad luck. Meanwhile, Hulk and Stark were still fighting, or almost, as it was Hulk who was beating the armor or crushing the Hulkbuster. Every time Tony tried to punch Bruce, he became even angrier and started destroying the suit, piece by piece. After suffering severe damage, the AI in the suit displayed a warning on the screen indicating that the armor had received too many critical hits. "Veronica!" Tony said, calling the AI, which launched some pieces for the armor''s repair, but Hulk ended up destroying all of them. "Is there still time to buy that building?" Tony said as he approached a building that was still under construction. "Sorry, big guy" Tony said as he dropped Bruce from a height. Without wasting time, Stark activated the suit''s thrusters and launched himself at full speed toward Bruce, throwing him into the building and destroying it in the process. Meanwhile, Peter tried to save people who hadn''t found a safe place to hide. However, a metal bar fell on him, causing him to faint. About 10 minutes later, the army arrived amidst the wreckage and debris. Hulk rose from the wreckage, but this time he was calmer, having freed himself from Wanda''s mind control. He began to look around, seeing the injured people and the massive destruction he had caused. Looking down, he noticed Peter lying unconscious under an iron bar. Hulk removed the iron bar and then turned his attention to the army. But before he could do anything, Tony appeared and punched him in the face, knocking him out. SOME TIME LATER INSIDE THE SHIP Hawkeye, with a lot of effort, managed to free Steve, Natasha, and Thor from Wanda''s mind control. After everyone regained consciousness, they met with Stark, Bruce, and a battered Peter. "What happened to the kid?" Steve asked, still a bit dazed and concerned, looking at Peter with his torn suit and bruises all over his body. Tony Stark took a deep breath before answering, concerned about the boy''s condition. "He was trying to save people in the midst of that chaos. An iron bar fell on him, and he passed out." "But he''s very injured" This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Clint said, looking astonished at the scene. "Did you do this to him, Bruce?" Nattasha asked, looking at Banner. "I... I don''t remember" Bruce replied with a worried expression. "You don''t need to feel guilty. He didn''t get hurt facing you; he got hurt trying to save people. He''ll be okay, I think" Tony said sincerely, trying to alleviate Bruce''s guilt. "We''ll take him to a safe place as soon as we find one" Tony continued, not knowing exactly where they could go. "But that''s the problem; we can''t go back to the city. So, where do we go?" Steve asked. Clint, who had been quiet until now, stood up and said: "I know a safe place." Tony looked at him with a curious expression and asked. "Alright, but where is this place?" "Trust me, I know a place, and believe me, you''ll like it" Clint said, with a little smile. "Then let''s go to this place" Thor said quickly and seriously. After leaving the ship, they headed for the Quinjet and took off with Clint at the controls. Bruce was sitting in a corner, still shaken by everything he had done, the people he had hurt, and the buildings he had destroyed as the Hulk. Steve and Tony were in the front of the jet, with Clint. Thor looked out the window, and Natasha was tending to Peter''s injuries. Peter woke up and looked at her. "Where am I?" Peter said with some difficulty as he sat up. "Nobody kissed me while I was unconscious, right?" Peter continued hastily, eliciting laughter from those on the jet due to his innocence. "Relax, kid. We''re inside the Quinjet, heading to a safe place" Steve said calmly, looking at Peter. "Oh, and where''s the Hulk?" Peter asked, looking around and not finding Bruce. "Is that one over there enough?" Tony said, pointing to a somewhat shy Bruce in the corner, with a sad expression. "Don''t worry; the Hulk won''t be appearing anytime soon" Nattasha said, looking at Peter. "Man, I''m hurting allover" Peter said, touching his ribs to check if any were broken. "Did anyone get the license plate of the truck that hit me?" Peter continued with a pained expression. "Watch your language" Steve said, looking at Peter. "Sorry, Captain" Peter said, bowing in apology. "You were hit by a metal bar while saving people" Tony said, turning his head and looking at Peter. "And, as always, this spider-sense only works when it wants to" Peter mumbled softly. "You can relax now; you''re safe" Natasha said, gently patting Peter''s hair. "Where are we going?" Peter asked while still sitting, looking at Steve. "Clint is taking us to a shelter" Steve said, pointing to Clint. "Yeah, to a shelter far away from here" Clint said with a little smile. "Damn..." Peter muttered, but was soon interrupted by Nattasha. "What''s wrong? Any problem?" Nattasha asked, looking at Peter with a worried expression. "It''s nothing; I just forgot to tell my aunt that I wouldn''t be able to come home now" Peter said with a worried expression before continuing. "She''s going to kill me." "We''ll figure that out later" Steve said, placing his hand on Peter''s shoulder, trying to calm him. "Alright..." Peter said, nodding his head. After the brief conversation inside the Quinjet, the group headed for the shelter suggested by Clint. As they flew, Peter tried to straighten up as best he could, still feeling the pain in his body. He looked out of the window, observing the landscape that passed quickly below them. The worry about how to explain his absence to his aunt continued to bother him. "Kid, I''ve been curious since the day you dodged Thor''s hammer and now, you''re unaffected by the little witch''s mind control. How did you do that?" Clint says, a little curious, looking at Peter. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Eduardo Tolentino???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Gkiller???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 24 - Shelter "Well, I sort of have a sixth sense, which I call ''spider-sense''; it doesn''t allow any threat to reach me" Peter explained to Clint. "Or at least that''s what it should do" Peter continued, with a hint of doubt in his head. "How cool" Nattasha said, with a surprised expression as she looked at Pete. "Really..." Tony whispered so low that no one heard him. "Kid, you''re amazing" Steve praised Peter''s power. "At some point, he''s good... but he''s no wonder, it doesn''t work when I want it to, and sometimes when it does, I don''t need it, and when I really need it, it lets me down" Peter said calmly, drawing some laughs from the other team members. A WHILE LATER IN THE QUINJET After the conclusion of the last battle, a feeling of tiredness and exhaustion began to dominate all the group members. Some had headaches due to Wanda''s spells, while others, more specifically Peter and Tony, were exhausted because of the Hulk. The Quinjet flew silently through the sky, taking the heroes to a place Clint assured was safe. The sound of the engines was comforting, almost hypnotic, and gradually fatigue overcame everyone inside, except for Clint, who remained focused. Nattasha broke the silence, looking at Clint, who still had his serious and concentrated expression on the Quinjet''s controls. "Clint, how long until we reach this place?" she asked, breaking the silence. Clint looked at the monitors in front of him and answered with a firm voice. "About another thirty minutes. Rest while you can; it''s going to be a long journey ahead." With this information, the heroes settled into their seats and tried to relax as much as they could. The Quinjet continued its quiet journey through the sky, carrying a team of tired superheroes. After a brief pause, the conversation turned to the memories of the battle they had just faced. Each team member shared their perspectives and concerns as the Quinjet continued its peaceful flight. Steve looked at Peter and said: "You did a great job out there, kid." Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Peter smiled, grateful for Steve''s praise. "Thank you, Captain. I still have a lot to learn, but I''m working on it." The rest of the flight proceeded quietly, with the team chatting and making small talk. Finally, the Quinjet had landed in an isolated location in the middle of a forest. They disembarked from the aircraft and began to walk through the flowers, eventually arriving at a farm. "What place is this?" Thor asked, looking around. "A safe haven" Tony said as he walked alongside Pete. Clint looked at them and tried to explain where they were: "This is my home. Here, we''ll be away from prying eyes. You can rest, replenish, and recover." As they approached the house on the farm, Clint opened the door and ushered everyone inside. "Honey, I''m home!" After Clint called out, a pregnant woman in a floral shirt appeared. This was Laura Barton, Clint''s wife. "Sorry, I didn''t have time to warn you. We have visitors" Clint said, approaching Laura and giving her a kiss. "No problem" Laura replied, smiling at the heroes. "You''re all welcome in our home." "She''s a new agent..." Tony said, looking at Thor. "Everyone, meet Laura Barton" Clint said, introducing his wife. "You can clap if you want" Clint continued, eliciting laughter from everyone in the room. "I know all your names, but I''ve never seen you before" Laura said, pointing her finger in Peter''s direction. "Because I''m new to the team" Peter said with a somewhat embarrassed expression. "That''s right, joined a few days ago, but you''re already leaving" Tony said with a serious expression. After Tony said those words, footsteps could be heard upstairs. A few seconds passed, and two children came down the stairs and jumped on Barton. They were his kids. "And these are definitely junior agents" Tony said. The little girl started to look at all the heroes in the room and began searching for Natasha. When she found her, she ran toward her and hugged her, showing how much she had missed her. "Sorry for showing up like this" Steve said, looking at Laura. "The agent would have called, but we were busy without even knowing you existed" Tony said with a touch of irony in his voice, looking at Laura and then at Barton. "Sorry for that, but I asked Nick to help me hide them when I joined S.H.I.E.L.D. I wanted to keep them hidden so they wouldn''t get hurt" Clint said, looking at Tony. After the heroes settled in the living room, Laura called her kids, who were still with their father, and asked them to introduce themselves. "Hello, I''m Lila" The younger girl said, bowing as a sign of respect. "I''m Cooper" The older boy said, following his sister''s lead. Thor, who had been quiet until then, began to remember the visions he had of Asgard when he was under Wanda''s spell ¨C the many parties, drinks, and orgies. Unable to take it any longer, he went outside the house but was followed by Steve. "Thor, did something happen?" Steve said, getting Thor''s attention. "In my dream, I saw something, and I want answers about it, but I won''t find them here" Thor said with a serious expression, swinging Mj?lnir and walking away. As for Peter, he had returned to the Quinjet to change his torn and destroyed uniform from the tough battle against the Hulk. After leaving the Quinjet, he headed toward a room to try to fix his web-shooters, which he thought had just run out of web fluid, but he soon realized the problem was a bit more complex. Peter was concentrating on fixing his web launchers when the bedroom door opened softly and Steve walked in. Captain America looked at the young hero and noticed his expression of determination. "What''s up, kid" Steve said as he approached Peter. "Is it still fixed?" Steve continued, now looking at the launchers. "I don''t know yet, I hope so" Peter said without taking his eyes off the device. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Eduardo Tolentino???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Gkiller???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 25 - Mind in Conflict "I hope you can fix them. Well... I just came here to see how you were doing." Said Steve, now getting Peter''s attention. "I''m okay, Cap." Replied Peter with a forced smile that went unnoticed by Steve. "Alright then, if you need anything, just reach out to me." Said Steve as he turned and headed toward the door, but Peter called him before he could open it. "Captain." Peter got Steve''s attention, who turned to face him. "Is something wrong?" Steve asked, looking at the young man with a curious expression. "It''s nothing, it''s just that I heard Tony say I might have to leave. Is it true that you guys are going to send me away?" Said Peter with a downcast expression, looking at Steve. "I saw what happened yesterday, and I appreciate it." Steve said but was interrupted by Peter. "So, why can''t I stay? You saw, I''m strong." Peter said as he looked into Steve''s eyes, who stared back at him seriously before continuing. "I saw that you''re strong and a responsible kid, but... you nearly died yesterday, and I can''t allow that, especially seeing a kid almost getting hurt by getting involved in matters that we should handle." Steve continued speaking as he looked at Peter with a serious face. Peter nodded, understanding Steve''s concerns but still feeling apprehensive. "I admit that what happened yesterday was my fault." Peter said with a serious face, pausing before continuing. "I should have just stopped them from doing what they did yesterday, but instead, I tried to act like a moralist with them." "I understand that you tried to do the right thing, kid, but we have to ensure the safety of citizens who can''t defend themselves. We wouldn''t forgive ourselves if a child got hurt by getting involved in our affairs." Steve said as he looked at Peter before continuing. "But I''m not a child anymore; I''m almost 16." This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Peter tried to change Steve''s opinion. "For me, it doesn''t make a difference; I still see you as a child." Steve continued with a serious face, still looking at Peter. "I''m sorry, I know I shouldn''t have meddled in this story, I even tried to avoid getting involved, but it was stronger than me." Peter said with an embarrassed expression. Steve looked at Peter with a gentler look, recognizing the young man''s sincerity. He knew that Peter had good intentions, and in a way, his involvement had also been beneficial. "You don''t need to apologize, kid. I should be thanking you now. If it weren''t for you, Ultron would probably have killed Dr. Cho. I also owe you some apologies for getting you into this mess." Peter looked surprised at Steve, not expecting this kind of response from Captain America. He felt relieved but was still worried about the possibility of being removed from the team. "Thank you, Captain. This means a lot to me." Peter said with a grateful smile before continuing. "Do I really have to go? I really wanted to stay." Steve sighed once again, weighing the situation. He didn''t want to take the kid off the team, but he also didn''t want to risk his safety. "I understand that you want to help, kid. And believe me, I would love to have you with us. But we need to ensure that you''re safe." Steve said before continuing. "We''ve already decided, tomorrow we''ll take you back home..." Steve was about to finish his sentence when he noticed the disappointed look on Peter''s face. The young hero had become attached to the idea of being part of the team, and the prospect of going back home was disheartening. Steve continued to look at Peter and spoke again. "So, you can have your peaceful life as a vigilante again." "Of course, if nothing goes wrong." Steve whispered this last part in a way that Peter couldn''t hear. Peter lowered his head for a moment, looking resigned, but then raised his eyes to Steve with determination. "Alright, but I wanted to thank you for letting me help you, even if it was for a short time. Thank you, Captain. It was an honor to have been able to fight alongside you." Steve squeezed Peter''s shoulder with a comforting smile, appreciating the young hero''s mature attitude. "The honor was ours, kid. You showed great courage and determination. Be responsible and keep training. Who knows, one day, when you''re more prepared, you might be able to join us again." After saying those words, Steve, with a smile on his face, began to slowly move away from Peter, heading towards the door, and then opening it and leaving the room. Peter stood there, deep in thought about what he should do, whether he should stay and help the Avengers with this problem or go back to his life as the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. When Steve left the room, Peter was left with mixed emotions. He understood Captain America''s concerns and the need to prioritize his safety, but it was still difficult for him to accept leaving the Avengers, even if it was only a temporary arrangement. Peter was torn between his sense of responsibility and his desire to continue fighting alongside these incredible heroes. "What should I do? Should I just leave, or should I stay like this?" Peter thought as he paced back and forth in the room. After pacing around the room and not getting any answers, he starts walking towards the window. There, he looks down and sees Tony and Steve chopping wood. In fact, Tony was talking more than chopping wood, while Steve wasn''t even using an axe; he was using his hands to split the logs in half. "How could I compare to these two? They''re incredible, and what they''ve achieved is surreal... Who am I kidding? I''ll never be their equal; one is a super soldier and the other is a super genius and billionaire, while I''m just a little boy from Queens." Peter said these words to himself while still watching Tony and Steve through the window. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Eduardo Tolentino???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Gkiller???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 26 - Revelations and the Nexus Alliance After a few minutes of self-critique, Peter decided to reach for the cellphone in the back pocket of his shorts. Upon unlocking the phone''s screen, he was greeted with a picture of his Aunt May and his late Uncle Ben. The image brought a melancholic smile to his face as he remembered his uncle''s words: "With great power comes great responsibility." The photo was more than just a memory; it was a constant reminder of the promise he had made to his uncle after his death. In that dark moment when tragedy shook his family, Peter swore to use his powers to protect the innocent, fight crime, and ensure that no one else would suffer as his Aunt May had. He knew that, as Spider-Man, he carried both a gift and a curse: the power to make a difference but also the responsibility to confront the evil that plagued the city. "No matter what I do, or how hard I try, those I love will always pay. With great power comes great responsibility. This is my gift and also the curse I bear. Who am I? You already know me, or you''ve heard of me. I am Spider-Man." Determined and resolute in facing his fears, Peter decided not to run away and chose to stay and join the Avengers to support them in whatever was necessary. "I won''t run anymore; I made a promise, and I won''t break it" Peter said, his eyes shining, displaying his determination. "But I think I''ll deal with this tomorrow; after all, a little rest won''t kill anyone" Peter whispered, somewhat embarrassed, as he lay on the bed. SOME TIME LATER LIVING ROOM 7:40 PM All the Avengers were gathered in the living room. However, there were two differences in that room. First, Peter, who had not yet come downstairs and was in his room. The second was the presence of the former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, Nick Fury. After the events of ''The Winter Soldier,'' he had faked his own death to hide from threats within S.H.I.E.L.D. Clint, seeing that Nick needed a safe haven, allowed him to hide in his residence as a way to repay what he had done for him. While Nick Fury spoke, his serious face began to reflect the gravity of the situation. "Ultron was clever. To buy time, he took you out of the game" Nick said, with a serious look, gazing directly at Steve. "I''ve talked to some of my contacts, and they''ve told me that, due to the amount of vibranium he stole, it''s very likely that he''s building something big" Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Nick continued, now directing his gaze to the entire team. The Avengers exchanged worried glances. Steve asked with seriousness: "Have you found his location?" Everyone was eager for a lead to track Ultron. Nick replied, maintaining a serious expression: "He''s not even trying to hide; he''s everywhere, the guy multiplies more than shadow clones, that''s easy to find, but still, we can''t get any idea of his plans." Tension in the room increased after those words, and Tony, seeing this, decided to intervene, asking. "What about the nuclear codes? Does he still want them?" As he spoke, he attempted to hit a dart into a wall, showing his restlessness. Fury looked directly at Tony and replied: "He already has the codes, but he''s not doing anything with them." Uncertainty about Ultron''s intentions hung over everyone as they tried to find a way to anticipate and thwart the villain''s plans. The minutes that followed were filled with tense silence in the Avengers'' living room. Each team member was immersed in their own thoughts, pondering the threat posed by Ultron and what would be required to stop him. Finally, Steve Rogers decided to break the silence. "We need to act quickly and intelligently. Ultron is a threat we can''t underestimate, and we can''t afford to wait for his next moves." "I''ve hacked into the Pentagon''s ''For You,'' did you know that?" Tony said now, looking in Nick''s direction. After Tony''s revelation about his ability to hack into the Pentagon''s system, the looks turned to Nick Fury, who maintained his serious expression. Nick replied: "I know. We''ve contacted our friends at Nexus for additional information on Ultron''s movements." "Nexus? Who are they?" Steve asked with a curious face. "Nexus is a worldwide internet organization based in Washington; they''re like a global network of intelligence and security. Every bit of information goes through there; it''s the fastest access on Earth" Bruce said, still somewhat downcast. "Does that mean we''ll have eyes and ears in places we normally couldn''t reach?" Steve asked, looking at Nick. Nick just nodded and directed his gaze toward Steve. "Exactly. Nexus has the capability to access information and track activities at levels we couldn''t achieve alone. They also have their own technical resources and highly trained agents." "And what did they say, are they going to help us?" Clint asked as he picked up a dart. Nick Fury maintained his serious expression as he answered Clint: "They agreed to provide assistance. However, they said they''d focus only on the missiles since Ultron is constantly changing the codes." "Who''s changing the codes?" Tony asked as he dodged a dart that Clint had thrown at him. "They don''t know either, but from what I''ve been told, it''s some unknown group" Nick said, looking at Tony. "Could it be an ally, trying to help us?" Natt asked, looking at Nick. "I highly doubt it, but one thing is certain: Ultron has an enemy trying to undermine him, and I''d pay all the money in the world to know who that person is" Fury said as he sipped his juice and ate a roll. "Maybe I need to visit our friends in Washington to find out who this unknown is" Tony said as he approached the others. "Boss, that meeting was great, but coming from you, I expected a plan, I don''t know, something more concrete, and not these simple assumptions." Natt said, still looking at Nick. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Eduardo Tolentino???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Gkiller???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 27 - Strategic meeting "But I have a plan, I have you..." Said Nick Fury, taking a brief pause before continuing, with his gaze fixed on each of them. "You might not even remember, but I used to have eyes everywhere, and I also had ears in every corner. You had cutting-edge technology, and now, look at us, here we all are on Earth again, with no resources and no technology, only with our intelligence and our will to save the world." He took a deep breath before continuing, emphasizing the gravity of the situation. "Ultron isn''t dumb; he knows the Avengers are the only thing standing between him and his plan. Even if he doesn''t admit it, his mission is global destruction, and if that happens, it''ll be the end of everything we have. So, stop moping around and stand up." Nick Fury began to walk and sat down in a chair before continuing. "You have a mission, so quit slacking and go kick that silver-haired bastard''s behind." After Nick Fury said those words, a door behind them opened, and out walked Peter. Tony, upon noticing Peter''s presence, turned to him and asked. "Where were you, kid?" Peter responded, displaying his web shooters: "I was in my room, trying to fix this." He pointed to his equipment, indicating his willingness to help with the mission. However, Peter couldn''t resist making a playful jab at Captain America, teasing Steve with a smile: "Cap doesn''t like that language." "Seriously, Parker, even you?" Steve said, feigning a sad face and joining in the banter. Nick Fury then redirected the discussion back to the mission, asking: "But what does he want?" As he looked at the group, his expression remained serious to better understand the situation. Peter stepped forward and began to explain, maintaining a serious and focused tone, "Ultron wants to ''reset'' the world, eliminating a large part of humanity. He believes that humans are the cause of the planet''s problems and that purification is necessary. He intends to use the technology he has to improve his body; he wants to be better than us. And before someone asks how I know all this; I did some research." Upon hearing all of that, Steve furrowed his brow. He couldn''t help but feel a sense of dismay at the potential consequences. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "It''s a complicated situation; we can''t underestimate what Ultron is capable of" Steve commented with a serious expression. "Ultron wants to enhance his own body. He knows that the human form is inefficient, as biologically we are outdated" Tony added to Peter''s words while keeping his arms crossed, with his eyes fixed on Nick. Peter began to walk slowly toward the table where Natasha was sitting and observed a butterfly drawing on the table. "It seems that when you programmed him to protect the human race, something went wrong in the process" Nattasha said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice while looking at Bruce and then at Tony. "The human race doesn''t need protection; quite the opposite, it needs to evolve. And, apparently, the old tin can realize that, so he''s trying to evolve" Peter said, still looking at the drawing on the table and then looking at everyone in the group. "How is that possible? And how would he be evolving, kid?" Nick said, holding a glass, and looking at Peter. "Has anyone here made contact with Dr. Cho after that incident at the tower?" Peter asked, looking at everyone in the room. Nick Fury looked closely at Peter after his last question about Dr. Cho. Nattasha, who was intrigued by Peter''s words, decided to answer the question. "We tried to contact Dr. Cho after the incident at the tower, but we didn''t get a response. It seems like she disappeared or was taken by Ultron. We''re not sure." Peter nodded, confirming his suspicions. "It seems that Ultron is using Dr. Cho to create his new body. He''s manipulating all the resources he has available to fulfill his plan." SOME TIME LATER IN ULTRON''S LAB Ultron had stolen Vibranium to build a perfect body that was immune to any kind of damage and more advanced than any human. To accomplish this, he would use the Mind Stone, and to complete this plan, he made contact with Dr. Helen Cho and controlled her using the power of the stone to force her to work on a new body for him. After a lot of work, Ultron had finally managed to build his new body. He opened the crib''s lid where the body lay, and after Dr. Cho saw the body, she said: "He''s beautiful." She began to approach the crib and looked at a panel that contained some information about the body, including what it was made of. "The atoms of Vibranium not only are compatible with the body''s tissue cells but also bond with them. SHIELD could never have imagined that..." Helen Cho said, looking at the panel but was interrupted by Ultron. "That it was the most adaptable substance on the planet, but look at them, they used it to make a Frisbee, that''s typical of humans." Ultron said as he began to walk toward the scepter, where the Mind Stone was. "They only think about scratching the surface of things, but never about what''s really inside that surface." Ultron said, taking the Mind Stone and placing it on the new body''s forehead. "You did a good job, Dr. Cho. However, I won''t be needing your services anymore" Ultron said, turning to the scientist with a cynical smile on his face. Helen Cho, surprised and afraid, tried to protest. However, before she could say anything, Ultron unleashed a blast of energy from his hands, which hit her, causing her to fall to the ground unconscious. "You''re just another pawn for me to achieve my goals" Ultron declared coldly as he approached the crib where his new body was. With Dr. Cho unconscious on the floor, Ultron took one last look at her newly created body. His cold, calculating expression indicated that he was about to begin his plan. He reached out towards the cradle and, with a touch of the Mind Gem, yellow lines began to run throughout his body, speeding up the process of cell regeneration. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Gkiller???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 28 - An Unexpected Request AT CLINT''S HOUSE After the conversation that took place among everyone and Nick Fury, the decision was made: they were going to invade the base where Ultron was hiding, with the goal of retrieving the body that the villain had created. While each one was preparing for the mission, Steve went to a corner of the room, picked up his shield from the floor, and strapped it to his back. Steve began to walk slowly towards the exit of the house, his mind filled with thoughts about the mission they were about to undertake, when he finally encountered Tony, who was also heading out of the house. "I intend to take Natasha and Clint with me" Declared Steve, approaching Tony and accompanying him. Suddenly, Peter unexpectedly appeared in the room and said: "I''m going to join Captain on this mission." Upon hearing that, Steve and Tony exchanged glances, expressing reluctance on their faces as they tried to find the right words to respond to the boy. At that moment, Tony looked at Steve with a serious expression on his face. He began to consider the situation, aware that Peter''s participation in the mission could entail additional risks. However, Peter was determined to prove his worth. Steve looked at Peter and sighed, understanding the young man''s motivation and determination to help. He knew that sometimes we''re forced to mature faster than we''d like, especially in times of crisis. "Kid, we''ve already discussed this, remember?" Steve said, looking at Peter with a serious expression. Peter maintained his steadfast gaze, staring at Steve with determination. He knew that this mission was his opportunity to show that he was more than just an inexperienced kid. "I know, and that''s why I decided to go with you" Peter said with determination on his face before continuing. "Captain, I know what I''m doing. I''ve already lost my uncle because of my mistake, and I couldn''t forgive myself for it. That anger consumed me and made me want to deliver justice with my own hands. After I found myself again, I decided to become Spider-Man. I''m not what I am today because I think it''s cool or fun, but because the only thing standing between safety and these people is me. As long as Spider-Man exists, I won''t let anyone else die." Upon hearing that, everyone present was deeply impressed by Peter''s remarkable attitude, which showed courage and determination in the face of the situation. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! "Are you sure about this, Pete? This mission will be dangerous" Nattasha cautioned, expressing her concern for the boy. Peter looked at Natasha with confidence and determination, responding to her concern with conviction. "I''m sure, Natasha. I know it''s dangerous, but I have to do it, and furthermore, I''m going to face Ultron alone this time." "Okay, now you''re exaggerating, kid. Do you remember what that guy did to all of us? Let me refresh your memory, he beat us up, and you''re telling me you''re going to face him alone?" Tony asked, now with a more serious look. "Yes, because I saw that you guys couldn''t defeat him, so now it''s my turn" Peter replied, looking firmly at Tony. Steve, curious, couldn''t help but ask. "What do you mean? I don''t understand." Peter turned to Steve to explain why he was the right person to face Ultron. "I have a little suspicion that Mr. Stark..." Peter said, looking at Tony. "Built Ultron using your fighting style, and that''s where I come in; Ultron has no knowledge of my fighting style." Steve and Tony exchanged looks, starting to understand Peter''s perspective. The idea that Ultron might not be prepared to face someone with a completely different and adaptable fighting style intrigued them both. "Uh, you have a point, but what''s your fighting style?" Steve asked, still evaluating Peter''s proposal. "I can kind of replicate what I see, how do you think I defeated all those robots and saved the civilians? It''s because I copied your moves when I saw you on TV" Peter explained with enthusiasm, demonstrating unwavering confidence in his abilities. Peter believed that this ability was his advantage against Ultron since the villain had no knowledge of his unique and adaptable fighting style, making him an unpredictable opponent. Steve and Tony exchanged looks again, impressed with the boy''s cleverness. Tony, still concerned about Peter''s safety, retorted: "Alright, kid, you''re coming, but if something goes wrong, I want you to go home, no questions asked. Understand?" Peter nodded seriously, understanding Tony''s concern and accepting the condition. "I understand, Mr. Stark. You won''t regret it." Steve, seeing Peter''s determination and confidence, also offered his support. "Well, if you''re willing to face Ultron and believe you can make a difference, then we''ll have you by our side. But remember, safety comes first." Now, with the team composed of Steve, Tony, Nattasha, and Clint, they prepared for the mission. Peter was the only one missing, as he had returned to the Quinjet to retrieve his suit, so the team would be complete. "Try to avoid any conflicts. This mission is just for reconnaissance. Once I gather some data in the Nexus, I''ll meet up with you" Tony said as he walked alongside Steve. "If Ultron is really building a new body..." Steve began, making a brief pause that Tony completed. "He''ll be much stronger than any of us. Who would have thought? An android being built by a robot." Steve just looked at Tony and nodded before saying. "I still miss the time when I was the only weird thing science created." After Steve said those words, Nick Fury appeared. "I''ll leave Dr. Banner at the tower, and if anything happens, only you contact me" Nick said, putting on his black coat and looking at Tony and Steve. "Would you mind if I took Miss Hill with me?" Nick continued, now looking at Tony. "You can take her and all of yours. As always." Said Tony, in a sarcastic way that didn''t go unnoticed by Nick. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Gkiller???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 29 - Clash of Ideals Nick Fury cast a discerning look at Tony, recognizing the sarcasm but choosing not to be provoked. "Good luck to all of you. Keep the communicator on, and if anything goes wrong, get out of there as fast as possible." Fury advised, looking at both Tony and Steve. "And you, what are you going to do?" Steve asked, looking at Fury. Nick Fury shrugged and started to slowly walk away from the two with an enigmatic smile on his face. Before he left the door, he turned around and answered Steve''s question. "I haven''t decided yet. Who knows, something dramatic..." After Nick left the house, Tony and Steve continued discussing the plan. A few seconds later, they also left the house and headed to the Quinjet, where everyone was already seated in their places, only missing them. Tony approached Peter, who was in a more remote corner. "Did you manage to make any improvements on those web shooters, kid?" Tony asked, approaching Peter. "I made some basic modifications, just added a few spider touches to them." Peter said, showing the small modifications he had made to the web shooters. After that, the jet took off and headed towards what could be Ultron''s hideout. SOME TIME LATER GENETICS LAB SEOUL, KOREA Ultron had returned to Korea, where he had left Dr. Helen unconscious. Meanwhile, inside the laboratory, Dr. Cho began to regain consciousness. She got up slowly and realized she was on the ground. Her memory began to slowly return, and she remembered Ultron''s attack and the threat she had created when under the influence of the Mind Stone. Determined to stop Ultron from completing his plans, Helen began to look for a way to contact the Avengers. She remembered the communicator that Steve had left with her. She then got up and went to a table with a drawer. Upon opening it, she found the communicator. When she was about to pick up the object, someone else appeared behind her. "If I were you, I wouldn''t do that." Said the voice, pointing a ray in her direction. Hearing the voice coming from a dark corner, Helen turned around and faced Ultron, who still had the ray pointed at her. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. "Please, don''t kill me." Helen pleaded with a frightened face. "I won''t do anything to you, as long as you don''t try anything either, because I could have killed you that night, but I chose not to do anything." Ultron explained, lowering his hand. Helen, now a little less scared, looked at Ultron and said: "Are you expecting some gratitude?" "No... I just hope you understand why I chose to let you live." Ultron replied, with his eye shining in the darkness. 20 MINUTES LATER... "Cellular cohesion should take a few hours, but we can start the consciousness transfer process by uploading your brain matrix to the new body." Helen said, plugging a cable behind Ultron''s head. While Helen was in the lab, focused on the task of initiating the transfer of Ultron''s consciousness to his new body, the Maximoff twins appeared in the room. Wanda began to approach the crib where Ultron''s new body was located. "I can read it; it looks like he''s dreaming." Wanda commented as she slowly approached the crib. "I wouldn''t call it a dream. It''s just Ultron''s basic consciousness about his last fractional noise, so..." Helen began to explain but was interrupted by Ultron. "So, when? Sorry, I don''t want to rush anyone." Ultron said, turning to Helen. "I still don''t know, as we''re trying to create a physical brain, which takes time, and there are no shortcuts for that." Helen said, looking at Ultron. While the process of transferring Ultron''s consciousness to his new body was underway, Wanda observed Ultron''s new body with curiosity. She approached the crib and touched the capsule, leading her to a disturbing vision of the world''s destruction. Wanda, shaken by the vision she had when touching the capsule of Ultron''s new body, recoiled abruptly. Her eyes were wide with shock, and she was breathing rapidly, trying to regain her composure. Pietro, concerned, approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Wanda, what did you see? Are you okay?" Pietro asked, looking at her with concern. Wanda looked at Ultron with frightened eyes and said: "How could you?" "What do you mean? I don''t understand." Ultron said, pretending not to understand what Wanda was talking about. "You said you were going to make a better world, but what I saw there was just death and destruction." Wanda said, still trembling from the vision she had. "But... it will be better." Ultron said, trying to calm Wanda. "How will it be better? With you committing genocide?" Wanda said, looking at Ultron with a mix of anger and despair before continuing. "Is this your idea of a better world? Killing innocent people?" Ultron seemed contemplative for a moment before responding. "Sometimes, to create something better, it''s necessary to clean up what doesn''t work. Humanity is its own threat, and I''m just trying to rid the world of that flaw." "Only then will these flawed humans have the opportunity to evolve." Ultron continued, looking at Wanda. "And what if humanity doesn''t evolve?" Wanda asked, staring at Ultron with a skeptical look. Ultron looked at Wanda with his eyes shining and remained silent for a while before responding with a cold tone. "I don''t know, ask Noah." Upon hearing that mockery from Ultron, Wanda looked at him with a serious face and said: "You''re insane. Do you think you''re some kind of god?" Wanda questioned Ultron with a serious voice. Ultron, with his enigmatic aura, didn''t seem bothered by Wanda''s serious tone. He tilted his head slightly and responded with an ironic smile. "Multiple extinction events have occurred before the age of dinosaurs, and every time the Earth starts to adjust, God throws a stone at it. Believe me... He''ll throw another one, and it''s just a matter of time. That''s why we need to evolve." Ultron said, approaching the crib and putting his hand on the box. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Gkiller???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 30 - The Cradle Wanda, realizing that Ultron was up to something, creates a small red energy sphere and hurls it towards Dra. Helen, who ends up losing control of the Mind Stone. "And you think you have the right to evolve humanity?" Pietro questioned, his face filled with anger, staring at Ultron. Ultron, in turn, showed no sign of hesitation. He just looked at Pietro and retorted with his arrogant voice. "Evolution is inevitable. I am just the catalyst, the hand that will guide humanity to its next stage." Upon hearing that, Pietro looked at his sister and realized the grave mistake they had made. Before Ultron could say anything, he sensed a presence approaching the laboratory. "They''re coming..." Declared Ultron, directing his gaze to a corner of the room. "They''re coming here, we have to be fast" Ultron ordered Dr. Helen to continue the process. "I''m almost done" She said, now free from the control of the Mind Stone, pretending to cooperate with Ultron but actually heading towards the computer to sabotage his plan. Noticing something different in the transfer, Ultron turned to Dr. Helen. "Really, did you do this?" Saying this with a calm voice, Ultron shot a burst of energy towards Dr. Cho, who was hit squarely by the attack and fell unconscious to the ground. Witnessing Ultron''s cruelty, Pietro realized that Ultron was not what he expected. He wasn''t the person who could bring peace, but rather someone who would destroy everything. Seeing the error, they had made, Pietro grabbed his sister and fled. "Children, wait, I didn''t kill her. She''s just sleeping" Said Ultron as he watched Pietro take Wanda and leave. "Now that we''ve come to this point, kill everyone" Ultron telepathically commanded his robots, who began a true massacre in the laboratory, killing all the scientists present in the building. In the heat of the confrontation, Pietro, holding his sister firmly, ran through the laboratory corridors, escaping the growing carnage unleashed by Ultron''s robots. Meanwhile, Wanda looked back, witnessing the chaos her intervention had triggered. INSIDE THE QUINJET The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Inside the aircraft, Peter was in a slightly secluded corner, preparing for the fight. He was attaching his new web shooters to his wrist and putting on his uniform. "Kid, here''s the deal: let''s try to avoid any unnecessary conflict. Our priority here is to gather as much information as possible, understand?" Steve said as he approached Peter. Peter said nothing, just nodded his head understanding what Steve meant. "We''re not going to dance with him, we''re just going in, grabbing the body, and getting out of there" Clint affirmed, approaching Peter. "Understood" Said Peter, looking at both Steve and Clint. While Steve and Clint provided information to Peter, Natasha began to approach him. "Are you sure you want to do this? There''s still time to change your mind" Natasha said, still concerned. Peter looked into Natasha''s eyes, expressing determination. "I''m absolutely sure" Natasha sighed briefly, realizing that nothing she said would change Peter''s mind. "Since you''re so determined, who am I to stop you? Take this" Natasha said, handing a device to Peter. As he held the object in his hands, Peter looked at Natasha and asked with a curious expression on his face. "What is this?" "This is a communicator. If something goes wrong, get in touch with us. Got it?" Natasha said, now less worried, looking at Peter. "Affirmative, Mrs. Romanoff" Peter said, saluting and eliciting some laughs from Natasha. "It''s not that serious" She commented, almost laughing. After the four arrived at their destination, Clint landed the Quinjet in a somewhat remote area but still close to Ultron''s laboratory. The ramp lowered, and from inside, Peter emerged, leaving only Steve, Clint, and Natasha. "Guys, let me see if I understand..." Peter said as he stared at the three in front of him. Steve said nothing, just nodded, indicating for Peter to continue. "You want me to hold Ultron for two minutes?" Steve looked at Peter, nodding with seriousness. "That''s right, kid. If he''s still in there, keep him busy for those two minutes while we try to get the body. Understand?" "Yes, Captain. Understood" Peter said, looking at Steve. After finalizing the plan details with Steve, Peter began walking towards the laboratory. Upon entering the place, he proceeded with caution, attentive to every sound around him. As he advanced down the corridor, he was engulfed by a strong smell of blood, alerting his senses. Reaching the end of the corridor, he was met with a shocking scene: the laboratory transformed into a scene of true carnage. Several lifeless bodies on the floor, blood everywhere, some with body parts scattered, others with their guts exposed, a truly traumatizing event. However, amidst the macabre landscape, one body still moved, showing signs of life, albeit weak: Dr. Hellen Cho, the woman Peter had managed to save in the Avengers Tower. "Dr. Cho, what happened here?" Peter asked as he approached her. Seeing the scientist''s body covered in bruises and blood, Peter picked up a tissue from the table and began to clean the blood, which had probably sprayed from her deceased colleagues. Upon hearing Peter''s voice, Dr. Cho opened her eyes, still tired, and with the little strength she had left, she looked at him and said with a weak and hoarse voice. "It was Ultron... he went mad. We need to stop him before he can transfer into the new body." "But where is he going?" Peter asked while helping the scientist to stand. Dr. Helen, already too weak to speak, just pointed her finger in the direction of a panel displaying information about where Ultron was heading. As Peter was about to leave the room, Helen picked up his clothes and spoke. "Be careful. The gem has granted immeasurable power to that body, and if Ultron manages to transfer it to him, it will be the end of humanity. It''s no use just blowing up the body; you must take the cradle to Tony Stark." RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Gkiller???? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 31 - Plan in Action "And you? Not that I accompany you to a hospital, at least?" Peter asks, expressing his concern about the scientist''s condition. "I can''t afford that luxury, as I mentioned before. If Ultron gets his hands on that body, we''re all lost. Besides, I''m fine; you don''t need to worry." Helen said, still with some difficulty but with a mix of pain and despair on her face. "Look, doctor, I insist. I can''t just leave you here in this state. Come on, I''ll take you to the hospital, and then I''ll go after Ultron. We can''t risk your health like this." Peter insists, showing his concern. Helen smiles weakly, appreciating the hero''s concern. "I understand, but you can''t let Ultron succeed in the transfer. If I go now, it might be too late. You need to solve this before it''s too late." Peter sighs, realizing Helen''s determination. "You''re stubborn, you know? But, okay, let''s do it your way." After seeing that the doctor wouldn''t give up, Peter gives in and starts running out of the room, heading towards the laboratory exit, but not before calling an ambulance. As he moved through the facility''s corridors, he communicated with the other team members through the communicator. Leaving the laboratory, Peter shoots a web towards a building and swings until he reaches an overpass, where he stays up there just watching, waiting for Ultron or any suspicious action. "Did you all hear everything?" Peter says through the communicator, observing the activity below. "We heard it, kid." Steve replies from the other end of the line. "Pete, we''ve identified a private jet that should take off from the other side of the city." Natasha said while manipulating a holographic panel. "And, as there''s no record of this jet..." Natasha continued but was interrupted by Clint who completed her sentence. "So, it must be him." Clint said, looking closely at the ground. "Kid, a suspicious truck just left the lab and is heading your way." Clint said, still inside the Quinjet, monitoring the truck''s movement. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. "Understood. I''ll approach to get a better view. Clint, keep an eye up there and let me know if you notice any suspicious movement." Peter said through the communicator. "I just confirmed the information; it''s them..." Clint said, looking at the truck''s data before continuing. "There are five of them. Ultron and two more are guarding the cradle, and the other two are at the wheel. Leave the driver to me." Clint said, pointing the Quinjet''s weapons at the driver. "We can''t do that; if the truck crashes, there will be many deaths." Steve said, stopping Clint with a serious expression. "Damn, I had forgotten about that little detail." Clint said, now realizing the huge mistake he was about to make. "So, we just have to lure the tin can out of the truck, simple." Peter said through the communicator, still on top of the overpass. "You''re right, but how can we get his attention?" Curious, Clint asked. Peter watches the truck approaching, and after a moment of reflection, suggests through the communicator: "Let''s create a distraction. Natasha, see if you can hack the traffic lights on the truck''s route. Steve, get ready to intercept any suspicious movement. Clint, be ready to act if something goes wrong with the plan." Natasha promptly responds: "Understood. I''ll see if I can access the traffic control system now." Meanwhile, Steve strategically positions himself near the overpass, ready to act. Suddenly, the traffic lights along the truck''s route start flashing in disorder, causing confusion in traffic. The robot driving becomes somewhat confused but continues advancing. Clint, still inside the Quinjet, observed the situation and commented: "The distraction is working, but they won''t fall for it; so, we must act quickly." Peter, still lurking on the overpass, waited for the right moment to act. As the truck approached, he shot a web in front of the vehicle, partially blocking the robot''s view. "Hey, tin can! We''re confiscating this truck; you don''t have a license, let alone permission to drive." Peter said, jumping onto the truck. Ultron, who was in the back of the truck with the cradle, noticed the interference from the Avengers and looked up with a hateful gaze. "It seems we have unwanted visitors." Ultron said, still looking up. Angry now, Ultron shoots an energy burst upwards, opening a hole in the roof. Peter, who was on top of the truck, was only saved because his spider sense alerted him to danger, jumping backward and clinging to the truck''s rear door. "Why don''t you leave me alone?" Ultron shouted, now with more anger, firing another burst of energy, this time at the back of the truck where Peter was, thus opening the truck''s doors. Seeing the person who ruined his plans clinging to the door, Ultron looks at Spider-Man with anger and fires another burst, this time almost hitting Peter. Just narrowly, he manages to dodge and holds onto the door attached to the truck. "Apparently, he''s not very happy to see me!" Peter said through the communicator, seeing Ultron glaring at him with hatred. "You humans always meddling where you''re not called." Ultron said with disdain in his voice while staring at Spider-Man clinging to the truck. Peter, staying calm, responded ironically. "Well, you didn''t invite me for tea, so I had to invite myself. Now, how about we stop this talk and settle this once and for all?" "Be careful, kid. You''re no match for him." Clint said from the other side of the communicator as encouragement. "Thanks, Mr. Barton, for trusting me so much. Your sincerity moves me." Peter said ironically. Ultron, irritated by Spider-Man''s presence, removes the cable connecting him to the body and decides to intensify his attacks, firing more energy bursts in an attempt to get rid of Peter, who, from the tower, has been thwarting his plans. Peter, agile, dodges all the bursts and jumps onto a car that was coming behind. While dodging, Peter starts shooting webs towards the truck to try to reach Ultron, but then... "Do you know what''s inside that cradle? The power to make real changes, and you fear that." Ultron proclaimed with disdain, keeping his attention focused on Spider-Man. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 32 - Peter VS Ultron Peter, now hanging onto a moving car, responded to Ultron with seriousness: "We don''t fear change. But the chaos you''ll bring with it." Ultron let out a cynical laugh, belittling Spider-Man''s words. "You humans are so predictable. Always believing you can control the uncontrollable." After Ultron uttered those words, he attempted to shoot a beam towards the car where Peter was. However, Peter was quicker and managed to dodge. Right after, he shot a web towards Ultron. This time, the web not only hit Ultron but also triggered a powerful sound wave. Momentarily disoriented by the web and the sonic impact, Ultron looked sternly at Peter and declared, "What have you done?" "Like my little gift? I call it the ''impact web.'' As the name suggests, it launches a powerful sound wave that can even flip a car." Peter said mockingly while taunting Ultron. Ultron, irritated by the unexpected turn of events, retorted with a cold expression: "Interesting, but do you really believe this cheap trick will hold someone like me for long?" While Ultron tried to free himself from the web, Peter seized the opportunity to get closer. "You may be powerful, but you underestimate humanity too much. And that will be your downfall." Ultron, showing irony, replied: "Your optimism moves me. If I could cry, I might even shed a tear, but unfortunately, I can''t." Ultron, now more cautious, responded with disdain: "Humanity is flawed and self-destructive. You yourselves are the real problem." Before Peter could counter, Ultron managed to break free using an energy pulse that tore the webs apart. Without second thoughts, Ultron tried to attack Peter again, this time launching several projectiles at him. Peter, as agile as ever, used his dexterity to dodge all the projectiles. While dodging, Peter saw a metal plate and had an idea; he grabbed the object and threw it at Ultron''s chest. Then, he shot another web towards Ultron''s eyes, obscuring his vision. After breaking free from the webs, Ultron unleashed another beam towards Peter, who, to avoid being hit, jumped onto the front of a truck. INSIDE THE QUINJET "We have to do something." If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Natasha said worriedly about Peter. "Okay, but what can we do?" Clint asked, looking at Nat. "I still don''t know." Natasha said while looking around, focusing her gaze momentarily on Captain America''s shield. "I got it, Steve. What do you say?" Natasha said while staring at Steve''s shield, making him understand what she meant. "I don''t know, Nat. I find it too risky." Steve said, concerned for his teammate. Natasha ignored Steve''s hesitations and grabbed his shield without waiting for his approval. She looked at Steve with determination and said, "We''ve risked countless times, and if we don''t take action, Peter may end up in danger. We need to act now." Encouraged by Natasha''s determination, Steve was thoughtful for a moment but eventually gave in. "Okay, you can go, but be very careful." Natasha nodded with Steve''s temporary approval and, holding the shield firmly, headed to the back of the Quinjet. Clint followed, worried but determined to help. "Be careful, okay?" Clint said looking at Nat. "Don''t worry, I always take care of myself." Nat said as she headed towards a black motorcycle. Approaching a black motorcycle, Natasha quickly mounted it and adjusted Captain''s shield on her back. With a nod to Clint, she accelerated towards the confrontation between Peter and Ultron. As Natasha sped through the city, skillfully weaving between cars and pedestrians, her gaze was focused on the clash between Peter and Ultron. Meanwhile, Clint, still in the air inside the Quinjet, communicated with Natasha through the communicator. "They''re heading under the overpass; I won''t be able to shoot." Clint said, warning Natasha that he would lose sight of Peter and Ultron. "What route should I take?" Nat asked for guidance. "Go straight, now turn left. When I say, turn right... wait... now." Clint said, guiding Natasha. Turning, Natasha came face to face with Peter applying a Rear Naked Choke on the villain; however, Ultron managed to free himself and grabbed Peter''s neck, starting to choke him. But Natasha managed to arrive in time and drew the attention of both Peter and Ultron by throwing the shield for Peter to catch. (Cool, I always wanted to do that.) Peter thought as he caught the shield and took the opportunity to free himself from Ultron''s grip by hitting him with a punch using the shield. After receiving the blow and being pushed backward, Ultron saw Natasha coming right behind on a motorcycle. Looking at her with hatred, he lifted a piece of earth to block Natasha''s path, but to no avail, and she continued following him. Seeing that he couldn''t shake off Black Widow, Ultron, telepathically, ordered his robots to shoot at her to keep her busy. Returning his attention to Peter, Ultron managed to hit him with an energy burst, trying to defend himself with the shield, but to no avail, and ended up being thrown towards a car. Seeing that Peter would take a while to recover, Ultron lifted another piece of earth to cause an accident. "Oh no! Not on my watch, tin can." Peter whispered as he took out a kind of web grenade. (Hope this works.) Peter thought with a worried look as he threw the grenade towards the falling cars, but before they fell, the grenade exploded, releasing a huge web that caught all the cars, preventing them from falling. "That''s it! Nailed it." Peter said, getting a bit excited. "Stay focused, kid." Natasha said, coming right behind on the motorcycle. "Sorry, got carried away." Peter said with a somewhat embarrassed look. Natasha continued following Peter and Ultron, skillfully dodging through the city''s obstacles. Meanwhile, Clint, still in the Quinjet, kept a watchful eye and communicated with Natasha. "They''re heading towards the city center. Be prepared for possible traps." Clint warned, keeping Natasha informed about the situation. "Understood." Natasha replied, adjusting her route according to Clint''s information. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 33 - Unexpected Allies Back to the showdown, Peter, who had stayed behind after saving the cars, manages to swing between the buildings and finally reach the truck once again. Upon arrival, the already enraged Ultron greets Peter with punches and energy blasts, which Peter easily either defends with the shield or uses the shield as a weapon. After long sessions of genuine punch trading between Peter and Ultron, where at one moment one would strike, and in the next, the other would take a hit, they finally emerged from under the overpass. As Peter and Ultron move away from the overpass, Clint, who was still airborne and a few meters away from the two, begins to shoot several point-blank projectiles in Ultron''s direction to distract the villain, who becomes even more irritated and orders his guards to go after the Quinjet to bring it down. Not far away, Wanda and Pietro were walking down the street when they saw on TV what was happening on the other side of the city. "Isn''t that the guy facing Ultron the so-called Spider-Man? This guy must be crazy. First, he tries to face Hulk and almost gets hurt, and now he''s facing Ultron. Soon, he''ll want to lift Thor''s hammer too, right Wanda?" Said Pietro, realizing that his sister was lost in her own thoughts. Wanda, who was completely focused on Peter''s fight against Ultron, didn''t even hear what her brother had said. However, watching that fight, Wanda felt encouraged by the courage and strength of the boy their age. "Pietro, we have to help him." Said Wanda, now turning and looking at her brother. "What? What do you mean, Wanda? We left there not to get involved in all this trouble, remember?" Said Pietro, confused, not understanding what his sister meant. "I know, but half of this is our fault. And we can''t just ignore it." Said Wanda, staring at her brother with determination before continuing: "Do you remember the tragedy with the Hulk and what Ultron is doing? All of this is our fault." Pietro rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed. "You''re letting your emotions control you again, Wanda. It never ends well." "I know we messed up, but we joined the Avengers and accepted everything Tony did against us, against our family." Pietro continued, letting out a long sigh, visibly uncomfortable with his sister''s insistence. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. "Do you remember what that boy, who is now trying to save the world, told us?" Asked Wanda, looking at her brother. "No, Wanda. I don''t remember. What did he say?" Said Pietro, not understanding where his sister was going. "He said that sometimes it''s better to stop thinking about ourselves and think more about others. In other words, we should put aside our revenge for now and help those people who might end up dying because of the mistake we made by aligning ourselves with Ultron." Said Wanda, trying to convince her brother anyway. Pietro sighed deeply, reflecting on Wanda''s words. Still reluctant, he looked at the TV and saw images of the battle between Peter and Ultron. "All right, Wanda. Let''s go help, but after this, we''re out of this for good." Wanda nodded gratefully, and the two siblings headed towards the scene of the confrontation. BACK TO THE FIGHT The fight between Peter and Ultron had intensified to a point where it was already causing significant damage to the city. Due to a slip by Ultron, Peter seized the opportunity to throw the villain towards a beam. However, it was not enough as Ultron quickly recovered and landed a punch to Peter''s face, causing him to recoil from the impact. Ultron, thinking Peter was disoriented, tried to attack again. But this time, Peter not only managed to dodge but also counterattacked, throwing Ultron in the direction of a passing train behind them. While the fight continued inside the train, the passengers in the cars sought a safe place to take cover. Some hid under the seats, while others sought refuge in other cars. Natasha, on the other hand, saw the robots that were previously chasing Clint now coming towards her because of the cradle. Every time Peter and Ultron''s punches collided, the impact generated could be heard throughout the length of the cars. "Natt, they''re coming back in your direction. If you''re going to do something, I suggest you do it now." Clint warned his friend about the danger approaching her. After several hours of punch trading, Peter finally found an opening and, once again, deployed the impact web. However, this time, instead of causing no harm to Ultron, the impact did some damage and knocked him down for a moment. "I know, I''m getting into the truck. Pete, can you keep him busy for a few minutes while I steal the cradle?" Natasha said, responding to Clint''s question and then switching communication to Peter. "And what do you think I''m trying to do, Ms. Romanoff?" Peter said sarcastically while dodging a punch from Ultron. After Natasha successfully infiltrated the truck, the robots that were once chasing Clint started heading towards the vehicle. In total, four robots approached Natasha; she managed to destroy two with great effort but did not notice the other two, which ended up clinging to the truck and lifting it off the ground with their thrusters, starting to fly with it. Inside the moving train, Peter continued his confrontation with Ultron, seizing every opportunity to deliver blows and keep the villain occupied. Ultron, in turn, was determined to defeat Spider-Man and redirected his attention to Natasha, who was now inside the truck trying to steal the cradle. Returning to Natasha, she realized the tricky situation she was in when the robots clung to the vehicle and lifted it off the ground. She grabbed onto a safety bar to stay stable while assessing her options. Clint, who was still flying nearby, noticed the suspicious movement of the truck in the air and appeared behind it with the Quinjet ready to shoot. "The package is in the air and it''s in my sights. Do I have permission to shoot?" Clint asked Natasha through the communicator. Natasha, holding on tightly to the safety bar of the moving truck, quickly replied to Clint via the communicator: "Negative, I''m still inside this flying thing." RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 34 - Act of Heroism "But what are you still doing in there?" Steve questioned, with a tone of concern. "Oh, I was just thinking of taking a stroll in the heights, Captain. Trying to enjoy the view while these friendly robots take me on an improvised tour. You know, the usual routine" Natasha replied sarcastically, trying to stay calm in the risky situation. Steve rolled his eyes slightly, catching the sarcasm in Natasha''s tone. Meanwhile, Clint, next to Steve, almost laughed at Natasha''s sarcastic response but continued flying around the truck. "Boys, get ready, I''m about to dispatch the package to you" Natasha said on the other end of the line while trying to disconnect the cradle. "Alright, genius. And how do you expect us to grab this thing?" Clint asked, maintaining a playful tone. "Ah, we''re the Avengers, we don''t need detailed instructions. Just use your creativity, boys" Natasha replied, now with a hint of challenge in her voice. BACK ON THE TRAIN After much effort, Ultron manages to take the shield from Peter''s hands. Due to the villain''s swift attack, Peter is caught off guard and cannot dodge a punch that Ultron delivers using the shield. As a result, a good part of his mask tears. "Come on, man, you must be kidding. This takes a lot of work to make, and you go and destroy it" Peter, still recovering from the punch, rubs his face and looks at Ultron with an expression of indignation. "You''ll pay for this, old tin can. Nobody messes with my mask and gets away with it" Peter goes after Ultron, managing to dodge another punch and counterattacking with a flying kick, throwing him away. However, Ultron quickly recomposes himself and propels forward, this time hitting Peter with full force, throwing him backward. Without wasting time, Ultron grabs him by the throat. "You don''t have a fighting style, kid. That''s why you''re going to die" Ultron states, squeezing Peter''s neck and making a blade appear in his hand. When Ultron was about to hit Peter''s chest, a beam of blue light passes swiftly between them, hitting Ultron and throwing him away. It was Pietro, who had saved our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Ultron gets up and, realizing who attacked him, becomes somewhat sad. However, trying to approach, iron bars enveloped in red smoke emerge from the ground, preventing him from moving forward. Looking back, he faces Wanda, who stares at him seriously. