Nick Fury wasn't surprised by Senju Haruto's rejection.
In fact, it was exactly the kind of answer he had expected.
That was the attitude of someone truly strong.
If their roles had been reversed, Fury himself wouldn't have blindly accepted an invitation from some stranger who appeared out of nowhere either. Not without reason, not without trust.
"To be precise, I'd like you as a magical consultant."
Fury, however, was not a man who gave up easily. In his eyes, as long as he could draw Haruto into the Avengers Initiative, the method or title didn't matter.
Even if Haruto only played a role similar to Captain Marvel—rarely appearing, but showing up at critical moments—that would be more than enough.
So after Haruto's first refusal, Fury adjusted his pitch.
"I've had contact with the Ancient One. If it were her, I believe she would agree with me."
He deliberately invoked the Ancient One's name.
While the movies had never hinted at this, in the Marvel comics Fury not only knew of the Ancient One's existence, but had even stayed in contact and collaborated with her before.
Given that background, it wasn't strange to Haruto that Fury knew of her. After all, this was the so-called King of Spies. A man who had escaped death countless times, who hoarded the world's deepest secrets.
The same man who, despite S.H.I.E.L.D.'s constant funding shortages, had somehow produced the Helicarrier and deployed S.W.O.R.D. into space.
Achievements like those proved Fury was no less formidable than any superhero.
Especially in the comics—where Fury alone had sparked the "Original Sin" storyline, where with just a single whispered sentence he made Thor unworthy of Mjolnir, and ultimately even became the Watcher of the Universe.
"She's no longer on Earth, Fury."
Haruto's polite smile remained in place.
Then, slowly, he rose from his chair. His body floated upward, legs crossed in midair, so that he could look down at the proud and confident Fury standing below.
This so-called Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
If not for cooldown restrictions, Haruto would have already used a genjutsu to bend this man to his will. But first, he needed to be certain.
Was the Fury before him truly the real one?
The Eye of Agamotto opened upon Haruto's brow, manifesting as a third gleaming eye.
Fury's expression flickered with surprise at the sudden sight. He had heard of magic and even witnessed glimpses of it, but true sorcery—especially of this level—was far beyond his understanding.
And now, with Haruto's presence looming over him, the invisible pressure was suffocating. His breaths grew shallow, uneven.
Through the Eye, Haruto's sight pierced beyond Fury's surface—past skin and flesh—until the truth was revealed.
This man was no director at all.
"As I thought."
Haruto's lips curled into a smile as he shook his head.
The real Fury was cautious to the extreme, never careless. One moment he sought to recruit Haruto, yet the next he didn't even dare to show up in person.
Indeed, the figure before Haruto…
Wasn't Fury.
It was a Skrull.
Talos.
The very same Skrull who had once fought alongside Fury and Captain Marvel against the oppression of the Kree. Since then, he had been acting as Fury's double.
Come to think of it, the Skrulls' shapeshifting abilities weren't so different from White Zetsu's.
"What… what do you mean 'as I thought'?"
Talos swallowed hard, his throat dry.
He couldn't explain it, but standing in front of Haruto made him feel utterly exposed. Not just stripped bare, but as if his very soul were being laid open.
Instinctively, he took a step back.
He had impersonated Fury for years, and his confidence in his ability to play the role was absolute. His mimicry had always been flawless. No one should be able to see through it. No one!
"You're not the real Fury. You're a Skrull."
Haruto's gaze sharpened. "You may not be a being from another dimension, but you don't belong to Earth either."
"What are you implying?"
Talos tried to keep his composure, but it was useless. Standing before Haruto now, he felt like nothing more than a frightened kitten.
"Exactly what I said."
"I will banish you."
Haruto's voice dropped, and crimson magic circles flared into existence around his body.
Behind Talos, a small ring of fire ignited—then began to expand at a frightening speed.
Panic seized him.
He hadn't expected things to escalate this far.
He drew in ragged breaths, desperately trying to steady himself.
After all, he had poured years of effort into perfectly playing the role of Nick Fury.
In his desperation, Talos threw out the Ancient One's name again, insisting that only she had the right to make such judgments.
"I am the Supreme Sorcerer!"
Haruto's voice thundered, his declaration absolute.
Talos's pupils widened in shock.
So it was true—this young man was the Supreme Sorcerer.
But by then, there was nothing he could do.
The ring of fire opened like a giant maw and swallowed him whole.
Talos felt himself plummeting in free fall until—thud!—he hit the ground hard.
Around him, the faint glow of candles cast flickering light, barely holding back the darkness.
He looked around frantically. This wasn't anywhere on Earth.
It was a prison.
In truth, he had been transported to Orochimaru's laboratory.
And he wasn't the only prisoner. Many others were trapped there as well—among them, Jūgo.
Satisfied that Talos was secured, Haruto sealed the portal and sent word to Orochimaru, instructing him to keep the Skrull under strict watch.
As a shapeshifter whose very cells could transform into other beings, Talos's biology was a treasure trove of material for research. If all went well, Orochimaru might even extract insights into Skrull technology.
Still, Haruto was no executioner. And since Talos was not truly evil, he saw no need to kill him outright.
As for the role Talos had been playing…
Haruto already had a better candidate in mind.
He opened another portal. On the other side loomed the endless ranks of the White Zetsu army.
With a flick of his fingers, one White Zetsu was pulled through.
Under Haruto's command, its body began to transform.
In the span of just a few breaths, its pale form shifted into something new: its skin darkened, its frame grew taller, one eye scarred over into permanent blindness, and its white hair fell away to reveal a bald head.
"From this day forward," Haruto declared, "you are Nick Fury. And you will take command of S.H.I.E.L.D."
...
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