Fenric found the newly issued task from the system rather strange.
On one hand, he was asked to form a force. On the other, his subordinates were capped at just ten people.
"What kind of force can you even call that?" he muttered to himself.
"Didn't the strategy say missions generally revolve around Ultron? Mine has nothing to do with him. And the stronger my subordinates, the higher my evaluation? So I really need to be careful with these ten slots."
He began running through the candidates in his mind.
"Scarlet Witch—definitely. Quicksilver—passable. Black Panther? Forget it. Not sure if Iron Man counts since his power relies on the suit. Captain America—maybe. Hawkeye and Black Widow? Their strength's lacking. Thor and the Hulk? Those two are plenty strong, but not easy to handle.
Doctor Strange should still be just a regular man at this point. Peter Parker—has he even been bitten by the spider yet? As for Earth's real heavyweights… maybe only Carol Danvers(Captain Marvel), but she's still out in the universe. Thor's sister Hela is terrifying, but recruiting her would be even more troublesome."
Fenric rubbed his temples.
"If I could somehow make the Sorcerer Supreme, Odin, and Thanos my subordinates, I'd probably secure a Super God evaluation with just those three. But that's impossible."
He exhaled deeply.
"Forget it. Step one—secure Scarlet Witch."
For this mission, he felt the Soul Stone would be crucial. With it, he could first seize control of others and then make them willingly swear loyalty. It was the perfect shortcut.
The question was—whose hands was the stone in now?
"I don't know if the plot has started yet. I'll ask Tony Stark first."
With that thought, Fenric began his preparations.
Instead of heading straight for Stark Tower, he first went to a luxury sports car dealership. Using his black card, he casually dropped several million dollars on a Pagani Huayra.
Then, driving the car into a deserted alley, he pulled out the AllSpark.
Zzzt! Zzzt!
The cube released a surge of energy that coursed into the Pagani.
Clank! Clank! Clank!
The supercar's frame twisted, metal parts shifting and locking into place with flawless mechanical precision.
Moments later, a towering robot over five meters tall stood before Fenric. Its eyes glowed a peaceful green, unlike most AllSpark creations whose crimson optics brimmed with killing intent.
"Master!"
The robot knelt on one knee, head bowed.
Fenric chuckled.
"Transform back into a car."
At his command, the robot reverted into the sleek sports car.
Sliding into the driver's seat, Fenric said, "I'll give you a name—Hurricane. From now on, you're Hurricane."
A powerful voice rumbled from the stereo. "Yes, Master. Hurricane is honored to serve!"
"Good. Take me to Stark Tower," Fenric ordered.
The Pagani roared to life, darting into the street.
Traffic was heavy, cars bumper-to-bumper—but Hurricane wove through them effortlessly, like wind cutting through a forest. Even the finest racecar drivers couldn't match its reflexes.
A trip that should have taken thirty minutes was finished in just twenty.
"Hurricane, park yourself nearby and don't go too far," Fenric said as he stepped out.
"Yes, Master."
The doors closed automatically, and the car drove off on its own.
A passing man stopped dead in his tracks, eyes wide.
"Man, your car's insane! It's even got driverless tech?"
Fenric only smiled faintly and turned toward Stark Tower.
Then the man let out a sharp cry. "Holy—hell!"
He'd just seen Fenric's body lift into the air.
Flight.
The poor guy fell back in fright before scrambling away in panic.
Fenric ignored him, controlling his body with his mind power as he rose swiftly toward the tower's upper floors. He had no intention of wasting time with security checks at the main entrance.
Before long, he reached the penthouse.
Through the glass, he saw a lively gathering. Nearly all the Avengers were there, dressed in casual clothes, drinks in hand. Even Thor had swapped his armor for a sharp suit.
On the coffee table sat Mjolnir.
Tony Stark was straining with all his might, trying to lift the hammer—without success. The others laughed, sipping wine as they watched the show.
Fenric's eyes lit up.
He immediately recognized the scene—this was the very start of Avengers: Age of Ultron. The heroes had just destroyed a Hydra base and were celebrating at Stark's penthouse.
Which meant… the Soul Stone was still in Stark's possession.
"At this point, Ultron should be about to appear," Fenric thought, striding confidently forward.
He coughed deliberately. "Ahem!"
The laughter stopped.
"What game are you playing?" Fenric asked with a smile. "Mind letting me join?"
The Avengers turned toward him, their relaxed expressions vanishing the instant they recognized him.
"It's you!"
Thor's eyes widened. "Didn't you leave for space?"
Everyone looked stunned, though Captain America's gaze turned wary while Tony's eyes narrowed with hostility.
He still hadn't forgiven Fenric for stealing two of his suits.
"Yeah," Fenric said casually. "Went to space, dealt with some aliens. Now I'm back."
He spread his arms wide, grinning.
"Well then—don't you welcome the return of a hero?"