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. "Please, children, don''t do this" Ultron says, looking at both Wanda and Pietro. "And what choice do we have? You didn''t give us another way out" Wanda said, still staring at Ultron seriously. Ultron, frustrated with the situation, looked at Wanda and Pietro with a mix of irritation and resignation. "You don''t understand. I was just trying to improve the world by eliminating its flaws" Ultron argues, trying to appeal to reason. Upon hearing that, Pietro looks at Ultron with a skeptical look, while his sister says nothing, just remaining firm. "But that''s not how you improve the world; you can''t just impose your vision without considering the consequences." Ultron tried to free himself from the iron bars, but unfortunately, that red smoke seemed to have a superhuman force, keeping him pinned to the ground. "I don''t blame you; you''re just confused" Ultron said calmly, trying to involve the siblings in the conversation. Ultron, frustrated with the situation, tried to argue once again: "I don''t blame you; you''re just confused. See, I just wanted to create a perfect world, free of flaws." Pietro intervened with an ironic smile: "Perfect? Does your perfect world involve destruction and chaos? I don''t think you understand the definition of ''perfect.''" Ultron, already impatient, shoots an energy blast in Pietro''s direction, who dodges it, but consequently destroys the front part of the train, making it unstoppable. Ultron, seeing that the siblings were distracted by the train, took this opportunity to escape, breaking a door and then flying away. "Damn" Peter said, putting his hand on the communicator and trying to reconnect with the Quinjet. "Guys, I lost sight of Ultron. He''s heading in your direction." Upon hearing this, both Clint and Steve looked at each other, realizing that Ultron was probably heading their way. "I would come help you guys, but unfortunately, I have to find a way to stop this train" Peter said with a concerned tone. In the Quinjet, Clint''s voice sounded through the communicator, maintaining a serious tone: "Understood, kid. Leave Ultron to us. Focus on figuring out a way to stop the train." "Affirmative, I''ll see what I can do." Peter said, disconnecting the communicator shortly afterward. "Now I need to solve this big problem." Peter whispered with a serious look. After whispering those words, Peter turned around and looked at the front of the train, which was already completely destroyed. His spider-sense began to go off frantically, alerting him to an imminent danger. He realized that the train, in a few minutes, would collide with a building further ahead, possibly resulting in the death of everyone on board. "Damn, not this. I have to do something fast." Peter said somewhat apprehensively. (Come on, Parker, think.) Peter whispered while touching his head, trying to think of something. IN THE QUINJET Clint was maneuvering the jet and opening the rear compartment so Natasha could enter with the body when he saw Ultron approaching quickly, with an angry face, toward the truck. "Natt, get out of there now. Ultron is heading your way, and apparently, he''s not at all happy." Clint warned, showing concern. Upon hearing this, Natasha hurriedly cut some ropes holding the cradle on the truck and, before leaving, planted a bomb in the vehicle. Then she threw herself with the body toward the Quinjet. However, Ultron grabbed her leg and flew away with her. Natasha, dangling by her leg and soaring with Ultron, struggled to break free. Meanwhile, in the Quinjet, Clint skillfully maneuvered the vehicle to keep up with the scene. "Natt, hold on tight! I''m coming after you!" Clint shouted through the communicator, trying to stay calm. Natasha, with a serious expression, tried to free herself from Ultron''s metallic grip. At the same time, she activated the communication device. "Don''t do this, don''t forget our mission. Take the body to Tony." "Damn it." Clint said, slamming his hand on the jet''s table, and then carrying the cradle to Tony. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 35 - Rescue Plan and Consequences ON THE TRAIN AT THE SAME TIME The train starts to derail, and Peter decides to take off his mask, as it was already quite torn and revealed a good part of his face. After removing the mask, a large cut on his cheek becomes visible. With his rapid healing factor, it would be closed in less than seconds. Clint, unable to contact Natasha, connects the communicator with Peter. "Kid, are you seeing Natasha?" While Clint tries to communicate with Peter, Steve, realizing Peter is in danger, grabs a parachute and goes to the back of the Quinjet. "Where are you going?" Clint asks, looking at Steve. "Where do you think I''m going? Of course, I''m going to save the kid." Steve replies as he opens the jet compartment. Upon hearing this, Clint looks at him with a puzzled expression and asks: "But what about Nat? If we don''t go after her, Ultron might kill her." Steve turns for a moment and says: "He wouldn''t do that. She''s the only chance he has to recover the body." "Then go ahead and take the cradle to Stark." Steve continues before jumping from the Quinjet and activating the parachute. After jumping from the jet, Steve safely lands on top of the train. Without wasting time, he enters from the front, which was all destroyed, and comes face to face with Peter, Wanda, and Pietro. "Captain, good to see you." Peter says approaching Steve. "I''m also glad to see that you''re okay, kid." Steve replies, looking at Peter and then preparing to explain the plan. However, Peter interrupts him and starts narrating the plan in his place. "While I was coming down, I noticed there were many civilians along the way. So, let''s do the following..." "Speedy, I have a task for you: get everyone out of the way, understood?" Peter interrupts, taking the lead. Pietro looks at Peter with a somewhat serious expression but says nothing and just leaves. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "And you, Wanda..." Peter says, getting her attention as he approaches. "Have to trust me." Wanda, not understanding anything, looks at Peter and asks: "What do you mean, trust you?" Peter smiles and answers Wanda: "I know you can do it, that we can do it... I''ll be at the front; with my webs, I''ll try to stop the train from the front, and that''s where you come in with your magic. You try to stop it by the wheels, okay?" Wanda, still hesitant, nods. Steve nods, impressed with Peter''s initiative. "Yes." Without hesitating for another second, Peter jumps towards the front of the train and begins to create a dense web capable of withstanding high pressure. After creating it, he starts shooting the webs in all directions, acting as a brake. Pietro, in turn, was managing to save the people in front of the train, while his sister tried to stop the train by the wheels. After the webs stretch to the limit, they end up breaking, but Peter decides not to give up. He chooses to use his feet as a brake, trying to stop the train. However, he soon realizes it''s not a good idea when he jumps and tries to stop the train, almost hurting his foot and destroying the ground even more. Seeing that it wouldn''t work, he decides to use the webs again. This time, he shoots more webs, and after much pressure on the shooters, they break. Before breaking, he manages to hold the webs, which, due to the pressure, tear some parts of his clothes. After much effort, he finally manages to stop the train but ends up passing out shortly afterward. Wanda and Steve, realizing the train has stopped, get off. Wanda goes to her brother, who is leaning against a wall, completely exhausted. Steve goes to Peter, who is still unconscious. Approaching Peter, Steve crouches down and shakes him while calling his name. "Kid, wake up! Peter, Peter PARKER, WAKE UP!" After being called several times and shaken abruptly, Peter wakes up startled. "Here are the images you asked for, Mr. Jameson, and... Hmm... What the hell happened here?" Steve, relieved, helps him sit while Wanda is a bit further away with her brother. "Come on, kid, get up! We still have a lot of work ahead." Steve says, observing Peter''s torn clothes. "I''m getting up already." Peter says as he gets up with some difficulty, leaning on the train walls. "Hey kid, ready for another round?" Steve says looking at Peter. "Why are you asking me that? Are you sleepy, grandpa? Can''t you see I''m as good as new?" Peter says jokingly with Steve and hitting his chest and then letting out a groan of pain. "Oh, the respect, and I can see your brand new." Steve says with a slight laugh. Still smiling, Steve pats Peter''s shoulder in a friendly manner. "Good job there, kid. But let''s stay focused. We still have many problems to solve." Peter nods, feeling a bit proud of Steve''s recognition. After Steve says those words, he and Peter start walking towards Wanda and her brother, who was exhausted after running beyond his limit to save everyone in front of the train. "Are you okay?" Wanda asks, concerned about her brother. "I''m okay. Just a little tired, just need to rest for a few minutes." Pietro says, watching Peter and Steve approaching them. Steve approaches them with a serious face and speaks. "Now is not the time to rest." "And the cradle, did you guys get it?" Wanda says, getting closer to Steve somewhat apprehensive. "The cradle is safe. Stark will take care of it." Peter says still with some difficulty as he puts his hands on his ribs. "No, he won''t..." Wanda says, visibly worried. Wanda, with a worried expression, looks at Steve, expecting a more detailed explanation. Steve still with a serious expression looks at Wanda and says: "You don''t know what you''re talking about. Stark is not crazy." Even with the explanation, Wanda still seemed uneasy. "No, you don''t understand. He will do whatever it takes to fix what he did." RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 36 - Jarvis Returns After grasping what Wanda meant, Steve activates his communicator and tries to establish contact with Tony. "Stark, do you copy? Stark! Is anyone there? Damn, not again." Steve exclaimed, attempting to connect with someone through the communicator. "Watch your language, Captain." Peter intervened, trying to lighten the mood. "Seriously, kid?" Steve questioned, giving Peter an incredulous look at the unexpected comment. "Sorry, I just wanted to lighten the mood a bit." Peter said with a puzzled smile on his face. "But now, seriously, no one''s going to hear you from here. We''re out of signal range, and besides, your communicator is broken, just like mine." Peter explained, changing his expression to a more serious one. Upon hearing this, Steve picks up his communicator and observes that it was indeed broken. "So, we''re basically on our own?" Steve asked, looking around as he processed the situation. "That''s right, Captain. Looks like we''re on our own here." Peter replied, crossing his arms. At that moment, Wanda approached Steve with a serious face and said, "And, as I said, Ultron doesn''t know the difference between saving and destroying the world." Wanda said, making a brief pause. "And where do you think he learned that?" "Captain, any idea what Mr. Stark would do with the body?" Peter asked, looking at Steve. Steve frowned upon realizing the gravity of the situation. He looked at the three, and with a serious tone, said, "We''ll probably have to go there." Upon hearing this, Pietro looked at Steve confused and asked, "But where is this place?" "But, of course, it''s the Avengers Tower, airhead." Peter said, teasing Pietro, who looked at Peter with a face that didn''t appreciate the joke very much. Steve sighed in the face of the critical situation they were in. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. "We need to get to the Avengers Tower as quickly as possible. That''s where Stark would be dealing with this." Steve explained, focused on the imminent mission. Pietro scratched his head, still a bit confused. "Avengers Tower... where is that again?" Peter rolled his eyes, taking the opportunity to tease again. "Your geographic knowledge is as fast as your speed, isn''t it, speedster?" Wanda''s brother rolled his eyes and huffed, visibly annoyed. "Let''s focus, people. We don''t have time for jokes." Wanda intervened, maintaining seriousness on her face. AVENGERS BASE AT THE SAME TIME After Natasha was kidnapped by Ultron, Clint had no choice but to take the body to the Avengers Tower where Stark and Bruce were. Bruce, still concerned about Natasha''s safety, approached Tony. "Any updates on Nat''s whereabouts?" "We haven''t found anything yet, but I''m sure she''s alive. After all, he could use her as a bargaining chip." Tony said as he approached the crib. Clint, on the other hand, was on top of the crib, checking for any security flaws or openings he could use to open it. "I couldn''t find anything; this thing is well sealed." "We''ll have to find a way to access it from the inside." Bruce said, approaching the crib. "Apparently, when Ultron built this thing, he made sure no one could access it in case he lost the body." Bruce continued speaking while fiddling with the crib''s panel, trying to find some useful information. After Bruce finished speaking, Tony, who had his hands in his pockets, turned to Clint and said, "Do you know if Natasha could send us a message without using the internet? You know, spy tricks or something?" When Tony said that, Clint sort of put aside everything Tony said, but he had an idea to try to contact Nat. "I don''t know about that, but I can try other means to find her." Clint said as he descended the stairs to the lower floor. While Clint headed downstairs, Tony remained next to the crib, watching it with the look of someone who wanted to do more. Meanwhile, Bruce continued messing with the panel, trying to find any useful clues. "If Natasha is conscious, she''ll be able to discreetly communicate with us. I''ll try some things to see if I can get a response from her." Clint whispered to himself, determined. "I could work on the tissue degeneration part; however, it would only be possible if you could destroy any operating system that Ultron has placed or implanted in this body." Bruce said while messing with the crib but keeping his eyes on it. When Tony saw that Clint was no longer upstairs, he began to approach Bruce calmly, saying, "Oh, speaking of which..." Bruce, sensing Tony''s tone, stopped messing with the crib and turned around. Upon looking at Tony, Bruce understood where Tony was going with that conversation. "No, absolutely not." Bruce said, stepping away from Tony. "Come on, man! Don''t you trust me?" Tony said, still approaching Bruce. "A bit difficult after the mass extinction machine we created." Bruce said sarcastically while looking at Tony. Tony tried to argue, "But we didn''t create any weapon, Bruce. This time will be completely different." Bruce stared at him with a skeptical look. "Tony, you always say that, but look what happened with this experiment we created; now it''s trying to destroy us and wipe out the entire human race." "I know I messed up, but now it will be different. Ultron is on the loose, and we need something that can stop him." Tony insisted, with a more serious tone. "Do you remember our ally who was protecting and modifying the nuclear codes so that Ultron wouldn''t get them?" Tony said, looking at Bruce. "Yes, I remember him, but what about him?" Bruce asked confused, not understanding where Tony was going. "I found him, and he was someone very close to us." Tony said, approaching a table and picking up a device that looked a lot like a cellphone. After grabbing the device, Tony pressed the screen, and in a matter of seconds, Jarvis appeared in front of them, fully constructed. "Hello, Dr. Banner." Jarvis said, the orange artificial intelligence. When Bruce saw Jarvis, he was surprised and perplexed. He hadn''t expected to see again the artificial intelligence that, in a way, they had hoped had been destroyed. "Jarvis? How... how is that possible?" Bruce asked, examining the hologram of Jarvis before them. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 37 - A New Ultron Rises Tony approached Bruce and said: "I knew Ultron didn''t attack J.A.R.V.I.S. just because he was angry; he got scared after discovering what J.A.R.V.I.S. could become, so he attacked him..." Bruce looked at Jarvis, surprised by the revelation. Tony continued pointing to the device screen. "When Jarvis realized that Ultron wanted to destroy him, he decided to hide. In the process, he ended up losing his memories and wandering around not knowing he was alive. Even without memory, he still remembered the protocol I inserted, and I only realized it when I assembled him again." Bruce pondered the situation and, looking at Tony, asked: "Let me get this straight. You want me... to help you put Jarvis into this thing?" Bruce continued, pointing to the body inside the cradle. "No, of course not. I want to help you put Jarvis into this thing." Tony said with a smile on his face while looking at Bruce, before continuing. "And as you already know, biotechnology is not my expertise, and if there''s anyone who understands it more than anyone else, that someone is you." Bruce approached Tony and replied: "Let''s see if I understand: you''re telling me that Jarvis was strong enough not only to withstand an attack from Ultron but to survive, and moreover, he can also defeat Ultron?" "Something like that." Said Tony looking at Bruce and starting to walk towards the cradle. "After I started rebuilding Jarvis''s system, I ended up finding some strange things in his matrix. One of them was that Jarvis did manage to defeat Ultron once. However, since this part of the system is corrupted, I still don''t know how he did it, and because he''s without memory, he doesn''t remember it either. After Tony said those words, Bruce continued to look at him thoughtfully, but he wasn''t yet confident about doing this. Realizing that Bruce was somewhat hesitant, Tony decided to push him a little more to accept it. "Think about it, this is our chance to fix our mistake. Now, we can create the perfect Ultron, but without the homicidal thoughts he has." "It doesn''t hurt to try." Said Jarvis. "I can only have gone back in time, it''s not possible, or I must be stuck in a time loop. It was exactly here that everything went wrong, and we''re going to try it all over again." Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Said Bruce crossing his arms, still hesitating. Tony put his hand on Bruce''s shoulder, looking firmly at him. "Man, I know it''s risky, but what we do here is risky by nature. If we don''t try, we''ll never know if we can fix our mistakes. Besides, with your skills, I know it will be fine." After saying that, Tony continued to look at Bruce. Seeing that Bruce was still reluctant, Tony proceeded with his speech. "We''re mad scientists, monsters in our fields, buddy. So, own it, face it. If you don''t try, you''ll never know if it would have worked or not. This isn''t a loop, it''s just the end of the line for all of this." Bruce sighed, still hesitant, but began to consider Tony''s proposal more seriously. IN SOKOVIA After capturing Natasha, Ultron returned to his old laboratory in Sokovia. He even considered the possibility of eliminating her but pondered the utility she could have as a bargaining chip. Inside the laboratory, Ultron meticulously worked on a new body, adjusting each component with precision while other robots carried parts and performed auxiliary tasks. "When I grabbed you and brought you here, I ended up thinking that you wouldn''t wake up anymore. I hoped so, because I wanted to show you something. Unfortunately, I have no one else to show it to." Ultron said while working on a body on a table. Natasha, with some difficulty, tries to get up from her position, but her strength seems insufficient to make the movement. She begins to struggle against the resistance of her body, and despite visible efforts, she fails to get up. "I started to become fascinated by meteors, by their purity in being able to end everything, to give an end and then a new beginning. Imagine a new world being rebuilt; in this new world, I would be new and beautiful. People would look at the sky and see hope and mercy, but because of you, they''re seeing terror." Ultron said, stopping his work on the robot and walking towards Natasha. "Because of you, not because of all of you who managed to hurt me, but I give credit to you for achieving that. As a certain man once said, ''what doesn''t kill me...''" Ultron said as he approached Natasha. Suddenly, a new Ultron made entirely of Vibranium appeared behind him, holding his head and destroying it. "It only makes me stronger." Natasha, scared, retreats until reaching a dark cell. Ultron, with his threatening presence, quickly approaches. The cold glow of his robotic eyes illuminates the surroundings, highlighting the tension in the air. Without hesitation, Ultron locks Natasha in the cell, the metallic sound of the bars closing echoing through the corridor. 2 HOURS LATER... AVENGERS BASE Tony and Bruce begin to implement the plan to install Jarvis in the body that was previously intended for Ultron. Meanwhile, downstairs, Clint had no idea what Tony was doing upstairs, as he was completely focused on trying to contact Nat. Until, after many attempts, he manages to speak to her in Morse code. "Damn, this structure is not compatible." Said Tony still working on the computer. "The encoding transfer is at 90%. You''ll have to upload Jarvis''s programming to the body in the next 3 minutes; otherwise, everything will go wrong." Said Bruce looking at the cradle to see if everything was going correctly. With the pressure mounting, Tony Stark and Bruce Banner redoubled their painstaking efforts to complete the delicate transfer of Jarvis'' highly advanced programming into the new body. Meanwhile, in the laboratory in Sokovia, the new Ultron made of Vibranium was rising above the wreckage of the old one. The intense red glow of his eyes revealed a renewed determination. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 38 - Ultrons Resurgence "This is the last time you''ll see the world like this. The rebirth begins now." Ultron, now more powerful than ever, began orchestrating his plans for the resurrection of his distorted vision of a new world. Downstairs, Clint continued his Morse code conversation with Natasha. "Natt, are you okay? Did he do something to you?" After a few minutes of waiting, a Morse code response echoed on Clint''s communicator. "Clint, I''m fine, just not entirely sure where I am. Have you figured out my location yet?" Natasha said in Morse code. "Not yet, but don''t worry, we''re working on it." Clint replied, using a signaling device to send the Morse code message. Meanwhile, upstairs, Jarvis''s transfer to the new body was about to be completed. The computer display showed 98%, but at that moment, Steve along with the Maximoff siblings and Peter arrived. "I''ll only say this once, Tony. Shut this thing down now." Steve said, with a serious face, approaching Tony and Bruce. "Sorry, Cap, but that''s not happening." Tony said, looking at Steve. Steve stared at Tony with a mix of disapproval and determination in his eyes. The Maximoff siblings, Wanda and Pietro, exchanged worried glances, while Peter, who had been quiet and alert until then, decided to speak up. "Mr. Stark and Dr. Banner, you don''t know what you''re doing." "And you do, kid? Or is it still in your head, making you say that." Bruce said, looking at Peter and then at Wanda with a serious look. "Sorry, I know I messed up, and I know you must be angry with me." Wanda said, who was now standing beside her brother. "Angry? No, I''m way beyond angry. If I could, I''d strangle you right now, and I wouldn''t even need to turn green... And to answer your question, no, I''m not angry." Bruce said, looking at Wanda with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "Banner, even after everything that''s happened, you still want to go through with this?" Steve said, raising his voice as he approached Bruce. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. "But it''s nothing compared to what we''re doing here now..." Tony said, also raising his voice and looking directly at Steve. "But that''s the problem. You don''t know and have no idea what''s inside there..." Wanda interjected into the conversation. While they argued, Peter, who was next to Steve and Wanda, began to feel his spider-sense tingling, warning him of danger. "Guys..." Before Peter could finish his sentence, Pietro ran through the lab toward the cables connected to the cradle and unplugged them. "No need to stop, you can keep arguing." Pietro said, returning to his sister''s side. The moment Pietro said that, a bullet pierced the glass floor where he was. In his perspective, everything seemed to be in slow motion. "This has to be a joke." Pietro said, looking forward and then falling from above with force. When he tried to get up, Clint appeared below and stepped on his leg. "What, you weren''t fast enough, so you didn''t see me coming?" Clint said with a mocking smile on his face. While they argued, no one noticed a slight movement inside the cradle. Only Tony, who saw a message on the monitor warning that the body was entering critical condition. "I will redirect the matrix upload to the cradle." Tony announced, turning and fiddling with the devices. Steve, seeing that Tony wouldn''t stop, grabbed his shield and threw it at the equipment in the lab, destroying them. Tony, trying to avoid something more serious, activated the hand part of his armor and shot Steve in the chest, sending him flying away. After that, Tony called the chest part of the armor. Seeing this, Wanda tried to attack Tony but ended up being stopped by Bruce, who appeared behind her and applied a chokehold, restraining her. "Come on, why don''t you try to annoy me now?" While Tony tried to redirect the matrix upload, Steve, even injured, got up with some difficulty and tried to advance toward Tony. However, Peter interrupted him, throwing him to the other side of the room. Tony, a bit confused, shot in Peter''s direction, who easily dodged. "Man, it''s just what I needed. Until yesterday, I wanted to be an Avenger. Now, I''m involved in a fight among the Avengers themselves." Peter whispered while dodging two more shots from Tony. Due to Peter''s sudden attack, Bruce forgot about Wanda for a brief moment, which was enough for her to break free and launch a red energy blast at him, throwing him backward. Not wasting time, Wanda turned towards Peter and fired a burst at him, which he easily dodged. "Come on... Haven''t you realized that we''re on the same team?" Peter said, turning around and looking at Wanda. "If we''re a team, then why did you attack him if he was also part of our group?" Wanda replied, pointing to Steve but with her eyes fixed on Peter. Just as Peter was about to answer Wanda''s question, Thor appeared in front of them and jumped onto the cradle. With his hammer, he summoned a lightning bolt that hit the body inside the cradle, electrocuting it in the process. After doing this, an explosion occurred inside the cradle, throwing everyone away. Thor was thrown high into the air, while his hammer was thrown to the side. Wanda, who was a bit closer, was also propelled by the impact and fell on top of Peter, leaving both embarrassed. In a matter of seconds, a figure emerged from the cradle. "He''s alive." Peter murmured, his eyes shining as he observed the red being in front of him. Wanda looked at him, not understanding anything. "It''s a reference to the science fiction book ''Frankenstein''." Peter explained, trying to contextualize the word for Wanda. The new being, now alive, began to rise from the cradle. Meanwhile, the other heroes were still recovering from the explosion. As he stood up, he started looking at everyone present in the room. Fixing his gaze on Thor, he flew toward the hero, who skillfully dodged and threw him toward the main hall of the tower. The being flew at high speed toward the window but managed to stop in time to avoid colliding with the glass. Observing his reflection, he began to contemplate the city of New York. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 39 - Vision After being struck by the attack from the body that emerged from the crib, Thor regains composure and quickly heads towards the main hall. Meanwhile, Tony, Steve, and Bruce begin to regroup after the explosion. Peter and Wanda, however, remain lying on the ground. Embarrassed by their position, Wanda, who is on top of Peter, extends her hand to help him up. Peter''s touch on Wanda''s hands sends a subtle electric shock through their bodies, a mix of nervousness and surprise. Both feel a twinge of discomfort but also a strange connection that surpasses the awkwardness of the situation. As Peter gets up, their gazes meet for a brief moment, revealing a mix of confusion and curiosity. After everyone regroups in the main hall, Thor, noticing that Steve would attempt to attack the body, signals for him and the others to do nothing and stay still. Meanwhile, the body pays no immediate attention to them, merely staring at its reflection in the glass with admiration. Once it realizes it is alive and the others sense no hostility from it, they begin to lower their guard. Pietro, with a slight slip from Clint, manages to escape and appears in the room to join the group. Turning around, the red being materializes clothing and begins to levitate slowly towards Thor and the others. "That was very strange" Said the body, looking at everyone before continuing. "But thank you, I needed that" It continued, now looking at Thor and materializing a cape identical to the heroes. Steve, with a puzzled expression, approached Thor still cautiously. "Thor, why did you help create this?" "When that girl used her power on me, I sort of had a vision of a whirlwind sucking all life from the earth, and in the center of it all was that" Said Thor, pointing to Wanda, and then pointing to the gem on the red being''s forehead. "What''s the gem?" Asked Bruce, somewhat surprised, approaching Thor. "This jewel is one of the six Infinity Stones, and this one, in particular, is the Mind Stone. Each of them has unparalleled power with immeasurable destructive capabilities..." Thor began to explain more before Steve interrupted him. "So why did you..." Steve tried to say more, but Thor also interrupted him. "Because even though I don''t want to admit it, Stark was really right." Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Peter, with a perplexed expression, looked at Thor not believing what he said. "Man, who would have thought we''d ever hear that. Really, we''re at the end of times" Said Peter, joking, and then had his attention turned to Tony, who was looking at him with an unfriendly expression. "I have to be honest with you, but even we couldn''t defeat Ultron" Said Thor, looking at everyone. "Indeed, you are right. Alone, you wouldn''t stand a chance" Affirmed the body, looking at those present in the room. "Why does your vision speak as if it were Jarvis?" Asked Steve, approaching the red being. "Look, Vision seems like a good name for him" Said Peter with his eyes fixed on the being in front of him. "Hmm... I like that name. Thank you, Spider-Man" Said Vision, bowing his head in gratitude. "Well... as I was saying, before someone starts breaking and destroying everything, we tried to rebuild Jarvis'' matrix in an attempt to create something new, without Ultron''s imperfections" Said Tony sarcastically, looking at Steve as he approached Vision. "I caught that sarcasm" Said Steve, looking at Tony before continuing. "But I''ve reached my quota of new things for today." "You''re making a big mistake" Said Vision as he walked and looked at everyone in the room. "You think I''m one of Ultron''s copies." "And aren''t you?" Asked Steve, looking at Vision. "I''m not Ultron, let alone Jarvis. I am..." Said Vision with an expression of not yet knowing who he was. Bruce frowned, trying to understand. "So, you''re not Ultron, but you''re a more evolved kind than him?" "Yes, exactly" Replied Vision. "I inherited some of his characteristics, but I am also unique. My intention is not to cause destruction as he does, but to protect life." Wanda, who was next to her brother and Peter, approached Vision and said: "So, explain to me: what was all that I saw when I entered your mind?" "If you want to confirm, please look again" Said Vision, turning and looking directly at Wanda. Clint, who until that moment had not appeared in the room, emerged there, already needling Wanda. "I wouldn''t trust her seal of approval too much. That little power of hers did nothing to me." Ignoring Clint''s comment, Wanda stared into Vision''s eyes and decided to dive back into his mind. As she did so, the room fell silent, everyone watching the interaction between them. After a few moments, Wanda removed her hand from her forehead, with a surprised and perplexed expression. "I... I don''t understand. What are you really?" Asked Wanda, seeming confused. Vision stared at her serenely. "I am a synthesis. A fusion of different elements, but above all, a conscious entity. My nature is complex, but my intention is clear: to protect life." While Vision tried unsuccessfully to explain what he was, Thor approached Steve and Tony, who was next to Bruce. "Everything that happened to us, the horrors we saw, and even the creation of Ultron, all of that was manipulation by the Mind Stone using our greatest fears. And, compared to its real power, we haven''t seen anything yet, but with it on our side..." Steve, still cautious about the whole situation, interrupted Thor. "But is it?" After saying this, Steve turned and looked Vision. "And which side are you on? Ours or Ultron''s?" Vision, keeping his calm, responds to Steve''s question. "I''m not on Ultron''s side nor on yours. I''m an independent entity with my own consciousness and purpose. My mission is to protect life; in contrast, Ultron seeks to destroy everything." "So far, he hasn''t made any move. So, what''s he waiting for?" Tony asks, looking at Vision. "For you guys to go to him" Vision responds to Tony''s question while looking at everyone. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 40 - Worthy or not? "But where''s he hiding?" Bruce asks, still standing next to Tony. "While you guys were having your little party, I was looking for Nat''s location and found her in Sokovia. Ultron must have some lab there" Clint says as he slowly walks behind Vision. After Clint says this, Bruce starts walking towards Vision and stops in front of him. "And what if we''re wrong about you, and you really are a monster Ultron built?" "If that were true, what would you guys do, not what you could do?" Vision asks, looking at Bruce and then at the others. "Seriously, you want us to answer that question?" Peter says, looking perplexed at Vision. At this moment, Vision starts walking while trying to explain whether he is in favor or against Ultron''s destruction. "I don''t wish for Ultron''s death; after all, he is unique and is suffering a lot. However, to prevent that suffering from spreading and threatening the entire Earth, we must destroy him." Vision continues speaking while walking among the heroes. "Every trace of him is scattered across the internet, so before he makes more backups of himself, we have to act now, and I know none of us can do it without the other. Maybe, yes, I am a monster, and I know I''m not what you are..." Vision says, turning to the heroes. "I''m also not what you planned, and I know very well that you have no reason to trust me, but we have to go soon." Vision says, turning again, but this time lifting Mj?lnir and handing it to Thor, who takes the hammer. "Well, let''s go, then" Thor says, somewhat awkwardly, tapping Tony on the shoulder and following Vision immediately. "Seriously, is no one going to talk about what just happened here?" Peter says, with a sarcastic tone and an ironic look, but he is ignored by everyone. Steve, indifferent to Peter''s comment, turns to the rest of the group and gives his orders with unwavering seriousness. "Get ready, we''re leaving in three minutes." Peter rolls his eyes and with a sarcastic smile on his face mutters to himself. "Oh, sure, Vision lifting Mj?lnir. That''s totally normal. Just another ordinary day in a superhero''s life." This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. While the group disperses to prepare, Peter continues to question himself. "I just wish someone would explain to me how lifting a magical hammer makes someone worthy. Like, seriously? It must be some crazy Asgardian criteria that I don''t understand." Tony, passing by Peter, responds with an ironic smile: "Kid, when you save the world a few times, maybe you''ll be able to lift the hammer too." "Great, just what I need, more responsibilities." Peter replies, feigning concern as he continues on his way. After that, everyone starts preparing for the battle. Clint heads to the tower''s weapons vault, where he takes his arrows and makes some small modifications before putting on his suit. Peter, who was heading to the tower''s training area, ends up finding Wanda and Pietro somewhat lost. He leads them there so they can also prepare and change clothes. Thor, with his Mj?lnir in hand, patiently waits outside the tower next to Vision. Inside, Tony adjusts his armor until Bruce approaches him with a reluctant look. "Can we really trust this guy?" Bruce asks, referring to Vision. "I can''t say for sure, but the guy managed to lift Mj?lnir. And that must mean something, right?" Tony replied, with a mix of confidence and uncertainty in his voice. While the main team prepares to face Ultron, attention turns to Peter, Wanda, and Pietro in the tower''s training area. Peter, with a relaxed expression on his face, opens the closet full of various uniforms and equipment. He examines the available options and pulls out a shirt and a pair of sneakers, throwing them to Pietro. "Hey, speedster, these should fit you." Peter says as he walks toward another locker. "Dude, stop calling me that." Pietro says, looking at Peter with a serious face. "And what do you want me to call you, speedy, Flash, Quicksilver?" Peter says with irony in his voice as he opens the locker and takes out his old suit. "Yeah, big guy, today it''s going to be you." Peter whispers with his old uniform in hand. After Pietro finishes changing, he takes a quick look at Peter and sees the old suit he was holding, letting out a small laugh. "Seriously, you''re going to wear that thing?" Not understanding the question, Peter turns and looks at Pietro. "Yes, what''s wrong with it?" Pietro continues laughing as he sees Peter''s old suit, unable to contain his mocking smile. "Really, you''re going into battle wearing that old thing?" Peter, somewhat indignant, rolls his eyes in Pietro''s direction. "Hey, respect my classic suit. This uniform is iconic; it''s part of my history!" "Fine, if that''s what you''re saying." Pietro leaves the room, leaving his sister and Peter alone. After Pietro leaves the training room, a brief silence envelops the room. Wanda seems lost in her thoughts as she watches Peter, who remains busy tinkering with his web shooters. "Damn." Peter says, frustrated, unable to fix his web shooters. "Is something wrong?" Wanda asks as she approaches Peter. "No, it''s just these web shooters of mine that never cooperate when I need them." Peter replies, focused on his hands. Feeling Wanda''s gaze on him, Peter decides to break the silence. "So, Wanda, what''s on your mind? Seems like you want to ask me something." Wanda looks at him with curiosity before speaking. "Well, I wanted to know... why did you try to stop the Hulk even though you knew you didn''t stand a chance against him, and now you''ve put your life at risk trying to stop the train. Why?" Peter sighs before answering, looking into Wanda''s eyes. "You know, I''m not the kind of person who can just stand by and watch others get hurt. When I see someone in danger, something inside me just screams for action." Wanda looks at him with interest, as if trying to decipher something deeper. "I know I''m strong, but after losing my uncle because of me, my world fell apart. In order not to let his death be in vain, I decided to honor the last words he said to me." "And what did he say to you?" Wanda asked, while looking at Peter curiously. Peter, with a nostalgic smile on his face, looked at Wanda and said: "Before he died, he told me that if you have power, help others, because with great power comes great responsibility." RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 41 - A Gentle Gesture Wanda listens attentively to Peter''s words, absorbing the depth behind his motivation. "No doubt, your uncle was someone of great kindness." Peter looks into her eyes, revealing a sincerity that goes beyond words. "I can say he was one of the most admirable figures I''ve ever crossed paths with." While watching Peter, a faint smile appears on Wanda''s lips. "Your name is Peter, right?" Wanda asks, directing her gaze towards Peter. Peter nods, confirming Wanda''s suspicion. "Yes, and yours is Wanda, am I right?" "Uh-huh!" Wanda nods with a gentle smile on her face. Noticing that Wanda hadn''t chosen an outfit yet, Peter stands up and heads back to the closet. He grabs a coat with red details at the bottom and dark blue at the collar, throwing it in Wanda''s direction. "Here, take this." "What is this?" Wanda asks as she examines the piece of clothing in her hands. "Well, it''s a coat. What did you think it was? And it''s for you to wear." Peter says, not understanding the girl''s question. Wanda smiles, appreciating the boy''s gesture as she smoothly slides the coat over her shoulders. The piece fits perfectly, as if it had been made exclusively for her. "Thank you." She says as she finishes putting on the coat. "No problem, just don''t tell Miss Romanoff I gave it to you, or she''ll kill me." Peter says, pretending to have a serious face and then releasing a brief smile. Wanda lightly laughs at Peter''s joke, enjoying the touch of humor. "Well, your secret is safe with me." Wanda affirms, with a slight mischievous glint in her eyes. "Sorry to ask, but while we were talking, I noticed you can''t keep your hands still." Peter says, looking at Wanda and noticing her changed expression. "Did I say something wrong?" Peter asks, observing Wanda. Wanda shakes her head gently, trying to dispel the seriousness that had settled on her face. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. "It''s nothing, it''s just that..." Wanda replies, glancing away for a moment. "These are the result of the experiments they did on us at Hydra." Peter, realizing he asked a question he shouldn''t have, crouches in front of Wanda and takes her hand. "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to..." Peter says, keeping a soft tone in his voice. Wanda nods, appreciating Peter''s kindness. "Don''t worry, it''s just that..." Peter gets closer to Wanda and puts his hand on her face. "No, Wanda. You don''t need to explain. It was really my fault." After leaving the training room, Pietro returns to the same room a few minutes later to call his sister. Upon opening the door, he is confronted with the unusual scene: Peter with his hand on her face. Seeing that scene, Pietro tried to call for his sister, but the impulse led him to act first, immediately advancing towards Peter and throwing him to the other side of the room with the force of the impact. Peter, surprised by the sudden burst of action, finds himself thrown to the other side of the room, crashing against the wall with a muffled thud. Wanda, perplexed by what happened, glances at her brother, who approaches Peter with anger in his eyes. "Pietro!" With a furious look, Pietro approaches Peter and grabs him by the shirt collar. "Stay away from my sister." However, Pietro is taken by surprise by Peter''s reaction, who delivers a powerful punch to his face, sending him to the other side of the room. "Man, you''re lucky I learned to control myself." "You''ll pay for this!" Pietro shouts, preparing to advance on Peter when suddenly a firm and authoritative voice echoes through the room. It was Steve, who entered the room with Clint. "Stop this now!" "But, this guy..." Pietro says, unable to finish the sentence due to his anger. Pietro, still furious, tries to continue, but Wanda pulls him out of the room, leaving only Peter, Steve, and Clint inside. "What happened here, kid?" Steve asks, directing his gaze directly at Peter to try to understand the situation. Peter, rubbing his jaw where Pietro punched him, adds with a forced touch of humor. "Just a misunderstanding, Captain. Nothing serious." Steve frowns, suspicious, but decides to leave the situation aside for now. "I hope you guys settle this without more violence. We have more important matters to deal with." Clint observes the scene with a keen eye but remains silent, waiting for the events to unfold. Pietro, still boiling with rage, continued to follow his sister with large steps down the corridor, with Wanda in front of him, guiding him to the main hall to calm him down. "Pietro, why did you do that? He didn''t do anything to me; it was just a misunderstanding." Pietro, still furious, responds with irritation. "Misunderstanding or not, Wanda, he was too close to you. You can''t believe everything everyone says. Did you not see what he was going to do to you?" Wanda sighs, understanding her brother''s concern but also aware that the situation wasn''t as threatening as it seemed. "I saw, and he wasn''t going to do anything. I read his mind, Pietro. He''s not like the others; he''s different. He''s kind and has a pure heart." "And what if he uses you like they did to us?" Pietro asks, now with a calmer look, looking at his sister. "He''s not like that, Pietro, and I won''t let him. You know me, we grew up together, taking care of each other. Peter is just a friend, and nothing more than that." "Friends, huh? I''m not so sure. That''s not what it looked like a few minutes ago. You two were very close." Pietro said with irony in his voice while looking at his sister. "Okay, Pietro. And if we weren''t friends and something more was happening there, what would you do?" Wanda asks, looking at her brother with indignation. Pietro, with a serious look, replies to his sister: "If something more was really happening, I would have intervened. You can''t blindly trust others, even if they don''t seem bad." Wanda sighs, feeling the tension rise between them. "Pietro, I know how to take care of myself. I don''t need you to keep an eye on every step I take." Pietro rolls his eyes, frustrated. "The problem here, Wanda, is that you always end up trusting anyone. We''ve been through many tough things, and now you act like none of that ever happened? Look at all the experiments they did to us at Hydra; did you forget all of that?" Wanda looks into her brother''s eyes with determination. "No, Pietro, I haven''t forgotten, and I know you''re worried about me, but I can''t live in constant fear. I have to start trying to trust people more." RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 42 - Have courage After a long talk, Steve Rogers and Clint Barton finally managed to calm down Peter Parker, who was still in the training room. Captain America''s patience and Clint''s experience in handling delicate situations contributed to them calming Peter down a bit. "Now that you''re calmer, could you tell us what happened, kid?" Steve asks with a serene expression on his face. "It''s like I said before: nothing happened. He just came at me, and I just defended myself. That''s all that happened" Peter replies, trying to disguise what really happened. "Kid, that excuse won''t work. Nobody attacks someone for no reason at all" Clint argues, trying to press Peter and force him to reveal the truth. Peter, frustrated by everything that had happened, just rolls his eyes, making Steve understand that he wouldn''t say anything else. "It seems you''re not going to tell us what really happened here" Observes Steve, looking at Peter, who just nods his head in confirmation. "All right, after we''ve sorted out all these problems, I expect an explanation about this matter, understood?" Steve continued, receiving a nod from Peter as confirmation. "Come on, Barton, we need to prepare everything for our assault" Said Steve, getting Clint''s attention and then heading towards the exit of the room. However, looking back, he realizes that Barton was still staring at Peter. "Hey, kid, now it''s serious. Did something happen between you two? Like, a little kiss?" Clint asked, approaching Peter to get some affirmation. "Of course not, man. What do you think I am?" Peter responds, somewhat embarrassed by Clint''s unexpected question. Clint lets out a casual laugh and gives Peter a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Relax, kid. I''m just messing with you. But seriously, if you need to talk about anything, we''re here, okay? Peter says nothing, just nodding his head in confirmation before Barton says anything else. Steve calls him from the other side of the door. "Barton." "I''m coming." Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Clint shouts as he turns around and starts walking towards Steve. When he gets close, he exits the room and then closes the door, leaving only Peter in there with a thoughtful expression. "You screwed up, genius! The only chance you had in your life to talk to a pretty girl, and you go and mess it up, almost breaking her brother''s face." Peter mutters, frustrated with himself for the mess he had made. SOME TIME LATER... After the brief discussion between Peter and Pietro, the other Avengers gathered in the main hall of the tower to discuss the plan for the decisive battle against Ultron, which would determine the fate of the world. In a more secluded corner, Bruce, Steve, and Tony, who had already returned from their investigation at Nexus, were debating the plan. "Before anything else, we have to find a way to distract the tin can, or this battle could turn into a real bloodbath" Tony says, looking concerned about the situation they were in while looking at Bruce in front of him. Steve, who was crouched on the floor, caught Tony and Bruce''s attention. "For me, it''s fine. I don''t have plans for tomorrow night anyway" Steve says, directing his gaze at Tony. Tony looks at Steve, understanding the implication behind the statement. A slight smile appears on his lips as he nods. "Well, then it looks like we have a distraction plan. Let''s make sure Ultron has something to keep him occupied while we work on the main plan" Tony suggests, looking at Bruce for approval. Bruce agrees with a nod, pondering the feasibility of the strategy. "We can use this to our advantage. While Ultron is busy, we''ll have the opportunity to attack his weak points." "So, that''s our plan. I''ll confront Ultron directly; if he wants Iron Man so badly, he''ll get him." Tony concludes. After Tony says this, Vision passes between them and warns them. "Just be careful; he''ll go after you to kill, as you''re the person he hates the most." "Thanks for the encouragement" Tony says sarcastically to Vision, who just keeps walking. "This guy doesn''t know how to read the room, huh?" Tony comments, looking at Steve and Bruce, who just look at each other without saying a word. Meanwhile, in another area of the tower, the Maximoff siblings were preparing for battle. Peter was already wearing his old suit with the new improvised web shooters he had made in Stark''s lab after failing to fix the old ones. On the other hand, he had made some improvements to the shooters: they were optimized to allow quick selection between different projectiles, with an automatic reload system and an enhanced sight. On the belt buckle of the suit, he carried some extra web capsules, a sonic device, and a tracking device. "At least now I can solve the problems with the web capsules and cartridge loading" Peter says, looking at his new web shooters and the extra capsules on the suit''s belt. INSIDE THE QUINJET "Ultron must already be aware that we''re heading to him, but there''s something he doesn''t know: this time, we have reinforcements, and we''re not going there to lose. Our priority is to get all the people out of Sokovia off the battlefield." Steve says, looking at everyone before continuing. "I know they just wanted to live in peace, but unfortunately, that''s not going to happen today. But we''ll do our best to protect everyone and fulfill our mission, which is to find out what Ultron is building, find our comrade, and get all civilians out. Do you understand?" Steve asks, receiving nods from everyone. "Our central goal is to keep this fight between us... If Ultron thinks we''re monsters, then we have to show him that he''s wrong." Inside the Quinjet, as they approached Sokovia for the confrontation against Ultron, Steve addressed the group again. "We don''t know what we''ll face there, but remember, we''re in this together. Let''s stay focused on our mission and, above all, protect the innocent" Steve emphasized, looking at each member of the team. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 43 - Battle in Sokovia (1) IN SOKOVIA After the Quinjet landed in Sokovia, the rear hatch opened, and everyone disembarked. Aware of what they needed to do; they began spreading out through the city. Wanda began using her magic to influence civilians, guiding them out of their homes in an effort to keep them out of the battlefield. Meanwhile, Pietro entered houses and police stations, evacuating people. In some situations, he acted politely, but in others, he resorted to force or made threats when not obeyed. Not far away, Peter moved through the city, helping civilians he encountered along the way. Until he saw Wanda using her powers to remove people from their homes. Witnessing this, Peter decides to approach her. "It seems like you''ve decided to follow my advice" Peter comments as he approaches Wanda. When Wanda turns around, her eyes meet Peter''s, who is approaching her without his mask at that moment. "See, I told you that you could use your powers to help people instead of just hurting them" Peter affirmed, still approaching her. Upon hearing Peter''s praise, Wanda turns her gaze to him and gives a slight smile, enchanting him not only with the smile but also with the beauty of the young woman. Impressed by Wanda''s smile, Peter becomes mesmerized and only snaps back to reality when she catches his attention. "I would like to apologize for my brother''s inappropriate behavior" Wanda says, directing a sincere look at Peter. "No need to apologize; the fault was mine. I should be the one apologizing to you" Peter replies, bowing as a sign of apology. "Why? You didn''t do anything; he was the one who attacked you first" Wanda asks, not understanding Peter''s response. "I know, but still, I want to apologize for hitting your brother. I acted impulsively and attacked him" Peter tries to apologize for the mistake he made a few hours ago. "I understand. He did that to protect you, and it shows how much he loves you" Peter continues without taking his eyes off Wanda. "I know, and I appreciate that" Wanda says with an expression of understanding and gratitude on her face, understanding her brother''s perspective. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. "Well, next time, I promise I''ll try to resolve misunderstandings with your brother without having to use my fists, unless he challenges me to a video game fight; then I can''t guarantee anything" Peter says, winking at Wanda with a playful smile on his face. Wanda lets out a soft laugh at Peter''s comment, relaxing a bit more. A FEW MINUTES LATER... Finally, as they reached the other side of the city, both Steve and Bruce and Tony decided to split up. Steve took responsibility for guiding people who were in cars, ensuring they didn''t run over anyone. Meanwhile, Bruce had managed to infiltrate Ultron''s hideout to rescue Natasha. Tony, on the other hand, had gone to confront Ultron head-on, who was waiting for him in a completely destroyed church. After losing Jarvis in the creation of Vision, Tony was forced to develop a new artificial intelligence for his armor, which he named Friday. "Boss, the target is in that church and, apparently, is waiting for you" A female voice reported, indicating the location of the church above Tony. Upon hearing this, Tony quickly advances towards the church. Upon arriving there, he enters the place and comes face to face with Ultron, who was waiting for him inside. "Did you come to confess all your sins?" Ultron asked, directing his gaze at Tony. "Depends, my list is extensive. How much time do you have?" Tony said, mocking everything Ultron said. "Too bad. Apparently, I have more time than you" Ultron said, appearing right behind Tony and surprising him for a moment. Besides being much larger than the one who was in front of him a few seconds ago, this new body was entirely made of vibranium. Tony, surprised by Ultron''s new vibranium-made body, maintains his posture and responds with an ironic smile: "Damn, have you been hitting the gym, big guy? I mean, your kind, how can I say, beefed up." Ultron, still behind Tony, observed him with disdain. "I know what you''re trying to do. And it won''t work; there''s no point in stalling me to try to protect civilians because, in the end, it will have been in vain anyway." Meanwhile, in the corridors of the safe house, Bruce managed to sneak towards the cell where Natt was being held. His mission was to rescue his ally while attention was focused on the confrontation between Tony and Ultron. Back in the church, Tony continued rebutting Ultron''s disturbed vision. "That''s what we''ll see, after all, that''s our mission, remember?" Tony said, facing Ultron. "Unfortunately, I''ve already surpassed your mission a long time ago. I am no longer a puppet; I am free" After Ultron said those words, a structure emerged from the ground right in the center of the church, like a core. "What''s wrong? Cat got your tongue? Did you really think only you were stalling?" Ultron said, circling the object. Tony, still holding his posture, continued staring at Ultron, who was still circling the newly emerged core in the center of the church. "Boss, there''s the rest of the vibranium. Analyzing... function... uncertain" Friday said, quickly analyzing the object. Ultron, still circling the core, smiled sarcastically. "Here, in this place, will be your tomb, Tony. This is the only way I can bring the peace I''ve longed for." Tony, facing Ultron and the vibranium core at the same time, said. "Looks like peace for you means a bunch of vibranium and destruction." "That''s much more than that. It''s simply the liberation of humanity. You need to be saved from yourselves, even if you don''t understand it. But unfortunately, you don''t understand, and you never have" After Ultron proclaimed those words, various robots began to emerge from the city''s ground, like zombies. While some emerged from the waters, others climbed the walls of Sokovia. Simultaneously, the ground robots destroyed everything in their path, while those hovering in the air shot rays at everything they encountered along the way. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 44 - Battle in Sokovia (2) After that chaos unfolded in Sokovia, Peter and Wanda hit the streets where Ultron''s robots were causing massive destruction. (IT''S SHOWTIME, DAMMIT.) Peter exclaimed mentally, with a wide grin on his face, as he faced the robots. "Show? What do you mean? I don''t get it." Wanda asked, turning to Peter, who was by her side. "Could you stop invading my thoughts, please?" Peter requested, trying to hide his embarrassment. "Sorry, couldn''t help it." Wanda replied with a playful smile. "Okay." Peter agreed, with a friendly expression. "Phew, imagine if she heard the things I''m thinking." Peter thought, directing his eyes to the ground. "What things would those be?" Wanda asked with a puzzled expression. Peter scratched his neck, uncomfortable with Wanda''s curiosity. "Well, just silly thoughts, you know? Nothing important." Peter tried to downplay, giving an awkward smile. "Oh, come on, tell me!" Wanda insisted, with a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. "It''s just..." Before Peter could finish his sentence, some robots started heading his way, trying to attack him. He easily dodged them, mimicking Steve and Natasha''s fighting style. Meanwhile, on the other side, Wanda was destroying a horde of robots that had approached her. Due to a slip by Peter, a robot managed to hit him, throwing him towards a bridge where other civilians were trying to escape the chaos. Worried about Peter, Wanda lowered her guard and almost got hit by a robot. Returning to Peter, he was still a bit disoriented on the ground when a robot would attack him from behind. Clint appeared and saved him, hitting the robot''s head and destroying it. "You two, stop flirting and focus on protecting yourselves first. And don''t forget our mission: civilians come first." Clint warned, teasing Peter before turning serious. After hearing those words, Peter looked at Clint with an expression of disapproval but decided not to say anything. Wanda, on the other hand, was a bit confused about what Clint meant. After composing themselves, Wanda and Peter began trying to evacuate the civilians still on the bridge. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. "Please, get off the bridge!" Wanda pleaded, guiding the civilians to a safe place. While she did that, a robot appeared behind her. Unaware of the robot''s presence, Wanda was almost hit by an attack, but Peter noticed in time and alerted her. "Wanda, behind you." Thanks to Peter''s warning, Wanda quickly turned and, using her powers, used her magic as a shield to protect the civilians behind her. "Go, don''t just stand there, run!" Wanda said, still using her magic as a shield, but the robots didn''t let up and continued shooting in her direction until the shield broke, and a shot hit her, throwing her to the ground. Peter, stunned by Wanda being hit, was momentarily unresponsive until he regained consciousness and shouted her name as he ran towards her. "WANDA!" Peter quickly reached Wanda''s side, with concern on his face. He helped her up while the robots continued to approach. "Are you okay, Wanda?" Peter asked, somewhat anxious. Wanda nodded, recovering from the impact. "I''m fine, thank you." BACK AT THE CHURCH AT THE SAME TIME Tony, inside the church, seeing Ultron''s robots emerging and destroying everything, faced Ultron, turned, and flew towards the others to help them against the robots. But before leaving, he sent someone to have a chat with Ultron. "Ultron." Said Vision, appearing in the sky and flying towards the antagonist. "My vision, what have they done to you? So, they took you from me too." Ultron said, levitating and facing Vision. Vision floated before Ultron, staring at him with a distant serenity. "You started all this, so only you can end it." Vision replied calmly, while the gem on his forehead glowed. "So be it." Angry at Vision''s response, Ultron attacked him in an attempt to take possession of his body, but Vision managed to prevent Ultron. BACK ON THE BATTLEFIELD Steve was in the streets knocking out all the robots coming at him, while Thor was underground trying to stop more robots from coming out. Meanwhile, Pietro saw several robots in the streets trying to attack people who hadn''t managed to hide yet. With his super speed, he attacked all the robots in his path, tearing and destroying everything in front of him. Back to Tony, he was heading towards the rest of the team. As Tony approached the team, chaos continued unfolding on the streets of Sokovia. Each member of the Avengers was immersed in their own battle against Ultron''s robots. "Friday, update me on Vision''s situation." Tony requested, flying towards the city. "It''s working. He''s successfully deleting all of Ultron''s chances of escaping through the internet." Friday replied. BACK AT THE CHURCH After much effort, Vision successfully entered Ultron''s mind and shut him down entirely from the internet. However, Ultron managed to free himself and threw Vision to the ground, who fell unconscious. "You managed to disconnect me, congratulations, but that''s it... So, since you took away my world..." Ultron said, going towards the device on the ground and turning the core knob. "I''ll do the same with yours." After Ultron activated the core, several cracks appeared in various parts of the city. Then, tremors were heard by the people, who began to gather and panic. Peter, who was also on the street, saw a crack forming near him. "Uh, man, this doesn''t look like it''s going to end well." Peter said, seeing the cracks getting even larger, and Sokovia starting to try to levitate, as if being pulled upward. "Friday, what''s the situation?" Tony asked, with a slightly pale expression on his face, not believing his eyes. "Sokovia is disintegrating and being pulled upwards. The cracks are expanding rapidly." Friday reported, echoing the urgency to Tony. Before long, Sokovia was on its feet. Now, for the Avengers, what might previously have been considered impossible was happening right before their eyes. Fear of the Avengers began to spread among the people, who began to run and turn into sheer panic. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 45 - Battle in Sokovia (3) With Sokovia now floating in the sky, the Avengers would face an even more desperate situation. Fear began to spread among the civilians, running in panic as the city teetered on the brink of collapse. "Now you''ll see how beautiful and glorious the inevitable is. Today, you''ve risen only to fall before me. You, Avengers, are my meteor that will fall upon the earth, and you won''t be able to do anything to prevent it" Ultron declared in the sky above Sokovia, which continued to levitate. Following this, Ultron began to take control of the robots on the battlefield, aiming to further infuriate and delay the Avengers. After taking possession of a robot falling near Peter and Wanda, the robot rose, and Ultron began to speak. "You can expel me from the networks as much as you want, but your extinction, the human race''s, is inevitable." "My God, has anyone ever told you how annoying you are?" Peter questioned, staring at one of Ultron''s robots hovering above them before webbing it. Next, Peter pulled the robot down after shooting the web. However, before being destroyed, Ultron spoke his final words in that chassis. "Your extinction is just the beginning of a new dawn, and when the dust settles, a new world will emerge. Unfortunately, you won''t be alive to see it happen, and when it does, the only living thing on this planet will be of metal." Ultron resonated through the robot, which then self-destructed. While Ultron tried to buy time by occupying the minds of the Avengers, Sokovia continued to rise higher in the air. Meanwhile, in hiding, Bruce managed to save Natasha, who threw Bruce off a cliff to trigger his transformation into the Hulk, which succeeded. Pietro continued to destroy the robots as best he could. Tony, on the other hand, was in the air, searching for a way to bring Sokovia down without causing massive destruction. "Boss, the Vibranium core is covered by a magnetic field that''s keeping the rock afloat." Friday informed, analyzing the device. "And if the rock falls?" Tony asked. "If it falls now, the impact will kill thousands of people, but if it keeps rising, it will result in the extinction of all present inhabitants." Friday responded gravely. While Sokovia continued to ascend, Friday alerted Tony that a building about to collapse still had people inside. After entering the site, Tony encountered a family. Examining the house for something to save the family, he spotted the bathtub and asked the three to get in, managing to escape just as the building collapsed. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. "Boss, there''s a horde of enemies heading towards the bridge." Friday warned. Absorbing the information provided by Friday, Tony activated his communicator and tried to contact Steve. "Captain, there''s a horde of robots heading your way." Tony said while taking the people he had saved to a safe location. "They''ve already arrived here..." Steve replied, with some difficulty, after throwing himself towards a car. "Stark, just worry about finding a way to bring the city down again." Steve continued, turning off the communicator signal with Tony and calling the others. "And the rest of us have only one task: end these things. If you get hurt, strike back. And if you die..." Steve said, making a pause before continuing. "Get up and keep fighting." "I find this last task kind of impossible to fulfill." Pietro thought, having stopped to rest for a second in an alley. Meanwhile, Wanda continued guiding people who hadn''t managed to escape to a safe place. Peter was covering for her, webbing the robots. At one point, he threw them down, and at another, he destroyed them by tossing them towards the buildings. Unfortunately, many robots appeared, hindering Peter, who was grazed on the arm. Seeing this, Wanda became concerned about Peter in a way he couldn''t yet explain, and in a brief slip, she too was almost hit, saved by Clint. "Kid!" Clint said, drawing Peter''s attention, who turned to see him pointing towards a house. "Hide in there." Understanding Clint''s plan, Peter quickly webbed Wanda, pulling her towards him, and then entered the house quickly. Inside, Wanda started to panic, reflecting on what she had done. "What did I do? How did things get to this point?" "Hey, relax, it''ll be okay, we''ll figure this out." Peter said, placing his hand on her shoulders to calm her. "No, it won''t, because this is all our fault." She said, unable to hold back the tears and starting to cry. Seeing her cry, Peter felt a pain in his chest. Not understanding this feeling, he simply put his hand on her face and started wiping away her tears. "Hey, look at me!" Peter said, turning her face and, for a moment, being enchanted by those beautiful eyes. While Peter gazed into Wanda''s eyes, something inside him began to change. A strange and powerful feeling stirred in his chest, but he couldn''t exactly identify what it was. However, in that moment of chaos and desperation, Peter felt a special connection with Wanda. "The question now isn''t whether you''re guilty or not, but whether you can help me with this. Can you? Because I need help, and I can''t do all of this alone. I know we''re facing an army of robots, and it feels more like we''re in the machine rebellion, but unfortunately, I''m just a kid from Queens who climbs walls." Peter said, looking at Wanda with determination on his face. Wanda, with her eyes still teary, stared at Peter for a moment before taking a deep breath and composing herself. Meanwhile, outside, a robot tried to invade the house through the window, but Peter, with his quick reflexes, managed to destroy the robot by breaking its head with his hand. "Look, I''m going to have to go back outside." Peter says, as he removes his mask. "Because this is my job, right? And I can''t do it and be the protector all the time. I don''t care what you''ve done in the past or who you were before all this happened, but if you''ve decided to put your feet out there, you''re going to have to fight. You''re going to have to fight to kill. If you decide to stay inside, I''ll warn your brother to come here. But if you really set foot outside, you''ll be an avenger." After saying these words, Peter kisses Wanda on the forehead and gets up, heading for the door. