"The Asgardian gods shield Earth from extraterrestrial threats. A secluded circle of sorcerers holds back dark creatures from other dimensions," Aiden Cross said coldly.
"Frankly speaking, among all organizations claiming to protect Earth, S.H.I.E.L.D. has the worst temper—and the least usefulness."
The words were sharp, merciless.
S.H.I.E.L.D. sounded impressive, but in reality, it had very little to show for it.
To say nothing of the fact that nearly eighty percent of its personnel had already been infiltrated by Hydra, turning the entire organization into a nest of internal rot.
As for actual combat power worth mentioning?
Only Black Widow, Hawkeye, and Captain America.
Their combat skills were outstanding—but their physical limits never exceeded the peak of normal human capability.
Against even a slightly tougher Tiger-level disaster, they couldn't break through the defense at all.
"Let me add one piece of good news," Aiden Cross continued casually.
"There are individuals within the Hero League who can see the future."
"Foresee the future?" Nick Fury shot to his feet, visibly shaken. "That's impossible!"
He froze mid-motion as Ulric Cinder glanced at him with glacial indifference.
That gaze carried utter disregard for life.
To Ulric, Fury was not a living human—
just an ant that could be crushed at any moment.
"What… did you see?" Fury asked, forcing himself to calm down.
"Are you sure you want to know?" Aiden Cross narrowed his eyes.
"You might not like the answer."
"No matter how bad it is," Fury said firmly, "it must be confronted."
Avoidance solved nothing.
"Very well," Aiden Cross shrugged.
"Then here's a glimpse of the future."
"Your S.H.I.E.L.D. has already been completely infiltrated and controlled by Hydra."
"Hydra?!" Fury exclaimed. "That's impossible—they were wiped out decades ago!"
"Wiped out?" Aiden Cross scoffed.
"Naive. Cut off one head, and two grow back. That is Hydra's creed."
"They were never destroyed. They simply went underground—slowly, methodically infiltrating S.H.I.E.L.D. from within."
"..."
Fury fell silent.
His thoughts spiraled into chaos.
He didn't want to believe it—
yet everything the black-haired, red-eyed young man said carried terrifying plausibility.
"Oh, right," Aiden Cross added, turning to Tony Stark.
"I have some good news for you as well."
"Nope. Absolutely not," Tony said immediately, shaking his head.
"That's definitely not good news."
He had seen Fury already questioning his entire existence.
He had no interest in vomiting blood next.
"In the future, you find the woman you truly love," Aiden Cross said calmly.
"You nearly get married."
"Oh my God," Tony pointed at himself in disbelief.
"Me? Married? That only happens if I'm about to die."
"Relax. You don't actually get married."
Tony exhaled deeply. "Thank God. Must've been a fake engagement."
"Not quite," Aiden Cross continued.
"A purple-skinned alien collects six cosmic relics and snaps his fingers—erasing half the universe."
"Unfortunately, the woman you love vanishes with it."
Tony's expression hardened instantly.
The story was half-truth, half-manipulation.
The snap was real.
The loss… exaggerated.
But the fear it inspired was genuine.
"What?" Tony asked quietly.
If he truly found someone he wanted to marry—
only to lose her to some cosmic freak—
Tony knew himself well enough to admit he would lose his mind.
The scenario was unbearable.
He wanted to believe it was a lie.
Yet Aiden Cross's calm certainty made doubt feel pointless.
"Still," Aiden Cross added lightly,
"that is the original future."
"With the Hero League's arrival, the future has already changed."
"Wait," Fury interrupted, regaining focus.
"One last question—how do we verify that what you're saying is real?"
"Investigate S.H.I.E.L.D. internally," Aiden Cross replied flatly.
"You'll understand soon enough."
"Just be careful. Otherwise, you might get silenced."
Fury's eyes narrowed.
Then Tony spoke up.
"Honestly," he said, "I'm less interested in S.H.I.E.L.D. right now."
"I want to know how we deal with that purple freak you mentioned."
"Simple," Aiden Cross said.
"Join us."
A faint blue glow condensed in his hand, forming a sleek bracelet. He tossed it to Tony.
This was the Hero League Member Band.
It had four core functions:
Record monster kills
• Store energy points
• Receive missions from Hero League headquarters
• Spend energy points to advance one's abilities
For example, Seraphina Dawnshield's holy power could be improved through training—or directly upgraded to B-Class by consuming sufficient energy points.
However, advancing to A-Class holy power required more than energy points alone.
It demanded the corresponding B-Class Hero title.
At present, Seraphina was a C-Class hero.
To advance, she needed proof of defeating a Demon-level disaster—
along with a massive energy investment.
Even in its early stage, the Hero League already possessed a complete and structured hero progression system.
Tony looked at the bracelet in his hand, then smirked.
"Well," he said,
"compared to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s so-called 'Super Soldier Program'…"
"You guys actually look reliable."
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