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*****
Nick Fury felt like he had asked an idiotic question. Despite having performed a meticulous psychological profile on Thor, facing the man in person revealed he was even more... "simplistic" than anticipated.
"He has the Tesseract; he can teleport at a moment's notice," Feny chimed in from the side. "That's why we're considering a one-hit kill method to prevent him from escaping."
"No! You cannot do that!"
Thor was horrified. Even if Loki had tormented him a thousand times, he was still his brother (from another mother and another father, but a brother nonetheless).
"That is only a final contingency; we haven't actually discussed such a plan yet," Nick Fury said, shooting Feny a warning frown. Although Feny was joking, Fury had actually considered it—he just hadn't voiced it to the group.
Even though Nick Fury was the director here, Thor clearly trusted Feny's words more. His concern didn't fade. "Loki is of Asgard. His judgment should be left to Asgard."
"We'll settle that after we catch him," Fury replied, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. He changed the subject. "I have a proposal. Everyone, listen in."
After hearing Fury's breakdown, Feny thought it seemed decent enough.
The plan was straightforward and centered on one goal: separating Loki from the Tesseract. They would use a lure to draw Loki out, and while he was occupied, a team would slip in and retrieve the cube.
"And who is going to be the lure?" Captain America asked, nodding his approval of the strategy.
Everyone's eyes drifted toward the recently arrived Thor. Before he showed up, the identity of the bait might have been a point of debate, but with Thor present, the discussion was effectively over.
Thor seemed to realize his destiny as the bait. He looked at Fury and asked, "What must I do?"
"Just draw him out in whatever way you think is most likely to work!" Fury replied.
"Wait, how can we be sure Loki won't bring the Tesseract with him to confront Thor?" Banner raised his hand to ask.
"That's why we wait!" Fury looked around at the team. "We wait until we're certain he's stabilized the research on the Tesseract. Then we move."
Since no one offered a better alternative, they settled on Fury's plan for the time being. Feny, meanwhile, was focused on one thing: extracting his seventh skill before they faced Loki. It would give him a much better edge.
After defeating Thor, he was a mere sliver away from the level-up. He likely only needed one more fight to trigger the draw.
Unsure of when the operation would begin, the group settled into their quarters on the Helicarrier.
Aside from the team, the ship was crawling with S.H.I.E.L.D. agents—and likely a fair number of Hydra moles. Consequently, Feny kept 'Incursio' equipped; his armored form drew eyes wherever he went.
However, the real stars of the show weren't Feny, but Captain America and Thor.
Tony's Iron Man persona had been around long enough that the novelty had worn off. Feny was too mysterious and didn't engage in small talk, making him unapproachable.
As for Banner—a scruffy, middle-aged man who for some reason had caught Natasha's eye—few agents paid him any mind.
But Captain America and Thor? They were two literal titans with physiques that left people staring. More importantly, neither understood modern society, so they were constantly asking agents for help or explanations.
Their friendly demeanor and god-like bodies made them instant favorites among the crew, regardless of gender.
By the time Feny arrived at Cap's door, he saw several female agents lingering nearby, stealing glances in that direction.
Steve was surprised by Feny's visit, but he didn't turn him away.
"Is something wrong?"
Though his impression of Feny had shifted slightly, the kid was still the one who had saved his life. Steve wasn't as cold toward him as he was toward Tony.
Talking to someone while encased in 'Incursio' was arguably impolite, but considering what he was about to ask, Feny stayed armored. "Are you interested in a spar?"
"A spar!?"
Steve blinked, then frowned. "Why?"
"To get a better feel for a teammate's strength!"
Feny offered his pre-rehearsed excuse. "That way, if we're in an emergency, you can make better tactical calls."
It was a bit of a reach, but it held some logic. Steve shook his head anyway. "I'm not exactly the commander here."
"Doesn't matter!" Feny waved it off. "You weren't planning on turning in this early, were you? Your body might be old, Cap, but don't let your mindset turn into a senior citizen's."
"..."
Steve gave Feny a flat look but still didn't agree. He frowned and said, "Why me? I'm no match for you."
Having watched Feny fight Thor, Steve had a realistic grasp of the power gap. Back in his day, he had been peerless, storming Hydra bases solo and coming out on top. But compared to an entity that defied the laws of physics like Feny, he knew where he stood.
Feny couldn't exactly tell him: Look, I've already farmed everyone in the Avengers except you, Hawkeye, and Natasha. Those two are normal humans and won't give much XP, so you're my best bet.
In truth, he was running out of options. Tony's suit had taken a beating from Thor and was currently undergoing emergency repairs and upgrades.
Banner was busy at Fury's request, developing a tracking program for the Tesseract, and it wasn't a good time to summon the Hulk.
Thor was a great choice, but winning against him while he held Mjolnir was a chore, and Fury was currently busy pumping him for information about Asgard.
As for Hawkeye and Natasha—they were the "break glass in case of emergency" options for XP.
Feny could have gone to Kamar-Taj to find Mordo, but after being away for so long, showing up just to punch the guy felt a bit rude. So, he settled on Cap.
"It's just a spar. Don't worry about winning or losing; it's about building rapport," Feny said, sounding entirely casual. Had Steve not seen Feny threaten Thor into admitting defeat earlier, he might have actually believed him.
"Where are we doing this?"
Seeing Feny's persistence, Steve finally relented. He stood up and cracked his neck.
"Put on your uniform and grab your gear first."
Feny glanced at the shield in the corner. That shield was unique; apparently, it contained elements beyond just Vibranium, which was why it couldn't be easily replicated.
Once he agreed, Steve didn't dawdle. He went into his room and donned his vintage combat suit, then picked up the shield. "Don't tell me we're fighting in here."
"Of course not. Last time you experienced this, you were still a popsicle!"
Feny swiped his hand, opening a portal of golden sparks. The destination: the same clearing where he had fought Thor.
"The world really is changing too fast," Steve sighed before stepping through.
Feny followed and closed the portal. Under the night sky, the bright moonlight illuminated the terrain, providing plenty of visibility for both men.
Without further words, they engaged.
The battle, however, defied Feny's expectations. He had intended to use a few skills to dance around Steve and secure a quick win, but ten minutes later, he still hadn't taken the Captain down.
Steve should have been on the same tier as Red Skull, yet no matter what Feny threw at him, he simply refused to fall. Part of it was Feny's hesitation to use lethal force, but it was still staggering.
With his current strength, Feny could trade blows with Thor and only be pushed back a few steps.
"This isn't scientific!"
Feny looked at Captain America, who was breathing a bit heavily behind his shield but remained standing like an immovable object. He couldn't help but add: "And it's not magic, either!"
Feny knew that if he went all out and threw caution to the wind, he could finish Steve. But doing so would defeat the entire purpose of a spar.
(End of Chapter)