Chapter 184: The Council's Scheme, The Washington Accords
A day had passed, and Homelander had yet to return, causing the public's emotions to become even more volatile.
To divert the public's anger, the Council decided to hold a hearing, forcing Fury to explain to the outside world why Homelander hadn't been released.
Furthermore, the matter of rebuilding S.H.I.E.L.D. was urgent; a nation could not be without its own intelligence agency.
However, the position of Director could no longer be given to Fury.
That evening, in the hearing hall, the other Avengers sat in the front row of the audience. Fury sat in the center, facing interrogation from the many high-ranking officials above.
Behind them were thousands of ordinary citizens and reporters. Their cold glares fixed on their backs, making Fury feel, for the first time, what it meant to be the target of public condemnation.
If not for the strict security, someone would have likely started throwing rotten eggs by now.
This was a scene Tony and the others had never experienced before. Only Banner looked relaxed and indifferent, even managing a self-deprecating smile as he spoke:
"This is actually quite mild. I've felt far more malice than this before."
It was at this moment that everyone recalled what Sean had said about the use of honor, realizing just how many good things Sean had quietly done for the superheroes.
People only remember someone's goodness when they have lost it.
In truth, this hearing was merely a formality. The night before, the high-ranking officials had already spoken with Fury, telling him to take the blame.
However, the Council members guaranteed that he wouldn't actually be sent to prison, but would instead assume a new identity to handle other matters.
Fury hesitated for a short while before agreeing, but on the condition that Hill and the others would not be held responsible.
The Council members naturally agreed to this request. They never intended to go after these small fry anyway; their appetite was much larger!
The hearing progressed very smoothly tonight. Fury accepted all the charges brought by the high-ranking officials without any rebuttal.
The officials smiled and had Fury escorted away. Then, they began to announce the true purpose of this trial.
Bang! The crisp sound of the gavel echoed throughout the room. Everyone, including the Avengers, thought it was over. They didn't expect what came next.
"Very well. Next, let us discuss the matter of the Avengers' operational failure, which resulted in the Deaths of 23,220 people."
Upon hearing this, the venue became terrifyingly quiet. Everyone's eyes focused on the Avengers in the front row.
The high-ranking officials couldn't hide their smiles. These twenty thousand Deaths might actually be a good thing, haha.
Of course, they weren't stupid enough to lock up all the Avengers; there was no benefit in that. They wanted to use the public's outrage to make them obedient.
The Avengers' expressions were grim. They only slowly walked to the stand and sat down once the guards approached them.
Before the officials could even ask, Steve stood up directly, looked around at the crowd behind him, and said, "The responsibility for this matter lies with me. If I hadn't..."
Thump, thump! The sound of the gavel interrupted Steve's words.
"Captain Rogers, we are just as heartbroken as you are over the twenty thousand citizens who died. But today, we are not here to seek accountability from the Avengers, but to discuss how to prevent such a thing from happening again."
These words were very well-phrased. At the very least, seeing that the Hulk was still present, their tone naturally had to be a bit gentler.
And indeed, hearing this, the Avengers relaxed slightly. Wanda and the Hulk didn't lose control and slaughter everyone there.
"S.H.I.E.L.D. has been destroyed, and a nation cannot be without its own intelligence agency. Therefore, we have decided to rebuild S.H.I.E.L.D. and invite all of you to formally join as members of a special task force."
Natasha frowned, sensing that things were not so simple. She asked, "Excuse me, how is this different from before?"
"The new S.H.I.E.L.D. will not have a Director; it will be jointly overseen by the Council." At this point, the people above all shared a smile.
"Operations will also be uniformly assigned by the Council, which will effectively prevent such incidents from recurring."
Then, someone brought over several documents and placed them in front of Tony and the others.
"This is the agreement we have drafted. If there are no issues, please sign your names."
When the agreement was placed before the Avengers, they finally realized that the target this time wasn't Fury, but them.
Once they signed this agreement, the Avengers would no longer be a private, temporary team, but a group under government supervision.
All actions would have to be carried out with their permission; otherwise, it would be considered treason.
The group looked at each other and finally focused their gazes on Tony and Steve. Wanda and Quicksilver were young and didn't know how to choose.
Banner had already experienced the life of an ordinary person and didn't really want to lose it again.
Thor wasn't there, and the Council didn't intend to use an Earth agreement to bind an alien.
Natasha and Barton were hesitating. Although they were already used to following orders from above, they had previously been commanded by Fury, whom they trusted. If the leadership changed, the outcome would be hard to predict.
Tony's expression was very ugly, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead. He felt a sentence echoing in his ears: "If only I had realized sooner!"
Steve was breathing heavily. His reason told him that if the Avengers were regulated and turned into a private armed force controlled by the government, they would completely lose their freedom.
But at the thought of over twenty thousand lives, his hand involuntarily reached for the pen in front of him.
Suddenly, Tony pressed his hand down. The two locked eyes, shared a small smile, and calmed down slightly.
Tony knew best that his weapons could never be handed over to others, just like the last time they wanted him to hand over his Iron Armor.
"And if we don't sign?"
The officials had long anticipated this and pointed a finger behind them. "Stark, look back."
"These are the families of those who sacrificed their lives in the disaster. Do you really want to go through that again?"
Tony swallowed hard and turned his head with difficulty. This was a scene he would never forget for the rest of his life.
Countless pairs of eyes stared at him—eyes filled with anger, sadness, despair, and pleading. The black-and-white photos they held were like bullets striking his heart; it hurt deeply.
He managed a small smile toward the crowd, but when he turned back, Tony's face was already drenched. It was unclear if it was tears or sweat.
"Captain, you decide." Tony let go, not daring to look at them again.
Now, all the pressure was on Steve. In the current situation, he didn't even have time to think. The people above wouldn't give him the time to go back and reflect.
They had to use this pressure to force the Avengers to sign these Washington Accords!
Steve picked up the pen, his mind in a state of confusion. "I... I decide..."
Boom! A loud sound erupted.
A large hole appeared in the ceiling of the hearing hall. In the air in the center, a man appeared wearing a pitch-black uniform and a bright red cape.
"Steve, it looks like you haven't made the right decision," Sean's ethereal voice drifted down from above.
"I'm back!"
Chapter 185: Sean Brooke Announces His Presidential Campaign Declaration
"Good evening, everyone. I am Homelander, Sean. I'm back."
The people at the scene were incredibly excited; they stood up one after another and shouted at Sean in mid-air. The entire venue echoed rhythmically with three words.
"Homelander! Homelander!"
Sean spread his hands, enjoying the long-awaited cheers as his pitch-black suit slowly shifted back to its red and blue colors.
After listening to the shouting for a while, Sean clutched at the air with his right hand. The noise below gradually ceased, and soon the entire venue was dead silent, everyone waiting expectantly for what he would say.
Taking a deep breath, Sean asked with a smile, "Hmph... ha... do you know what I was thinking when I heard the news today?"
The crowd shook their heads.
"I wasn't angry, I wasn't sad, and I felt no guilt. I even took a shower after I got back before coming here. Do you know why?"
As he spoke, Sean's expression was relaxed, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"Because I felt that this matter had nothing to do with me. It was their responsibility—the responsibility of other Superheroes. What does it have to do with me?"
"I could just come here, scold them a bit, comfort you all, and then continue being a Superhero with a clear conscience. Just like the Broadway Incident, it would eventually fade with time," Sean said, shrugging dismissively.
A slight commotion rippled through the crowd, but Sean's tone suddenly shifted, becoming more intense.
