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Chapter 96 - Chapter 96: I Need an Explanation

Why did the Goddess of Judgment kill her own colleagues?

That question spread like wildfire through the minds of nearly every agent present. Some exchanged glances, their expressions uncertain and uneasy, as if trying to decide what to believe.

Then—before anyone could speak—a sudden burst of footsteps echoed down the hall.

Agent Hill appeared, striding forward rapidly with Captain Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, and several others close behind.

But just before they reached the ward, one of the agents already inside, trembling with fear and confusion, pulled the trigger.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Almost as if it had been a coordinated ambush, the other agents followed suit. Their nerves, already stretched thin by the tension of facing the Goddess of Judgment, gave way to panic.

Gunshots rang out in rapid succession. Bullets flew like a torrential storm toward Bella's motionless figure on the hospital bed.

And then—something impossible happened.

Without so much as flinching, Bella extended her free hand. The moment she moved, a black blade shimmered into existence in her grasp—the Oath Sword—as though summoned by will alone.

She waved the blade lightly through the air, and in that instant, dozens of bullets were deflected with precise movements. "Ding! Ding! Ding!" The clattering sound of metal striking metal echoed through the ward as sparks flew in all directions.

Every bullet missed. Every single one was blocked.

From the doorway, Hill's furious voice exploded through the agents' earpieces:

"Cease fire! Who authorized you to shoot?!"

"Cease fire, now!"

The command hit like a hammer. The agents halted immediately, their faces drained of color. Bella's icy gaze swept over them, sending a chill down every spine in the room.

One agent whispered under his breath, "Great gift Shet… we're done for…"

But just as the tension reached its peak, Hill and the others burst into the room, and Bella's gaze flicked away from the agents. That simple movement gave them just enough hope to breathe again.

That look— it was as if death itself had glanced their way.

Hill took in the chaotic scene with a grim frown. The smell of gunpowder still hung in the air. Bodies of unconscious or dead agents littered the floor. Blood smeared across the cold tiles.

She turned to Bella, tone firm but careful.

"What happened here?" she demanded. "Why did you kill so many people?"

But even before Bella could respond, Hill narrowed her eyes at the masked agent restrained in Bella's grip.

"I distinctly remember issuing an order—no agents were to enter this ward under any circumstances."

She wasn't wrong. Right after Bella had been stabilized, Hill had explicitly prohibited entry. Only a select few had clearance.

So who were these agents dressed in S.H.I.E.L.D. gear, lying on the floor with syringes and unfamiliar tools?

As she surveyed the scene, her eyes landed on a metal box kicked open during the scuffle. Inside were several syringes and medical devices, most of which weren't part of standard-issue equipment.

A terrible realization dawned on her.

These people weren't here by accident. They came with a plan. And Bella had simply defended herself.

Hill's blood ran cold.

She wasn't alone in her realization. Natasha, Rogers, and Barton had seen enough to understand what this meant.

Tony Stark stepped forward, impeccably dressed in a sleek suit that felt completely out of place in a blood-smeared ward. He walked to the open box and picked up a syringe, scanning it with his glasses.

The scan blinked red.

"It's not just morphine," Tony said darkly. "There's a synthesized compound in here. Potency: over 100 times that of any standard anesthetic."

He turned to face the remaining agents.

"This dose could drop an elephant. Injecting it into a normal human would be lethal. So tell me—what the hell were you going to do with this?"

His voice rose, burning with anger.

"If I can put it together, then surely anyone can. You wait for her to be weakened or unconscious. You inject this. Then what? Study her? Control her?"

Tony's hands clenched into fists.

"Turn her into a weapon?"

There was no answer.

But the silence said everything.

Captain Rogers, Natasha, and Barton stepped forward, their faces grim. Their time with Bella—watching her risk her life again and again for strangers—had left a mark.

They saw her destroy meteors and stand against demons. They saw kindness, bravery, sacrifice.

"I need an explanation," Rogers said flatly, staring down Hill.

Natasha and Barton didn't speak, but their expressions echoed the same demand.

Hill exhaled slowly, her jaw tight.

She had no answer. No lie that would smooth this over. The agents who acted today weren't just disobedient—they had nearly committed a war crime.

Then Bella's voice broke the silence.

"Looks like you've got some moths in your organization."

With a flick of her wrist, she released the masked agent. His limp body slammed to the ground in front of Hill. If not for the faint rise and fall of his chest, one would assume he was dead.

Bella stepped forward, her eyes like twin blades locked onto Hill.

"I severed his nervous control system with magic. He's all yours now."

"Find out who was behind this. I want answers."

Her tone hardened.

"And more than that—"

Suddenly, her figure blurred again. A heartbeat later, several more agents—the ones who had first opened fire—crashed to the floor at Hill's feet.

"They're part of the same group," Bella said, her voice a cold whisper in Hill's ear.

"Three days. After that, I'll find the mastermind myself."

Then she turned, walking away from the chaos as if none of it fazed her.

Agents standing in her path instinctively stepped aside, making way.

"Hey, uh… want to take my private jet?" Tony called after her, hurrying to catch up. "This place is a mess, and you look like you could use a drink."

Bella didn't answer, but she didn't stop him from walking beside her either.

Captain Rogers, Natasha, and Barton remained behind, staring at the unconscious agents and the trail of devastation.

They knew what had to be done. If they didn't get to the bottom of this now, they might lose Bella's trust forever.

And if the Goddess of Judgment turned her back on them… or worse, turned against them—then no force on Earth could stop her.

Hill knew this too.

She clenched her fists.

Bella wasn't just a hero. She was a force of nature. One you respected, or you perished.

"Bring them all back to S.H.I.E.L.D.," she ordered coldly. "I want full reports. Interrogations. Surveillance cross-checks."

The remaining agents moved quickly, dragging their captured peers away. Some were clearly furious. Others were shaken. A few younger recruits had admired Bella—idolized her, even.

They'd almost been killed by those acting under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s name.

No one pulled their punches dragging the traitors back.

As for Hill, she didn't care what happened to them during transport.

She just wanted the truth.

"Captain," she said quietly, "you know this wasn't our intent. S.H.I.E.L.D. values the Goddess of Judgment. We never authorized this."

Steve gave her a long, searching look.

"Then prove it," he said. "We'll personally deliver them to interrogation. And if we find any ties to outside interests—Kingpin, AIM, Hydra…"

His voice darkened.

"We'll burn it all down."

Natasha nodded in agreement.

So did Barton.

And with that, the trio turned to begin the cleanup.

Back in the hallway, Bella and Tony had already disappeared into the elevator.

But even as the doors closed, her words echoed like a threat carved in stone:

"Three days."

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