The chief was visibly flustered, unable to sit still for even a moment. He paced back and forth in the dimly lit office, his every step echoing sharply against the floor, betraying his unease.
On the holographic projection screen, the expert group watched silently, their expressions filled with suspicion as they studied the commander's frantic demeanor.
Johan broke the tension, his calm voice carrying weight. "Chief, you seem troubled. Is something wrong?"
The other experts exchanged uneasy glances, their concern deepening.
The chief stopped pacing, turning to face them. Beads of sweat clung to his brow, and the look in his eyes was one of sheer gravity. The experts stiffened in alarm at his appearance.
An assistant hurried to his side. "Chief, are you all right? What's happening?"
The chief expression was almost frightening. Taking a towel from the assistant, he wiped his face, drew a deep breath, and said, "It's nothing."
But his eyes told a different story. He straightened his back and addressed the expert group with a voice heavy with thought. "I was… considering something else."
Kasey leaned forward, his voice sharp with curiosity. "Are you thinking about artificial intelligence, Chief?"
The chief wasn't surprised by Kasey's insight. Everyone here was sharp enough to piece together his thoughts. He gave a slow nod. "Yes. I am referring to artificial intelligence."
The room was silent. Many of the experts looked taken aback, unsure how to respond.
Xiaotian's brows furrowed. "Sir, with all due respect, AI was dismissed as a dangerous fallacy when we first debated it. Why bring it up again now?"
Several industrial and military leaders shared glances, equally shocked.
The commander shook his head gravely. "I'm not just talking about artificial intelligence."
He paused, then spoke deliberately, his tone lowering like the rumble of distant thunder, "There's something we all see clearly, yet refuse to acknowledge. Loki didn't just come to this era by chance… he came with a purpose. He intends to subjugate humanity and make all of Earth kneel at his feet."
The room chilled at his words.
"The greatest danger isn't the Cube's portal," the commander continued, his voice sharp. "It's that scepter in his hand. For now, we'll call it the Soul Scepter."
He narrowed his eyes, his tone grave. "A weapon capable of controlling anyone's mind… even someone as steadfast as Barton fell effortlessly under its control."
The commander swept his gaze across the room, his voice trembling ever so slightly. "Think. In that era, among all the extraordinary individuals who stood out as mere mortals who wielded power equal to gods?"
The silence was heavy. Heads turned as the question hung in the air.
Finally, Kasey spoke, his voice calm but firm. "Tony."
The commander's eyes sharpened. "Exactly. Tony Stark. A man who used nothing but his genius to create new elements, a man who built an armor capable of standing against Thor himself… and who developed the super AI, Jarvis."
He leaned forward, his tone biting. "Now ask yourselves: don't you think Loki would see him as a target? Don't you think Loki would try to bend Tony to his will with that scepter?"
The words detonated like a bomb. The entire expert group froze, shock plastered across their faces. Johan's hand trembled so violently that he nearly dropped his pen.
"You mean…" Johan's voice cracked slightly. "Loki wants to use the Soul Scepter to control Tony?"
"Yes," the chief said solemnly. "Control the world's greatest mind. Control artificial intelligence. Control the suits. And through them, control the entire world."
A collective gasp swept the room.
"In fact," the commander continued grimly, "if I'm right, it wouldn't even be difficult. It would be… alarmingly simple."
A heavy silence followed. The weight of his deduction settled like a storm over the experts. Perhaps… their fears about AI bringing about humanity's downfall weren't so far-fetched after all.
Xiaotian frowned deeply. "Then what about the Chitauri? How do you explain their role?"
The commander's eyes flashed. "Tell me, what do you think their relationship with Loki truly is? Allies? Friends?"
An older expert replied cautiously, "It's… purely transactional. A dangerous, unstable partnership."
"Exactly!" the commander snapped, slamming his fist onto the table. "Loki knows it, too. He doesn't trust them. But if he controls Tony Stark, controls Jarvis, controls an entire fleet of Iron Man suits… he wouldn't need them. He'd have an invincible army, one entirely under his command!"
The realization exploded in everyone's mind like thunder, their faces paling as they connected the dots. The commander's reasoning was flawless. They remembered the earlier footage, Loki clashing with the armored Chitauri beasts. He'd never settle for being someone else's pawn. If he could seize Iron Man himself, he'd gain the upper hand in one swift move. It was faster, cleaner, and more effective than targeting Fury.
"Tony…" someone whispered. "Tony's in danger."
"He's still active right now!" another said, panic rising.
"Loki's playing a massive game," murmured a strategist. "Cunning, insidious… When he arrived on Earth, he must have already planned this step by step. First infiltrate the Helicarrier, manipulate minds, fracture the Avengers, and provoke the Hulk…"
"Brilliant," someone muttered bitterly.