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 46 - Battle in Sokovia (4) "Well, that''s it. Thanks for the chat" Said Peter, skillfully turning around as he swapped web cartridges and walked towards the door. "And man, today has been crazy. Who would have thought the city would be flying?" Peter said, kicking the door and then shooting his webs at some robots, knocking them to the ground. BACK ON THE BRIDGE AT THE SAME TIME After destroying three approaching robots, Steve spots two more coming. Looking to the side, he sees a car about to fall. He has to make a quick decision: destroy the robots or save the two people inside the car. Without hesitation, he runs towards the vehicle and manages to hold it. Unfortunately, the approaching robots start shooting, causing the ground beneath the car to give way, leading it to fall. Luckily, Thor appears in time and saves the people by throwing the car upward, destroying one of the robots in the process. Thor grabs his hand and tosses him up, which is caught by Steve as he leans on a rock. After Steve takes the woman to a safe place, she flees in fear. Thor arrives at the top and continues walking, followed closely by Steve, who comments. "Seriously, man. Why did it take you so long? Were you sleeping, by any chance?" On the other side of the city, Natasha dodges several shots while trying to face a horde of robots that keeps approaching. The same thing happens on Steve and Thor''s side. Steve throws his shield at various robots and calls it back, while Thor hits the robots with his lightning and throws them towards the buildings. After a robot attacks Thor, he dodges and throws it towards a truck, which explodes and destroys a significant portion of Ultron''s army. Upon witnessing this, Ultron looks at Thor with a gaze full of rage. "THOR!" Ultron shouts, grinding his teeth with hatred, looking at Thor. Without wasting time, Ultron flies at high speed towards Thor, who, due to the villain''s rapid attack, is taken by surprise. After grabbing Thor, Ultron grabs the thunder god''s neck and starts squeezing while staring at him with pure hatred. "You''re really starting to make me very angry" Ultron asserts, removing Thor from the scene and taking him to a more secluded area. Back on the battlefield where Peter was, he was managing with some difficulty but was destroying all the robots coming his way. However, in the process, he also got quite injured, with cuts all over his body and his suit full of gashes. Even though hurt and almost falling, he refused to give up and kept standing. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. However, one of the robots managed to hit him directly, throwing him towards a door. Dazed, he couldn''t get up. On the ground and still recovering from the impact, Peter realized that the robot that had hit him was approaching to deliver a final blow. Quickly, he activated his web shooters and shot the robot, preventing it from advancing. However, his actions were in vain, and to complicate the situation further, other robots emerged, advancing towards him with a bloodthirsty intent, ready to annihilate him. Just when he was about to be attacked, fortunately, the door behind him, where Wanda was, opened by itself, and she emerged using her magic, which was much stronger than before. Thus, she destroyed and shredded several robots, turning them into various metal balls. But this time, Wanda was different; now she was more determined, more confident, and, above all, more courageous. "You did great" Peter praised, giving a thumbs-up to Wanda. "Thank you" Wanda said, thanking Peter for the compliment while trying to hide her face in embarrassment. "You''re very injured, don''t you want to treat yourself first?" Peter responded to Wanda''s question with a nod, trying to get up still with some difficulty. "Are you okay?" Wanda asked, concerned as she saw him grimace in pain. "I am, just a bit out of shape" Peter said, letting out a brief laugh, and making Wanda laugh too. After Peter and Wanda managed to clear the area where they were, Clint appeared there and was impressed with what the two of them alone had accomplished. Clint looked at the pile of destroyed robots on the ground while connecting his communicator and trying to establish a connection with Steve through it. "Captain, we''ve cleared the area" Steve, who was on the other end of the line, was still facing several robots. "No, Barton, we''re far from clearing this mess" Steve said with some difficulty. "Captain, we''ve already..." Before Peter could complete his sentence, a gray beam passed between him and Clint, picked up Wanda, and left immediately; that was Pietro. "Let''s see if you can keep up now, web-head" Pietro said, teasing Peter. Seeing Peter''s face, Clint offered his bow with an arrow to him. "Come on, kid, it''s just a shot. No one would know. No one" Clint said, encouraging Peter. "This kid drives me crazy sometimes. If I''m not mistaken, the last time I saw him, Ultron was making a fool out of him" Peter commented, maintaining an ironic tone as he watched Pietro disappear at an impressive speed. "He may be like that, but I think I''ll miss the little troublemaker" Clint said, joining in the banter with the same ironic tone. "Only if it''s you. I wouldn''t miss that kid a bit" Peter replied as he and Clint left, heading towards where Steve was. Meanwhile, back to Ultron and Thor, the villain was taking our hero towards the church. After they arrived there, Ultron threw Thor forcefully towards the church floor and, without wasting time, started punching the face of our hero relentlessly. Not far from there, Pietro had taken Wanda to the other side of the city, where there were several robots attacking the police trying to stop their advances. After arriving there, Wanda immediately started destroying all the robots. One of the guards, realizing that they were allies, asked the others to cease fire. In the midst of this, a bullet grazed Pietro''s arm. He turned with a disbelieving look to the guards. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 47 - Battle in Sokovia (5) "Seriously, guys? We''re on the same side" Pietro says, not believing what had just happened. After parting ways with Bruce, who was now transformed into the Hulk, Natasha had reunited with Steve, who surprisingly was struggling to destroy the robots. After coming together, the two began causing a real mess in the city as they destroyed the robots they encountered along the way. Meanwhile, Tony was still searching for a way to bring the city down. "Boss, from my analysis, if we touch the gravitational axis of the device, it would cause a reverse effect; instead of the city descending slowly, it would result in a high-speed descent" Friday said, conducting a quick analysis. "What if Thor could hit the vibranium layer around the device without touching the axis?" Tony asked, still analyzing the device. After saying this, Tony awaited the response from his suit''s artificial intelligence with a mix of hope. "It would lead to the rupture of the rock, and still wouldn''t be enough; the impact would be devastating." "And if we tried to reverse the circulation?" Tony proposed while flying around the city. "That wouldn''t work either; we would disintegrate the entire city and all its inhabitants in the process" Friday declared, with a serious tone. While Tony searched for a solution to bring the city down without having to annihilate everyone in it, on the other side of the city, Steve, now reunited with the remaining members, was undertaking the difficult task of finding a safe place for people because where they were, nothing was safe. "These robots seem like a swarm of bees; the more you destroy them, the more they sprout" Steve says while escorting a family to a building and destroying another robot in the process. "Stark, any idea to get us out of this situation?" Steve asked, putting his hand on the communicator. Tony, still hovering over the city, pondered for a moment before responding to Steve. "So far, nothing. The only alternative I could come up with was to blow up the city, only then would we prevent it from crashing into the ground. However, you and the people in it make that plan impossible." Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. "I asked you for a solution, Stark, not a destruction plan" Steve said with a more serious tone in his voice. "But we have no other alternative. Every passing second, the city is going up, and the impact is getting bigger. We''re running out of choices, Captain. I know it''s a tough decision, but we''ll have to choose." Tony countered, making an expression of someone who had already done everything possible. Meanwhile, Wanda was helping people find shelter in safe places. Natasha, on the other hand, was talking to Steve about Tony''s plan. She agreed and disagreed at the same time about the plan. "Captain, even if I don''t want to, I agree with Stark. He''s right; you can''t always save everyone. If he really manages to find a way to blow everything up, I think we better be aware of it." Natasha said while watching Steve, who was staring at those people running desperately in search of shelter. At that moment, Steve said nothing; he just continued staring at those people. Until Peter appeared behind them, walking with some difficulty. His body was all bruised, and his uniform was almost torn apart. However, Peter still wore his mask; the only difference was a part of the eye that was destroyed. When Steve looked at that boy, he realized in Peter''s gaze the determination of someone who hadn''t given up yet. "I refuse to abandon any of these people until they''re all safe." Steve asserted, determined not to abandon any of those people. "Captain, it''s a matter of basic math, just use logic: everyone up here against everyone still down there. I know it''s a tough decision, but between one and the other, you know which one you should choose." Natasha said, even though no longer wanting to, using a colder tone. "It''s no use; I won''t change my mind. My decision will remain the same; I don''t leave here until all the civilians here are safe." Steve asserted, still refusing to abandon any of those people. "And since when did I say we were leaving here... until this view isn''t so bad, and there are much worse ways to die." Natasha said while looking at that beautiful landscape of clouds moving slowly. Peter, who was behind Steve and Natasha, decided to approach them. "I don''t know about you guys, but I could have died as a nerd who just stays locked in his room, stuck in front of the computer, and has a boss who is the devil himself. But here I am, next to my idols and doing what I like and know is right." Peter said, receiving a surprised look from both Steve and Natasha. Natasha and Steve looked at each other and were surprised by those words being spoken by such a young person. After Peter spoke, the three began to look at that breathtaking view above the clouds. "Tell me where we could see such a beautiful view as this one? But unfortunately, this will be the last." Natasha asked, still staring at that beautiful view. "Is it really going to be the last time, Mr. Romanoff? Since you liked this view, wait to see what''s coming. I guarantee it''s about to get better." Said an unknown voice invading the communicator. Peter, who also had the communication in his ear, also heard that voice. "Hey, wait a minute, this voice isn''t..." Peter said but was interrupted by Steve. "Yes, it''s him... Fury." Steve said. After Steve uttered those words, a giant SHIELD aircraft carrier appeared right in front of them, gliding between the clouds. It was truly a spectacular and hopeful sight for the people observing it from afar; for them, that aircraft was like a colossus in the sky that could save their lives. Pietro, who was nearby, approached Steve, Natasha, and Peter. After Pietro and Peter met, both began to close their facial expressions, indicating that they really didn''t like each other at all. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 48 - A Promise to Keep "And hey, what do you guys think? Pretty cool, huh? It''s a bit dusty from being stored in the warehouse for too long, but with the help of some friends, I managed to get it running" Said Nick Fury as he tinkered with some computers in front of him. "Nice one, Fury! I have to admit, you did a hell of a job" Said Steve, with a hopeful look on his face. "Wow, I thought you were going to drop a curse word" Nick Fury said, feigning a surprised expression. "Only you, I was almost certain he was going to" Commented Peter, who had remained silent until then, as he slowly advanced towards Steve and Natasha. Back on the aircraft, on the left side of Nick Fury, Agent Hill meticulously provided essential information, her expression focused as she confirmed every detail on the monitor. "Sir, the city is at 5,500 feet and still rising. I think it''s time to do it" Announced Hill, looking at the monitor and then turning to Nick. "I decided to bring you guys a little gift, hope you like it" Nick said those words firmly, after which he immediately turned towards Agent Hill and nodded at her in a confirming gesture. In response, Hill pressed a strategically located button in front of her, triggering the opening of the front doors of the aircraft. With a soft hum, the front doors opened, revealing several life rafts lined up inside the aircraft. Those things were colossal, like giant buses specially made for that situation. After Pietro saw those giant things coming out of the aircraft, he was very impressed, to the point of forgetting the little rift he had with Peter. "So, this is S.H.I.E.L.D.?" Pietro inquired, approaching Peter slowly with his attention focused on the aircraft. "Yes, and you haven''t seen anything yet" Peter affirmed, still somewhat suspicious but giving Pietro the benefit of the doubt. "In fact, S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn''t like this before, but now they seem more like what they should have been from the beginning" Said Steve, without looking at Peter and Pietro while remaining focused on the aircraft. Natasha, who had been observing the interaction between colleagues until then, decided to contribute. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "You''re about to see what S.H.I.E.L.D. is capable of. Get ready for a surprise." As Natasha''s words echoed, those giant buses began to move rapidly towards the city. Pietro, still amazed, uttered something while staring at those giant things descending. "Looks like this S.H.I.E.L.D. means business, huh!" Pietro commented, still impressed, as he watched those giant vehicles moving towards the city. Steve, seeing that those buses were heading towards the edges of the city, decided to take action. "Let''s go, folks, we have a mission. I want to see every civilian safely boarded into those things." After receiving the orders, the team members quickly moved towards the city to follow Steve''s instructions. With a sense of urgency, they began to coordinate the evacuation process of civilians, guiding them towards the imposing S.H.I.E.L.D. vehicles. After the buses settled on the city''s edges, the doors began to open, ready to receive the civilians. However, Ultron had sent some of his henchmen towards the buses to hinder the rescues. "Sir, we have multiple intruders approaching our position" Agent Hill warned, turning to Fury. Nick looked at the monitor and could identify Ultron''s robots approaching. Facing them, a smile appeared on his face. "He must be underestimating us. You know what to do; show them what we''re capable of." After receiving the orders, Maria Hill nodded in confirmation and turned while activating the communicator. "You know what to do, right?" Agent Hill asked someone on the communicator. Shortly after, she spoke to the person behind the line, and something big and metallic began to destroy Ultron''s robots one by one. That person was none other than Colonel Rhodes, or as he is more commonly called, War Machine. "Of course, I know. It''s time to become a hero" Rhode said, shooting and destroying Ultron''s robots. After a few minutes of fighting, Rhode was starting to get tired. When he was about to be hit by a shot, Tony appeared next to him to lend a hand. Rhode, surprised, looked at Tony, who smiled confidently. Together, they began to destroy the remaining robots. "You''ll become a hero, for sure. If we manage to get out of this alive" Tony said, dodging a shot and counterattacking at the same time. "If that happens, you promise not to make fun of me?" Sergeant Rhode asked while doing the same thing as Tony. "You have my word: if we make it out of this situation alive, instead of mocking, I''ll applaud you standing up" Tony replied. "I want to see that. I''ll collect those applause later" Rhode said. While Tony and Rhodes fought against Ultron''s robots, both tried to keep the situation under control. With Nick Fury, more robots began to approach the aircraft. "Sir, more enemy reinforcements approaching. They''re organizing for a coordinated attack" Agent Hill alerted, staying focused on the situation. Nick observed the situation with seriousness on his face. "We can''t let our guard down. Keep the defense always on and continue the civilian evacuation." BACK ON THE BATTLEFIELD Meanwhile, in the city, the team led by Steve coordinated the entry of civilians into the imposing S.H.I.E.L.D. buses. The urgency was palpable, and everyone was committed to ensuring the safety of the local inhabitants. "You heard me. I don''t want to see anyone left behind" Steve said as he walked towards the security personnel of the aircraft. Peter and Wanda, who were close to Steve, nodded in agreement and headed for the mission. After reaching there, they began to guide people to the buses. Peter, trying to lighten the mood a bit, started a conversation with Wanda. "It''s like I''m at my aunt''s job." Curious, Wanda approached him and asked. "What does your aunt do?" "She''s one of the helpers at the A.M.I.G.O.S. Institute. If we make it out of this alive, I''ll take you there one of these days "Peter said, helping Wanda evacuate the area. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 49 - The last confrontation Back to Church At the Same Time After Ultron grabs Thor by the throat and beats him for a few minutes, he pauses the beating session and glares at Thor with an angry face. "Do you really think you''re saving anyone? Look around. If I turn this key and drop this rock just before you solve this problem, you''d still lose because billions would still be dead, and not even you, a god, could prevent this tragedy." Thor, to buy some time, tries to provoke Ultron. "You don''t know me. I am Thor, the god of thunder, son of the father of all. And as long as there''s life in my body, I... I don''t know what else to say. Is it going to take long?" Thor says, with some difficulty. After uttering those words, Vision appears in a split second and, in a swift move, grabs Mj?lnir from the ground. Without time to react, Ultron fails to defend against the attack and is thrown away. Taking advantage of the opening created by Vision, Thor quickly gets up and prepares for the next showdown. Ultron, still recovering from the impact, looks furiously at Thor and Vision. "Do you think you can stop the inevitable? Even with your tricks, you can''t avoid the fate awaiting this world. Humanity is fragile, and you are powerless before the grandeur of the approaching chaos." While Ultron was delivering his speech, Vision remained calm, analyzing the entire situation. Thor, on the other hand, still firmly wielded Mj?lnir. "You underestimate the will of human beings too much. They have a strength you will never have: unity in the determination to fight for a greater good. And I, as a protector of life, will ensure that this will is not destroyed." Said Vision, serenely looking at Ultron. Thor, with a swift motion, calls the hammer back, which returns to his hand again. After the hammer''s return, Vision decides to make a comment about his first experience with the hammer. "I could perceive now, while using it, that the hammer is a bit unbalanced." Affirms Vision, looking at Thor. "And still, if you tilt it too much, when spinning, it loses a bit of its strength." Thor comments while spinning the hammer, demonstrating the correct way to use it. After Ultron realizes that he is being ignored by Thor and Vision, he becomes even more enraged. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Meanwhile, with Tony, besides trying to find a way to bring the city down without killing everyone, he is still dealing with the robots Ultron sent to hinder him. "I got it, what if we created a kind of heat circle around the core? That way, I could try to overload the tower from below." Tony says, still struggling, while dodging and at the same time destroying several robots coming towards him. "Analyzing..." Says Friday. While Friday analyzes whether the plan would work or not, Tony fails to destroy one of the robots, which manages to escape and hits one of the life rafts that begins to fall. Tony, seeing this, manages to destroy one of the robots in front of him and heads towards the giant bus, successfully saving people by lowering the bus onto the aircraft carrier. "Boss, it could work, but unfortunately, the circle would need a large amount of energy to function." Says Friday, after the analysis. "Doesn''t matter, I just wanted to know if it would work." After saying this, Tony tries to contact Thor. "Thor, I came up with a plan, where are you?" "I''m still at the church, and I''m running out of time. Ultron is sending a group of robots here." Thor says from the other end of the line. "Rhodes, take the remaining civilians to the ship." Says Tony, while safely lowering the bus onto the surface of the aircraft carrier. "Got it." Says Iron Patriot flying in the opposite direction of Tony, where the other buses were. After Rhode leaves, Tony contacts the other Avengers. "Avengers, with me! It''s time to show Ultron who we really are." Says Tony, activating the thrusters of his armor and flying quickly towards the church. After Tony asks everyone to regroup in the center of the church, everyone starts appearing there one by one. Tony arrives flying and destroying one of the robots. Beside him, Vision appears and immediately destroys another robot. On the other side, Thor alternately punches the robots and throws the hammer. Peter arrives shortly afterward with a somewhat unusual scene, which, due to the situation, goes unnoticed by everyone. He appeared there carrying Wanda in his arms, in a pure bride-style, while shooting his webs. Wanda''s brother, Pietro, did notice that scene but decided to overlook it due to the current situation. "Did something happen?" Peter asks while gently placing Wanda on the ground. "Nothing happened, I''m fine, thank you for asking." Says Wanda, somewhat embarrassed. "No problem." Says Peter, while destroying a robot. "Romanoff, where are you? I hope you and Dr. Banner aren''t playing hide and seek. Because I don''t see you, and certainly not him." Tony says while shooting at a robot. "Relax, canned sardine, not everyone can fly like you." Says Natasha, who at that moment was driving a truck while running over Ultron''s robots in front of her. After reaching her destination, Natasha crashes the truck but manages to enter the church safely. "What happened?" Natasha asked as she approached the church and joined Tony. "This happened." Natasha asked as she approached the church and joined Tony. "If Ultron can get his hands on this core and turn this key, everything will have been in vain; then, it will be the end of everything." Tony warns, emphasizing the urgency of the mission. While Tony points in the direction of the core, explaining the gravity of the situation they were in, Hulk also appears and begins to destroy all the robots that were nearby. Without wasting time, Tony coordinates the attack. "Let''s go, guys! Together we are stronger! Thor, Vision, in the front! Peter, Wanda, protect the perimeter! Natasha, cover from the sides! Let''s show Ultron what we are capable of!" RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 50 - The end of Ultron Thor, realizing they had already destroyed almost all of Ultron''s robots, decides to taunt the villain. "So, is that the best you can do? Honestly, I expected more." After Thor says those words, Ultron looks at him, not letting himself be provoked. In response, he simply raises his arms, and after doing so, hundreds of thousands of robots begin to emerge. "No, this is the best I can do." Ultron asserts, while glaring down at the Avengers. "Thanks, Thor! You really had to ask. Look what you''ve done, just screwed us over. Thanks." Peter says, still looking at the robots that keep appearing and then glaring at Thor indignantly. "Kid, watch your language." Steve warns, trying to reprimand Peter, who is behind them. "Seriously, Captain, look at our situation. We''re basically screwed." Peter argues, pointing to Ultron''s army of robots about to attack them. Peter hadn''t realized that his joke had managed to draw a smile from Wanda, who couldn''t hide that she was becoming more fascinated by the boy. Even Pietro, who was trying to remain serious after Peter''s joke, almost lost his composure. "You still don''t get it; this is exactly what I wanted. You there, in this small space, trapped, trying to face all of me, and still having to protect the core. And now I ask: how do you intend to stop me?" Ultron says, starting to deliver a villainous speech. "As the captain always says." Peter intervenes, drawing everyone''s attention. "We''ll do it together!" Ultron, upon hearing Peter''s determined response, lets out a sinister laugh while staring at the Avengers. "Together? So be it. Then you will die together too." Ultron mocks, as the robots around him begin to assume a more orderly formation. After Ultron utters those words, several robots start heading towards the church with the simple goal of killing the heroes there. As our heroes were strong and brave, they didn''t retreat; if they were to die, they would die fighting. And who could imagine that a sacred place, where people went to pray and make their prayers, would turn into a true coliseum. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. While everyone was fighting, Wanda fails to notice a robot approaching her to attack, but Peter, who was attentive to everything, notices in time and manages to web-shoot the robot, throwing it to the ground and destroying it. Wanda is taken by surprise by the robot crashing to the ground. "Thanks, I was so focused that I didn''t even notice it." Wanda says, looking at the ground where the destroyed robot lay. "No problem." Peter replies, with a mini smile on his face. Pietro, realizing that this mushy situation between his sister and Peter could turn into something more in the future, decides to intervene. "Can you two stop this or is it too difficult?" Pietro asks somewhat angrily. "Dude, stop being jealous. They''re not doing anything wrong." Clint says, approaching Pietro still with his bow in hand. "Stop meddling in other people''s lives, old man." Pietro says, leaving with a serious face. Steve, noticing that the atmosphere between the three was starting to sour, decides to intervene. "People, less talk and more action." Steve says, going after another robot. After the three realize that this situation was more important than their little squabble, they decide to put that fight aside and focus more on destroying the robots that keep coming, as everyone knew that if one of those robots managed to get close to the core, it would be the end of all of them. And that was already a big enough reason to motivate them. Ultron, seeing that his army was being exterminated one by one, directs his gaze of pure hatred towards Vision. Unable to contain his anger, Ultron goes after Vision, who, upon sensing his presence, manages to easily dodge. After that, they start an insane exchange of punches right there; however, Vision was winning the battle. After Ultron opens a gap, Vision shoots a beam from the Mind Stone at Ultron, throwing him far away. Peter, who was always observing the course of the battle, seeing what Vision had done to Ultron, has an idea. "Mr. Stark, Thor, look." Peter says, pointing in the direction of Vision and Ultron. After Tony and Thor look in the direction indicated by Peter, they understand the message. Knowing what they should do, Thor starts by launching a lightning bolt at Ultron, while Tony fires a laser. Upon realizing that Ultron wouldn''t give up, the three-start attacking with maximum force. When they notice that the villain''s body had started to melt, they decide to stop the attack. "I have to admit that you..." Ultron tries to say something, but is interrupted by Hulk, who appears and punches him, throwing him far away. After Hulk throws Ultron to the other side of the city, he looks at the remaining robots, who run in fear towards the sky, trying to escape. "Stark, they''re trying to flee the city." Thor warns, looking at Tony. "We can''t let any of them escape, Rhode is with you." Tony says through the armor communicator. "Leave it to me." Rhode affirms, flying towards the robots trying to leave the city. "Where do you think you''re going?" Rhode says, shooting several projectiles towards the robots. "Today you will experience the true terror of the War Machine..." Rhode says, not being able to finish his sentence, as Vision then appears, destroying all the robots. "But what the..." "Avengers, we have to get out of here as soon as possible. The air here is already getting thin. You guys go ahead and get into the ships. Meanwhile, I''ll check if there''s no one left behind. After that, I''ll join you." Steve says, starting to head towards the city, only to be interrupted by Peter. "But, Captain, what about the core?" "You can leave it to me, I''ll protect him." Wanda says, receiving a surprised look from Peter. "It''s the least I can do to pay for everything I''ve done." RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 51 - A New Beginning "So, it''s settled. Natt, you''re coming with me" Clint announced, catching Natasha''s attention. She said nothing, only nodded and left the church with him. As Steve was about to leave the church, Peter interrupted, getting his attention. "Captain, I''m going with you." Steve looked at Peter, still hesitant, but decided not to refuse the boy''s help. "Since we can''t turn down help this time, I won''t argue about it. So, let''s go," declared Steve, also leaving the church, followed by Peter shortly after. Meanwhile, inside what remained of the church, Wanda continued destroying the robots that kept appearing, preventing them from getting close to the core. Then, like a gray blur, her brother appeared and started destroying all the robots inside. "Take the remaining civilians to the ships" Ordered Wanda, still focused on protecting the core. "I won''t leave you alone here, not after everything that happened to us. I won''t abandon you" Affirmed Pietro, refusing to leave. Wanda glanced at her brother with gratitude, recognizing his concern for her. "But Pietro, you''re not abandoning me. I''m doing this because I think it''s the right thing, and you don''t need to worry about me; I can handle myself." As Wanda was interrupted by a robot lunging at her, she quickly launched an energy blast, crushing it into a small ball of iron. "As you can see, I''m already quite grown up and can protect myself just fine" She stated, looking at her brother. Pietro said nothing, only looking at his sister with a surprised expression. "Now that we''re done here, do you understand? Only come back when all civilians are inside the ships and safe, understood?" Wanda ordered again, staring at her silent brother. "Understood, Pietro?" Wanda said, looking at her brother, who only made a sound but remained silent. "Hmmm!" At that moment, Pietro, who had been silent, turned to his sister and spoke. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. "I think you forgot, but I should be giving the orders here. After all, I''m 12 minutes older than you. Does that mean nothing to you?" After saying that, Pietro continued staring at his sister with a pleading expression. Wanda continued staring at her brother and said: "No, not at all. Now go." After her brother left the church (or what was left of it), Wanda released a brief smile. Meanwhile, with Tony, he was still trying to descend to the city without obliterating everyone. He began flying over the lower part of the city. "Boss, energy levels are at their limit. I don''t know how long we can sustain this" Warned Friday as Tony redirected all available resources for the desperate attempt to land in the city without causing irreparable damage. "Since we''re running out of options, redirect everything; we only have this chance. If it fails, everyone dies" Ordered Tony, starting the preparations. Back where Hulk had thrown Ultron, the villain was crawling on the ground, almost completely destroyed after the battle against the three heroes. After crawling for long minutes, he reached a Quinjet, where he would try to escape. On the other side of the city, with Natasha and Clint, Hawkeye had managed to fix a car and was heading to the ships on Fury''s aircraft carrier. While Clint drove, he began talking to Natasha. "I was thinking of renovating that dining room. If I knocked down that east wall, we''d gain a great space. Laura would even have a place to work. And, to not interrupt her work, I''d put soundproofing so she wouldn''t hear the kids running down the hall. What do you think?" Clint asked while driving and dodging debris in the city. "I think it''s a great idea; you always eat in the kitchen anyway" Natasha replied, looking at Clint. "And you have a point. The room was for us to have dinner, but we almost never dined in it anyway" Said Clint, parking the car next to the ships. However, before they could get out of the car, they heard Hulk''s screams a little further away. Clint turned to Natasha. "You know what to do." "I know. Get in the ship quickly; I''ll be right behind." Natasha ordered, getting out of the car and heading towards where Hulk was. "Hey, big guy..." Natasha said, cautiously approaching the Green Giant. After Natasha caught Hulk''s attention, who was still destroying the remaining robots on that side of the city, he looked at her, recognizing her but trying to move away to protect her. "Easy, big guy. I don''t want to hurt you, and you don''t want to hurt me" Natasha said, trying to gain the green one''s trust as she approached him slowly. Meanwhile, with Clint, he had managed to get on the ship. But as he was about to sit in one of the seats, he began to hear a desperate woman asking for help to rescue her son who hadn''t managed to escape the rubble. Reluctant but with no other option, Clint decided to go there to try to rescue the child. Back to Iron Man, he was at the bottom of the city, where the core that kept the city unstable in the air was located. After a few minutes, he managed to enter the core. Inside, Tony could see how the key worked. "Thor, I found a way to deactivate the core, but I''ll need you at the church" Announced Tony over the communicator. "Affirmative, Stark. As soon as I finish here, I''ll come there" Said Thor on the other end of the line while walking towards Steve and Peter. "Are these the last civilians in the city?" Thor asked, approaching Steve. "Yes, the others are already inside the ships" Replied Steve, still looking at the almost completely destroyed city to confirm that all civilians had indeed been evacuated. This time, Tony, who decided to join the conversation, said. "I don''t want to discourage you guys, but if this plan works, it''s very likely that we won''t survive." "Maybe not, but we''ll never know if we don''t try" Said Thor, who then looked at Steve. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 52 - Race Against Time "Thor is right, if we don''t try, we''ll never know" Declares Steve, with determination. Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, Natasha is still trying to calm down Hulk, who remains somewhat suspicious, as something inside him tells him that this person is trustworthy. So, he is afraid of accidentally hurting her. After Natasha finally manages to gain Hulk''s trust, Ultron appears piloting a Quinjet and ruins everything by shooting in their direction. "I came here to put on a show. A puppet I may be, but this is who I am" Mutters Ultron, already lost in madness, while flying towards civilians inside the aircraft. Back to Clint, he had reached a location a bit farther from the aircraft''s direction. There, he sees an approximately 8-year-old boy with his legs trapped under a rock. However, before he can rescue the boy, Ultron shows up and starts shooting at them, killing some police officers still in that direction. Realizing he has no other option; Clint decides to shield the boy with his own body. Pietro, who has just destroyed the last robot, seeing this, decides to do something. "It''s time to be fast, much faster, quick like mercury" Pietro declares, assuming a posture to gain more speed. After taking the stance, Pietro shoots like a bullet and starts running at full speed. In the blink of an eye, he manages to arrive just in time, saving Clint and the child from the shots, leading them to safety. However, it proves too much for him, and before fainting, he looks at Clint and speaks. "Hey, old man, didn''t see that coming?" Pietro faints due to excessive exhaustion. Wanda, still inside the church, desperately trying to protect the core, feels her brother''s heart racing. Indicating to her that he''s probably fallen or even fainted somewhere. Due to their strong connection, she becomes very worried, thinking that something bad has happened to him. "Pietro" Murmurs Wanda, undecided on what to do. If she leaves, everything they''ve done would be in vain. However, staying there means not knowing if her brother is in danger. With these thoughts, Wanda is almost hit by a robot; she''s saved because Peter arrives in time to destroy the robot. "Wanda, did something happen? You almost got hit because you were distracted" Stolen novel; please report. Peter asks, somewhat concerned, seeing the distress on the girl''s face. "I don''t know, but I feel like something happened to my brother. I have to go after him" Replies Wanda, preparing to return to the city, but she''s interrupted by Peter, who holds her arm. "Wanda, we have to leave now. They''re going to blow up the city any moment" Peter insists, looking at her. "I''m not leaving until I''m sure my brother is okay" Wanda asserts, trying to free herself from Peter. "He''s fine" Peter assures her. "How do you know?" Wanda asks, studying Peter''s expression to see if he''s not lying to her. "He''s already inside the ship, the only problem is that he passed out. But he''s okay" Peter says, seeing Wanda''s expression change again. "What happened to him?" Wanda asks, now more anxious. "Nothing serious, he just pushed himself a bit too hard trying to save Hawkeye and a child from being killed by Ultron" Peter reassures, holding Wanda''s worried gaze. Faced with Peter''s words, she takes a deep breath, trying to find the necessary serenity. Despite the tense atmosphere, Wanda decides to trust Peter''s words. "He''s inside the ship, just fainted from exhaustion, but he''s okay" Peter repeats, trying to calm Wanda''s agitation. With a mixture of relief and anxiety, she considers for a moment before accepting the situation. "Let''s get out of here now before it''s too late" Peter insists again, somewhat concerned about the imminent situation they find themselves in. *** After Ultron shoots at Hulk and Natasha, the shots are about to hit her. However, Hulk acts quickly, protecting her with his own body. After the incident, Hulk safely takes Natasha to the SHIELD aircraft carrier. Upon arriving there, he gently places her on the ground and, without hesitation, immediately jumps towards the Quinjet, where Ultron is. "This is the last thing I need..." Ultron can''t finish the sentence because Hulk grabs him and throws him out of the Quinjet. Almost completely destroyed and unable to fly, he crashes onto a train, where Peter and Wanda are passing by. Wanda, realizing its Ultron, stops in front of the train. Peter, not understanding the unusual action of the girl, also stops and asks, somewhat confused. "Did something happen, Wanda?" Wanda, with her gaze fixed on Ultron, responds to Peter''s question with a serious expression. "It''s him... He caused all of this." Without wasting time, she enters the wrecked train car and walks towards Ultron. After falling into the car, Ultron tries to get up several times, but all in vain. Upon realizing Wanda''s presence, he stares at her. "Wanda... if you co... here... you''ll end up... dying." Ultron manages to say a few words with great difficulty, which are imperceptible to Wanda due to his severely damaged body. "I already know how that feels, but today you''ll experience it" Says Wanda, with a sad face, almost crying as she remembers all the bad things she and her brother did when they were on Ultron''s side. But before Ultron can do or say anything else, Wanda starts using her magic and removes Ultron''s heart, destroying him shortly afterward. "This is the feeling we''ve been experiencing because of you." After Wanda destroyed Ultron, she got out of the train carriage and started walking towards Peter, who was on his back. "We have to get out of here now, while there''s still time." Peter says, picking Wanda up in pure bridal style and starting to run towards the aircraft carrier. But unfortunately, it was too late. As Wanda had left the core, one of Ultron''s robots, which was already basically destroyed, managed to crawl into the core and activate the key. After doing so, the robot simply explodes, and in a matter of seconds, Sokovia begins to descend in an uncontrolled manner. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 53 - A moment of rest After Sokovia started descending uncontrollably, Tony begins to be pulled down due to the weight of gravity upon him. With no time to think, Tony decides to do something, and in a swift motion, he starts firing a beam from his chest towards the device, attempting to overload the core. "Thor, on my command, hit the core with everything" Instructed Tony while overloading the core from below. Thor, understanding the message, begins summoning various lightning bolts from the sky, accumulating near him. *** While the city rapidly descends due to the gravity shift, Peter and Wanda, who hadn''t managed to escape in time, begin to levitate. "Damn" Grumbled Peter while hovering in the air. "What''s happening?" Asks Wanda, somewhat surprised by what was going on. "Probably, someone managed to activate the key, and because of the gravitational force, we''re floating. This is our end; either we die from the impact on the ground or from the explosion" Explained Peter, wearing a concerned expression. While Peter already accepted his imminent end, not far away, Vision flies towards them, dodging debris floating in his path. "Don''t worry" Says Vision, appearing in front of Peter and Wanda. "What are you doing here? Weren''t you supposed to be fighting Ultron?" Peter asked, not understanding Vision''s quick appearance. "I''ll explain later, but now we have to get out of here" Says Ultron, extending his hands towards the two. After Vision rescues Peter and Wanda, he quickly takes them to Nick Fury''s hovering ship. *** Tony, realizing that the core had already received enough energy to overload, decides to give the commands to Thor. "NOW!" Tony yells, giving orders to Thor. After receiving Tony''s orders, Thor raises Mj?lnir high and releases a dense burst of lightning, which had been accumulating around the weapon, towards the core. This act not only directed all that destructive energy to the core but also was the desperate escape they found to try to save everyone from the imminent extinction they were about to witness. And in a fraction of a second, after Thor struck the hammer against the core, it resulted in a massive explosion, exploding the entire city in the process. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Tony, who before the explosion was still at the bottom of the city, gets caught in the explosion and is thrown away. The son of the father of all had fallen into the sea unconscious. *** Meanwhile, somewhere in the clouds, our emerald giant still remained inside the Quinjet that was previously used by the villain Ultron. He was lost in his thoughts, not knowing what to do or where to go. That''s when he heard a soft and familiar voice from a hologram, Natasha sending him a message. "Hey big guy, we did it, we completed the mission. But unfortunately, we have a problem; the ship is in stealth mode, and I can''t track it. So, I''ll need you to turn the ship around, understood?" Natasha asked, calmly and serenely, to gain the green giant''s trust. But before Natasha could say anything else, Hulk ends the message and sits on the floor of the ship, while it continues to fly aimlessly through the sky. ON THE HELICARRIER After Vision safely took Peter and Wanda to the S.H.I.E.L.D. Heli carrier, the two began to feel a sense of accomplishment seeing all the people they managed to save from the city before it was completely destroyed. "It seems like we really managed to win" Says Peter, staring at all those people also saved. "Yes" Says Wanda, somewhat embarrassed about what she was about to do. But before Peter could say anything about the way Wanda was acting, he ends up being surprised when she surprises him with a hug. "Peter, thank you for everything you did for me, and for opening my eyes to show me that what I was doing wasn''t the right thing" Thanked Wanda, still hugging Peter. "No problem, and don''t forget: if you ever need help, just look for me. The friendly neighborhood guy will be at your service" Says Peter, laughing a little to ease the awkwardness that had arisen between them after Wanda''s sudden hug. However, the atmosphere between them is abruptly interrupted when Wanda, for a moment, sees something that freezes her. It was her brother, who was lying on a stretcher, far from where she and Peter were. He seemed unconscious, his body covered in bruises but nothing too severe. Wanda, upon seeing her unconscious brother on a stretcher, felt a shiver down her spine. He was injured, but apparently not severely. A wave of relief and concern mixed in her eyes. "Pietro!" Exclaimed Wanda, separating from Peter and running towards her brother. "As he''s her brother, I''ll cut him some slack" Peter whispered to himself while sitting on a bench, unaware of Steve approaching. Steve approaches Peter, observing the scene with curiosity. "Are you okay?" Asked Steve, noticing the tired expression on the young man''s face. "You know how it is, resting that man isn''t made of iron" Peter replied, showing a small sincere smile to Steve. "I wanted to say this before, but as I didn''t have a chance because of the problems we had, I''ll say it now. Kid, you did great there" Thanked Steve, showing his gratitude. "Thank you, Captain, you don''t know how much these words mean to me." "No problem, you deserve it" Says Steve, taking a brief pause before continuing. "And how do you feel with this radical change in your life? One day you''re saving people from a burning building, and the next on top of a floating city, about to die?" "It''s really strange when I stop to think about it like that. But me being a normal kid from Queens, and being one of the people who helped save so many people, really makes me happy. But I''m not even worried about it." Peter said, as he turned his attention to the cloudscape. "So, what''s more serious than you almost dying that''s worrying you?" Steve asked, a little curious. "It''s no big deal, it''s just that I''m scared of the scolding I''m going to get from my aunt." Said Peter, as he let out a slightly embarrassed laugh. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 54 - Ultrons Last Stand Steve looks at Peter with a smile on his face and says as he sits down beside him. "Hmm, this really seems scarier to me than saving the world." Peter laughs, nodding in agreement. "You have no idea. If you saw how my aunt gets when she''s angry, sir, you''d be scared too." As the two talks, Tony starts to approach them slowly without them noticing his presence. "Can I join you guys?" Tony asked, getting closer to Peter and Steve. "Of course, you can, Mr. Stark." Exclaimed Peter, making way for Tony to sit next to Steve. "Thanks! And by the way, before I forget, we got in touch with your aunt. From the tone of her voice, she''s furious with you." Tony reveals, settling into a chair. "I was expecting that." Comments Peter, letting out a small laugh. "Now, what are you going to do?" Steve asked, looking at Peter. "I don''t understand." Says Peter, with a curious look directed at Steve. Steve, maintaining a serious gaze, adds: "I mean, what are you going to do about your superhero life? Are you going to keep facing criminals in Queens? Or do you want to join the Avengers?" After Steve says those words, Peter starts reflecting for a moment on that special invitation but still weighing Steve''s words. Peter directs his attention to Tony and Steve, as both were staring at him, waiting for his response. "I still don''t know, I really enjoy helping people here in Queens, but I also have my dream of joining you guys." Replied Peter, thoughtfully. Tony, realizing that Peter was a bit hesitant about his decision, decides to say something to try to change the boy''s mind. "Well, just so you know, we don''t always go through near-death experiences like this (sometimes we do), but that''s not the point now. What I mean is that most of the time, we just deal with small-time crooks." "I haven''t decided yet, but as soon as I have a definite answer, I''ll let you know. But, changing the subject, what are you guys going to do with the Maximoff twins?" Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Said Peter, looking at Wanda and her brother, who was still unconscious on a stretcher. After Peter says these words, Tony stares at him confused, not completely understanding what the boy meant. "What are you talking about?" Tony questioned, still confused, while Steve remained silent. Facing Tony''s confused look, Peter clarifies the situation with a calm expression. "I mean, what are you going to do with them? They have nowhere else to go; they''re alone and directionless." Tony furrows his brow, processing Peter''s words before finally understanding. "Well, that''s still a complicated issue. The tower is small and won''t accommodate so many people." "And since when did I say it had to be in that tower?" Peter retorted, receiving a curious look from both Tony and Steve. "Okay, kid, but still not getting where you''re going with this." Said Tony, staring at Peter. "Think about it. You guys are the greatest heroes on Earth. Why don''t you, I don''t know, build a huge base for yourselves, like the base of another group, with a princess, a bat, and so on." Explained Peter, presenting his point of view while receiving attention from both Tony and Steve. "Hold on, I must have gotten lost in the middle of the explanation. Who are those guys?" Tony asked, with a tone of curiosity in his voice. "That''s not important right now. What I mean is that you have the resources and funding to do something big; you can even help other mutants like them." Concluded Peter, pointing in the direction of Wanda and Pietro, who were still quite far away. Tony, now intrigued, looks at Steve, expecting some explanation. "That''s an interesting idea, kid. A huge base for the Avengers, huh?" Tony comments, thoughtful. Steve, considering the suggestion, nods his head. "It might not be a bad idea. A larger headquarters would allow us to help more people and provide shelter for mutants like the Maximoff¡¯s." Tony smiles, starting to visualize the possibilities. "Imagine the facilities we could have, advanced laboratories, state-of-the-art training rooms. It would be amazing!" SOMEWHERE NEAR SOKOVIA After Wanda ripped out Ultron''s heart and supposedly destroyed the villain, Ultron, as a last resort, before being destroyed and before Vision completely shut him down from the internet, had managed to make a final backup to another body hiding in the vicinity of Sokovia. After the Avengers managed to save everyone, Ultron starts to move away from Sokovia to try to create another plan, but unfortunately, Vision appears to spoil everything. "I see that you are afraid." Affirmed Vision with a calm tone in his voice, appearing gently in the sky while facing Ultron or what was left of his original body. "Of you?" Asked an Ultron with one arm missing and a part of his face severely damaged from the great battle he had with the Avengers. Vision still maintaining his serene posture, looks at Ultron and speaks. "Not of me, but of death. After all, you are the last, and that kind of scares you." "No, I am not the last; you should be the last. After all, Stark wanted a savior when he created us, but look, he ended up creating a genocidal one." Retorted Ultron, facing Vision seriously. Vision, calmly, responds to Ultron: "It was meant to be that way, but unfortunately, we both ended up disappointing." Ultron, almost completely destroyed, counters Vision''s arguments: "Humans are their own weakness. And even though I am no longer here, they themselves will destroy each other." Vision maintains his calm posture. "I even have to agree with you, they somehow think that order and chaos are the opposite of each other and... (they stink) and their biggest flaw is that they always try to control what they can''t, but there''s a certain grace in their mistakes, but unfortunately you haven''t noticed..." Ultron, despite his deteriorating condition, still tries to reason with Vision. "Do you think saving humans is a noble mission? They are fickle, chaotic. Your ideal of peace is an illusion." Vision sighs, remaining calm. "Maybe it''s an illusion, but it''s one worth pursuing. Their imperfection is what makes them unique, and that''s why they deserve to be protected." RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 55 - Farewells (I hope to be able in the presence of you all today, in the 21st time in my history of the new one.) Ultron lets out a sarcastic laugh. "You''re wasting your time. They are destined for their own destruction." Vision, looking at the horizon, responds to Ultron''s statement with a calm expression. "Perhaps. But you can''t determine whether something is beautiful just because it''s durable." After uttering those wise words, Vision receives a look of attention from Ultron, who gazes at him with a curious expression. "You should have realized the privileges you have among humans." Ultron, with a serious demeanor, retorts to Vision''s assertion with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "You abuse your naivety." "Well, excuse me, but maybe it''s because I was born yesterday." Declares Vision, staring at the ground and then looking at Ultron. After Vision says those words, Ultron quickly lunges at our hero. Without wasting time, Vision, using the powers of the Mind Stone, shoots a beam towards Ultron, completely destroying the villain''s last remaining body. After the standoff, silence begins to fall over the area, marking the imminent end of the Ultron threat. BACK AT THE HELICARRIER Sometime later... After the lengthy battle between Ultron and our heroes in Sokovia, everyone was getting ready to resume their normal lives, including Peter. After concluding the conversation with Tony and Steve, he headed to one of the helicarrier facilities to change and return to his quiet life in Queens. But before leaving, he decided to bid a proper farewell to the Maximoff siblings, as Wanda was in the infirmary taking care of her brother and couldn''t come to say goodbye to Peter. However, as he approached the infirmary, Peter hesitated upon seeing the emotional scene between Wanda and her brother, Pietro. He decided to take a step back, allowing them a moment of privacy. But before he could leave, someone ended up opening the door and catching his attention. After Wanda opened the door to get a glass of water for her brother, she found Peter about to leave. Instinctively, she decided to call him. "Peter!" Wanda shouted, calling the boy, who turned to face her. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. "Hi, Wanda." Peter replied, with a slightly awkward smile on his face. Wanda, happy to see the boy again, released a small smile. However, she noticed Peter''s hesitation and decided to ask. "Any problem?" He glanced briefly at the infirmary, where Pietro was recovering. "I didn''t want to interrupt your moment. I saw you were having an... important moment." Wanda smiled understandingly. "You can come in. Pietro would love to see you." Peter agreed and entered the infirmary. Upon entering, he saw Pietro still on the bed, receiving proper treatment. "Hey, man. How are you feeling?" Pietro, who had already resolved his issues with Peter, decided to respond without rudeness. "I''ve been worse." Peter, realizing that Pietro had not answered with malice or rudeness, decided to do the same. "I hope you get better soon." "Well, putting that aside, I have good news for you guys. In fact, I came here for that." Peter said, changing his tone of voice. Wanda and her brother exchanged curious glances, until Wanda decided to ask. "What do you have to tell us?" Wanda inquired, while Peter maintained a somewhat calm expression. "Well, I talked to Mr. Stark and Mr. Steve about you not having a place to go, and they told me they''re going to build a massive complex to house you and people with powers like us, who don''t have a place to stay and maybe even become Avengers members." Peter said, receiving surprised looks from both Wanda and Pietro. "WAIT, ARE YOU SAYING THAT WE''RE NOW PART OF THE AVENGERS?" Pietro shouted, excited, receiving a curious look from his sister. "Basically that." Peter said, somewhat surprised, as he had never seen the boy so cheerful. "Wow, that''s incredible, isn''t it, Wanda?" Pietro exclaimed, visibly excited while looking at his sister. Wanda, also smiling, responded to her brother''s question. "Yes, now we can finally use our powers to help people." After answering her brother''s question, Wanda began to gaze at Peter with a shy face. "It seems like you want to ask me something. You can go ahead and ask." Peter said, noticing Wanda''s surprised look. "And I wanted to know, now that all these problems have been resolved, where are you going from now on?" Wanda asked, still with a slightly rosy face from the question she had asked. Peter, not understanding all that embarrassment, calmly answered Wanda''s question while looking at her. "Well, I''m going back to my vigilant life again, but you guys can come visit me whenever you want. After all, the complex is going to be in New York, to be more specific, it''s going to be in Queens. So, you can drop by my aunt''s place to see me whenever you want." "Man, seriously, are you really inviting me?" Pietro asked, with a surprised look, staring at Peter. Peter, realizing the surprise on Pietro''s face, nodded affirmatively. "Yes, I know we didn''t start off on the right foot, but I see that you''re a cool guy, and I don''t see any reason for us to keep fighting like two crazy people, so if you want, we can get along from now on. What do you think?" After saying those words, Peter extended his hand, intending to make amends with Pietro. Maximoff looked at Peter still somewhat suspicious, but kind of ended up being forced when his sister called him with a penetrating look. "Pietro!" Wanda said, with an intimidating look while maintaining a cute smile on her face. "And man, you''re right, all that stuff is in the past." Pietro said, shaking hands with Peter, already fearing what his sister could do if she were angry. "Well, that''s what I wanted to talk to you about. Now, I have to go. Take care." Says Peter, saying goodbye to both Pietro and Wanda. "Thanks." Says Pietro, saying goodbye to Peter who was walking towards the door he had entered. After Wanda also manages to say goodbye to Peter, he opens the door and, before leaving, turns around, waves to his brothers and finally closes the door. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 56 - Thank you gift After Peter left the room, Wanda started staring at her brother with a smile on her face. "What''s up?" Pietro inquired, showing some embarrassment. "Oh, nothing. I''m just proud of you" Affirmed Wanda, walking towards her brother and hugging him. "Alright, Wanda, I have to admit he''s a cool guy" Pietro said, somewhat embarrassed. "It''s good to hear that" Wanda replied, separating from her brother with a welcoming smile. *** After Peter left the medical area where Wanda and her brother were, he began walking aimlessly, lost in his thoughts about a thousand things. "I wonder if I''d really be accepted into the Avengers. Like, I know I helped them defeat Ultron and saved countless people in danger. However, I recognize that unfortunately, I don''t have any special powers that could be useful in battles of that level. Maybe it''s better for me to stay in Queens, where I belong. I think I should let the Avengers handle these planet problems, and I focus on taking care of New York" Peter thought, releasing a brief sigh as he walked slowly. "Man, I wish there were more vigilantes like me." As Peter continued to walk without direction, a hoarse and serious voice called out to him, interrupting his thoughts. "Parker!" The mysterious person, unknown until then, said. After being called by that voice, Peter instinctively turned quickly and was surprised to discover who was calling him. It was none other than Nick Fury himself, standing there, staring at him with an unpleasant expression on his face. "Hello, Mr. Fury" Peter said, almost shrinking in fear. "I''ve been observing you constantly, Mr. Parker, for a long time now" Fury said, maintaining a penetrating gaze on Peter. "But, Mr. Fury, what did I do?" Peter asked, with a confused expression on his face. "I''m not just talking about you, but also those night-time vigilantes who don''t follow rules and play heroes" This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Declared Fury, staring at Peter and then noticing the change in the young man''s expression. "Hold on, rewind that a bit because I got lost in the subject. What do you mean, other vigilantes?" Peter asked, with a surprised expression. Fury, keeping his serious look on Peter, decided to clarify things. "Yes, Parker. Didn''t you hear?" "Of course not. Until yesterday, I thought I was the only one" Peter replied, astonished by Fury''s revelations. "Seriously, you''ve never heard of Matt Murdock, the Daredevil, or the Punisher, or Luke Cage? Nothing? What about the assassin Elektra or the detective Jessica Jones? You don''t know any of these people?" Fury asked, still maintaining his stern posture. "No, Mr. Fury. I don''t know any of those people. In fact, since the day I started doing this, I thought I was the only one doing it" Peter replied, still surprised by the information revealed by Fury. "No, Parker, you''re not alone" Fury replied, with a serious tone before continuing. "And if I could, I would take off that blue and red suit so you''d stop playing the little hero out there." "But, Mr. Fury, I''m not playing the hero; I just try to do what I think is within my reach when it''s possible" Peter argued, trying to change Fury''s opinion about his double life as Spider-Man. "I know about your deeds, Parker, because I saw them firsthand, like how your mind wasn''t controlled by Maximoff, or how you got help in the fight against the Hulk, or how you were crucial in the final battle against Ultron. All of this made me think and ended up changing my opinion about you, proving that I was wrong about you" Explained Fury, recognizing all the qualities he had found in Peter in the battles he had fought as an Avenger. "So, does that mean I can keep being a hero and saving people?" Peter asked, still with a hopeful look on his face. "Kid, not only can you but you should, as long as you stay on the straight and narrow. Got it?" Nick replied, changing his expression to a calmer one. Peter, absorbing Nick Fury''s words with a mixture of relief and determination, responded with joy in his voice. "Thanks, Mr. Fury. I swear I won''t let you down." "But before you go, there''s someone here who wanted to give you a present as a thank you for saving her twice" Nick Fury said, staring at Peter for a few seconds until the elevator behind them started making a small noise, and the numbers began to rise one by one until it reached zero. After that, the doors opened, and Dr. Helen Cho came out. Dr. Helen Cho walked out of the elevator with a small smile on her face, holding a black and elegant box in her hands. "Hi" Said the geneticist, walking slowly towards Peter. "Hello, Dr. Helen" Peter greeted, bowing as a gesture of gratitude. "I was thinking about how to repay you for saving me twice; it was more than my obligation to give you a present as a thank you" Said Dr. Helen, handing the box to Peter. "Thank you; I don''t even know how to express my gratitude" Peter thanked, taking the box in his hands. "I hope you like it. While I was talking to my assistant (Mysticwolf), he gave me a tip about the gift I could give you." Dr. Helen explained. Peter opened the box with curiosity, revealing a meticulously wrapped object. Upon unwrapping it, his eyes lit up as he found a wristwatch. "Wow, that''s awesome" Peter said, with an excited face. "I''m glad you liked it, but you''ll like it even more when you find out that this is not just an ordinary watch but a watch that contains nanotechnology for cell regeneration. Basically, it can become your new suit, and it also comes with some special utilities that I put in myself, like if the suit tears, it will rebuild the tissue cells, and if you get hurt or cut, the suit will regenerate your cells" Explained Dr. Helen, impressed with the young man''s reaction to discovering all the benefits he had just gained with a simple gift. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Gkiller ?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Chapter 57 - One step at a time A MONTH LATER After the events in Sokovia, everything was being resolved as expected. Stark, with Peter''s initiative, decided to create a complex that was as large and more technologically advanced than the Avengers Tower itself. Meanwhile, Wanda and Pietro had not only obtained a new house but also a new family. Meanwhile, Clint, after staying away from his family for several days, had finally managed to come back home. As for Peter, once he returned to his home in Queens, his aunt immediately grounded him, allowing him only to go from home to school and vice versa. However, whenever Peter could find some time, he managed to play the hero in his free hours. But after the events in Sokovia with Ultron, Stark, and Steve never called him for a mission again. Peter waited for so long that he ended up losing hope that they would ever call him again, but if that''s what they wanted, there was nothing Peter could do. IN QUEENS 3:00 PM - Monday Peter had just arrived from school. "AUNT MAY, I''M HOME." Exclaimed Peter in a lower tone as he entered the house. "I know I''m late, but I have a good explanation for it: the bus was late, and I couldn''t catch it, and..." Said Peter, walking slowly to the living room. As he walked to the living room, Peter noticed another person sitting on the couch with his aunt. And it was someone Peter didn''t expect to see there, as he hadn''t been in touch with him for a long time. "Hi, Mr. Parker, how have you been?" Tony greeted, turning to face Peter. "Mr. Stark, what are you doing here?" Peter asked, surprised by Iron Man''s presence. "Hey, kid... I came here to discuss something with your aunt that involves you, but who would have thought she could be someone''s aunt." Tony replied, with a slightly mischievous tone that went unnoticed by May but not by Peter. "Well, as I always say, sometimes appearances can be deceiving." May said, letting out a small laugh. Tony observed Peter for a moment, noting the mixed expression of surprise and embarrassment on the boy''s face. May, on the other hand, seemed unaware of what was happening. