Chapter 11: The Future’s Strongest Agent

"Ding! Mission complete—The Showdown of the Strongest! Reward unlocked: Random Ability from Captain Marvel. Drawing reward…"

"Congratulations! You've gained the ability of high-speed flight, enabling flight in any environment without requiring external objects!"

As Thor pinned Carol to the ground for the third time, the system's notification finally came through. While flight might seem modest compared to Carol's other powers, for Thor, it was a game-changer. Now, he could fight in space without depending on Mjolnir or Stormbreaker.

Nearby, young Natasha was half-asleep, phone in hand, recording the fight at Thor's request. Is this really necessary? she thought. In her eyes, Carol's combat skills were basic at best—not even on par with her own hand-to-hand training. And as for the burly, enthusiastic Thor… his fighting style struck her as more brutish than refined.

God of Thunder? He fights like a Spartan straight out of ancient history.

Thor shook his head, observing Carol's form. "You need to hone your fighting skills," he advised. "Not every opponent can be beaten by raw power alone. For someone like Yon-Rogg, sure, but in this universe, there are beings far stronger. Against true power, physical skills matter. If your attacks don't actually harm the enemy, they're pointless—no matter how flashy they look."

Thor knew he was also reminding himself. His last fight with Thanos had proven this all too well. Although Stormbreaker was unstoppable, it couldn't strike effectively in open combat, only during a surprise attack.

Carol nodded thoughtfully. She'd realized the same thing while decimating Ronan's fleet. Despite her speed, she'd taken several hits she could have dodged, relying on her binary form's durability to absorb them. The prospect of losing, even partially, grated on her, but she took the advice seriously.

That evening, everyone gathered in Maria Rambeau's living room to discuss their plans for the future.

Nick Fury, now sporting an eye patch, noticed the young Natasha beside Thor and grinned with curiosity.

"I met this kid while retrieving my hammer," Thor explained, introducing her. "She's a natural fighter with the potential to become one of the greatest agents."

Fury raised an eyebrow. Thor wasn't one to give out praise easily. He turned to Natasha. "What's your name?"

"Natasha Romanoff," she replied confidently. With a new life beginning, she had decided to leave her old name behind.

"One more thing," Thor added thoughtfully. "I'm not sure how agents are usually trained, but understand this—Natasha's strengths don't lie in playing to the feminine stereotypes. If you intend to train her, do it without reducing her to tactics that exploit that. She deserves better than what she left behind."

Thor's words earned a look of gratitude from Natasha. Fury, understanding the implication, nodded.

"Many people misunderstand this line of work," Fury explained. "At the highest levels, agents rarely rely on such methods. It's risky, often counterproductive, and can even endanger agents or compromise their loyalty. Take Agent Carter, for example—she showed favor to only one man… and, well, it paid off in the end."

Fury paused before adding, "In fact, only low-tier agents resort to that approach. Real training goes much deeper. There are plenty of spots in Manhattan that could provide that kind of 'training,' S.H.I.E.L.D. or no S.H.I.E.L.D."

Thor nodded, seeing the logic. If "charm" alone could handle most missions, it would be pointless to spend years honing their combat and survival skills.

Impressed by Natasha's potential, Fury made a quick decision. He would entrust her training to Peggy Carter herself. As one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s founding agents, Peggy will be the ideal mentor, likely to mold Natasha into a formidable successor.

"And here," Thor said, presenting Natasha with a pair of wristbands, "is a little gift for helping me find my hammer. Take some time to understand what they do—they'll be invaluable."

Thor placed the magical bracelets on Natasha's wrists, and they vanished, merging with her. But she could feel them, their presence connecting to her in an unspoken bond, waiting to be unlocked.