"But! When I saw the expectant looks in your eyes, I knew—this mistake is entirely mine!"
"Everyone should know that all adverse situations in this world are caused by the lack of ability of those involved. You can blame other Superheroes, call them weak, incompetent, or trash! But I cannot."
"I am strong, I am smart, and I am excellent! I can stop almost any disaster; even natural disasters, I can flatten them with my own strength! I once thought I was the incarnation of God, descending to Earth to save you! I thought all the evil in the world would obediently shrink into dark corners and not dare to show its face when it met me!"
"I used to be that conceited, thinking I had no weaknesses, that I was omniscient and omnipotent. I! Am the Superhero!"
At that moment, a single tear trickled from the corner of Sean's eye, precisely captured by the cameras.
"As a result, as you all know, I overestimated myself and underestimated the enemy. HYDRA discovered my weakness. Do you know what it is?"
Sean slowly landed among the crowd and found a beautiful woman in black mourning clothes holding a black-and-white photo. He took her hand and said gently:
"My weakness is you."
He turned and shouted to the surroundings, "It is every single one of you!"
"And HYDRA used my weakness, using guilt to bind me, all to achieve their evil goals!"
Sean's angry voice reached every corner of the venue. Everyone could feel that he was truly furious.
He glanced at Natasha; she snapped back to her senses and immediately threw the agreement from the table toward him.
Grabbing the agreement, Sean pointed at the high-level officials and continued to growl, "Including this group of people! They are just like HYDRA, attempting to use this agreement to turn Superheroes into their own private military force!"
"Just imagine, when you need Homelander's help, oh! I'm sorry, I'm currently in the distant Middle Eaststealing oil."
"I've had enough."
Sean held back his tears, his expression pained, causing the woman in black beside him to feel a deep pang of sympathy.
"I will not let villains use my weakness again, and I will no longer let these high-and-mighty people command me."
"Heroes can be bound, but not by the government, money, desire, status, or some lousy agreement! The only thing that can constrain Superheroes is you—the people!"
"They dare to control Superheroes today; tomorrow, they will dare to control every single one of you! In fact, they have already begun their move!"
Sean's voice rose again as he loudly questioned everyone present.
"Can we let them succeed?"
"No!"
"Can I sign this agreement?"
"No!"
"Can Superheroes be controlled by them?"
"No!"
"What do we want?"
"Freedom! Freedom!"
Led by Sean, the crowd's emotions reached a fever pitch as they chanted the word freedom in unison.
Even outside, people spontaneously took to the streets to cheer for freedom; Superheroes could not be controlled.
Reporters also rushed to report the night's events. The top two internet hot searches were [Should Superheroes Be Regulated by the Government?]
And [Is Restricted Freedom Truly Freedom?]
The scene at the Hearing was extremely intense. Everyone stood up and shouted for freedom, moved by Sean's speech.
Seeing that the atmosphere was sufficiently built up, Sean shredded the agreement in his hand and let the pieces scatter into the air.
This action was like throwing paper into a Fire; the atmosphere grew even more intense.
The youngsters Wanda and Pietro were also swept up in the emotion. They followed suit and shredded their agreements, even using their superpowers to turn the paper into something like confetti that drifted even further.
However, as the others calmed down, they broke out in a cold sweat, feeling that Sean's words were about to cause a massive problem.
Sure enough, after the shouts for freedom subsided slightly, Sean returned to the center and made an announcement.
"I am sorry for everyone who died, especially since I heard that our beloved President also passed away in this terrorist attack."
"As I said, I will not let such things happen again. Therefore, I will be running for President. I hope you will all support me when the time comes."
After delivering this shocking news, Sean waved to the crowd and left through the hole he had come from.
After three seconds of silence, the venue erupted into even more intense cheers than before!
In an instant, the news that Homelander would be running for President spread through every street and alleyway until everyone knew about it.
High-level officials from all sides and the Avengers were speechless with shock. They felt that Homelander was truly so angry about this matter that he had thrown caution to the wind.
The Council immediately contacted Sean through Natasha, asking him what he was trying to do.
Over the phone, Sean's attitude was incredibly arrogant.
"Huh? Wasn't it you who told me to stabilize the public's emotions? Look, haven't they already put the Washington Incident behind them and continued living with high spirits?"
"That is what we said, yes, but we didn't tell you to make a campaign declaration!"
"Hmph, what era is this? America needs a strong President to give the people confidence. Which of you can do that?"
"Besides, do you really think I'll sit in an office every day handling government affairs? In the end, won't you still be the ones looking after everything?"
"Alright, that's it. We'll talk tomorrow if there's anything else. I'm letting off some steam!"
Sean's angry attitude was no act; he really was a bit angry.
His retirement Garden was almost finished, but then he went to the Universe for a PK with Carol. After coming back, not only was his name cleared, but they actually wanted him to continue being a Superhero.
Go play somewhere else. Even Carol can't beat me; who's going to play games with you? Hmph!
I'm laying my cards on the table. I am the Ancestor-lander! President-lander works too!
Chapter 186: Fairness, Fairness, and Goddamn Fairness!
On the morning of the second day of the Hearing, the public's call for Homelander to run for Presidentwas very high. Almost everyone expressed support; the only concern was that he might be too busy with work to participate in rescue operations.
Other countries were also witnessing this historic moment. If Homelander truly succeeded in his campaign, America would welcome a... bulletproof President.
That night, the Council members also quietly released Fury and asked for his thoughts on the matter.
Fury snorted coldly and expressed agreement, saying that Homelander certainly wouldn't interfere in government affairs, so it was fine to let him be the figurehead at the front.
Ever since Carol visited him in prison last night and recounted the details of the battle, Fury had become a bit more indifferent.
Since his biggest trump card, Carol, couldn't handle Sean either, what else was there to say? Just go along with him as much as possible. After all, it wasn't him who killed over twenty thousand people.
To be honest, if Carol hadn't taken Sean into the Universe that day, those twenty thousand people might not have died.
After Hearing Fury's thoughts, the Council members remained silent for a long time.
The position of President indeed didn't hold much real power, but there were many interests and entanglements involved. Generally, it wouldn't be easily given to an outsider unless it was to consolidate their influence.
And now, if Homelander were successfully elected, it could indeed achieve that effect.
However, letting Homelander be President was too dangerous! He was completely uncontrollable. Once he turned against the Council, they wouldn't even be able to use public opinion to coerce him.
Coupled with Sean's attitude that night, the Council members were even more afraid that he would strike from the shadows later. This was their real concern; they didn't care about the presidency itself.
Some Council members did care, but the Chairman also said that whoever had an issue should go and raise it with Homelander themselves, which finally quieted them down.
They knew that given the current public outcry, as long as Homelander became a candidate, he would inevitably be elected with a massive advantage, likely without any surprises.
Unless Captain America also high-profilely announced his candidacy at this time, otherwise, no one could compete with him.
Just as the Council members were at their wits' end, Hill called a Council meeting in Fury's name; however, only she and Hess were present.
Hess stood elegantly in the center, not daring to find a chair to sit on because that area was slightly red. Sean hadn't been gentle last night.
Of course, it wasn't with his hands. After two slaps last night, Sean felt a bit bad and didn't continue.
Although her plan was for her own good and the result was decent, Sean didn't want her to do dangerous things because it was completely unnecessary.
However, since things had already come to this, he might as well go along with Hess's plan.
Her coming here this time was also to help Sean become President and, by the way, to alleviate the Council's concerns.
---
After Hess left the house, Sean first went to the prison to release Max. If Natasha hadn't reminded him, he would have almost forgotten him.
