A week later.
Deep beneath the Triskelion Building, in the secret research wing of S.H.I.E.L.D., Dr. Erik Selvig tirelessly examined the Cosmic Cube using remnants of data from Project Pegasus. The room buzzed with quiet tension—this artifact was no ordinary relic.
The Cube, once wielded by the Nazis to create terrifying weapons far ahead of their time, now rested under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s watchful eyes. But Nick Fury wasn't at ease. He paced like a cat on hot coals. As far as he was concerned, Earth should belong to Earthlings—but the lines were blurring fast.
Aliens. Ninjas. Gods. Fury had seen threats pile up like storm clouds. And while he was aware of some, his knowledge was limited. Dimensional threats? The ancient magical lineages dealing with those weren't exactly sending him status reports.
Under the constant watch of Clint Barton—codename Hawkeye—Dr. Selvig continued his research. The Cube held infinite energy, yet extracting it in a stable way remained beyond him. Still, the doctor was undeterred. Research demanded patience, and Selvig had plenty of it.
Today, however, promised a breakthrough. Or so he'd told Fury.
Nick and Barton arrived at the lab together. But no sooner had they entered than chaos erupted.
"The Cube's energy is spiking—it's completely out of control! Barton, cut the power!" Selvig shouted, eyes wide with panic.
Barton sprang into action, helping the techs shut everything down. But the Cosmic Cube ignored the switch—still surging, still glowing with that eerie blue light.
"The energy index is climbing! We can't contain it!" Selvig cried, sweat pouring down his face. Around him, the lab was a scene of pure mayhem.
"What happens if we fail to control it?" Fury asked, already fearing the answer.
"In the best-case scenario?" Selvig swallowed hard. "New York City gets wiped off the map."
"What?!" Barton's voice cracked. "The power's been cut! Why is it still going?"
"The Cube generates its own energy. Cutting the supply doesn't stop it—it is the source!"
Then it happened.
A searing beam of blue light shot into the distance like a focused laser, carving open a shimmering, dark portal in midair.
"Dr. Selvig, what's going on?!" Nick demanded.
"The Cube… it's opened a space channel!"
From within the swirling void, armored boots stepped onto the lab floor. A figure clad in emerald green, crowned with a golden horned helmet, emerged.
"Kneel before me, mortals!" the man declared.
Loki.
With a flash, he raised his scepter and fired at Nick. Fury rolled aside, narrowly dodging the energy blast. But Loki didn't stop. With frightening efficiency, he fired again and again, striking down agents and researchers alike. The lab's defenses were overwhelmed.
"Barton, can you take him?" Fury called out from behind cover.
"Let me try!"
But before Barton could make a move, Loki appeared in front of him—impossibly fast. He gripped Barton's arm, and with a tap of the scepter against his chest, Hawkeye's eyes went glassy. He stood still. Controlled.
Then, Loki did the same to Selvig.
Seeing the situation spiral, Fury grabbed the Cosmic Cube and sealed it in a transport case. He was about to escape—when a shot rang out. Barton fired. The bullet slammed into Fury's vest, knocking him off his feet.
"Impressive aim," Loki praised with a smirk.
"Grab the Cube. We're leaving."
With mechanical obedience, Barton loaded Selvig and the Cube into a stolen pickup and drove off, Loki riding beside him.
Fury groaned, still reeling from the impact. He got up slowly and gave chase. Behind him, Coulson and Hill were firing at the fleeing vehicle, but Loki's scepter made short work of their pursuit. A beam of light blew up their backup vehicle.
"Get out of the way!" Fury shouted over comms as he opened fire from a helicopter, trying desperately to slow Loki down.
Loki leaned out the window, grinning. "Why do mortals insist on overestimating themselves?"
One blast from his scepter sent Fury's helicopter spiraling. He bailed out just in time, landing hard on the ground. Around him, agents lay wounded. Vehicles burned.
"Damn it…" Fury clenched his fist and slammed it into the asphalt. "Coulson, give me the report!"
"Eight agents down," Coulson said grimly. "More than twenty injured and sent to the hospital."
Hill said nothing. Blood streaked her face, her expression unreadable.
Losing the Cosmic Cube wasn't just a failure—it was a full-scale disaster. And with Barton and Selvig compromised, the damage only grew.
"Put out a red notice on Barton and Selvig," Fury ordered.
"Sir… there might be an explanation—"
"There probably is," Fury interrupted. "They were likely mind-controlled. But right now, that doesn't matter. They're compromised. And we treat them as hostile."
He looked at the smoldering remains of the battle.
"This isn't just about a stolen artifact. That portal—someone came through. Someone from another world. We need to move."
He turned to Coulson. "Contact Tony Stark. Tell Natasha it's time. And find Bruce Banner."
"I'll get the Captain," he added.
---
In a remote village in India, Bruce Banner had carved out a quiet life. The air was peaceful, the people gentle. Here, under the guidance of a local monk, he had been learning to control his emotions, to find inner peace.
It had been a long time since the last incident. Yet every time he remembered the destruction, the fear, the chaos—his heart would pound. Rage still lived within him, just beneath the surface.
To protect others, Banner had hidden himself away in this forgotten corner of the world. Far from cities. Far from triggers.
But peace rarely lasts.
Today, the low rumble of helicopter blades cut through the sky, shattering his calm. Banner stood still, watching.
He didn't run. Not this time.
If it were General Ross, bullets would've already flown. But these choppers made no hostile move.
From the side door, a figure emerged.
"Dr. Banner," Natasha Romanoff called out gently, her voice carrying over the wind. "Sorry to interrupt your peaceful life."
