Chapter 236: Allen Silences Lex with the Permanent Silence Staff
Staring up at the hundreds of Amazo robots in the sky, the Avengers instinctively went on high alert.
It was clear from their appearance—these Ultrons looked noticeably different. Their design seemed sleeker, more advanced.
"You're being charged with violent resistance to law enforcement, harboring criminals, endangering public safety, and destruction of state property. I am placing you all under arrest," Lex Luthor declared sternly.
"And under what authority?" Steve Rogers demanded.
Captain America, after all, held an officially sanctioned military rank—he had a legitimate government-backed identity. But Luthor? To them, he was just a capitalist. What right did he have to enforce the law?
"I'm currently serving as a National Security Advisor. I have full authority to act against any group that poses a threat to national security."
Clearly, Luthor had anticipated this question.
His advisory position was a formality that could be revoked at will, something the government figures believed gave them leverage over the Luthor Group.
"The Avengers won't tolerate baseless accusations against our members. Our legal team will handle the matter. So drop the smug attitude," Tony snapped, offering no courtesy whatsoever.
The two men both owned powerful corporations and were in direct competition.
Especially since both were developing robotics—it was impossible for their conversations to remain civil.
That said, Tony and Bruce had rarely interacted face-to-face. Their companies often collaborated, but their core industries were different.
Stark Industries focused on energy. The reactor embedded in Tony's chest was practically a walking billboard for that.
"Then we're done talking," Luthor replied coldly.
He gave the order: "Use force to apprehend all personnel on site."
In an instant, the Amazo army began to morph—their forms taking on superhero-like traits.
Most striking, however, was their elemental energy output.
Some became engulfed in flames, others coated in frost—heat vision seemed to be standard issue.
"Holy crap, they're mimicking the powers of Fifth-Generation Sentinels," Allen observed immediately.
Thankfully, after a quick scan, he realized these were still based on physical forms—not the more terrifying Sixth-Gen Liquid Sentinels.
Otherwise, Allen would've opened a portal and fled to Gotham on the spot.
The Liquid Sentinels were terrifying: a single unit could take on the combined forces of the three major mutant factions. Not only were they virtually indestructible, but they could also copy abilities and endlessly replicate to recover from damage.
If the Phoenix Force hadn't intervened at a critical moment, mutants might have gone extinct.
"Are you targeting me?" Wanda's eyes glowed with crimson light.
She rose into the air.
"Wooohooo!"
Allen clung to her leg as she lifted off. "Almost forgot—Scarlet Witch is on par with the Phoenix. Baldy's in big trouble."
With Luthor leading the Ultrons here, Wanda immediately saw through his intentions. Of course, he was targeting her.
She had never feared government threats. Part of her powers stemmed from the X-gene, and she maintained close ties with the mutant community—naturally, she harbored a deep mistrust of official institutions.
Crimson magic swirled around her hands.
Chaos Magic surged invisibly.
In an instant, every Ultron that had been preparing to attack froze—as if caught in a massive invisible hand—and were then crushed into scrap metal.
"Impossible!" Luthor's eyes bulged in shock.
Scarlet Witch was classified as a Level Five mutant—the same woman who once uttered the words "no more mutants" and wiped out 99% of them.
Whether she was currently capable of such feats remained uncertain. But destroying an Amazo army? Absolutely within reach.
"What's impossible about it?" Allen finally let go, landing heroically right in front of Luthor.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Reports on Allen's combat ability were all over the place—sometimes exaggerated, sometimes downplayed. His powers were described as erratic and highly variable.
In truth, Luthor had never taken him seriously as a real threat.
"I'm just gonna let you fly for a bit."
With that, Allen grabbed Luthor by the armor and hurled him into the air, shouting to Hawkeye, "Use your explosive arrows! Don't let him come down!"
"Got it!"
Hawkeye nodded and nocked an arrow, aiming at the airborne Luthor.
"Aaahhhh!"
Luthor's scream echoed through the sky.
Now he deeply regretted not investing more into flight tech.
The Amazo propulsion units were far too bulky for his personal armor. Unlike Tony's advanced micro-thrusters, Luthor's suit couldn't fly at all.
Boom!
Just as Luthor was about to fall, Hawkeye triggered the arrow's explosives, launching him back up with a fiery blast.
Another arrow exploded beneath him, sending him spinning again.
Outside Westview, Tyler happened to witness Luthor soaring through the air like a circus act and couldn't help shouting, "That's so damn satisfying!"
Fireball after fireball lit up the sky.
The shockwaves tossed Luthor around like a ragdoll.
The Avengers couldn't help but feel an immense sense of catharsis.
Eventually, once the arrows ran out, Luthor plummeted back to earth.
He crashed into the ground—his body unharmed thanks to the armor, but mentally, he was completely dazed.
Seeing this, Tony had to admit: Luthor's suit had its merits.
"I won't let this go," Luthor growled as he got back up, still seething. "You destroyed over a thousand Amazos—that's billions in damage! And you've flouted the law. I'll see to it the Avengers' reputation is dragged through the mud!"
He dared to run his mouth because he knew the Avengers wouldn't kill him.
Plus, everything had been recorded—he held plenty of incriminating footage.
Smack!
Allen suddenly drop-kicked him midair, sending him flying again. "Hey, Lex, you're in the wrong universe! This is Avengers 10 we're filming—what's a DC villain like you doing here?"
"Comedic Bat, not only will I arrest you, I'll throw Batman in prison with you! You're lunatics—all of you! A disease to human society!" Luthor raged.
"Whoa there—you even know Bats is nuts? What, you got cameras in his toilet or something?"
Allen blinked, realizing he was getting sidetracked. He shifted tone, voice darkening: "You can threaten me, but never threaten Bats. That's my bottom line. Keh keh keh…"
That creepy laugh—long absent—returned to Allen's face.
A chill ran down Luthor's spine. Alarmed, he shouted, "What are you—don't do anything stupid! I'm a government official!"
"Oh, I won't hurt you," Allen replied, grinning maniacally. With a flick of his hand, he conjured a portal and reached in—pulling out the Silence Staff from Agatha's place.
"I've got a gift for you."
Pop!
A toilet plunger head suctioned perfectly onto Luthor's scalp.
"Keh keh keh… Wear it for the rest of your life."
The Silence Staff had many hidden features. Allen quietly activated the permanent attachment mode.
In short, no one could remove it but him—unless they were willing to peel off Luthor's scalp.
"Nooo—!"
Luthor tugged desperately at the handle, trying to yank the staff off.
He was a first-tier capitalist elite! And now he had to walk around with a toilet plunger stuck to his head? It was worse than death.