Seeing Sean approach, Max quickly stood up and said with a face full of guilt, "Sor... Sorry, Homelander, I was too weak and didn't help you."
Sean smiled slightly, smashed the glass prison with one punch, removed his limiter, and opened his arms with a smile:
"Aren't you going to give me a hug? My teammate, Lightning?"
"I... Can I?"
"Of course. Haven't you believed in Homelander from the very beginning?"
"I do! I've always believed in you!"
Max wiped his hands and excitedly gave Sean a hug. Although it only lasted for two short seconds, it was enough to move him to tears.
Sean patted his shoulder. "The facts have also proven that I am always right, and you, who believed in me, are also right!"
"Mm!" Max wiped his tears messily, nodding excitedly.
Sean was very satisfied with Max's performance. He was much better than the last... what's-his-name. He was powerful and extremely obedient, simply the best lackey. It was fine to care about him a little.
Well... let's start by remembering his name!
After picking up Max, they went to Stark Tower together. Today, everyone was gathered.
"Nat, aren't you going to sit for a while?" Barton asked in confusion. From the moment she entered the door, she had been leaning against the bar counter, motionless.
"Oh, uh, I'm fine." Natasha turned awkwardly. Last night, Sean hadn't shown her any mercy. To get him to answer the Council's calls, she had paid quite a price.
Everyone sat around the living room, and the atmosphere was a bit better, at least not as gloomy as the previous few days.
Looking at the room full of people, Tony felt that this place was already getting a bit small.
After Thor learned what a President was, he also smiled and expressed his support. This way, he could have Sean and Asgard formally establish diplomatic relations.
Wanda kept drinking water to soothe her nervousness. She hadn't seen Sean for a long time, and whenever she thought of him, her calves would tremble.
Pietro was also a bit excited; he hadn't formally met the Earth's most powerful hero yet.
Steve and Bucky huddled in a corner, talking about things from the past.
Carol and Fury leaned against the window, whispering about something.
Everyone was also very curious about her. Just now, Thor had even summoned Mjolnir past her ear to provoke her.
"Do you... want to introduce yourself? After all, this is our family gathering," Tony asked.
"Carol Danvers." Carol replied perfunctorily with a tilt of her head.
Fury tilted his head, signaling her to introduce herself properly, as they might have to work together in the future.
Moreover, Fury felt it was highly likely they would have to deal with the dictator Sean together later.
Having no choice, Carol added, "I used to maintain peace in other galaxies of the Universe, and when I fought Sean, I had the upper hand!"
"Oh!" Everyone exclaimed in surprise.
Only Wanda raised an eyebrow. Didn't all women have the upper hand with Sean?
"Hmph, that's right. She was indeed in the superior position."
Sean's voice came from outside the door, and a moment later, he entered with Max.
Carol got a little nervous, but when she saw that the others didn't misunderstand the words, she relaxed.
Seeing Sean walk in, everyone stopped talking and consciously gathered around, leaving a space on the sofa.
Seeing him again, the Avengers had mixed feelings. Although the misunderstanding was cleared, they felt there was already a rift between them, especially since they still bore the heavy responsibility for over twenty thousand lives.
Sean didn't feel much and sat down on the sofa relaxed. "I thought you guys would throw me a welcome party."
Everyone looked at each other and didn't speak.
Sean raised an eyebrow, looked around, and asked jokingly, "Don't you have anything you want to ask? While I'm still happy?"
"Anything at all?" Tony asked.
"Uh-huh, anything is fine. I'll try my best to answer you."
After all, he would need their help with things once he became President, so it wouldn't hurt to ease the relationship between both sides.
Everyone looked at each other, the words stuck in their throats. They had too many questions but didn't know where to start.
Sean let out a long sigh, stood up, walked to the window, and said with a look of melancholy, "Since you won't speak, then I'll say it myself."
"Me, I really do want to retire. Having been a Superhero for so long, I increasingly feel this profession isn't for me. That's also why I pleaded guilty."
"And the reason I chose to return and run for President this time is simple. Three things."
Sean held up three fingers, his tone becoming slightly more excited, "Fairness, fairness, and goddamn fairness!"
"I will no longer accept any superpowered individual being persecuted because they are strong. Those people at the top even dared to scheme against me, let alone others."
Sean turned around and looked each of them in the eye. "What I want to do has never changed, and that is to make this World a better place."
At this moment, they could all feel that Sean's thoughts were a bit extreme, but the agreement the Council brought out yesterday had indeed made them feel a bit chilled.
Recalling when they destroyed the Carrier, the Council had even ordered them to be wanted. For a moment, the Avengers didn't know if Sean was right or wrong.
Chapter 187: Secrets of the Infinity
Seeing everyone's emotions being led astray by Sean Brooke, Fury quickly stepped forward and said:
"Cough, the actions against you were carried out by HYDRA and have nothing to do with the Council. I hope you won't redirect your anger onto others."
Wanda also realized and stepped forward guiltily, "Yeah, if I hadn't activated your command, you wouldn't have been framed. This... this is also my fault."
Steve and Banner looked at each other and began to blame themselves, saying that if they had been a bit stronger and more cautious, the disaster wouldn't have happened.
Tony walked a few steps and threw up his hands, saying that if his reactions had been faster and his firepower stronger then, he could have destroyed all the machine guns.
Even Carol said that if she had understood the situation better and hadn't taken Sean Brooke directly into the Universe, things certainly wouldn't have turned out like this.
Soon, everyone else began to reflect, and the atmosphere became very somber for a moment.
"Enough!" Sean Brooke growled, and everyone stopped their wild thoughts.
"Listen, none of us are responsible for this! It was HYDRA's Insight Project that killed the people outside, and what we need to do is ensure this kind of thing never happens again!"
"That's also why I want to become President. With me at the top, no Council member would dare target other Superheroes."
Sean Brooke placed his hand on the window, looking at the busy street outside, and smiled slightly:
"My retirement was going quite well; strolling the streets, watching movies, having candlelight dinners, and planning my island every day. It was incredibly comfortable."
"Sigh~ I'm no hero. I'm just an ordinary person tired of fighting."
"But I'm also selfish, hoping this World stays peaceful forever. That's why I gave you gifts, wanting you to become stronger and take on the responsibility of saving the World for me."
Turning to look at them, Sean Brooke gave a helpless, bitter laugh. "Well, I'm pretty selfish, aren't I?"
Everyone present was shocked by Sean Brooke's heartfelt words, and they all began to recall his previous actions.
After being framed by HYDRA, Sean Brooke didn't resist; instead, he accepted the charges and disappeared silently, without doing anything to harm society.
In fact, if they hadn't discovered Hess that day and let her kill all the Vampires, none of the subsequent events would have happened.
Ultimately, after retiring, Sean Brooke hadn't done anything bad and was even helping Tony and the others improve their strength. It was exactly as he said: Sean Brooke just wanted to retire and live an ordinary life.
It was they themselves who wanted the powerful Sean Brooke to take on more responsibility, wanting to rely on his abilities to kill the enemies they couldn't.
In the end, the most selfish ones were them.
Clap!
Sean Brooke clapped his hands loudly and took a deep breath. "Alright, enough of that. Since we're back, let's get down to business. We still have trouble to deal with!"
He reached out, and after a dozen seconds, a scepter flew over. When everyone snapped out of it and looked closely, they all recognized it as Loki's scepter.
"The gem on it is missing. I need you to find it."
The Wanda siblings also recognized it and quickly said, "This is the scepter that gave us our superpowers. In Sokovia, there's a HYDRA experimental Base there!"
