9.1 The Serpent's Warning
The threat Ronin and Aether predicted materialized with terrifying speed. The global peace was shattered when Loki, the God of Mischief, arrived via the Tesseract (now known as the Cosmic Cube), stealing the powerful energy source and taking control of the minds of Dr. Selvig and Clint Barton (Hawkeye)..
"Ronin, probability mapping confirms a catastrophic event is imminent," Aether stated, displaying real-time thermal scans of the remote S.H.I.E.L.D. facility where Loki had made his debut. "Loki's scepter—identified as containing the Mind Stone—is the primary variable. It is a reality-shifting artifact, but currently only used for psychological manipulation."
Ronin was ready. His daily regimen had been brutal: eight hours in 6x Earth Gravity, followed by intense Ki control exercises and advanced suit maneuvers. He could now sustain the Super Saiyan transformation for several minutes without the debilitating exhaustion he experienced in New Mexico, though he still preferred to fight in his contained base form.
"We need to know where they're going, Aether. Loki is building an army. He needs time and resources," Ronin said, activating the Eye of Foresight.
The Eye glowed, showing a rapid sequence of events: Stark Tower, the Avengers assembling, and an army of strange, metallic creatures flying through a massive portal above Manhattan.
"The immediate target is Stark Tower, Ronin. The goal is to open a sustained portal for the Chitauri invasion force," Aether predicted. "The window for intervention before full invasion is narrowing."
9.2 The Shadow of the Black Widow
Ronin knew he couldn't stop Loki alone without fully exposing his Ki power, which would attract far too much heat from Asgard and Earth's militaries. He needed to coordinate his efforts with the nascent Avengers team.
He began escalating his visible vigilantism, focusing on targets that would draw the attention of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s covert action teams. He targeted a major Hydra data cache in New Jersey—a complex operation that required precise timing and superhuman stealth.
The Ronin MK-I suit was perfect. He dismantled the highly secured facility in minutes, not by brute force, but by using his Z-Sense to bypass all surveillance and disarm every guard with non-lethal strikes.
He left a single object on the central server: a small, smooth obsidian dart—a low-level Noble Phantasm from the Gate of Babylon, designed for perfect throwing balance and minimal mass.
The action was flawless, but it led to the desired confrontation.
Ronin was exfiltrating from the site when he was intercepted by a blinding flash of light and a high-speed projectile that knocked him clean off the building's roof. His Avalon sheath activated instantly, forming a localized energy field that protected him from the fifteen-story fall and the impact of the projectile.
He landed on the street, rolling to his feet, facing a sleek black SUV. Standing before it was a woman in a dark tactical suit, her red hair pulled back sharply, her face a mask of cold intensity.
Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow.
"You're the Phantom," she stated, her voice calm and dangerous. "The one who fought the space robot. Director Fury wants a conversation."
"I don't do conversations, Widow," Ronin replied, his voice a low, synthetic rumble.
Before she could react, Ronin blurred, using his Z-Sense to instantly appear behind her. He didn't attack; he simply placed his hand gently on the back of her neck, right below her hairline.
"You're not fast enough," Ronin whispered into her ear. "Tell Fury I am a neutral asset. I am preparing for the real fight, and I am not your enemy."
Natasha, a seasoned killer, was frozen by the impossible speed and the casual, terrifying dominance of the move. Her instincts screamed that this man could snap her neck before she could blink.
Ronin released her, leaping onto the adjacent building with a single, massive jump that defied gravity. He vanished into the night, leaving the legendary spy completely shaken.
9.3 The Archer's Debt
Ronin's second intended contact was less subtle. He tracked Loki's team (Dr. Selvig and the mind-controlled Hawkeye) to a massive abandoned research facility near the coast, where they were preparing the portal device.
Ronin launched a direct, high-speed assault, aiming to disable the portal device and free Hawkeye.
He found Hawkeye on a high gantry, acting as the primary sniper protection.
"Aether, target Hawkeye's bowstring. Use a Chakram of the Wind King—low-power cut, minimal damage," Ronin commanded.
Ronin summoned the spinning, razor-sharp throwing ring and launched it. Clint Barton, despite being mind-controlled, was a phenomenal marksman. He saw the projectile coming and fired an arrow to intercept. The arrow detonated prematurely, saving his life but distracting him.
Ronin took the opportunity, zooming forward and engaging Hawkeye in hand-to-hand combat. Clint was fast and expertly trained, but against Ronin's Ki-boosted Saiyan martial arts, it was a mismatch. Ronin used controlled, pressure-point strikes, aiming to knock the control from him without killing him.
The fight was a blur, ending when Ronin delivered a precisely calculated strike to Clint's temple, knocking him unconscious and fracturing the Mind Stone's control.
Before Ronin could dismantle the portal device, Loki appeared, surrounded by Chitauri soldiers.
"The Golden Man. The ghost who fights for mortals," Loki sneered, raising his scepter. "I will crack that golden shell and see the fear within."
Ronin knew he couldn't beat Loki here. Loki was too protected, and Ronin needed to save his biggest move for the main invasion.
Ronin grabbed the unconscious Clint Barton and spoke into his comms. "Aether, full-power teleportation jump—Brooklyn base! Get us out!"
A flash of golden energy, drawn from the Gate's reserves, enveloped them. They were gone. Loki was left with a damaged portal device and a missing archer.
Ronin had sacrificed the opportunity to stop the portal for the immediate gain of freeing a key Avenger.
9.4 The Quiet Strength of Gwen
The world was spiraling towards disaster, but for Ronin, life had to continue. He had promised Gwen Stacy commitment, and he kept that promise.
Gwen was increasingly focused on her advanced biology research, fascinated by the concept of accelerated healing. She often spent late nights in the university lab, a place Ronin could visit as himself without the guise of the hero.
One evening, after the harrowing encounter with Loki, Ronin found Gwen looking stressed and fragile, her hand trembling slightly as she worked on a complex molecular model.
"You look like you haven't slept in a week, Ronin," she observed, looking up.
"It's just the stress of the end of the semester," he lied, sitting beside her. He took her hand, his touch immediately steadying her.
"I need you, Ronin," she said quietly, leaning her head on his shoulder. "The world is getting scary, with those 'super-soldiers' and the talk of aliens. My dad is on high alert all the time. But when I'm with you, studying here, it all feels possible. You're the smartest person I know. You're the steady point in my chaos."
Her love and faith were the most potent anchors to his sanity. He knew his double life was a ticking time bomb, but her trust made the burden bearable. He spent the next few hours simply being Aarav Sharma: the brilliant, supportive boyfriend.
He had delivered Clint Barton to a safe S.H.I.E.L.D. recovery point via a coded message to an encrypted source (anonymously linked to Black Widow's primary contact).
The Avengers were assembling. The Battle of New York was next. Ronin had his suit, his Ki, his Gate, and his two great loves—one a source of chaos, the other a source of peace. He was ready for war.