Rooftop
Russell paced the gleaming surface of the rooftop, his boots clicking softly against the waxed floor. With a casual wave of his hand, two Chitauri aircraft exploded in mid-air, the fiery debris raining down near the sanctuary. He paused, his gaze fixed on the devastation unfolding in the distance.
A grim thought crossed his mind, and he raised his hand once more, this time clenching it into a tight fist. Instantly, an unseen force rippled through the air. Within a 20-kilometer radius, every Chitauri soldier disintegrated into unrecognizable paste, their blood spattering the streets below. Aircraft erupted into plumes of fire, and even the monstrous bio-weapons, towering dozens of meters high, were contorted into grotesque shapes, twisted as easily as dough.
S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters
In the stark, dimly lit command center of S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury's single eye widened as he stared at the monitors in disbelief. The data flooding the screens painted an extraordinary picture: a mass annihilation of the Chitauri forces, unprecedented and unexplained. Fury leaned closer to the comms, his voice sharp and commanding.
"Tony, report! What the hell just happened? Almost all the invaders in Brooklyn have been wiped out—instantly!"
Responses crackled back from the team, their confusion evident.
"What?!" Tony's voice was the first to cut through, laden with shock.
"Was it Thor?" Natasha interjected, her tone skeptical.
"He's with me," Steve replied firmly. "It wasn't him."
"Then what could have done this?" Clint's voice held a mix of awe and apprehension.
Stark Tower
Back at Stark Tower, the Tony Stark from the future sat monitoring the same channel. His sharp eyes flickered with unease as he turned to Captain America, standing beside him.
"Steve, did something like this happen in Brooklyn during the invasion? Large-scale, instantaneous deaths?"
Steve frowned, his brow furrowing as he struggled to recall. "No," he said slowly. "Why? What's going on?"
Tony exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "Because just now, over 700 Chitauri soldiers were wiped out in Brooklyn. Gone. Just like that. Three of those giant bio-weapons? They're scrap metal now."
Steve's unease deepened, but a thought struck him, and he asked hesitantly, "Could it have been Strange? Isn't his Sanctum in Brooklyn?"
Tony shook his head, his expression grim. "No. From what I've seen, Strange isn't capable of something on this scale. Not even close."
He straightened, determination hardening his features. "Let's go. We need to get to Brooklyn, now. Dr. Banner might be in trouble, and if something's happened at the Sanctum, we can't wait."
Near the Sanctum Sanctorum
Dr. Bruce Banner moved cautiously through the streets, his steps hesitant but purposeful. His sharp gaze scanned his surroundings until a calm voice broke the silence, startling him.
"Mr. Green Jelly, you might want to watch your step. The floor's been freshly waxed, and the old wizard would be furious if you left scuff marks."
Banner spun around, his eyes landing on a man in a gray trench coat, casually leaning against a wall. The stranger's presence was unnervingly subtle, as if he had appeared out of nowhere.
"When did you get there?" Banner asked, more to himself than the man. He quickly composed himself. "I'm looking for Stephen Strange."
The man tilted his head, gesturing lazily to the northeast. "If you're looking for Dr. Strange, he's twenty blocks away, probably performing surgery. If it's Master Strange you want, well, you're about five years too early."
The cryptic response left Banner confused. He scratched his head, muttering under his breath, "Why didn't Tony check this before we came? Now we're on a timeline crunch."
Shaking off his frustration, Banner turned back to the man. "Fine. Then tell me this—where can I find the current Sorcerer Supreme? It's urgent."
The man smirked, straightening slightly. "You've already found him."
Banner blinked, his confusion deepening. "You're… the Sorcerer Supreme?"
The man's expression didn't falter. "That's right. Now, what do you need?"
Banner didn't waste time. "The future is in danger. We need the Time Stone."
The man raised an eyebrow, his fingers flicking casually through the air. A brilliant green gem appeared, encased in intricate golden runes.
Banner's eyes lit up, and he stepped forward eagerly. "That's it! Please, let me have it!"
The man's calm smile shifted into something more mischievous. "No."
Before Banner could process the refusal, the gem vanished with a wave of the man's hand.
"You don't understand," Banner growled, stepping closer. "This isn't a request. I'm taking that stone, whether you like it or not."
The man didn't flinch. Instead, he rubbed his hands together, his expression one of amused anticipation.
"Go ahead. Try."
Banner moved forward, his imposing figure radiating power. Just as his hand reached out to grab the man, a voice from behind startled him.
"Banner, wait!" Tony's panicked shout echoed through the streets.
But it was too late.
The Sorcerer Supreme raised his hand in a flash of golden light. Banner's massive frame was effortlessly slammed to the ground, and a glowing, translucent form—his very soul—was wrenched free from his body.
As his physical form crumpled to the ground, his disembodied soul floated above it, wide-eyed and stunned.
Tony, watching from a distance, froze in shock. "Did he just… knock Banner's soul out of his body?"
Steve arrived seconds later, panting as he climbed over the wall. "Am I late—wait, what happened? Banner, are you dead?"
Tony's scientific curiosity overrode his fear as he mumbled to himself, "Why is his soul wearing clothes? Shouldn't it be… I don't know, naked?"
The man in the gray trench coat turned to the group, completely unfazed. "Relax. His soul's fine. Now, do you have a plan, or are you all just here to waste time?"
The uneasy silence that followed was broken only by the sound of Banner's floating soul muttering, "This day can't get any weirder…"