Hearing this, they became even more serious. They had seen how strong the Wanda siblings' superpowers were; they hadn't expected them to be granted by the scepter.
Thor suddenly looked a bit flustered, stepped forward, and asked, "Sean, the gem on that... it couldn't be an Infinity Stone, could it?"
Carol also frowned. "Earth has an Infinity Stone? That's not a good thing."
"What are Infinity Stones?" Except for Sean Brooke and the other two, everyone else looked completely bewildered.
This time, Sean Brooke didn't make them play riddles and spoke directly, "There are six Infinity Stones in total. They are the most powerful weapons in this Universe, without exception."
"Collect all six Infinity Stones, and you can do anything you want. No person or thing, not even the gods, can stop your will. With just a snap of your fingers, all your wishes can come true."
When he finished, even Thor and Carol were somewhat shocked. You should know that no one in the Universe had ever collected all six Infinity Stones; how did he know so much about it?
"Hard to believe, isn't it?"
"...Yeah!"
Sean Brooke smiled and pointed at the Wanda siblings and Carol. "Inside the Tesseract is the Space Stone, which indirectly gave Carol the power to be invincible across several galaxies."
Everyone turned to look at her; since they hadn't seen her in action, they were a bit skeptical.
"The one on the scepter is the Mind Stone, which gave him superspeed. Although his heart can't handle the strain, it's still very strong."
"My... heart?" Pietro clutched his chest, suddenly remembering that every time he overused his ability, his heartbeat would accelerate.
Sean Brooke walked over to the siblings, patted him, and said seriously, "Yes, your heart can't handle the load. Once you feel your heart racing, stop using your ability, understood?"
Pietro stared blankly at Sean Brooke. So, this was why they relied so much on Homelander; it really felt so secure.
"I... understand!"
Finally, Sean Brooke walked to Wanda's side, put his arm around her shoulder, and said:
"Wanda's situation is a bit special. Her power wasn't given by the stone; rather, it activated the magicwithin her. Although she looks a bit weak now, in the future, she will be an absolute mainstay. Even Carol might not be able to beat her."
Everyone focused their gaze on Wanda again, making her blush. Wanda herself didn't know she was that powerful!
"What about you, Sean?" Tony asked.
"Me?" Sean Brooke smiled slightly and said calmly, "Soul. I've seen the Soul Stone. As for my strength, there's no need to elaborate, right?"
Of course, that was a lie. Since no one had seen the Soul Stone anyway, he could say whatever he wanted.
While everyone was marveling, Thor also said, "The Reality Stone has also appeared on Earth, possessing Jane's body. Eventually, I extracted it and gave it to The Collector."
Carol's eyes widened as she realized something was wrong. "The Power Stone appeared in the Xandar system!"
"Something's not right. Now, five stones have left a trail. This is very wrong."
Sean Brooke sighed, "The Time Stone is also on Earth, but it's in the hands of the Sorcerer Supreme, so it's safe."
The others might not have felt anything yet, but Carol, Thor, and Fury—who was sensitive to conspiracies—all sensed something was wrong.
"Wait, all six stones have appeared, is there something wrong with that? Haven't they existed for a long time?" Tony asked in confusion.
Carol explained, "The Infinity Stones have indeed existed for a long time, but the Universe is so vast that almost no one knows the locations of all six. But now, if the stones are all being exposed..."
"Then there will be ambitious people trying to collect all the stones!" Fury said with a grim expression.
Sean Brooke also said, "Although we don't know who will come to collect the stones, they certainly won't be weak. Therefore, finding the Mind Stone is crucial."
"The Space Stone is in Asgard, and it's safe with my father, Odin, guarding it! Unless he dies!" Thorguaranteed, patting his chest.
"The Xandar system... is also very strong. Never mind, I'll go back and check later." Carol was a bit uncertain.
Sean Brooke also appeared relaxed. "That's good then. Tony, you lead the team to find the Mind Stone!"
Tony nodded thoughtfully. "Alright, no prob... what about you? You're not going?"
Everyone turned to look at Sean Brooke again. Something as important as the Mind Stone, and you're not going?
Sean Brooke grinned like a sunny young man.
"Me? Cough, I need to prepare for my presidential campaign, so I won't be going. I believe in you guys! Good luck!"
---
The others had no choice but to huddle together and discuss the plan for Sokovia. No one noticed the glint in Max's eyes.
The incredibly powerful Mind Stone? Power...ful, powerful!
Chapter 188: Determining the Candidate
Shortly after Hess left the Council, the World Security Council and the U.S. House of Representativesurgently discussed one question: whether Homelander could serve as President.
The next morning, the White House Office issued a statement, initiating an emergency presidential primary mode.
Generally, presidential elections take a very long time, involving four stages and being quite tedious, but in this special period, the authorities accelerated the election process.
When the parties were selecting their presidential candidates, almost no one in any state signed up.
What a joke—competing with Homelander for the presidency? People must really be tired of living. No one actually thinks Homelander is a pushover, right?
These old foxes wouldn't risk their lives to test whether Homelander was a good person or not.
In the end, only two candidates were sent to the House of Representatives. One, needless to say, was Homelander. The other, however, surprised them: Thaddeus Ross.
That is, General Ross, the man obsessed with capturing the Hulk. As a side note, his daughter is very beautiful.
When the two presidential candidates were confirmed, the outside world was in an uproar. No one expected Homelander to actually succeed, and no one expected someone would actually dare to compete with him.
Before long, the online approval ratings came out. Surprisingly, quite a few people supported General Ross—he had 8 points... on a hundred-point scale.
General Ross was not at all surprised upon hearing the news. He gathered his staff, preparing to fight a war without the smoke of gunpowder.
"Where is Betty?" Ross asked while adjusting his suit.
Someone nearby quickly replied, "The young lady went to school."
"Is she doing experiments again? Forget it, leave her be. Frank, what are our chances this time?"
Frank was General Ross's strategist. He said with a troubled face, "It's... very difficult. It's almost impossible to succeed."
"Homelander's influence is too great, and the other Superheroes will definitely support him. We are bound to lose in terms of popularity!"
"Then there's Stark's financial power; we can't match that either. If he fully supports Homelander, I... I can't find a way to win."
General Ross's expression remained unchanged. He adjusted his collar and smiled easily. "Then what do we have to fear? This isn't the first time we've tried to find a way out of a dead end."
"Yes! Officer!"
On the other side, at Sean's home.
"Sor... Sorry, my... my father, he knows you..."
Before Betty could finish her sentence, she was flipped over, and then she couldn't say another word.
When she learned her father was going to compete for the presidency against Homelander, she immediately contacted Natasha, saying she wanted to have a simple chat with Sean.
How simple? Simple clothing.
The purpose was also simple: to let Sean vent his anger so that he wouldn't care too much about Ross's business.
Betty knew her father didn't have a chance because she knew Sean was not a good person.
"You... you bad man, can... can we let Sharon take over for a bit?"
A long time later... Sean put on his pajamas and walked out of the room. Behind him, Sharon and Bettyfinally breathed a sigh of relief.
Sean didn't come back to this home often. Sif and Lilei had gone to the Garden to help build the resort; they wanted to create a bit of an Asgardian feel inside.
Natasha had gone with Tony and the others to Sokovia to find the location of the Mind Stone. HYDRAhad moved, and they needed to find them.
A few days ago, Carol also said goodbye to Sean on the moon and then flew toward the Xandar system.
At this moment, another woman was busy in the living room. She was Sean's newly hired secretary, looking very busy as she made phone calls and typed on her keyboard.
"Hill, how is my approval rating?"
