Beyond these radiant "main tanks" and "main DPS" on the battlefield, there were also "assassins" working from the shadows.
Clint Barton, Hawkeye, lay prone on a rooftop.
Like a calm hunter, each time he drew his bowstring, a specialized arrow whistled forth.
An explosive arrow pierced precisely into a Chitauri flyer's engine, triggering a devastating chain reaction.
An electro-net arrow stretched between two streets, forming a lethal barrier that fried a group of enemies until they were smoking husks.
A hacker arrow directly invaded a small command craft's systems, causing it to "defect" and start attacking its own allies.
On another front, Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow, moved like the deadliest spider threading through the urban jungle.
Using her grappling hook, she swung and leaped between buildings with fluid grace.
Her Widow's Bite released high-voltage currents that could instantly paralyze enemies.
When they got close, her masterful combat techniques became Death's scythe. One swift scissor-leg takedown could snap a neck; one quick roll could dodge lethal fire while her dual pistols sent two more enemies to oblivion.
They didn't possess world-destroying power, but with wisdom, skill, and courage, they provided crucial support across every corner of the battlefield.
"Mm, these two are interesting." Cloud's eyes showed a hint of approval. "Know how to use the environment. Know how to play to their strengths. With a bit of professional training, they could become decent support specialists."
"ROAAAR—!"
A roar loud enough to shatter glass—filled with endless rage—erupted from one corner of the battlefield!
Dr. Banner had finally unleashed the "big guy" inside him.
The Hulk descended like an unstoppable natural disaster!
He ignored all energy blasts, his massive form charging through everything, tearing Chitauri flyers apart like paper!
He grabbed one unlucky Chitauri soldier and used him like a baseball bat, smashing his comrades one after another!
He leaped high and punched through half a building the enemy had occupied!
He had no tactics. No technique.
He was the purest, most primal violence!
He was the battlefield's most unreasonable "cleaner."
"Now THIS is what I'm talking about! This I like!" Cloud watched Hulk's simple, brutal fighting style and let out an appreciative whistle. "Pure power! Pure destruction! Just not too bright—can't tell friend from foe. Need to figure out how to install a rationality module in him later."
...
The battle continued.
The Avengers worked like a well-oiled war machine.
Iron Man handled air superiority and high-altitude fire suppression.
Thor handled large-scale AOE clearing.
Captain America handled ground command and position defense.
Hawkeye and Black Widow handled precision strikes and flanking support.
Hulk handled demolition.
At first, their powerful individual abilities and solid coordination actually stabilized the front.
But that wormhole in the sky was like a wound to hell that could never be closed.
There were simply too many enemies!
Tony's armor energy had dropped to the 30% warning threshold, the surface covered in scratches and dents.
Thor's breathing grew heavy; each lightning summon took longer to charge.
Steve had taken multiple wounds, and though his Super Soldier physiology kept him tireless, the mental pressure was mounting.
Hawkeye's quiver was nearly empty.
Natasha was at her physical limit.
Even the seemingly inexhaustible Hulk had started slowing down after more than ten minutes of continuous smashing.
And worse still...
"Everyone... I'm seeing something bigger."
Natasha's voice came through the comms, carrying a tremor.
Everyone looked up.
A Chitauri Leviathan—massive as a whale, encased in heavy metal armor like an aerial fortress—was slowly emerging from the wormhole, revealing its hideous head!
It was so enormous that the moment it appeared, the sky itself seemed to dim!
Then came a second. A third...
Endless aerial fortresses began flooding New York's skies!
Despair appeared on everyone's faces.
"How... how are we supposed to fight this?" Tony murmured, staring at his armor's energy gauge, now glowing red.
Just then, Nick Fury's voice—anxious and furious—crackled through the comms.
"The Security Council bastards! They went over my head! They've decided to launch a nuclear strike on Manhattan!"
"WHAT?!"
This news was the final straw, sinking everyone's hearts into the abyss.
Endless enemies ahead.
An indiscriminate nuke behind.
The heroes finally understood what true despair felt like.
They could die in battle. But they couldn't accept that the city they protected, the people they defended, would ultimately be destroyed alongside them—by their own people's weapons.
Atop the Brooklyn Bridge.
Cloud lowered the binoculars in his hand (which he'd "borrowed" from a nearby tourist's bag).
He shook his head and sighed.
"Sigh, honestly."
"The so-called Avengers, and they can barely handle the appetizers."
"Warm-up's over."
He looked at those "giant worms" strutting through the sky, then glanced at the nuclear missile in the distance, trailing its long fiery tail toward Manhattan.
A smile crossed his face—the smile of someone whose turn had finally come.
"Time to show these backwater alien bumpkins and those bureaucrats sitting in their offices..."
"What a real miracle looks like."
...
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