Banner lifted his hand slowly, a small signal of trust.
Natasha reached for her pistol—more from habit than intent. Both of them knew: a gun wouldn't stop the Hulk.
As the world's mightiest heroes began to regroup, those in power moved faster.
Under pressure, and with no clear countermeasure, a desperate order was given behind closed doors.
A nuclear missile was launched.
They hoped it would turn the tide. Or at least buy time.
They were wrong.
-------------------------
Before the world could breathe, before the Avengers could even assemble—the strike had already been authorized.
A nuclear missile soared through the clouds, its course locked onto the Chitauri mothership above New York.
It detonated in a blaze of human defiance... and was swallowed whole by alien shields
Aboard the Chitauri mothership, the alien generals watched Earth with disdain.
"Are these Atrium dwellers truly this primitive? They dare launch such backward weapons—nuclear bombs—against a space station? Lord Thanos was far too generous with his concern."
"Status report. How long until the Star Destroyer is fully charged?"
"Half an hour, my lord."
"Then continue the assault. Lord Thanos is watching."
On the ground, New Yorkers had briefly believed victory was in reach. When the explosion lit the sky, many cheered—until they saw the mothership, unscathed and untouched. The realization hit like a dagger to the chest.
"God… has God abandoned us?" a woman cried out.
"We don't want to die! Not like this!"
"Isn't anyone going to save us?!"
Despair spread like wildfire. The cries of pain, hopelessness, and fear echoed through the streets. People huddled together, trembling—not from the cold, but from the terror of helplessness.
On the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, Nick Fury stared grimly at the battlefield. His face was a storm cloud, unreadable yet heavy with regret.
He had known nuclear bombs wouldn't solve everything. But even he hadn't expected this level of futility. If the strongest weapons of mankind couldn't dent the enemy, what could?
Two more jets took off from the Helicarrier, roaring into the sky toward New York.
"Shit!" Fury barked. "What are these idiots doing now?! Nukes didn't work the first time—so they're sending more?"
He didn't even try to mask his rage. The U.S. military had dropped all pretense. Half of New York had already fallen, and they still hadn't deployed real troops. Instead, they doubled down on weapons of mass destruction.
"Are they trying to kill the aliens… or the superheroes?" Fury spat. "Hell, maybe both."
It wasn't paranoia—it was experience. The mutants hadn't shown up for a reason. Their leaders had made it clear: the U.S. government didn't treat them like people.
Under those conditions, who in their right mind would fight for such a country?
"If we're just trading human rulers for alien ones... what's the difference?" Fury muttered.
His voice crackled over the comms. "Captain, can you hear me?"
"I'm here. What's happening?"
"Two jets. Military. Heading to New York with nuclear payloads. We couldn't stop them."
There was silence. Then Captain America responded quietly.
"I understand."
He turned to the crowd around him, voice steady but heavy.
"All teams—begin immediate evacuation. Two nuclear warheads are incoming. This might be our only chance to survive."
Everyone froze.
"Captain, what's going on?"
"I'm sorry," he said, forcing a bitter smile. "I'm just a man who woke up after seventy years on ice. I haven't even met half the people making these decisions. I won't pretend to understand their motives. But this… this isn't something I can stop."
He looked around the battlefield. "Get everyone out. Especially the ninjas—make sure they get the message."
As his orders rippled outward, the evacuation began. But time was short. Only 20% of New York's population had been successfully evacuated. Traffic was frozen. The rest—millions—remained trapped, praying.
Uchiha Shisui gently laid Tony Stark's unconscious body aside.
"Steve, right? Got any good news?"
Steve shook his head. "Fury said the military couldn't be stopped. They're dropping nukes. He told us to retreat."
"Tch. So that's your plan?" Shisui scoffed. "Is your government stupid? Or do they really think a few bombs can stop an alien armada?"
Steve bowed his head. "This is our mess. Thank you for helping."
Shisui sighed and turned away. "Forget it. We came prepared. We didn't expect anything from you."
He activated his Mangekyō Sharingan. Blue flames erupted as Susanoo rose behind him, its giant frame casting a protective shadow. Uchiha Fugaku, Itachi, and Tekka stepped forward.
"The nukes are almost here. Time to act. You've all practiced the Flame Formation, right?"
"No problem," the three replied in sync.
"Then let's go."
Without a word to the others, the Uchiha Clan vanished into the smoke.
Elsewhere, Banner glared at Su Xiuyu and the Ancient One.
"You're the future Sorcerer Supreme. Are you really just going to let New York die?"
"Banner," Su Xiuyu said calmly, "you misunderstand. These bombs weren't fired by the invaders. They were launched by humans. This… is humanity choosing self-destruction."
"The mission of Kamar-Taj is to protect the balance of the world—not to babysit its people," the Ancient One added coldly.
"You—" Banner clenched his fists. But he stopped.
This wasn't his world. This wasn't his fight. And maybe, just maybe… it wasn't his place to interfere.
Above New York, the fighter jets cut through the air, dodging S.H.I.E.L.D. interceptors as they locked onto their final trajectory. They had broken through.
Nick Fury stood on the deck, eyes locked on the screen.
"I've done everything I could…" he whispered.
And then the transmission flickered—cut off by the electromagnetic pulse.
In that silence… a city awaited the fire.
Note:
This chapter jumps forward in time a bit—some events, like the nuclear launch and the Chitauri's full-scale invasion, have already happened when we begin.
I added extra scenes and details to help you stay immersed and connected, so the transition won't feel jarring. Think of this as diving straight into the eye of the storm.
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