Hill glanced at him, turned the computer screen toward him, and then continued her phone call.
If Fury hadn't insisted that she assist Sean, Hill wouldn't have been very willing to serve as his secretary.
She was quite familiar with Sean's daily lifestyle. Just looking at the two upstairs—tsk, the competitor's daughter. Impressive.
Sean looked at the screen and frowned. "Eh? Why did it drop by three points? Are you capable or not?"
Originally, Sean wanted Hess to send someone to be his secretary, but then he thought they might not understand politics well. So he accepted Fury's suggestion and chose one from among Natasha, Hill, and Coulson.
Setting aside everything else, the two Agents' ability to handle matters was top-tier, more than enough to help him handle the daily affairs of the presidency.
Sean thought for a moment and chose Hill from between the two of them.
The reason was simple: Natasha was still a Superhero after all and might have to go on missions, making her quite busy.
It was definitely not because Sean noticed that the look in Hill's eyes was full of disdain and he wanted to teach her a lesson.
Hearing his words, Hill got even angrier. She hung up the phone and said with some emotion, "Ross is doing speaking tours every day, spending over ten hours a day canvassing for votes."
"And you? You're either with this woman or that woman. If I weren't helping you, it's possible your approval rating would have dropped ten points!"
Sean scratched his head. "Hmm? Am I that busy?"
"You!" Hill pointed at Sean, the curses at the tip of her tongue left unsaid. She couldn't give him an opportunity to play dirty, hmph!
Sean still needed her help now, so he probably wouldn't resort to force.
That's what she thought, but what Hill didn't know was that Sean simply didn't like taking the initiative.
"Alright, then schedule a speech for me tomorrow too," Sean said nonchalantly, leaning back on the sofa.
Hill was stunned for a moment. Without saying a word, she immediately got up to make the arrangements, fearing that if she were a step late, Sean would regret it.
Sean didn't care about this matter because the final winner would definitely be him; there would be no surprises.
---
The next morning, in Times Square, a tall podium stood right in the center. No one was on it yet, but the area below was already packed with people.
Various media outlets that received the news quickly grabbed the front rows. Millis naturally wouldn't miss it; by using the back door, she secured the best position.
Sheriff George and his team had received their assignment early and came over to maintain order. Gwen also took the opportunity to find a good spot, preparing to listen to Sean's speech.
The weather today wasn't great. There was a thick layer of dark clouds in the sky. Although it wasn't raining, it was a gloomy day.
But this didn't affect the atmosphere at the scene at all. As it approached nine o'clock sharp, the whole crowd was shouting in unison, "Homelander! Homelander!"
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Homelander, wearing his red and blue suit, landed with a thud in the center of the stage. The red cape behind him had also been changed to the pattern of the Stars and Stripes.
"Good morning, everyone. I am Homelander, Sean!"
"Ah! Homelander!"
Seeing him appear, bursts of screams erupted from the scene. For some reason, there were a vast number of female fans present.
Sean looked up at the sky and smiled slightly. "Ah, the weather is a bit bad today, but... Ha!"
Suddenly, Sean shouted toward the sky, and the once-dark sky instantly became bright.
This display immediately took the atmosphere to an even higher level, and even those on the outskirts began to shout along.
"But! I will disperse these dark clouds just as I disperse all evil!"
Chapter 189: If I Become President, Can I Restore the Right of Prima Nocta?
Sean's declaration quickly occupied the headlines of the day's newspapers, giving people great confidence during this time of social unrest.
On the podium, Sean held the microphone and raised both hands, causing the noisy crowd in front to gradually quiet down.
Sean walked around the stage with a smile, acting a bit shy: "Ahem, this is my first speech since becoming a presidential candidate. I'm a little nervous and don't know what to say."
"That day, I had a hot-headed moment and said I wanted to be President. I still have no idea how to become President, which is why I haven't appeared until now."
Upon hearing this, they thought Sean wanted to quit. However, changing his tone, Sean said in a firm voice:
"However! I do not regret my decision. I really don't understand what a President should do, nor do I understand big issues like politics, diplomacy, or people's livelihoods."
"But I know that the reason I want to become President is only for three things: safety, safety, and f***ing safety!"
"I will never again let any aliens, remnants of HYDRA, supervillains, or any other messy things hurt any lovely and beautiful citizen! I don't want to see any of you shed a tear, really."
"Are you willing to give me a chance to protect you?"
"Yes!" Most of the female fans at the scene were moved by these touching words and shouted for Homelander.
Some passersby and reporters were also seeing for the first time just how terrifying the combat power of Homelander's female fans could be.
This speech was indeed very inspiring, and even Hill couldn't help but applaud him. If it weren't for the question Sean asked when she first became his secretary, she almost would have believed him.
"If I become President, can I restore the right of prima nocta?"
From the moment he asked that, Hill knew Sean was hopeless. Although he probably wouldn't do anything evil, the White House and the position of President would definitely be tarnished by him.
After the crowd calmed down, Sean asked with a satisfied smile: "Alright! Next is the Q&A session. Do you have anything you want to ask me? I will try my best to answer you."
Hearing this, the crowd began to whisper, and the media who knew the rules raised their hands. Hill also reminded him through his earpiece that the first three rows on the front left were their own people and he could call on them.
After all, this speech was being broadcast live, so the Q&A session had to be controlled.
Sean was preparing to call on Millis first, then others, when suddenly he heard a group in the crowd ask in unison: "Homelander! Are you really a playboy?"
"Ho ho, is the first question already this sharp?" Sean chuckled and took two steps back. "Do you all want to know?"
"Yes!"
The heckling from the crowd made Millis feel very embarrassed. She didn't know how she had exposed Sean's true nature that day, causing him quite a bit of trouble.
Sean smiled slightly and walked forward, stepping through the void until he was above the crowd. Gwenand a few police Officers quickly arrived below him, feeling sure he would come down.
"Since you all want to know, I will give you the answer: yes!"
Hearing Sean confirm this, the crowd below became a bit restless.
However, the fans did not look disappointed; instead, their eyes grew brighter and they swallowed hard.
They had thought Homelander was a high-and-mighty hero who didn't care for women, but to their surprise, hehe, he was so approachable—they loved him even more!
"The reason is very simple. You know about my childhood situation and that I felt the kindness of many big sisters, so I have always wanted to help others and never refuse—which is what Dean said: with great power comes great responsibility."
"I still remember, that day, I was walking on campus, and a pretty girl stared straight at me and bravely said: 'Brooke, I really want to pin you against the wall and kiss you.'"
"Do you know how I answered?" Sean asked, looking down. The fans below shook their heads, looking at him with anticipation.
"I said, 'Then why don't you try?'"
Just as Sean finished this sentence, he landed in the middle of the crowd and said with a smile: "I say the same to you all."
The female fans around him were stunned. Was Homelander singling them out? Should they rush up?
Three seconds later, Gwen, who was closest and had the fastest reaction in the crowd, instantly rushed up.
It goes to show she's a police Officer; her reaction was fast. By the time Sean took her into the air, the fans below finally reacted and began screaming wildly.
"Uh oh, you were a little late. Next time you see me, don't hesitate, okay?" Sean said gently to the fans.
"Aww~" A sigh of disappointment echoed through the scene.
Not letting the situation continue to spiral out of control, Sean brought Gwen to the stage and asked: "Do you have anything you want to say, Ms. Stacy?"
Gwen blinked, her breathing a little rapid. She hadn't expected Sean to be so bold—this was a live broadcast!
After waiting a few seconds and Gwen still hadn't spoken, Sean pretended to let her go and said: "Hmm... if not, then I'll switch..."