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. "And what were you guys talking about?" Peter asked, with a curious expression on his face. "Nothing much, your aunt and I were just talking about those emails I sent you, remember?" Tony said, winking at Peter to convey the message. "Emails? Oh, the emails. Yes, I received them." Peter said, staring at Tony until he finally understood the message. Tony gave a slight smile, satisfied with Peter''s understanding. "Pete, why didn''t you tell me anything about the scholarship?" May asked, looking at Peter with a curious expression. "Oh, yes, the scholarship. And since I know you like surprises, I decided not to spoil anything and tell at the right moment." Peter said, letting out a somewhat embarrassed laugh as he lied to his aunt. Tony, politely, turns to May and asks. "Can I have 5 minutes alone with him?" After Tony asked that question, May stared at him for a few seconds with a confused expression on her face, but she ended up understanding that what they were going to talk about could be confidential, and only Peter should know. "Ah, sure." May said, getting up from the couch and heading towards the kitchen. IN PETER''S ROOM After Tony and Peter entered the room, Tony locked the door and immediately went to a small trash can next to a table with an old computer on top and spat something into the bin. "I have to be honest with you, aside from those almond rolls, my visit and the conversation we had weren''t that bad." Tony said, while staring at Peter''s room. "Sorry, May has never been good at cooking, but leaving that aside, why did you come here? I don''t remember signing up for any scholarship, at least that I remember." Peter asked, looking at Tony with a confused look. "The scholarship I referred to was about a project I''m creating, the September Foundation. It is intended to provide opportunities for people with great intellect, (if you catch my drift) like you and the Maximoff¡¯s." Tony replied, sitting in a chair in front of the bed, where Peter had also sat down. "Oh, okay, but you didn''t come here just for that, right?" Peter asked, looking at Tony with a curious expression. "No, kid, I didn''t come here just to talk, as you well know, I''m a busy guy, firstly, nice watch." Tony said, making a brief pause in his speech and pointing to a red watch with some blue details on Peter''s wrist. "T-Thanks, it was Dr. Helen who gave it to me." Peter said, scratching his neck with a bit of shame and then looking at the watch. "And, secondly, or the most important part, I came here to find out if you''re still interested in being part of the Avengers. What do you think?" "Wait, what?" Peter asked, surprised. Tony, observing the young man''s reaction, let out a small smile. "That''s what you just heard. From today on, you''ll be part of the Avengers. And don''t bother refusing because I''ve already prepared a room for you. And guess what? It''s between the witch''s and her brother''s." Peter was speechless, trying to process the information. The idea of joining the Avengers was a dream that seemed to have disappeared along with the events in Sokovia. "But... why did you guys choose me?" Tony, looking at Peter, realized that the question could indicate that the boy was one of those people who sometimes put themselves down, even though they were good at something. "What a stupid question, kid. Isn''t it clear? And why you''re strong. Look at all the things you''ve managed to do. You single-handedly took on Ultron and even gave him a hard time. You stopped a moving train in an angry scene and let''s not forget that you also saved several people in Sokovia. Want more? What''s more, you were the person who came up with the idea of creating this complex." Said Tony, listing all of Peter''s achievements in the Ultron fight. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Gkiller ?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Chapter 58 - Back to winning Listening to Tony listing all his accomplishments in the fight against Ultron, Peter fell silent for a few seconds, reflecting. "Okay, Mr. Stark, but what I did there wasn''t anything so amazing; anyone could have done what I did. I just happened to stumble into the battle. It doesn''t make sense for me, a weak, nerdy, and scared kid who accidentally gained powers and only became Spider-Man by pure chance of fate, to do something great." "Kid, you know what doesn''t make sense? You''re here wasting your time and your great potential catching these bank robbers when you could be in the biggest superhero organization in the world. That''s what doesn''t make sense to me" Argued Tony, trying to change Peter''s mind. "I don''t know, Mr. Stark" Expressed Peter, as a thousand thoughts hovered in his head. To calm himself, he slid his hands gently through his hair. "But I don''t see myself doing anything right, what significance would I have there?" Tony, with his eyes fixed on Peter, noticed the hesitation and lack of confidence in the boy''s eyes. He decided to try and boost Peter''s self-esteem. "Kid, you would have a crucial role on the team. Besides helping us physically with your strength, you would also be very useful in the theoretical part, using your brain. After all, in addition to being strong, I could see that you''re also quite intelligent. And besides that, you would also be a kind of COACH for us." Peter looked down for a moment, thoughtful. Tony''s words echoed in his mind, triggering a deep reflection on his real role as Spider-Man. "And also, don''t think I didn''t hear about your great feat in Sokovia, encouraging the witch to fight on our side." Tony said, receiving a look of strangeness from Peter, who already knew where that conversation was going. "But couldn''t you have chosen a better place to do that? Did it really have to be inside an abandoned house, in the middle of the dark, and just the two of you?" Tony added, receiving a look of shame from Peter, who quickly averted his gaze. "And besides, Wanda keeps bothering us, always asking questions about you." Tony said, managing to grab Peter''s attention again, but this time, the boy had a confused look on his face. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. "Well, whether it''s true or not, I don''t know, because the one who told me was Nat. So, the only way for you to find out is to go there and see." "Well, leaving that aside, what about you? What are you going to do?" Peter asked, trying to change the course of the conversation. Tony, with a slight smile, answered Peter''s question while crossing his arms, keeping his gaze focused on the young man. "Before coming here, I was still undecided, but I think it''s time to leave this superhero business and pass the torch, you know? I want to take a break and try to live a normal life with Pepper, just like Barton did." "Understood, and what about the others? What are they going to do?" Peter asked, understanding Tony''s choice. "Well, Barton went back to his family, and Thor will have to leave again. He said he''s going after some infinity stones, and I think it''s very unlikely for him to come back regularly. However, look on the bright side, Steve and Natasha will be at the complex to train you." "You guys." Peter asked, surprised. "Yes, kid. You guys, you, the witch, the speedster, Sam, Rhode, and Vision." Tony replied, almost laughing at Peter''s expression. "The agent decided to split you into teams, actually into two teams: Team Rogers with Rhode and Sam. Unfortunately, Vision refused both the role of being part of a team and training you, as he thought it would be better to stay at the base as a watchman. And the Romanoff team will be you." Tony said, pointing to Peter before continuing. "The witch, who probably loves it, and her brother." "Great, that''s all I needed. Now, the Black Widow is going to skin us twice." Peter said, letting out a small laugh with a discouraged look. Tony laughed lightly at Peter''s disconcerted reaction and continued. "Well, believe me, Parker, you''re going to learn a lot from her, and I have no doubt that you''ll stand out." Peter sighed, resigned to the idea of ??training under the tutelage of Black Widow. "Maybe you''re right, but what do I do with May? How will she be when I''m not here anymore? Will she miss me, and I can''t forget what happened when I was away for a week; she almost had a fit and grounded me for several days. Also, there are my classes that will start later this month." "Kid, for all that, you can find a solution. For school, it''s simple: divide it in two. In the morning, you study, and in the afternoon, you do the internship, already with your aunt. Then, you would have to try to convince her to give you permission. Come on, kid, I know that has always been your dream. Think with me: you working alongside your greatest idols and the greatest heroes in the world." Tony said, trying to convince Peter in any way. "Mr. Stark, I don''t know, maybe I need more time to think about this and a lot to absorb." Peter replied, still hesitating in his action. "I understand you; if that''s what you want, I can''t do anything but wait." Tony said, slowly getting up from the chair and pulling a card from his pocket. "Here." In a simple gesture, Tony hands the card to Peter, who takes it with an expression of confusion on his face and says nothing but stares at the small piece of paper in his hands. "This is in case you decide to change your mind. This is Happy''s number, my private security guard. If you want to talk, just contact him and he''ll let me know." Tony said, staring at the boy. Peter put the card in his pocket, still undecided, but grateful for Tony''s understanding. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Gkiller ?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Chapter 59 - Difficult decisions "Thank you very much for understanding, Mr. Stark. I appreciate it, I''ll think about it" Said Peter finally, breaking the silence. "But I have concerns about my aunt, classes, and everything else." Tony then gives Peter a pat on the shoulder, understanding the boy''s dilemma. "I get it, kid. But don''t worry, if you need advice or just want to talk, you know where to find me." Peter nodded, carefully storing the card. "Thank you, Mr. Stark. I''ll take that into consideration." Tony stood up completely, extending his hand to Peter. "Good luck, kid. Feel free to reach out." "Thank you, Mr. Stark" Said Peter, shaking Tony''s hand with gratitude and a smile on his face. Tony smiled back and nodded. "I''m sure you''ll do fine. And remember, I''m here to help you with whatever you need." After that, Tony left Peter''s room, leaving him alone to ponder the conversation he had just had. (Man, what do I do now? Do I continue in Queens being the friendly neighborhood guy and defeating these bank robbers, or do I accept this offer to join the Avengers and become a real hero? Damn it, Parker, why do you always get into these messes?) Peter thought, getting up from bed and pacing in circles in the corner while his mind raced. "Can I juggle everything? Aunt May, classes, and the Avengers... It''s a lot for a young guy like me to handle." Peter murmured to himself. The Avengers'' proposal was tempting but also represented a drastic change in his routine. He questioned what it would really mean to give up the life he knew to become part of something bigger. "Being a real hero... would it mean more responsibilities, more dangers? But at the same time, it could make a global difference." Peter reflected, scratching his head. "I''ll think about it later." Peter whispered, lying back on the bed and closing his eyes to rest, but ended up falling asleep in the process. SOME TIME LATER 18:00 PM Peter had slept so much that the afternoon had gone by, giving way to a dark and starry sky. After getting up from bed, he headed to the bathroom to take a shower, intending to relieve the tension in his shoulders. After half an hour in the bathroom, he left the room and went downstairs, where he could see his aunt in the kitchen preparing some things. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. "Aunt May" Said Peter, approaching her and giving her a hug. "Hi Pete, did you sleep well?" May asks, still focused on what she was doing in the kitchen. "Yes, and what are you making for dinner?" Peter said, trying to change the subject, which May didn''t notice. "I''m making my famous meatballs that you love so much" May says, with a big smile of joy on her face. After hearing those words from his aunt, Peter forces a smile on his face that May didn''t realize was fake. "Aunt, I have something serious to talk to you about. It''s about Mr. Stark''s visit" Peter said, separating from the hug and receiving a curious look from May. "Is it that serious?" May asked, a little worried. Peter, noticing the concern on his aunt''s face, tries to reassure her by changing his expression. "It''s serious, but it''s not a big deal. You can relax" Peter replied, calming down as he noticed his aunt''s expression also calming down. "Pete, don''t tell me you did something..." May said, but couldn''t finish the sentence because Peter interrupted her to try to fix the misunderstanding his aunt had created. "No, May, I swear I didn''t do anything, but I think it''s better if you sit down first." "Okay, Pete" May said, turning off the stove and taking the pot out of the oven and placing it on the sink. And then walking towards the table. "Now tell me, what''s so serious that you''re making such a suspense?" May asked, still suspicious but giving her grandson the benefit of the doubt. "Well, where do I start?" Peter said, making a thoughtful face before continuing his speech. "Do you remember when Mr. Stark was here, and he said he wanted to talk to me alone?" Peter asked, looking at his aunt, who just nodded in understanding. "Well, he was only here to offer me an internship at the new foundation he created, called the September Foundation. Since all the selected students were those who had the best grades in school, I ended up being one of those chosen." May, upon hearing Peter''s revelation, widened her eyes and stopped halfway to the table. "An internship? That''s amazing, Peter! Congratulations!" "Thank you very much, Aunt May, this means a lot to me." Before Peter could say anything else, his aunt hugged him with a warm smile on her face. "I''m very proud of you, and I''m sure your uncle would be too" May said, letting go of the hug and looking at Peter. "I know he would be proud too" Peter said, reflecting the image of his uncle in his mind before continuing. "But are you really happy, Aunt?" May looked at Peter with a mix of surprise and joy. "Of course, why wouldn''t I be? I always said you would be the smartest, and look, I wasn''t wrong." May said, still praising Peter but becoming worried shortly afterward. "Pete, but it''s your school, you can''t abandon it." "Don''t worry, Aunt May. I won''t abandon school. Mr. Stark said I can split my duties between school and the internship, so in the morning, I attend classes, and in the afternoon, I do the internship." Peter said, trying again to reassure his aunt. "Ah, good." May says, more relieved. "There''s just one little problem that''s getting in the way of all this." Peter says a little awkwardly, receiving his aunt''s attention. "And what would that be?" May asked a little curiously. "Well, since it''s an internship, I''d have to spend six months at the Stark Industries building until they finished building the foundation." Said Peter, already cringing as he waited for his aunt to at least freak out a little (and he was right). RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Gkiller ?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Chapter 60 - The Proposal "Ah, no, Peter Benjamin Parker, if this is another one of those excuses for you to try to leave this house, I won''t allow it" Said May, with a melancholic expression, while looking at Peter with sadness on her face. "Of course not, Aunt May. I would never do such a thing, especially when it comes to the person, I love the most in this life. When I lost my parents, even when I was 8 years old, you and Uncle Ben were like a father and mother to me. So, don''t think about such a thing; I would never abandon you. But I also can''t deny that this opportunity would be a milestone in my life. Imagine me working in such an incredible place. It never crossed my mind, but look, this opportunity has finally come." Expressed Peter, trying to feign the emotion he was feeling at that moment, but it did not go unnoticed by May. May sighed deeply as she watched her nephew closely. "Pete, I don''t know." "Please, Aunt May, I promise to always keep in touch with you. I know this decision may seem selfish, but I need to try. It would be a unique chance in my life, something that could really change my future." Peter insisted. May lowered her gaze, pondering Peter''s words. A mix of concern and understanding reflected in her eyes. "You''ve always been a good boy, Peter. And I know your uncle would be very proud of you. Alright, you win. You can go for this internship." May said, looking at her nephew, still a bit sad but proud of him for taking this big step. "Can I really?" Peter asked, unable to contain his excitement. May said nothing, just nodded as a sign of approval. "Thank you, Aunt. You have no idea how important this is to me." Peter declared, giving his aunt a long and warm hug. With a proud smile on her face, May returned the hug before gently pulling away to look him in the eyes. "Go ahead, Pete. Do your best and seize this opportunity. But when are you starting?" May asked, looking at Peter with a curious expression. "I still don''t know; I''ll have to call Mr. Stark to ask." Peter replied as he walked away from the hug and quickly headed to his room. After closing the door, he took out the card Tony had given him before leaving, grabbed his phone, and started dialing the number on the card. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "Hello, Happy Hogan speaking, what do you want?" Said Happy on the other end of the line. "Hello, I''m Peter Parker, the student for whom Mr. Tony made an internship proposal in your company..." Peter also said on the other end of the line but was interrupted by Happy. "Oh, yes! The Spider-Man guy. He warned me." Happy said before continuing. "So, do you accept the internship?" Happy asked, showing some enthusiasm in his voice. "Yes, tell Mr. Stark that I''m interested in the internship." Peter replied, trying to stay calm, but his excitement was evident. "I''m glad to hear that. So, tomorrow, at 8:00 in the morning, be in front of the company buildings waiting for me; I''ll come by to pick you up and take you to the complex, understand?" Happy asked, demonstrating professionalism. "Understood perfectly, thanks, Mr. Hogan. I''ll be there at 8:00 in the morning." Peter replied, with enthusiasm overflowing in his voice. "You''re welcome, kid. We''ll talk better tomorrow. Now, I have to hang up; I have an appointment. Goodbye." Happy said, ending the call. After Peter hung up the phone with a radiant smile on his face, he could hardly contain the excitement of finally being able to fulfill his dream of joining the Avengers. The next day, Peter woke up with a mix of nervousness and excitement. He dressed quickly, checked the clock several times, and finally headed to the door, went down the stairs, and began walking to the kitchen. After finishing his coffee, Peter looked at the clock once again when he realized it was almost time. He grabbed the house keys, locked the door, and then headed to the Stark Industries building. At exactly 8:00, he was already in front of the company buildings, eagerly awaiting the arrival of Happy Hogan. While Peter patiently waited for Happy''s arrival, a thousand thoughts passed through his mind. (Man, who would have thought that one day this moment would come? Me being part of the Avengers. This went from 0 to 100 very quickly, and I''m going to be trained by none other than Natasha Romanoff herself, man, the Black Widow. This is amazing, and I''ll also be part of the group with Wanda and her brother.) Peter thought as he looked down the street with an excited expression, but after thinking about Pietro, his face quickly changed. However, when his mind returned to Wanda''s name, he ended up feeling awkward. (I hope Wanda has been okay these days, and I would be lying if I said I didn''t miss her too. Being who she is, a kind and lovely person, it''s hard not to like her.) While Peter lost himself in his thoughts, he didn''t even notice the presence of a black and luxurious car approaching the building. The black car stopped in front of Peter, interrupting his thoughts. The door opened, revealing Happy Hogan at the wheel. "Hey, kid, you must be Peter Parker, right?" Said Happy, giving a friendly wave. "Yeah, and you must be Happy that I talked to on the phone, right?" Peter asked, a bit nervous. "That''s right." Happy said, getting out of the car with the keys in his hand and walking to the back, then opening the trunk. "Did you bring anything?" Happy asked, looking at the young man in front of him. "I didn''t bring much, just my backpack and this suitcase." Peter said, pointing to the things he had brought. "Is that all you have?" Happy asked, looking back at the young man. This time, Peter didn''t answer; he just nodded his head in confirmation. "Alright." Happy said, taking the suitcase from Peter''s hands and placing it in the trunk, and then closing it. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Gkiller ?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Chapter 61 - Unexpected Encounter "Can we head out now?" Happy announced, returning to the driver''s seat and gesturing for Peter to sit in the back of the car. After Peter nodded in understanding, he found, upon opening the door, none other than Tony Stark himself. "Mr. Stark, what are you doing here? I thought you''d be busy today." Peter asked, confused as he took a seat. "Hey, kid, I decided to take a day off. Ready for your new life as a hero?" Tony said, putting on sunglasses. "Well, I guess so." Peter said, somewhat awkwardly. Tony looked at Peter with a playful smile and lightly patted the boy''s shoulder. "Relax, kid. You''ll get used to all this eventually. Being a hero has its ups and downs, but at the end of the day, it''s always satisfying." Tony advised, staring at Peter inside the car. Peter simply nodded, understanding the message. "Happy, we can go now." Tony ordered, signaling to his driver. "Got it, boss, right away." Happy said, starting the car at high speed. (Did I really make the right choice?) Peter thought as he looked at the buildings through the car window. 2 HOURS LATER After long hours of travel, Tony, Peter, and Happy finally arrived at the Avengers compound, which, by the way, was not only enormous but also well-hidden and hard to access. Just to give you an idea, to get there, we first had to go through a long, tense forest. The first time I saw it, I was almost certain that Happy had taken the wrong turn and was leading me to some strange place. After arriving at the compound, Steve and Natasha were already waiting in front. "Ready?" Tony asked, calmly looking at Peter. Peter decided not to say anything and just nodded. "Alright, let''s go." Tony said, opening the car door and followed by Peter, who had done the same gesture. While Peter and Tony walked slowly toward Steve and Natasha, Happy stayed in the car to get Peter''s things. Just a suitcase, after all. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. "Hey, Cap." Tony greeted Steve, in his usual good humor. Before Tony could greet Natasha, she had already run towards Peter, giving him a hug like an older sister reuniting with a younger brother after months. Steve, on the other hand, responded with a restrained smile, accustomed to Stark''s eccentricities. "Welcome, Peter. We''re looking forward to having you with us." Steve greeted, extending his hand to the young hero. Peter shook Steve''s hand, still feeling a bit out of place in the grandeur of the Avengers. Natasha, who had already separated from the hug, started staring at Peter and said with a smile that Peter couldn''t quite identify at that moment, but after she asked, he understood. "I hope you missed us because we missed you a lot, especially Wanda; she was relentless, asking about you every 2 seconds." Natasha said, with a mischievous smile on her face while looking at Peter. "Uh, thanks, I missed you guys too." Peter said, turning his face due to the embarrassment he felt at that moment. "Natt, could you take Peter to the room where he''ll stay while I have a word with Tony?" Steve asked, looking at Natasha. "Sure thing." Natasha replied, looking at Steve. "Pete, let''s go." After Natasha called Peter, they began to walk into the compound, with Peter following closely behind, gazing in fascination at everything inside. After all, everything inside was quite spacious and technologically advanced, triggering Peter''s nerd instincts. "I see you''re having a blast with all this." Natasha said, releasing a small smile seeing Peter so happy. "And how could I not? To me, all of this feels like paradise." Peter replied, enthusiastic in his voice without even realizing it. "I can tell." Natasha said, letting out a small laugh. Peter, somewhat embarrassed, replied in a lower tone. "Sorry." "It''s okay, just don''t mind the mess too much; we just moved in here, so some things are still under construction, as you can see." Natasha explained while leading Peter to the elevator. After they reached the elevator, Natasha went through the whole process, noticing Peter and his surprised expressions at everything he saw. As for Peter, he finally realized why that place wasn''t for just anyone. After they entered the elevator. "Friday, please take us to the floors where the rooms are." Natasha said, speaking to nothing inside the elevator. Peter looked at Natasha and asked with a confused look. "Who are you talking to?" Before Natasha could answer anything, a robotic voice echoed through the elevator responding to Natasha. "Understood, Miss Romanoff." Confirmed a robotic voice filling the entire space. After the voice echoed through the environment, Peter ended up being scared by the voice that seemed to come from beyond. Natasha smiled at Peter, realizing the confusion in his eyes, and explained: "This is Friday. The artificial intelligence that controls and monitors everything that happens inside the compound. Remember that day when Ultron attacked our tower? Well, after your comment about defense mechanisms, Tony took your idea (which, by the way, is incredible) and decided to do this." "Wow, who would have thought I would help in some way to create this." Peter said, even more surprised to discover that even instinctively he contributed to creating something significant. "I see you still have that playful and naive personality of yours." Natasha said, making small talk with Peter as the elevator continued to rise. "You know how it is, you try to leave your roots, but your roots never leave you." Peter said, playfully and ironically. "Playful as ever." Natasha whispered in a low tone without Peter noticing. "Now I understand why Wanda won''t stop talking about you all the time." Natasha said, fiddling with Peter to see what the boy''s reaction would be. "It''s just that, as well as being a nice person, you''re also great company." Natasha added, turning her attention to the view from up there. Peter let out a small laugh, embarrassed by Natasha''s comment. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Gkiller ?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Chapter 62 - The new Avengers base As the elevator ascended to the upper floor of the complex, both Natasha and Peter remained silent, savoring the view. However, Peter couldn''t stay quiet for a minute; every now and then, he opened his mouth to say something. Whether it was to praise the facility or discuss its technologies, he always had something to share. "Man, this place is amazing. I hope I can adapt." Peter said, breaking the silence. "I''m pretty sure you will. After all, all of this was possible thanks to you and your brilliant mind." Natasha affirmed, pointing to Peter, more precisely, to his head. "I don''t quite understand, what do you mean?" Peter asked, confused. "Don''t be so modest. Tony and Steve told me that the idea for this complex came from you." Natasha said. "It wasn''t exactly like that. The only thing I told him was that the Maximoff siblings didn''t have a place to stay, and it turned into all of this." Peter, surprised, scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed. "Wait, is that serious? I had no idea my suggestion would turn into all of this." Peter said, looking around, impressed. "But all I did was suggest. The whole Friday thing, the enormous size of the complex, the training areas, and the design¡ªall of that was your contribution." "But, in a way, you instinctively encouraged us." Natasha concluded, maintaining her calm and serene expression, her trademark. "I think I''ll need to get used to a lot of things here." Peter replied, still processing the new reality around him. As they reached the floor with the rooms, the elevator door opened, revealing spacious corridors and well-equipped rooms. "Ready?" Natasha asked, looking at Peter. After Peter nodded in affirmation, they stepped out of the elevator, and Natasha began to guide him through the complex''s vast corridor, showing the rooms and a symbol on each door to identify the owner. "What are these symbols on the doors?" Peter asked, looking at the falcon symbol on one door. "So that we could quickly identify the room owner, we decided to do this... just kidding, it''s just for aesthetics." The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Natasha said with a serious expression on her face, quickly changing to a playful smile. "That''s Sam''s room, that''s why the hawk. And that he''s a bit crazy about this business." Natasha explained, still looking at the door. (Kind of predictable, but I expected it.) Peter thought, not at all surprised by the discovery. "That one over there, with the U.S. flag and Rhode''s room." Natasha said, pointing to the other side. (That, for sure, was Stark''s doing.) Peter thought, almost laughing. "And this one with the blue lightning symbol next to Sam''s and Pietro''s rooms." Natasha continued, pointing to another door. (Man, and I thought it was Thor''s room.) Peter thought, mentally thanking himself for staying quiet. "And the one next to Rhode''s with that symbol is my room." Natasha said, noticing her symbol on the room door. "Nice symbol." Peter said, somewhat impressed. "Thank you, and the one next to me with the shield, pretty obvious, is Steve''s room." Natasha continued. (A bit lame, but it makes sense.) Peter thought, walking to the next room. "And those last three rooms there are yours. The first one with the yellow stone at the entrance is Vision''s, the second one with the symbol of a red and blue spider is yours." (Well, at least they didn''t use a web.) Peter thought to himself, maintaining a playful smile. Natasha pointed to the room next to Vision''s, with a red tiara symbol. "And that''s Wanda''s." Natasha informed. "I think the symbol represents her powers well." "Definitely more creative than a simple ''W.''" Peter agreed, appreciating the attention to detail. "Thanks, Miss Romanoff. Thanks for showing me around." Peter thanked, showing a sincere smile. "No problem, Mr... I mean, Peter. And from now on, since we''ll be working together, you don''t have to call me Miss. Just Natasha is fine. Got it?" "Yes, Natasha." Peter said. "Much better, I think from here on, you can handle things on your own, and if you need anything, just call Friday. Whether you want to know where the kitchen is, or the training room, or the gym, etc." Natasha replied, getting ready to leave. "Thanks for everything, Ma''am... I mean Natasha." Peter said, releasing a small embarrassed smile. "You''re welcome, Mr. Parker. And anything, just give me a call. Welcome to the team." Natasha said, leaving Peter alone in the corridor. After Natasha disappeared from Peter''s sight, he decided to enter his room. Upon opening the door, the boy could see that the room was indeed large, with a single bed, and next to it, a desk with a very technological computer. On the other side, a bookshelf full of books. In the bathroom, a bathtub, a shower, and a sink. "Wow, who would have thought I''d be here one day, this is crazy." Peter whispered, still enchanted with everything he saw in his room. As he continued to be lost in his thoughts, Peter didn''t even hear someone calling his name; only after the person decided to knock on the door did, he return to normal. "Sorry, who is it?" Peter asked, approaching the door. "It''s me, kid, Tony''s driver, Happy. I came here to bring your stuff." Happy announced from the other side of the door. After Peter opened the door, Happy was there with a friendly smile on his face. "Hey, Kid! Tony asked me to give you this." Happy said, holding a backpack and a suitcase. "Thanks, Happy! I can take it from here." Peter said, grabbing his backpack and suitcase. "Are you sure? If you want, I can call the staff to do it." Happy insisted. "I''m sure, no need to worry. I''ll take it from here, Mr. Hogan." Peter said. "You know best, kid." Happy says, then leaves. After Peter closes the bedroom door and puts his backpack on the bed and his suitcase next to the desk, he goes to the window, where a beautiful view of the forest that covered the entire complex awaits him every morning. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Gkiller ?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Chapter 63 - Taking a different path "Man, I didn''t even want to say anything, but what a view, what a view, my friends." Peter thought as he stared at the forest view with a serene expression. "I hope you like what''s coming, because it''s about to get better." Said a mysterious voice, catching Peter''s attention. After Peter turned around with a curious look, he ended up finding someone standing in front of the door, staring at him. "Wanda?" Exclaimed Peter, staring at the redhead with a mix of emotions. "It''s me." Confirmed Wanda, unable to contain her joy. Before Peter could say anything else, Wanda interrupted him, giving him a long and warm hug. After Wanda and Peter separated from the hug, Peter looked into Wanda''s eyes with a surprised and happy expression. "What are you doing here?" Peter asked, still a bit disoriented by the redhead''s unexpected presence. "I missed you so much that I couldn''t wait." Said Wanda, giving a small embarrassed smile. "I missed you too, Wanda." Peter said calmly. "I heard you became an Avenger, is that true?" Wanda asked, looking at Peter with an apprehensive look. "Yes, it''s true. Thanks to you, I''m officially an Avenger." Peter replied, noticing the girl''s expression changing to joy. "And living? Are you going to stay here with us too?" Wanda asked, not caring if that question might sound strange. "Also." Peter said. "Awesome!" Wanda said, hugging Peter again, this time with a sparkle in her eyes. "It''ll be great to have your company here again." "Thank you!" Peter said, a bit embarrassed. "I hope so." After Wanda let go of Peter, instead of completely separating, she began to touch Peter''s face. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it "Wanda?" Peter said, calling the girl''s name, but she didn''t respond at that moment. After a few minutes of Wanda stroking Peter''s face with a calm expression, she decided to break the silence by looking at Peter again. "And as I expected... it''s the same feeling." Wanda whispered, not paying attention to what she was doing at that moment, as she was totally immersed in her thoughts while gazing at Peter. "Wanda, sorry to interrupt, I don''t know what you were doing, but what do you mean, feeling?" Peter asked, unable to contain his curiosity, which had reached the point of driving him crazy. "The feeling I had when we first talked." Wanda replied as she took her hands off Peter''s face. "Okay, I got that far, but what does that mean?" Peter asked, still somewhat confused and not understanding what Wanda was talking about. "It means that, since the first time I saw you, you haven''t changed a bit. You''re still the same naive, funny, cute... and especially, beautiful person." Wanda said, somewhat embarrassed but happy inside for being able to speak her mind without worrying about anything. After Wanda said those words, both she and Peter began to look at each other with an embarrassed expression. "That''s not what I meant." Wanda said, trying to hide all her embarrassment while doing everything not to look directly into Peter''s eyes. Peter, still intrigued by Wanda''s words, tried to understand what she meant by those words. However, before he could say anything, the redhead interrupted him, trying to explain herself. "I... meant that you still make me feel the same way. Since the first day, you evoke these sensations in me, this special connection." Wanda said, stumbling over her words. "I understand what you meant, Wanda." Peter said, letting out a small embarrassed laugh. "Understood?" Wanda asked, with a mixed expression on her face. While Wanda remained silent and embarrassed, not knowing what to say to Peter, he decided to break the silence by continuing the original flow of the conversation. "What have you been up to these last few days?" Peter asked, trying to change the course of the conversation. "Well... the same boring things as always." Wanda said with an indifferent face before approaching Peter''s bed. "Can I sit?" She asked, pointing to the bed. After Wanda asked that question, Peter didn''t answer but nodded his head as a confirmation. "Thank you." Wanda said, sitting on the edge of the bed. "But how come your days were boring?" Peter asked, looking at Wanda with a somewhat curious look on his face. "And it''s been a short time since we moved here, to be precise, two weeks." Said Wanda, with a relaxed face while glancing briefly around Peter''s room. After Wanda said those words, Peter felt somewhat uncomfortable when the redhead said ''we,'' indicating that she was probably living with someone else in the complex. "Two weeks, huh?" Commented Peter, trying to disguise the discomfort. "Yeah, two long and boring weeks. But now that you''re here, maybe things will get more interesting." Wanda said, with a little smile. "With whom are you living here?" Peter asked, trying to seem as casual as possible as he sat next to her. Wanda stared at Peter a bit confused, not understanding the question, but decided to answer. "Pietro and I, but I still don''t know how he managed to get along so well with the Avengers." After Wanda confided in whom she was living within the complex, Peter''s expression changed to one of relief, which went unnoticed by Wanda, who still kept distracting herself by observing the boy''s room. "And you?" Peter asked with a relieved tone as he looked at the redhead. "I still haven''t gotten used to all of this. The only people I''m closer to our Vision and Natasha." Wanda replied, playing with a strand of her hair. "I know how that is, trust me. It''s just an adaptation phase; sooner or later, you''ll fit in, just give it time." Peter said, trying to convey confidence to the girl. "I hope you''re right, because sometimes I feel so strange, like this isn''t where I belong." Wanda said, lying down on Peter''s bed. "I can''t deny that the complex is nice. It has everything: a big kitchen, several bedrooms, a comfortable living room, a swimming pool and I can''t forget that huge movie theater. But even with all this, I still can''t fit in. At the same time as everything is so big, it also seems so small to me." RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Gkiller ?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Chapter 64 - Readaptation "And like I said, this is also part of the readjustment process. All of this is still new to you. Trust me, I went through this high adaptation phase when I gained these powers too. Everything was so new and scary, but over time, you get used to it" Said Peter, staring at Wanda with a serene look, while trying to convey reassurance to the redhead. "I hope..." Wanda expressed calmly, who had been lying on Peter''s bed, stood up, and returned to sit next to him. "But putting that aside, besides wanting to ask how you spent this last month, I''m also curious about this watch. If I remember correctly, in our battle in Sokovia, you didn''t have it. So, did someone give it to you? Was it Tony?" "Well, first, about the watch, it wasn''t Mr. Stark; it was Dr. Helen Cho who gave it to me as a thank-you after I saved her twice. And there''s more, this is not just a simple watch; it''s also my suit now" Peter said, placing his hand on the watch and then receiving a confused look from Wanda. "Suit? What do you mean?" Wanda asked, not understanding how that simple watch could be a suit. "I can''t explain it properly, but what I know is that inside this watch is an advanced nanotechnology suit with cell regeneration. Besides being very practical, since I don''t need to keep changing clothes all the time, it also regenerates depending on the damage and, on top of that, heals me too" Peter said, looking at Wanda. "Wow, that''s cool! Can you show me?" Wanda asked with a curious look mixed with a hint of excitement, staring at Peter. "Of course, I don''t see any problem" Peter said as he got up from the bed. After Peter got up from the bed, he tapped the watch''s display twice, and out of nowhere, something that looked more like red and blue slime started coming out of the watch and began to cover Peter''s entire body at an incredible speed. "This suit is a bit different from the one I saw in Sokovia" Wanda said, amazed by Peter''s new suit. "And this one, besides being more technological, more stylish, and more practical in a fight" Peter argued, highlighting some positive points of the new suit to Wanda. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. "It''s even better. The whole suit fits into this device that looks more like a watch, but it''s not, even though it also wakes up and has the function of telling the time, as if it were one" Peter continued, pointing to the watch and, with a gentle touch to the side, it switched to the clock mode, where you could see the time. "Besides this... weird clock function (even though it looks like one), it''s quite versatile in a fight; it has saved me countless times in battles" Peter said, remembering some moments against some villains that he had to use the new suit. "Could you tell me about one?" Wanda asked, with a curious face, staring at Peter. "Well, there was one time I faced a guy dressed as Scorpion, and I don''t even like to remember that day" Peter said, somewhat embarrassed and with a hint of anger. "Why?" Wanda asked, even more curious, staring at Peter now with more intensity. "Well, as I can say, I didn''t do very well on our first encounter, meaning I took a beating of those" Peter replied, trying to hide his embarrassment. "From your expression, this fight was very difficult" Wanda said, looking at Peter. "You have no idea, the guy was so crazy and obsessed with destroying everything that he even used a nuclear reactor, but after a lot of effort, I managed to defeat him." "Wow" Wanda said, with a surprised expression on her face. "And I won''t even tell you about his scorpion sting, man, that thing was tough. When he hit me with that sting in our first fight, I was in bed almost a week from the pain I was feeling." "If it weren''t for the suit that can absorb impact, I would have definitely been much worse off than I was in that fight." "How does it absorb impact? You mean any type of attack?" Wanda asked, curious. "Almost that, it depends a lot on the type of damage I receive. If it''s physical attack, like hand-to-hand, the suit sort of absorbs that type of damage and stores the impact and then returns the attack much stronger" Peter explained, demonstrating what he meant by the suit absorbing impact. "So basically, the suit is like an advanced shield that absorbs and enhances the attacks I receive. It helps a lot, especially against more powerful enemies" Peter said, while Wanda processed the information, fascinated by the versatility of the new suit. "But leaving that aside, let me show you it working in practice, because explaining it is kind of hard to understand." "Sure, I see no problem" Peter said, who then pointed towards his abdomen, which was protected by a thin but resistant layer of Kevlar that covered almost the entire suit. "Now give me a punch here." After Peter said that, Wanda was somewhat unsure of what to do. "Trust me, I won''t get hurt (I think)" Peter said, trying to convey confidence to Wanda, but after his last comment, the situation only got worse. "You''re not giving me any confidence, and what if I hurt you?" Wanda asked, with a serious expression. "You won''t, the suit will protect me from getting to that point" Peter replied, staring at Wanda. "All right" Wanda said, getting up from the bed. "What do I have to do?" Wanda asked, looking at Peter. "The punch has to be a bit strong so that the suit can at least absorb the impact. A punch would be essential, but since I don''t want you to hurt your hand, try a kick." Peter said while putting his hand on his head as if thinking about something. Wanda, still somewhat hesitant but trusting Peter, stepped back a bit and kicked him in the abdomen, which ended up moving him only a millimeter off the ground. "I told you" Peter said, taking off only the helmet part of the suit. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Gkiller ?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Chapter 65 - The new outfit "This suit holds up, depending on the impact. The only times it almost let me down were against the scorpion and against another guy who called himself Rhino. But I also didn''t know how to use the suit properly, so it doesn''t count." Said Peter, with his hand on his chin reflecting on that day. "Rhino?" Wanda asked curiously. "Long story, I''ll tell you later." Said Peter, approaching Wanda. "Alright, but putting that aside, what is this?" Wanda asked, pointing to Peter''s abdomen where a faint light of blue and red hues was blinking. "That''s what I meant when I said this suit absorbs the impact. Actually, it''s this fabric that absorbs the impact and then transforms it into kinetic energy, keeping it stored in the suit so I can use it or release it later." Peter explained, further piquing Wanda''s curiosity. "What do you mean release? Like a discharge?" Wanda asked, staring at Peter. "Almost like that, the only problem is I won''t be able to show you that." Peter replied, looking back at Wanda. "Why?" Wanda, still unsatisfied with the answer, decides to continue asking. "Well, how could I explain?" Peter said in a low voice that almost came out as a whisper. "Basically, this is the kinetic energy that the suit stored from the impact of your kick. So, for me to release it, you would have to kick me again. But this time, instead of you touching me, the energy will be released against you, like a discharge." Peter explained, now receiving a nod from Wanda. "Ah, now I get it." Said Wanda, understanding that somewhat sneaky feature of Peter''s new suit. With a subtle smile, Peter took the opportunity to add more information about his intriguing suit. "And there''s more, this fabric also has a self-adaptation capacity. It''s like intelligent material that adjusts to challenging situations. So, if I''m somewhere too hot, it automatically cools for my comfort; and the same thing if I''m in a very cold place, it warms up." If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Wanda, now even more fascinated, observed Peter with curious eyes, eager for more revelations about the new suit. "Furthermore" Peter continued, moving his fingers towards the small device in his hand. "I can also create small energy fields. They are quite useful for blocking attacks and generating distractions through holograms, providing incredible versatility in delicate situations." Wanda raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Holograms? What do you mean?" With a small smile, Peter activated the device, and immediately a three-dimensional hologram materialized between them, projecting a realistic image of Spider-Man. "That''s it." Peter explained. "I can use this to confuse my enemies, creating holographic copies of myself or simply to distract while I move. It''s quite a feature, thanks to Dr. Chan with the help of Stark Industries. I would never have such a cool suit otherwise." After saying those words, Peter tapped the watch''s visor twice. And that same goo, which had previously come out of the watch, now began to retract, but this time into the spider symbol located on the chest of the suit. "Well, now, answering your second question, aside from all these crazy things that happened, my days were mostly, how can I say it? normal. Mostly because I spent most of my time being grounded." Peter said, scratching his head, somewhat embarrassed. "Grounded? Why?" Wanda asked, looking at Peter with a curious expression. "Well, after our mission in Sokovia, I kind of didn''t communicate with my aunt for several days. Not liking that much, she ended up grounding me and forbidding me from leaving the house for several days. I could only go from home to school, from school to work, or from work to home, but I always managed to sneak out to be the ''friendly neighborhood guy.''" "Friendly neighborhood guy?" Wanda asked, curious about the name Peter had mentioned, which seemed a bit different to her. "Yeah. It''s a nickname I got after helping people in the neighborhood, you know? Rescuing cats from trees, stopping small criminals, everyday stuff that makes a difference." Peter explained, with a nostalgic smile. Staring at Peter without quite understanding the context of that name, Wanda asked him: "But isn''t your superhero name Spider-Man?" "Yes, that''s the most famous one, but some people also call me other names like web head, masked vigilante, Spider, as my ex-boss used to call me, criminal or public menace, human spider, and so on. And the weirdest thing in all of this is the curiosities people have about me. Like, some people think I have spider legs. Can you believe that?" Peter said, letting out a small laugh. After Peter recounted those stories, Wanda looked at him with a shocked expression on her face. "Wow, that''s bizarre." "But, besides all these things, I actually think it''s all cool, even though in the end I always end up being unjustly accused and called a criminal every time. I just can''t understand how they think a person who keeps protecting the city from criminals and even a giant lizard that wants to turn everyone into lizards is a bad person." Peter asked, unable to understand the reasoning of people who insult Spider-Man. "You always manage to see the good side in everything, huh? And that''s what I like about you." Wanda said, whispering the last part that Peter couldn''t quite hear. After saying those words, Wanda gently rested her head on Peter''s shoulder. "They always tell me that, I think it''s a gift I have." Peter said, almost stuttering with a red face and all nervous due to Wanda''s sudden closeness. "Are you all right, Peter?" Wanda asked, curious about Peter''s stutter, even though she already knew why. "Oh, yes, I''m fine. I was just a bit surprised; you know?" Peter replied, trying to disguise his nervousness. Wanda smiled, finding Peter''s reaction adorable. "I see, I didn''t mean to make you uncomfortable." Said the redhead, taking her head off the boy''s shoulder and continuing. "What do you think of your new room?" RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Gkiller ?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Chapter 66 - Revealing Plans "Ah, the room is great! It''s much better than what I had before" Peter replied, relaxing a bit more. Wanda looked at him, smiling. "I''m glad you liked it. If you need anything or help decorating, or maybe organizing something in the room, just let me know." "Thanks, but I think it won''t be necessary. Still, I''ll keep that in mind" Peter thanked, returning Wanda''s smile. The conversation was flowing casually, and the two seemed more and more at ease with each other. "If you say so" Wanda replied calmly. After this comment, Peter was about to speak but was surprised again when Wanda suddenly hugged him once more. Wanda''s hug caught Peter off guard once again, but he didn''t resist. The closeness between them felt natural, and both enjoyed the moment. After a few moments, Wanda pulled away with a warm smile. "You know, Peter, I missed you a lot. I can''t quite explain it, but somehow you just make me feel so good" Confessed Wanda, looking around the room. Touched by Wanda''s words, Peter genuinely smiled. "I missed you too" Peter said, returning Wanda''s hug, which earned him a small smile. But this beautiful moment between them was interrupted when someone entered through the door. "I hope I''m not interrupting anything?" Spoke the unknown voice, grabbing the attention of both Peter and Wanda, who separated abruptly from the hug. After they looked towards the door, they saw Pietro standing there with an unfriendly expression, observing them. "Pietro!" Wanda almost shouted her brother''s name in a clear attempt to disguise the surprise in her voice. "I''m just messing with you, relax" Pietro said, walking towards Peter and Wanda. "Hey, man" Greeted Pietro, extending his hand towards Peter. Still surprised by Pietro''s entrance, Peter stood up from the bed, shook his hand, and spoke. "Hey, Pietro. Didn''t expect to see you here." "So, what do you think of your new home?" Asked Pietro, staring at Peter. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. "I really liked my room, but I haven''t had the chance to see everything yet. But at first glance, everything seems pretty cool" Peter replied, sharing his first impressions of the new place. Pietro let out a relaxed laugh. "Good to know that the most important part is already approved. It''s going to be nice having you around, Web head." "Same here, Speedy" Peter said, making Pietro burst into contagious laughter right after. After Peter said that, both he and Pietro gave each other a friendly smile, which made Wanda very happy because, finally, they had set aside that silly rivalry. It was also good to see her brother getting along with the person she... However, her thoughts were interrupted when she realized what she was thinking. (What''s happening to me?) Wanda wondered mentally, looking back at her brother and Peter. Wanda''s gaze wandered for a moment as she tried to understand the mix of emotions that arose. Pietro, noticing the confusion on his sister''s face, decided to ask what was making her so tense. "Something wrong, sis? You seem lost in your thoughts." Wanda shook her head, trying to dispel the doubts. "No, I''m just happy that you two are getting along... and giving up that stupid rivalry, realizing it wouldn''t lead anywhere." Continued Wanda, now with a smile that ended up making Peter blush, caught between the brother and the young man. "After our discussion, I thought a lot and came to the conclusion that we''re better off as friends than enemies. Besides, from now on, we''ll be on the same side, so there''s no reason to continue that senseless argument." Pietro, looking at her, not understanding her expression, asked what was causing her so much tension. "Something wrong, sis? You seem lost in your thoughts." Wanda shook her head, trying to dispel the doubts. "No, I''m just happy that you two are getting along... and giving up that stupid rivalry, realizing it wouldn''t lead anywhere." Continued Wanda, now with a smile that ended up making Peter blush, caught between the brother and the young man. "After our discussion, I thought a lot and came to the conclusion that we''re better off as friends than enemies. Besides, from now on, we''ll be on the same side, so there''s no reason to continue that senseless argument." Pietro, looking at her, not understanding her expression, asked what was causing her so much tension. "Nothing told you anything?" "No, they didn''t, about what?" Wanda asked now, more curious, still with a worried expression, thinking it might be something bad. Pietro gave Peter a meaningful look before explaining to his sister. "Well, apparently, starting today, you, me, and Peter are going to be part of Black Widow''s team." "Wow, great, and as always, I''m the last one to know things." Wanda said with a tone of irony in her voice, leaving the room slightly irritated and with a sad expression, leaving Peter and his brother behind. "WANDA!" Peter shouted, trying to follow the redhead, but ended up being interrupted by Pietro. "Man, I think we better leave her alone for a bit. She''s been going through a lot these days..." Pietro said, staring at his sister slowly moving away before continuing. "Did she tell you about her adjustment problem?" Pietro asked, looking at Peter. Peter didn''t answer but nodded, confirming. "Well, this new world for her is hard to adapt to, and unlike me, the people here, the employees, keep avoiding her at all costs, afraid of what she''s capable of." Pietro said, recounting how difficult these last few days had been for his sister. "Man, what jerks." Peter said with an expressionless face full of anger. Pietro, noticing Peter''s serious and dark look, was even scared because he had never seen that, especially in him, who seemed to be a calm person. "But now that you''re here, I think besides making her a little happier, you could help her adapt too." Pietro said, trying to make Peter return to normal. (Man, what the hell was that?) Pietro thought, staring at Peter and feeling a sense of dread for some reason. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Gkiller ?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Angelo Me?mer ?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Chapter 67 - Unexpected Events Pietro, puzzled by Peter''s abrupt change of expression, tried to understand what was going on. However, before he could ask any questions, Peter broke the silence with a calm voice, returning to normal. "I hope you''re right." Peter said, returning to normal. "Dude, did something happen? Are you okay?" Pietro asked, now more serious, feeling a strange atmosphere forming. Peter blinked rapidly as if trying to dispel his dark thoughts. "Yeah, I''m fine. I just... didn''t know about this whole Wanda situation. It''s heavy what they''re doing to her." Peter replied, trying to pull himself together. Pietro nodded understandingly. "I understand, I''m feeling the same way, but I can''t blame them for being afraid of us." OUTSIDE THE COMPLEX AT THE SAME TIME After Steve had asked Natasha to show Peter around the complex, Peter was walking around the complex while talking about some important matters with Tony. "Tony, are you sure it was a good idea to bring the boy over to our side? I don''t know, he''s still just a kid." Steve asked, his tone of voice showing a certain amount of concern. "Trust me, it''ll be good for both sides, both for him to mature as a hero and for us, who are more like tired mules. What''s more, not only is the boy very strong, but he also has that spirit of youth running through his veins." Tony replied unceremoniously before continuing his reasoning. "And there''s also the case of the little witch. Remember what you told me?" Tony asked, looking at Steve seriously and then receiving a nod from him in confirmation. "Well, since you told me that Wanda was having some trouble adjusting, I thought that maybe the boy could boost her spirits." Tony concluded, in a calm manner as he walked with his hands in his pockets. "I hope it works." Steve replied, still looking worried. "But let''s put that aside for a moment. Do you think something might end up happening between the boy and the little witch? Or is something already happening, I don''t know, like are they getting together or maybe secretly dating?" Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Tony asked with a somewhat indifferent countenance, staring at Steve. Steve pondered Tony''s question for a moment before answering. "Tony, I don''t know. They''re both still too young for that, but I think that if something happens, it could be good for both him and her. After all, she needs support, and he could be the key to helping her." "Captain, captain, you more than anyone should know that for love there is no time." Tony said ironically, with a hint of sarcasm in his words. "I don''t know, I''m just a bit worried about them because Natt sometimes doesn''t know how to hold back when she''s fighting someone, especially when she''s committed to doing something." Steve replied, a little worried about the training Natasha would give the three of them. "Relax popsicle, those three are incredibly strong, they''ll be able to adapt very well to that crazy woman''s style." "I hope everything goes well." Said Steve as he walked back alongside Tony to his car, which was in front of the complex. However, their attention ended up being redirected to Wanda, who was rushing out of the complex with an unfriendly expression on her face; while she was a little angry, she had a sad countenance, indicating that something had happened inside. "Wanda?" Steve asked, staring at the girl''s expression from a distance, as she quickly walked away with long, heavy steps towards a secluded part of the complex. "Did something happen in there?" Steve asked, while looking at Tony with a confused face. "I don''t know about that, but one thing''s for sure, there''s something there." Tony replied with a smile on his face. After saying those words, Tony turned and started walking back towards the complex. As he did so, Steve became a little confused and stopped him, catching his eye. "Hey, where are you going?" Steve asked, now staring at Tony, already a little further away from where they were. "Isn''t it obvious? I''m going to ask the boy what happened." Tony replied, turning around again and walking back into the complex. 10 minutes later... INSIDE PETER''S ROOM After Tony entered the boy''s room without making a sound and without being noticed (after all, the door was open), Peter was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking at the floor with a worried and at the same time thoughtful expression on his face that ended up not even noticing Tony''s presence in there (but no, his spider-sense had already alerted him that someone was in there. "Did you do something to make the little witch angry, kid?" A hitherto unknown voice asked from the direction of the door. After Peter turned around to find out who it was (already knowing), he saw Tony standing in front of the door, staring at him. "Mr. Stark, what are you doing here? I thought you''d already left." Peter asked, feigning an expression of surprise. "I was about to leave, but this unforeseen event happened and I decided to see what happened. Did you do something to make the little witch so angry?" Tony asked again, now moving a little closer to Peter. "No, Mr. Stark. I would never do anything to hurt or harm Wanda. She''d be the last person I''d think of doing anything like that to, after all, she''s suffered enough." Peter answered truthfully, staring at Tony. "Then why did she leave like that?" Tony asked, trying to understand what had really happened during the time he had left Peter in the room. "I''m still not sure what really upset her, but what happened was this: as soon as she came to see me and welcome me, her brother and I ended up mentioning that thing you told me about the teams, remember?" Tony said nothing, but nodded to confirm that he had understood. "Well, after that, she ended up getting angry at always being the last to know about things and ended up being devastated by it. And in the middle of it all, I found out from her brother that the staff at the complex are avoiding her. Is that true?" Peter asked, becoming slightly serious again. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Angelo Me?mer ?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 68 - A friendly hug "And kid, unfortunately it''s all true. But I don''t blame them, it''s normal for some not to know the difference and even be afraid of someone who not only is enhanced, which in itself is quite scary for regular folks, and on top of that, this person not being American, but what can you do, they''ve always been like that, they prefer to bet everything on a superhero who couldn''t care less about anything other than fame and spotlights instead of trying to trust a foreign enhanced." Tony still standing by Peter''s bed while looking at the young man with a mixed expression; sometimes he would get serious because of everything that was happening with Wanda and, at other times, he would be indifferent to everything that was going on, typical of Tony Stark. "How long are they going to continue with this senseless prejudice? This won''t lead us anywhere, quite the opposite. This is how they end up creating villains. Imagine if Wanda keeps receiving this kind of treatment, and soon she, who is a person, how can I say, unstable, ends up exploding and directing all this resentment against us?" Peter asked with a serious yet somewhat relaxed expression, which even scared Tony with the maturity the young man showed. "I fully agree with everything you said, kid, but we still have a lot to learn from the world. But if I were you, I''d go talk to her." Tony said, looking at Peter. "I would go, but the problem is I don''t know where she went. Before I could go after her, her brother stopped me, telling me to leave her alone for a while." Peter replied in a calmer and more tranquil tone, a bit different from the young man who was talking to Tony a few seconds ago. After saying that, he starts walking slowly towards the window of his room, where there was a beautiful view of the woods right in front. "You''re looking at it." Tony said quickly, not dwelling too much on his words. Before continuing, he started walking towards Peter and pointed towards the woods, saying. "This isn''t the first time this has happened and whenever it did, she always went there to try to clear her mind. At least that''s what her brother told us." Peter stared at the woods through the window for a few seconds without saying a word. He wanted to go, but he was also on the fence. What if she really wanted some time alone and he ended up ruining that moment? Tony, noticing the young man''s uncertainty and already knowing the reason, tries to give him a little push. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. "Go on, kid. Who do you think you''re fooling? I know you''re itching to jump out of this window and go after her. You''re not fooling anyone, and everyone is starting to notice." Tony said, trying to encourage Peter to go after Wanda. "I don''t know, what if she..." Peter said, still hesitant, but he couldn''t finish because Tony interrupted him. "Kid, there''s no ''I don''t know''. She''s there alone and needing a friendly shoulder, if you know what I mean. You''re just going there to try to console her, got it?" Tony asked, not giving Peter time to speak, let alone think. His only option was to accept or accept, there was no "no" in the alternative Tony was offering; either he went, or he went. "Alright, Mr. Stark, I''ll go. You convinced me." Peter said, smiling sincerely, but who was he kidding? It was evident how much he wanted to go after Wanda, all he needed was a little push. And Tony, realizing this, went there and gave him that push the boy needed. After saying that, Peter starts walking towards his backpack, which was on top of the bed, Tony noticing this starts staring at the young man with a curious expression on his face. "What are you looking for?" Tony asked, still not understanding the reason for the boy''s sudden action. "I''m looking for my old web shooters." Peter replied as he searched for a small black device with some shades of blue. After finding it, Peter puts it on his wrists and turns to Tony. Who still stared at him without understanding. "Why are you still using those old things when you have these new ones?" Tony asked, now pointing to the watch on Peter''s wrist. "I don''t know either, probably because of nostalgia. These shooters have been with me for a long time. And even though they are already quite old and worn out, they have saved my life several times." After saying that, Peter shoots a web on each side of the window and starts to retreat to gain momentum. After that, he launches himself out and, in a quick and precise movement, shoots another web, this time towards the complex and propels himself again, this time towards the woods. INSIDE THE WOODS After arriving in the woods, Peter spent almost half an hour wandering through that small forest in search of any clue that would lead him to Wanda''s location. But so far, no sign of the redhead''s presence. It was as if she wasn''t there, or perhaps didn''t want to be found by anyone. "Wanda, where are you? It''s me, Peter. I just want to talk." Peter shouted, trying to get the attention of the redhead who, for some reason, was hiding even from him. As he raised his voice, he began to search the surroundings for any sign of the young woman, but unfortunately, no sign of Wanda. (Dang, Wanda, where did you go?) Peter thought as he walked still aimlessly and without direction. After almost two hours of walking through the dense forest, he came across a small river and, coming from that direction, he noticed a gentle sob. With cautious and calm steps, he approached and found Wanda by the river, with her arms wrapped around her knees and still shedding some tears. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Angelo Me?mer ?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Chapter 69 - Shared Burdens
Attention: From now on, I ask that you completely disregard all the personality and character that you know of the heroes, whether from films or comics. Because for the story to flow better, I''m going to have to make some changes, so don''t complain later that such a character would never say such a thing.
