Eastern Wing of the Sokovian Castle.
Gunfire had mostly died out here. Only the occasional zzzt of short-circuiting electronics echoed through the stone corridors.
Clint Barton dropped down from a ventilation shaft, landing without a sound.
His compound bow was half-drawn, senses sharp as he scanned his surroundings.
Ahead lay a hidden passage leading to the helipad. Several Hydra soldiers were rushing down the corridor, panic written all over their faces as they pushed a silver metal case.
A bold radiation warning symbol was stamped on its surface—but the faint, eerie blue glow leaking from the seams betrayed what was inside.
The Mind Stone staff.
"Got you," Barton murmured.
He narrowed his eyes and released.
"Whsh—!"
An explosive arrow tore through the air, planting itself squarely at the feet of the lead soldier.
BOOM!
The shockwave flipped the soldiers off their feet. The metal case flew from their grip, skidding across the floor and coming to rest in the middle of the corridor.
The remaining men barely had time to raise their weapons.
Barton slid out of the shadows, movements smooth and ruthless.
Draw. Nock. Release.
Three arrows in one fluid sequence.
The soldiers never even saw where the shots came from before being pinned to the wall.
"Done."
Barton tapped his earpiece. "Natasha, Tony—I've got the staff. Pulling out."
He strode toward the fallen case and reached for the handle.
"If I were you, mortal, I wouldn't touch that."
A lazy, strangely magnetic female voice echoed through the empty hallway.
Barton's muscles locked instantly.
He spun around, bow fully drawn, arrow aimed straight at the source of the sound.
From the shadows stepped a woman.
She wore modern leather, yet on her it looked regal—ancient, almost ceremonial.
Auburn hair cascaded loosely over her shoulders, and her eyes were deep, unfathomable pools.
Lorelei.
"Don't move," Barton warned. "I don't usually shoot women—but Hydra doesn't count."
"Hydra?" Lorelei chuckled softly, the sound brushing across Barton's heart like a feather.
"I am Lorelei. When your ancestors were still picking fruit from trees, I was already conquering worlds."
"Stop."
Something felt wrong.
Barton's heartbeat quickened. Sweat gathered in his palm—not fear, but a strange, restless excitement.
"Look at me, archer."
Lorelei stopped five meters away.
She carried no weapon. She simply lifted her chin slightly, eyes shimmering with intoxicating light.
"You look so tired," she murmured.
Her voice slipped into Barton's ears, bypassing logic, stroking the deepest exhaustion in his soul.
"Put it down."
She extended a finger, curling it gently.
"You don't need to carry these burdens. Come with me. I'll give you everything a man deserves."
"Glory. Wealth."
"And… love."
Barton's eyes flickered.
His pupils contracted—then went glassy.
He lowered his bow.
Like a devout believer gazing upon a goddess, he looked at her in silent reverence.
"Yes… my lady."
He turned, lifted the case containing the Mind Stone staff, and walked obediently to Lorelei's side—like her most loyal guardian.
"That's right."
Lorelei smiled, caressing his cheek before turning toward the darkness.
"Come, my warrior."
…
Sokovia – City Center Plaza.
BOOOOM—!!
A city bus packed with passengers was hurled into the air by a massive green hand, flipping twice before crashing toward a nearby café.
"Look out!!"
A flash of silver.
Pietro Maximoff burst onto the scene at the critical moment.
In his speed state, he first cleared the café—one patron at a time—placing them safely across the street.
Then he sprinted up onto the falling bus.
Time seemed to slow.
He saw terrified faces. Shattered glass hanging midair.
"Try not to puke on me, ma'am," Pietro muttered as he grabbed a screaming woman and pulled her from her seat.
One run.
Two runs.
Three.
When the bus finally slammed into the ground and collapsed into scrap metal—
It was empty.
"Haah… haah…"
Pietro was burning out.
Sweat soaked through his silver suit. His lungs felt like they were on fire—only sheer willpower kept him moving.
"I'm a hero… I'm a hero…" he muttered as he ran, half-hypnotizing himself.
"For that sea-view apartment… for that damn sea-view apartment…"
"ROAAAR—!!"
Hulk's roar thundered from a distance.
Pietro looked up.
The green monster was straddling the Hulkbuster armor, fists pounding down like pile drivers.
"HULK! HATE! TIN MAN!!"
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Each punch caved in massive chunks of reinforced titanium. Sparks flew. Hydraulic fluid sprayed everywhere.
"Damn it! Banner, you should learn how to turn rage into electricity!"
Tony Stark shouted inside the Mark 44. "Think of the energy bills!"
Even the Hulkbuster's massive plating was buckling. The chest armor was already severely deformed.
"JARVIS! Backup parts—now!"
"Sir, the transport pod was intercepted by the crane Hulk threw earlier. Replacement left arm arriving in one minute."
"Hell—!"
BOOM!
Tony fired a point-blank chest repulsor blast, launching Hulk off him.
The green giant crashed into a department store, instantly turning it into rubble.
Nearby—
Wanda watched the destruction, her face drained of color.
She saw crying children. Shattered homes.
"This… this is my fault…"
Her hands trembled.
It was her magic that had shattered the monster's mind—and unleashed this catastrophe.
"I shouldn't have… I shouldn't have done that!"
She looked up at the raging green figure, guilt hardening into resolve.
She had to fix this.
"I can stop him…"
Wanda drew a steady breath. Scarlet light bloomed in her palms as she tried to soothe the beast.
"Calm down… please…"
Red mist drifted like ribbons toward Hulk, coiling around his head.
Hulk, just climbing out of the rubble, froze for a split second.
Something crawled inside his mind.
Like ants swarming.
Like hands forcing open memories he never wanted to see again.
Abomination.
Ross.
The cage.
And Kurse.
"No…!!"
Hulk howled in agony.
Wanda's scarlet magic—meant to calm—did the opposite.
To a Hulk already pushed past his limit, it was oil poured onto a raging inferno.
"HULK… HATE… WITCH!!"
Hulk snapped his head around.
Bloodshot eyes locked onto Wanda in the distance.
"ROOOOOAR—!!!"
With a deafening roar, Hulk abandoned the iron giant.
His legs slammed into the ground, the pavement shattering outward.
Like a living green missile—
He launched straight at Wanda.
--------------
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