Chapter 85: New York War

The battlefield was tilting hard in the enemy's favor. Thor, grounded and without Mjölnir, had lost his greatest advantages. Without flight or thunder, his might was reduced to brute force alone, far less efficient than Steve, who fought with the precision of a seasoned tactician. Dr. Banner still hadn't shown up. And Hawkeye, who should have been part of the team originally, remained under the scepter's control, still fighting on the wrong side. The Avengers were stretched thin. ... Aboard the S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier, Nick Fury stood with arms crossed, his face locked in a deep scowl as he watched the chaos unfold on the screen before him. The main monitor showed Tony flying solo in the sky, battered and bruised, his Iron Man suit covered in scratches, scorch marks and dents. The Chitauri had come in waves from above, and Tony was the only airborne force the Avengers had. "There's too many of them, I can't hold the sky by myself!" Tony's voice crackled through the comms, frustration clear in his tone. Below, Steve, Natasha, and Thor were also buckling under pressure. Each one vastly superior to the Chitauri in single combat, but the numbers were simply overwhelming. Steve's voice came through next. "Director Fury, we need reinforcements. At this rate, we're going to be overrun." Fury clenched his jaw. Every available S.H.I.E.L.D. unit had already been deployed. But they were trained for espionage, not alien warfare. They were barely a dent in the tide. Behind him, Maria Hill hesitated, then stepped forward. "Director... should we ask Consultant Yale for help? His dog might be able to turn this around." Fury shook his head. "This isn't a bar fight, it's a war between worlds. One man, or one dog, won't make the difference. Besides, I know Yale's type. He doesn't do favors for strangers." But then he paused, tapping a finger to his chin. "That said... he will definitely fight. Because eventually, this battle will hit his home. And when it threatens his sister, or Sharon, or even just his front door, he won't stay quiet." He turned to the monitor again. "Luke Yale isn't a hero. But when it comes to protecting what's his, he's more dangerous than any of us." Fury's strength had never been his physical power, but his understanding of people, in predicting their behavior. And when it came to Luke, he understood him perfectly. Luke didn't give a damn about the world. But if you put his family or his home in the crossfire? He would become unstoppable. Hill nodded slowly, still digesting his words. Her gaze drifted. Sharon, he'd said. Not just Wanda. That caught her attention. Would Luke really fight for Sharon? That thought lingered in Hill's mind, even as a new development flickered across the screen. ... Suddenly, a new group appeared on the battlefield. Men in camo uniforms, with half their faces obscured by tactical masks. Their personal identities were hidden, but not their size. They were enormous. Taller and bulkier than even Thor. Fury's eyes narrowed. "Those guys..." A memory clicked. "They look familiar." The towering frames. The faint green hue under their skin. The unmistakable resemblance to the ones who ambushed Luke before. "Damn it. These are Ross's freaks." Now it made sense, Ross had vanished from public view not because he'd been removed from command, but because he'd been busy building an army. Fury stared as the super soldiers tore into Chitauri troops. One slammed a hover-chariot to the ground with his bare hands. Another hurled a Chitauri foot soldier like a rag doll through a wall. The brute strength was undeniable. But Fury's expression didn't brighten. He knew Ross. Knew his methods. Knew his ambition. "That bastard's not here to save the day," he muttered. "He's here to advertise." Ross had never cared about orders, or civilians. His military base had always been a private fiefdom, operating in shadows. This wasn't about protecting Earth, this was a field test. And the way the super soldiers behaved confirmed it. Despite their overwhelming strength, they never advanced beyond the edge of the battlefield. They avoided the thick of the war. Never pushed into the real carnage. They weren't fighting, they were being tested. Dozens of them moved in formation, carving up small enemy units, but never making a real difference. Fury gritted his teeth. "Training exercise," he spat. "This motherfucker's using a live alien invasion as his lab test." ... On the rooftop of the New York Sanctum, the Ancient One was watching as well. Her glowing eyes caught every movement, every tactic, every intention behind the chaos. She too noticed the new soldiers. And she too frowned. There was an unnatural energy clinging to them, faint but foul, like something scraped from the edge of the abyss. "Tampered souls," she whispered. These were not noble warriors. They were weapons forged from desperation and ambition. ... And then came the Leviathan. From the swirling portal above Manhattan, a massive, whale-like war machine descended. The creature roared as it tore through the sky, its armored hide glinting under the sun. Hundreds of Chitauri rode in on its back like an airborne war train. Tony's heart sank. "Jarvis, give me a weakness. Anything." Scans came back negative. Its armor was thick, its internals unknown. And Tony? He was out of tricks. But just when it seemed like the Avengers were at their lowest... A motorcycle skidded into frame. Dr. Bruce Banner had arrived. He calmly stepped off the bike in front of Steve. His expression was still. Controlled. But something deep behind his eyes was already stirring. When Steve relayed the message, Tony finally cracked a smile. "Get ready, I'm bringing the party to your side!" ... A few blocks away, at the grocery store. The first Chitauri scout hovered down to the quiet street. Unlike the chaos that gripped the rest of New York, this corner was calm. Inside, Luke sat with crossed arms. Wanda leaned lazily against a shelf. Sharon was practically vibrating with excitement. And Doggo... Doggo was drooling. Chitauri? To him it sounded like dinner. Sharon had just discovered that Mjölnir could summon lightning and she was eager to test it. And now, as the first enemy peeked around the corner, her eyes lit up. But even before she could act, Doggo's ears twitched. A green glow flickered around his paws. He was about to pounce. "Doggo, hold it!" Sharon shouted. "This one's mine!" She grabbed the hammer and charged outside, eyes blazing, lightning crackling. ...