The atmosphere grew tense, suffocating. What had seemed like chaotic acts now revealed themselves as a calculated strategy. Loki's moves, once dismissed as reckless, were disturbingly meticulous.
In the training ground, every pair of eyes was glued to the broadcast screen. The live room had swelled to hundreds of millions of viewers, but few had pieced together the horrifying truth. Most were only cursing Loki's cruelty or marveling at the shocking energy barrier.
Kasey sat on the edge of a bench, rifle in hand, staring intently at the flickering energy shield. He fired a round, watched it ricochet harmlessly, and frowned.
"I can't break it," he muttered.
It was the first time he'd felt powerless to destroy something. Since awakening his memories last year, his strength had far surpassed any ordinary human. He was the closest superhuman ally to the government, chosen specifically for this mission. Yet, this barrier mocked his efforts.
"Even with a shadow clone, I doubt it'd work," he admitted.
His latest power, summoning a shadow double with double his physical strength, wouldn't make a difference. "Not just this barrier. Thor couldn't break it, the Hulk couldn't break it, and neither could Tony."
He clenched his fists, frustration etched across his face.
Meanwhile, Tony Stark had landed on the dismantling platform. Robotic arms whirred as his armor came apart piece by piece.
[ "Sir, Mark 7 isn't quite ready yet," Jarvis' calm voice echoed in his helmet. ]
[ "Skip the extras. We're in a hurry," Tony replied sharply. ]
[ Loki, watching from below, smirked and sauntered inside. "Come to compliment me on my elegance, Stark?" ]
[ Tony leaned casually against the bookshelf, hands clasped behind his back. "Actually, I'm here to threaten you." ]
[ Loki arched an eyebrow. "Then you probably shouldn't have taken off your armor." ]
[ "Yeah," Tony said nonchalantly, "but you've got a glowing scepter. Doesn't really matter." He strolled toward the bar with deliberate calm. "Drink?" ]
The live chat erupted in chaos.
"Is he insane?!"
"He's literally walking up to Loki, WITH THE SCEPTER!"
"Tony, RUN!"
"This is insane, he's actually pouring drinks right now?!"
"Loki's gonna control him!"
Tension thickened in the observation rooms and the training ground alike. Supreme Court elders, experts, soldiers, everyone leaned forward, breathless. If Loki truly bent Tony's mind to his will…
A shadow loomed over their hearts. The thought alone was chilling. After all, the Immortal Warrior's previous life was Tony Stark. He was more than just an Avenger; he was a citizen of the Terra Federation, a symbol of its ingenuity. People had watched him grow, watched him risk his life for Terra, step by step. No one wanted to see him fall.
"Tony's always been broken," someone whispered. "The armor just hides it."
The words hung heavy in the live broadcast chat, silencing millions.
Back in the footage...
[ Tony poured himself a drink. "Want one?" ]
[ Loki tilted his head, scepter glowing faintly. "You think that'll stop me?" ]
[ "No," Tony said coolly, pointing at him, "I'm threatening you." ]
[ The standoff grew sharper. Loki paced to the window, glancing at the humming machinery outside. "The Chitauri are coming, Stark. Nothing can stop it." ]
[ "What's so scary about you, really?" Tony asked, voice steady. ]
[ "The Avengers," he added simply. ]
[ Loki's brow furrowed in confusion. ]
[ "We call ourselves that. It sounds like a team." He smirked, swirling his drink. "Earth's mightiest heroes. Something like that." ]
Chat messages exploded in disbelief.
"Oh my god, he's just drinking!"
"Where's the Mark 7?!"
"Brain hurts!"
[ Loki chuckled. "I've met them." ]
[ "And you should thank yourself," Tony retorted. "You're the reason we're here." ]
[ He began to count them off. "Your brother? Demigod. A super soldier, a living legend. A guy with… severe anger management issues. A group of master assassins. And you, you pissed them all off." ]
[ Loki sneered. "That's the plan." ]
[ "And it's a dumb one," Tony said, stepping away from the bar. "Once they're done with me, you'll be their next problem." ]
[ "I have an army," Loki said coldly. ]
[ Tony smirked. "We have a Hulk." ]
"How much trust does Tony have for the Hulk!"
"He thinks the Hulk can survive the Chitauri army?"
[ Loki said: "I think that monster is outdated." ]
[ Tony said lightly: "You don't understand, there is no crown at all, no matter what the situation, you can't win. Maybe your army will invade, maybe we will be unable to do anything with one against ten. But these will be counted on your head in the end." ]
[ Tony said lightly, "If we can't protect the earth, you are definitely ready to accept the fire of our revenge!" ]
[ Loki's face with anger on his face, walked towards Tony, gritting his teeth and said: "If your friends are busy dealing with you, how can they have time to deal with me?" ]