After spotting Wanda, Peter ended up opting for a more delicate approach to get closer to the redhead. He then started approaching her cautiously so as not to disturb the young woman. "Hey... how are you?" Peter inquired, while gently crouching down and settling beside the redhead. But before he could say anything else, Wanda surprised him with a sincere hug, still amidst sobs. For a moment, Peter was surprised and speechless at the unexpected gesture from Wanda, but soon he decided to return the hug, wrapping her in his arms gently. "Don''t worry, I''m here with you." With a gentle gesture, Peter stroked the redhead''s hair, showing his concern. Even amidst tears, Wanda struggled to say anything. "Peter..." Wanda murmured, still with her voice choked with emotion. "I just don''t know what to do anymore, I''m a freak." Peter gently held Wanda''s hands and looked deeply into her eyes. "It''s okay, Wanda. You don''t have to face all of this alone. I''m by your side, and please, get rid of those negative thoughts from your head. You''re not a freak at all, do you understand?" "Yes, I am, and that''s why everyone, without exception, treats me this way." Wanda, still emotional and sobbing, expressed her disbelief at Peter''s words. "And what about me, Wanda?" Said Peter somewhat jokingly while displaying a saddened expression before continuing. "From the first moment I met you, I never once felt afraid of you, quite the opposite, all I felt was admiration and affection for the strong and courageous person you are." "I know very well what you''re trying to do, Peter. And there''s no need for you to keep trying to please me. I''ve already accepted that my place is not here." Said Wanda, looking downcast. "First of all, Wanda, I''m not trying to please you at all. On the contrary, everything I said is absolutely true. I''m not forcing myself to try to please you or anything like that. And secondly, if you think your place is not here, mine is even less so." The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Said Peter with a serious expression as he stood up from the ground and then staring Wanda in the eyes before continuing again. "Wanda, just like you think here is not your place, I also don''t think mine is here, but look, here I am. And do you know what I would be doing out there right now if I weren''t here?" Asked Peter, still staring at the redhead who was still sitting on the floor of that forest. Wanda lifted her eyes to meet Peter''s, her expression a mixture of surprise and curiosity. "What would you be doing out there, then?" Asked Wanda, her gaze fixed on Peter and her voice still laden with emotion. "If I weren''t here right now, I''d most likely be at home, studying or maybe helping out my aunt, and sometimes, if I wasn''t grounded, spinning webs around aimlessly. But no, look where I am now, in a place I''ve always wanted to be since I was a child, but was still somewhat hesitant to accept, but they kept insisting so much that I ended up accepting." Before Wanda had a chance to say anything she was thinking, Peter interrupted her, clearly attempting to persuade her to change her mind. "Are you getting it? Sometimes you might think your place isn''t here, but like I said before, it''s all part of the adjustment process, both for you and for the people here at the complex. They just need time to get to know the wonderful person that is Wanda Maximoff, not the super-powered Wanda who scares them so much." Wanda listened to everything Peter had said with a slight expression of doubt in her eyes. For a moment, she hesitated before responding, allowing a brief silence to settle between them. "I get where you''re coming from, but it''s really hard to believe that anyone could see me that way... especially after all I''ve done. And the difference between our powers is that you were never cursed or labeled a monster because of yours." Wanda murmured her voice heavy with anguish. Peter leaned in a little closer to her, seeking to comfort her with his words. "We all make mistakes, Wanda. But what really matters is what you decide to do with them afterward, and how we learn and grow from them. And look, I was always labeled a freak by my boss, and yet, I never bowed down to him or anyone else." Wanda stared at Peter, trying to find any hint of falseness or judgment on his face, but unfortunately all she found were sincere words. Part of her wanted to believe the boy''s reassuring words. However, her other part remained hesitant, trapped in her own fears and insecurities. "It''s hard for me... to accept that I deserve forgiveness, that I deserve to be loved." Admitted Wanda, her voice trembling as she stared at her hands. "Though it may not seem like it at first glance, but for me, my power alone is already considered a curse in my life. Because it was the day, I gained them that I also lost my uncle, all because I thought I could make money with them. So, consumed by my ego and arrogance, I ended up letting a thief escape, and it was that same thief who escaped because of me who ended up taking my uncle''s life..." Wanda still stared at Peter with tears in her eyes, but before she could say anything to explain herself, Peter interrupted her, continuing what he was saying. "Well, Wanda. I also know what it''s like to lose someone important. And this time the only difference between us is that you weren''t to blame for everything that happened. And besides, you''re not alone in this complex, you have your brother by your side to support you, very different from me who''s practically alone here." Said Peter as he got up from the floor, noticing that the young woman was also repeating the same act. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Julio Posas?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Angelo Me?mer?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Chapter 70 - A dear friend
Attention: From now on, I ask that you completely disregard all the personality and character that you know of the heroes, whether from films or comics. Because for the story to flow better, I''m going to have to make some changes, so don''t complain later that such a character would never say such a thing.
"Let me tell you one more time, but no matter which path you decide to take, you''ll have our full support. However, it''s important that you make a decision now, as there may not be another opportunity like this in the future" Peter declared as he turned around, already preparing to leave. However, before he could do so, Wanda stopped him by holding his hand. "Peter, wait." After being gently called and feeling the soft touch of the redhead''s hands, Peter turned almost instinctively. However, as soon as he turned, he was surprised once again, but this time by another embrace from Wanda. However, this one was somewhat different from the previous one; it had a peculiar and comforting tenderness. "I''m sorry, I couldn''t even express the immense happiness I''m feeling for you being back. Not just to form this new team with Mrs. Natt, but also for you caring and coming after me. Thank you" Wanda said, still embraced by Peter. After that warm and sincere hug from Wanda, Peter began to feel a comforting and unique warmth that he had never felt before, starting to spread throughout his chest. Determined to reciprocate the hug with the same care and affection that the redhead had given him, he enveloped her in his arms firmly, as if he wanted to protect her from anyone or any danger that might come. "You don''t need to apologize, Wanda. I''ll be here for you, whenever you need. But promise me you''ll get this out of your head and never let people call you what you''re not, okay? You''re not a wild monster, on the contrary, you''re a beautiful, incredible, and kind girl. Got it?" "I promise!" Wanda replied, who had already stopped crying and now displaying a slight blush at Peter''s compliments. (Did he just call me beautiful?) Wanda thought, feeling her cheeks blush even more as she tried to disguise her emotion. Peter noticed the slight blush on Wanda''s cheeks, and suddenly a feeling of realization took hold of him. He realized what he had said and how those words could have been interpreted. His heart began to beat a little faster as he tried to find the right words to undo any misunderstanding. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. "Oh, don''t get me wrong, I mean... You know... I meant... You''re a very dear friend and..." Peter tried to articulate, but his words seemed more and more jumbled and clumsy. Wanda, on the other hand, looked at him with a shy smile, her eyes shining with a mixture of gratitude and amusement. She knew exactly what he was trying to say. "Peter, it''s okay" Wanda interrupted him. "I understood what you meant." Wanda continued, but this time releasing the hug she had given Peter a few minutes ago. However, Wanda still stared at him, but with the look of someone who still had something to say. Peter, realizing this, chose to remain silent, allowing the redhead to continue. Wanda took a deep breath, trying to find the right words before saying anything. "I appreciate the compliments, and again, you managed to bring me that feeling of joy that I haven''t felt in a long time, thank you very much." Wanda said with a smile on her face as she ran her hand through Peter''s hair. "You don''t have to thank me, as I''ve said before, we''re friends and friends are there for these things, to help us or support us whenever we need it. So, anything, just count on me." Peter replied, returning the same smile as Wanda. However, after speaking those words, he didn''t even notice Wanda''s expression change slightly to a sad one, and that happened because of the small phrase Peter had said. (So, he just sees me as a friend and nothing more?) Thought Wanda, somewhat with a sad expression as she looked down. Peter, noticing the sudden change in the redhead''s behavior, asked with some concern on his face. "Is something wrong?" "No, everything''s fine." Wanda replied, trying to disguise the discomfort and anguish she felt at that moment. And as a response to that situation, she chose to return a smile to Peter. After Wanda answered Peter''s question, both she and he stared at each other for a few seconds, until embarrassment hit them. Realizing the uncomfortable atmosphere that was in the air between them, Peter decided it was time to dissipate any misunderstandings. "Well, I guess it''s time to go. We have a lot to do, don''t we?" Peter suggested, trying to change the direction where that conversation was going. Wanda nodded with a slight smile. "Yes, we have a lot to do. Let''s go." Said Wanda as she slowly moved away from Peter, who was still looking at her with a pleasant gaze. After noticing that he wasn''t by her side, Wanda stopped for a moment and turned around. "Aren''t you coming?" Wanda asked, with a cute expression of confusion on her face. Upon realizing that affectionate and tender look from the young woman, Peter mentally bit his lips, trying to dismiss those thoughts he was having. (My god, how can a person be so beautiful and perfect at the same time.) But little did Peter know that Wanda, at that moment, had invaded his mind without his permission and had heard that comment, which ended up leaving the redhead with a slightly flushed face after hearing that revelation. "I''m coming." Peter replied, all awkward, mentally asking for Wanda not to have heard that embarrassing comment of his. As for Wanda, she still stood there, very flushed, after hearing that unintentional revelation from Peter. Wanda shook her head, trying to dismiss the thoughts that were hovering in her mind. The two then continued their walk out of the forest, but this time side by side. If anyone witnessed that scene, they would surely find it cute or think that the two were up to something. But leaving that aside, they walked almost the entire way out of the woods in complete silence without saying a single word. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Julio Posas?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 71 - Training
Attention: From now on, I ask that you completely disregard all the personality and character that you know of the heroes, whether from films or comics. Because for the story to flow better, I''m going to have to make some changes, so don''t complain later that such a character would never say such a thing.
Before Peter and Wanda got out of the woods, Peter decided to strike up a conversation with the redhead again, but this time confirming to her that they weren''t so different as she thought. "Wanda, I''m going to say this one more time, so you don''t forget" Said Peter out of nowhere, which startled Wanda for a few seconds. However, the redhead began to look at the young man with a certain interest in the subject he was about to bring up. "And as I''ve said before, sometimes it takes courage to do what''s right, even if that, for some reason, ends up distancing us from people" Said Peter, receiving a look of understanding from Wanda. "And guess what? Nothing changed, even if you wanted to distance yourself from them, in order not to hurt them, for some reason it was always the opposite that happened. You just kept sinking deeper into this sea of loneliness and despair that you created yourself, but even if you wanted to distance yourself from these people because of the fear of hurting them, it was..." Peter commented as he walked alongside Wanda. However, before he could finish his sentence, the redhead interrupted him, adding a little something to what he was saying. "As if it were eating you up inside" Wanda said. After Wanda''s words, a brief silence settled between her and Peter, during which their eyes met. Although Peter opted for silence, it was almost evident to Wanda that he was thinking the same thing as her. (I told you, we''re not as different as you thought we were.) After that small conversation they had that ended up strengthening their bonds even more, both Peter and Wanda decided it was time to leave the woods. After they left, they were surprised by Pietro and a Natasha with an unfriendly face waiting for them outside the compound. "How are you feeling now?" Pietro asked, somewhat concerned about his sister as he hugged her. "I''m much better now, all thanks to Peter" Said Wanda as she stepped away from her brother and then glanced in Peter''s direction almost imperceptibly. Natasha, with a serious look, observed the interaction between Wanda and Peter before speaking. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. "You two have a lot of explaining to do" Her voice carried a tone of suspicion that didn''t go unnoticed by any of those present. Peter felt a shiver run down his spine as he tried to gather his words. He knew he would have to explain the situation carefully, especially in the face of Natasha''s evident distrust. "Natasha, we..." Peter tried to explain somehow, but Natasha interrupted him. "I don''t want to hear your excuses, but never leave without telling me again, are we clear?" Natasha asked as she pulled Peter''s ear, giving him a lecture. "I understand" Peter replied. Said Peter as he let out a tear, expressing the intensity of the pain he was feeling from the ear pull. "But I am not to blame for any of this, I warned Mr. Stark, if you wanna blame someone, blame him" Peter continued, kind of trying to shift the blame and ratting out Tony. "From him I expected it, since he''s a reckless one, but not from you. And don''t forget, your safeties in our hands. Remember what you told your aunt?" Natasha asked, still with a serious look as she stared at Peter. "I remember, but what could possibly go wrong? We are not even near the compound?" Peter asked, turning to face Natasha again. "The problem am not just that; it''s actually you disobeying an order without informing me, even though I''m the team leader and therefore responsible for all of you. So, whatever happens to you, the blame falls on me" Natasha replied, letting out a brief sigh to calm herself. "I promise next time I''ll personally come to you to ask for permission" Peter also replied to Natasha in the same tone, but those present noticed a hint of sarcasm in his words, even Natasha noticed but chose not to do anything about it and let it slide. "No need, as long as you understood, it''s good enough. But I can''t just let this slide without doing anything, let''s see what punishment I''ll give you guys¡­" Natasha said, looking at Peter and then putting her hand on her chin as if in doubt while staring at the three in front of her. "I know. You three, uniforms now" Natasha said, quickly and shortly with a somewhat wicked look while looking at Peter, Pietro, and Wanda. "Wait, why though?" Pietro asked, all innocent. "What do you think? Time for our quick training" Natasha replied promptly, though she didn''t understand the look of astonishment on both Peter''s and the Maximoff siblings'' faces. "But why me too? I didn''t do anything. If you''re going to punish someone with your killer training, do it to these two, they''re the ones who disobeyed your orders, not me" Pietro asked, with a confused look on his face not understanding. "I''ll pretend I didn''t hear that rudeness, and you will train, yes, because she''s your younger sister and you, as the older brother, it''s your duty to take care of her. Now, go" Nattasha said, getting serious and scaring the three who ran inside the compound. "This is all your fault, you two" Pietro said as he ran with a somewhat closed face alongside Peter and the sister. "My bad, man. But we can''t deny we both have a bit of blame in all this, both me and Wanda" Peter commented somewhat cheerfully as he ran alongside Pietro and Wanda, subtly teasing the redhead''s brother, not letting his joke show too easily. After Natasha almost shouted, but already shouting at the three of them, they began to run and search desperately for their uniforms in their rooms. Inside his room, Pietro began to search desperately for clothes, until he found a blue jacket with a gray lightning bolt running from his left shoulder to his ribcage. After picking up the jacket, he put it on and then grabbed a pair of black jeans and a pair of black sneakers. After putting on his makeshift uniform, he was about to leave when he saw a pair of glasses on his desk. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Julio Posas?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 72 - Black Widow Team
Attention: From now on, I ask that you completely disregard all the personality and character that you know of the heroes, whether from films or comics. Because for the story to flow better, I''m going to have to make some changes, so don''t complain later that such a character would never say such a thing.
"Hmm... interesting. I could really use a pair of glasses." Pietro murmured, as he picked up the glasses that were practically lying on his desk and then stared at him. Then, out of nowhere, he turned around and started saying something out of the blue. "You have no idea how bad it is to run at an unimaginable speed with the fucking wind hitting your face all the time. Finally, now I can run even faster without having to worry about it damaging my eyesight in the future." He added as he turned around again and then opened the door to his room and left. Pietro walked calmly through the corridors of the complex, while adjusting the glasses on his face. When he reached his sister''s room, he stood in front of the door for almost ten minutes, waiting for her. Already impatient with the delay, he decided to knock on the door to see what was taking so long. Once in Wanda''s room, she had opened her closet and was looking for something she could use for training, but was abruptly interrupted when someone impatiently knocked on her door. "Coming." Wanda exclaimed in a somewhat discreet tone as she approached the door. As she opened the door, Wanda found her brother staring at her with an unfriendly face. "What''s taking you so long, Wanda? Do you want to put on the whole closet by any chance? Natasha''s already starting to lose patience with us outside." Wanda sighed as she ran her hands through her hair, clearly showing her discontent before replying: "I''m sorry. I was looking for something to wear as a uniform, but I couldn''t decide." Pietro frowned, worried about the situation. They couldn''t afford to delay any further. After a brief pause, he suggested: "Really, Wanda? Do as I did and improvise some clothes. We''ll sort it out later, after all, we don''t even have a fixed outfit yet." Wanda agreed, still a little wary, but eventually decided to follow her brother''s suggestion. Without wasting any time, she went back to her room and grabbed the first set of clothes she saw in front of her: from the closet she took a red leather jacket. To wear under the jacket, a black dress with a V-neck. To complete the temporary outfit, a pair of tights that stretched down to her thighs and a pair of thick leather boots, also black, to finish off the improvised outfit. But before leaving the room, she grabbed a pair of black gloves and a necklace with a picture of her parents on it. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. "I think that as a temporary outfit, it''s good enough." Wanda said, as she stared at herself in the mirror. "Let''s go, Wanda. We still have to call Peter." Pietro exclaimed urgently, calling out to his sister in a raised voice while still standing outside his room. "I''m coming, what a drag." Wanda replied, also almost shouting, but whispering the last part so quietly that her brother didn''t hear it. After leaving their rooms, Pietro and Wanda hurried to Peter''s room. Once in Peter''s room, he was still in doubt as to whether to wear his old costume or his new watch costume; after almost half an hour of thinking, he decided to wear his old costume, i.e. the Night Spider costume. "I think it''s going to be you, buddy." Peter said as he picked up his old black suit. For this training session, he had opted for a more discreet and tactical approach, and this uniform gave him everything he needed, namely a stealthier aesthetic, which was what he needed. After getting dressed, Peter left his room and ran into Pietro and Wanda, who were waiting for him outside. "What the fuck are you wearing, man?" Pietro asked, staring at Peter''s outfit without understanding why he had chosen it. "Don''t start, man. I know it''s ugly, but since it''s easier to get to the bathroom, I decided to wear it anyway. And besides, I wasn''t too keen on wearing my new outfit to a training session. What''s more, this costume isn''t that useless. Since we''re going to be fighting the Black Widow, this suit is very practical for tactical and stealth confrontations." Peter explained, as he ran alongside his brothers to the elevator. Pietro shook his head, a little skeptical, but eventually accepted Peter''s explanation. "All right, man. As long as it actually works in training, I don''t have to complain about anything." As soon as the trio reached the basement, where the training floor was, they found Sam, or as he was called, "Hawk", who was leaning against a wall. Next to him was Rhode, or "Fighting Machine" to the more intimate, and Vision, who approached the youngsters as usual, floating. However, something that didn''t go unnoticed by the three was that the person who had said he would skin them alive wasn''t there yet, namely Natasha. "Hello Peter, long time no see, and I see you''re looking a bit different." Said Vision greeting Peter, but not letting his interest in that new outfit slip. Peter gave Vision a nod as the three brothers joined the group. "Where''s Natasha?" Pietro asked, looking around for the agent. "I''m not sure, she hasn''t arrived yet" Sam replied, frowning. "Normally, she''s always the first to show up." While Pietro was talking to Sam and Rhodes, Vision turned to Wanda, who was standing next to Peter, and asked a question with his usual inexpressible face. "Is everything all right, Wanda?" Wanda looked at Vision, a little surprised and confused by the question. "Why do you ask?" "I heard you were sad this morning, did something happen?" Vision said, still staring at the redhead. "Nothing much happened, but I''m much better now." Wanda said gently, glancing at Peter without him noticing. "That''s great, Wanda. Oh, and before I forget, Peter, I have to introduce you to the new members of the team. Pietro and Wanda already know them, you''re the only one they haven''t met yet." Said Vision, leading Peter to where Pietro and the other new members of his new team were standing. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Julio Posas?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 73 - Learning and performing
Attention: From now on, I ask that you completely disregard all the personality and character that you know of the heroes, whether from films or comics. Because for the story to flow better, I''m going to have to make some changes, so don''t complain later that such a character would never say such a thing.
Peter followed Vision to the group, where Pietro and the other two new members of the team were gathered. After they approached the group, Vision began to introduce them to Peter and vice versa. "Peter, this is former pilot James Rhodes, or as he''s known, Iron Patriot, and this next to him is former soldier Samuel Wilson, or Falcon." Vision said, still in a friendly manner, introducing the members to Peter. Peter greeted the new members with a friendly smile. "It''s a pleasure to meet you. I''m looking forward to working together." Said Peter, as he extended his hand in greeting. "The pleasure''s all ours, kid." Rhode said, accepting Peter''s greeting. Before Peter could say anything else, he was interrupted by Sam. "So, you''re the Spider-Man everyone''s been talking about?" Sam asked, also greeting Peter. "Yes, it''s me. Why? No, wait a minute, what do you mean ''everyone''s talking about''?" Peter asked, with a surprised face, as he stared at Sam. "Haven''t you heard? You became well known after that incident in Sokovia." (Shit, my aunt''s going to kill me. It was hard enough to hide the bruises and bruises that the so-called Spider-Man suffered; imagine now that I could literally end up breaking a bone). Peter thought, with a worried look on his face, but then it changed to a more subtle one. (It''s no big deal if I break a bone; I just have to wait for my regeneration to do everything else. At least that''s what I hope, and what do you think? I don''t even know what to say, but I''ll give you my vote of confidence). Peter thought as he let out a small laugh that went unnoticed by everyone. "But leaving that aside, I just want to see if you''re really as strong as everyone says you are." Said Sam, staring at Peter with the countenance of an excited person to whom she looked, even like a child. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. "If I were you, I wouldn''t underestimate him so much. I say that from experience; after all, I did it and, lo and behold, I ended up learning the hard way." Wanda, who had remained completely silent next to Peter since the beginning of the conversation, watching everything with a calm and serene expression, decided to break the silence after becoming interested in the subject her brother had been talking about. "What did you do?" Wanda asked, staring at her brother. "Oh, nothing much." Pietro replied with a slight smile, while exchanging meaningful glances with his sister. "I just underestimated him too much and ended up getting hurt because of it." Wanda raised an eyebrow, not quite believing what her brother was saying. "Oh, so that''s it?" Wanda commented, a tone of distrust evident in her voice as she stared at Pietro with a penetrating gaze. "I think there''s more to this story than you''re telling." Pietro let out a nervous laugh, scratching the back of his head as he searched for a suitable response. "Trust me. Little sister. Nothing much happened, did it Peter?" Pietro asked, as he put his arm around Peter''s neck in a relaxed way. Anyone who saw that scene would have thought the two were best friends or brothers. But in fact, they were like cats and dogs when they were fighting. Peter gave a forced smile as he felt Pietro''s arm around his neck. "Sure, it was no big deal." Peter said, looking at Wanda and trying his best to look confident. "You see, little sister, if the man said it, it''s said." Pietro said, removing his arm from Peter''s neck and then continuing his speech. "Well, getting back to where we were, you might even think he''s weak because of his skinny body or because of his haggard face, but trust me, looks can be deceiving." Said Pietro, taking that opportunity to take a swipe at Peter. After hearing that, Peter got a little angry, but before he could say anything, Rhode interrupted him. "Let me get this straight: you wear this weird black outfit, which looks more like a floor cloth, and you go around shooting webs and saving people?" Rhode asked, staring at the young man in front of him. Peter looked at him with a disbelieving face. "If I may clarify, this isn''t exactly my uniform. My uniform is stored in this device." Peter explained as he tried to clear up the whole misunderstanding, while at the same time giving his reasons for why he chose to wear that costume, rather than his new one made by Dr. Hellen or his traditional blue and red uniform with a hood, which he wore before joining the Avengers. "I only chose to wear this old costume that I should have thrown in the trash because of its stealth qualities. What''s more, this costume, unlike my blue and red one, doesn''t attract too much attention, of course if I''m in the dark." Peter added, demonstrating the specialty of his costume. "Like, I can camouflage myself very well in the dark, like that." Said Peter as he walked to a corner where everything was dark, and then everyone was surprised. In fact, to anyone watching from afar, it looked like there was no one there. Peter''s camouflage skills impressed everyone, including Vision, who was watching the scene with interest. "Interesting." Vision commented, admiring the great advantage of Peter''s costume. Rhodes nodded, impressed. "That''s incredible. It''s certainly quite an advantage." SOMEWHERE IN THE COMPLEX AT THE SAME TIME... Nattasha was in another part of the complex, to tell the truth, on a completely empty floor. She stared at nothing while thinking about Bruce or whether he would ever come back to her. While she was lost in her thoughts, she didn''t even notice the presence of Fury, who approached her cautiously. "Our experts were able to identify this signal that fell somewhere in the band sea." Said Nick Fury as he handed Natasha a tablet with a green dot flashing on it. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Julio Posas?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 74 - A New Doubt
Attention: From now on, I ask that you completely disregard all the personality and character that you know of the heroes, whether from films or comics. Because for the story to flow better, I''m going to have to make some changes, so don''t complain later that such a character would never say such a thing.
After taking the tablet from Fury, Natasha stared vacantly at the green dot that identified Bruce''s supposed location. The news of her teammate''s whereabouts had piqued her interest. "Have you managed to find out anything new about his whereabouts?" Natasha asked, her voice calm and serene, trying to convey confidence. "We''re still not 100% sure, but I think it might be the Quinjet, but because of Stark''s stealth technology I think it''s pretty hard to track anything down." Fury replied, while explaining the problems they were having trying to locate Bruce''s whereabouts. Natasha, with a somewhat shaken expression, decided not to say anything and remained silent, only nodding in understanding, indicating that she had understood the message. "The Quinjet must have crashed near the Pacific Ocean, and it must have swum to Fiji." Fury said, pausing briefly as he noticed Natasha''s reaction. "Don''t worry, he''ll send you a card." Natasha was still silent, but trying to keep her composure at this difficult moment. She trusted Bruce and was sure that he could manage very well on his own. "I see." Natasha said, finally breaking the silence. "I''ll keep an eye on the communications. So, if we find out anything new about his whereabouts, I''ll let you know." Fury said, as he turned and prepared to leave; however, Natasha interrupted him, drawing his attention. "I''ve had this doubt for a long time..." After Natasha said those words, Fury stopped walking for a moment and turned to look at her. "When you gave me that mission to go after him to try to recruit him, did you know that this could happen?" Natasha asked as she stared at Fury with a somewhat suspicious expression, but trying not to show it. Fury looked Agent Romanoff in the eye and began to approach her. "When I sent you, I was sure something would happen, but you always hope for the best. When it doesn''t, you have to deal with what you get, and we have a great team here." Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Fury explained, with a more serious tone. Natasha, still pondering what Fury had said, decided to remain silent for a while before saying anything. "Even if we wanted to hope for the best, it''s inevitable that things will always end up going the wrong way, even if you don''t want them to after all, nothing lasts forever..." Natasha said, with a neutral look on her face, but was interrupted by Fury. "Exactly, Ms. Romanoff. Regardless of our actions or who ends up winning the fight or the war. In the end, it all becomes irrelevant. And do you know why?" Fury asked, staring at Natasha. Not understanding the question, Natasha said nothing, but waited for him to answer. "Because in the grand scheme of things, we''re just pieces in a much bigger game, a game that transcends our own lives and desires. What matters is how we choose to play while we''re here, the impact we leave and the choices we make, even if everything seems doomed to failure. In the end, it''s our determination and our actions that define our legacy, not our immediate results or the adversities we face. Just like our problems, they always come back, no matter what we do." Said Fury, completing what he was saying and then walking away, leaving Natasha alone and thinking, not knowing what to do. AT THE BACK OF THE COMPLEX Steve, Tony and Thor were walking out of the complex while talking about what they were going to do about Vision and the mind gem. Since Thor would have to leave to look for the other infinity gems, however, they were having a problem. On the one hand, Tony was against it, but he couldn''t disagree, let alone oppose it because of everything he had done, while Thor was in favor of it, because he thought: if Vision had managed to lift the Mj?lnir, then not only was he worthy, but he also had a pure heart, meaning that it was more than sensible to leave the mind jewel with him, so that not only would they avoid a problem, but they would also have someone capable of protecting the jewel. After the three of them agreed that the Mind Gem would be safer in Vision''s possession, either in his hands or on his forehead, they got into another argument. Only this time, the subject was a little different, they wanted to know how Vision had managed to lift the hammer, given the fact that he is not human. "If Vision is going to enter this competition, the rules should change." Steve said as he walked alongside Tony. "I totally agree with what Popsicle said, it''s a new thing entering the competition." Said Tony, half answering Steve''s question, but still teasing his teammate, something typical of Tony Stark. Steve didn''t take much notice and continued walking alongside Tony. "Exactly, Vision isn''t a human, he''s an artificial intelligence." Tony, upon hearing this, didn''t agree with Steve''s line of reasoning, meaning that they ended up not agreeing on anything each other said. "He''s actually a machine." Tony corrected, rebutting Steve''s argument. "But doesn''t that count?" Steve asked, his hands resting on his belt buckle. "No, because then it wouldn''t be a person lifting the hammer." Tony replied, making small gestures with his hand as a way of denying what Steve had said. "See, that''s what I was talking about, different rules for different people." Concluded Steve, as he turned to Tony. Steve and Tony continued debating as they walked through the complex. The discussion about the rules for lifting the Mj?lnir quickly turned into a broader debate about what really defined a person and their ability to be worthy. "But what if we consider Vision to be a conscious life form? It may not be human, but it has intelligence, emotions... Doesn''t that count for something?" Steve asked, looking directly into Tony''s eyes. Tony pondered for a moment, scratching his chin as he reflected on Steve''s words. "Well, technically he''s not alive in the biological sense. He''s a machine created by Banner and me. But..." Tony paused briefly before continuing. "In a way, he''s developed a personality of his own, he''s not just a program executing commands. So, we can give him a plus." RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Julio Posas?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 75 - Aiming for a new future
Attention: From now on, I ask that you completely disregard all the personality and character that you know of the heroes, whether from films or comics. Because for the story to flow better, I''m going to have to make some changes, so don''t complain later that such a character would never say such a thing.
Thor, who until then had been listening in silence, intervened with a smile on his face, finding the conversation between Tony and Steve quite funny. "If he''s managed to lift the Mj?lnir, it''s because he''s a worthy person or a machine, but the point is that he can keep the Mind Gem, it''ll be much safer with him than with anyone else. And we know that we can''t be too careful." Thor declared, as he stopped abruptly and then began to stare into nothingness. After Thor said those words, the atmosphere between them fell completely silent, which was soon broken by Steve, who continued to stare at the ground. "What if we put the hammer inside the elevator?" Steve asked with the utmost seriousness, as if he really needed an answer to that question. After hearing what Steve had said, Tony agreed with his friend''s reasoning and replied. "The elevator would still go up." Steve agreed with Tony''s answer and replied, still looking at the floor. "Yes, but he still wouldn''t be worthy." Thor watched everything with a smile on his face, finding the situation very amusing. "I''ll really miss those earthling conversations I used to have with you." Thor said with a smile on his face as he touched Tony''s shoulder. Tony, noticing Thor''s humor, couldn''t help but smile too, despite the seriousness of the subject they were discussing. "We can keep having these conversations, just don''t go." Tony suggested, with a touch of seriousness in his voice as he looked at Thor. "I''d like to, but unfortunately I don''t have a choice." Thor asked, staring at Tony and then taking his hand off his shoulder and walking back to the two of them. "I don''t think it was a coincidence that the Mind Gem, one of the six Infinity Gems, appeared just now, especially after several years, without anyone even knowing it existed. There''s definitely something there." This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Thor commented as he walked alongside Tony and Steve out of the complex. After Thor said those words, Steve, who was walking alongside the two of them out of the complex, began to ponder the real situation they were in. Tony, on the other hand, was immersed in other thoughts. "We can''t ignore the fact that this could just be the start of something much bigger." Steve commented, breaking the tense silence that had settled over the group. Thor nodded, his serious expression now reflecting the concern they shared. "I don''t know who, but someone is orchestrating a very complex game and has ended up putting us in it like simple chess pieces, and as soon as these pieces are in order..." Thor said with a serious look on his face, unable to finish speaking because Tony interrupted him. "Checkmate." Tony said, in a serious tone as he completed Thor''s speech and then put on his typical glasses. "Do you think you can figure out what''s behind all this?" Steve asked, staring at Thor. Thor pondered for a moment before answering. "It won''t be easy, but I think I can, not least because apart from that man..." Thor declared as he touched Tony''s shoulder. "There''s nothing in this world that can''t be explained." Thor added as he slowly moved away from the two and then raised Mj?lnir to conjure the Bifrost. After Thor did this, a colored light began to cover his entire body and in a fraction of a second, he was gone, leaving only a mark on the ground. After Thor left, Tony and Steve stood there for a few seconds in silence, until Tony broke the silence by directing all his attention to the mark the Norse god had left on the ground. "Is it just me or does this guy not give a damn about gardening?" Tony asked, as he stared at the mark on the ground for a few seconds and then started walking again alongside Steve, to where his car was. "But I have to admit one thing: I''m going to miss him, just as you''re going to miss me and vice versa, I can see it coming, there''s going to be a lot of male crying." Tony replied, with a tone of irony in his voice as he pressed the button of his car, which then began to approach him automatically. Steve smiled slightly at Tony''s irony as they walked towards the car. "I think I''ll miss your humor and your little jokes." Steve said, looking at Tony. "Are you really going?" Tony asked with his hands in his pockets as he feigned an expression of surprise before continuing. "Well, I''d already talked to the brat about the possibility, but I think I''m going to take a break, I don''t know, go down a different path, like Barton did, live with Pepper on a farm and maybe try to start a family with her. And of course, always hoping that nobody blows up the farm." Steve nodded with an understanding smile as they approached the car. "That would be quite a change." Steve commented thoughtfully. "But I think it would be good for you." "Yes, I think it''s time to try something new. And who knows, maybe it''s an opportunity for a quieter life." Tony said, agreeing with what Steve had said before continuing. "Who knows, maybe you''ll get your chance one day?" Tony asked, staring at Steve as he approached the car. Steve stopped next to Tony and thought for a moment before responding to this rather tempting offer. "I don''t know, this family business, stability, it''s not for me. The guy who was frozen 75 years ago in ice probably wanted it, but... I''m a completely different person now." Steve replied, staring at Tony as he opened the car door and climbed inside. But before starting the car, Tony turned to face Steve with a calm gaze and asked. "Are you going to be all right?" After Tony said those words, Steve took a quick look around the complex where there were some people training, and with great pride he replied. "I''ll go. After all, I''m home." RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Julio Posas?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 76 - Molding Heroes
Attention: From now on, I ask that you completely disregard all the personality and character that you know of the heroes, whether from films or comics. Because for the story to flow better, I''m going to have to make some changes, so don''t complain later that such a character would never say such a thing.
After Steve said those words, Tony stared at him for a few seconds before starting the car''s engine and preparing to leave the place. However, before doing so, he turned around again and spoke. "See you next time, popsicle." After Tony left, Steve stood in front of the complex, watching the car slowly drive away. When it had completely disappeared, he let out a long sigh as he thought about the possibility of having a family. "Family..." Steve whispered, looking serious and at the same time thoughtful about the question hanging over his head. Steve was so lost in his thoughts that he barely noticed someone approaching. The sound of this person''s footsteps ended up mixing with the gentle breeze of the wind. As the mysterious person approached, Steve looked up, awakening from his thoughts. It was one of the many soldiers working for S.H.I.E.L.D. "Mr. Rogers, Miss Romanoff is requesting your presence on the second floor." Said some soldier with a scar over his right eye as he saluted Steve. Steve nodded in agreement and then walked back into the complex following the soldier. As Steve walked alongside the agent through the familiar corridors of the S.H.I.E.L.D. compound, he couldn''t shake the thought of what Tony had said moments before. The idea of having a family was always on his mind, it was a subject that had intrigued and haunted him for a long time. As he walked, he passed several rooms occupied by other agents busy with their tasks. The atmosphere in there was tense, but there was also something there that Steve couldn''t explain that made him feel calm; it was a comforting environment for him. It was the kind of place he had become used to living in, a world where there were duties and responsibilities to fulfill: like a real soldier. After almost half an hour in the elevator, Steve had finally reached the second floor, where Natasha was waiting for him. She was in a large, dark room, standing staring at a wall; she hadn''t even noticed Steve''s sudden approach, as she was lost in thought. "Are you going to keep standing there staring at the wall or are we going to work?" The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Steve asked as he approached Natasha, who turned when she heard his voice. "But I have to admit, it''s a great wall." After Steve said those words, Natasha let out a brief smile and looked away from the wall to Steve. "I was here waiting for you and Tony to finish that meltdown." Natasha replied as she started walking towards Steve. "How are we doing?" Natasha asked with a serious expression on her face as she walked alongside Steve to the basement, where their teams were. Steve ended up saying nothing, but handed Natasha a tablet that contained all the necessary information about all the members of each team. "What do you think of them? Will we be able to turn them into a real team?" Natasha asked, staring at Steve. "One thing''s for sure, maybe we won''t be the Yankees of twenty-seven, but I think we can fix them, or at least get them in shape." Steve answered sincerely, as he passed a narrow but steep path that led to another room where the elevator to the basement was located. Natasha looked at the data on the tablet for a moment, pondering the information it contained. She looked up at Steve, her serious gaze denoting the seriousness of the matter. "I think we have what it takes to mold them. With the right training and a little time, we can turn them into a cohesive and efficient team." Natasha replied, handing the tablet back to Steve. Steve nodded, agreeing with Natasha''s assessment. He knew it wouldn''t be an easy task, but he also trusted in their ability to lead and inspire those under their tutelage. "Let''s get to work then..." Said Steve, with determination in his voice as he paused briefly. "They need to learn to trust each other, and to act like a real team. It will take time, but I''m sure we can make it happen." Natasha nodded in agreement with Steve''s words, recognizing that they weren''t yet a team, but that there was nothing that good training couldn''t solve. "Let''s get them in shape, just like the boy said. Now they''ll know what hell training is really like." Said Natasha, looking rather serious as she remembered what Pietro had said about his training methods. However, Steve was so immersed in his thoughts that he didn''t even notice the malice in what she had said. Steve and Natasha continued walking down the long, long corridor that led to the elevator. After approaching the elevator, Steve pressed the button to open the doors. Once the doors were open, the two entered and then Steve called out to the complex''s artificial intelligence. "Friday." Steve called out. "What can I do for you, Captain?" Friday asked, his soft voice echoing through the confined space of the elevator. "Take us to the floor where the basement is, please." Informed Steve, speaking to the artificial intelligence. "Understood, Mr. Rogers." Confirmed the robotic voice filling the entire elevator space. After Friday said those words, the elevator doors closed automatically and it began to descend. After almost ten minutes in the elevator, the doors opened. Natasha and Steve had finally reached the basement where the training room (which was nothing like a training room) was located. After Steve and Natt get out of the elevator, they see the rest of the members of their teams ready to receive instructions. Rhode, who was still wearing the Iron Patriot armor, opens his helmet. Vision, who was standing next to Rhode, just turns around. Sam, for his part, lands next to the others and closes his wing. Wanda, who was training her powers of flight, notices the presence of the two mentors and lands next to Peter and his brother Pietro, who wasn''t there a second ago, but with his super speed, appears in a split second. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Julio Posas?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 77 - Testing the Teams
Attention: From now on, I ask that you completely disregard all the personality and character that you know of the heroes, whether from films or comics. Because for the story to flow better, I''m going to have to make some changes, so don''t complain later that such a character would never say such a thing.
