This agreement, even fools could see through it. Once it was signed, the so-called Avengers would no longer live up to their name. It would become nothing more than a tool, a public instrument of the authority. Such behavior made citizens of the Terra Federation feel ashamed and furious.
"When they shed blood for the survival of mankind, where were you people?"
"And now it's better than ever. You want to control them, so you call endless meetings and discussions among yourselves?"
"How fcking touching."
"So ridiculous."
Sarcasm poured forth like a tidal wave.
Tanner, hidden beneath the helmet, felt the anger rise in his chest.
Inside the High Council, the remaining Councilors watched the scene unfold. There was no open fury, no visible disgust, only silence.
Sith narrowed his eyes, a strange glint flashing through them.
"A superhuman control agreement?" he murmured. "What do you all think?"
No one answered immediately.
After a long pause, Councilor Gladwin spoke calmly, his tone unreadable. "Let's observe first."
The memory screen shifted.
[Inside a brightly lit office, Rhodey was reviewing the agreement with Sam.
["There's a Congressional Medal of Honor on the Ross leadership side," Rhodey said. "One more than yours. If this deal goes through, the authorities will start tracking us like ordinary criminals. One hundred and seventeen countries are already prepared to sign."]
["Sam," he added, glancing sideways, "you don't look convinced."]
[Sam snapped back, irritation clear in his voice. "Which side are you even on?"]
[Vision, seated quietly on the sofa, spoke up, "I have calculated a formula."]
[Rogers, who had been skimming through the agreement, paused. At once, everyone looked toward Vision.]
[Sam let out a half-smile. "Alright. That should make things clearer."]
[Vision continued evenly, "Ever since Mr. Stark publicly declared himself as Iron Man eight years ago, the number of identifiable superhumans has grown exponentially. During the same period, incidents with world-ending potential increased at a nearly identical rate."]
[Rogers raised his head. "You're saying this is our fault?"]
[Vision replied calmly, "I'm saying there may be a causal relationship. Our existence attracts challenges. Challenges lead to conflict. And conflict leads to catastrophe."]
[Phantom spoke slowly, thoughtfully. "I don't think we should completely reject regulation."]
[Rhodey nodded. "I agree."]
[Black Widow turned her gaze toward Tony. "Tony, you're unusually quiet."]
[Tony remained sprawled on the sofa, one arm covering his eyes, saying nothing.]
[Rogers spoke with certainty. "That's because he's already made a decision."]
[Tony turned his head and looked at him. "You really do know me."]
["It's the electromagnetic interference," Tony added dryly. "Gives me headaches."]
[He stood and moved toward the coffee machine. "That's why I stayed silent, because it hurts. Also, who poured coffee down the sink? This isn't some cheap hotel."]
[With a sigh, Tony pulled out his phone. A holographic image appeared, a smiling boy. Tony stared at it for a long moment before speaking. "This is Charles. A good kid. Computer engineering major. GPA of 3.6. He was planning to work at Inter this fall."]
["Before that," Tony continued quietly, "he wanted to gain experience. See the world. Do some volunteer work. He didn't go anywhere flashy. No tourist spots. He chose to help people. Guess where? Scovia."]
[The room fell silent. Tony continued, voice heavy. "He probably just wanted to do some good, but we brought a building down on him while fighting the enemy."]
[He exhaled deeply. "We don't have a decision-making process, and we don't bear responsibility. No matter how you dress it up, if we refuse all restrictions, we're lawless. And what's the difference between that and being a tyrant?"]
[Rogers cut in sharply. "Tony, you can't surrender just because someone died."]
[Tony shot back. "Who said anything about surrender?"]
[Rogers answered firmly. "If we stop being accountable for our actions, that is surrender. This agreement shifts responsibility."]
[Rhodey frowned. "Rogers, aren't you going too far? This isn't S.H.I.E.L.D. It's not Hydra. It's the World Alliance."]
[Rogers replied coldly. "They have motives too."]
["And motives change." Tony stepped closer. "When I realized my weapons were in the wrong hands, I shut everything down. The consequences were unbearable."]
[Rogers met his gaze. "You chose to do that. If we sign this, we give up the choice. What if they send us where we shouldn't go? What if they stop us when we must act? We're not perfect, but we shouldn't belong to anyone."]
