Leo declared death—and the God of Death answered.
The faint voice drifted under the silent, starry sky, reaching General Ross's ears clearly.
"Haha… I didn't expect to die such a suffocating death. Guess I shouldn't have provoked a monster like you."
He laughed bitterly, blood running down his lips.
"But tell me—aren't you afraid? If I die, the law will hunt you down. Maybe I'm just leaving a little earlier than you!"
"Hahaha! I'll wait for you down there! Even if you survive, you'll live like a rat in the sewers—hiding, running, never seeing the sun again!"
Leo smirked. "Since General Ross wants to experience it so badly… I'll grant his last wish."
But just as he raised his hand, something felt off.
These kinds of scenes always followed the same damn pattern—someone always showed up to interrupt at the last second.
Leo half-suspected Nick Fury was hiding nearby, waiting for the perfect moment to pop out like some sneaky bastard collecting profit from the chaos.
Sure enough, before Leo could make a move, a loudspeaker boomed across the desert night.
"Mr. Leo! Please show mercy—can you spare General Ross?"
A blinding searchlight swept across the sand, and a modified bulletproof car rumbled closer.
Nick Fury's ride. The same beast of a car that saved his ass when HYDRA tried to blow him up.
The vehicle screeched to a stop, and out stepped Director Nick Fury himself, one hand holding a loudspeaker, the other motioning to the trembling Agent Coulson beside him.
Leo sighed. The legendary black-hearted director himself.
Under the moonlight, Fury looked exactly as rumored—sharp, calculating, and damn near glowing under the streetlights despite his jet-black outfit and skin.
Fury walked up with a forced smile and extended his hand.
"Hearing about you is one thing, meeting you is another, Mr. Leo. You're much younger and more handsome than in your file photo."
Leo shook his hand lazily. He wasn't in the mood for small talk after being interrupted.
"You flatter me, Director. It's my first time meeting the legendary Nick Fury in person. Gotta say—you really do light up the night. Right, Lali?"
No. 18 immediately caught on. "Yes, the glow is dazzling."
"Uh… haha. Thank you," Fury replied awkwardly.
If his face could turn any darker, it probably would've.
"So, Director Fury," Leo said with a faint smile, "what brings the famous head of S.H.I.E.L.D. all the way out here?"
Fury's tone turned serious. "I came to ask you to spare General Ross. He's still a military general of this country. Privately executing a high-ranking officer is… an extremely serious crime. I hope you'll consider whether it's worth it."
It sounded polite, but everyone there could feel the threat behind his words.
Touch him, and you'll be at war with the U.S. government.
Leo stayed silent, expression unreadable. Fury thought his speech had worked. Even Ross began to relax, showing a faint, relieved smile.
"Director Fury makes sense," Leo said calmly. "I have no reason not to accept such a suggestion."
Fury's eyes brightened. "So you agree to spare General Ross?"
But before anyone could celebrate, Leo suddenly waved his hand.
"Who said I'd accept? I reject everything."
"...What!?"
The twist hit them harder than an explosion.
"Mr. Leo!" Fury's voice rose. "Why? Don't you think this is… not worth it?"
Leo blinked innocently. "Worth? Not worth? Director Fury, what are you even talking about? I didn't do anything."
Fury frowned. "Then…?"
"I don't want to do anything."
Leo shrugged.
Everyone exhaled in relief—finally, the crisis seemed over.
Then—
A sudden chill swept through the air.
Fury turned his head sharply and shouted, "No! Don't—why!?"
Under the beam of the car's headlights, General Ross froze—literally.
He didn't even have time to scream before his entire body turned into solid ice.
And then—
CRUNCH!
The Hulk's massive foot came down, shattering the frozen general into powder.
…And that was that.
Leo blinked. "Well damn. Green Fatty really knows how to hold a grudge."
He turned toward Fury with a straight face.
"Director, you saw that. The Hulk stomped him. Nothing to do with me."
"YOU—!" Fury's veins nearly popped. His face, already dark, somehow got darker.
"Why couldn't you spare him!? Why did you have to kill him!?" Fury yelled. "Do you think the law means nothing?!"
Leo stared at him blankly.
"Wait… I didn't kill General Ross. The Hulk did. Shouldn't you be going after him? Why the hell are you yelling at me?"
He spread his arms dramatically.
"I'm innocent! I swear! I'm gonna appeal this bullshit!"
[Host, please note: plausible deniability achieved successfully.]
Leo grinned. "See? Even the Destroyer System agrees."