Before he could finish, Gwen, in a hurry, kissed him directly.
A wave of wailing immediately broke out at the scene, especially from the fans in that area earlier; if they had been a little faster, the one kissing Homelander would have been them.
After a long while, Gwen ended the kiss with lingering feelings and said: "Ahem, don't go down there again, okay? It makes our job very difficult."
"Uh-huh, understood, Officer!"
Watching her trot away, Sean turned his gaze back to the front, put away the smile on his lips, and became a little more serious.
"Now for the last question. Millis, do you want to ask?"
Millis also shifted her gaze away from Gwen. Just now, her rival radar had trembled twice.
She turned to look at Sean, puffed out her chest, and asked unyieldingly: "I want to ask you, do you want to go see a movie tonight?"
"Be serious, you are a professional host." Sean put away his smile and said seriously.
However, the moment Millis saw him wink, she understood a lot.
Others were not surprised to see this scene of flirting; as Homelander's number one rumored girlfriend, it was normal for her to be jealous.
"Hmph, may I ask Mr. Homelander, after you become President, will you issue any new policies?"
Sean rubbed his chin and thought for a moment: "I have a very bold idea, but I don't know if it can be realized."
Hearing this, Hill began to get nervous and immediately urged Sean not to mention the matter of prima nocta. In this country, there are still more men!
"I want to establish a holiday on the day I become President, called: Innocence Day!"
"On Innocence Day, everyone can go out with peace of mind, without fear of being robbed. You can also dress up beautifully without worrying about being harassed, and you can even leave your doors unlocked at night without having to guard against thieves entering."
"Although this idea is very naive, I will definitely do my best to use my abilities to make the crime rate in New York City zero on that day!"
"Although it is only one day, I believe that in the future it will expand to two days, three days! The scope will also gradually expand from New York to the entire America!"
Phew~ I'll talk about that after I rule this place.
---
Watching on TV as Sean was passionately kissed by a beautiful woman, Christine felt very uncomfortable, especially when she saw him flirting with a host again, which made her mood even worse.
She had originally wanted to go to the speech, but before she could even leave the house, she heard on the news that Times Square was already packed with people, and nearby citizens were asked to return and not to crowd.
With no other choice, she could only stay at home, watching and sulking.
"Sean, he wouldn't really go see a movie with this host, would he?" Christine curled up on the sofa, feeling anxious and insecure.
At times like this, the worst thing is to let your imagination run wild. She knew this, but her mind was full of the images from just a moment ago, and she couldn't forget them no matter what.
And Sean, naturally, understood.
"Christine, I'm hungry. I've said so much, and I'm a little thirsty."
Sean came in through the window, naturally took off his coat, picked up her cup from the coffee table, reached out to hold her, and drank deeply. After finishing, he burped and looked at her, asking:
"What's wrong?"
"I also want to pin you on the sofa and kiss you!"
Seeing him like this, all of Christine's previous worries disappeared; what remained was only longing.
Chapter 190: "Are we Avengers all quite miserable?"
Sokovia, a backward and remote small country, had been very lively recently because Superheroes had gathered here, and in this place, Superheroes were not welcome.
Except for Wanda and her brother and Bucky, others would even have sulfuric acid thrown at them if they entered.
When Tony led the Avengers to the location mentioned by Wanda, he found that HYDRA had long since left, with only a few Chitauri remains left there to prove that someone had been there before.
There was no other way, so he could only take them to stay on the outskirts of Sokovia first and set about searching for traces of HYDRA; with so many people, even if they evacuated, there would definitely be tracks to follow.
At night, everyone sat together to discuss matters, and the atmosphere was quite harmonious, until the tactless Barton brought up family.
"Are we Avengers all quite miserable?" Steve asked with a self-deprecating laugh.
Natasha looked around and raised an eyebrow; it seemed it really was true, as everyone here combined couldn't even make up a single pair of parents.
Barton immediately waved his hand and laughed: "Don't count me; I have a wife and two children, and a little one is about to be born."
"Don't count me either; I have parents, a brother, a girlfriend, and thousands of brothers and sisters in Asgard!" Thor laughed while drinking.
The others looked at each other and smiled, but a trace of desolation flashed in their eyes as they remembered many things.
Once, they all had happy families, but for various reasons, they had all lost their most beloved family members.
Seeing the atmosphere cool down, Natasha pretended to be relaxed and said: "Don't count me either; the Avengers are my family."
Hearing this, the others emerged from their despondency, laughed happily together, and began to chat about other topics.
Yes, they still had each other; all Avengers were family, and don't forget, during the holidays, Natashawould even pull them all together.
Wanda and her brother also yearned for this warm scene; it really felt like the Avengers were a family, with everyone being very friendly towards each other.
Except for Max, who was sitting silently to the side without saying a word.
However, the others were not surprised, thinking that Max was still sulking about previous events, so they didn't pay much attention, feeling that he would be fine after a while.
They had fought together during the Chitauri invasion, so how could they isolate him over such a small matter?
After finding the Mind Stone and holding a farewell party for Thor, everyone should be able to clear up their misunderstandings and return to the previous harmonious atmosphere.
The next morning, Tony woke them all up, saying that Jarvis had found traces of HYDRA, and the group rushed off into the forest.
"Be careful, they have a large amount of heavy weaponry."
Tony's drone had discovered a large number of tanks and bunkers, which was why he gave a reminder over the channel, because there was still a... a normal person, Barton, here.
"Then I'll go scout the path first!" After Pietro said this, he vanished.
Thor, Tony, and Max looked at each other, nodded, and also accelerated as they flew over.
Banner also turned into Hulk and charged up; now, he was no longer worried about hurting normal people because he believed that Hulk could think, and Hulk was not a Beast.
"Don't! Don't leave me behind, Nat!" Just as Barton finished speaking, Natasha put on her combat suit and flew out with Wanda.
In the vast forest, only Barton was traveling on foot; his motorcycle had broken down shortly after entering.
By the time he arrived, the others were already locked in a fierce battle with HYDRA.
HYDRA used Chitauri technology to create many weapons, which caused quite a bit of trouble for the Avengers, mainly because they were numerous and fearless of death.
However, this could only delay the Avengers for a little while; the gap in raw power was too great, and HYDRA had no chance of winning.
Baron Strucker, the leader of the branch, understood this, so he ordered his subordinates to fight the Avengers to the death while he took his deputy to prepare to clear all data and surrender.
The Avengers had a clear division of labor: heavy firepower was handled by Thor and Hulk, Tony and Max were looking for a way into the castle, and the others cooperated to clear out the ordinary soldiers.
"Shit! This castle is as hard as a turtle shell!" Tony complained.
Steve casually knocked down a few soldiers and said inadvertently: "Language."
Tony: "Hmph, I am the one in command, Captain; everyone is free to speak their mind."
"Fine, slip of the tongue; can you deal with the shield quickly?"
"Right away!"
Tony was happy to have gotten the upper hand in the verbal exchange and had Jarvis scan the shield's energy source; if he couldn't find it, he would call for the black hole bomb.
Tony had studied the Dark Elves' Black Hole Grenade, but it contained a substance that couldn't be broken down, making it impossible to replicate, so he could only increase its power slightly.
This resulted in the fact that Sean had given him three grenades, and after wasting one, he enhanced the power of the remaining two and installed them on a drone.
These two black hole bombs were definitely Tony's strongest trump card.
However, fortunately, Jarvis quickly found the weakness in the shield, so he didn't waste one.
Flying over the castle, a small missile successfully destroyed the energy source, and Tony said easily: "Alright everyone, after clearing the perimeter, you can advance inside!"