[Tony responded quietly. "If we don't accept it now, we'll be forced to later. That's reality."]
["Isn't that worse?" Wanda spoke softly. "You mean… they'll come for me?"]
[Vision answered without hesitation. "We will protect you."]
[Black Widow nodded. "Tony might be right. If we compromise, there's still room to maneuver. If we refuse outright,"]
[Sam interrupted, disbelief clear in his voice. "Are you still the woman who once challenged authority head-on?"]
[Black Widow replied evenly. "I'm judging the situation. We made very public mistakes, so we need to regain trust."]
Only then did the viewers in the live broadcast room realize that this agreement didn't just divide the world, it divided the Avengers themselves. The chat surged once more.
"If you don't save people, even more will die!"
"Why care so much about right and wrong?"
"But Ultron was Tony's creation! Without him, none of this would've happened!"
"I support Tony!"
"He's not wrong; without control, the world really would fall into chaos!"
"Fight! Just fight!"
"Is this agreement only for them? Or for all superhumans of the Earth Age?"
"From what they said, it wasn't just a handful of people with powers!"
"These rescued civilians are ridiculous, blaming the ones who saved them instead of the ones who caused the disaster!"
"The captain is right. Once this is signed, the Avengers become an official banner."
"Go where you're told."
"To be blunt, the authorities were afraid of you."
"And didn't the captain say it clearly? He's standing by his principles!"
"Tony isn't saying the agreement has to be perfect; he's talking about mitigation!"
The chat continued to rage, and the fracture had already formed.
On the Forum, countless new posts surged like a rising tide, overwhelming the front page within moments. Some people even opened debate threads directly, abandoning all pretense of restraint.
"Should Superhuman sign an official control agreement?"
This was no longer a simple discussion of recent events. Instead, the question was being dragged straight into the heart of the Terra Federation's present reality, forced into the open where no one could ignore it.
Although individuals with extraordinary abilities remained relatively secretive within the Terra Federation, that secrecy did not mean ignorance; it only meant silence. And silence, once broken, inevitably became noise. The number of replies beneath the post exploded at an astonishing speed, multiplying by the second.
"Agreement? That agreement is bullshit. Can a piece of paper really control them?"
"Even if there is an agreement, the final outcome still depends on the individual."
"What if someone just ignores it and commits crimes whenever they feel like it?"
"Seeing replies like yours makes me even more convinced that an agreement is necessary!"
"Exactly. With an agreement, at least there's some restraint."
"The content of the agreement can be researched and refined."
"Heh, do whatever you want. I'm just an ordinary guy anyway!"
Inside the Administration, the director narrowed his eyes slightly. He had already seen these discussions in various forms. Compared to previous threats during the Earth Age, even the infamous artificial intelligence eradication, none had ever sparked debate with such frequency or intensity. Because this time, it was personal. This was no abstract disaster or distant fear; it was something that could directly affect everyone's life.
Xiaotian sneered coldly. "Whether it's the Terra Earth Era or the Terra Federation Era, humans haven't changed. If there's no restraint, they will inevitably destroy themselves."
This had always been his unwavering belief.
Kasey frowned slightly and responded in a calm, measured tone. "You can't put it that way. The Avengers' actions back then were entirely spontaneous. To be honest, they could have avoided responsibility altogether. They had no obligation to save the world, yet they chose to do it anyway. That alone proves their intentions weren't malicious. If the government insists on stepping in to control them now, I fear it won't produce positive results, only disaster."
Kasey's words drew nods of approval from many experts present, including Johan, who nodded thoughtfully as he considered the implications.
"I think Kasey raised a very important point," Johan said. "If officials actively seek assistance and gather individuals who aren't strongly inclined to act independently, then an agreement makes sense. But the Avengers? An agreement would be meaningless." After a brief pause, Johan chuckled softly. "Take Thor, for example. Do you really think an agreement would restrain him?"
Hawking shook his head firmly. "The agreement must exist. Whether it's effective is a secondary concern. Look at the lives affected, the fear, the deaths, something must be done."
Odom let out a long, weary sigh. "This is nothing less than a conflict between gods and mortals."
The secretary remained silent. Issues like this were destined to divide opinions, no matter how thoroughly they were discussed. What he truly wanted to know was simple: how had it been handled before?
