At the new Avengers base, Nick Fury laid a photo down on the table.
"This was just received recently. That guy, Rory, was spotted in the Midwest. Exact whereabouts: unknown."
Hawkeye Barton crossed his arms.
"No offense, but the few of us won't be enough to stop him."
"Which is why we're rebuilding the Avengers," Fury replied.
"We need more superpowered heroes to stand against Rory."
Maria Hill slid a document forward.
"This is the compiled list of every known superhuman candidate. Our job now… is to choose who will become the new Avengers."
While the others were busy planning the future of Earth's defense, Rory had already arrived at his next destination, Chicago.
The Chicago metropolitan area had over 9 million residents, with 2.7 million in the city proper, America's third largest city.
Rory spent an entire week there before finding the person he was looking for.
He strolled down a suburban street, sipping juice casually.
Both sides of the road were lined with homes, gardens, green lawns, and laughing children.
One particular household drew his attention.
A family of three. All male.
Rory nearly gagged.
But the man he was after, Phastos, lived here. So he grit his teeth and tried not to puke.
Phastos, one of the ten Eternals on Earth. A being who mastered technology and machine construction.
Long ago, the Eternals had fought a brutal civil war. The losing side had been exiled, fleeing through hardship and peril, eventually settling on Titan, where Thanos was later born.
The two Eternal bloodlines evolved differently over time.
Those who remained developed mastery over cosmic energy as their power.
The exiled ones, who settled on Titan, focused on physical strength, converting energy into raw bodily might.
Thanos' genes stem from this lineage.
And the Phastos Rory was now targeting belonged to the cosmic energy-wielding Eternals.
Phastos noticed someone watching his house from the street. Frowning, he stepped out.
"Sir, is there a problem?"
Rory raised an eyebrow, smiling lightly.
"No. Just… curious about your lifestyle."
Phastos had dealt with more than his share of prejudice over the years, but his old, immortal face gave no sign of irritation. Calmly, he replied:
"We live happily. I hope you find your own happiness, too."
Rory shook his head.
"Your happy days… are over."
"Excuse me? I don't understand what you mean."
Rory's voice dropped deliberately. As they spoke, Phastos subconsciously stepped closer.
Now, only a meter separated them.
"I said… your good life ends today."
Long ago, the Eternals had wiped out all anomalies on Earth. As a result, Phastos had long let his guard down.
He didn't even bother carrying defensive cosmic-tech gear anymore.
Phastos' vision went black.
He collapsed.
When he awoke, he was in a strange, sterile room.
He was strapped to a metal examination table, surrounded by clean white walls. Tools were laid out nearby.
Beyond a large pane of transparent glass sat a young man, Rory, intently studying something under a bright surgical lamp.
Phastos' memories came rushing back:
He'd been ambushed at his doorstep by this same young man.
He didn't know why, but nothing about this setup seemed friendly.
Phastos struggled furiously, but couldn't free himself.
Then the young man turned and approached the room.
"Don't waste your energy," Rory said calmly.
"This alloy is called Carbonadium. No way you're breaking out of it."
He pulled on a clean surgical gown, snapped on rubber gloves, a mask, and protective goggles.
"Who are you? Why did you bring me here?"
Phastos demanded.
Rory stepped forward, wielding a scalpel also made from Carbonadium.
"I'm a good guy," he said with a smile.
"I heard you felt guilty about the atomic bombs dropped on Japan, so I thought I'd help you find peace."
"What do you want from me?!"
Though Phastos didn't have Thanos-tier physical strength, he was still an Eternal, a race not so easily harmed by conventional means.
Rory took a pair of scissors and snipped open Phastos' clothes, then used a white marker (because of Phastos' dark skin) to draw incision lines.
Several spots were marked with X's.
"I've always been curious about the Eternals," Rory murmured.
When he called them by name, Phastos froze.
Rory began sterilizing his tools.
As he prepped, he asked:
"I heard Eternals can wield cosmic energy. Care to tell me about it?"
"Let me go, please! I'll tell you everything, just let me go!"
Phastos was terrified.
In thousands of years, this was the closest he'd ever come to death.
Rory shrugged.
"Not necessary. I trust what I see more than what I hear."
During the battle in New York, Rory realized he had serious flaws.
He lacked long-range attack options and mobility. All that raw power, but nothing to do with it.
So, his solution?
Study the Eternals.
Rory desperately wanted their powers, especially flight and superspeed.
And since he had Thanos' genes, a distant offshoot of the Eternals, there was a chance he could awaken cosmic energy himself.
Phastos, the weakest and most accessible Eternal, was the perfect starting point.
Eternals were originally genetically modified humans, engineered by the Celestials.
Their organs, metabolism, and internal structures were functionally identical to humans, the main difference being density.
That surprised Rory.
He'd expected the Celestials to implant some exotic tech to channel energy. But apparently, that wasn't the case.
He murmured to himself:
"Where is the cosmic energy? How is it accessed?"
"Energy laws… transfer conduits… origin points…"
"You don't know either, huh?"
Rory looked down at Phastos.
"Never mind. I'll find out myself."
He spent the entire day dissecting Phastos into countless parts.
When exactly the Eternal had died, Rory didn't know.
And frankly, he didn't care.
What mattered now…
Was finding the truth about cosmic energy.
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