"Understood!"
Just as Tony landed on the castle wall, he saw Max turn into a bolt of lightning and rush inside.
Was he trying to make up for his past mistakes?
Before Tony could think about it in detail, the soldiers nearby rushed up, and he could only tell Maxthrough the headset to be careful, as he didn't know if there were other super-powered individuals inside.
But Max had long since thrown away the headset, focused only on finding that powerful Mind Stone; any HYDRA member blocking his path was electrocuted to death.
"Since the stone can allow ordinary people to gain superpowers, it must also be able to make me stronger!"
Max was breathing heavily, the expression on his face had become somewhat ferocious, and the red in his eye sockets was even more intense; he could feel that the stone was very close to him!
Sure enough, not long after, Max saw a stone glowing with golden light suspended in mid-air, with several researchers nearby.
"We surren..."
Max didn't even look at them; he struck them with the electric current in his hands, and their bodies instantly stiffened, falling straight to the ground lifeless.
Slowly walking toward the stone, Max had a dazed expression, his hand hovering in the air repeatedly, actually a bit afraid to touch it, because it was just too beautiful.
Just then, Pietro also walked in, and upon seeing the stone, he happily prepared to shout into his headset.
However, just as he said one word, he noticed a bolt of lightning attacking him.
Pietro dodged instantly, and seeing that he had actually grabbed the stone, he shouted: "Wait, what are you doing? Didn't Mr. Sean say that ordinary people cannot withstand the stone's energy, and it's best not to touch it directly, but to use the scepter instead!"
Max suddenly opened an electric net and pointed excitedly at Pietro: "That's you! I'm not an ordinary person; I am Max, Lightning Max!"
Then, the Mind Stone flashed with a strong light, and when Pietro saw Max again, he was stunned.
The stone was actually embedded in his chest!
Chapter 191: This World doesn't need too many heroes!
"Oh, Wanda, your ability is really useful."
On the open ground, the HYDRA soldiers were squatting in an orderly row, very quiet.
"Thank you." Wanda smiled from the bottom of her heart.
She was actually very aware that the ability to control people's minds was very suspicious, but the Avengers had never shown any fear or disgust, which touched her deeply.
Steve and the others also ran over, panting, and asked into their headsets: "The outside has been cleared. What's the situation inside, Pietro? Hello? Max?"
There was no sound from the two in the channel, making the atmosphere on the scene somewhat tense.
"I'll go in and take a look!" Tony said, preparing to fly in.
But just at this moment, in the center of the castle, a blue energy pillar shot up into the sky, and countless small electric currents crawled out of the castle like snakes, attacking everyone present indiscriminately.
The Avengers thought there was a powerful super-powered being inside and were preparing to go in to help, when they saw Pietro stumbling back, falling in front of everyone, his clothes already scorched in several places.
"Max, he took the Mind Stone!"
Then, he fainted. Everyone was shocked and hurriedly looked at the pillar of light, only to discover a black figure inside.
"Natasha, you and Wanda take care of Pietro. Everyone else, follow me!" After Steve finished speaking, he led the others forward.
Not long after they started running, the pillar of light in the distance exploded with a bang, and Hulkquickly crossed his arms to block in front of them.
The expected Impact did not come, only a gust of wind that made everyone unable to open their eyes.
After the wind stopped, Max slowly descended to the ground. Tony immediately flew toward him, praising Hulk on the way: "Well done, big guy."
When the other Avengers passed by Hulk, they also patted him lightly to show their praise.
After they had walked a little further, a faint smile appeared on Hulk's lips, and he followed closely.
"Max, are you... okay?" Steve asked, looking vigilant.
Max looked at his hands and laughed wildly, "Good, very good, better than ever."
The vigilance on everyone's faces did not dissipate; instead, it grew stronger.
Because at this moment, Max's whole body was covered in cracks, with golden and blue light shimmering in the ravines, looking just like an unstable bomb.
Tony raised his hand, and a piece of Iron Armor flew over, placing the scepter in his hand. "Max, don't move. We'll help you take out the Mind Stone."
Seeing Tony's hand approaching, Max took two steps back and raised his hand, saying: "No need, I will give the Mind Stone to Sean Brooke!"
"Max!" Tony roared. "Your mental state is very unstable right now. You must take the Mind Stone out immediately, otherwise, you will..."
"What will happen? Will I become stronger than all of you, right?" Max retorted.
Without waiting for them to speak, Max flew directly into the air, looking down at them with an expression of having seen through everything.
"I get it. You also want this Mind Stone, right?"
Thunder rumbled in the sky, and in a short while, dark clouds filled the sky above everyone.
In this gloomy atmosphere, Max spread his arms, his smile stretching to his ears, and said excitedly:
"I knew it, you also can't refuse the power of the Mind Stone. I knew it, you also want to become powerful. I knew it, ahahaha~"
The crazed Max made people shudder. With furrowed brows, Tony whispered something, and then a small drone was seen quietly approaching from not far away.
On the small robot, there was a device to suppress Max's ability. As long as it succeeded, they could capture him.
"You should know that the Mind Stone is something Sean Brooke needs, right?" Tony chatted with him, trying to divert his attention.
"Hmph, of course I know." Max sneered and continued: "But I am Homelander's best partner. This is between me and him; you guys can't interfere!"
Max believed from the bottom of his heart that Homelander was already invincible in this World, and shouldn't care about such a small Mind Stone. If he really cared, he would have come in person.
Since he didn't care, what was the problem with his best partner taking over this powerful Mind Stone?
Seeing the device approaching, the others didn't dare to speak. Tony continued: "Oh, but he gave me the scepter and asked me to bring the Mind Stone back..."
Before he could finish, the crazed Max suddenly reached back, shot down the drone, and looked at them with disdain.
"Do you still think I am the same me as before?"
Seeing that the plan hadn't succeeded, the others prepared to take action, but were stopped by Steve.
"Calm down! There's no need." Steve didn't want to see the scene of an Avengers civil war again.
He put down his shield, took a few steps forward, and said softly: "Max, since we have found the Mind Stone, let's go back quickly."
"Yes, we've been out for many days now." Tony also chimed in.
Max definitely wasn't willing to hand over the Mind Stone now, so the only thing to do was to hurry back and let Sean Brooke save him.
Yes, save him.
The Avengers all realized that Max's condition was very bad. If they didn't take the Mind Stone out soon, he would likely die.
"Sure."
"Phew~ Good, then we..."
Steve had just breathed a sigh of relief, thinking Max still had his sanity, but he didn't expect that in the next second, a lightning bolt as thick as a water bucket would strike down.
"What do you want to do!" Tony demanded.
Max laughed loudly, his hands constantly throwing out electric currents, "We can go back, but only I can go back alone!"
"The Avengers team was wiped out under the leadership of Iron Man, and in the end, Lightning Maxsuccessfully completed the mission!"
"I have already written down the sequence of events. Next, I just need you all to cooperate!"
After obtaining the Mind Stone, Max had no intention of letting them go back. After all, he wasn't leading the team this time, and even if he brought the Mind Stone back, he wouldn't get much credit.
But if the Avengers were all killed by HYDRA, and he fused with the Mind Stone at the last moment, defeated the enemy, and saved the World, what a perfect plot that would be~
"Haha~ Last time, it was because you locked me and Sean Brooke in prison that so many people died. If we had been there, absolutely nothing would have happened!"
"This World doesn't need too many heroes! As long as there are Homelander and Lightning, two heroes are enough!"
"And you, you are all trash with only the name of heroes! Murderers who killed over twenty thousand people!"
