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"Let us welcome the quick kid from Sokovia... Pietro!" Before the host could finish speaking, Pietro's figure had already vanished.
Whoosh—!
Only a silver afterimage remained on the stage.
One second later, he reappeared in his original spot.
He held three extra items: Tony Stark's sunglasses, Steve Rogers's Vibranium shield, and the unopened bottle of whiskey that had been sitting in front of Jessica Jones.
Pietro placed the items on the ground, a look of arrogance on his face.
The entire venue was silent for three seconds.
Then erupted in earth-shattering cheers!
"Too fast! I couldn't see him at all!"
"Speed Force! Is this the damn Speed Force?!"
The audience members discussed animatedly.
Dong! Dong! Dong!
Three lights lit up almost simultaneously.
A speedster of this caliber was a strategic resource that no team could refuse.
"Kid, give me back my sunglasses." Tony adjusted his messy bird's nest hair.
"Although you messed up my hairstyle, that speed... I admit, it's faster than my Mark Armor. Join me, and I'll make you even faster."
"No." Pietro looked coldly at Tony, spitting out a single, stiff word.
He then looked at Steve: "And I won't join you either."
Finally, he turned his gaze to Jessica and put the bottle of whiskey back on her table.
"I want to join your team."
Pietro's reason was simple.
He had researched in his Base in Sokovia. This woman, formerly known as Queen Jones and now Jewel, was Homelander's closest teammate. There were even rumors that she was Homelander's lover.
To get close to Homelander and dismantle this hypocritical superhero empire from within, Jessica was the best springboard.
Jessica raised an eyebrow and picked up the whiskey: "A wise choice. Welcome, Pietro."
If the quick kid Pietro was the coolest person in the venue, then the next contestant was the most... indescribable.
"Hey! Everyone! I'm your friendly neighborhood—Captain Logan!"
Accompanied by dynamic pop music, Wade Wilson, clad in a red and black spandex suit, wiggled his butt as he rushed onto the stage.
"I wanna see you out that door, Baby bye bye bye!"
Wade danced wildly on stage, the range of his hip movements so extreme that the director had to give him a close-up.
"What kind of dance is that?" Steve Rogers's senses were assaulted. "It looks... quite energetic?"
"Regardless of who he is, he dances well." Tony watched with relish, nodding his head to the rhythm.
"I have to admit, this kid has a nice butt, Captain. Doesn't lose out to yours."
Wade struck various poses for the camera while dancing, finally concluding the performance with a seductive butt grab.
"Thank you! Thank you, everyone! I'm Wade! But I prefer you call me that sexy siren in the red tights!"
He suddenly covered his mouth and nose with one hand, pointing at Steve Rogers with the other, his voice trembling with excitement.
"Oh my god! It's Captain America! A Legend! A living one!"
"Captain! I'm your superfan! I've read all your comics! I even bought your matching underwear! I know you and I wear the same size!"
Wade gave Steve an extremely non-standard military salute.
"I want to salute you here! Could you please say 'Avengers Assemble' for me!"
Steve looked embarrassed but nodded politely: "Uh... hello, Wade. Your dance... is very energetic."
"So, what are your abilities?" Jessica interrupted him somewhat impatiently.
"Besides wiggling your butt and talking nonsense."
"Oh! Good question, Your Highness, Queen!"
Wade pulled two katanas from behind his back, making a 'shua' sound.
Before anyone could react, Wade suddenly reversed his grip on the blades and aimed them at his ribs... "Pfft!"
"Pfft!"
Both swords were plunged straight into his sides!
Blood instantly made his red Battle Suit even redder.
"Ah—!!"
The audience let out screams of terror.
"Don't be scared! Don't be scared!" Wade acted as if nothing had happened, even spinning around.
"Look! Stabbing both ribs! This is my promise to a friend! Isn't it touching?"
Then he pulled out the swords, and the wounds healed rapidly at a visible speed, without a single drop of blood splashing out.
"Ding ding ding ding! Brand new me!"
"Uh..." The host rushed up.
"Mr. Wade, this is an all-ages program, please mind the boundaries..."
Dong!
Tony Stark hit the light.
"I like this kid." Tony laughed.
"He has a great sense of humor, and my team needs a comedian."
"I'll hit it too." Jessica also pressed the button.
"Although he's a chatterbox, that Regeneration Ability is pretty good."
Only Steve Rogers did not press the button. He shook his head: "Sorry, Wade. I'm not recruiting entertainers here."
"Oh, Captain! You've broken my heart!" Wade covered his chest, weeping bitterly.
"Alright, Wade." Tony said.
"I have money, lots of money. Follow me, and you'll get a set of exclusive gold-plated Battle Blades and unlimited ammunition."
"Money?"
Wade's tears instantly dried up.
He looked at Jessica: "Do you have money?"
"I have fists," Jessica said coldly.
"Then I apologize, Queen."
"Daddy! Iron Man Daddy! I'm yours now! I'm moving into Stark Tower! I'm going to shower with Iron Man!"
"I take back what I said..." Tony regretted it.
"Too late! No regrets once the piece is played!" Wade had already rushed off the stage, attempting to hug Tony, only to be blasted away by a Palm Cannon.
"Keep your distance, Wade. Your blood will stain my armor."
The entire audience burst into laughter.
That night, the ratings for Who is the Next Superhero?? predictably exploded...
Meanwhile, in the Land of the Gods, Asgard.
The atmosphere was drastically different.
Since that "accident" on the Bifrost Bridge that teleported him here, Anthony had been in Asgard for nearly a month.
He had been living... quite comfortably this past month.
Although he was nominally under house arrest, the old man Odin clearly didn't want to truly corner this "Mortal God." As long as he didn't approach the core restricted areas, he was largely free within the Heavenly Palace.
Moreover, he had found a new powerful backer—Frigga, the Goddess Queen.
Over the past month, his relationship with Frigga had been quite good! Of course, it was a pure friendship.
Frigga, dressed in an elegant simple robe, held a book and instructed gently, "magic is not Heat Vision; you cannot force it out by staring. It is the mind; you must guide it."
Anthony sat cross-legged on the grass, holding the half-eaten Golden Apple.
This thing really was amazing.
Every bite was not only sweet but also generated faint magic Power within his body. Although it wasn't much, every little bit helps.
"Mind..." Anthony closed his eyes.
He was attempting the small magic spell Frigga taught him—the Space Folding Technique.
"Buzz..."
The air vibrated slightly.
Anthony stretched out his hand, and a faint golden light appeared on his fingertip.
The air in front of him rippled like water, and a transparent void appeared that only he could see.
"Go in."
He tossed the remaining half of the Golden Apple inside.
The apple vanished.
Then he snapped his fingers, and the apple reappeared in his hand out of thin air.
"Success!" Anthony opened his eyes, feeling excited.