Chapter 361: Civil War III
"Wait, why am I even here?" Deadpool pointed at himself in confusion.
"Oh, right. Actually, I was on a mission and just happened to pass by. I didn't expect to witness such a spicy soap opera," Deadpool muttered to himself, breaking the fourth wall as usual.
On the Tarmac
Because Pietro had made up his mind to take Wanda back home, his target was fixed solely on her. Utilizing his extreme speed, he intended to simply scoop her up and run, having no real interest in the wider battle.
Unfortunately, Wanda had already anticipated his move. The moment the battle resumed, she unleashed a violent burst of Chaos Magic around her. Pietro, who was just about to reach out, was sent flying by the massive kinetic shockwave.
Thud!
Pietro slammed into a shipping container and tumbled to the ground. "I should have seen that coming."
"Tony, I'm not interested in this fight. But I'll do what I promised," Silas said to Tony.
Tony, currently locked in a struggle with Steve, replied, "That would be fantastic."
"Protect Wanda!" Steve immediately understood Silas's intention.
"Got it." Clint Barton raised his bow to fire at Silas, but a foot suddenly appeared from his side.
CRACK!
"Ow!" Clint dropped his bow in pain. Looking up at the person who kicked him, he sighed. "Long time no see."
"We're still friends after we finish fighting, right?" Natasha Romanoff smiled slightly.
"Sure, but that depends on your attitude."
As soon as the words left Clint's mouth, Natasha initiated a lightning-fast offensive. She delivered a sharp kick to his jaw and immediately locked his arms behind his back. "You said we were friends."
"Ngh..." Clint's face turned red as he nodded. Seriously, women are ruthless.
"Huh?" Natasha suddenly felt her feet lose their grip on the ground. She turned her head to see Wanda controlling her with Chaos Magic. "Oh no—"
BOOM!
Natasha met the same fate as Pietro, tossed aside effortlessly by Wanda.
"You were holding back," Wanda noted, looking at Clint.
Clint nodded sheepishly. "Won't happen next time."
"Good, because I won't be holding back either," Silas said, floating in front of them.
"I think a little holding back would be great right now," Clint muttered under his breath.
"Go help the Captain. I'll handle him," Wanda said solemnly to Clint. Clint knew their level of combat was beyond his pay grade. "Be careful," he warned before turning to leave.
Silas watched him go but didn't stop him. His focus was entirely on Wanda.
"You're going to be a wanted fugitive after this," Silas said as he landed on the ground.
"Can we be like them?" Wanda glanced toward Natasha. "Still friends after the fight?"
"Definitely," Silas nodded.
The two shared a brief, knowing smile before Wanda swung her hands forward. Her Chaos Magic manifested like a giant, sky-blotting hand attempting to crush Silas.
Silas didn't sit idly by. His immense telekinetic power formed a transparent web to intercept the blow.
KABOOM!
A massive shockwave erupted between them. Natasha and Pietro, who had just managed to stand up, were blown back again. A multi-ton train car nearby was flipped onto its side. Tony and Steve, caught in their own duel, had to scramble out of the way to avoid being crushed.
"Okay, is this a superhero fight or a wizard duel?" Tony remarked, watching the mystical display. While the others fought like enhanced humans, Silas and Wanda looked like ancient sorcerers clashing with pure magic.
Crrack!
Silas's telekinetic web began to splinter under the sheer pressure of the Chaos Magic. He wasn't surprised; raw telekinesis couldn't compete with the fundamental quality of Wanda's energy.
"You lose, Destiny," Wanda said with a hint of joy at her progress.
"Too early for that, Wanda." The moment his shield shattered, Silas opened a Shadow Portal and vanished.
CRASH!!!
With Silas gone, the giant hand of Chaos Magic slammed into the pavement, shaking the entire airport. Cracks spread like a massive spiderweb from the impact point.
"Hah... hah..." Wanda panted, sweat beading on her forehead. Where did he go? That attack had been her strongest yet, and it had left her drained.
"Wanda, feel like playing somewhere else?" Silas's voice came from directly behind her. While she was panting, Silas had stepped into the Shadow Kingdom, grabbed a quick sip of juice, and returned.
Wanda spun around, her breathing ragged. "Where?"
"A much better place than here." Silas opened a Shadow Portal in front of her. "Should I invite you in, or will you walk?"
"How do you plan on inviting me?" Wanda hid her hands behind her back, gathering the last of her energy.
"You tell me." Silas noticed her subtle movements and sharpened his focus. "Come forth, Shadow Khan!"
With a sweep of his arm, hundreds of Shadow Ninjas emerged from the darkness, completely surrounding the airport. Even Deadpool, watching from the bridge, found two ninjas tapping him on the shoulders.
"Just watching?" the ninja on the left asked.
"The drawing is actually pretty good," the ninja on the right added, pointing at his sketchbook.
"Who are you guys?!" Deadpool asked, genuinely surprised.
Back on the Field
"I think we're in trouble, Cap," Clint said, looking at the army of ninjas. He didn't even know who to aim at anymore.
"Yeah." Steve gripped his shield. Once Silas brought the Shadow Kingdom into play, the tide had turned completely.
"Why go through all this?" Tony asked, struggling to contain his fury. "Just hand over Barnes and this ends!"
"It's not that simple, Tony," Steve argued.
"It was complex. But since Barnes killed my parents, it's become very simple." Tony had planned to turn Barnes over for trial, but now, he just wanted him dead. Steve had no answer for that.
"I have an idea, Cap!" Scott Lang seized the moment. He shrunk down and flew into Tony's Mark 46 armor, landing on the internal circuitry and pulling out wires.
Zzap!
Tony's palm sparked. "Jarvis, what's going on?"
Steve saw the opening and hurled his shield. Tony tried to block, but his suit felt sluggish and unresponsive. "Jarvis!"
"I'm on it, sir," Jarvis replied.
Having learned from his encounter with the Green Goblin, Tony had integrated a specialized "pest control" system. A cloud of white chemical mist sprayed through the internal vents.
"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Scott, who was happily causing mayhem, saw the white fog coming. He scrambled out of the suit as fast as his tiny legs could carry him.
"Blegh!" Once outside, Scott returned to his normal size and ripped off his helmet, retching. He had inhaled a bit of the pesticide.
"How do you like that? Specially formulated for bugs," Tony quipped.
"Are you okay?" Steve asked, helping Scott up.
"I'm fine... just feels like I've been on five roller coasters at once," Scott wheezed.
"Cap, what now?" Scott asked, looking at the endless rows of Shadow Ninjas.
"I don't know," Steve admitted. Even he was feeling the pressure.
"I have one more trick, Cap," Scott said, deciding to take a massive risk. "But it's a big one."
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