After obtaining the Gurongi detector from Tony, Coulson immediately returned to the base. Along the way, he contacted George Stacy, urging the NYPD to monitor any recent reports of mysterious deaths. He specified that victims were likely struck from above, bearing puncture wounds similar to those caused by a needle. He hoped this would help pinpoint the Wasp Gurongi's active territory.
Upon receiving word that the Gurongi might be moving again, George ordered his precinct commanders to consolidate and report any fatalities matching those specific characteristics.
Inside the operations base.
"So this is the device that can detect the Gurongi?" Kent asked curiously, eyeing the instrument Coulson had brought back.
Coulson nodded. "It's a detector built by Tony Stark. Supposedly, it reacts to the unique life-force wavelengths of the Gurongi, allowing us to distinguish them from ordinary humans."
"That means we can find them ahead of time instead of rushing to stop them after they've already started killing," Kent said, his voice tinged with excitement.
Steve nodded but asked calmly, "What's the detection range?"
Coulson thought for a moment. "Barring any unexpected factors or interference, it should be sensitive to any Gurongi within a one-kilometer radius."
"What do you mean by 'unexpected factors'?" Steve immediately caught the underlying concern in Coulson's voice.
Coulson looked at Steve and voiced his theory. "Based on the Rhino Gurongi we eliminated and Tony's encounter with the Wasp Gurongi, they are indeed different from the ones we faced before. They can utilize the special energy in their belts to reinforce their own methods of attack."
Kent nodded in agreement. "Captain, what do you think?"
Steve's gaze narrowed. "Our priority right now is to find the Wasp Gurongi and stop his game. We can discuss the rest later."
Steve's tone was heavy. He had an unsettling feeling that this Gurongi ability shared similarities with his own Kuuga transformations. The inscriptions found in the ruins only told a story from the perspective of ancient humans—the tale of the great warrior Kuuga fighting the brutal Gurongi tribe to save humanity. It wasn't detailed enough to explain the true nature of the Gurongi or their potential connection to Kuuga.
Coulson nodded. "I've notified Commissioner Stacy. The NYPD is searching for victims killed by the flying needles. Once we have a pattern, we'll head to that area with the detector and pin down his exact location."
"One problem," Kent raised his hand. "This Wasp Gurongi can fly freely at over 2,000 meters. If he doesn't come down, we're helpless. I think we might need Tony Stark's help."
"I've already spoken with Tony," Coulson replied. "Once the Wasp Gurongi is spotted, he'll engage first to cripple its flight capabilities. Then, we move in for the finish. Now, we just wait for the NYPD."
"How is it that so many people have died in the exact same way and it wasn't reported or taken seriously?!" George barked, looking at the victim files in his hand.
"Commissioner, these victims were spread across different precincts," a middle-aged officer explained. "The cause of death wasn't immediately clear, and they didn't realize the severity. Plus..." He lowered his voice. "It's not exactly rare for a few murders to go unsolved in certain parts of New York."
George snorted, well aware of the complexities of the city's underworld. "Mark the location of every victim on the map. We need to find this monster's flight path."
"Captain, the NYPD found the route!"
As soon as Coulson got the message from George, he alerted Steve. "Commissioner Stacy has already dispatched helicopters and the G3 Unit."
Steve got the coordinates, grabbed the detector, and set out with Kent. By the time they reached the area, police helicopters were already patrolling the skies. However, one helicopter had already been marked as a target by the Wasp Gurongi.
"So this is the 'airplane' tool the Rinto built to fly. Are you here to interfere with my game?" The Wasp Gurongi appeared suddenly beside the helicopter, speaking with amusement.
"Target sighted!" the pilot shouted in alarm.
"Leave it to us," the G3 operators inside said confidently. They opened the cabin door, aiming their Nerve-Breaking Bullet rifles at the creature.
But the Wasp Gurongi was far more agile in the air than a helicopter. With a sudden burst of speed, he rose vertically, vanishing from the G3 Unit's line of sight.
"He's out of our firing arc!" one operator yelled in frustration.
Suddenly, a faint, sharp whistling sound cut through the air. The helicopter pilot's head slumped forward. The G3 operators looked over to see a small hole in the top of the pilot's helmet; blood was dripping from his chin.
"The pilot's been hit!" The operator's voice was thick with suppressed rage.
"Stabilize the aircraft! Don't let it crash!" George commanded over the radio.
"What about the Gurongi?"
"Tony Stark is on it," George said, glancing at Coulson.
Tony, having received the update, arrived on the scene in his armor, cutting off the Wasp Gurongi just as he was about to leave.
"You again," the Gurongi hissed.
Tony had JARVIS scan the helicopter to ensure it wasn't going to fall out of the sky before focusing on the enemy. "I don't know what you're saying, but you won't be hitting me with those needles this time. And you're not getting away." Tony locked his weapons system onto the monster, ready for a dogfight.
Then, without warning, several bolts of invisible energy struck the Wasp Gurongi at a speed the sensors couldn't even track. The Gurongi, focused entirely on Tony, had no time to dodge.
The energy hit him dead center, forming sealing runes across his body. The Gurongi's muscles tensed, and his belt glowed faintly as if trying to suppress the sealing power. It failed. After four or five breaths, he erupted in a massive explosion, leaving nothing behind.
Tony looked toward the source of the energy bolts with a complicated expression.
Below, Steve had arrived and, needing to hit a target in the sky, had shifted into Kuuga Pegasus Form. His shield had transformed into the Pegasus Bowgun. Using senses thousands of times sharper than a human's, he had locked onto the Wasp Gurongi's position and fired arrows of concentrated sealing energy.
He had hit the mark perfectly.