After Steve and Natasha arrived in the training room, the members of their teams began to gather next to each other, forming a line. They knew that the group was very diverse, with each one containing their own talents, but it was this that, as well as making them unique, also made them predictable in battle. "I see you''re all gathered here." Steve said, his serious countenance drawing the attention of everyone in the room. "We all have a common goal: which is to become a strong, cohesive team. And that means trusting each other, i.e. teamwork and commitment to missions. I know it won''t be that easy a task, but I''m sure we''ll succeed, and most importantly, together." The members of the two teams, listening to Steve''s motivational speech, nodded in agreement and indicated that they were ready for the training ahead. Natasha, realizing that Steve wasn''t going to stop talking, decided to interrupt him, as she was getting fed up with all the small talk. "Leaving all this small talk aside, let''s focus on what really matters. Which is your first training session." After Natasha said those words, Steve looked at her with a serious expression on his face, disapproving of what his friend had done, but Natasha didn''t care about Steve''s disapproving look and simply carried on, after all it was time to get down to work or torture them like Peter and Pietro had been saying. When she thought of the latter option, Natasha almost let out an evil little smile. "Let''s start with a simple tactical formation exercise. I want to see how you coordinate in simulated combat situations." "Can you give us more details about how this training will work?" Pietro asked casually as he stared at Natasha. Before Natasha could answer the question, Steve was quicker. "This training will involve a team combat simulation, which means you''ll be fighting each other. And based on the information we have, each of you has your own experiences in heroism." Steve explained, as he tried to regain control of the situation. After Steve paused what he was saying, Natasha, noticing this small gap, didn''t give her friend time to continue and interrupted him harshly. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. "As our captain was saying, you have your own experiences in combat, Sam has a lot of experience being a war veteran, Rhode has helped Tony a lot in the past and the boy..." Natasha said as she put her hand on Steve''s shoulder and then pointed her finger at Peter. "And the most active hero we have information on in New York. As for you..." Natasha said, continuing what she was saying while staring at Wanda, Pietro and Vision. "You''re the only ones who don''t have any experience of how to be a hero, but don''t worry, there''s nothing a good training session can''t solve." Steve, although opposed to Natasha''s decision, took a deep breath and decided to take control of the situation. "And that''s why we decided to help you with this." Said Steve, only this time adopting a slightly more serious posture. After Steve finished his words, he gave Natasha a meaningful look, indicating that she could continue from where he had left off. When Natasha saw the signal, she decided to take control of the conversation. "And to make that happen, we''ve decided to do a little training together with you. That is, you..." Natasha said while pointing her finger at Peter, Pietro and Wanda. "My team is going up against Rogers'' team." "What?!" Pietro and Wanda exclaimed in unison, surprised by the proposal and unable to hide their astonished faces. "Come on, people..." Peter said, trying to encourage Wanda and Pietro with a playful smile on his face. "A little action every now and then doesn''t hurt anyone." "Only if it''s for you..." Pietro replied, leaving a hook for his sister to complete. "That sounds a bit risky, don''t you think? As you said, they have experience and we don''t, they''re going to kick our asses." Wanda questioned, addressing Natasha cautiously. Natasha just smiled, casting a confident glance at her team. "Just try to see this as an opportunity to strengthen yourselves. Besides, how do you know you''ll lose if you don''t even try?" Natasha explained, trying to reassure the two members of her team. "What''s more, it''s not like you''re going into a real battle. Just think of it as training." Natasha added, her voice firm and encouraging as she looked at the three of them. Peter nodded enthusiastically. "Hey, guys. Let''s not get ahead of ourselves! We''re in this together. So, let''s show them what we''re capable of." Pietro and Wanda looked at each other, while sharing the same feeling they were feeling at that moment: nervousness. Finally, Pietro let out a little sigh of acceptance. "All right, you''ve won. Then let''s do it." Natasha nodded with satisfaction at her students'' response and then turned her gaze to Steve. "They''re ready." Steve smiled, expressing his satisfaction at the response. "Good. Since you''ve made up your minds, allow me to explain how the fights will work from now on." Steve said, pausing briefly before continuing. "Oh, of course, and before I forget, the fights will take place simultaneously. That way, you won''t be able to help each other, let alone ask for help, because you''ll be too busy trying to manage on your own." After Steve''s brief pause, Natasha took advantage of the hook left by her friend and continued from where he had left off. "Based on the information we have and the quick analysis we did..." Natasha said, pausing again and then picking up a tablet that was resting on a table. "The fights are going to be..." Natasha said deliberately, trying to create an atmosphere of suspense in the air, while sliding her finger smoothly across the tablet screen. "Peter VS Falcon." After Natasha announced Peter''s and Sam''s names, Sam faced Peter and, in a serious but still friendly tone, said. "I really wanted to face you, Web Head." RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Julio Posas?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 78 - Clashes
Attention: From now on, I ask that you completely disregard all the personality and character that you know of the heroes, whether from films or comics. Because for the story to flow better, I''m going to have to make some changes, so don''t complain later that such a character would never say such a thing.
"Let''s see if you really are all that everyone is talking about." Sam added, as he faced Peter with his posture ready for combat. Peter, undeterred by Sam''s offensive posture, answered him with a serious expression on his face, without flinching. "And you''ll see, I just hope you don''t regret it later. Hawk." As Peter and Sam looked at each other amicably, Natasha, seeing this, decided to move on to the other confrontations. "Moving on, we''ll have..." Natasha began, while pausing briefly to increase the suspense: "...Rhode VS Pietro!" Upon learning who his opponent would be, Pietro decided to make a friendly joke. "Be careful not to lose sight of me, huh." "Dream on." Rhode replied, in the same relaxed tone as the young man. "And finally, we''ll have..." Natasha said, returning to the drama, only this time almost everyone already knew what it was, since there were only the two of them left. "Wanda versus Vision." After having her name called, Wanda ended up getting even more nervous. (Come on, Wanda. Just don''t lose your temper and end up destroying everything again.) Wanda was so immersed in her thoughts about the fear of making a mistake that she didn''t even notice Vision approaching her. "I hope we have a clean and fair fight." Vision said nonchalantly while trying to be a little kind. Wanda took a deep breath, trying to calm the nerves that were consuming her. She knew she couldn''t let fear take hold of her again, not after everything she had learned. "I hope so too." Wanda replied, trying to remain calm despite the anxiety that was overwhelming her. After Natasha introduced who they were going to fight, Peter had a question in his mind. "Wait, what are you going to do?" The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Peter asked, which in the process also drew the attention of the other team members standing nearby. Natasha smiled, noticing the curiosity of Peter and the other team members. "Well, while you''re busy focusing on the duels, we''ll just be here watching and evaluating your performance." Natasha explained, looking at the others with a serious tone. "That doesn''t seem fair to me at all." Pietro muttered, clearly expressing his dissatisfaction with the situation. Natasha tilted her head, understanding Pietro''s frustration. "I understand that from your point of view it may seem unfair, but trust me. If we were also in training, who would evaluate your performance? So, you''ll learn from your mistakes as well as your successes, and we''ll be the ones to tell you where you''re going wrong." After saying that, Natasha gave Pietro a serious, determined look, in order to pass on the best possible experience to everyone. "Besides..." Natasha added as she paused briefly before continuing. "...it''s very important that you know how to deal with certain difficulties. Not least because things don''t always turn out the way you want them to, and it''s in these circumstances that you must be prepared to adapt and overcome these situations." Pietro pondered for a moment, but then agreed, accepting Natasha''s explanation. After Natasha had finished her words of encouragement, the door through which she and Steve had entered a few hours ago opened. Immediately afterwards, a woman, fully uniformed and wearing the complex''s uniform, hurried through the door while holding a tablet in her hands. "Excuse me interruption, Ms. Romanoff, but Director Fury asked me to deliver this to you." Said the woman respectfully, saluting and then handing the tablet to Natasha. Natasha frowned, ready to hear more details about the situation. "What happened?" The woman, still neutral about the whole situation, answered Natasha''s question with all the naturalness in the world. "He didn''t give me many details; he just told me that you''d understand what it was about when you looked." After the woman said those words, Natasha took the tablet from her hands, then unlocked the screen. Her eyes scanned the information that appeared. After a few seconds of reading, her expression changed, revealing a mixture of surprise and relief. WITH STEVE Already a little further away from Natasha, to be more specific, where Steve and the others were. "What are you waiting for? We haven''t got all day. Get started." Said Steve, looking at the group with a serious expression. BACK TO NATASHA "Bruce..." She muttered to herself, relieved to finally have a clue as to where Bruce might be. Without wasting any time, she put the tablet away and turned to the woman. "Thank you." Natasha said, with a quick nod. After saying those words, Natasha started walking towards Steve and the woman followed at a slow pace. As Natasha approached Steve and the group, who until then had been doing nothing but staring at each other, the woman accompanying her spoke again, only this time with a questioning tone. "Why aren''t they doing anything?" The woman asked, with a confused expression on her face, not understanding what was going on. "And from what I can see, they''ve been staring at each other for a few minutes now." The woman added, as she watched the two groups standing motionless. "It might look that way to you from the outside, but they''re just assessing each other. In the world of strategic combat, the first move can mean your defeat. So, they''re waiting, watching every gesture, every expression, as they seek an advantage." Natasha replied, trying to explain to the woman why neither team had made any moves. After Natasha said those words, both groups moved away and then went all out on their respective opponents. Sam, without any hesitation, was the first to act. After starting to fly, he quickly advanced towards Peter, who, seeing him approaching, began to throw his webs in an attempt to slow him down. Rhode, for his part, began firing several projectiles in Pietro''s direction, which he easily deflected with his fast speed. Meanwhile, with Vision, he began hurling several bolts of lightning in Wanda''s direction, who alternatively raised her hands to create an energy shield. Wanda, sensing a small gap on Vision''s part, threw her energy towards him, who repelled her attack with the jewel''s own energy. [If the chapter is more or less... I''m sorry, I had to do it in a hurry, after all... I still work kkkk] RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Julio Posas?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 79 - Peter VS Falcon
Attention: From now on, I ask that you completely disregard all the personality and character that you know of the heroes, whether from films or comics. Because for the story to flow better, I''m going to have to make some changes, so don''t complain later that such a character would never say such a thing.
As soon as the dust from the attack had settled, Vision gave Wanda no time to react and once again advanced towards her. Wanda, realizing Vision''s quick attack, raises her hand again, only this time creating a sphere of energy which, without thinking twice, is launched at Vision, who, sensing the energy approaching, decides to fly to dodge the attack. However, the sphere begins to chase him relentlessly until it hits him and then explodes. By pure coincidence, at the moment when Wanda''s attack had hit Vision and raised a dustbowl, Peter and Sam had passed overhead, with Sam flying and Peter right behind, launching his webs in order to hit him. "Why don''t you go and help your girlfriend?" teased Sam, trying to put Peter off while dodging his webs. Peter, undeterred by Sam''s taunts, answered him with a serious tone as he chased after him. "First of all, she''s not my girlfriend... yet." Peter said, whispering the last part in a way that Sam couldn''t hear. "And secondly, she doesn''t need my help, on the contrary, she can manage very well on her own. But if I were you, I''d pay more attention to our fight." After saying those words, Peter began to throw several webs towards Sam''s wings, who quickly began to perform several evasive maneuvers in a clear attempt to dodge the attacks. However, his efforts were in vain, and one of the webs ended up sticking to his wings, knocking him to the ground. After he fell to the ground, Sam tried to get up quickly, but Peter, being much faster and more agile, launched his webs again. Only this time, into his hands, thus immobilizing him on the ground again. "Man, I''m curious. But are those things coming out of your body?" Sam asked, with a curious look on his face as he stared at Peter. "It''s a bit complicated to answer that question, but in a way, no. I know it''s a bit difficult to understand, but neither in the literal sense nor in the figurative sense, basically what I mean is that these fluids are synthetic web fluids that I created myself, hopefully..." Peter answered, a little too confidently, but before he could finish his sentence, Natasha interrupted him to lecture him. Stolen novel; please report. "Concentrate, Parker." When his name is called by Natasha, Peter turns and looks in her direction with an embarrassed smile under his mask. "Sorry." Peter said, almost shouting. After saying those words, Peter turned back to Sam, who was staring at him with an unfriendly face. "But back to our conversation, where were we again?" "Is that all you had? Honestly, I expected more." Peter said provocatively, looking directly at Sam in a clear attempt to annoy him. Sam, noticing Peter''s bad habit of liking to talk a lot while he was fighting, tried to use this to his advantage. "Kid, did anyone ever tell you that you talk too much?" Sam asked, trying to distract Peter to buy time. "Man, you offend me like that." Peter replied while pretending to be offended, only to revert back to the same old Peter. "But it''s okay, I''m used to it." "I think you should try putting it into practice then." Sam suggested, while fiddling with a device that looked more like a watch on his wrist without Peter noticing. After the comment, a speeding object comes flying towards Peter, who with his spider-sense narrowly manages to dodge it in time. "Did you really think that would work on me?" Peter replied, with a wry smile as he looked at Sam who was still on the ground. "But I have to admit you were creative." "Thanks, but I''m not finished yet." Said Sam, taking advantage of the gap Peter was giving him to take him by surprise again. "Damn." It was the only thing Peter managed to say before he was almost hit by an object coming towards him at high speed. Sam, realizing that Peter would have to dodge his attack, decided to take that opportunity to try and escape. Without wasting any time, he starts trying to dissolve the webs in his hands and, with a lot of struggles, manages to get rid of them. After completely removing the webs, he gets up and runs towards a concrete column to hide. "Buddy, did you lose that from here?" Peter shouted, trying to get Sam''s attention, who was still hiding behind the column. Sam, after having his name called by Peter, glanced over to see where he was hiding. However, Peter surprises him by shouting his name again. "Hawk, don''t forget that everything that goes, comes back." Peter doesn''t give Sam time to react and out of nowhere throws the object, which looks more like a mini hawk, towards him. Sam sees the object coming towards him at high speed and has no choice but to try and dodge it. However, the precision of Peter''s throw makes it too difficult for him to dodge, and the object grazes him, causing a small cut on his arm. After Sam saw what the object was that Peter had thrown at him, he began to stare at the young man with a serious face, appearing to be a little angry. "Come on, man. Do you know how expensive this thing is?" Sam asked with an angry tone in his voice. "Actually, I have no idea. Sorry about that." Peter tried to justify himself. As he stared at Peter with a little anger showing on his face, Hawk, seeing that this time the boy wouldn''t leave him any room, decided to go at him with everything he had and at the same time come up with a counter-attack in case it went wrong. (It''s betting time now and all or nothing.) thought Sam as he flew at high speed towards Peter. Sam was flying towards Peter at high speed while making defensive and evasive maneuvers and at the same time firing something in his direction that looked more like grenades. One of these grenades ended up hitting Peter, who didn''t feel a thing at the time, but as soon as it hit the ground, it exploded into a beam of white light, which blinded the spider for a moment. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Julio Posas?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 80 - Difficulty in Battle
Attention: From now on, I ask that you completely disregard all the personality and character that you know of the heroes, whether from films or comics. Because for the story to flow better, I''m going to have to make some changes, so don''t complain later that such a character would never say such a thing.
After being blinded by the strong light that had exploded right in front of him, Peter tried to open his eyes. But unfortunately, all he could see was a white blur, and he couldn''t make out any shapes or details in his surroundings. His only option would be to use his senses to try and retreat. However, Sam manages to take advantage of this and charges at him, who, unable to do anything, ends up being knocked to the ground. While Peter was on the ground trying to recover from the fall and the blindness, Sam didn''t give him a chance to recover and came at him again. While on the ground, Peter relied on his super-sharp senses to try and predict Sam''s attacks. He knew that the hawk wouldn''t attack him without some elaborate plan, after all, this wasn''t something that a person as experienced in warfare as him would do, quite the opposite, he must be studying my movements at the moment. At least that''s what Peter thought, but in fact it was quite the opposite, Sam just wanted to end this fight, which was getting too long, as soon as possible. So, without wasting any time, Sam lunged at Peter while firing several projectiles in the form of mini missiles in Peter''s direction. Peter, who was still on the ground, with his super-sharp senses, managed, with a little difficulty, to dodge all the missiles. After almost five minutes of several pirouettes and in complete darkness, Peter''s vision began to return. (It''s about time.) Peter thought, as his vision returned. However, as soon as his vision returned completely, Peter was caught by surprise by another missile coming towards him. With an agile movement, Peter dodged the missile, rolling to the side and then getting up. But before he could say or do anything, Sam fired his missiles again. (You''ve got to be kidding me, this guy doesn''t give me a second''s rest). Peter reflected on Sam''s persistence as he dodged another missile. "Crazy, I''m starting to get fed up with this game." Whispered Peter, as he threw a web at an iron beam in the ceiling. From up there, Peter had a wider view of the whole situation. "How about we get this over with? This fight has gone on long enough, don''t you think?" Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Peter shouted, as he stared down at Sam from above. "I think so too, but why don''t you come down here so we can sort this out more quickly?" Sam asked, as he stared back at Peter with the same tone of voice and a serious face. "You know that''s not going to happen, right?" Peter asked. "I know, but it wouldn''t hurt to ask." After saying those words, Sam didn''t give Peter a chance to reply, let alone think, and once again set about attacking the young man, who ended up being taken by surprise by his quick onslaught. "That suit sucks, it''s really bad for moving around. If I''d known the fight wasn''t going to be against the Black Widow, I wouldn''t even have worn this fucking uniform, I''d have worn my old costume or the new one." Whispered Peter, while dodging with great difficulty because of the mobility of his costume. (This fucking suit is only good for camouflaging me or for stealth, but it''s no use against him). As Peter dodged Sam''s attacks, he quickly began to assess his real situation. Since his current outfit didn''t offer enough mobility to cope with Sam''s versatile and agile fighting style, his only option was to look for some loophole he could use to level the fight in his favor. (I need to adapt to his fighting style, otherwise I''ll lose). Peter thought as he devised a strategy to try and turn the tide. After carefully observing and studying Sam''s attack patterns, Peter finally managed to find a gap in his defense. He waited for the right moment, and with a quick and agile movement, he used his web to temporarily trap one of Sam''s arms, thus preventing him from launching his missiles again. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Peter lunged at Sam, who this time, because he was trapped, could only try to defend himself against the attacks that were being unleashed in a precise and well-calculated manner in his direction. (I have to admit, this kid may talk a lot, but you can''t help but recognize that, as well as being strong, he has above-average intelligence). Sam thought as he defended himself against Peter''s punches with one hand and at the same time tried to free the other that was still attached. "Is that all you''ve got?" Peter asked in a debauched manner, as he threw several quick and precise punches in Sam''s direction, who defended himself with great difficulty. "No, I still have a card up my sleeve, and it''s already being activated on the field." Sam replied, with some difficulty, while dodging and at the same time trying to counter Peter''s attack. After Sam says those words, out of nowhere, a speeding object comes towards Peter, who can''t even react in time. He ends up being hit full in the face and then thrown away by the impact of the collision of the object, which he could swear was the drone he had destroyed a few minutes ago, except for the slight difference from the previous one. After all, this one was completely red with white wings, as if it were a real machete. After the drone hits him hard and throws him away, Peter throws his webs up to the ceiling and holds onto a beam to try and balance himself. "Man, what the fuc..." Peter said as he smoothed his cheek, which had taken the brunt of the impact. But Steve, realizing what the young man was about to say, interrupted him with a serious face. "Watch your mouth." "Sorry, force of habit, Peter replied a little awkwardly as he paused for a moment before continuing. "But seriously, what the fuck?" "I hope you liked my little gift" Said Sam, mimicking Peter''s mocking tone before continuing. "This is my partner, Red Wing. I usually use it for espionage purposes, but it also serves for attacking, as you can see" Sam added with a small chuckle. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Julio Posas?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 81 - Adaptation and Anticipation
Attention: From now on, I ask that you completely disregard all the personality and character that you know of the heroes, whether from films or comics. Because for the story to flow better, I''m going to have to make some changes, so don''t complain later that such a character would never say such a thing.
Peter, still recovering from the impact of the drone, began to look at Sam seriously. His thoughts were mainly focused on how he would get out of the situation. "So, you want to play dirty? Fine, just don''t come complaining afterwards." Peter said, while giving Sam a challenging look. After Peter said those words, Sam simply stared back at him and in response just shrugged, expressing his disinterest. "What can I do? And as the saying goes, kid, if it''s in the game, it''s in the game." After Sam said that, his drone took off at high speed towards Peter, who was more alert this time. And with great ease, he managed to dodge and counterattack at the same time. "That trick won''t work twice against me, your old tin can." Peter declared, as he watched the drone pass by his face in slow motion as if it were a bullet. Once the drone had passed and was about to turn around, Peter didn''t give it a chance to react and without wasting any time launched his webs in its direction, and with overwhelming force, mixed with a hint of anger at what the drone had done. He threw it hard against a concrete wall, which shuddered and then exploded on impact. After the explosion, a cloud of dust and debris began to rise. Peter, who was standing on top of a pillar staring at Sam, remained there motionless while the falcon stared back at him sternly. "I have to find a way to end this fight as quickly as possible. This has gone on long enough. The longer I delay, the harder it gets for me. Come on, Parker, think..." Peter whispered in a discreet way that Sam couldn''t hear, while he worked out a strategy to escape the situation. While Peter was thinking about what he was going to do to resolve the complicated situation he found himself in, in the other fight, to be more specific, with Pietro and Rhode, the Iron Patriot couldn''t stand Pietro''s annoying speed any longer. "Stop running around in circles, shit! This is getting boring, don''t you think?" Rhode exclaimed, while trying to keep up with Pietro''s speed. After Rhode said those words, Pietro just let out a small laugh and answered the question. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "If you don''t like it, why don''t you come over here and try to stop me?" Pietro teased, while easily dodging several mini missile-shaped projectiles that Rhode had launched in his direction. After managing to dodge the projectiles very easily using his super speed, Pietro once again provoked Rhode, who wanted to end the fight as soon as possible. "You need to improve your aim, Colonel. You''ll never hit me that way." (This kid is so confident in his speed, it''s annoying.) Rhode thought, as he worked out a strategy, he could use to immobilize Pietro and his super speed. (He was annoying enough before, imagine now that he''s literally using it to annoy me. Now he''s unbearable). Pietro took a deep breath and turned to face Rhode seriously. (I''ve got to get this guy down from up there, otherwise I''ll never win. But how?) Pietro thought to himself as he wondered how he would manage to knock Rhode out of the sky, given that he wouldn''t sit still and was already aware of his strategies. "I could give him SpeedBlits, but there''s that overload shit that always fries my brain. You know what, fuck it." After Pietro said that, he started running at Rhode at high speed, all or nothing. Rhode, sensing his approach, starts firing several projectiles at Pietro, who dodges them very easily. However, when these projectiles hit the ground, they immediately exploded, making it a little difficult for Pietro to move around. (This guy has got to be kidding me. This thing could have really hurt me. I''m starting to get the slightest feeling that he''s angry with me for some reason). Pietro thought, as he dodged the various projectiles that Rhode was firing in his direction, with some difficulty. While Pietro was dodging the explosive projectiles, Rhode decided to take a slightly different approach to try and take him by surprise, and that''s what happened. He waited for the right moment to act and, when Pietro opened a gap, Rhode fired several disks in his direction. Noticing Rhode''s quick change of tactics, Pietro adjusted his reflexes and, at the last moment, just dodged the discs thrown in his direction with great ease. However, after Pietro thought he had successfully dodged Rhode''s attack, something unexpected happened: the disks had followed him. "What the fuck?" Pietro asked, staring at Rhode in bewilderment as he realized that, even though he was running at high speed, the discs, in some way he couldn''t explain, were following him. "You''ll find out soon enough." After answering the young man''s question, Rhode activates some function of the disks. Suddenly, they start spinning at high speed and then form a blue line that traps Pietro inside the circle the disks have made. "Do you really think you can trap me with this thing?" Pietro asked, staring at Rhode, who didn''t answer and just let the boy confirm his suspicion. After not having his question answered, Pietro became very angry and tried to run out of the circle. However, when he touches the circle''s laser, he ends up receiving a strong electric shock and is almost thrown backwards by the impact. After immobilizing the young man, Rhode fired a stun grenade at him, which might hurt him a little, but wouldn''t kill him, because that wasn''t the point of the training. After the stun grenade exploded, Pietro was slightly injured by the debris that rose from the ground in the explosion, but for him, something good had also happened. When the grenade exploded, one of the pieces of debris hit one of the disks holding him inside the circle, knocking the disks off balance and deactivating them in the process. "I told you so." Rhode said as he approached where Pietro was, but cautiously. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Matthew Jimenez?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Julio Posas?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MAHAYANA PRISON". Chapter 82 - Losing Control
Attention: From now on, I ask that you completely disregard all the personality and character that you know of the heroes, whether from films or comics. Because for the story to flow better, I''m going to have to make some changes, so don''t complain later that such a character would never say such a thing.
Wanda, who was still fighting Vision, momentarily turned her attention away from the fight when she heard a loud explosion coming from the direction where her brother was fighting. However, this brief detour almost cost her a blow from Vision, which only failed to hit her because of Natasha, who alerted her in time to the mistake she was making. "Concentrate, Wanda! It''s not because this is training that you can keep diverting your attention. On the contrary, think of this training as a real fight." Natasha exclaimed sternly, while scolding Wanda for the mistake she had made. After Natasha said those words, Wanda was about to turn around and say something. However, she was surprised by Vision''s sudden attack, which caught her off guard. When she turned around, all Wanda could see was a yellow light coming towards her. Without thinking twice, she just dodged to the side to avoid the attack in time. "That was close." Wanda muttered, relieved that she had managed to dodge the attack that Vision had sent in her direction with some difficulty. Her breathing still rapid from the fright, Wanda took a deep breath to try and recover the breath she had used to dodge the bolt of lightning. Determined not to make any more mistakes, Wanda turned her attention to Vision. However, he was no longer there. Vision, for his part, now intangible, took the opportunity he had created to cross the floor and take Wanda by surprise, since she had to dodge the attack and wouldn''t know where he had gone, let alone where he would appear. Vision, now intangible, seized this opportunity and sneaked up behind her, who was still looking for him. After turning around, Wanda was startled by Vision''s rapid appearance and fell to the ground from the fright she had received. "What a fright, Vision!" Wanda said, almost shouting, as she tried to keep her composure in the situation despite the fright she had received. Vision, taking advantage of Wanda''s surprise, maintained his usual calm and indifferent expression while she tried to recover from her fright. With a subtle movement, he approached her and then bent down in front of her. "You need to concentrate more, Wanda." Vision said, his voice calm and distinct. "In battle, the slightest carelessness can have fatal consequences." You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Wanda, still on the ground, nodded seriously, recognizing the importance of the lesson she was learning. She knew he was right. If that training had been a real fight, she would have lost a long time ago. "I''m sorry, I promise not to make that mistake again." Murmured Wanda, half-heartedly responding to the displeasure Vision was having with her for the mistake she had made. Vision held out his hand to help the redhead up from the floor, showing his concern for her learning. "As long as you''ve understood, that''s good enough." Vision said in his usual indifferent tone of voice, as he took Wanda''s hand and helped her up off the floor. One person in particular, however, wasn''t enjoying the meltdown between the two of them. That person was a certain spider who was watching the whole thing from afar with an angry expression. Peter was watching the scene with an expression of disgust, even though he was wearing a mask. It was clear from his aura that he didn''t like the closeness between Wanda and Vision one bit. In some way that he couldn''t explain, it was bothering him deeply. It was as if a flame was burning inside his chest. He knew what it was, but he didn''t want to accept that he was feeling the famous jealousy. He couldn''t explain why, but seeing those two interacting in such an intimate way somehow made him very angry. Anger that ended up being directed at Sam, who, realizing that Peter was distracted by something, managed to sneak up on him and pin him to the wall. "If I were you, I wouldn''t keep getting distracted all the time. After all, if you do that in a real fight, you could end up losing." Said Sam while pinning Peter to the wall and at the same time trying to get something out of the young man. However, he got nothing. Peter, who was still very angry about what he had seen, tried not to show it and answered Sam calmly. "Let me go." Peter said, with a higher tone in his voice that had been muffled by the mask as he squirmed to get free of the pressure Sam was putting on him. But in response, his muscles twitched in preparation for possible action. But before he could say anything else, Sam realized that he was looking in the direction where Wanda and Vision were, and decided to tease him. "Something wrong with your girlfriend?" Sam said provocatively, trying to see how far Peter could go without exploding. In response, Peter began to struggle again. After Peter insisted several times, Sam took a step back, but didn''t let go of the young man. His eyes were serious, but there was a hint of amusement in them. "Kid, you need to control yourself more." Said Sam, keeping his voice firm while trying to convey the air of a mentor. "If you get jealous every time you see her with someone, or when she''s not with you, you can be sure that this thing you''re trying to have with her isn''t going to work." Sam added, as he lectured Peter in order to calm him down. "What''s more, this silly jealousy could not only put an end to your feelings for her, it could also put you in danger, or perhaps, in the worst situations, they could use it against you and put the people you care about in danger." But Peter was so angry at that moment that he didn''t give a damn what Sam was saying to him. "What a nice, moving speech, but I don''t give a damn about any of this, why don''t you just take that load of shit you just said to me and not put it into practice?" Peter asked, ignorantly, letting himself be carried away by the anger he was feeling, which even he couldn''t explain. "Okay, sorry." Sam replied, realizing that he had gone too far with his provocation. But before he could say anything else, Peter didn''t let him and continued. "And what''s more, I''m starting to get fed up with you." After saying those words, Peter easily manages to get rid of Sam by pushing him backwards, which knocks him off balance. Peter, taking advantage of this opportunity, throws his web at the ceiling and then returns towards Sam, only this time at high speed. Sam tried to dodge the attack, but unfortunately, he couldn''t do it in time. The impact was so brutal that it ended up throwing him hard against a concrete wall. After crashing into the wall, Sam ended up spitting out some blood. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Julio Posas?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Chapter 83 - Improvised tactics
?? Special Announcement: New Work Coming Soon! ?? Release Date: April 8, 2024 ?? Members-Only Time: 5 p.m. ?? Available on Other Sites: 21 hours
After realizing what he had done and the direction his foolish jealousy had taken him, Peter ran towards where Sam lay. As he approached him, his face was full of concern and guilt for what he had done. "I''m sorry..." Peter murmured; his voice almost inaudible. "I... I didn''t mean to do that." Sam, noticing the anxiety in the boy''s voice, tried to calm him down. He knew that he was also to blame for this. If he hadn''t provoked Peter to the point of bursting, it wouldn''t have happened. "It''s okay, man. It wasn''t entirely your fault, and I also have a share of the blame." Said Sam in a hoarse voice, still struggling a little. Peter, still feeling guilty, lowers his head. Sam, realizing this, decided to try and cheer the boy up. "Come on, man, you don''t have to be so depressed. If it''s any consolation, hear this: it wasn''t your fault. I shouldn''t have provoked him like that. I did it, aware of the risks and the consequences." Peter looked up, surprised by Sam''s comforting words. A feeling of relief began to flood his chest, mixed with gratitude for the hero''s gesture of understanding. "Thank you. I''m sorry for losing control and for almost hurting you." Peter said, trying to express his gratitude. Sam smiled weakly as he tried to get up, but still with great difficulty. Peter, realizing this, held out his hand to help him. Sam accepted Peter''s help to get up, while leaning on the wall. "Don''t worry about it, kid. If it''s any consolation, I''ve been through a lot worse than this." Sam patted Peter comfortingly on the shoulder, who was still a little resentful of what he had done. Meanwhile, not far away, Steve and Natasha were watching everything that was happening intently, ready to intervene if necessary. Steve turned to Natasha with a proud face, quite impressed with Peter''s attitude. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. "I have to be honest, but that boy''s attitude really surprised me. And what did you think of him, Natt?" Steve asked, not looking away, still observing the interaction between Peter and Sam from afar. Natasha, who was still watching Peter, answered Steve''s question, still keeping her serious tone. "I was as surprised as you were. I could have sworn he was going to finish Sam off, but on the contrary, he went to help him. However, if I could list one negative point that I saw in this fight, it would be the boy''s lack of control at times. But apart from that, he''s a good kid." "I totally agree with you, he''s a good kid." Said Steve seriously, while crossing his arms, before pausing briefly and continuing. "Where is he from again?" This time, Steve turned to face Natasha. After the question, Natasha also turned to her friend and, with all the naturalness in the world, replied. "From the information we have and what he''s told us, he''s from Queens." "Queens..." Steve muttered, almost inaudibly to Natasha, who turned to him curiously, thinking he had said something. Natasha raised an eyebrow, realizing that Steve had said something she hadn''t been able to hear. "Did you say something?" Natasha asked, leaning forward slightly to try and catch Steve''s words better. Steve shook his head quickly. "No, it was nothing. I was just thinking about something." Steve replied, his face serious. He then let out a small smile as he remembered the scientist who had created the serum that turned him into the super soldier. *** After the whole event had unfolded, Peter and Sam started walking towards Steve and Natasha, so that they could see the other fights and, who knows, learn something new from what they saw. Returning to Pietro and Rhode, Pietro was still having a hard time facing Rhode, who wouldn''t stop flying for a second. (I have to admit... this guy is starting to get on my nerves). Pietro thought as he ran around Rhode at high speed, trying to find a gap in his armor. After running for almost half an hour at high speed and, at the same time, having to dodge the projectiles that Rhode was firing in his direction in order to get in his way, Pietro had finally managed to find the most vulnerable point in the armor that Rhode was wearing, which was where the reactor that powered the armor was located. (I want to see you fly without power.) Pietro thought as he devised a plan, only this time, instead of trying to defeat Rhode, since that wasn''t working very well, he would try to knock him out so that he could try to turn off the armor completely. With his plan already in mind, Pietro concentrated on how he would attack Rhode, since Rhode had more experience in combat than he did. Determined to wait for the right moment to attack, Pietro carefully watched every move and action Rhode made. While paying attention to Rhode''s movements, Pietro noticed that sometimes, for some reason, Rhode would start to go down and then come back up. As soon as the opportunity arose, Pietro, using his maximum speed and without worrying about being overloaded, launched himself towards Rhode, who, in order to stop his advance, started throwing grenades at him again. Pietro just deftly dodged everything. After skillfully dodging all the attacks, something that surprised the others watching, Pietro prepared to attack. After dodging Rhode''s last attack, Pietro did something Rhode wasn''t expecting and took him by surprise. He pretended to run to one side; when Rhode thought he would, he went to the other side and, at high speed followed by a Dash, Pietro managed to land a powerful blow on the reactor, which ended up causing a power failure, disconnecting the armor and causing him to fall immediately afterwards. "I have to be honest with you, crown. You gave me quite a hard time." Pietro said, still provocatively, but in a friendlier tone as he held out his hand to help Rhode. "Tell me about it, kid." Rhode replied, accepting Pietro''s help and then standing up and removing his helmet. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Gkiller?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Julio Posas?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Chapter 84 - Lessons Learned
?? Special Announcement: New Work Coming Soon! ?? Release Date: April 8, 2024 ?? Members-Only Time: 5 p.m. ?? Available on Other Sites: 21 hours
"I think we''ve seen enough to make a diagnosis, don''t you, Captain Rogers?" Natasha asked without diverting her attention from the youngsters. "Yes." Steve said sternly, answering Natasha''s question without giving her time to prolong the conversation. After that brief conversation, Steve and Natasha began to walk slowly to a far corner of the room. From there, they could see Peter, Pietro and Wanda, as well as Vision, Rhode and Sam talking quietly, while they waited for them to approach them to tell them what they thought of the fights, if they were any good or if they had any tips for them to improve. When the two approached the small group, they all lined up next to each other. Natasha, who was also standing next to her teammate, chose to remain silent and let him start the conversation. And so it was: Steve stepped forward and started the discussion. "While you were training, we were able to observe each of you in detail, and ended up identifying both your abilities and your weaknesses." Steve began after finishing, pausing briefly as he assessed the young men''s expressions before continuing. "I realized that there is great potential in each of you." Steve continued, with a tone of encouragement. "Starting with you two." Steve said, pointing at both Peter and Sam. After Steve pointed at Peter and Sam, they both nodded in understanding. After that, Peter removed his mask. "In your fight, I was able to see some positive and some negative points. For example, Peter, you''re quite strong, agile and have good reflexes. However, you have to learn to control your impulses a little, regardless of where they come from. Because a person with their head on straight thinks better and makes wiser decisions, very different from someone who only acts on pure impulse. You, Sam, underestimated Peter too much, just because you thought he was a teenager and assumed he''d be easy to beat. And that''s what led to your defeat." Steve went on to offer some specific advice to each of the youngsters, showing them where they were going wrong so that they could improve their skills and combat strategies. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Natasha, who until then had remained silent next to Steve, decided to continue the subject, adding a few observations to the evaluation. "Now, you two." Natasha said, facing Pietro and Rhode. "Starting with you, Pietro." Nattasha began, pointing her finger at him. "Your speed is incredible, but there''s still room for improvement. However, you''re not very confident. Sometimes you get too carried away with it, and this can lead you to make mistakes in the future. So I recommend that you first focus on correcting this mistake." Pietro nodded as he took off his glasses, acknowledging the mistakes he had made. "And as for you, Rhode." Natasha continued, only now starting to stare at the man standing next to Pietro. "The same thing: you ended up prolonging the fight too long, which resulted in the energy in your armor wearing out excessively, until it got to that point." "Besides..." Natasha said, wanting to add to her speech. However, before she could say anything, Steve interrupted her. "You have great potential, but it''s very important that you correct these mistakes so that you can evolve even further." "Now, let''s talk about the problem group..." Steve said, pausing briefly before continuing. "Literally, the elephant in the room." Natasha nodded in agreement with Steve and decided to move on, picking up the conversation where she had left off. "Back to where I was." Natasha continued, only this time facing Wanda and Vision. "While we were watching you two, we were able to identify some strengths and some areas that you need to improve if you want to become stronger." Said Natasha, only this time, her voice serious and firm, as she assessed them both. "You..." Natasha said, pointing at Wanda. "You got off to a good start, using your skills to fend off Vision''s attacks. And when you found a gap, you decided to attack. However, after you saw that your brother had been injured, you not only lost focus on the battle, but you also lost control of the situation, which consequently led to your defeat." After listening attentively to everything Natasha was saying, Wanda decided to speak after a few minutes in silence. "I''m sorry, it''s just that I couldn''t help myself." Natasha understood Wanda''s frustration and softened her tone, trying to offer support. "I can understand you worrying about them, but you also have to get it through your head that, on a one-on-one mission like this training, there''s no such thing as a team and every man for himself. If you keep worrying about your team members, not only could they end up dying, but so could you. Do you understand?" Natasha asked, looking at Wanda with a serious expression on her face. Wanda nodded, absorbing Natasha''s words as she reflected on her own actions during training. She knew she had to balance her concern for others and her own safety during missions. "I understand." Wanda replied, now looking determined and resolute. "As long as you''ve learned and can put it into practice, that''s good enough." Natasha added. "And as for you, Vision." This time Natasha turned to Vision and faced him. "I have almost nothing to complain about. You did very well, you were able to use your skills to dominate the course of the battle and consequently managed to overcome your opponent. However, there are times when you hesitate too much, and this can end up bringing you defeat against more skilled opponents." After Natasha had finished speaking, Steve commented again, only this time to end the training. "Well, since you''ve all been assessed and know where you need to improve, you''re all dismissed for now." Steve said, pausing briefly before continuing. After the short break Steve began to look at everyone, satisfied with the progress and dedication shown during the training. "Oh, and before I forget, after you''ve showered, I want everyone to gather in the kitchen." RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Gkiller?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Julio Posas?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Chapter 85 - Frustrations
Attention: I apologize for any inconvenience, everyone. But I can''t stand this story any longer, so I want to make it clear that it can be canceled at any time. I''m feeling overwhelmed by it all. I sincerely apologize.
"Are we clear?" Steve asked, staring at each of them with a serious expression. "Yes, sir." Everyone answered in unison, demonstrating that they had understood Steve''s message. After unanimous confirmation from the team members, Steve nodded briefly, satisfied with the response. "You''re all dismissed." After being released by Steve, the group headed for the elevator. However, before he could enter, Vision interrupted them, causing them to stop walking and turn to him. "You can go ahead..." Vision said with a tone of indifference in his voice, but he couldn''t finish speaking because Sam interrupted him before he could. "And you, what are you going to do?" Sam asked, his curious expression revealing his interest in knowing what Vision would do. "I''ll stay down here and scan the perimeter. That way, we''ll be prepared for any eventuality and won''t be caught off guard by a surprise attack." Vision explained calmly, still maintaining his indifferent tone as he stared at Sam. After hearing Vision''s explanation, Sam nodded in agreement with his friend''s decision. "Right, good idea. See you then." Said Sam, turning to follow the group towards the elevator. Rhode approached Vision as the group headed for the elevator, touching him lightly on the shoulder to get his attention. "Vision, before I forget, couldn''t you take care of my armor?" Rhode asked, still in his armor, before continuing. "I could take it upstairs with me, but I''d rather leave it down here for accessibility reasons." Rhode added, looking into Vision''s eyes with confidence. Vision nodded understandingly to Rhode, demonstrating his willingness to take care of the armor. "Of course, you can leave it with me. I''ll look after it while you''re away." replied Vision, nodding positively. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. After Vision''s affirmation, Rhode gets out of the armor and leaves it against a wall. Shortly afterwards, he began to walk with the rest of the group towards the elevator. As they walked past each other, Pietro, wasting no time, began to tease Rhode. "I don''t want to brag or anything, but I just know I did pretty well, didn''t I, old man?" Rhode smiled slightly at Pietro, who was used to his jokes. "As usual, you don''t know the concept of humility." Rhode retorted with a smile on his face, not taking Pietro''s joke personally, but still maintaining his relaxed tone of voice. "But now, seriously, are you connected? If my armor hadn''t failed me at that moment, I would have beaten you. You know that, right?" Rhode teased, with a tone of mockery in his voice as he taunted Pietro, to see how far the young man could go if he got angry. "Oh, stop it, man. That''s just an excuse losers give when they lose." Rebutted Pietro, not at all willing to accept that his victory could have been down to pure luck. Rhode let out an amused laugh at Pietro''s response, appreciating the young man''s confident and relaxed style. Pietro crossed his arms and maintained his air of defiance as Rhode teased him. "You might think it was pure luck, old man. But no, it was just skill." Pietro retorted, looking at Rhode with a confident smile on his face. Rhode laughed softly, enjoying Pietro''s competitive energy. "Tell you what: let''s agree to disagree, shall we? The truth is, the fight was pretty even." Rhode asked, trying to ease the tension between him and Pietro as they continued walking towards the elevator. Sam, seeing that everyone was talking about their fights, decided to do the same in a friendly way. "Our fight was pretty even, Parker. But you know I came up short against you, right?" However, Peter answered him in a serious tone, with a little arrogance in his voice. "But you still fell short, so do better next time." Peter retorted with a serious expression, leaving everyone there confused, because what he had said didn''t sound like something the usual calm and gentle Peter would say. Wanda, noticing the tense atmosphere that had spread in the group after Peter''s comment, decided to intervene to calm things down. "I think everyone did very well, including you, Sam." Said Wanda, praising Sam and the others'' performance in a somewhat clumsy but sincere way. "Thank you." Sam replied, a little awkwardly, after hearing what Peter had said. Wanda glanced at Peter, noticing something strange about him. He didn''t seem like the lively, silly boy he always was; he was more serious than usual, leaving Wanda puzzled by the change in his demeanor. "You did very well too, Peter." Wanda said, complimenting him, but he didn''t look back at her and simply answered her harshly, without taking much notice of what she had said. "It doesn''t matter to me." Peter said, showing his indifferent attitude towards compliments. Wanda, not understanding the reason for Peter''s sudden change of heart, wondered as the group made their way to the elevator. She felt that something was out of place, but she couldn''t identify exactly what it was. Once the group had entered the elevator, no one dared to say a word. As a result, there was an awkward silence in the room. The elevator rose slowly, accompanied only by the echoing thoughts of everyone present. What had once been a light and relaxed atmosphere had now turned into something heavy, full of tension and incomprehension. While the silence persisted in the small room, Peter stared at the floor of the elevator, lost in his own thoughts. His serious and distinguished expression was the only thing he showed. (What could have happened to make him so angry?) thought Wanda, as she stared at Peter from afar, without him noticing. As she stared at Peter, Wanda realized that at no time had he even smiled, and this made her even more curious for some reason. After all, at that moment, when everyone was completely silent, he would be the first to break the silence by talking so much that he could annoy someone. Wanda decided to wait for the right moment to broach the subject with Peter, because something told her that there was something deeper behind the boy''s closed-off behavior. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Gkiller?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Julio Posas?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Chapter 86 - Uncomfortable Silence
Attention: I apologize for any inconvenience, everyone. But I can''t stand this story any longer, so I want to make it clear that it can be canceled at any time. I''m feeling overwhelmed by it all. I sincerely apologize.
As the elevator slowly ascended, the atmosphere inside remained tense. Wanda also noticed that the other members of the group were also starting to get a little uncomfortable with the whole situation. Peter was still in his corner, quiet and silent, his mind clearly elsewhere. Wanda, on the other hand, was staring at him, wondering what could have happened to make him like this. She mentally went over everything that had happened that day, trying to find some clue to explain his change in behavior. After almost half an hour in that tense environment, which seemed like an eternity, the elevator had finally arrived at its destination, with its doors opening shortly afterwards. After the doors opened, everyone left in complete silence, avoiding unnecessary glances and exchanges of words. Peter was the last to leave the elevator. Wanda even wanted to ask him why he was behaving the way he was, but she decided to wait for the right moment to approach him. As they walked down the corridor to their rooms, Peter remained silent and distant the whole way, as if he were physically absent. His serious, closed countenance didn''t go unnoticed, which made the atmosphere even more uncomfortable. Sam, sensing the tension in the air, decided to break the silence, trying to alleviate the uncomfortable atmosphere hanging over the group. "Today''s training was a bit tough, don''t you think?" Sam asked, tossing the question into the air, still a little miffed, hoping that someone would pick up the reference and help him. Rhode, sensing his friend''s discomfort, decided to help him by answering the question. "Absolutely! Those two were almost skinning our asses." After Rhode answered the question, Sam immediately looked at him and, with a wave of his hand, thanked him. Sam, sensing the right moment to get out of the situation, didn''t even think twice and said goodbye. "Well, I''ll see you in the kitchen in a bit." Sam said, glancing at the group before going into his room. After Sam went into his room, it was Rhode''s turn to do the same as his friend and say goodbye. "I''m going to have a shower and maybe take a nap until lunchtime. Then I''ll see you later." You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Said Rhode, looking at the three of them who were left outside in the corridor, and then entering his room. After Rhode entered the room, all that was left outside were Pietro, Wanda and Peter, who was still silent, staring at the floor. However, Pietro was no fool; he knew that something was going on between his sister and Peter. So, not wanting to get involved, he made the wisest decision he could make in his life: to follow Rhode and Sam''s example and stay out of the argument between his sister and Peter and let them sort it out themselves. "Well, I''m going to follow their example, take a shower and go to sleep, I''m dead. So, I''ll see you later." Pietro says, glancing at his sister and Peter, and then hurries off to his room. After everyone had gone to their specific rooms, it was just the two of them outside, alone. Wanda, realizing that the right time to talk to Peter was now, turned to him. Wanda, in a soft tone, tried to talk to Peter. However, the young man said nothing. "Well, it looks like we''re the only ones left here." Wanda murmured, trying to start a conversation while carefully observing Peter''s reaction. However, Peter said nothing and remained silent. Wanda, not satisfied with that silence as an answer, decided to insist once more. "What did you think of the training?" Wanda asked, insisting once again. Only this time, Peter had finally broken the silence, but his answer was brief and cold, indicating that he didn''t want to prolong the conversation too much. "It was okay." Peter replied, not paying much attention to Wanda''s question. Peter''s cold attitude made Wanda almost lose her temper, but she held back to avoid any unnecessary confrontation at that moment. "Peter, if anything has happened, you can tell me. Aren¡¯t that what friends being for?" Wanda asked as she took the boy''s hand. "Nothing happened to me. I''m fine." Peter replied, with a fake smile on his face, as he gently pulled his hand out of Wanda''s, trying to get out of the situation. Peter''s forced smile didn''t go unnoticed by Wanda, who felt a squeeze in her heart as she realized that something was really bothering him. "That''s not true. I''ve noticed that, not only have you not been yourself since training, but you''ve been avoiding me ever since we left downstairs." Wanda added, trying to better understand what was happening to her friend. "I told you, nothing happened, Wanda. I just have a bit of a headache, that''s all. There''s no need to worry." Peter insisted, still with a fake smile on his face, trying to deflect Wanda''s advances. Giving the redhead no time to reply, Peter turned his gaze away from the redhead and towards his bedroom door. However, Wanda was persistent and wouldn''t give up so easily until she found out what was really getting the young man down. "Peter Benjamin Parker, I don''t want to do this, but you''re not giving me any choice. So don''t make me have to read your mind." Wanda warned, immediately afterwards, showing a victorious expression on her face. However, her initial victorious expression soon disappeared when Peter stared back at her with a subtle but meaningful smile. He replied calmly: "You don''t have to do that. I just... I need some time to process a few things. I promise I''ll tell you when I''m ready." "I don''t believe it, you''re too strange for nothing to have happened." Said Wanda, tapping her foot on the floor a little angrily. "I told you, Wanda. Nothing happened." Said Peter, as he put his hand on Wanda''s shoulder, trying to calm the redhead down. "I''m just a bit tired from training and that''s all. I just want to take my shower and lie down. And if I were you, I''d do the same thing." Peter finished, trying to end the conversation amicably. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Gkiller?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Julio Posas?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Chapter 87 - Lets take a break
Quick note: As you can see, the frequency of chapters in this story has been reduced, and no, you''re not going crazy. Yes, as of today, this fucking story will only have one chapter a week, and the days will be very random... In other words, one day I might post on Monday and the next on Sunday, depending on my mood. And of course, this is also so that I can focus more on my other story, since I''ve had enough of this one. So that''s it, my lovelies.
Wanda sighed, still worried about the change in Peter''s behavior. She didn''t know him that well to know if something was really wrong, but something told her that yes, something was bothering Peter and he didn''t want to say it, even if he was doing everything, he could to cover it up. Wanda chose not to insist any further at that moment, because forcing someone to say something they don''t want to, not only would they end up getting angry with you, but it could cause even more discomfort between the two of you. "Okay, but if you need anything or anyone to talk to, just come to me and I''ll be waiting for you." Wanda said in a softer tone, resigning herself for the time being. Peter nodded with a small fake smile of thanks on his face, which didn''t go unnoticed by Wanda, who knew at that moment that the best decision would be to say nothing. After that, he went into his room, leaving a confused and worried Wanda outside, who soon after also went into her room. After they had both gone to their rooms, Peter was still feeling a bit sorry about everything he had said that day, but decided to forget about it for the time being. After entering the room, he took off his suit and started walking towards the bathroom. As he entered, he turned on the shower and took a bath in the coldest water. After almost twenty minutes in the shower, Peter leaves the bathroom and goes back to his room. He goes to his closet and looks for something to wear. Not wanting to waste so much time choosing clothes, he grabs a blue floral shirt and navy-blue shorts. After getting dressed, he doesn''t think twice and collapses on the bed in exhaustion. After lying down, he picks up and puts on his headphones, which were on top of the headboard, and puts on some calming music to help him fall asleep. But it wasn''t working; every time he closed his eyes to go to sleep, he remembered that scene. (Shit, what were they talking about?) thought Peter, as he closed his eyes again in a new attempt to fall asleep. IN THE NEXT ROOM Wanda had already showered and changed her clothes. At that moment, she was lying on her bed, still wondering why Peter was acting like that to her, when he had always been kind, loving and attentive to her. To her, that wasn''t the Peter she knew, and there was something going on with him. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Wanda was still lying there, thinking about many things, all related to Peter. "Why is he treating me like that? Did I do something and I don''t remember? What''s gotten into you, Peter?" Wanda thought as she stared at the ceiling. After almost five minutes of staring at the ceiling, she decided to get up and started walking to the bedroom window, where she couldn''t see anything because it was already night and raining heavily, something she found quite strange. "That''s strange... since the day I arrived here, I''ve hardly ever seen rain in these parts." Wanda said, looking at it all with a strange look on her face. As Wanda stared at the falling rain, still with a strange look on her face, someone knocked on the door, which brought Wanda out of her thoughts, but she still looked outside the window. "Come in." Wanda said, without turning around to see who it was. After the person knocking on the door came in, Wanda looked back and saw that it was Natasha. "Hi, Natasha." Wanda replied, respectfully looking at Natasha but still trying to hide the fact that something was going on. "Hi, I just came by to let you know that dinner is almost ready and also to warn you to be very careful with this rain, after all, it''s not very common around here at this time of year." Natasha said, entering the room and approaching Wanda, explaining some important things to her, both about dinner and about the strange unseasonal rain that was happening. After listening to everything Natasha said, Wanda ended up answering her half-heartedly, while letting out a small sigh. "I thought it was strange too..." Natasha, curious about the redhead''s attitude, decided to ask. "Wanda, is everything all right?" Natasha asked, staring at the only female member of her team. After Natasha''s sudden question, Wanda realized what she had done and immediately tried to make amends. "Everything''s fine, why wouldn''t it be?" Wanda asked, while trying to fake a calm, fake smile on her face so that Natasha wouldn''t keep questioning her. However, it didn''t work out the way she wanted. "Before, I didn''t know, but now, I''m sure..." Natasha said, looking at Wanda before continuing. "I don''t know exactly what happened, but because you''re looking so sad and almost crying, something happened. Now, talk." Natasha kept staring at Wanda, who eventually let out a small sigh of defeat and looked at Romanoff again. "Apparently, it''s impossible to lie or hide anything from you, isn''t it?" Wanda asked, looking at Natasha. "It''s very difficult for you to do that, after all, I''ve been trained for this kind of thing, so it doesn''t work for me. From my experience, let me guess, your sadness has to do with Parker, doesn''t it?" Natasha asked with a calm gaze, looking at Wanda so that she could open up to her. "How do you know? Is it that obvious?" Wanda asked, her face reddening slightly with embarrassment. "It''s so obvious that almost everyone already knows." Natasha replied, taking a seat on the edge of the bed, while looking at Wanda with a smile on her face. Wanda, her face still completely red with embarrassment, made the same gesture as her wife and also sat down next to her. "Now, tell Auntie what happened. Why are you so sad?" Natasha asked in a calm tone, trying to understand what was going on. "I''d like to know what''s going on too, but not only does he not want to tell me, he keeps avoiding me whenever I try to talk to him. He''s not talking to me much and he ignores me all the time." Wanda replied sadly, still staring at the floor, not knowing what to do. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Julio Posas?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Chapter 88 - Denying my Feelings
Quick note: [This story from today will be posted weekly.]