The Council must already be thinking about this, the director thought. The Federation also possessed extraordinary individuals. Though not as fierce as those from the Earth Age, their combat capabilities still far exceeded those of ordinary people. Whether this group should be regulated under the same protocol was no longer a question that could be ignored. Yet such a decision was far beyond the authority of any single director.
An assistant jogged over, panic faintly visible on his face.
The director frowned. "Still haven't found them?"
The assistant nodded awkwardly before saying, "Director, discussions about restraining superhumans are trending too much online. Searches are skyrocketing. Should we intervene?"
The director shook his head. "No need, for now. I'll notify you when it's time."
The assistant exited quickly.
The director glanced back at the experts still locked in heated debate. There was no sense of relief in the room, only tension thick enough to suffocate. His eyes shifted to the broadcast screen.
At the Administration training grounds, Ren and the others watched in silence. They occasionally checked the Forum, expressions shifting unpredictably across their faces, yet no one spoke a word.
Only Louis muttered from time to time, "An agreement, huh… what's the point? Conflict is inevitable."
The memories played.
[Tony stared at Black Widow, both surprised and incredulous, "Wait, did I hear that right? You actually agree with me?"]
[Black Widow smirked."Oh, now I regret saying that."]
[Tony grinned."Too late. No take-backs. Thanks."]
[Rogers glanced at a text message on his phone, and his expression dimmed instantly. "I have to go."]
[He left without another word, leaving confusion behind him.]
The scene shifted.
[Inside a tall church, wreaths surrounded the hall. A black-and-white photograph of a woman rested at the front. Rogers stared at it silently, and Black Widow approached from behind.]
["When I woke up from the ice," Rogers said quietly, "I thought everyone was dead. I never imagined she'd still be alive. I'm glad… she lived."]
["She felt the same," Black Widow replied.]
[Rogers asked, "Who signed the agreement?"]
["Tony. Rhodey. Vision."]
["And Hawkeye?"]
["He retired."]
["And Wanda?"]
["Undecided." Black Widow continued, "I'm flying to Vienna for the signing. There are plenty of empty seats. The right path isn't always the safest; what matters is standing together."]
[Rogers exhaled deeply, "What are you giving up for this? Sorry, Natasha. I can't sign."]
["I know," she said softly.]
["Then why are you here?"]
["I don't want you to be alone."]
["She was the founder of S.H.I.E.L.D., wasn't she?"]
["Yes."]
["I support you, Rogers."
["No one should dictate your choices."
["There's no right or wrong here."]
["Hawkeye had it right, retirement avoids the mess."]
["Without authority, regulation becomes oppression."]
The chat exploded.
"Wait, what does that even mean?"
"Why is Rogers refusing now? He always followed orders!"
"If he won't sign, why not just retire?"
"Tony's the real leader."
The screen shifted again.
[A massive crowd of reporters surrounded a building with broadcasts from every major network. Inside a vast conference hall, delegates filled their seats. Black Widow sat among them, and a young man stood nearby.]
[A staff member approached for signatures. The young man smiled. "Seems neither of us enjoys the spotlight."]
["Being noticed isn't always a blessing," Black Widow replied.]
[He laughed."Considering your last experience in Congress, I'm surprised you came."]
["Honestly? It's uncomfortable."]
["That's why I'm glad you're here."]
["You don't support the agreement?"]
["I support it, just not blindly."]
["Two people can achieve more than everyone in this room."]
An elderly man approached.]
["T'Challa."]
["Father."]
["Miss Natasha."]
["King T'Chaka… I'm sorry about the explosion."]
["Thank you, for standing with us."]
["I regret Captain Rogers' absence."]
["So do I."]
[The meeting began, and the king spoke solemnly, "When stolen Wakandan vibranium is turned into weapons of terror… We began questioning our legacy. We will not retreat, we will improve our shared world."]
The audience buzzed.
"That's Wakanda's king?"
"So vibranium really exists?"
"Does the Federation even have something like that?"
"Was the agreement signed?"
"Only a few… this won't end peacefully."
In the memory, T'Challa noticed ambulances moving below. Something felt wrong, far too wrong. He rushed forward just as an explosion tore through the hall, glass shattering violently in all directions. The king, closest to the blast, was thrown aside.
The broadcast erupted into chaos. A deliberate attack.
"This… was this what Rogers warned about?"