After the civil war, a lot of resentment had built up in Max's heart, especially being defeated by three ordinary people, which made him feel incredibly weak.
Coupled with that period when Wanda secretly used magic to amplify the fear in his heart, it even led him to commit the act of killing Luna.
Now, the Mind Stone magnified this fear infinitely, making him crave powerful strength immensely, because only powerful lightning could be worthy of the invincible Homelander.
Chapter 192: The More Gruesome an Avenger's Death, the Higher His Popularity Soars!
In the sky, lightning continued to strike down. The Avengers below scrambled to dodge, with only Thornot bothering to evade. He was the God of Thunder, after all. Did they really think the God of Thunder was afraid of electricity?
Thor hurled his hammer, aiming it at the Mind Stone. He still had no intention of killing Max, given they had once fought side by side.
Max merely sidestepped slightly, effortlessly avoiding the attack.
"Useless! I can see through every one of your moves. Hah, now, who's the real God of Thunder!" Maxstopped targeting Thor with electricity and shifted his focus to others, like Steve.
He held quite a grudge against Steve as well, for stealing his headlines.
It was supposed to be a mission for two, yet the newspapers and news only reported on Captain America. In the photos, he wasn't even as prominent as Captain America's teeth!
While dodging the lightning, Steve shouted, "Tony, can you contact Sean?"
"No! The magnetic field here is jammed. He's been stalling for time all along!"
Tony was furious too. He truly hadn't believed that Max had intended to kill them from the very start. Agitated, he said:
"Buy me some time!"
"Alright!"
After fighting for a while longer, Max realized that relying solely on lightning strikes wouldn't kill any of them—they were too good at dodging.
Left with no choice, he descended to the ground, ready to grab a lucky target and let them experience what ten thousand volts felt like!
"Hulk!"
Hulk roared and charged straight at Max. Earlier, Max had been in the air; even if Hulk jumped, he couldn't land a hit and could only watch helplessly.
Suddenly, Max's body turned transparent. Hulk passed right through him and crashed onto the ground.
"Hmph, you Beast. How dare you call yourself a hero?"
Max cast a cold glance at Hulk before disregarding him. He'd deal with him last. Turning around, he charged toward Steve. Seeing this, the others rushed forward to provide support.
But Max in his transparent state was formidable, completely untouchable. The only one capable of dealing damage, Wanda, was still crying in the distance.
Pietro still had a heartbeat, and she dared not stray too far from her brother.
Watching Max gradually close in, Steve threw his shield. As expected, it passed right through Max and was caught by Bucky.
The two joined forces in their attack. Though they still couldn't land a hit, they didn't give Max a moment's respite either.
Max stood relaxed in place, a puzzled expression on his face as he asked, "I just don't get it. How did someone as weak as you become the second most popular?"
"Through sincerity, not strength."
Electric currents surged from his body, repelling the two. Max laughed maniacally, "Sincerity? Hah, what a joke! When I worked hard and gave it my all before, I poured out all my sincerity! And what did I get? Nothing!"
Max instantly appeared before Bucky, gripping his neck with one hand while the other shone with intense light, driving the others back.
"After I became a Superhero, my former boss bowed and scraped before me, showing utmost respect. That's the status that power brings."
"As long as I'm powerful enough, I don't need any damn sincerity!"
"Let go of Bucky!" Steve gritted his teeth against the pain, stood up, and charged at him.
Max glanced at Bucky, then suddenly smirked sinisterly. "You care about him a lot, don't you? Now I understand."
A yellow light flashed in his eyes as he discovered something amusing.
"Longing, rusted, seventeen, daybreak, furnace, nine, benign, homecoming, one, freight car!"
Several meaningless words spilled from Max's lips. Then, he released Bucky.
"Kill Steve!"
"As you command."
Devoid of any emotion, Bucky swung his metal arm at Steve, holding nothing back.
Max extended his hand again, sending several electric currents toward the HYDRA captives.
The HYDRA agents, previously immobilized by Wanda, now stood up one by one. Their eyes glowing blue, they picked up their weapons and began attacking the Avengers.
This time, dealing with these soldiers proved far more troublesome for the Avengers.
Not only did they have to dodge lightning, but they also had to be wary of Chitauri weapons and guard against Max secretly attempting to control them.
"Hahaha! Later, I'll record a video of you all being killed by HYDRA soldiers and post it online to grab attention. Then, I'll kill all these people myself. Won't that prove I'm the strongest hero, second only to Homelander!"
Max's expression grew increasingly twisted. He planned to beat them until they couldn't move, then record their gruesome deaths and upload the footage online.
The more gruesome an Avenger's death, the higher his popularity would soar!
The one thing Max failed to notice was the absence of mirrors here. Thus, he couldn't see that his body was on the verge of being torn apart by the gem.
The radiation energy emitted by the Infinity Stones was terrifying. Without a proper vessel, ordinary humans couldn't withstand prolonged exposure.
Thor and the others had noticed this and shouted warnings to Max.
But Max, in his frenzied state, couldn't process their words. Instead, he felt an ever-increasing surge of energy, seemingly inexhaustible.
At that moment, his body was enveloped in a wave of red energy. Wanda emerged from her grief, channeling all her rage toward Max.
"You dare hurt my brother!"
While the others kept Max occupied, Barton stood guard beside Tony, anxiously asking,
"Is it ready yet?"
"Almost... there!"
Tony looked up as a small, cloaked spacecraft decloaked and opened fire on Max and the HYDRA forces without holding back.
Of course, Tony hadn't spent all that time just summoning the spacecraft. A batch of Iron Armor was also on its way. And incidentally, he had notified Sean.
---
Meanwhile, in Sean's Garden.
The place was bustling with construction workers busily at work. Isa supervised with her team, while Sifplanned the layout of Little Asgard.
"This is where I plan to retire. Unfortunately, it seems that won't be happening anytime soon."
Sean led a group of reporters on a tour of the resort. The enormous dragon's head and the terrifying corpse of the Soul Eater drew gasps of amazement from them.
This was to let the outside world know what Homelander had been up to during his absence from the public eye.
The scenes in the Garden not only amazed the reporters but also deeply moved the live-streaming audience.
"Wah~ When we can't see Homelander, he's silently protecting Earth, fighting against terrifying monsters. It's so heartbreaking."
"Yeah, I thought Homelander was off womanizing when he disappeared. I never imagined he's been carrying the weight for us all along!"
Several emotional female reporters on-site were moved to tears. They rushed into Sean's arms, urging him not to overwork himself, to leave dangerous tasks to other heroes, and to stay safe.
Sean smiled faintly, addressing the camera, "Fighting monsters is my responsibility. How could I let such things run amok in the city and harm our lovely people?"
"Besides, you don't need to worry about me getting too tired. Once this place is built, I'll come here often to rest. And of course, you're all welcome to come and have fun too."
Ahem, that last part was Sean's real goal. Otherwise, why would he spend time chatting with them, right?
Hearing this, the two female reporters before him lit up, especially when Sean mentioned he had reserved tickets for them both. They were so excited their eyes grew moist.
Sean's resort was built on a small island. No fool would dare sneak aboard; the only way in was through the ticket office on the shore.
At the ticket office, Hess had arranged shifts. Who could enter and who couldn't was meticulously managed.
Once the resort was completed, this place would be paradise!
"Oh, excuse me for a moment." Noticing Hill signaling him, Sean walked over.
Hill quickly briefed him on the situation. The faint smile on Sean's face vanished rapidly.
I... I damn well! Weren't these Avengers doing just fine before?