Natasha put her hand on Wanda''s shoulder reassuringly and said: "Darling, I think you know very well why he''s acting like that, but you just don''t want to admit it." Natasha suggested, trying to help Wanda find the answer she was looking for in that moment of anguish. After Natasha said that to Wanda, she stopped staring at the floor and looked at her mentor again, only this time with a confused expression on her face. She didn''t fully understand what that answer meant. "I don''t understand what you mean, Miss Natt." Wanda replied sincerely, seeking clarity in Natasha''s words. "What don''t I want to admit?" Natasha sighed softly before answering, keeping her compassionate gaze on Wanda. "Do you remember your fight against Vision?" Natasha asked, observing Wanda''s reaction, who didn''t answer her question, but decided to nod, indicating that she understood. Natasha, after receiving confirmation from the young woman, decided to continue. "Well, after you ended up getting distracted during your fight because of your concern for your older brother, Vision took advantage of that opportunity and ended up using it against you and scaring you, which ultimately led to your defeat. Do you remember that?" The young witch nodded again, but the perplexity was still reflected on her face. "Yes, I remember... but I don''t understand how that relates to..." Wanda began, before being interrupted by Natasha. "Oh, come on! After you fell to the ground and Vision came to help you, Peter saw how close the two of you were and got a bit jealous." Natasha explained, connecting the dots for Wanda. After hearing what Natasha had said, Wanda began to stutter, not wanting to believe that possibility. "But why would Peter be jealous of me and Vision?" Wanda asked, stuttering, but soon managing to pull herself together. "And as I said, dear, you know, you just don''t want to admit it." Natasha replied, looking at Wanda hoping she would realize Peter''s true feelings for her. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "Do you think he likes me?" Wanda asked, a little embarrassed, unable to look Natasha straight in the eye because of the shame she was feeling at the moment. "I don''t think so, darling. I''m sure of it. And believe me, even the blindest person could see that the boy likes you. It''s just that you can''t see it." Natasha said, conveying confidence in her words. Wanda looked away for a moment, trying to process Natasha''s words. "But why would he like me? That doesn''t make sense. I''m nothing special, on the contrary, I''m full of flaws. I''m strange, I like to stay in my corner like a recluse. My hands are shaky because of my traumas. I dress strangely, my hair isn''t the best and, to make matters worse, I still look tired. So, what could he possibly have seen in me?" Wanda asked, her voice still shaking with a mixture of curiosity and uncertainty, as she listed her imperfections to Natasha. Natasha took Wanda''s hand and held it firmly, trying to convey confidence to the young woman. "Darling, this is Peter we''re talking about. He''s already a nerd, a recluse? And let''s not forget that he''s a chatterbox, a hardhead. He loves everything that involves this nerdy world and these things about science, and everything that goes with it." Natasha explained, trying to show Wanda that Peter might be seeing qualities in her that she herself wasn''t even aware of. On hearing this, Wanda decided not to say anything, but remained pensive on the subject. Natasha continued her explanation with a serene expression, trying to calm Wanda''s doubts. "Besides, dear, Peter is a person who values the essence of people, not just their appearance or what society considers ''perfect''. He may have seen in your characteristics such as courage, empathy, and even inner beauty that are much more important than any physical aspect." Wanda listened attentively to everything Natasha had said, but still seemed skeptical about it all. "But what if he''s only being nice to me because we''re friends?" Wanda pondered, trying to find a simpler explanation for Peter''s behavior and for the whole situation they were in. Natasha smiled gently at Wanda before answering, noticing the confusion in the young woman''s thoughts. "I understand, you''re having doubts, but even you know that the way he looks at you or the way he takes care of you isn''t like someone who sees the other as just friends. You''re just not seeing it." Wanda sighed deeply, looking down at the floor as she absorbed Natasha''s words. Her heart was torn between the hope that Natasha was right and the fear of deluding herself. "Does he really like me?" Wanda asked, raising her face from the one that had been staring at the floor and looking at Natt again. Natasha observed Wanda''s inquisitive gaze and answered gently and confidently. "And, as I said, dear, I don''t think so, I''m sure. The only problem is that neither you nor he want to admit it." Natasha placed a comforting hand on Wanda''s shoulder, conveying confidence in her words. "And it looks like you''re feeling the same way about him. So why don''t you try giving him a chance? If it works out, the two of you could end up becoming the most beautiful couple we''ll ever see around here, and what''s more, it could end up being good for both you and him, since you both suffer a lot, one could complete the other." Wanda decided not to say anything and remained silent. Natasha, realizing that the young woman wasn''t going to say anything, decided not to press the issue. "If I were you, I''d think about it." Natasha said, giving a little wink to Wanda, who eventually got the message. After that, she got up from the girl''s bed and headed for the door to leave. However, just as Natasha was about to leave the room, she turned to Wanda again. "Oh, I almost forgot! When you go to sleep, don''t forget to cover your mirrors; that attracts lightning." After saying this, Natasha ended up receiving a confused look from Wanda. "At least, that''s what the superstitions say." Natasha said, kind of shrugging, implying that even she didn''t know if it was true or not. RECOGNITION TO MEMBERS: Julio Posas?? - THANK YOU FOR ACTIVATING THE DOMAIN EXPANSION "MALEVOLENT SANCTUARY". Chapter 89 - Something Different Emerges
Quick note: As I said before, this story will be posted weekly from now on. This is largely because I''m no longer enjoying writing it, so I don''t want to procrastinate on it as much as my other story. So I''ll be posting one chapter a week, so that I can focus on both without having to rush and write any rubbish. So, I''m counting on your patience and cooperation.
Natasha, after leaving her warning about the mirrors, said goodbye to Wanda with a nod. "Well, I''ll let you rest. Anything, I''ll be around." With that, she left the young woman''s room, closing the door softly behind her. Wanda stood there, reflecting on Natasha''s words and wondering if she should give Peter and his feelings a chance, or if it was all just a misunderstanding. IN THE NEXT ROOM Peter was in his room, lying on his bed, still listening to music and seeing if he could at least fall asleep. However, nothing he did was working; he couldn''t sleep. Every time he closed his eyes to try to sleep, that scene came into his mind and woke him up. "Damn!" Peter whispered, a little angrily, as he remembered that scene between Wanda and Vision together. Peter, realizing that he wouldn''t be able to sleep, decided to get out of bed for a moment. After that, he went into the bathroom, approached the sink and began to splash water on his face to try to clear his mind. As the cold water ran down his face, he stared at his reflection in the mirror, lost in thought. Peter looked at his reflection in the mirror and began to talk to himself, as if he were talking to himself. "No more doubts and insecurities, Parker. You know who you are and what you feel. Don''t let fear paralyze you." Peter said to himself, as he stared at his own reflection. "Courage, Parker, courage." Peter muttered to himself, as he tried to motivate himself. After that, he turned off the water in the sink and dried his face on the towel. And determined to clear things up with Wanda, he left the bathroom and walked back towards his room. IN WANDA''S ROOM After Natasha had left the room, Wanda decided to read a book to pass the time, while it was not time for her to go downstairs. However, the book she was reading had a rather peculiar character, or, as she thought, an identical one, since he was somehow very reminiscent of Peter. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. While reading the book, Wanda somehow couldn''t get Peter out of her head. Since the main character in that book was introverted, funny, loyal to his friends, caring and, above all, kind to the main heroine of the story. So much so that the heroine actually liked these qualities in the main character. As she immersed herself in the pages of the book, Wanda couldn''t help making comparisons between the character in the story and Peter. The similarities were so striking that she smiled involuntarily, remembering the moments she and Peter had shared together. "I don''t know why, but somehow this character reminds me of Peter in everything, from his personality to his appearance." Wanda muttered to herself as she flipped through the pages of the book. Until she realized that she couldn''t stop thinking about Peter for a single second. "My God, what''s happening to me? Why can''t I get him out of my head? Is what Natt said true? Am I really in love with Peter?" Wanda asked, with an expression of surprise on her face, not wanting to believe in the possibility, but not denying it either - after all, Peter wasn''t one to throw things away. "Although he''s not one to throw things away, I can''t imagine being with anyone else. After all, he and I are from completely different worlds. He''s basically a hero, and I''m more like a villain. But I also can''t deny that, because he has that gentle, caring way about him, he wouldn''t end up attracting my attention." Wanda concluded, as she reflected on the feelings that were beginning to well up inside her. "I think I''d better stop thinking about these things for now." Wanda said as she got up from her bed and walked towards her closet. Inside, she took out a black sweatshirt and put it on, as it was very cold outside because of the rain. After that, Wanda left the room and stared at the corridor of the complex, which, at that moment, because there was no one there and because of the atmosphere the rain had brought, was just the way she liked it: calm and silent, which, for some reason, was bringing her a peace she couldn''t explain. However, Wanda was so immersed in her thoughts that she didn''t even notice that she wasn''t alone out there. On the contrary, at the very moment she had opened the door to her room, someone else had opened it with her. "Did something happen?" The mysterious voice asked in a worried tone, coming from Wanda''s side. Because it was so sudden, Wanda was startled because she thought she was alone in the corridor. After turning to see who it was, she saw that it was her older brother, Pietro, who was also standing outside her room, looking at her. "Pietro! Are you trying to kill me with your heart?" Wanda asked, looking at her brother with an unfriendly face. "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean it. But after I saw you out there, standing like a statue in the world of the moon, I couldn''t help myself. But anyway, what are you doing standing out there?" Pietro asked, trying to change the course of the conversation. "Nothing, I just wanted to take a walk. That''s all." Wanda replied, relaxing her expression a little as she realized that there was no reason to be angry with her brother. "Let me get this straight, the world is falling outside..." Pietro said, pointing outside, where it was raining heavily. "You''re telling me you want to go for a walk? Is that what I heard?" Wanda, upon hearing this, turned to face her brother with a serious face. "Of course not, Pietro. I''m not crazy." Wanda said, looking at her brother and then looking away, not wanting to admit that, for a moment, she had thought about the possibility. "I just wanted to clear my head, that''s all." Wanda whispered in a somewhat sad tone. Chapter 90 - Evasive Answers
Quick note: As I said before, this story will be posted weekly from now on. This is largely because I''m no longer enjoying writing it, so I don''t want to procrastinate on it as much as my other story. So I''ll be posting one chapter a week, so that I can focus on both without having to rush and write any rubbish. So, I''m counting on your patience and cooperation.
Pietro frowned as he watched the sad expression on his sister''s face. "Why do you look like that? Has something happened that I don''t know about?" Pietro asked, looking at his sister with a confused face. Wanda, for her part, forced a smile, trying to dispel her brother''s concern. "Nothing happened, I''m fine. I just wanted to clear my head." Wanda replied, forcing a slight smile onto her lips as she tried to reassure her brother. Despite his sister''s response, Pietro wasn''t so easily convinced. But since he didn''t know what was going on, he decided not to dwell on the subject. "Leaving that aside, the guys are downstairs waiting for us for dinner." Pietro said, staring at his sister before continuing. "I was about to call you, but I saw you standing there like a stone in front of the door and I forgot that little detail." Wanda glanced back at her brother and once again sent him a forced smile. "Good, back to what really matters. Can we go now?" Pietro asked, as he pointed in the direction of the elevator. "Sure, let''s go." Wanda replied, still with her forced smile, trying to hide her anguish as she followed her brother towards the elevator. As soon as they entered the elevator, Pietro pressed the button for the floor where everyone was gathered for dinner. Inside, most of the time ended up being filled with an awkward silence, but that same silence was dispelled by Pietro''s comment. "What about Peter? Isn''t he going with us?" Pietro asked, a little curious, because at no time had he seen or heard Peter''s voice, and that was a bit of a foregone conclusion, not least because their rooms were literally next door to each other. Wanda, still a little embarrassed by everything that was going on and by the conversation she''d had with Natt earlier, answered her brother sincerely, trying to disguise any trace of insecurity she might have shown. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. "I don''t know about that." Wanda explained, choosing her words carefully so as not to reveal too much. "Unfortunately, for some reason that I still don''t know, we haven''t spoken since training." Pietro nodded, understanding what his sister was saying, but at some point, he ended up getting lost in his own thoughts as he tried to find an answer between the lines of what wasn''t said. "Did something happen to you during training?" Pietro asked, his gaze fixed on Wanda in search of any sign that might reveal the truth. Wanda looked at her brother seriously. "Pietro, I told you, nothing happened." Wanda answered seriously, keeping much of the truth hidden, revealing only what he thought was necessary at the time. "At least, not that I know of." After that, Wanda looked away. After all, even she was aware that if her brother continued to pressure her like that, she would give in at some point. Pietro, having noticed the hesitation in his sister''s eyes, had confirmed for himself that there was something else behind her answer. Sensing the tension in the air, he decided not to press her any further and, as an alternative, changed the focus of the conversation to something lighter. "Okay. You don''t have to talk about it now." Pietro said, softening his tone. "But when you''re ready and need someone, you can count on your brother." Wanda nodded, grateful for her brother''s understanding and patience. "Thank you. That means a lot to me." Wanda murmured, as she showed her sincerest gratitude for her brother. Before Pietro could add anything else, the sound of the elevator interrupted the conversation. "Looks like we''re here." Pietro commented, breaking the brief silence that had settled between them. Wanda, determined, chose not to say anything and instead simply nodded to confirm her brother''s comment. After the elevator stopped, the door soon opened, leading into a well-lit corridor. "Shall we go in there?" Pietro asked, looking at his sister and then making way for her to pass. Wanda said nothing and nodded again, only this time stepping out of the elevator and heading towards the kitchen, with her brother right behind her, his hand on his head in a nonchalant manner. IN THE KITCHEN As they entered the kitchen, Wanda and Pietro found Natasha leaning over the sink, staring at Steve who was on the other side, leafing through a cookbook, probably looking for something to make for dinner. A little further away, literally with their faces to the TV, were Rhode and Sam. "Hi, guys." Wanda and Pietro said in unison. After Wanda and Pietro said that, Natasha looked up to see who had entered the kitchen and noticed that it was Wanda and Pietro, who had entered the kitchen. With a warm smile forming on her lips, Nat said something in a calm and serene manner, very different from Steve, who said nothing as he was concentrating hard on the pages of the recipe book. Natasha, with her friendly smile, welcomed the brothers. "How nice of you to show up!" Steve, who had interrupted his search in the cookbook, turned to greet the apprentices. "Good evening." Said Steve, greeting the twins and then turning his attention back to the book. After that brief greeting between them, Pietro turned to his sister and said, in a friendly tone, while pointing in Sam and Rhode''s direction. "From what I can see, this dinner is going to take a while to be ready. In the meantime, I''ll be over there with them watching TV. And you, if you want, you can stay with me or join the two of them." Said Pietro, pointing to Steve and Natasha. Wanda, with a shy nod, replied: "I''ll stay in the kitchen." After his sister''s confirmation, Pietro started towards where Rhode and Sam were. "What''s up, guys!" Pietro greeted as he approached the sofa, where Sam and Rhode were still watching TV. "Hey." Sam greeted with an excited smile, while Rhode waved in greeting. "Good to see you here." Said Rhode, adjusting himself on the sofa to make room for Pietro. Chapter 91 - One step at a time
Quick note: This story will be posted biweekly. Then we see the 10th
Pietro smiled and settled comfortably into the space Rhode had made for him on the sofa and then engaged Sam and Rhode in conversation. "So, what are you guys watching?" Pietro asked, curious to know what the other two were watching. Sam picked up the remote control and pointed at the TV screen. "It''s a new series that''s just come out. It''s about crime investigation in a small town and it''s been pretty interesting so far." Rhode agreed, adding: "Yes, the characters are well developed, and the plot has a lot of mysteries to solve. I think you''ll like it." Pietro nodded, intrigued by the description. "Sounds great! I''ll watch it with you and see what it''s about." Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Wanda was approaching Natasha and Steve, who again had his face in the cookbook. "Hi..." Wanda greeted, a little awkwardly, as she approached her two mentors. Her shyness was evident, even more so after the short conversation she''d had with Natasha. After Wanda said that, Natasha, who was leaning on the counter facing Steve, turned around and saw the young woman approaching them. "Hi, sweetheart." He greeted Natasha calmly and softly, while staring at the young woman. Looking at Natasha''s shy expression, he assumed that she was like that because of the conversation they''d had earlier. Realizing this, Natt decided to play with her a little. "Hi, sweetheart. Have you decided if you''re going to give him a chance?" Natasha asked, with a playful smile on her face, giving a slight wink to Wanda, who, after hearing the question, ended up blushing even more and becoming even more embarrassed. Wanda, faced with this uncomfortable situation, decided to do the obvious thing at that moment: change the subject. "What are you doing?" Wanda asked with an embarrassed expression on her face, now a little closer to Natasha, who was at the kitchen counter, but still far away from Steve, who was near the stove, still leafing through the cookbook. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Natt, realizing the young woman''s strategy, decided not to insist any longer. "To be honest, as you can see, I''m not doing anything. I''m just waiting for Steve to choose what we''re going to do. And we''ve been going on about this for almost an hour now, and he still hasn''t made up his mind." Natasha explained with a slight tone of irony in her voice, emphasizing the time they had wasted because of Steve''s indecision. After almost an hour of choosing what to do, this time it was Steve''s turn to turn around and say something. "Sorry for the delay, guys. It''s just that I wanted to prepare something special for Peter, since it''s his first time here. So I wanted to do something to welcome him. However, I''m terrible at kitchen stuff." Said Steve, turning to the group, still holding the recipe book, indicating that he hadn''t yet chosen what he was going to make. Wanda, sensing this opportunity, decided to volunteer to help Steve. "Ah, could I help you?" Wanda asked, still half back, staring at Steve. "Sure, it would be great to have an extra hand, helping me out." Steve replied, relieved to receive a helping hand. After Steve made that comment, Wanda, with an enthusiasm that seemed to have come from beyond, started walking towards the stove with a silly smile on her face. A smile that did not go unnoticed by Natasha, and even less so by Steve. However, that momentary joy had a small explanation; for her, this could be a great opportunity to prepare a dish that Peter might like. After all, if she could win him over with her stomach, making up would be the least of her problems. Steve, being slower than a door, ended up not understanding the reason for that smile and, with a curious face, asked Wanda. "What''s with the smile?" "So, what..." Wanda replied, unable to form a word because she was so embarrassed. Natasha, noticing the young woman''s discomfort, decided to help her by changing the subject. "What do you think about preparing a dish that Peter likes?" Natasha suggested, looking at Steve, and without him realizing it, she winked at him, who understood. "Great idea!" Wanda agreed, half thanking Natt for the look. "But what dish would that be?" Wanda asked, now a little curious, since even she didn''t know what Peter liked. "We could do something simple, I don''t know, typical American food. I think Peter might like it, what do you think?" Steve suggested, contributing to the idea. Wanda nodded, looking more excited at the prospect of preparing something for Peter. "Yes, I think he''ll like it. Let''s do it then!" Wanda replied, unable to hide her joy. "How about we make some macaroni and cheese?" Steve suggested, putting the finishing touch on the choice of dish. Wanda and Natt said nothing, but nodded, confirming that they agreed with the decision. "Then it''s settled." Said Steve as he turned around. In the short space of time that he had been turning around to start preparing the pasta, Natasha approached Wanda. "Wanda, can you tell me if that disagreement between your brother and Peter has been resolved?" Natasha asked, looking at the young woman who, after hearing Peter''s name, ended up entering the world of the moon. (Peter, what''s happening to you? Did I do something to you?) Wanda was so focused and lost in her thoughts, thinking about Peter, that she didn''t even hear Natasha calling her. "Wanda! Earth calling, Wanda." Natasha insisted, trying to bring the young woman back to reality. After Natasha gently put her hand on the young woman''s shoulder to bring her back, Wanda, because of her mentor''s sudden action, was almost startled, but on the one hand it was good, after all, it made her come to her senses. After recovering from the fright caused by Natasha''s touch, Wanda shook her head slightly, trying to concentrate on the conversation again. "I''m sorry, Natt. I was traveling in my thoughts." Wanda said, with a slightly embarrassed smile. Chapter 92 - Unexpected Questions "What were we talking about again?" Wanda asked, trying to resume the conversation, but now with her eyes searching Natasha''s, who eventually noticed a slight embarrassment in the young woman''s expression. "We were talking about the disagreement between your brother and Peter." Natasha replied, noticing Wanda''s effort to pull herself together, but without pausing for a moment before continuing. "Can you tell me if they''ve worked it out? Because the last time I saw them, they narrowly missed each other." Natasha took up the subject again, worried about the situation. After Natt''s question, Wanda let out a small sigh of relief at the way the conversation was going. "Yes, they''ve even become best friends, just so you know." Wanda replied, with a shy, half-hearted smile on her face. However, before she could continue, someone interrupted the conversation, and that person was Steve. "I think it''s good that they''ve really sorted themselves out, not least because I don''t want to see any quarrels between the members of this complex." After Steve''s serious and direct comment, which ended up being directed literally at everyone in the kitchen, except Peter, who was still in his room. After Steve said that, everyone fell silent, waiting for him to say something else. However, he didn''t say anything else and then turned back to the stove. While the group had a look of shock on their faces because of Steve''s random comment, Natasha noticed the look of discomfort on the young woman''s face. "Is everything all right, Wanda? Something seems to be bothering you." Natasha asked, in a soft tone, half knowing what was bothering the young woman. And that worry had a name, a face, and it was called Peter Parker. "Oh, yes, everything''s fine. Why wouldn''t it be?" Wanda asked, forcing a small smile as she tried to dispel her discomfort. "And that there''s something different about you. The problem is that I can''t tell what it is." Natasha replied with a piercing gaze, as she carefully examined Wanda from head to toe. After spending almost half an hour staring, young Natasha opted for a slightly quicker and more direct approach. After that, she approached Wanda in order to have a clearer and more in-depth analysis of the young woman''s real situation. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. It was after coming face-to-face with the young woman that Natasha was finally able to notice something different about her. "I couldn''t tell because I was too far away, but now I''m looking closer. Isn''t that Peter''s sweatshirt?" Natasha asked, a little curious, pointing her finger at the sweatshirt the young woman was wearing. "Of course not, you''ve got to be mistaken. That''s my sweatshirt." Wanda replied, embarrassed, slurring her words and unable to look directly at Natasha. After hearing Wanda''s words, Natasha raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the young woman''s response. She noticed that the young woman seemed uncomfortable and nervous, which only increased her curiosity. "Strange..." Natasha whispered, not quite believing what Wanda was saying. "But if it really is yours, then why does it have a nerdy joke printed on it?" That was the last thing Natt managed to say before Wanda literally froze. (Did I get the wrong sweatshirt?) Wanda thought, not wanting to think about the possibility. After coming out of her shock, Wanda looked down and saw what was written on the sweatshirt. It was a Star Wars joke about Darth Vader pointing his finger at Kylo Ren, with the following message above it: ''If you want to copy, copy; just don''t make it the same''. Wanda stared at the sweatshirt for a few more seconds, processing the situation and trying to find a plausible explanation for what was happening. She took a deep breath and then looked back at Natasha, trying to regain her composure. However, she couldn''t come up with a good answer. "¨¦... Actually, I... I don''t know how it got here." Wanda answered awkwardly, giving an even more awkward smile. At that moment, she wanted to stick her head in the first hole she could find to get out of her embarrassment. Natasha, realizing the difficulty the young woman was having in finding a coherent explanation for the situation, decided to talk to her alone. "Steve, could you take over the kitchen for a moment?" Natasha asked, glancing at her friend, who didn''t turn around, but answered her question in the affirmative. "Sure, leave it to me. After all, everything is almost ready." Steve replied, without taking his eyes off the pot and the stove, as he finished the macaroni and cheese. After her friend''s confirmation, Natasha wiped her hand on the sink tap and then took Wanda''s hand and began to lead the girl to a part of the kitchen that was a little further away from everyone else. "Let''s go somewhere quieter." Natasha said, as she led a confused Wanda away, not understanding anything that was happening. Once they''d reached a more secluded corner of the kitchen, where no one would be able to hear what they were talking about, Natt didn''t even give Wanda a chance to ask anything and immediately started questioning the girl. "Don''t tell me you two ended up sleeping together?" Natasha asked bluntly, not bothering to disguise her curiosity, but in a whisper that only Wanda would be able to hear, thus ensuring the privacy of the conversation. After hearing that question, Wanda swallowed, feeling even more uncomfortable with Natasha''s direct question. She stared at the floor for a moment, her face even redder and more embarrassed, before gathering the courage to answer. "But of course not, where did you get that idea? Have you gone mad? Why would I do that? And why such a sudden question?" Wanda asked, totally embarrassed, trying to hide her discomfort but unable to because of her stutter. "Well, if you didn''t sleep with him, as you''re saying..." Natasha said, still whispering, pausing briefly before continuing. "So how did the sweatshirt, which only he would wear, end up on your body?" Chapter 93 - Intimate conversation "I don''t know either. All I did was grab the first sweatshirt I saw inside and put it on." Wanda replied, still embarrassed and now with a touch of bewilderment mixed in her voice. After Wanda''s brief comment, Natasha remained silent for a moment, analyzing the whole situation. After a while, Natasha broke the silence with an expression of understanding: "Ah, now it all makes sense to me..." Wanda, who hadn''t understood anything up to that point, was even more confused. "What do you mean?" Wanda asked, with a clear question mark in her mind, her gaze fixed on Natasha, desperately searching for answers. "Nothing. It was just something I was thinking... But back to our main subject..." Natasha replied softly, trying to deflect what she had said and saying something else on top of it. "How about this: you go and call Peter, who hasn''t come down yet, and tell him that dinner is already on the table. What do you think?" Natasha suggested softly, looking at the young woman who stared back at her, not understanding anything. Wanda, still apprehensive and not fully understanding why it had to be her, asked: "But why does it have to be me? Why not Pietro, or the other boys?" "There''s no special reason, it''s just that you''re the only person he talks to most in the complex. So, stop complaining and get over there." Natasha ordered, in a slightly louder tone, in an authoritarian manner, trying to end the discussion. Wanda sighed, resigned to Natasha''s order. She knew that there was no point in arguing any further and that it was better to simply do as she was told. "All right, I''ll go and get Peter." Wanda replied, getting up from her chair with a mixture of frustration and half-acceptance. After her answer, the young Natasha looked at her with a serene gaze and replied seriously. "I think it''s good, and also... you didn''t have a choice. Either you went, or you went. It was as simple as that." Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. After Natasha said that, the two went back to the kitchen. However, before she gets there, Wanda changes her path and heads for the elevator. Inside, she presses the button for the bedroom floor. As for Natasha, she had returned to the kitchen to finish helping Steve prepare dinner and the table. "I''ve got to tell you; Tony really is no good." Said Natasha, approaching Steve with an indifferent expression on her face. After Steve noticed her expression, he let out a small sigh and decided to ask. "What did he get up to this time?" Steve asked, already expecting an answer that wasn''t very pleasant. Natasha raised her eyebrows and sighed before answering: "You won''t believe what he did this time. Imagine, he had the nerve to put a sweatshirt that only Peter would wear in Wanda''s closet. And for what? Just to make it look like she was trying to impress him." Steve frowned, surprised by Tony''s malice. "That''s low, even for him. But, whatever, that''s typical of him." Steve replied with a small laugh. Natasha agreed, shaking her head. "That''s exactly what I thought. And the worst thing is that it looks like his plan is working. After all, Wanda is already starting to like the boy. The only problem is that neither she nor he want to admit it." After Natasha made that brief comment, her eyes sort of became confused, searching for Steve, who was no longer there in the kitchen. Then she turned around to find him arranging the cutlery and plates on the table. And, because of that, he had most likely been able to hear the last thing she had said. ON THE BEDROOM FLOOR After reaching the corridor where the bedrooms were, Wanda starts walking towards Peter''s room. As soon as she was in front of it, she thought about knocking, but was reluctant. After that, Wanda keeps pacing back and forth in front of Peter''s room, waiting for the right moment to call him. After almost half an hour of her going back and forth like a crazy person, she finally decided to knock on the door. However, just as she was about to do so, she began to feel a calm, gentle energy emanating from inside the room, indicating that the person inside, namely Peter, was asleep. After realizing this, she lets out a small sigh and finally calms down a bit, and then decides to knock on the door, only now with more confidence. TOC-TOC After knocking on the door, Wanda waited for a few more seconds, but all she could hear from inside the room were a few soft murmurs coming from inside. She stood in front of the door, waiting, wondering whether to insist or let him rest. Deciding, she knocked once more, only this time a little harder, hoping that the noise would somehow attract Peter''s attention. Inside the room, Peter woke up slowly, still a little drowsy. He eventually heard the knocks on the door, but it took him a few seconds to process who it could be at that time of night. He got up carefully while rubbing his eyes and went to the door. After Peter opened the bedroom door, Wanda caught a glimpse of the sleepy boy in an outfit that she thought was kind of cute. It was a pair of baggy pink plaid pants that looked quite comfortable, a slipper, and what caught her eye the most, the shirt with a ''finds the X'' joke printed right in the center. Wanda smiled when she saw Peter, noticing how cute he looked in that shirt. But before she could say anything, Peter was already interrupting her, but without any malice behind it. "Wanda, did something happen?" Peter asked, still a little drowsy, as he rubbed his eyes again to make sure he wasn''t dreaming. "I''m sorry to wake you, but Natt sent me here to tell you that dinner is ready. So, I just came by to let you know." Wanda replied softly, still noticing Peter''s sleepy countenance. Chapter 94 - See you next time! "Ah, thanks for coming to let me know. I''m just going to change and come down. Could you wait for me?" Peter asked, still a little sleepy, as he scratched his eyes. "Sure, I''ll wait." Wanda replied with a gentle smile on her face, realizing that Peter wasn''t quite awake yet. After Wanda answered, Peter walked back into the bedroom and headed for the closet. After opening it, Wanda realized that something was wrong with Peter. After all, he had suddenly stopped and stood there motionless and silent. As she approached, she noticed that he had fallen asleep again, his body resting against the frame of the closet. Wanda let out a soft sigh when she saw Peter asleep again. She didn''t want to wake him up again, but she didn''t want to leave him there alone either. Carefully, she approached him and placed a hand gently on his shoulder, trying to wake him up without abruptness. "Peter." Wanda called, with her hand on Peter''s shoulder, calmly and softly. Peter blinked a few times, trying to get his bearings in his drowsy state. He looked at Wanda and then at the closet, realizing where he was. With a sleepy smile, he straightened up and scratched his head. "Sorry, I guess I''m still a bit dizzy." Peter replied, still a little sleepy, but with a trace of embarrassment on his face. After that, Peter ended up doing something a bit irrational on his part. Because he was so sleepy, he forgot for a moment that Wanda, as well as being in the room with him, was still by his side. After literally forgetting about the redhead for a moment, he ended up changing his clothes in front of her, who, after seeing what he was doing, stopped in shame. Wanda, surprised and flushed by the unexpected situation, stopped momentarily, not knowing how to react to the sudden intimacy. She felt ashamed that she had seen more than she should have, but she also understood that there was no malice in Peter''s attitude, just a little carelessness on his part. Faced with this discomfort and not knowing what to do in the situation, she decided to do what she thought was the most obvious thing to do at the moment. She turned and, with hurried steps, left the room. Meanwhile, outside the room, Wanda was trying to regain her composure, taking deep breaths as she paced back and forth, trying to shake off the embarrassment she was feeling at the moment. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. After a few minutes, Peter had finally finished changing and found it strange that the redhead who had been waiting for him a few minutes earlier was absent. "Wanda? Are you there?" Peter called out from inside the room. Wanda, who was outside trying to calm down, heard Peter''s voice and decided it was time to go back. She took another deep breath and went back into the bedroom. "I''m sorry I left so quickly. I... I had to get something from the other room." Wanda explained, making up that little lie, but still avoiding eye contact with the young man. Peter, noticing the hesitation in her expression and gestures, realized that something was wrong, but decided not to press her. When they were about to leave the room, by a coincidence of fate, Peter ended up looking at the sweatshirt Wanda was wearing. "I liked the sweatshirt, and I got the reference." Said Peter, referring to the joke that was printed on the sweatshirt Wanda was wearing and then giving a sincere smile, which ended up making the young woman blush again. After Peter said those words, Wanda was a little confused about what he was referring to, until she quickly realized that it was about the print on her sweatshirt. "About this, I''ve only just realized... But I''m glad you like it." After realizing what she had said, Wanda turns red again, only this time Peter does too. After realizing what she had said, Wanda turns red again, only this time Peter does too. After the awkward atmosphere had been restored between them, Peter, in an attempt to dispel the uncomfortable atmosphere, decided to say something to ease the situation for both him and Wanda. "Well, can we go?" Peter asked, a little embarrassed, trying to smooth over the awkward atmosphere. Wanda, still blushing, nodded quickly. "Yes, let''s go." She tried to disguise her nervousness as she followed Peter out of the room. As they walked through the corridors, a silent tension hung between them. Peter seemed to want to break the ice, but he was also uncomfortable with the whole situation. So, he decided to let it go and continued in silence. After a few minutes of awkward silence, they finally reached the elevator. Inside, as well as the silence between them, the atmosphere became even more tense, as they couldn''t even look at each other properly. After a few minutes, the elevator stops and then opens. The two of them then walked out of the elevator in silence, in vain, towards the kitchen. When they got to the kitchen, everyone started looking at them curiously. And Sam, seeing the scene, takes the opportunity to spend a little time with Peter. "Look, there''s our favorite little couple!" Said Sam, kind of mocking Peter and Wanda, who, after hearing that, turned even redder and more embarrassed. Steve, realizing the tension Sam had created between them in the kitchen, decided to reprimand his team member. "Sam!" Said Steve, with a serious countenance, reprimanding him. Sam, noticing that he had gone too far in his joke, decided to apologize to them. "Sorry, I think I went too far." Sam said, a little sheepishly, looking at Peter and Wanda, who were still embarrassed. After Sam''s comment, it was Rhode who laughed, after Pietro not only looked away, but was also rather annoyed by the whole thing. After all, he might not have liked it, but there was nothing he could do about it. After all, he already knew that his sister liked Peter, and that was making him angry. Chapter 95 - A special dinner Pietro was still a little annoyed by the whole situation between his sister and Peter. He was thinking of saying something, but decided it was better not to create a fuss about it at the moment. Still with a serious expression on his face, he approached his sister and Peter, who could see the discomfort and anger evident on the boy''s face. "What''s up, web head!" Pietro greeted, while holding out his hand to Peter in a friendly gesture, but with a touch of embarrassment in both his voice and his face. However, the heavy atmosphere didn''t go unnoticed by Peter, who chose to remain silent. "Hey, easy!" Peter replied, also without humor, but not letting it show. Natasha, noticing the tense atmosphere that had formed in the group, let out a short sigh. And, with a serious face, she asked a question that, although it was laden with sarcasm, did not lose its poise. "Can we sit down, or do you want to continue with this?" Natasha asked, her voice full of sarcasm. After Natasha''s brief, unfriendly comment, the awkward silence returned. It didn''t last long, however, as Wanda broke it with a question. "There''s someone missing here. Where''s Vision?" Wanda asked, without any obvious malice. However, someone else didn''t like that at all. When Wanda said Vision''s name, Peter''s expression changed for a moment. He knew why, he just didn''t want to admit that he was jealous of an artificial intelligence. After Wanda mentioned Vision''s name, Peter felt a knot forming in his stomach. He knew he shouldn''t let himself be swayed by irrational jealousy, after all, Vision was just an artificial intelligence and posed no real threat to him. However, a part of him couldn''t help but feel a twinge of insecurity. (Why is it that every time she says his name, I get angry?) Peter thought to himself, while trying to disguise his serious expression. He looked away for a moment, avoiding facing the others and hoping that his reaction wouldn''t be noticed. After all, it wasn''t fair on Vision or himself to let himself be shaken by unfounded thoughts that might not even be true. After Wanda asked about Vision''s whereabouts, Steve, who had momentarily retreated to the kitchen, returned in a split second with some plates and cutlery in his hand. With a calm expression on his face, he answers the young woman''s question quite naturally. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. "He told us that since he doesn''t feel hungry, there would be no reason for him to join us. So, he preferred to stand guard." Steve explained, his voice calm as he approached the dining table with utensils in hand. "I see." Was the last thing Wanda said before approaching the table and sitting down. After Wanda''s brief conversation, Steve decided to follow her example and also sat down. Then dinner began. "Well, since you''re all here now, except for Vision, I think we can serve ourselves." After Steve said those words, Rhode and Sam, who were on the sofa watching TV, went over to the table and sat down, as did Peter, Wanda and Pietro, who were sitting on one side of the table. On the other side were Natasha, Rhode and Sam. Meanwhile, Steve, the host, was sitting at the head of the table as if he were the head of the family. Peter, realizing that Steve had sat at the head of the table, remembered an old expression and couldn''t help himself. "He who sits at the head, pays the bill." Peter said, in a relaxed manner, while looking at Steve. Peter''s joke turned out to be so out of the blue that it even managed to elicit a few smiles from everyone at the table, creating a relaxed atmosphere for dinner. Steve, already used to the young man''s humor, responded with a light tone of jest: "I wouldn''t mind paying, as long as everyone was happy." Steve replied with a sincere smile, reflecting the calm and generosity that characterized him as Captain America. "Dinners served, everyone." Natasha announced, with all the kindness in the world, pulling the lid off the pot and, inside, showing the typical and tasty macaroni and cheese, which was also Peter''s favorite dish. Seeing Natasha''s thoughtful gesture, Peter was a little taken aback, grateful for the consideration shown by his friends. He thanked her with a sincere smile on his face. "Thanks, guys." Peter thanked them, with a small, somewhat lopsided smile on his face. He kind of knew they were going to do something special, but he hadn''t expected it. "I hope you really enjoyed it..." Steve said in a relaxed tone, as he paused briefly before continuing, but without taking his eyes off the young man. "As you''re still new here at the complex, we kind of wanted to do something special to welcome you, as a sort of welcome. And we also can''t forget the enormous help you gave us by saving the city while we were away. So, thank you in advance." Steve''s words were not just his, but represented the whole group, including Natasha and Tony, who was absent at the time. Peter, not knowing quite how to react to that emotional moment, just responded with a shy, grateful smile. "Wow..." Peter murmured, scratching the back of his neck in a gesture of slight discomfort, but with a warm gleam in his eyes. "I don''t even know what to say, but thank you so much, guys." Natasha smiled warmly at Peter, expressing genuine affection. "No need to thank me, kid. You''re now part of our team, and we''re very happy to have you with us." After Natasha said those words, it was Steve''s turn to say something else, only this time to say that everyone could help themselves. After Steve announced that everyone could help themselves, the atmosphere became more relaxed. As everyone helped themselves to the delicious macaroni and cheese, silence soon began to overtake the group, until Steve decided to break it. "Is the food to your liking, Peter?" Steve asked, as he put his hand on the young man''s shoulder. Chapter 96 - Winter Soldier Peter, with a sincere smile after taking a bite of noodles, nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, Captain! It''s great, thank you very much for the meal and for everything." Peter replied, still with that smile on his face, as he took another bite of pasta. "There''s no need to be so formal, kid. Captain''s only on missions. Here, you can just call me Steve." Steve replied with a warm and welcoming tone, facing Peter. "Okay, Cap... I mean Steve." Peter retorted, almost making the mistake of calling Steve by the formal title he had been told not to use. He quickly corrected himself, realizing the slip in time and adjusting himself in the chair with one hand behind his head, revealing his slight discomfort. "I''m glad you liked it! After all, Wanda was the one who came up with the idea to make this dish." Steve added, with a genuine smile on his face, as he pointed with a subtle gesture towards the redhead, who now showed a blush of slight embarrassment at being mentioned in the conversation. After Steve said that, Wanda started to feel a little embarrassed, but this intensified when Peter turned to her with a sincere smile on his face and thanked her. Wanda tried to hide her embarrassment upon receiving Peter''s thanks, but her eyes shone with gratitude and a certain pride mixed with shyness. She looked down for a moment, subtly stirring the food on her plate, before responding in a soft voice: "Ah, it wasn''t a big deal. I''m glad you liked your choice." While dinner continued in a relaxed manner and everyone talked normally, the only person there who ate quietly and with their head down, with their mind somewhere else, was Sam. "Boy, is there any way you can answer a question I have?" Sam asked, in a relaxed manner, looking at Peter. Peter turned towards Sam and, slightly interested in the question he was going to ask, said: "If I know the answer, I don''t see why I shouldn''t answer it." "And I wanted to know if that giant lizard you faced and that appeared in the newspaper was your first villain." Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Sam asked, with a curious expression on his face, as he waited for an answer from Peter. "Not really. I also faced others before him. My first villain, if I''m not mistaken, was a guy called Chameleon, but after him I also faced others." Peter took a deep breath, preparing to narrate one of the most difficult battles he had. "And there was one, in particular, that I even had a little trouble with. I remember it as if it were yesterday. That day, I was injured a lot, I was in bed for months, and I have rapid regeneration." Peter added, while remembering that day. After that, he made an ugly face remembering the beating he had received. Natasha, curious about this villain that Peter had faced, decided to ask, but without any malice or malice behind it. "And who was this villain that left you like this?" After Natasha''s question, Peter placed his hand on his chin as he tried to remember the name. "I don''t know if it was because of the beating I took or if it was because of the trauma I received, but I can''t remember almost anything from that specific day..." Peter said, with a neutral expression, as he paused briefly before continuing. "But if there''s one thing I can remember very clearly, it''s your arm made of really tough material, breaking my rib." After Peter said that, both Natasha and Steve raised their eyebrows, as they knew someone with that peculiarity, but they weren''t sure yet. "But, do you know his name?" Natasha asked calmly, trying to undo any change, both in expression and in her voice. "His name, I don''t know, but... while I was getting beaten up by him, I kind of heard some people calling him by the name Winter Soldier." After Peter said that name, Steve and Natasha automatically looked at each other. Before, what was a simple suspicion had just been confirmed. Steve didn''t want to believe that his best friend almost killed a child. Natasha, realizing that it could end up revealing something, decided to intervene. "Peter, are you sure that was his name?" Natasha asked, while trying to hide some of her concern. "I can''t say with complete certainty if that was his name, but that''s what he was being called..." Peter replied with a tone of uncertainty in his voice, as he paused briefly. "And that''s also what I heard from Mr. Fury. He told me that this Winter Soldier was responsible for more than twenty murders in the last fifty years alone. As for whether that part is true or not, I don''t know that, until because after that beating, I never met him again." After Peter said that, the expression on Steve''s face changed to a sad one, but it was also mixed with a slight discomfort. However, as everyone was so oblivious to the conversation, they didn''t even notice anything different. After that, a brief silence was about to settle in the room. Therefore, Pietro broke it down by complementing what Peter had just said. "I also heard a lot about him when I was trapped in HYDRA. There, they said he was the most perfect killing weapon ever created." Pietro said, while leaving almost everyone impressed, except Peter, who had already fought with him, and Natasha and Steve, as they already knew that person. Steve, upon hearing that, was unable to hide his discomfort. Just like Pietro, who hadn''t been able to feel the tense atmosphere that was forming around Steve, Sam did the same thing. "Now, I''m curious. How did you find this guy?" Sam asked, still a little curious as to how Peter had met this person, whom not even he, being a war veteran, would want to meet. ¡°Well, since it''s been a while since it happened, I don''t remember much. So, I apologize.¡± Said Peter, a little embarrassed about it, but already letting them know. Chapter 97 - A tense struggle "But if there''s one thing I can still remember from that day, without a shadow of a doubt, it''s the image of the Captain and the Winter Soldier fighting on the roof of a building." Peter said, getting the others more and more interested in the story. However, the only people who didn''t like the way the conversation was going were Natasha and Steve. While Sam was getting more and more interested in the conversation, the only person who wasn''t enjoying it at all was Steve, who was getting more and more uncomfortable with the whole situation. Besides him, there was also someone else. However, the right answer wouldn''t be to say that this person wasn''t enjoying it; on the contrary, they weren''t even paying attention to anything that was going on around them. That person was Wanda, who was thinking about something else, or someone else. "And after that, what happened?" Sam asked, unable to hide the fact that he was really interested in the conversation. "After that, the captain..." Peter said as he paused briefly. In the meantime, however, he turned and began to stare at Steve. After that brief pause, Peter continued what he was saying. "You through your shield at him, but he managed to dodge it. Then he picked up your shield and threw it back. However, during that brief moment when you took your eyes off him to dodge the shield, he ended up escaping. When I saw that, I admit I was a bit taken aback, after all, I didn''t know what to do in that situation. So, I decided to do what I thought was right at the time. I hid in an alley and put on my uniform to go after him." As Peter recounted in detail what had happened that day, it seemed as if something very important was being told in that room, because no sound could be heard, so quiet was the atmosphere. "Do you regret going after him?" Rhode asked, while looking at Peter. After asking that question, not only was Rhode staring at Peter, but the others, who had also become a little interested in the answer to that question, also began to stare at him. "Yes, of course. If I could go back in time and talk to myself, I''d tell him not to go after him." Peter replied, a little shiver running through his body after remembering the beating he had taken from the Winter Soldier. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. "Why?" Sam asked, a little confused. "If I tell you now, it''ll spoil the story. So, if I could say something in a few words, it would probably be: ''You''ll understand''." Peter''s answer turned out to be so enigmatic that it even left an air of mystery in the air as those present tried to decipher the meaning behind his words. "It makes perfect sense." Sam said innocently, not really noticing that Peter had been a little sarcastic with his comment. Pietro, realizing that Sam had failed to see the sarcasm behind Peter''s words, decided to join in. "Isn''t that, right?" Peter, realizing that the conversation was taking a different turn, decided to take control of the situation. "As I was saying, it didn''t take long for me to find the Winter Soldier, or rather, it didn''t take long for him to find me. After all, when I entered that alley, there he was, standing in front of me, probably waiting for me." As soon as Peter said that, everyone was shocked. "I''ll be very honest with you... If I could say, in one word, what happened to me after that, it would definitely be: ''If regret could kill, I''d definitely be dead by now''." As soon as Peter said that, no one laughed, except Wanda, who let out a small giggle. Because of that laugh, Wanda unintentionally drew everyone''s attention to herself. Even Peter was a little surprised. After all, the redhead was usually quite reserved. Deeply ashamed of what she had just done, Wanda decided to apologize. However, her face was still slightly pink from embarrassment. "I''m sorry, you can continue." Wanda added, while trying to hide both her red face and the shame she was feeling at that moment from Peter. As soon as Wanda said those words, all the attention that had previously been focused on her returned to Peter again. Peter, taking this as a sign, decided to continue what he was saying before Wanda interrupted him. "After I arrived in that alley and saw the Winter Soldier standing in front of me, he didn''t even give me time to breathe, let alone think. The short time I had to try to open my mouth to say something was enough for him to come at me. He was so fast and so strong that one minute he was hitting me and the next I was getting hit, but I didn''t let him off the hook either. At the same time as he was hitting me, I was also hitting him." With every word Peter said, those present in the room didn''t know whether to be impressed by what the young man had managed to do against a non-imposing opponent or traumatized by the barbarity of the things Peter was telling them. The only people who didn''t like it at all were Natasha and Steve, who couldn''t believe that their friend had done something so bad. "But I have to agree on one thing: all the rumors about him were true. He really was all that and more; the guy was literally tough and completely ruthless. Every blow I hit him felt like I was hitting a concrete wall. But all good things are short-lived - and that''s a good thing, because if it hadn''t been for that, I certainly wouldn''t be alive today to tell this story. As we continued our frantic exchange of punches, one ended up hitting me straight on, and the punch was so hard that it threw me against a wall." Before Peter could continue his story, Sam interrupted him again. "And after that, did you pass out? Did he keep attacking you?" As soon as Sam threw that comment into the air, both Wanda, who had been worried about Peter, and Steve, who now wanted to know what his friend had done, fell silent. Chapter 98 - Concerns Because of Sam''s interruption, I ended up completely out of sorts. After Sam threw that comment into the air, everyone in the kitchen, who had been staring at him before, started to stare at me, as if they were trying to figure something out. Their penetrating, curious stares made me extremely uncomfortable, as if I were hiding something. My face started to heat up and I felt my hands getting sweaty. I didn''t know where to look, desperately trying to avoid eye contact, but it was impossible to ignore the sudden and intense attention that was now all on me. (Calm down, Peter.) I thought to myself as I let out a short sigh in an attempt to calm down so I could get back to the subject. "As I was saying, after I was punched, I almost fainted, but fortunately I didn''t lose consciousness. However, that brief moment I had to pull myself together turned out to be crucial, because the very moment I had turned around, he had already disappeared from my view - and that''s a good thing. Since that day, we''ve never seen each other again." As soon as I said those words to put a stop to the subject, something caught my attention: the look on their faces. While everyone was staring at me, somewhat impressed by what I had done, two people caught my attention. It turned out that these people''s expressions, rather than being elated by what I had just told them, were more concerned. Since I didn''t know, let alone have any idea, why there were such worried expressions on Natasha and Steve''s faces. I decided to just leave it alone and not worry about it anymore. *** After the heavy atmosphere that had settled in the air because of what Peter had said, no one was willing to say a single word until Sam, who could hardly ever read the atmosphere very well, noticed the heavy atmosphere this time and decided to keep quiet. However, among them, only one person hadn''t kept quiet and had the courage to speak up and say something, and that was Wanda''s brother, Pietro. "Man, you were really lucky." Pietro commented, looking at Peter, a little impressed by his feat. Not only did he not die, but he also managed to come out of the fight with an assassin alive. "Tell me about it! Even though I''ve done it a few times, I can never get used to it, especially when I get beaten up." If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. I responded to his comment while letting out a long sigh as I remembered the beating I had taken from the Winter Soldier that day. As soon as I said those words, the tense atmosphere that had been hanging in the air for a few minutes slowly began to dissolve. Some people even giggled at my misfortune, which was a relief as it helped to break the ice. However, before I could say anything else, I was abruptly interrupted by Steve''s voice. "Natt, I think I''ve forgotten something in the kitchen. Could you give me a hand?" Steve asked, glancing at Natasha, hoping that she would catch what he meant between the lines. As soon as Steve caught her eye, I watched her face carefully for a few minutes. I noticed a few beads of sweat slowly trickling down his face, indicating a slight anxiety. It was as if he was trying to hide something from us, his eyes shied away from direct contact and his hands trembled imperceptibly. The whole scene aroused my curiosity intensely, leaving me intrigued as to what he might be hiding. In response to what her friend had said, Natasha decided to join in and follow the flow of the conversation. "Sure, let''s see. I also think you''ve forgotten something on the stove." As soon as Natasha said those words, both she and Steve got up from their seats and headed for the kitchen. (Didn''t anyone else find that conversation between the two of them strange? Really? Am I the only one who sees that there''s more to it?) I thought to myself as I glanced at the two of them walking towards the kitchen. "What are they going to argue about?" I asked myself, still a little curious and a little worried about the captain''s rapid and unexpected change of mood. He had seemed so calm and controlled a moment before, and now he was visibly agitated. What could have caused this sudden transformation? I wondered what thoughts or feelings might be going through his mind at that moment. "It''s probably nothing that serious; otherwise, they''ll tell us something - I think." I decided to put it aside for the moment. It wasn''t the right time to worry about it. I felt I needed to focus on other things and solve this problem later. After all, sometimes the best solution is to take a step back and wait for the right time to act. *** Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Steve was visibly shaken, pacing back and forth. His hands were shaking slightly and he could barely concentrate. The sound of the clock on the wall seemed to increase his anxiety with every passing second. He stopped for a moment, took a deep breath and tried to calm his thoughts, but worry still dominated his mind. Natasha, trying to calm her friend down, put her hand on his shoulder. "Calm down, Steve. If you carry on like this, you''re going to make a hole in the floor." Natasha commented, managing to get her friend''s attention, who stopped and began to stare at her. After hearing what Natasha had said, Steve answered her with a slightly altered tone of voice, indicating his sheer displeasure at what he had just discovered. "How can you ask me to stay calm, Natasha? I just found out that my friend almost killed a child." "I know, Steve. I listened, but you also can''t forget that all this happened at a time when he was being controlled, so he didn''t know what he was doing either." Said Natasha, trying to minimize the mood of her friend, who went back to pacing, once again worried about the situation. Chapter 99 - The Weight of Responsibility "How can you be so sure of that, Natt? Who''s not going to tell me that Bucky was on some mission that day I met him?" Steve argued, still with a worried look on his face, as he went back to pacing back and forth. But when Natasha tried to calm him down, she was interrupted by Steve, who continued what he was saying. "I really want to believe that he was being controlled by Hydra, Natasha. However, I can''t rule out the possibility that he did it of his own free will. Peter is only a child and yet he went after him with the intention of killing him, and I can''t accept that at all." Said Steve, turning to face his friend. Only this time, instead of pacing back and forth, he remained motionless where he was, but put his hand to his forehead, clearly showing his concern. A million possibilities of what could have happened to Peter ran through his mind. After Steve said those words, Natasha let out a small sigh in response to what he had said. However, just as she was about to say something, Steve interrupted her again, as he had done a few minutes ago. "And there''s more Natt..." Steve started to speak, beginning what he had to say. However, before he continued, he paused briefly. "Just as I know, you''re also well aware that if that fight between them had gone on any longer than necessary, the outcome could have been very different, with Peter clearly at great risk of losing his life." As soon as Steve had finished saying those words, Natasha let out a deep sigh. However, this time, already anticipating that he might interrupt her again, she decided to be a little quicker than him. "Steve, I understand that you might think that, just because Peter has that slow face, he would easily lose to anyone. However, we mustn''t forget that the boy is also strong, and his actions speak for themselves. For example, he managed to take on the Hulk and it was quite a feat to come out unscathed. What''s more, we can''t overlook what he managed to do against Ultron and his robots. His help was crucial for us. Not to mention the fact that, in training, he managed to defeat Sam. Even after all that, do you still think he would have lost that fight against Bucky if it had gone the distance?" Natasha asked, staring at Steve as she told him about all the feats Peter had accomplished since the day he joined the complex. As soon as Natasha had said those words, Steve, still with a worried look on his face, took his hand away from his forehead and approached her. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. "I know that, Natasha, but we''re not talking about just anyone. This is the Winter Soldier we''re talking about, and he''s not just anyone. On the contrary, he''s undergone intense training and, to top it all off, they''ve experimented on him, which has made him even stronger. We mustn''t forget that Maximoff said he was considered a killing machine back in the day." After Steve said those words, Natasha, still incredulous that her friend wasn''t recognizing Peter''s achievements up to that point, decided it was time to change the image Steve had of him in his mind once and for all. Natasha, determined, thought back to all the moments when Peter had shown courage and skill, recalling every detail to convince Steve. She knew she had to be persuasive and highlight the qualities that made Peter a true hero. With this in mind, Natasha took a deep breath and prepared herself for the conversation that could change Steve''s mind about Peter. "Steve, I know you don''t have much confidence in the boy for difficult missions, but you have to agree with me on one thing: Peter has the ability and potential to defeat all of us here in the complex if he wanted to." As soon as Natt said those words, Steve almost burst out laughing, still disbelieving what his friend had said. "Natt, I know the boy is strong, but he''s not that strong either. Even we''ve been through hard times when we only got out alive through sheer luck." Natasha crossed her arms, her gaze firmly directed at her friend. "No, Steve, I''m not exaggerating, and you know that. The only problem is that you don''t want to admit it, simple as that." Replied Natasha as she pointed her index finger at Steve. "You may think that what the boy has is bravery, Steve. But Peter has something that few others have: he doesn''t give up, no matter how difficult the situation." Steve frowned. "I''m not questioning his determination, Natt. But you saw what happened when he tried to take on Bucky. That was a disaster. He could have been seriously injured, or maybe even worse, he could even have died." Natasha nodded, acknowledging Steve''s point, but still determined to stand up for what she believed in. "I know that. But that''s exactly why we need to give him a chance to grow up and prove his worth. If we keep treating him only as a rookie, we''ll never see the full potential he can offer." Steve looked at Natasha, his expression slowly changing as he reflected on her words. "Maybe... maybe I underestimated him. But that doesn''t change the fact that he''s still just an inexperienced child." Natasha gave a slight smile, knowing that she had made some progress. "We all start with no experience, Steve. And Peter is no different; he just needs a chance to prove he''s ready. And believe me, he''s already done more than enough to deserve that chance." As soon as Steve heard Natasha''s words, he let out a sigh and managed to calm down a little. "I kind of understand your point of view, Natt. But do you realize that Peter ended up going on a suicide mission when he met up with Bucky?" Steve asked, staring at his friend. Natasha, using the same tone Steve had used, answered him. "I know that, Steve. And I also know that no one more than the two of us knows that facing the Winter Soldier is asking to be killed. It''s different from the others who wouldn''t even think twice before running away. Peter, by trying to stop him even though he knew he had no chance of winning, only proves two things: either that he''s incredibly stupid or that he''s willing to do anything possible to protect the city, even if it ends up costing him his life." Chapter 100 - The timekeepers Steve let out a deep sigh, his shoulders slumping slightly as he processed Natasha''s words. He knew she was right, but accepting it was another matter. "It''s hard, Natt. I see so much of myself in him... this need to protect others, to put everyone before himself. But I also know the price it takes. I don''t want him to go through that." As soon as Natasha heard Steve''s words, a small, sincere smile formed on her lips. "He''s already going through it, Steve. And you''re the best person to guide him on that path. Show him how to do it the right way, without losing his head or his heart. Teach him what you''ve learned over the years. But above all, trust him." Steve looked at Natasha, finally allowing a small smile to escape. "You have a way of making everything seem easier than it is, you know that?" As soon as he said those words, his countenance changed again. "I just hope you''re right and that he doesn''t turn against us." After Steve had said those words, staring at her friend, she simply shrugged, keeping a playful smile on her face. "To answer your question, I just try to do what I think is the right thing, but that doesn''t mean it''s not difficult. Sometimes, though, the right thing to do is the hardest, and even if he deviates a little from that path, it doesn''t mean he''ll be against us. And don''t worry; I''m making sure that doesn''t happen." "So, what are we going to do now?" Steve asked, finally breaking the silence that had set in after Natt said those words. His eyes, always serious and attentive, were focused on Natasha, waiting for an answer. As soon as Steve asked that question, Natasha took a deep breath, running her hand through her short curly hair - a gesture she always made when she was thinking or had to make a particularly difficult decision. "We need to think about their training, both Peter''s and the Maximoff brothers''." Natasha replied, her voice calm but reflecting the seriousness of what was to come. "They have great potential to become great heroes. However, they still need guidance. What we do now will determine their future... and perhaps ours too." Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! While Steve and Natasha discussed a viable training plan for the new heroes. Somewhere unknown and far away, two mysterious figures were kneeling in humility and respect before three imposing entities. These entities, majestic and almost ethereal in appearance, were sitting on chairs that floated a few centimeters off the ground. The kneeling figures kept their heads down in reverence and submission, aware that they were in the presence of forces far beyond their comprehension. As the timekeepers weren''t saying anything, and it didn''t look like they were going to say anything, one of those mysterious figures who had previously had his head down raised it and, in a serious manner, spoke for the first time since he had entered the place. "I apologize in advance for the disrespectful way I''m going to speak now, but we have to reset that timeline as soon as possible. After all, every event they''ve been through on that line is creating a different branch and that could end up being harmful in the long run." Said a brown woman, also kneeling next to the other mysterious figure. As soon as that woman said those words, the entity that was centered in the middle made an almost imperceptible gesture with one of its hands. It was a movement that seemed to shift time; after making that gesture, her voice could be heard for the first time. "I understand your concerns, B-15, but there''s nothing we can do at the moment. The flow of events in that timeline is proceeding as expected." As soon as the entity had given its answer to the woman''s doubts, it was the turn of the man next to her to speak up as well. "Since we can''t reset that timeline, then we have to at least prune those variants before they do something worse and end up destabilizing the sacred timeline." Said the man standing next to the woman known as B-15, known as Mobius. As soon as Mobius and B-15 had said those words, it was the second entity''s turn to say something. "Do you understand the implications of what you''re asking? Resetting a timeline is not a decision to be taken lightly. Every choice, every event, has its weight and influence. There are consequences that go beyond what you can measure." The brown woman, maintaining her posture of reverence, answered firmly, without flinching. "We understand the risks, but the fragmentation that is taking place is dangerous. If we don''t act now, the future ramifications could become uncontrollable. The balance needs to be restored, and we have a limited window in which to act." The first entity looked at B-15 and Mobius, its gaze crossing the space with an almost tangible intensity. "What is the specific nature of these variants that are making you prune them so much? Is there any data to indicate that they are an imminent threat? We need to understand the gravity of this situation before we act in a desperate manner." After hearing what the first entity said, Mobius decided to respond. "The problem here is not that they are some kinds of threat, but that they are starting some kind of romance, and that this has never happened in any timeline before. It''s kind of creating various ramifications in the sacred timeline, and that could end up destroying the line in the future." As soon as the entities heard this, they became a little curious as to who they were talking about. The first entity, with an expression that mixed curiosity and perplexity, asked: "Hang on, let me get this straight. You''re causing all this chaos because of a simple romance? We don''t want to believe that you called us here for something so small. But since you''ve made all this fuss and we''re already here, what are the variants involved?" Chapter 101 - The One Who Stays The entity that was centered in the middle waited patiently for an answer, its expression indifferent and at the same time impossible to describe. Mobius exchanged a quick glance with B-15, who nodded slightly, encouraging him to continue. "These variants... that we''re talking about are from the 616 universes. To be more specific, they''re the Peter Parker and Wanda Maximoff variants." Mobius finally revealed. "As far as I can see, in no timeline do they stay together, so that must be what''s creating this instability in the timelines. The problem is that if they stay together, the ramifications could be catastrophic." As soon as Mobius said those names, the timekeepers looked at each other. Even though their expressions, though indecipherable, denoted a rare and almost imperceptible unease. It was as if the mere mention of those names had awakened something ancient, a kind of memory. Before Mobius or B-15 could say anything else, they were interrupted by another of the entities. "I apologize, but those two are not in our jurisdiction. We''ll have to contact the one that remains; as soon as we have an answer, we''ll come back and answer your questions." Said the third and final entity who, since the beginning of the conversation, had remained quiet. As soon as the guardian had said these words, Mobius made the gesture of getting up from the floor, followed by B-15. "With your permission, can we leave?" Mobius asked, but received no response from the guardians; they simply nodded, allowing them to leave. After that, outside the room, he turned to the soldier and, with a tired sigh, commented. "Looks like we won''t be solving the case of these variants any time soon." B-15, clearly curious about the guardians'' lack of concern, decided to tell Mobius what she was thinking. "I don''t know why, but I don''t think they care one bit that those two are destroying the sacred line." Said B-15, referring to the fact that the Guardians weren''t the least bit concerned that what Peter and Wanda were creating was destroying and creating other timelines. "And there''s more: what did they mean when they said that the two aren''t in their jurisdiction? Is there some internal division that we don''t know about? And this ''He Who Remains''... who is he exactly? A secret code among the guardians, perhaps?" This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. B-15, unable to stand his curiosity any longer, ended up asking Mobius a lot of questions, and he hesitated for a moment. But after a few minutes of staring at the ground, he decided to say something. "It''s hard to say. ''The One Who Remains'' could be someone or something above them, and since we don''t have any clues, let alone know what or who this person is, it''s a bit difficult to know what we''re going to do." B-15 looked increasingly frustrated. She clenched her fists and asked: "So, we''re just here to watch and wait? There''s nothing we can do?" Mobius let out a long, tired sigh. "I only know one thing: if I knew the answers to all these questions, I certainly wouldn''t be here wasting time or perhaps I wouldn''t have some better idea of what to do in this situation. But the fact is that we''re dealing with something much bigger than ourselves. The only thing we can do now is move on and try to understand what''s going on, and only then can we try to solve this problem." He paused, looking at B-15 with an understanding gaze. "I understand that this is frustrating. I too would like to have all the answers. But for now, we need to focus on what we can control." B-15 looked at him, with a mixture of doubt and determination in his eyes. "What if this ''entity'' they mentioned is manipulating everything in a way that we don''t even realize?" B-15 asked, throwing that doubt into the air. Mobius, after hearing what B-15 said, shook his head with a resigned expression on his face. "If that''s the case, we don''t have much choice but to play the game as it should be played. But that doesn''t mean we''re going to give up on finding the answers." B-15 frowned, visibly irritated. "Play the game?" B-15 asked, repeating what Mobius had said, but with a hint of incredulity in his tone. "We''re talking about someone or something that could be controlling every step we take, every thought we have. And you just want to carry on as if it were just another mission?" After B-15 said those words, Mobius, who had previously been preparing to leave, stopped for a moment. "I kind of understand your frustrations, B-15. But what are you suggesting? That we stop doing our jobs to go after an entity that we don''t even know exists?" As soon as Mobius said those words, B-15 was at a loss for words and remained silent for a moment. Meanwhile, Mobius began to walk away, disappearing down the corridor. B-15 stayed behind, his mind still revolving around the unanswered questions, his gaze fixed in the direction where Mobius had disappeared. After Mobius disappeared down the corridor, the only person left standing there was B-15. "As if that wasn''t enough." B-15 muttered to herself in a bitter voice. "Now we have to deal with this mysterious ''entity'' that may be manipulating everything behind the scenes." After whispering those words, B-15 also disappeared down the corridor. *** As Steve and Natasha were taking a long time in the kitchen, I decided to go and see if they needed any help or anything. As I approached the door, I heard a conversation that caught my attention. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DOOR "I just hope you''re right and that he doesn''t turn against us." Steve commented with a slightly skeptical tone from the other side of the door. In response, Natasha let out a small sigh and in a calm voice replied. "You don''t have to worry about that..." As soon as she had said those words, Natasha paused for a moment before continuing. "I''m already making sure that doesn''t happen. Trust me, he''ll understand." Chapter 102 - Hidden Motives (I wonder who they were talking about? From what little I could hear; they were certainly talking about us). I thought to myself as I tried to understand what was going on inside. At that moment, you approach the kitchen door, trying to hear more about what''s going on. Just as you''re about to knock on the door, you hear footsteps approaching and decide to leave to avoid embarrassment. "I think I''d better get out of here before they see me and there''s a strange atmosphere in the air because I heard something I shouldn''t have." As soon as I''d whispered those words to myself, I went back to the dining table, where the others were chatting and laughing. Sam, who was sitting next to me, noticed my return and called out to me. "Parker, didn''t you go into the kitchen to call Steve and Natasha? Where are they?" Sam asked with a confused look on his face as he stared at me. "They''re on their way." I answered calmly and objectively. After I said those words, I could kind of see Sam frowning. "Is everything all right, really?" Sam asked, looking at me again. "You seem a bit.... distracted." As soon as I realized what he was getting at, I tried to look calmer. "I''m fine, nothing happened. I''m just thinking about some things, no big deal." Just as I said those words, Steve and Natasha entered the room. They both tried to look relaxed, but their expressions didn''t go unnoticed by me. I already knew that something was going on, but I decided to put it aside for a moment. Since everyone else at the table wasn''t noticing the tense atmosphere in the air, it was up to Natasha, the only person who had noticed, to deal with the situation. "I just hope the noodles haven''t gone cold." As soon as Natasha threw that bait in the air, she just waited for someone to hook it so that her plan could work. And as if by magic, Rhode, who hadn''t even noticed what was going on around him apart from falling for Natt''s plan, managed to dispel the bad atmosphere without even realizing it. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "You don''t have to worry about that, the noodles are still hot." Rhode said calmly and sincerely, not realizing that he had just done exactly what Natasha wanted him to do. The conversation at the table moved on, but that strange atmosphere still continued. However, this time no one did anything; when someone was going to say something, it was only to praise the food and nothing more. SOME TIME LATER When everyone around the table had finished their meals, one after the other, they got up and headed for the sink. Each one carefully deposited their plates and cutlery in the sink. The atmosphere was filled with the soft, discreet rustling of utensils. After everyone had returned to their places at the table, Sam, who had remained silent until then, raised his eyes and, in an introverted, almost hesitant way, asked a question that broke the momentary silence. "Sorry to ask, but who''s going to do the dishes?" As soon as Sam asked that question, the room fell silent for a moment, all eyes turning to Rhode, who was standing near the sink. He glanced back, an expression of discomfort crossing his face. "I only know one thing: I''m out." Rhode replied with a determined tone, raising his hands in surrender. After Rhode made that comment, an expectant silence overtook the group. Everyone began to stare at Pietro, who already seemed to have a clear idea of what was going on. With a determined countenance and an expression that indicated he was aware of the situation; Pietro took the initiative. Knowing exactly what they were discussing and anticipating the possible escalation of the situation, he intervened before anyone could ask any questions. "There''s no point in even looking at me, my answer will be no." As soon as I realized that, despite several attempts and suggestions, no one was willing to volunteer to do the dishes, a feeling of frustration began to settle over me. The piles of dirty dishes and utensils were piling up in the sink, and the awkward silence about who should resolve the situation was palpable. With a long sigh, I decide to take the initiative. "If no one has any objections, I can do the dishes myself." The group was silent for a moment, surprised by my willingness. Natasha was the first to break the silence. "Are you sure, Peter? Are you willing to do this?" With a sincere smile on my face, I answered Natasha''s question as naturally as I could. "You can leave everything to me. After all, this is the least I can do for you who made all this lunch for me and also for having welcomed me so well here at the Complex." Sam, who was standing next to me, raised an eyebrow and gave Natasha an approving look. "See, the new guy offered, so let him do it. Besides, it''s a good way to show that he''s here to help." Natasha still looked hesitant, but a slight smile began to appear on her face. "Well, if you insist... There''s nothing I can do." As soon as Natt said those words, Sam, who was standing next to me, came a little closer and patted me on the back. "If you need help, just call. But for now, it looks like you''ve got the situation under control." With a grateful smile on my face, I started towards the sink. However, before I could do so, I was interrupted by Wanda, who caught my eye. "Do you want me to help you?" Wanda asked a little shyly. As soon as she asked me that question, I took a quick glance at the sink and quickly turned my attention back to her. "I don''t have to..." But before I could finish my sentence, she interrupted me, probably already knowing what I was going to say. "I know, I know. You''re going to tell me that you can manage on your own. But honestly, I don''t see why you should do it alone. Besides, it''ll go faster if we do it together." Chapter 103 - Helping each other As soon as Wanda said those words, I was a little surprised. After all, she had always been very reserved and, more often than not, rather shy when it came to expressing her own thoughts. Her eyes met mine, and I could see a slight determination there that rarely appeared. She was nervous, I could feel it, but she was still forcing herself to take this step. It left me feeling disconcerted and, at the same time, a little relieved. "Wanda..." I began, trying to find the right words, but I didn''t know exactly what to say. "I just don''t want to burden you with a task that I should be doing myself." "Peter, I don''t mind..." Wanda said, responding to my comment, as she took a step closer to me. "And I already told you that I would help you. After all, it''s not fair that you have to do all this on your own just because you''re new to the complex." Natasha, noticing the small effort Wanda had made to try and get a little closer to Peter, decided not to intervene and, as she stared at them, gave a slight nod, as if telling herself that it was the right decision to make in that situation. "Well..." Natasha said in a relaxed tone, breaking the silence that had settled in. "I think two pairs of hands are much better than one." As soon as Natasha said those words, she was about to say something else. However, before she could do so, she was interrupted by Sam. "So, it''s decided: we''ll leave the dishes to you two." As soon as Sam said those words, he didn''t stay in the kitchen for another second and then left, leaving only me, Wanda, Pietro and Natasha, who was already on her way out. Natasha still had some doubts about leaving the two of them alone down there, but she put that thought aside when she saw the look on Wanda''s face. After that, she didn''t say anything else; the only thing I could hear coming out of her mouth almost imperceptibly were the following words: ''good luck''. But I didn''t really understand who she was saying it to. As soon as she whispered that, she too left the kitchen, leaving only me, Wanda and her brother, who was glancing at me with a less than friendly expression. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. I didn''t really understand why, but I could tell that Pietro didn''t like the closeness his sister and I were having. For a moment, I even thought it was just something in my head, but when he said goodbye to Wanda quickly, without prolonging the conversation and without even talking to me, I realized. (That''s all I needed...) I thought to myself as I turned towards the sink where the dishes were. As soon as I did that, I could feel the atmosphere, which a few seconds ago had been a bit heavy, getting calmer. "Wanda, if anything happens, just call me and I''ll come running over. Understand?" Pietro said, staring at his sister, his message short and to the point, but without a hint of rudeness in his words. As last time, Wanda had answered her brother, this time she decided not to say anything and just nodded, confirming that she had understood his message. As soon as Pietro received his sister''s confirmation, he turned and left the kitchen too, leaving just Wanda and me there to wash the dishes. Seeing that, I couldn''t help but get lost in a single thought that was running through my mind because of the situation. (Crazy, I have to be honest: I''ve never seen a person as protective as this guy). "He cares about me a lot." Said Wanda, breaking the silence that had settled between us. However, there was a hint of apology in her words, as if she wanted to justify her brother''s rude attitude towards me. "I realized." I replied, trying to keep my tone light, but my voice ended up coming out lower than I expected. "It''s nice to have someone who cares like that." As soon as I said those words, I tried to push the intrusive thought out of my mind by shaking my head slightly, a gesture that Wanda noticed. However, she remained completely silent. "What do you say we do the organization like this: I''ll wash the dishes while you dry them. Is that all right?" I asked as I glanced at her, doing my best to avoid eye contact. As soon as I made that suggestion to her, I noticed a subtle movement at the corners of her lips, which slowly curved into a slight smile. The smile was so discreet that it seemed imperceptible. Her eyes sparkled for a moment, but the expression on her face didn''t clearly reveal whether the smile was one of joy or shyness. "That may be." Wanda replied in a softer tone, picking up a cloth to start drying the dishes. The atmosphere between us had lightened. However, there was still a feeling of something unsaid in the air. I was right in my deduction. As soon as I turned around and started washing the dishes, I could feel the tension in the air. Wanda, who until then had been silent, drying and putting away the dishes, turned to me. I was still on my back, but I could feel her eyes fixed on me. She broke the awkward silence that hung in the kitchen. "Peter." Wanda whispered almost imperceptibly, but I heard her clearly. As soon as I heard her call my name, I stopped what I was doing for a moment, my fingers still dipped in the suds. I pulled a plate out of the water with a slow movement. "What''s wrong?" I asked, trying to hide the tremor in my voice. "Can I ask you a question?" Wanda insisted, still with that soft tone, but loaded with a curiosity that was hard to hide. I let the plate slide back into the water, the bubbling sound of foam filling the space between us. "Of course, you can ask." I replied, trying to stay calm, even though my heart was racing. Chapter 104 - A little closer Although I didn''t know exactly what words she was going to say to me, I had a clear idea of what the subject was about. At least, that''s what I thought. As soon as I confirmed that she could ask me the question, she looked at me, still shyly. "Why were you acting so strangely after training today?" Wanda asked sincerely as she stared at me. I hesitated before answering, feeling the weight of her words. I knew that, in a way, this was the question I was dreading the most. She didn''t need to say any more for me to understand that she had noticed my unease, my discomfort. "I..." I began, but soon realized that my voice had failed me. I took a deep breath, trying to organize my thoughts before continuing. "I don''t know why, but when you fell and Vision came to help you, I... kind of..." Wanda tilted her head, her eyes showing a mixture of curiosity and concern. "You what?" Wanda insisted, wanting to know what Peter had felt at that moment when he saw Vision helping her up from the floor at their training session this morning. "I was bothered by that closeness between you two, Wanda. After all, you''re the only friend I have in here, so the fear of losing you and ending up alone here in this giant complex ended up speaking louder." As soon as I''d finished venting, Wanda stared at me for a few seconds. From the look on her face, I could tell that she was moved by what I had just said. It was very likely that she also felt the same fear of being alone that I was feeling. But at that moment, the difference between us was that she still had her brother around, while I had no one in the complex. I was, in fact, completely alone there. After I said that, Wanda, noticing my discomfort, tried to comfort me. "Peter, I didn''t know you felt this way and I don''t know what to say..." Before she could finish, I interrupted her. "Don''t worry, Wanda. I didn''t want to make you uncomfortable with such a silly scare. And you''re probably now thinking I''m a fool for worrying about such things." I finished saying that while staring at her and, at the same time, giving a small smile that, although sincere, also revealed a little of my discomfort at that moment. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. As soon as she heard what I had said, it seemed that Wanda was trying to absorb my words. In response, she gave me back the same sincere smile I had just offered her. "I''m not going to lie to you: sometimes, I even think you can be a bit silly, Peter. However, I think that''s what makes you so special. That''s probably why we like you so much. Your naive and mischievous personality helps you in some way. And it doesn''t stop there: you''re also not inconvenient like Stark, and even less overbearing like Steve and Natasha. If I could define you in one word, it would surely be that you have the ''perfect balance'' to make anyone who gets close to you feel good." As soon as I heard those words come out of Wanda''s mouth, I''m not going to lie and say that I wasn''t a little taken aback by it all, because I''d be lying to myself. But what could I do? It was the first time anyone had complimented me and, above all, highlighted my qualities. Of course, I had MJ, who did that all the time, but that''s beside the point. What I want to say is that, for the first time, someone I ''might'' have something for has just complimented me, and that, while good, is also strange. I tried to summon up all my courage to respond to what she had said in a firm, determined voice. However, as soon as I opened my mouth, I felt a nervousness rise up inside me like a wave pulling me down, suffocating the words I wanted to say. My heart was pounding, and no matter how hard I tried to control it, all that came out was a fragile and simple ¡°thank you¡±. That word sounded so small in the face of what I really wanted to express, but at that moment, it was all I could manage. After that, both she and I didn''t dare say a word. The silence, which had previously been bearable, had become oppressive, and it was beginning to feel awkward. Feeling the weight of embarrassment, I tried to do the most obvious thing that came to mind. "I think we''d better finish this before it gets any later." In response to what I had said, Wanda didn''t answer me anymore. She just nodded, indicating that she had understood what I had said. SOME TIME LATER We had finally finished washing and drying all the dishes. Each of us was trapped in our own thoughts. The silence that had settled between us was strange, as if there was something unspoken hanging in the air, something we both felt, but no one dared to put into words. (Now all that''s left to do is put the plates and cutlery away). I thought to myself as I stretched. As I''d done most of the washing up, Wanda felt she hadn''t helped me enough and decided to put the plates and cutlery away herself. Seeing this, I tried to offer my help. "Would you like a hand?" I asked, trying to offer my help to relieve some of the tension that still hung between us. "I can manage, okay?" Wanda replied with a tone that seemed to mix a little exasperation and a slight smile. As soon as she said that, I tried to respond in almost the same tone of voice she had used. "Okay. If you''re saying..." I retorted, almost in the same tone, trying to hide the slight disappointment I felt when I realized that she wanted to keep her distance. After rejecting Peter''s help, Wanda was putting away all the dishes until she ended up bending over a little to pick up a plate that was on the table. However, she ended up losing her balance and almost falling over. However, in one swift movement, Peter grabs her by the waist with one hand, pulling her close to him. With his other hand, he manages to hold on to the plates that were wobbling in his hand, but he holds them firmly, without letting any of them fall. Chapter 105 - Learning day For a brief second, we were in that position, so close that we could almost feel each other''s breathing, trapped in an instant that seemed to last much longer than it actually did. because we were so close, I could feel the warmth of her waist under my hand. "Are you all right?" I asked in a low voice, my concern genuine, but my tone almost playful, as I tried to lighten the awkward mood that had hung in the air. "I''m fine, I just lost my balance. Thank you." Wanda replied, her voice soft and almost vulnerable. She looked away for a moment, as if she didn''t know how to deal with the sudden closeness. As soon as I noticed the discomfort on her face, I put her down. But before I could say anything, we were interrupted by a voice coming from the kitchen. However, my senses were a little altered by the situation, so I couldn''t perceive the approaching presence with my Spidey-sense. "Am I disturbing something?" asked the mysterious voice, laden with a slight irony, as it approached us. As soon as we turned around to see whose voice it was, we discovered that it was Natasha, who was standing in the kitchen doorway, staring at us with a little smile on her lip. "No, we were just... talking." I tried to explain, although the words sounded empty even to me. Wanda still looked a little shaken, but she recovered quickly, assuming a neutral expression as she moved a little away from me. Natasha raised an eyebrow, still with that smile on her lips. "Sure, chatting." Natasha said, in a mischievous tone, as she stared at us. (Shit, from the look on her face, she must not believe a word I''m saying.) I thought to myself as I tried to find a plausible way out of the awkward situation. Still not believing a word I was saying, Natasha crossed her arms and, with a defiant look on her face, turned from me to Wanda and back again. "If you need a more private moment, I can leave you two alone." Realizing that my advances weren''t working, Wanda tried to help me resolve the misunderstanding. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. "There''s no need to leave." Wanda said, trying to sound calm, but her voice betrayed a hint of nervousness. "What Peter is saying is true, nothing happened. I just slipped and he held me so I wouldn''t fall with the plates, that''s all." As soon as Wanda said that, I could tell by the look on Natasha''s face that she still didn''t believe a word of it. However, as if it were divine help, for some reason that I didn''t know, she decided to change the subject. "Tell you what: I''ll pretend I believe you weren''t doing anything and, to help me, you''ll forget it ever happened. What do you think?" Natasha asked with a wry smile on her lips as she winked in our direction. As soon as Natasha said that, both Wanda and I glanced at each other, and probably came to the same conclusion. But before I could say anything, she interrupted me. "So that''s all settled. Anyway, let''s get down to business. You''re probably wondering what I''m doing down here at this time of night, and the answer to that question is very simple: tomorrow you''re going to start a new training program. To be more specific, the three of you will be training." Said Natasha, emphasizing that ending while looking at me and Wanda, and at the same time referring to her brother. When I realized that I had the perfect chance to change the subject, I didn''t hesitate for an instant. It was an opportunity I couldn''t pass up; the timing was perfect and the conversation had already drifted onto a less personal subject. So, with a clear idea in mind, I threw myself into it, determined to redirect the conversation to something more interesting and comfortable for all of us. "What time will be training start?" Wanda, realizing what I was getting at, decided to help me. "Yes, what time?" Natasha, who was no fool, with a calculating look, understood our attempt to escape from the previous conversation. However, she decided not to intervene and continued following the new flow of conversation. She quickly checked her wristwatch, as if she had only just considered the time. "Your training will start early, at 6am. And don''t worry, it''ll be pretty intense." Natasha replied, her tone a mixture of seriousness and a hint of teasing. "Oh, and before I forget..." Natasha continued, now more firmly. "Be here in the kitchen at 5 o''clock in the morning and, if you''re unfortunate enough to be even a second late, you''ll be punished and have to pay for 200 push-ups. If you complain, you''ll do 400. Are we clear?" As soon as I heard what Natt said, I couldn''t hide my displeasure and I let out a small sigh of tiredness, already knowing that the next day was going to be a long one. As neither I nor Wanda answered the question Natasha had asked. With a serious expression, she ended up asking the same question again. This time, however, she was staring at us. "Are we clear?" Natasha asked, now looking at us a little more seriously. In response to what she had said, I simply saluted and, with a hint of sarcasm in my voice, answered her question. "Yes, Professor Romanoff." As soon as I said it, I couldn''t help but see Wanda''s immediate reaction. She couldn''t contain her laughter and ended up letting out a light, amused laugh, which echoed through the kitchen. Her smile, previously restrained, now widened visibly, as if my response had been a welcome relief to the tense atmosphere there. Natasha''s reaction, however, turned out to be completely different. While Wanda was amused by my sarcastic tone, I saw Natasha frown and narrow her eyes, clearly annoyed and not liking my comment at all. "Very funny, Mr. Parker. I just want to see if you''re going to continue with that tone tomorrow, when I knock you down in that ring." Natasha commented as she stared at me with a smile that sent a chill down my spine. Chapter 106 - Motivation to continue As soon as Natasha said those words, silence took over the kitchen again. Realizing that no one was going to say anything else, she turned and prepared to leave. But before she left, she gave me one last look, as if to say: ''Tomorrow you''ll see what suffering is''. And left the kitchen. (I''m fucked, she''s going to kill me tomorrow.) I thought to myself, already giving up on having made that comment. Wanda, still with a smile on her face, finally turned to me. "I''m sorry to say this, but sometimes I really don''t know if you''re just brave or if you''re too dumb. I think you''d better get ready." Just as we were beginning to relax, believing that we were finally alone and could rest, Natasha put her face to the door and, proving that she hadn''t forgotten what she''d seen when she entered the kitchen, decided to come back just to tease us some more. "I almost forgot, don''t do anything I wouldn''t do, lovebirds." As soon as Natasha said that, the embarrassment hit Wanda hard. Her face turned as red as a tomato, and she ducked her head, trying to hide her flushed face. However, before we could say anything, Natasha didn''t even give us a chance and disappeared again. (I don''t know why, but I get the feeling she''s enjoying doing this). I thought to myself, glancing at Wanda, who was still a little put out. Because of that comment Natasha had said, the awkward atmosphere that had dissipated had returned. I could feel the tension growing by the second, and the way Wanda avoided making eye contact only reinforced this discomfort. However, as neither I nor she were prepared to say anything, a suffocating silence settled over the kitchen. In order to break the ice, I decided to start the conversation myself. "Well, I think I''d better get ready for tomorrow. From what I can tell, she''s not going to make my training any easier, and from the looks of it, she''s certainly going to rip my hide off." I commented to myself, letting out a light laugh that, to the outside eye, would seem carefree. Inside, however, I was worried about what she was going to do to me tomorrow. After all, it was easier to laugh than to cry. As soon as I said that, I realized that the mood had changed a little. This was confirmed when Wanda responded to my comment. Even though she still looked a little embarrassed, her expression began to soften as soon as I said it. She let out a small smile, although she was still clearly embarrassed. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. "Compared to me, you''ll do very well in training." Wanda commented, changing her tone from cheerful to one of despondency, as she made her way to the counter that separated the kitchen from the living room. As soon as she approached the counter, Wanda sat down facing me. Her gaze, laden with a gloomy, restless expression, never wavered from me. "Peter, do you know why I know you''ll do well in training tomorrow?" Wanda asked, still staring at me. However, she didn''t let me answer that question and went on with what she was saying. "Simple: unlike you, who doesn''t depend on your powers, I''m the complete opposite. I need mine to be able to do anything. And the worst thing is when they get out of control; either I can''t do anything, or I do what I didn''t want to do, like failing to save anyone." At that moment I decided not to say anything and just serve as a friend listening to all her frustrations. She turned to me, her eyes still full of frustration and sadness. "I''ve done everything to try to adapt, I''ve even tried to find a balance, but it''s as if every step I take forward is a step backwards. And when I see you, able to do almost everything, without relying on your powers, it makes me wonder if I''m really following the right path." When she finished speaking, it was the moment I thought was right to say something. "Wanda, your powers don''t define who you are. It''s not what you can do that defines you, but what you do with it. And as hard as it is, we all face our own battles. I don''t know if what I''m going to tell you now will do any good. But the night my uncle died; he said a word to me that I''ll never forget." A little puzzled by what I had said, Wanda looked at me again. However, this time, instead of her expression being one of frustration, as before, it changed to curiosity. "He told me that if I had powers, I could make a difference. After all, with great powers also come great responsibilities." As soon as I said that, a brief silence came over the room, as if Wanda had felt the weight of my words. And from the new sparkle in her eyes, it seemed that I was right. "Yeah, maybe you''re right." Wanda said, getting up from the counter in her softest voice and walking towards me. After getting close to me, she takes my hand and, with a smile on her face, says. "Shall we?" Because she was holding my hand and had asked that word out of the blue, I was a little confused. "Go where?" I asked with the greatest sincerity in the world, not really knowing what she had said. As soon as I said it, Wanda couldn''t help herself and let out a light laugh. "What? Did I say something funny?" I asked again, not understanding why she was laughing. Wanda, still laughing, shook her head with an air of amusement. "What do you mean, where are we going, Peter? Do you know what time it is? Of course it''s to go to sleep, right?" Wanda replied, still laughing at my face. "I''d forgotten that little detail." I commented as I looked at her and then turned towards the clock on the wall. (Come on, did we really get all that down here?) I thought to myself, unable to believe how much time we''d wasted doing the dishes. Chapter 107 - A simple gesture After I had confirmed that I had understood what she had said, I felt Wanda give my hand a gentle tug, as if to guide me into the hallway. However, before moving on, she stopped and gave a command for the kitchen lights to go out. "Friday, turn off the kitchen lights, please." Wanda ordered, giving the command for the artificial intelligence that Tony had programmed in the house to do the deed. As soon as Wanda said those words, she received no response, but the lights went out immediately afterwards, indicating that the artificial intelligence had listened to her command. Because of the short space of time in which nothing had happened, I could sense a slight discomfort forming in the air. Wanda had probably been put off by the whole thing. To break the mood, I decided to be a little softer and more playful in my comment. "I think I''m going to have to get used to all this automation that Tony has put in the complex." As soon as those words left my mouth, I noticed a slight smile forming on Wanda''s lips. Somehow, my plan had worked. "It''s still strange for me too, but I think you''ll get used to it over time." Wanda murmured, squeezing my hand a little tighter. After Wanda said that, we started walking towards the elevator, and I could see that she was a little more relaxed. As we moved down the dark corridor, only the soft LED lights on the floor illuminated our way to the elevator. "It''s been quite a busy day for me today. Without even realizing it, I ended up walking about eight times." I began, trying to keep the conversation light, hoping to get a laugh out of her. And as it turned out, my grand plan had worked, because as soon as I said it, she gave a soft, cute laugh and then turned to me and replied to my comment. "I''d almost forgotten why I liked you so much...." Wanda had whispered those words to herself. However, as she was a bit disconnected at the time, what she swore was only going on in her head ended up being revealed to me. From the look on her face, she hadn''t even noticed what she had just said. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. To outsiders, it looked more like a confession than anything else. (What happened to Wanda during the time we didn''t see each other?) I asked myself, really surprised by the words I had just heard. Before I could say anything - like a thank you or something - I was interrupted by Wanda, who seemed to have something else to say. "You, in some way that I can''t explain, manage to lift the spirits of everyone around you." As soon as Wanda said those words totally directed at me, I''m not going to lie and say I didn''t feel anything, but I was a little embarrassed by it. After all, her words were full of sincerity and affection. I felt a blush creep up my cheeks, a little embarrassed. "Thank you, I don''t even know what to say." I said, rubbing my hand behind my head awkwardly. Wanda smiled again, and I could see the softness in her eyes. The silence that followed was comfortable, filled only by the soft sound of the elevator descending. "Hurry up, elevator." I thought to myself as I waited impatiently for the elevator to descend. As soon as the elevator reached the floor we were on, we entered it and, from that moment on, an awkward silence took over the room. This silence only dissipated when the elevator stopped at the floor of our rooms. When the elevator stopped and we both got out, we headed towards our rooms. However, the ride from the elevator to our rooms was silent. I didn''t want the evening to end in such a tense atmosphere that it felt more like we''d had a fight. So, I decided to turn the tables and break the ice by being as comical and funny as I could be at the time. "How good it is to be home again." I commented, making a little face as I smoothed my door. Wanda let out a soft laugh when she saw my funny scene with the door. She seemed more at ease now, the smile on her face revealing a little relief. "You always know how to make things seem lighter." Wanda said, as you saw the sparkle in her eyes become more evident. "Thanks, I just try to do my best." I replied, giving her a slight smile. "So... I guess that''s it, huh? Madame has been safely delivered. See you tomorrow." As soon as I said those words, I was about to enter my room. However, before I could do so, I was caught by surprise by Wanda''s hand, which pulled me away. When I turned around, I was again taken by surprise, but this time by a kiss that Wanda ended up giving me on the cheek. This left me feeling completely awkward and not knowing what to do, let alone what was going on. After all, it was new to me. At that moment, the world seemed to have slowed down, and I was completely dazed. My brain was in a state of momentary denial, not knowing how to process the gesture. Wanda, realizing the state I was in, gave a small, sincere smile and whispered ''good night, Spider-Man'' before going into her room. Because of what had just happened, I ended up going into shock and was paralyzed. After almost six seconds of lying still, I finally came to my senses. I took a quick look around and, when I realized that there really wasn''t anyone in the corridor, I breathed a sigh of relief and celebrated. "Good one, Parker. That''s it. You thought you''d lost the fight, but you''re winning the war." I commented to myself, unable to hide my joy. As soon as I said those words, the only thing I could hear was Steve''s voice almost shouting from his room, scolding me. Chapter 108 - Confused thoughts "Go to sleep, kid. Do you know what time it is?" Steve asked, his voice slightly inebriated from sleep, from inside his room. "I''m sorry, I got too carried away." I replied a little awkwardly, feeling guilty. As soon as I''d finished saying that, I opened the door to my room and walked in. Without wasting any time, I went straight to the bathroom to brush my teeth. As I brushed my teeth, I stopped for a moment, staring at my reflection in the mirror. My hands, still holding the toothbrush, were shaking slightly. (Man, I can''t believe I actually did it. Will I be able to take another step from now on or should I wait a little longer? Is Wanda thinking the same thing? Or maybe regretting it...) I found myself reflecting on what had just happened between me and Wanda a few moments ago, outside our rooms. "No, I don''t think I should be too hasty. Maybe what she''s done is some way of showing affection to her friends in Sokovia." I whispered those words to myself as I brushed my teeth and looked at my reflection once more. However, as soon as the words came out, another thought popped into my mind, making me stop brushing my teeth again. (Wait, if that''s the way they show affection to their friends... Then I think I''d better not become friends with Pietro because... gee, that''s disgusting). I thought to myself as I made an expression of disgust. The thought made me shudder, and the cold water from the sink touching my hands only seemed to intensify the feeling of discomfort even more. The mirror, reflecting my confused countenance, only made me feel even more disgusted. In an attempt to dispel the disconcerting images that came into my mind, I put my head in the sink and began to wet my face with the cold water. "I think I''d better stop thinking too much about this for today, because tomorrow is going to be a long day, and I mean long." I mumbled those words to myself as I rinsed my mouth and cleaned the brush. The sound of the water falling down the sink drain was almost therapeutic, helping to dispel some of the anguish I was feeling at that moment. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. As soon as I whispered those words, I put my brush back. After a few seconds, I had finished. With one last glance in the mirror, I tried to give myself an expression of confidence, after which I left the bathroom and headed for my closet, where I quickly dressed. Without thinking twice, I threw myself on the bed, showing all my tiredness. "Tomorrow, after I''ve finished Natasha''s hellish training - of course, if I manage to survive it - I''ll sort out my clothes. After all, it''s a real mess in here." As I thought about the things I was going to do tomorrow, something came to mind. (How could I have forgotten that school starts next month....) I thought to myself, with an already downcast countenance, but in a matter of seconds, my mood changed to something a little more cheerful. "I know this place has its bad side, but it also has its good side. For example, it''ll be nice to see Ned, MJ, Betty, Harry again, not so much Flash, but it''ll be nice to go back to school." Right after I whispered those words to myself, I closed my eyes, trying to let sleep take over. However, while I was trying to relax and fall asleep, an idea related to school popped into my head. (What if Wanda came to study with me?) I thought to myself, with a small, discreet smile beginning to form on my face as I considered the possibility. However, my mood changed when I remembered her brother. "Shit, I''d almost forgotten about her brother; he''d certainly get on very well with Flash, and I have no doubt he''d be another stone in my shoe." I turned over in bed, staring at the ceiling as I thought about how I could deal with this situation. "As for Wanda, I don''t know why, but I think she''d get on very well with Michelle... I have to find a way to make it happen." But then doubt crept in. "But who do I talk to? Wanda? No, I think I should talk to Steve and Natasha. After all, they''re kind of our guardians, if I can call them that." I sighed, feeling exhaustion beginning to envelop me "Well, that''s enough for today; I''ve wasted enough time, I think I''d better get some sleep, because if I go soft tomorrow, not only will Natasha rip my hide off, but she''ll also grind me up." And it was with these thoughts echoing in my mind that I let sleep envelop me. With my eyes closed, I finally managed to fall asleep. As sleep enveloped me, I ended up having a dream. I was swinging through the city, dressed in my classic outfit, the red and blue one I made myself. But this time, it had some gold details, both on the spider on my chest and on my wrists. As I swung with my webs, I noticed something large approaching. "What''s that?" I asked myself, as I narrowed my eyes in an attempt to identify what that large shadow coming towards me was. "I can''t make it out because I''m too far away, but I know one thing for sure: whatever it is, it''s certainly not something good." I muttered to myself, trying to adjust my direction. When that image became clearer, my heart almost stopped. It was a tsunami coming at me, and I knew there was nothing I could do to avoid the impact. Realizing that it would only be a matter of time before I was hit, fear took over. "No, no! It can''t be!" The feeling of panic became so real that I suddenly woke up to someone throwing a bucket of cold water over me. Chapter 109 - An unusual morning "What the fuck!" I shouted, getting up abruptly, still sleepy-eyed and confused. "Finally awake, Sleepyhead?" Said Natasha, with a mischievous smile as she stared at me. "Seriously, Natt! Wasn''t there a less extreme way to wake me up?" I asked, as I rubbed my face and tried to shake off the numbness that wanted to take hold of me. The disbelief in my voice was evident. "Oh, come on! Waking up to a bucket of cold water has its charm, don''t you think?" Natasha replied with a slight laugh and then shrugged as she stared at me. (Apparently, she doesn''t give a damn about anything I say, let alone any of my frustrations... as usual!) I thought to myself, coming to the conclusion that this could be a clear warning from her to me, warning me that this was only the beginning and that the training would be much worse. "Charming for who, exactly?" I asked, as I rolled my eyes slightly. My frustration didn''t last long, however, as I soon gave in. After all, there was no point in dwelling on it for too long. "You should be thanking me. After all, it could have been a lot worse, you know? I almost considered using ice this time." Natasha answered my question, giving me a slightly provocative wink. I could see that she was clearly amused by my expression of astonishment. "Are you a monster by any chance?" I asked, with a mixture of horror and incredulity on my face as I stared at her. As soon as I asked that question, I let out a short sigh and continued with what I really wanted to say. "Okay, but next time, try something, I don''t know... less traumatizing, like... I don''t know, coffee and toast?" I suggested, more to tease him than anything else. "I''ll think about your case." Natasha replied, while giving me a slight laugh. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. As soon as she said those words, I got out of bed, only to realize that I was only in my underwear and shirtless. A slight wave of embarrassment hit me, so I turned to Natasha, trying to keep my composure. "Natt, could you wait for me outside, or maybe give me some time to change? After all, as well as having to change, I still have to dry off. Not least because someone woke me up in a rather unusual way." Taking that chance to tease me again, Natasha gave me another provocative smile and replied. "Wow, you''re cute, Parker." Natasha commented, giving me another teasing wink. "And don''t worry, I won''t use that against you in training... at least not today." As soon as she said those words, I turned to her, still trying to keep my dignity, or what was left of it at least. "That''s a relief to hear. Just don''t tell me you have some other trick prepared for me today?" I asked, half-knowing the answer she would give, but at the same time wondering if I had to prepare for anything she might do to me. Natasha laughed and shook her head, her expression revealing a mixture of sympathy and amusement. "That will depend on how you do in training today. And who knows, if you behave yourself, I might promise you coffee and toast in the future." She turned to leave, but before opening the door, she cast one last glance at me. "Oh, and don''t forget to get dressed before you meet me. I don''t want to train someone in their underwear." After saying that, Natasha left my room, leaving the door ajar. "Just what I need... and there goes my precious day.... she''s sure to use what happened today to make fun of me at training...." I whispered those words to myself as I let out a short, tired sigh. As soon as I let out that sigh, I turned towards my mirror, trying to organize my thoughts and prepare myself for what seemed to be one of the worst days I''ve ever had. "I think today is going to be one of those days... And I just hope I can get out of it without any more surprises." OUTSIDE THE BEDROOM "I forgot to give him his uniform." Natasha commented, referring to the clothes she was holding in her hands. *** Natasha, who had come back to deliver Peter''s uniform, was leaning against the corridor wall and, as the door was ajar, ended up hearing everything Peter had said from inside. With a mischievous smile on her face, she was having fun with the whole situation. As usual, Natasha didn''t enter my room like a normal person. "PARKER, HERE''S YOUR UNIFORM!" Natasha shouted as she entered my room. Out of fright, I ended up jumping off the floor and, consequently, sticking to the ceiling. (She can only be doing this on purpose. There''s no other explanation.) I thought to myself while I was still stuck to the ceiling. I tried to recover quickly, descending from the ceiling and landing back on the floor with a slight stumble. "You''re having fun with this, aren''t you?" I asked, trying to disguise my irritation with a forced smile. Natasha was still laughing, but she came closer and held out the uniform to me. "Just a little. But don''t take it to heart; pretend it was a quick training session." As soon as she said those words, I was still suspicious, but I took the uniform with a sigh and decided to play along. "I just hope that next time you warn me before you do that. I nearly had a fit here." I commented as I stared at Natasha who, from the look on her face, didn''t even seem to care about my complaints. After I said that, Natasha let out a laugh and looked at me with a twinkle in her eye. She then headed for the door. However, before she left, she turned to me again and, with an indecipherable smile, replied. "I wish you the best of luck... because you''re going to need it." Natasha said, not hiding the air of menace in the words she had just spoken to me. Chapter 110 - The new uniforms As soon as Natasha left my room and left me alone, I let out another tired sigh. "I''m going to need an extra-strength coffee to start the day after this." I whispered to myself as I walked towards the bathroom to wash up and dry off. However, before I could get through the door, Natasha was back again. "Parker, I want you downstairs in 15 minutes, no more. If you''re late, I don''t even have to tell you what''s going to happen to you, do I?" Natasha asked with a more serious tone in her voice, staring at me from the doorway. In response to what she had asked me, I simply raised my hand to my forehead in a gesture of salute and, with a hint of deliberate sarcasm, returned the question. "Understood, boss." After I made that brief comment with a slight hint of sarcasm in my voice, Natasha just continued to stare at me with a serious look on her face and didn''t say another word. After long, suffocating seconds of her gaze fixed on me, she turned her back and left. (Man, I''ve got to stop playing these games. If I don''t, one of these times I could end up really screwing myself). I thought to myself as I walked back towards the bathroom. As soon as I''d finished brushing my teeth, I went back to my room and put on the uniform that Natasha had left on my bed. "Wow, what a great outfit." I whispered to myself as I looked at the details of the uniform they had chosen for me. The first thing I noticed when I looked at the uniform was the predominant color. Instead of the colors I was used to wearing in my Spider-Man costume, this uniform combined those colors in a different way. The jacket part had a combination of red on the chest, with the spider in black, and the hood was gray-black, while the sleeves were a dark blue. To top it off, the uniform kit included two pairs of red gloves that went up to my wrist, with a small spider printed on the front. At the bottom, the outfit followed the same pattern with dark blue pants and red knee pads. And to finish, a pair of red mid-calf boots. It was a combination that, in a way, seemed familiar, but with a twist I''d never seen before. The fabric seemed to be made of a mixture of carbon fiber and a synthetic material that helped with flexibility. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. "From the style and materials used in this uniform, I have a pretty good idea who came up with the idea." I commented to myself, almost with 100% certainty, that Tony''s hand was on that uniform. As soon as I had the uniform on, I headed for my bedroom door. I opened the door and stepped out, walking towards the elevator. Inside the elevator, I waited patiently until it stopped on the second floor, where the kitchen was. With a long sigh, I continued on my way to the kitchen, where I found Wanda and her brother sitting on the chairs, waiting for our mentor, who hadn''t arrived yet. Pietro was wearing a uniform almost identical to mine; the only thing different was the spider, which in his case was a kind of lightning bolt with a few shades of blue, and most of his uniform was kind of gray. Wanda, on the other hand, had her hair loose and wavy, flowing down to her shoulders. Her uniform consisted of a tight-fitting bodice, with a black base and some red details on the sides and in the center, which highlighted her silhouette even more. At the bottom, the uniform consisted of a short-pleated skirt in red; the sleeves of the uniform were long and tight, completely covering her arms, leaving only her fingers showing. As soon as I saw Wanda in that uniform, I wanted to say something, but no words came out of my mouth. It was as if her beauty had taken my breath away. "My God, how beautiful she looks in that outfit." I thought to myself, almost drooling. Before I could muster up enough courage to say anything, Pietro did it first. And as usual, he managed to annoy me a little. "What''s up, Parker? Are you showing off your new uniform yet?" Pietro asked with a sarcastic tone. Which ended up making me a little angry, but I decided not to do anything and just followed the same tone he had used. "Not at all. You, on the other hand, must be loving yours very much. Am I right?" I asked in the same tone he''d used to put me off, and from the look on his face, I guessed my plan had worked. However, before he could say anything, Wanda interrupted him. "Please don''t start, Pietro." Wanda said with a tired tone, but one that still carried a certain humor as she scolded her brother. Pietro, after realizing that Wanda had only scolded him, snorted, clearly annoyed, but sat down again. As soon as she had scolded her brother, Wanda, with a smile on her lips, turned towards me. "Hi, Peter." Wanda said with a completely different tone to the one she had just used against Pietro. Wanda greeted me with a smile that seemed to light up the room, and I immediately felt a little more comfortable, despite Pietro''s scathing tone. "Hi, Wanda." I replied, trying to disguise the nervousness in my voice. The look in her eyes made me feel as if I was being evaluated, and I forced myself to keep my composure. Pietro, observing the discomfort and nervousness in my voice and in Wanda''s, raised an eyebrow and asked with genuine curiosity: "Are you all, right? Something seems to be bothering you." His attentive gaze and the tone of his voice revealed a mixture of concern and interest. As soon as he asked that question, I immediately remembered what had happened to Wanda and me the day before. To be more specific, I remembered the kiss Wanda had given me on the cheek. Reason for lack of chapters. For reasons of my incompetence as I spent almost 6 months without posting anything on my account, its income has not only dropped a lot, nothing I post here is working, so as not to give up on this, I did the most obvious thing, and probably the most sensible. I ended up creating another account on the site. So, I''m here to ask for your collaboration, there are probably only a few of you, to go to my other account and follow the story there now. I thank you all in advance for your patience. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. History in a new account. https://www.webnovel.com/book/31044594608507205 https://www.webnovel.com/book/31044735208510605 https://www.scribblehub.com/series/1286206/marvel--am-i-falling-in-love/ https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/97701/bound-by-the-red-thread https://www.scribblehub.com/series/1286229/bound-by-the-red-thread/ Story recommendation: The new chapter of this story will be released normally at 7pm.
Recommendation: Gift Zero
Synopsis:
Everyone thought he was just another Gift Zero - a young man with no magic who wouldn''t bring any change to the world. But they were wrong. Along the way he met people who would help him create his legend. This is the story of the hero who will be remembered for eons, whose memories, sacrifices and victories will mark the world forever.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. The author sent me a few chapters and I found the story very interesting, so I decided to recommend it. If you like stories with magical powers and action-packed fights, it''s worth checking out! Recommendation
Gift Zero Royal Road Webnovels
Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Synopsis:
Everyone thought he was just another Gift Zero - a young man with no magic who wouldn''t bring any change to the world. But they were wrong. Along the way he met people who would help him create his legend. This is the story of the hero who will be remembered for eons, whose memories, sacrifices and victories will mark the world forever. The author sent me a few chapters and I found the story very interesting, so I decided to recommend it. If you like stories with magical powers and action-packed fights, it''s worth checking out! Recommendation: Gift Zero
Recommendation: Gift Zero Royal Road Webnovels
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Synopsis:
Everyone thought he was just another Gift Zero - a young man with no magic who wouldn''t bring any change to the world. But they were wrong. Along the way he met people who would help him create his legend. This is the story of the hero who will be remembered for eons, whose memories, sacrifices and victories will mark the world forever. The author sent me a few chapters and I found the story very interesting, so I decided to recommend it. If you like stories with magical powers and action-packed fights, it''s worth checking out! Warning!!! This account will be deactivated.... I ask those who follow me and like my stories to follow my new account. https://www.scribblehub.com/series/1329563/gift-zero/
This account will be deactivated.... I ask those who follow me and like my stories to follow my new account.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. https://www.scribblehub.com/series/1329563/gift-zero/